Free What Caroline Wants by Amanda Abbott Page B

gets a little raunchier. It’s making me feel like an insane person.”
    “Okay, stop right there.” Piper held up her hand. “If this isn’t time for the praline ice cream, I don’t know when is.” Piper walked purposefully over to the fridge and yanked open the freezer door, then plucked two spoons out of a drawer. Caroline adored that Piper felt so at home here. When Caroline was at Piper’s house, she usually deferred to Piper, never feeling like she could take charge in another person’s kitchen comfortably. “We’re eating this straight out of the carton, too. I don’t want to hear any arguments.” Piper slid into her seat next to Caroline’s at the island and handed her a spoon. “Eat first, then we’ll talk you through this.”
    Caroline obliged her friend and dug her spoon into the ice cream.
    She was happy to have a few minutes to get her thoughts back in order. She’d basically blurted everything out in one long breath. Piper must think she was unhinged. Or, like her mother would say, depraved. Caroline spooned a cold, creamy bite into her mouth and sighed.
    So sweet, and so very needed.
    Piper was a genius.
    After a few more scoops, Piper lowered her spoon and crossed her forearms. “Okay. So I need you to be extremely clear with me here. You only want to have sex with your husband, right? Meaning his penis is the only penis for you?”
    Caroline nodded and felt a blush rising on her cheeks.
    “But in your fantasy, you watch another couple go at it first, but in order to come, you need a little extra something-something from the gallery?” She put her fingers together about an inch apart. “Just a little.”
    “I guess.” Caroline gave a noncommittal shrug. “But, honestly, I think I may have spoken a little too prematurely. It’s not sitting right with me now that I’m hearing it relayed back to me. I think I made a mistake by making this a big deal. Daydreams are just that— dreams . They don’t need to be made into reality. Plenty of women and men have dreams that they never act on. I’m being silly even bringing this up. Just forget I said anything. This is so embarrassing.” She waved her hand and dug the spoon back into the carton.
    Piper shook her head. “You’re not being silly at all. That’s your guilt talking. But I get it, I do. If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think you’re ready to jump into anything…yet. But I have to tell you”—Piper lifted her own spoon off the counter and dipped it back into the ice cream—“what you’re telling me you need is very small on the ‘experimental level’ of sexcapades. If you decide you want to try something like that down the line, and can work through some of the emotional issues ahead of time, my suggestion is to go and watch only . Come home, see how you feel. Remember, baby steps are key—super, tiny, cute baby steps. That’s the ticket to sexual happiness, and don’t forget it.” She popped the spoon into her mouth and licked her lips. “ Mmm , this ice cream is so good,” she said around a full bite. “How did I not ever try it until I met you?”
    Caroline chuckled. “It’s a Southern thing.” She took another bite for herself and savored the flavor. Once she was done, she set her spoon down. “Okay, I hear what you’re saying, and I don’t mean to be rude, but if Jace and I decided this was something we wanted to investigate more fully—in the much-distant future—who would we connect with to do it? I love you and Michael to death, but I…it would never be with someone we know. There isn’t exactly a 1-800 number for this, so I’m not sure how to progress.”
    Piper snorted. “Actually, there are 1-800 numbers coming out of the woodwork. But I have no idea who uses them. Too freaky for me, because you have no idea what you’re getting yourself into. But don’t worry, I have contacts. When Michael and I entered into this, we sort of got an unexpected magical ticket into the sexual