to a much smaller place now that he was responsible for the mortgage. Leila had put on a happy face, but he knew it had been hard on her to give up what she was used to simply because he hadn’t hit the big time in his career yet.
She’d told him on the day she married him that she didn’t need that silver spoon, that all she needed was him. That she trusted they would make a happy life together. And he’d spent the last eight years busting his ass trying to prove to her that she hadn’t made the wrong choice.
And though he’d not yet been able to provide her with the kind of life she’d grown up with, they’d eked out a pretty decent living. He brought in enough money to allow Leila to pursue her fledgling design business. He’d even been secretly putting away cash to accumulate a down payment on the kind of house Leila really wanted. If he could just secure a promotion, the house of her dreams would be theirs.
But now Seth wondered if what he’d done had been enough. His wife wasn’t happy. He was miserable. Maybe Leila had finally realized that she’d gotten a bum deal when she’d walked away from her lavish lifestyle just for the chance to be with him.
No. He wouldn’t go down that path yet. That line of thought led nowhere good.
He cut off the engine and climbed out of the car, determined to execute his plan. When faced with a problem, usually the simplest solution was the right one. His father, Mr. Pragmatic, had hammered that into him as a kid. There was no reason Seth needed to start imagining the lack of sexual heat in his marriage was anything more than the fact that he and Leila had both gotten complacent and routine.
If anyone knew how to fix that kind of situation, it would be Jace Austin. So Seth walked into Wicked, not even pausing to admire all the beautiful erotic photography gracing the walls of the bottom level, and headed straight up the stairs where he knew he’d find his brother-in-law.
The second floor of the building was where the actual store was located. Rows and rows of carefully chosen items to cater to almost any sexual taste. High-end lingerie, vibrators, plugs, jewelry, and a BDSM section that was so extensive Seth would need a manual to identify half the items. Looking at the inventory, it was no secret where Jace’s kink preferences fell.
Seth looked to the far corner of the store where Jace’s office was located and headed that way. He knocked on the closed door, suddenly wondering if he should’ve called first.
“Door’s unlocked,” Jace called.
Seth pushed open the door to find his brother-in-law with his feet propped up on the desk and a notepad and pen in hand. The radio was squawking out of the computer speakers as Jace wrote something down. When he was done with his note, he glanced up, registering surprise at first then breaking into a smile. “Well, hey there, bro-in-law. Not who I expected to be darkening my doorway.”
“I’m sorry, if you’re expecting someone …”
Jace rocked forward, bringing his feet from the top of the desk back to the floor. “Oh, no. Not at all. I figured it was Andre coming downstairs to shoot the shit before his shift.”
Jace lived in a renovated loft on the third floor of the building with his roommate, Andre. The ultimate bachelor pad if Seth had ever seen one. And though Leila would never confirm or deny, Seth suspected Jace and Andre weren’t just sharing rent but were sharing women. He couldn’t even imagine what that kind of freewheeling lifestyle must be like. Seth had done his fair share of wild things by the time he met Leila, but getting married at twenty-one had basically ended his bachelorhood right as it had begun. He didn’t regret his decision, but looking at guys like Jace and Andre was like observing an entirely different species.
Jace stepped around the desk to give Seth a friendly handshake and a slap on the back. “It’s good to see you, man. Just getting off work?”
“Yeah. Sorry to drop in so late.” Seth sank into one of the chairs opposite the desk, a bone-deep weariness settling over him as he absorbed the surroundings. Jace’s office was posh, beautifully appointed with warm woods and deep maroon accents. Jace had let Leila use it as practice when she was still getting her design business off the ground. Just seeing how well she’d done even before she really had any experience under her belt was a testament to her level of natural talent.
“No worries. I don’t close up here for a little while still. You want a beer or something? Looks like you had a rough night.” Jace leaned over and turned the volume on his speakers down a bit.
Seth rubbed the back of his neck, the tension coiling there like a ready-to-strike snake. “Beer would be great.”
Jace headed to the mini-fridge in the far corner of the office, grabbed two bottles, and brought one back to Seth. Instead of returning to his desk chair, Jace sat on the couch he had for guests and twisted open his beer. He took a long pull, keeping his eyes on Seth, obviously waiting for him to reveal why he was here.
“What are you listening to?” Seth asked, not quite ready to jump into the I-need-sex-advice-about-yoursister conversation.
Jace glanced at his desk when Seth cocked his head in that direction. “Oh, that Dr. Dan radio show everyone seems to be buzzing about. His manager contacted me a few days ago to see if I’d be interested in doing a talk on spicing things up at one of the couples’ workshops he’s giving around the state. With this economy, I could use any promotion I can get for Wicked, so I’m doing my homework to see what he’s about.”
“Mmm,” Seth said noncommittally, picking at the label on his beer. “Interesting.”
Jace laughed. “Yeah, and you totally didn’t hear anything I said.”
Seth winced. “I’m sorry, man.”
“No worries. Obviously you’ve got something on your mind.” He set his beer down on the side table. “So, go ahead. Lay it on me.”
“Right.” Seth gulped down a good portion of his beer. Might as well put it out there. “This is awkward. But I need you to forget for a few minutes that I’m married to your sister and help me out with something.”
Jace’s brows disappeared beneath his shaggy blond hairline. “Okay …”
Seth sighed as he rubbed a hand over his face. “My sex life is in the shitter. I’m only thirty-one and already feel like I’ve gone into old married couple mode. I’m not happy. Leila isn’t happy. I love her more than anything, but I think we’re growing apart because of it. And I want to figure out a way to change it.”
The words flooded out of Seth in a rush, the relief of saying it aloud almost as potent as the shame of admitting it to someone else.
Jace stared at him, a frown tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Wow, man, I didn’t see that one coming. You and Lei always seem so damn happy.”
“We are, in a lot of ways. We have a good life, great kids, we love each other. But lately it’s like we’ve become business partners instead of husband and wife.” He looked at the closed door that led to the store, praying that the answer was on the other side. “I was hoping if I spiced things up some, bought some new things to try, I could find that spark again.”
Jace leaned fully back on the couch, his forehead wrinkled. “So how spicy are you looking to go?”
Seth cringed a bit, remembering this was his wife’s little brother he was taking to. “Uh …”
Jace
