“What? Where?” I point over his shoulder and, as he turns, wiggle those little nipple cover feckers the rest of the way down my body, kicking one behind me before stamping my foot over the other.
“What was that?” he asks, turning back and glancing down.
“Spider.” I smile a little manically, sure that losing your nipple covers is tantamount to whipping off your undies at one of these things. Please, please don’t let anyone turn the thermostat down because my nipples are liable to announce their presence. “Sorry, you were saying?”
“I have a big cock. Wanna ride it?”
“Hmm. Not at the moment, thanks.”
And just like that, we’ve reached the end of our little tête-à-tête. Mainly because I’ve reached the limits of my patience.
“Has anyone ever told you that you have the communication skills of a house alarm?” And just in case he doesn’t get it, I bleat loudly. Twice. “Waa! Waa!”And yes, the noise does draw a bit of attention, which isn’t what I’d aimed for. But the arse steps back, which was my aim, allowing me to squeeze past, albeit a little awkwardly, given I’ve a pastie stuck to the sole of my shoe.
As I hobble away, I glance down at my watch, relieved I’d thought to wear it, given I don’t have my phone. Twenty more minutes until my hour is up. Maybe I’ll just check in with the coat check, then maybe powder my nose . . . which will also subtract a few more minutes out of what remains of my promised hour. I can literally feel relief trickling through my bones as I make my way through the throng on my way out.
Except I’m not really sure this is the way out.
I pause and push up onto my tiptoes. I can see the bar by the window and the amazing view beyond, so that should mean the coat check is the—
I spin around as hands land on my ass.
“Don’t do that,” I say to no one in particular, as my cheeks begin to pink. Both sets of them. I return to pushing through the crowd, thinking no matter where you are, there’s always someone trying to push the en-envelope!
Oh, my! There are people in the corner touching each other—people getting jiggy with it! And one or two getting jiggy with themselves as they watch.
So much for tame.
My goodness! That’s a bit of an eyeful!
I spin away, my hand pressed to my lips in the attempt to prevent a building giggle. I haven’t felt so embarrassed since I uncovered my dad’s outdated porn stash as a teen. There is no way I could have sex while people watch. Not without sniggering. I just couldn’t—
JesusfuckingChrist! That looked like Everett, Remy’s head of security!
Like a whirling dervish, I spin in the other direction, moving as fast as my heels allow. If that is him, and he sees me, at least I won’t ever have to explain myself to him because I’d just die of embarrassment.
But it can’t have been him. It’s just my brain playing tricks on me, frightening myself that I’ll somehow be outed for being a deviant when I’m really just very, very normal.
Just like I thought Beth was.
I drain the rest of my glass, my eyes unseeing as my brain scrambles to unpick my mess of thoughts. Unseeing, not for long, at the sounds of a feminine laugh, I take in the almost tableau in front of me. I’m on the threshold of a corner room, two walls almost entirely glass. It seems like a dining room of sorts; a round wooden table with four chairs, two of them already occupied by men. Dinner jackets discarded, shirts open at the neck, the pair seem to be playing cards when a brunette steps between the pair, serving them drinks in lowball crystal glasses.
Oh. Not serving them but helping herself to the contents.
And oh, my, she is beautiful. The men are handsome too, and the trio either unaware of my presence, or else they don’t care. And while I’ve no idea what keeps me in this spot, I continue to stand there as my heart pounds so hard it echoes elsewhere.
As the woman bends to place the second glass down, the man runs his hand up the back of her leg. My breath catches along with hers, her hand tightening on his shoulder and creasing the snowy white fabric of his shirt. They kiss. He touches. A stroke, a caress. Her black dress riding higher and higher as