Excerpt of The Learning Curve by Christy Gissendaner

When Mercedes (Sadie) Kelley goes to a bar, searching for a one night stand, she gets more than she bargained for in the arms of her sexy boss.

"You are a what!" Jason exclaimed loudly as he drew back and looked at her in stunned disbelief. He blinked at her several times as he digested what she had revealed.

"Shush, do you want to inform the whole bar?" Sadie said and hurried to cover his mouth with one hand. "I cannot believe I told you. Jessie does not even know."

"I cannot believe you told me either," Jason said in an amazed tone after she removed her hand. "Are you telling me that you have never, not even once?"

"Never."

"Not even with Mike Stuart?"

"Certainly not with Mike!" Sadie grimaced as she remembered her date for the senior prom. After he consumed too much alcohol and passed out before they even got to the prom, Sadie’s short romance with the high school linebacker was doomed from the start.

"Are you just pulling my leg?"

Sadie shook her head and her cheeks flushed with embarrassed color as he continued to look at her as if she had sprouted horns. "Is it really so unbelievable?"

"Hell, yes, it is unbelievable," Jason said with a wave of his hand toward her. "I mean, just look at you. What are the guys you’re dating thinking?"

Noting that he had given her an offhand compliment, Sadie smiled with pleasure. Hey, a girl had to take whatever compliments she could get. Even if they were from an old friend, who had more women throw themselves at him in one day than she could count on both hands. Actually, the more she thought about it, the more pleased she became. If an accomplished ladies’ man like Jason was complimenting her, then she had to be doing something right.

"So, the reason that you are drinking yourself into oblivion while my sister is virtually having sex with some guy in the corner of a bar," he said with a jerk of his head in Jessie’s direction, "is because you are a virgin?"

"That is only half of it," Sadie said as her cheeks again betrayed her by reddening. A quick glance in the corner confirmed that Jessie and the stranger’s make out session was quickly progressing to something usually not done in public. She was not sure whether she blushed because of her own secret or because Jason had witnessed his sister making out with a complete stranger. Both situations did not have much to recommend them.

"I am not sure that I can handle the other half, but go on," Jason said and leaned closer to hear the rest of her tale.

Sadie pressed her palms to her cheeks and winced as she imagined his reaction to what she was about to impart. "I have always wanted to be a writer and I cannot do that if I have no knowledge of sex, so I am determined to find inspiration by losing my virginity. Thus, I came here to find a possible candidate, but I am failing miserably."

Jason remained mute as he reached for his beer and took a long gulp. His eyes never left hers as he swallowed and set the frosty mug back on the counter with a loud thud. "You are serious?" He finally asked with his face carefully devoid of emotion.

"Completely," Sadie said with a tilt of her chin. Her decision had been made and though it may sound rash, it was the best idea she had came up with in a long time.

"You are going to give your virginity to a complete stranger just because you are suffering from a bad case of writer’s block?"

"That is the plan," Sadie said with a nod. How come when Jason voiced her idea, it started to sound a bit foolish?

"Have you completely lost your mind?" Jason finally exploded. "You are not going to have sex with some random guy just to get inspiration for one of your stories."

"I prefer the term novel."

"Fine. Your novel," Jason said with an exaggerated drawl. "But you still cannot sleep with a complete stranger."

"Who would you suggest I sleep with then?" Sadie asked in all seriousness. "None of my previous dates have interested me in the least and I cannot sit around forever waiting for my knight in shining armor to arrive. At this rate, he will not appear until I am too old to do anything about it."

"Surely there is someone you know that can help you out without you having to resort to such drastic measures? A close male friend, perhaps?"

Sadie lifted a shoulder and shook her head. "Sadly, no. Do you think I prefer to do it this way? I am not getting any younger and the way I see it is, either I do this now and get my novel published or spend the rest of my life as a lonely, old maid virgin."

"You make it sound like you are already getting gray hair and will be in a wheelchair any day now. Sadie, you are still young. You have more than enough time to find someone special."

Sadie sighed and lifted her hands to grip his upper arms. "Jason, I am nearly twenty-six years old. If I do not do this now, I might never get another chance."

"For the record, this is the stupidest thing I have ever heard you say in your entire life."

In an attempt to lighten the mood, Sadie forced a chuckle. "Even stupider than my attempt to join a rock band in college?"

Jason’s stern look cracked the tiniest bit as he recalled her tone deaf guitar playing. Just when she thought he might smile, his amusement fled as quickly as it had appeared.

"I refuse to let you do this," Jason stated with an emphatic shake of his head.

"Who do you think you are? My boss?" Sadie resorted to a familiar childhood taunt and she froze as a grin spread across Jason’s face. Dang it, he was her boss.

"You know what I mean," she finally muttered as she lowered her hands from his arms. Her chin dropped to her chest, but Jason reached out to lift her face back to his. The look of pity in his eyes was nearly her undoing, but she forced herself to meet his gaze. "I know you don’t understand, but this is truly what I want."

Jason was clearly upset by her plan, but a resigned expression soon crossed his face. "So, if you really are planning on doing this, what kind of guy are you looking for?"

Sadie gave him a cautious look. "Why?"

"Maybe I can help you find someone for your ridiculous plan. I do have friends, you know. The least I could do is set you up with one of them, but I can only do that if I know your tastes."

Sadie smiled brightly at him. "Oh, that is a good idea. I am sure you know all sorts of eligible men."

Jason lifted his shoulder in a shrug and waited for her to describe her perfect bedmate. Taking a bracing sip from her mug of beer, she launched into her carefully thought out characteristics.

"I would prefer a tall man. Someone who had a nice job, his own home, no children. Preferably not married, with a sense of humor and reasonable intelligence." Sadie paused to consider what else she would require in a possible bed partner. "Oh, and nice teeth."

"That’s it, then?" Jason said. "Tall, rich, funny, smart, single, and nice teeth?"

"That about covers it, if you want it cut and dried," Sadie answered with remarkable aplomb considering that Jason was probably thinking she was a lunatic. He remained silent so long that she began to fidget in her seat. What was he thinking? After several moments of silence, Jason smiled, displaying his perfectly aligned teeth.

"It sounds like I would be the perfect candidate in your hunt."