Alison's Wonderland by Alison Tyler

then, I’ve been irresistible to men. All I have to do is look at them and—and they become sexually aroused. They won’t leave me alone,” Laura said miserably.
    “Why is this a problem?” Carolyn said impatiently. Laura buried herself in her drink. She’d never win an award for Raving Beauty of the Year, especially carrying thirty extra pounds. Being the sexual target of men had been a heady experience. At first. “The problem is—” She stopped, felt herself turn red. “I don’t get any enjoyment out of it.”
    Carolyn shrugged. “Lots of women don’t have an orgasm—”
    “I can’t get turned on.”
    “Ever?”
    “Ever.”
    “That’s a problem. There has to be a way out,” Carolyn said practically. “Maybe you can—uh—dream up that long-haired cutie again?”
    “I’ve tried.”
    At the nearby table, Chris stood and ran his eyes over Laura, clearly undressing her in his mind. He put the laptop in his briefcase, blew a kiss and left.
    “Unbelievable,” Carolyn said. “It’s kind of like whosee-whats. You know, Midas. The golden touch. Everything he touched turned to gold. Even his daughter.”
    “I don’t have to worry about that. At this rate, I’ll never have a daughter.”
    “Hey.” Hunka-hunka was back. He grabbed a chair, placed it next to Laura and sat, sliding an arm around her shoulders. Ignoring Carolyn, he pulled Laura close.
    “Not to rush you, sweetheart, but I’m rock hard for you,”he whispered in her ear. As he ran his tongue over her earlobe, he took her hand and placed it on his crotch.
    Laura removed her hand and forced a smile. “My friend’s over there,” she murmured. “Just give me a few more minutes, okay?”
    “Anything you want.” His hand moved across her breasts and slid over her hip to her upper thigh, where it lingered. Then he pulled away, stood and sauntered off.
    Carolyn stared at her. “I can’t believe you didn’t feel anything from that. ”
    Carolyn had a point. There was something raunchy and exciting about being felt up by a guy before her friend. But Laura felt nothing.
    “If you were a real friend, you’d take him off my hands,” she said. “I’m exhausted. I can’t take much more of this.”
    “Well—” Carolyn glanced at hunka-hunka and grinned.
    “Thanks.” Laura stood. “I’m going to the bathroom. How long will you need?”
    Carolyn studied hunka-hunka for a moment, who was still staring at Laura. “Five minutes,” she said. “Assuming he won’t be lusting after you.”
    Laura shook her head. “Once I’m gone, they forget about me.”
    “Okay. I’ll tell you how it works out.”
    Laura nodded and went into the bathroom, hoping hunka-hunka wouldn’t follow her. It wouldn’t have been the first time some guy trailed her into the ladies’ loo. But thankfully, he didn’t seem to be into bathroom trysts.
    Laura perched her sunglasses on her head, taking stock of her reflection in the mirror. The gray dress hid her ample curves. Her long, dark hair was parted in the middle and pulled back into a ponytail. Her round face with her bow-shaped lips and dark brown eyes was free of makeup. No way was she any guy’s fantasy. But tell the guys that.
    Sighing, she turned from the mirror, washed her hands perfunctorily and glanced at her watch. Hopefully Carolyn had wooed hunka-hunka away and she could enjoy another drink, or two, or three or more, in peace. When she emerged from the bathroom, Laura saw the bar was empty. Carolyn had cleared out with her hot stud.
    “Your girlfriend left with your boyfrien,” Rick said. Laura slid onto a bar stool and glanced at the television. The Bears were losing. Nothing new there.
    “I asked her to,” she told him. At Rick’s curious look, she shook her head. “Just get me another bourbon, please. Make it a double.”
    Rick grabbed a bottle and poured. “Why the dark glasses?” He touched the glasses perched on her head and Laura looked at him, startled, then cursed herself.