“But…I don’t have anyone to have sex with. I don’t think getting myself all…uh…worked up and then being frustrated is going to help me feel better.”
“Hmmm.” Maeve sat back in her chair. “You may have a point there. But there’s no need for you to be alone. You’re a beautiful girl, smart and sweet…we’ll find you a date.”
“No!” Once again Keara coughed on her coffee. “That’s okay, Maeve. I didn’t come here for that.”
“Well I’m not going to forget it.” Maeve set her mouth stubbornly. She tipped her head. “If I think of someone for you, I’m going to introduce you. And in the meantime, please consider the vibrator offer. And don’t just brush it off. There’s solid scientific evidence that what I’m saying is true.”
“I’m sure there is,” Keara said with a gulp.
“Why do you think I’m still so lively at my age?” Maeve’s eyes twinkled. “Sex produces other hormones, too, like DHEA. It boosts your immune system, repairs tissue, and keeps your skin healthy. Maybe even gives you a longer life.”
Dear God. Her aunt was certainly persistent. But truly, sex was nowhere on Keara’s radar at that moment. All she wanted was to feel better, to shake off the heavy blanket of depression that weighed her down, to not have that tight feeling of anxiety knotting her stomach all the time, and to just be able to sleep. Somehow she knew if she could just sleep better, everything would improve. She sighed as she went out to the storefront to open the store.
“Fiona’s invited us for dinner on Friday night,” Maeve said, following her into the store. “Isn’t that nice of her? You remember her and Declan, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course.” Keara paused. “Shane mentioned that Declan had a stroke a couple of years ago.”
“Yes.” Maeve sighed. “That was terrible. He seemed so young for that. But he has made an amazing recovery. He still has some weakness on the right side of his body and his speech is just a bit slurred, but his mind is sharp as ever, thankfully. He gets tired easily.”
“So he’s retired, then?”
“Yes. He didn’t go back to work. Fiona was happy about that, she wanted him to retire years ago, but he loved his job.”
“Did he sell the business?” Keara remembered that Shane’s dad had been a contractor, building high-priced homes all over the area.
“Yes. He was pretty devastated about that.”
“They still live in their house?”
“Oh, yes. Shane was determined they would stay there. His da spent months in the hospital of course, so Shane looked after his mother and the house, and he still helps them. They do love living in their house. Declan was always such a gardener, and though he can’t do as much as he used to, he enjoys planting things and puttering around in the yard.”
“That’s nice. I hope dinner isn’t too much trouble for them.”
“Fiona is still quite able,” Maeve replied, preparing the till with a float for the day’s business. “She wouldn’t invite us if it was too much for her. We’ll bring some wine of course and I said we’d bring dessert.”
“Maybe I can make something.”
Maeve eyed her. “That would be lovely, muirnín. I didn’t know you liked to cook.”
“I don’t.” Keara gave her a faint grin. “I pretty much heat up frozen dinners or eat out. But I’m sure I could put together some kind of dessert.”
“Well. If you feel up to it. That would be very nice.”
Much as she’d enjoyed Shane’s parents as a teenager, the idea of a big, noisy family dinner with the Dunstans just made her feel even more tired. Conversation seemed too much effort. Paying attention and thinking about what to say seemed exhausting.
Oh God. She was a sad, sad case. Really, she had to snap out of this. Maybe she and Shane were worried about Maeve for nothing. She seemed fine this morning. And if she could still play bridge, she couldn’t be that bad. Right?
As customers entered the store, Keara pasted on a smile and shoved away her worries.
Would Shane be there for dinner? That would just be great. The animosity he felt for her now wouldn’t make for a very enjoyable evening. Maybe she’d find out, and if he was going to be there she’d make some excuse not to go.
Maeve’s talk about sex and then thinking about Shane naturally led to thoughts of sex with Shane. Keara leaned on the counter, lost in memories. She’d been seventeen, Shane nineteen, home for the summer after his first year of college. They hadn’t had a lot of places to go to be alone, but they’d driven to the coast, found a private spot on the beach sheltered by large rocks, where they’d had many picnic lunches and…sex.
Hot, horny, teenage sex, exploring each other’s bodies, trying every new thing their innocent minds could think of. Keara closed her eyes, remembering long, sexy kisses, the first time Shane had touched her breasts and the wild passion his hands had ignited in her, the first thrilling time he’d slipped his hand into her panties, and the first time she’d seen his erection, bigger and harder than anything she could ever have imagined in her virginal fantasies.
“Excuse me?”
Keara jumped and turned startled eyes to the customer wanting to pay for some flavored massage oil.
“I’m sorry.” She rang up the sale, aching low in her belly, sure that her panties were wet. Just from remembering. Oh lord. Maybe she did need sex.
* * * * *
It had only been a few days, but Shane couldn’t stop himself from dropping in at the Irish Sex Fairy Shop again on his way home from work. Despite Keara’s declaration that she was fine, she clearly wasn’t. The little meltdown the other day hadn’t been nothing and she was thin, pale and jumpy. And he’d thought she
