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  “Two hours? You’re on, dude. Not another word,” Zac promised. “Not another fuckin’ word.”

  * * * * *

  Erin moved her thumbs over the cell phone’s keypad, reading her response twice before rapidly tapping the Clear key and erasing the words as quickly as she had typed them. It was her eighth attempt at offering a sophisticated comeback to his morning text from hours before. Something witty that didn’t scream “you’ve pegged me for the hidden slut I am”. What was the patented response to someone throwing out sexual-kink bait? When it got right down to it, Erin really wanted to know what that bait consisted of. For research purposes, of course.

  Riiiiiight.

  She looked at his number and considered calling him instead. But what would she say? Both their business days were long past but “how was work?” seemed so damn lame. Her mind was just starting to drift toward all the things a man like Daniel might be doing on a Monday evening when her text tone sounded. His name. His number.

  Give me one more night, Erin. Friday 8:00. A simple yes or no.

  Simple? Hardly. Was it one more night with him or a night with him and the other people he’d mentioned in his first message. She was willing to bet the latter. The thought dampened her panties. Yes or no? One more night wasn’t really what she wanted. She’d realized that on the train ride home, maybe even before that if she was honest with herself. She wanted Daniel for more than a quick fling. But that didn’t seem to be his mindset.

  Before she could second-guess, she texted him a brief, convicted missive.

  Yes. Friday. But 10 p.m.

  There it was. A date. Not the way she was used to making one. No talking on the phone, no idle chitchat about inconsequential things before moving in for the details. No doubt it was the age factor at work. It was all about the texting. As if to prove her point, another message arrived.

  I’ll keep in touch…one way or another.

  “Okay, Captain Cryptic,” Erin said, unable to keep the grin from her face. She was pretty certain, if she found a mirror, the smile would look utterly ridiculous for a woman over forty. Hell, it would probably look stupid on a much younger woman, but she didn’t want to question why her heart felt suddenly lighter. When the doorbell rang it went from uplifted to thundering in her chest.

  “No way.” She set her phone on her desk and headed toward the front door. He couldn’t be there, standing on her stoop once again, could he? No. That sort of stuff only happened in the romantic machinations of the literary world. She rounded the corner and reminded herself it was after nine o’clock at night, despite the fact she lived in a very secure enclave of homes. Her heart beat a little harder as she slowed her steps and hit the switch for the porch light.

  “It’s only me.” Linda’s voice was muted through the heavy front door and Erin rushed forward to allow her friend inside. She was barefoot, wrapped in a fluffy bathrobe and holding a distinctly recognizable light pink box held together with a silky black bow.

  “Speedy-fucking-delivery,” Linda said, shoving the box toward Erin’s chest. “Here, take it. I’ll expect a big tip for the after-hours drop-off.

  “Agent Provocateur?” Erin asked in a confused tone, still staring at the box. Was it real or had Linda just reused the packaging?

  “Mmm-hmm. Someone must have been really good,” Linda replied, crossing her arms over her breasts and leveling Erin with a shrewd stare. “Or very naughty. Tell the truth, do I really want to know?”

  Erin raised a brow, not at all sure how to answer.

  “Since I know the sender, quite well in fact, I’m going to assume you’re being rewarded for a job well done as it pertains to the breaking of the celibacy cherry. What I’d like you to help me understand is why, my best friend in the world, you chose my baby brother to help with the task.”

  Erin’s stomach clenched at both Linda’s words and the fact her face had yet to shift into its usual jovial visage. It was the “oh shit” moment she had worried about.

  “I didn’t choose him, Linda. He came to me.”

  “Throwin’ him under the bus, Erin?”

  “It’s not like that. I swear to you—”

  “Oh, just can it,” Linda said with a sigh. “He said the same damn thing. That he couldn’t keep his hands off you. That you thwarted his every attention, blah, blah, blah. Until he played some tape he made and you turned into Exhibitionist Erin.”

  “What?” Erin exclaimed. She knew the bond Daniel and Linda shared but she never dreamed he would tell anyone particulars about their hookup. Shock and a decent amount of anger swirled through her body.

  “I haven’t told Paul…he’ll be so hurt to know you’re a kinkosaurus in your own right and you never shared.”

  Oh my god! Erin turned on her heel and headed toward the family room, Linda following close behind. She sat on the couch and set the box on her lap. Linda plopped down across from her on the matching loveseat and cocked her head.

  Erin looked down as she traced the cursive script with one finger, her anger ebbing. Danny would have a perfectly good explanation for drawing the queen of inquisitiveness into this. She couldn’t wait to ask him but until then…

  “I’m not saying a word.”

  “You don’t have to. Your silence speaks volumes. So how many times did he have you screamin’ his name?”

  Erin’s head snapped up, but before she could tell Linda to mind her own business, another barrage of unanswerable questions came her way.

  “Or how many times did you have him yelling yours is probably the better question, since you’re sitting with a good-sized box from one of the highest-end lingerie stores in the freakin’ country. Did you rock his world in ways he never knew existed? I wouldn’t have seen that coming—no pun intended—but it’s always the quiet ones. Isn’t that what they say?”

  Their gazes met and Erin remained silent. It was a battle of wills and Erin refused to be the first to give. She was surprised to find she felt little guilt. No. It was more a feeling of annoyance that Linda was butting in where she really didn’t belong.

  “Oh hell,” Linda finally said, flinging herself backward into the cushions. “Whatever. You’re both adults. I just don’t want Danny hurt.”

  Danny hurt? Was she serious? She doubted Danny was second-guessing his every move. Doubted that his heart started racing when he thought back to their time together.

  “Don’t hurt him.” Linda’s voice was edged with a hardness Erin had never heard before. Her friend’s gaze narrowed but Erin felt the devotion behind the stare.

  “How can I hurt him? He’s the one calling the shots. I think.”

  Linda relaxed and slowly nodded her head. “Wow. You’re fine with that? Letting him have his way?”

  “He’s more knowledgeable than I am.” She hesitated, not wanting to tell Linda any details that would have the woman pissed once more.

  “True. Let’s not delve any deeper into ick-land, please. Go ahead and open the box. I can’t wait to see what’s inside.”

  “What if it’s ‘ick’ material? They make some really racy stuff.” Erin couldn’t wait to see what type of lingerie was hidden away beneath the tissue paper.

  “Diaphanous anything isn’t icky. Especially if it’s for playtime use. It’s either going to be innocently sexy or blatantly seductive. Hurry it up.”

  A frisson of excitement shot through Erin and she pulled the ribbons off the corners of the box, tossed the lid aside and dug into the tissue paper. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked down at the most beautiful corset she had ever seen. Made of heavy ivory-colored satin, it shimmered in the low light, and she gently grabbed the top of the bodice and pulled it from the box, holding it up to study it. A row of small hooks and eyes ran down the front, and when she turned it around, the back was held together with a crisscrossing pale blue satin bow.

  “Ooo-la-la, let me see,” Linda whispered, moving onto the couch next to Erin. “What else did he send? And where the hell’s the card?”<
br />
  Erin passed the corset to Linda before looking back inside the box and realizing there was another layer of clothing under more tissue. Delicate lace panties and a pair of lace stockings completed the ensemble. Stockings that were reminiscent of older fashion, the kind with the a matching length of blue silk worked into the top of the stocking, ready for its mistress to pull the ends together and hold it firmly in place by fashioning a precise bow.

  “It’s gorgeous,” Erin whispered.

  “Very virginal,” Linda said in an amused tone. “I wonder what he’s got planned for you?”

  Six people want to watch how beautiful you are when you’re hanging on the brink…ready to come.

  That overt text, coupled with the seductive outfit Linda was wiggling back and forth in front of her eyes, had Erin pressing her thighs together then crossing her legs against the unbearable little throbbing that had begun.

  “I don’t know,” Erin lied.

  “Hmm. Well, it’ll probably be something good. By the blush on your cheeks and that not-so-covert, orgasm-quenching thigh cross, it seems like Danny knows what you like.”

  Erin closed her eyes. That was exactly what she was afraid of.

  * * * * *

  The shoes arrived on Wednesday. An Italian brand Erin had never heard of. She immediately slid them on her feet, so impressed with their historically accurate design and pattern—a short flaring heel and gold brocade—that Erin had immediately done an internet search. The company was headquartered in Milan and they provided costumes for every major opera company in Europe and the States. When she saw the price of her particular pair, she eased them off and reverently put them back in their protective cloth sheaths and laid them carefully in the box.

  He was out of his mind. That was the only logical explanation.

  By Thursday night she was convinced her assumptions were accurate. A box was waiting in front of her garage door and she got out of her vehicle and picked it up, surprised it bore no special mailing stickers or labels. She brought it into the house and quickly opened it, reading the note that was taped to the tissue paper.

  I can’t wait until tomorrow, Erin. I know you’ll look every inch the lady. Remember, I’ll be right by your side, your pleasure first and foremost in my mind. Tomorrow evening your dreams—each and every one of them—come true.

  Danny

  “Holy crap,” Erin said to the empty kitchen. She stared at his note, at the bold strokes of his handwriting, remembering his strong fingers as they worked their magic along the planes and valleys of her body. “Holy shit.”

  She didn’t think her constant state of arousal could get any worse. But it did. The unexpected gifts and the periodic texts, all reminders of the sexual adventure he was planning, made her hotter than she could ever remember. Exhaling slowly, she peeled back the paper and dropped her phone.

  The dress was gorgeous. A deep blue watered silk. Erin removed it from the box and laid it down gently on the granite countertop, smoothing the few wrinkles that had occurred during transport. She’d never seen anything quite as breathtaking. Even the couture pieces she periodically saw at corporate functions failed to rival the craftsmanship. The skirt was full and the bodice excessively low. Erin thought of the way the corset would thrust her breasts upward and quite possibly out of the gown. Which was exactly the height of style for her lady.

  Excitement raced through her. He was giving her the opportunity to live the fantasies she wrote about. To become her heroine. To experience some of the erotic ideas Erin dreamed of but never imagined she could act upon. But six people watching from the corners of the room? Was that what he had in mind? If it was, could she push away her inhibitions and just a few fluttering fears and let him lead the exploration? Could she?

  Chapter Five

  The startling strains of the techno-esque song her assistant had programmed into her cell phone echoed through the room and Erin looked at the unfamiliar number, trying to decide if she should let it go to voicemail. At the last second she pressed the button and said hello.

  “Erin. It’s Danny.”

  Just like that, a wave of desire rolled through her body.

  “I was going to try to do this all via text but…I really wanted to talk to you. See how you were doing. I can’t freakin’ wait to see you tonight.”

  “Me neither,” she replied.

  “Have you been thinking about me all week? Letting your mind mull over all the possibilities of what could happen?”

  His tone was low and husky and Erin closed her eyes, the loss of one sense heightening her hearing. She could hear a faint tap, tap, tap in the background and wondered where he was and what he was doing. Wondered if her voice could make him as hot as he had just made her. She stood and walked across her office to gently shut the door.

  “I’ve thought about you. A lot,” she added in what she hoped was a seductive tone.

  “And what about the possibilities?”

  “I-I don’t know what to expect,” she admitted, images of being sultry fleeing from her mind.

  “Want me to enlighten you…just a little?”

  “Yes, please.”

  She heard his little groan and gripped the phone tighter.

  “Shit, babe. Did you practice that? Look it up on one of your research sites? Or was that submissive little phrase yours and yours alone?”

  Erin remained still, letting the silence stretch.

  “Here’s what to expect. A silver Town Car will pull up to your door at ten o’clock sharp. The driver’s name is Allen. Always confirm whose car you’re climbing into.”

  Erin raised her gaze to the ceiling, offering up a silent yes, Dad.

  “You’re to come out the front door—not through the garage at ground level. I want your hips rocking as you walk down those front steps. That little movement shifting your pussy from side to side underneath your dress. Those panties teasing your softness.”

  Okay. Not so paternal after all. Thank god. “And I want you to remember that each step is going to bring you closer to me. To my fingers. My lips. My tongue. Oh, definitely my tongue. I plan to go down on you with more finesse than any earl. Or duke. Or fucking prince regent. What’s the proper historical term for the people who are going to be watching? Maybe participating if that’s what you’d like. Is it a court? I need to know, Erin. I want this to be perfect.”

  “I…it’s…I’m not—”

  The muted sound of knocking reached her ears. How she heard it over the drumming of her heart, she wasn’t sure. But Danny’s curse signaled the interruption was on his end.

  “Damn it to hell.” He raised his voice and ordered someone to go away. “Sorry. We’ll figure it out when you get to the club. Allen will escort you to the door and I’ll be there waiting. Then we’ll proceed to the arena.”

  “Arena?” she asked, her breath catching on the word.

  “Where else do people go when they want to be watched? It’ll be a tableaux of epic proportions, Erin. I’ll see you then.”

  The connection went abruptly dead. The arena. Images of muscled, half-naked men, all of whom looked like Daniel, assailed Erin’s mind. She imagined him strolling toward her, a long strap of worn leather in one huge hand, and Erin felt a trail of wetness tease her folds.

  A tableaux. Her heroine hadn’t seen this side of a strapping, so where the hell did that idea manifest? A wealth of personal proclivities had been making themselves known over the past few days.

  Epic? There was very little doubt that that was exactly what the evening would be. Epic.

  * * * * *

  Daniel paced the length of the hallway, muscles tightened by an unfamiliar tension.

  “Hey, Dan. If you’re going to keep that up, at least move to the other side of the rug so I have an even wear pattern.”

  Larry Esson stepped into Daniel’s path, effectively halting his steps. The bald, burly man crossed his arms over his chest and offered a very knowing smile.

  “This is priceless. I c
an’t remember the last time I saw you nervous.”

  “That would have been when he accidentally walked into the testicle-trampling venue and Mistresses Claudia and Lettia told him he was ten minutes late and the consequence would be one strap-on stroke up the ass for each minute he was tardy,” Zac said then laughed.

  “Fuck you both,” Daniel replied, looking at his phone for the fiftieth time, waiting for Allen’s text. The car should be arriving at the club any minute now.

  “That’ll cost you triple, my friend,” Larry joked. “The problem’s clear—you have a stake in this one, don’t you Danny? This isn’t the usual ‘let me throw you into this scenario and see how you do’, is it?” His hand clamped down firmly on Daniel’s shoulder. “Relax, man. Everything’s set. Just like you wanted it. You’ll knock her stockings off.”

  “Holy shit, did you tell her to wear stockings? That’s so fuckin’ hot. Tell me again why I can’t watch,” Zac asked. “I don’t mean right there in the room, but from behind the glass. Why not?”

  “Because you’re a perv,” Daniel and Larry said in unison, their laughter breaking the tension. Daniel was still smiling when Allen’s text came through.

  * * * * *

  “We’re almost there, Ms. Benson. There appears to be a bit of a backup with the valet.”

  “Thank you, Allen.” Erin met his gaze in the rearview mirror and offered him another appreciative smile. The man had amiably chatted with her from the time she walked toward the car. He had told her she was beautiful and she had blushed. Then blushed some more when he pointed out that her cheeks were very, very flushed. She’d been more than relieved when he handed her an iPod and informed her she needed to listen to it.

  “It appears to be a busy night,” Allen commented.

  Erin leaned forward and watched the people exiting their vehicles. None wore long dresses and she smoothed her hands over the silky fabric covering her knees, more than a little nervous.