Double Dare Part 9

"Oh. My. G.o.d," she breathed. She reached up to pull her bodice over her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "I knew it. The signs were all there, but I kept sidestepping them. That voice in the back of my head kept pointing out the obvious, but I kept telling myself I was wrong."

He winced.

"You are a good good boy, aren't you?" boy, aren't you?"

"A good boy?" He squinted at her in silence for a few seconds. Then he frowned and nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's one way to put it. I'm a good boy. And, well, I can't do this yet. I want to. I want you you insanely. Past the edge of reason. But...I can't." insanely. Past the edge of reason. But...I can't."

"What? Is there some good boy code or something?"

"You could say that."

She waited.

He shrugged and gave her a sheepish smile.

"I'd really like to get to know you better before we make love."

Audra just stared. It sounded like a brush-off to her. She wasn't really sure, having never been brushed off before. But she'd brushed plenty herself, and it was definitely following the same pattern. She bit her lip and told herself she wasn't hurt.

The pain in her chest said differently. She was a big girl, though. She could ignore it.

Something must have shown on her face, because Jesse's expression clouded with concern. He slipped both hands, so warm and strong, over her jaw to cup her cheeks.

"What? You don't believe me?"

"It's not that, really. I mean, I don't think you're lying to me or anything." Maybe lying to himself? He seemed too sweet to try and deliberately deceive her. She'd known plenty of guys who were pros at the scam. Jesse radiated pure honesty. Such a good boy trait.

"I swear, I want to spend time with you. I can't think of anything I want more than to make love with you. To drive us both crazy, to see how many ways we can bring each other pleasure. You know, strive for that ultimate ten."

Audra, still damp, felt herself heat up again at his words. If she closed her eyes, she knew she'd be able to visualize them together. To imagine all the things they'd do with each other. To each other.

"I just...Well, I want to get to know you better first. So when we do get together, it means something."

Her eyes grew huge. He wasn't thinking all that mushy emotional stuff, was he? Obviously reading her, he grinned and shook his head.

"Not like that. As much as I want to see where this goes between us, it's not like I'm not looking for something permanent or, you know, all serious. I just, well, I believe that when two people get together, it should be more than the moment."

His wince was infinitesimal, but Audra saw it anyway. Maybe he figured she was such a hard-a.s.s, she'd blast him for being a sentimental goofball. Once, she might have. But now?

Now the sentiment was appealing to her, for some reason. Maybe it was the source?

"So, dating, huh?"

"You game? Call it prolonged foreplay."

When Audra laughed, Jesse hugged her close. She closed her eyes and let herself absorb the warm comfort of his arms.

"It'll be cool. You'll see. Besides, I'm just not the kind of guy who goes all the way on the first date."

She laughed again and pulled away from him. Both arms outspread, she jutted one hip and tilted her head.

"You sure you want to wait?"

Jesse closed his eyes and groaned. But he still nodded.

"It'll be cool," he repeated. "We'll talk, get to know each other. Just the two of us, hit some hot spots, do things."

"What kind of things do you want to do?" Audra strained to think of nons.e.xual things to do with a man, but she came up blank. She tried to tell herself it was the remnants of heat, the faint tremors of that o.r.g.a.s.m still coursing through her.

"What about a trip to Napa? Check out the wine country. Or we can go to San Francisco and hang out on Fisherman's Wharf. See a movie, catch a concert. Dinner and dancing? You know, dating things."

Audra frowned. They all sounded great. They'd all be better capped off with a night of s.e.x, but who was she to quibble. Had she ever dated? For a woman whose longest relationship could be counted in weeks, it was a foreign concept.

To date and not have s.e.x? It was more than foreign, it was totally alien.

But...for Jesse? She was drawn to him, and as much as she wanted to screw his brains out, she was intrigued by the man as much as by the body.

Just one more out-of-character thing to worry about.

Dating? It was worth a shot.

"For a while," she agreed. "But you have to promise, after the third date we get to have s.e.x."

7.

CLOSING TIME had never been so welcome, Audra thought. Or, she glanced at Bea, so distracting. had never been so welcome, Audra thought. Or, she glanced at Bea, so distracting.

"C'mon, you have to help me out," Bea wheedled. She leaned against the boutique's sales counter and batted her lashes. "You're always there for me, right? Best buds?"

As if Audra was going to be influenced by a pair of big baby blues and carefully displayed cleavage? She knew it wasn't deliberate, though. That was just what Bea did. They'd met when Bea had rebelled against her rich daddy by talking her stepmom du jour into enrolling her in public school. The helpless s.e.x-kitten persona was as much a part of Bea as her porcelain complexion and the way she cried at Hallmark commercials.

"Look, normally I would, you know that." That was the great thing about the Wicked Chicks, they were were always there for each other. "But I don't have time right now. I've got too much to do here in the boutique. Between that and my deadline for the fall designs, I'm buried." always there for each other. "But I don't have time right now. I've got too much to do here in the boutique. Between that and my deadline for the fall designs, I'm buried."

She'd be a lot further along with the designs if she hadn't spent so much time daydreaming about her time with Jesse on the couch the night before. And reliving the sweet rush of pleasure he'd given her.

"I'd pay extra," Bea offered. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, she winced and held up one hand in protest. "Don't say it. I'm sorry. Reflex brought on by retail mania."

Audra quirked a brow, but didn't respond. After all, Bea's generosity was as big as her heart. Unfortunately, the woman was getting used to daddy's money buying anything she wanted-again. It was a habit the Wicked Chicks had broken her of in their teen years. The girls had come from drastically different places-Bea, the poor little rich girl, Audra, a social worker's obligation, and Suzi, an orphan with a chip on her shoulder. But they'd all had the same bada.s.s att.i.tude and faith in each other. Audra firmly believed it'd been that faith that had kept the three of them from becoming sad statistics.

Lately, though, Bea had given in to her father's nagging and emotional blackmail, and after his last divorce, had agreed to act as his hostess and social a.s.sistant.

The man was obviously a bad influence on her.

"It doesn't have to be a special design, then," Bea continued in her relentless way. "I mean, I love your stuff, you know that. I'd rather wear it than anything else. I just need some hot lingerie for this shoot."

Audra glanced over to see the redhead's lower lip hanging, her eyes puppy-dog sad.

Oh, jeez. As if she cared about a guilt trip? Audra ignored the subtle pressure of both Bea's pout and her own conscience. She continued counting Sat.u.r.day's till. The boutique had just closed. All she needed to do was finish the deposit and grab her sketches, and she could hightail it home to a pair of cozy slippers, a cup of hot chocolate with extra whipped cream and her waiting pile of work.

That thought, the mundane boring reality of it, scared the h.e.l.l out of her. Her fingers clenched the bills she was counting. It was Sat.u.r.day night. She should be planning to go clubbing. Considering what hot outfit to wear, which of her three new pairs of heels would be best for dancing.

Contemplating what flavor of s.e.x she was in the mood for.

Panic whispered in her ear, a.s.suring her she really was washed up. She'd lost it.

Audra sucked in a swift breath to quell the freaked-out thoughts and tilted her chin at Bea.

"Tell me the deal again. Why has this photo shoot got you so excited?"

"I met this up-and-coming photographer and he's going to shoot a few rolls of film for my portfolio," Bea explained in a giddy tone. Bea dropped a name but, since she was unfamiliar with the fashion scene outside lingerie, Audra just shrugged. "This is it, Audra. With his edgy, high-fashion shots, I can have it all. Modeling, magazines, maybe even TV commercials."

"This guy told you all that?" Audra had to work to keep the sneer out of her voice. When would Bea learn that guys lied like rugs?

"Yeah. Suzi said he was full of s.h.i.t and was just trying to get laid."

Suzi was smart that way.

"But he gave me his business card this morning, told me to check him out if I had any worries."

This morning. As in Bea had already done the guy. Audra sighed and wondered when she'd turned into Isabel. Who knew meaningless s.e.x could bother her so much?

"Did you check him out?" she asked.

"Well, no. I mean, I don't know how to check a guy out, other than the obvious package a.s.sessment." From the look on her face, the guy's package hadn't been too impressive. "He did say he's not really computer savvy, so he just recently hired someone to set up a Web site for his company. He even mentioned using my picture for the launch page of his site after this photo shoot."

Maybe she was just jaded, but it still sounded like a line of bulls.h.i.t to her. Then again, he'd already got into Bea's panties, so why would he lie after the fact?

"Take a look around. You're welcome to anything here."

Obviously not thrilled to be shopping off the rack, Bea wrinkled her nose. But she started flipping through the lingerie racks anyway.

Five minutes later, Audra's jaw hurt from clenching it. Not that Bea had been b.i.t.c.hy or rude about the designs, but her expression was crystal clear. She was very unimpressed.

"What's the problem?" Audra finally challenged.

"Nothing. Really, these are sweet." Bea hesitated, obviously not wanting to be ungrateful. Then she shrugged, her hands lifting in defeat. "It's just...Well, they are are sweet." sweet."

"Sweet?"

"Yeah. You know, the kind of thing you'd get your little sister for her wedding night or something. They hint at naughty, but don't scream hot s.e.x. hot s.e.x."

Audra opened her mouth to protest. Then with a snap, she shut it again. After all, Bea was right.

"I just wanted something more, you know, spicy. Hot. Dirty, ya know?"

She knew. Stuff like she'd been seeing in her head. Leather, zippers, chrome. Designs that got a woman excited about herself. Dared her to push her own envelope a little. The kind that promised a guy he'd have to work d.a.m.ned hard to keep up.

The kind of design she'd been itching to create.

But couldn't, because she was already behind the eight ball with her current commitments. Maybe after Natasha returned from China?

Then again, she mused, this would would be a great opportunity to sketch out a few of her visions, use Bea's request as an excuse to pitch them to Natasha. be a great opportunity to sketch out a few of her visions, use Bea's request as an excuse to pitch them to Natasha.

"Tell you what," she proposed, "I don't have time to work up anything new right now. But I can modify a couple to suit you. When did you say the shoot is?"

"Hopefully next week. He's going to book the studio and let me know the date."

"Okay, I'll work on it tonight." She shouldn't have too much trouble fitting a little altering and modification in between designs.

"You won't regret it," Bea promised. She giggled and gave Audra a tight hug. "I'll be a huge star and everyone will be clamoring for your lingerie."

A warm feeling, friendship mingled with comfort, settled over Audra. She might not be as bad as she once was, but at least she still had her friends.

That, combined with a chance to run with these design ideas, and her upcoming date with the s.e.xiest man she'd ever come for...Well, her life was rockin' along nicely.

WITH A HUGE YAWN, Audra stretched her arms overhead and tried to work the kinks out of her shoulders. She glanced over at the stack of designs, in various stages of completion, scattered over her home drafting table. She'd spent the previous evening working on three outfits for Bea. She'd tailored each to showcase the redhead's curvy figure and rich coloring.

s.e.xual images, always at the forefront of her mind because of her nature and the nature of her work, had bombarded her all night. All she'd been able to think of was her not-even-close-to-enough s.e.xual encounter with Jesse. She'd spent hours staring off in s.p.a.ce, reliving the whole evening. Here she was, all hot and bothered, and the guy wanted to date.

Dating. Who'd figure she'd be excited about the idea? Maybe it was the novelty. Possibly the distraction from all the responsibility of Simply Sensual, or the worries over the unclear direction her life was going-or, rather, not going. Whatever the reason, she was fascinated with the concept.

Too bad their first date wasn't until Thursday night. She wouldn't mind a repeat of that level-six o.r.g.a.s.m. If he could do that fully clothed, she just might have found a level-eight guy. With extensive coaching, possibly the fabled nine and a half.

She glanced at the clock on the wall, a Betty Boop figurine complete with finger on chin and her b.u.t.t hitched in a seductive stance. Audra needed to get these designs done.

One of the keys to Simply Sensual's sales pitch was, in addition to key pieces from their current line of lingerie, a first look at their fall line and three exclusive designs to any distributor committing to a certain quant.i.ty.

While the current line was already available to show, the fall line wasn't complete yet. Which was what Audra was supposed to finish this weekend.

She'd lost a lot of time already, and Natasha was going to want the sketches faxed to her on Monday. Since that was tomorrow, Audra didn't have the luxury of daydreaming. Not if she wanted make good on Natasha's faith in her. And given that Natasha had given her a job, a career and a chance to prove herself, Audra was set on proving that faith justified.

She looked around her apartment, its funky style making her smile. Rich, jewel-toned paisley fabric covered the walls in lieu of paint. Peac.o.c.k feathers, Mardi Gras masks and a black boa provided wall art, and the furniture was overstuffed and sensual. Tall pillar candles filled the air with musk, their flickering flame dancing with warmth. All in all, an invitation to play. Just the way she liked it.

She'd been on her own forever, it seemed. But this apartment, even months after she'd moved in, still made her proud. It was the most expensive place she'd lived. Very different from growing up with her father over the bar, or her mother in whatever dive she happened to be flopping at the time.

When she'd reunited with her brother, she hadn't had much faith in him. Or, to be honest, in herself. But he'd come through for her. He'd been determined to do whatever it took to fulfill their father's last request that they reconnect and that Drew help her get a job, get her life on track.

At first, Audra had screwed with Drew's head a lot. She'd told him she wanted work in a circus, a lemonade stand and her own phone s.e.x business. Despite her c.r.a.ppy att.i.tude, he hadn't given up. He'd pushed until she finally admitted her interest in design and lingerie.