What I Did For Love Part 18

"Are you two planning a family?"

The questions kept coming until a photographer with a p.r.o.nounced Brooklyn accent called out, "Bram, are you still having trouble landing a decent job? I guess Georgie and her money came along just in time."

Bram tensed, and Georgie snaked her arm through his. "I don't know who you are"-she maintained her smile-"but Bram's days of slugging photographers who act like worms aren't all that far behind him. Or maybe that's what you want?"

A few of the other paps regarded the man with disgust, but that didn't prevent them from keeping their cameras ready in case Bram lost his temper. A shot of him throwing a punch would bring thousands of dollars, along with the possibility of a lucrative legal settlement for the photographer who'd provoked the attack.

"I wasn't going to hit him," Bram said as they finally broke clear. "I'm not stupid enough to fall for that c.r.a.p."

"Only because you fell for it so many times in the past."

He c.o.c.ked his head toward the paps, who were on their heels. "Let's give them their money shot."

"Which is...?"

"You'll see." He took her hand and pulled her down the sidewalk, the paps trailing close behind.

Chapter 13.

The small shop with its rich, mustard yellow exterior reminded Georgie of an old-fashioned British haberdashery. Above the door, an art nouveau figure of a woman curled around the glossy black letters that spelled out the shop's name. provocative. The two small shop with its rich, mustard yellow exterior reminded Georgie of an old-fashioned British haberdashery. Above the door, an art nouveau figure of a woman curled around the glossy black letters that spelled out the shop's name. provocative. The two o os formed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

Georgie had heard about the upscale s.e.x shop from April, but she'd never visited. "Excellent idea," she said.

"And here I expected you to go all prudish on me." Bram's hand settled in the small of her back.

"I haven't done prudish in years."

"You could have fooled me." He held the door open for her, and they stepped inside the store's perfumed interior accompanied by the shouts of the photographers and the deafening click of shutters. Trespa.s.sing laws would keep the paps outside, and they scrambled for position, trying to get a shot through the window.

The Edwardian interior featured subtle mustard yellow walls and warm wooden moldings. A painted spray of peac.o.c.k feathers encircled the chandelier, and erotic Aubrey Beardsley drawings mounted in gold frames decorated the walls. She and Bram were the only customers, although she suspected that would change as word of their presence spread.

The shop was a buffet of s.e.xual fantasy. Bram zeroed in on the erotic lingerie collection, while Georgie couldn't pull her eyes away from an artistically arranged display of d.i.l.d.os in front of an antique mirror. She knew she'd stared too long when Bram's lips brushed her ear. "I'll be happy to lend you mine."

Georgie's stomach took a tiny dip.

The clerk, a middle-aged woman with long brunette hair, a tastefully shrink-wrapped top, and a gauzy skirt, snapped to attention as she recognized them. Her peep-toe stilettos sank into the carpet. "Welcome to Provocative."

"Thanks," Bram replied. "Interesting place."

Breathless from the excitement of having two such notorious celebrities in her store, the clerk began listing the shop's special features. "We have a fabulous bondage center through that arch-way. Lovely whips, paddles, nipple clamps, and some really luxurious restraints. You'll be surprised how comfortable they are. All our toys are high quality. As you can see, we have a wide variety of d.i.l.d.os, vibrators, some jade c.o.c.k rings, and"-she gestured toward a gla.s.s case-"a really beautiful set of pearl a.n.a.l beads."

Georgie winced. She'd heard of a.n.a.l beads, but she'd never quite figured out how or why anyone would use them.

As the clerk turned away to survey the shelves, Bram whispered, "Been there, done that. Although not with you."

Her stomach took another dip.

The clerk addressed Georgie. "I just finished unpacking a new shipment of jeweled merkins. Have you ever worn a merkin?"

"Give me a hint."

With a prim smile, the saleswoman clasped her hands at her waist like an art museum docent. "Merkins were originally pubic wigs worn by prost.i.tutes to conceal either thinning pubic hair or syphilis. The modern versions are much s.e.xier, and with so many women going bare, they've become quite popular."

Georgie was both erotically and philosophically opposed to ripping out all her pubic hair. The idea of completely giving up something so womanly to look like a prep.u.b.escent girl smacked too much of kiddie p.o.r.n. But the salesclerk had already opened a display case and taken out a jeweled, triangular piece set with sparkling purple, blue, and crimson crystals. Georgie examined the object and saw a small V-shaped indenture at the bottom point of the triangle, obviously put there to showcase the cleft beyond. "Naturally, all our merkins come with adhesive."

Bram picked up the merkin to examine it, then returned it to the clerk. "I think we'll pa.s.s. Some things don't need extra decoration."

"I understand," the woman said, "although this one does have matching jeweled nipple covers."

"They'd just get in my way."

Georgie's flush told her she was in big trouble.

"We have amazing lingerie," the clerk said to him. "Our three-petal bras are very popular. Your wife can wear them with all of the petals up, or just the side ones fastened. Or she can peel them all down."

Georgie's b.r.e.a.s.t.s tingled.

"Very efficient." Bram slipped his hand under her hair and touched the back of her neck. Her skin pebbled.

"Have you heard about our VIP dressing room?"

It all came back to her from a conversation with April. She tried to look thoughtful. "I, uh, think a friend might have mentioned something."

"It has a peephole in the back wall," the clerk said. "You can open it if you like. There's a smaller dressing room behind for your husband."

Bram laughed, one of his few genuine laughs since the balcony photos had appeared. "If more men knew about this place, they'd stop saying they hate to shop."

The salesclerk gave Georgie a knowing smile. "We have an exotic collection of men's briefs, and the peephole works two ways." She couldn't hold back any longer. "I just have to say that I loved you both in Skip and Scooter. Skip and Scooter. Everybody's so excited about you getting married, and don't let all those stupid stories bother you." She had to break off as more customers entered the store. "I'll be right back if you need anything." Everybody's so excited about you getting married, and don't let all those stupid stories bother you." She had to break off as more customers entered the store. "I'll be right back if you need anything."

Georgie gazed after her. "A list of whatever we buy is going to be all over the Internet by dinnertime. Ma.s.sage oil would be safe."

"Oh, I think we can be a little more exciting than that."

"No whips and paddles. I'm so over S and M. At first it was fun, but making all those grown men cry got boring after a while."

He smiled. "No d.i.l.d.os, either, even though I know how much you want one. Which is no surprise, since-"

"Will you get over it?"

"Over it...Under it..." He touched the bow of her top lip. "Inside it..."

A bolt of heat zipped through her body. She was going to melt.

He nudged her toward the lingerie collection, where softly lit shadow boxes displayed kinky bra-and-panty sets, garter belts, and skimpy teddies with front ties and see-through panels. All the lingerie was beautifully made and ultraexpensive. Bram held up a bra with a silky drawstring across the top of each cup. "You're what? About a-?"

"Thirty-four double D," she said.

He lifted a dark eyebrow and snagged a 34 B, which was exactly right, not surprising considering his knowledge of female anatomy. Several more customers entered the store, but for now, everybody was giving them s.p.a.ce.

"Just so you know," she whispered, as much to herself as him. "This isn't a date, and the peephole door is staying shut."

"This is definitely a date." He examined a one-piece bondage body wrap made of black mesh. "Great workmanship." He fingered the satin ties. "A lot softer than leather."

"I love leather." She s.n.a.t.c.hed up a pair of low-cut leather briefs constructed with a man-pouch in front.

"Not in a million years," he retorted.

She stole the bondage wrap from him. "Too bad."

They had a stare-down. He broke first. "Okay, you win. I'll trade you."

"Deal."

They exchanged garments, as if this were for real instead of two actors playing a skillful game of pretend. Bram added several cupless bras to her pile and some panties missing their crotches. She picked up a few more items for him in leather, but when she found an interesting pair of chaps, he looked so pained she put them back. He returned the favor by abandoning a torturous-looking corset. Finally, they exchanged garments, and the clerk led them to the back corner of the shop and the VIP dressing room. She unlocked a paneled wooden door with an old-fashioned skeleton key and hung Georgie's garments on a curly bra.s.s hook before taking Bram away to his dressing room.

Georgie stood surrounded by antique rose walls; a full-length, gilded mirror; a tufted footstool; and wall sconces with fringed, rose-colored shades that gave the s.p.a.ce a soft, flattering glow. The room's most intriguing feature sat at eye level in the back wall, a door about one foot by one foot with a tiny k.n.o.b shaped, not so subtly, like a partially opened clamsh.e.l.l with a pearl at its tip.

Enough was enough. Game over. Definitely over. Except...

No. Absolutely not.

A tap sounded on the wall. "Open up."

She tugged on the "clamsh.e.l.l" and opened the door. Bram's face peered back at her through the black iron grillwork. Hardly a peephole. The antique rose walls framing his face should have feminized his face but only made him appear more masculine. He rubbed his jaw. "I'm embarra.s.sed to admit it, but this place has seriously turned me on."

He wasn't one bit embarra.s.sed, and the store's over-the-top atmosphere had seriously turned her on, too. She twisted her fake wedding ring. Melrose Avenue might be only a few blocks away, but this erotic emporium made her feel as though they'd stepped into another world. An oddly safe world where an untrustworthy man could look but not touch. A world where everything was about s.e.x and where heartache wasn't a possibility.

"I wish we'd taken a look at that bondage equipment," he said.

She couldn't resist playing with fire. "Just out of curiosity...Which one of us did you want tied up?"

"Starting off? You." His voice took on a low, husky note. "But once you demonstrated proper submission, we could trade off. Now what do you say you try on that black mesh thing for me?"

The lure of romping with the devil in this s.e.xual playground was nearly irresistible. "What do I get in return?"

"What do you want?"

She thought for a moment. "Step back." When he did, she put her face to the grille and saw that his smaller dressing room had dark gold walls and oversize iron bolts to hold the garments she'd chosen for him. "Those black leather briefs."

"No way."

"Too bad." She shut the door.

"Hey!"

She took her time opening it again. "Have you reconsidered?"

"If you go first."

"Right. Like I'm going to fall for that."

They had another stare-down. She kept her eyes steady even though her heart was beating like crazy.

"Come on, Georgie. I've had a bad week. Trying on some clothes for me is the least you can do."

"I've had a bad week, too, and these aren't clothes. They're s.e.x aids. If you want this so badly, you go first."

"How about we do it together?"

"Deal." She shut the door again. Her hands were shaking. She stepped out of her navy and white polka-dot ballet flats.

Several minutes pa.s.sed before he knocked from the other side. "Are you ready yet?"

"No. I feel stupid."

"You feel stupid. This thing has a frickin' codpiece." feel stupid. This thing has a frickin' codpiece."

"I know. I chose it, remember? And I'm the one who should be complaining. These corset straps are arranged so they don't hide anything."

"Open the door. Now. Now."

"I've changed my mind."

"On the count of three," he said.

"You have to step back so I can see."

"All right. I'm stepping back. One...two...three."

She opened the door and looked through.

Bram looked back.

Both of them were fully clothed.

Bram shook his head. "You have serious trust issues."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "At least I took off my shoes. You didn't even do that."

"New deal," he said. "The door stays open. You take off one thing. I'll take off one thing. I'll even go first." He pulled his shirt over his head.

She already knew he had a great chest. She'd spent enough time sneaking peeks at it. The muscles were defined but not so overdeveloped that he lost I.Q. points, because, really, how s.e.xy could a man be who had nothing better to do all day than work out?