“Wow. You really have been watching over us. I thought the cameras were mostly for recording if something happened inside the shop.”
“That, too, but we watch over you during the day as well.”
“That’s good to know,” she replied as Ace reopened the back door of the van and helped her down. Duke returned to his spot beside his quiet cousin.
“It was a pleasure to meet you both,” she said in farewell.
“Same here, Miss Heston. Y’all have a good evening. We’ll be around.” To Ace, he added, “We’re going to eat supper and then head back over to Leroy Paggs’s house.”
Ace nodded. “Thanks. There has to be a connection there. I don’t want to make any moves until we know what it is.”
Surprised by all the technological wizardry she’d just seen hidden inside that unobtrusive-looking work van, she climbed the steps to the shop with Ace.
“Foremost Landscaping, huh?”
Ace chuckled and said, “Yeah. We do your dirty work. Actually, that’s my brother-in-law’s business and contact information in San Angelo on the side of the van. We figured we might as well advertise for him since he has crews that go all over this part of Texas.”
Added on to the back of the house was the addition Mr. Abbott had done for Ace, and her favorite discovery of the week. Monday evening, Ace and Kemp had completed the tour of his house and she’d nearly flipped over the outdoor garden room in the backyard. It was accessible from the pool at the end of the house and also through the French doors that led onto the back deck.
It was built of natural rough-cut timbers which served as an arbor for a large climbing antique rose bush which grew on it and provided a haven dappled with sunlight and shade. Beneath the arbor there had been large pots filled with lush, green plants, and the green screen was so thick, it wasn’t until she passed through the entrance into the arbor that she realized there was another outdoor bed located within it.
The sunlight shone down on the bed, which had a cover over it to protect it from the elements, and once the sun descended a bit, the cozy enclosure would be bathed in cool shade. She’d imagined the lovemaking she wanted to experience out there and had said as much. The tour had ended with the three of them testing out the comfort and shade of the bed, bringing her to several sweet orgasms orally before letting her return the favor.
From the vantage point of the bed, she’d noticed that they were visible only from one of the master bedroom windows upstairs and from the windows in the living room, although the casual observer couldn’t see the bed until they were standing right at the windows.
She sighed with relief as she passed into the shade on the shop’s front porch and returned to the cool air-conditioning inside. The temperature outside was scorching, and she didn’t blame Duke if he got pissy when the cool air was allowed to escape the interior of the work van.
Kemp and Ace followed her inside and paused at the lingerie counter inside the doorway. Kemp said, “I thought I’d run into town and pick up supper. We can eat here if you’d like.”
Summer nodded and looked at Ace. “I’m starving.”
The girls took turns closing the shop so that none of them had to stay this late more than one or two evenings a week, thus enabling them to be home most evenings with their husbands and families. She usually brought something to eat on the evenings she worked so she didn’t find herself eating supper late at night, but she’d forgotten to bring something with her today. Her men kept her distracted like that.
Kemp said, “I’ve missed you today. I can’t wait to get you home.” The hot look he gave her told her he didn’t mean so they could watch television together.
“I promise the feeling is entirely mutual, Kemp.”
He winked at her and left, and Ace returned upstairs to finish what he’d been doing before they arrived.
Summer was unpacking a box of new lingerie items when the doorbell rang. She giggled happily when she recognized the woman who came through the doorway.
“Emma Guthrie! It’s about time you came by for a visit!”
Doctor Emma Guthrie chuckled and returned Summer’s hug and replied, “I got done early today, which never happens. I decided with the weekend coming on that I’d treat myself to a shopping trip at your boutique, which I love, by the way.” She looked around the interior admiringly then turned her gaze back to Summer. “I also thought I’d check on you and see how your allergic reaction to the poison oak was doing.”
They talked about that for a few minutes, as well as other subjects. Emma seemed slightly nervous, and Summer’s instincts kicked in. Emma was the type who was comfortable discussing sexual topics, being a doctor, but probably didn’t dwell on her own sexuality very much. Summer was willing to bet that while she might’ve shopped online for sex toys and aids, she probably had never been in a shop like Discretion.
“Can I show you around the store?”
“Sure! I want to see everything you have. You never know when the information might come in handy. I talk to people all the time who need help spicing up their love lives or help with sexual issues. I think a lot of the stress I see in my patients would be helped by more openly embracing their sexuality and seeing it as a vital need rather than something to talk about in hushed tones.”
Physician, heal thyself.
Summer suppressed her smile, wondering if Emma was giving herself a pep talk. She gave Emma the grand tour, from the books, to the toys, the fashions, and even the bondage gear.
Emma was feeling much more relaxed after Summer had drawn her into talking about the various sexual aids in the shop, and the blush had long since left her cheeks. Summer and the girls were not shy about discussing the items the store carried and the wonderful benefits they could help achieve, but not everybody was comfortable talking about it and sometimes it just took time to get them to open up. This moment was what she’d been waiting for.
“Want me to show you something really special that we just got in?” Summer asked conspiratorially. A twinkle came to Emma’s eyes as she nodded enthusiastically.
Summer gestured to Emma and drew her to the far corner of the store, beyond the bondage gear.
Chapter Nineteen
Duke sat with Gage eating the sub sandwiches they’d picked up on their way to the boutique. Normally, he relished his toasted pepperoni, ham, and pepper jack cheese with avocado, but right now he was tasting very little. They’d decided to do a little bit of online research on the two people they would be watching later tonight, but Duke found that the laptop was holding less of his attention than the monitors positioned above it.
Normally, he watched for suspicious activity and people when watching these video feeds and left the women of Discretion to run their business without infringing on their privacy or that of their customers. He’d quickly grown inured to the sight of one of the nice ladies recommending a dildo or butt plug to a customer. Today was different though. He glanced at his cousin and noticed his eyes were on the monitor as well.
They’d both been watching when the beautiful brunette had pulled up in the parking lot and climbed from her quirky yellow-and-black Pontiac Aztek, which looked like an oversized bumblebee. What she drove alone had piqued his curiosity, and then he’d gotten a look at her and he’d been all eyes since that moment.
The brunette was tall, probably five nine, and built just right with sleek curves. She was dressed in blue jeans and a tank top that revealed her soft-looking arms and shoulders and her delicate collarbones. She’d turned slightly toward the van as she closed her car door, and he got a tantalizing view of her full bust and cleavage pressing against the neckline as she retrieved her keys from the ground when she dropped them.
She’d paused and looked at the exterior of the shop, seeming a little hesitant. He’d watched as she firmed her lips and marched up the steps and been further intrigued by her demeanor. She seemed…shy somehow and it made him curious about her. Maybe this was her first visit to a shop like Discretion. H
Duke had noticed that Summer was really good at setting people at ease inside the shop. The brunette must’ve been someone she was acquainted with because they’d hugged as soon as she’d entered the shop. She’d taken her all around the boutique, talking with her the whole time, and Duke had noted that she’d seemed more comfortable as the minutes passed.
Summer got a conspiratorial look on her face and said something to the brunette which he couldn’t make out because her lips were obscured. The sound was turned down on the monitor because he preferred to not have the chatter running constantly and also to give others their privacy. The temptation to turn on the sound was overwhelming.
Summer beckoned to the brunette, and she followed her to a corner of the shop. The temptation to turn on the sound grew with each passing second as they drew near where one of the cameras was mounted on the wall and within plain sight of Duke and Gage viewing them.
“This is so wrong. What we are doing?” Gage muttered, not looking away.
“Yeah. We shouldn’t be watching them.”
“Nope.” Neither of them looked away from the monitor. Gage reached for the volume control on the monitor when the brunette put her hands to her mouth in surprise. Her shoulders shook like she was giggling, and when she turned to look around the shop, evidently to make sure they were alone, he could see a blush darkening her cheeks.
Summer spoke using her hands, indicating enthusiasm over whatever she was talking about. She was standing next to an opened shipping carton on a rolling cart.
Duke put out a hand to stop Gage from turning on the sound. “We shouldn’t be listening, either.”
Gage groaned and said, “Nope. But we’re gonna.”
Duke knew he’d feel guilty later for spying on them, but curiosity got the better of him. He didn’t stop Gage when he adjusted the volume control so their conversation could be heard.
The brunette said, “Someone saw a need for something like that and served as the model?”
“Yes. Can you imagine having to stand still with an erection while rubber molding material dries around it?”
“Oh, my gosh, no!” The brunette flapped her hands and giggled as she fidgeted from one foot to the other. Duke was beginning to think she was adorable. “Where did you find these?”
“You remember Maya Daire, right?”
“Of course.”
“She has a friend who showed her one, once. Her husband is the one who served as the model. They sell all kinds of kinky products on the Internet and also have a kinky bed and breakfast in San Marcos. I think her name is Charlotte. But anyway, Maya said Charlotte calls it ‘The Instant Threesome.’”
Summer removed a box from the carton and opened the folding flap on the top. The brunette gasped and Duke choked on his soda when a large penis flopped up in the plastic wrap, and the brunette squealed and clapped her hands over her mouth.
Duke heard the sound of rapid footsteps as Ace ran down the stairs. A moment later he heard Ace’s voice raised anxiously, beyond the viewpoint of the camera. “You okay, Summer?”
Summer turned and nodded at Ace, and Duke really felt like a voyeur when he saw the unadulterated adoration on her face as she replied, “I’m sorry, Ace. I was showing Emma one of the new toys.”
“Oh. Okay. I heard noise and got worried. Hey, Doctor Guthrie, how are you doing?”
“Fine, Ace, and you?” she asked as she placed her left hand on her blushing cheek.
“I’m good. Are you showing her Enrique?”
“Yes, honey.”
“Okay, I’ll be upstairs. Kemp called and said the restaurant was busy and it would be a few more minutes before our food was ready.”
“Okay.”
The name Emma suited the pretty brunette. They turned back to the toy as Ace headed back upstairs.
“Enrique?” Emma asked. Her sexy, low-pitched voice sent a little tendril of lust through Duke. She sounded very intrigued.
“That’s what I nicknamed it. You can roll your Rs while you ride, screaming his name.”
“Oh, I thought maybe that was Charlotte’s husband’s name.”
“No. I heard through Maya that his name is Zane. For all I know that may be what she calls her original of this toy. Anyway, it’s called ‘The Instant Threesome,” but obviously you could use it solo and have a great time. I’m just glad Maya told me about them because we really like doing business with entrepreneurs in the kink business. Want to see?” she asked, her hands hesitating on the wrapping enclosing whatever was in the box. All he could make out so far was a large dildo-looking device pointing toward the ceiling.
“Duh! Of course!”
“I was hoping you might say that,” Summer said with a snicker. She removed the carton from the rolling cart and sat the box on it. Emma held the flaps while Summer pulled the rather large item from the Styrofoam peanuts it was packed in.
“You have got to be kidding me!” Emma said then erupted in giggles.
Duke looked on in surprise as Summer revealed the newest sex toy in Discretion. It was a life-sized, anatomically correct casting of a lower male torso, from the lower ribs all the way down to midthigh.
“Lift it, Emma, and you’ll see how heavy it is. It’s made from silicone gel and it’ll take a little muscle to move it around. But you don’t want something lightweight, right?”
Emma looked at Summer and said, “I guess not?” Her expression was adorably clueless.
Summer smiled and said, “When you’re riding it, you wouldn’t want it to bounce around under you with your movement. You’d want it to stay rock solid and in place.”
Duke’s cock hardened at the explanation, thinking he could stay rock solid and in place for Emma if she was riding him. Gage groaned, and Duke knew he was thinking similar thoughts.
“Oh.” Emma reached out a tentative hand and poked the erect cock with a fingertip. It bounced a couple of times and then pointed unflaggingly toward the ceiling again. Duke’s cock reacted as if she’d touched him, swelling behind his fly to painful proportions. His food grew cold in front of him as he waited to hear what she would say next.
“I’ll take it. How much?”
Holy shit!
* * * *
Summer sighed happily as she set the small bistro-style table on the back porch. She put out everything, plates, silverware, and pretty glassware, even though she knew it wasn’t necessary. They could just as easily have eaten from Styrofoam cartons with plastic utensils, but she wanted to give the evening a little more romance. Kemp had called to say he was on the way with their food. She didn’t have any idea where he’d gone, but it had taken a while for him to get back.
She smiled as she gazed around the backyard. The ambient effect of the new outdoor lighting was very pleasing to her. The welcoming gazebo stood off in the yard, the interior illuminated by the strands of small white bulbs hung inside it providing just enough light. She admired the newly renovated porch again. Some of the rosebushes in the new flowerbeds surrounding it were already budding.
Ace opened the back door and brought out the pitcher of tea she’d made and the bottle of wine he’d removed the cork from earlier in the day. “Kemp just pulled up.”
“Good. Are you hungry?”
“Starving,” Ace replied quietly. His tone was at once reserved and intense. She looked up into his eyes and saw her own emotions reflected at her. Yeah. We’re so not making it home tonight. At least not for a few hours.
He placed wine glasses at each setting and poured the wine. She was glad he knew something about wine because she knew very little.
Kemp came through the back door, carrying bags with the restaurant logo emblazoned on them.
“You went to Tessa’s to pick up supper?” Summer had heard good things about Tessa’s, and not just about the exceptional food. Tessa’s offered a unique, private dining experience if a reservation could be had.
Kemp replied, “Yes. We’d like to take you there some time, but they have a waiting list for the private dining booths right now.” Turning to Ace, he said, “I put our names on the list.”
“Good. We’ll make it a special occasion.”
“In the meantime they were happy to put supper together for us.”
He sat the bag on the side table and removed the boxes. A succulent aroma of spices and grilled meats filled the air.
“Yum. What did you get?” she asked as her mouth began to water.
“Shrimp and vegetable kebabs, rare tenderloin with mushrooms, and lobster tail. You can have your pick. There are also vegetables, and this,” he said, holding up a separate bag, “contains salad, bread sticks, and dessert.”
Ace asked, “What’s for dessert?” Summer watched a slow, sexy smile flit across his lips.
Me, baby, if I’m lucky.
Kemp caught Ace’s suggestive tone and replied, “Tessa’s signature tiramisu. I’ll go put it in the refrigerator so it stays cold.”
When Kemp returned they sat down to the meal and began picking and choosing from the containers. Everything smelled delicious, and her stomach growled hungrily.
Despite her hunger pangs, her appetite was small. She enjoyed the food tremendously, but her thoughts were wholly on the rest of the evening.
They talked quietly with her and inquired how everything tasted. She accidentally dropped her napkin, and Ace bent to pick it up, placed it back in her lap, and his hand remained on her thigh.
The soft summer breeze blew a lock of her hair against her lips, and Kemp reached out to smooth it back before she could make a move. He smiled warmly at her, love in his green eyes, and leaned forward to brush his full lips against her cheekbone.
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