Trouble

by Sasha White

  She started at his thigh again and worked the back of his right leg before getting him to turn over. Slowly she worked her way back up his body, pleased to see that while his muscles had become pliant under her hands, his cock stood strong and proud.

  She glanced up to see him watching her. With a sultry smile she opened her mouth and took him deep. The throb of hot blood flowing through him against her tongue ripped a sigh of satisfaction from her throat. He felt so good there, tasted so good. She closed her eyes, intent on taking her time.

  One hand cupped his balls and fondled them while she licked the length of his shaft. Her lips formed a tight circle over the smooth head, and she sucked, using her mouth her tongue and her hand to stroke his length all at once. There was no urgency, just a languorous loving that felt completely right

  His breathing grew harsh and his fingertips brushed against her ears. His balls tightened in her hand and his cock twitched against her tongue. Samair lifted her head and stared at the man beneath her. Her gaze traveled up over his sculpted chest to meet dark eyes full of desire and tenderness.

  Firm hands gripped her shoulders, urging her up his body until his hot breath floated over her skin a second before his soft lips brushed hers. She lay stretched out on top of him, their naked bodies pressed together, his cock hot and hard between them as he rolled her to her back.

  He tangled long fingers in her hair, turning her head, and slanting his mouth over hers. His hips slipped into the cradle of her thighs and lust coiled low in her belly as they kissed, mouths opening, tongues searching, breaths blending.

  Valentine filled all of her senses, his flavor slightly musky, his scent that of a man. The strong muscles of his thighs flexed above her, and she pressed against him. His hands gripped her hips, rocking her against him and making her pussy throb in time with her pounding heart.

  He flexed his hips and his cock thrust home, filling her up and making the stars explode behind eyes. An ecstatic cry leapt from her lips as her inner walls clenched at him, milking him as he pumped slow and steady into her until a rough groan echoed in the room.

  He buried his head in her neck, his body trembling above hers, while his warmth flooded her body.

  Samair felt the soft press of a kiss on her forehead before the weight of his body shifted and she was snuggled into the curve of his body for the remainder of the night.

  28

  “What do you mean you haven’t had sex yet?”

  It was three days until Samair’s fashion show and Joey’s tiny apartment had turned into one big fitting room for the afternoon. And as usual with a room full of women, talk had quickly turned to men and sex.

  “What? You’ve never heard of dating?” Joey glared at Tara.

  Joey was enjoying getting to know Mike. Since that first night a week ago when they’d sat up and talked, they’d been on three dates. Each of them fun, entertaining…and arousing. The time spent at the end of each date making out without getting off was starting to piss her off.

  It messed with her head the way he looked at her like he wanted to eat her up, the heat they generated when together was stronger than anything she’d ever felt, yet he still held back. It was getting to the point where she was either going to jump him, or walk away from him.

  “I’ve heard of dating.” Tara looked up from the leather and chain mail contraption in her hands. “I’ve just never experienced it.”

  “That’s because you have no restraint,” Kelly said. “You don’t know how to say no on the first date.”

  Tara bristled. “That’s not true. I’ve said no on the first date lots. Then again, I’m usually saying no to a second date. If I’m interested enough for a second date, I’m interested enough for sex.” She gave a giggle and a shrug. “And if I want sex, too, why should I say no?”

  “It’s worth it.”

  Joey turned from her own pile of lingerie to Samair’s friend Ginger. “What’s worth it?”

  “Waiting when you find the right guy. Jason made me wait a month when we first starting seeing each other, but let me tell you, by the time I got that man naked, I was completely in love, and it was the best thing ever.” She smiled dreamily. “It still is.”

  “Yeah, and when you first met Jason you weren’t even attracted to him!” Samair poked her old coworker in the ribs. “Beth had to talk you into seeing him again.”

  “True.” The tattooed pixie nodded. “I was a little slow on the draw with him. It was that nice guy thing, it threw me off balance a little.”

  Samair threw an I told you so look at Joey, but said nothing. Joey really liked Mike, and it scared her. It was much easier to make her body available than her heart.

  As much as they’d talked about Mike over and over, they rarely talked about Sammie’s love life. The devil inside Joey prodded, and the words jumped from her mouth. “What about you, Sammie? You’ve definitely got the bad boy of the group…how’s it going?”

  “Bad boy?” Kelley said from her spot on the sofa.

  “You have a new man, Samair?”

  Tara planted her hands on her hips and glared. “You’ve been holding out on us? Spill it, girl, who’s keeping you busy?”

  Color flooded Sammie’s cheeks and Joey almost felt sorry for her. Almost. There were very few secrets in a group of dancers willing to strut around naked in front of each other, and since they were willing to strut in front of a bar full of people for Samair, a little give and take was a good thing for everyone.

  “I’ve been having some fun with Val for a few weeks now.”

  There was a moment of silence before everyone but Joey responded.

  “Val?”

  “Valentine Ward?”

  “Who’s Val?” Ginger was the only one whose jaw wasn’t on the floor.

  Samair spoke as she held out a gladiator style breastplate made from the same shiny black PVC for Ginger to slip into. “He’s the owner of Risqué, and we’re not dating, it’s just sex.”

  “So that’s why you got asked to do this show at the club. Sweet.”

  “Fuck that!” Joey glared at Tara. “That’s not why she got asked to do the show. She got asked because what she does is freakin’ fantastic.”

  Sometimes women were such bitches to each other. She knew Tara was all pissy because her and Rob were fighting, but Joey wasn’t going to let her be a hag to Sammie.

  It seemed like Ginger felt the same way because she turned to the group to model the outfit Sammie had just finished buckling up and openly challenged the group. “Look at this outfit, and tell me Samair doesn’t deserve this show on her talent. This shit isn’t exactly run of the mill, you know.”

  “It’s beautiful.” Kelly stood and hugged Samair. “She looks like the perfect sex fantasy version of Xena. You totally deserve this show. What I really want to know is…how kinky is Val?”

  Tara’s head popped up through the sweatshirt she was pulling back on. “I want to know how big is Val?”

  Laugher echoed through the room and the tension was broken. Sammie blushed and said Val wasn’t that kinky at all, “Just potent.” She fanned her flushed face.

  “I’m telling you all, it’s the quiet nice guys that are the closet kinks.” Ginger pointed to Joey and the leather corset she’d just finished buckling up. “I’ll bet money you wear that for that new nice guy you’re dating, and your waiting will be over.”

  Joey walked over to the mirror and glanced at herself. The corset curved over her hips, cinched her waist with adjustable buckles, and pushed her small breasts together and up into an amazing cleavage.

  “Wow,” she sighed, running her hands over her torso. She was getting turned on just looking at herself. She turned and checked out the backside. With the hourglass look even the basic black leather thong Sammie had given all the girls looked good.

  Sammie met her eyes in the mirror and nodded. “I made that one specifically to your measurements. It’s yours Joey, all I ask is that you model it at the show.”

  A sq
ueal of joy jumped from her lips and she danced around. “Whoo hoo, I’m gonna get some action.” Mike wasn’t going to know what hit him.

  Plans started to form in her mind and she ignored Tara’s whiny voice. “She gets to keep it? What if someone wants to buy it?”

  Before Sammie could answer, the buzzer went off announcing the guys had arrived. Rob and Jason—dancer Jason not Ginger’s man Jason—had agreed to model for the show as well. She pushed the button that let them into the building and the phone rang. Jeez, everything always happened at once.

  She grabbed the phone off the kitchen counter and opened the apartment door a crack so the boys would just walk in. “Hello?”

  “Is this Joey Kent, please?”

  “This is her.” Joey’s stomach clenched. She knew that voice already. She’d been waiting for this call. Praying for it.

  “Joey, this is Carl Raisen. You did great at the first audition yesterday and I’d like to make an appointment for you to dance for me again. It’s between you and two other girls and I’ll see each of you individually this time. I have business out of town this weekend but will be back to booking talent for the video next week. Can you make it in on Monday afternoon?”

  Blood rushed to her head and she had to squeeze her eyes shut to stay calm. “Of course, I’d love to.”

  Carl rattled off a time and address and they said good-bye. When she opened her yes and hung up the phone, everyone was staring at her. “I got through! I have a final audition for the music video on Monday!”

  Strong arms grabbed her from behind and Rob spun her around while everyone cheered. She laughed and chatted with everyone, the room getting smaller and smaller with people.

  “Before we go any further, now that everyone is here, I have something to say.” Sammie’s voice reached above the chaos. Everyone quieted down and she continued.

  “I just wanted to say that I really appreciate you all agreeing to model for me, especially since I can’t pay any of you. So instead of cash payment, I want to give each of you an outfit of your choice. You can choose whichever one you want, and for the dancers, if the lingerie isn’t your thing, I can make you a costume that will suit you.”

  Joey watched her friend’s cheer and cluster around Sammie for hugs and giggles and her heart swelled. It was a good day, and yet, all she could think about was the night to come. Picking up the phone again, she went into the bathroom for some privacy.

  The number she dialed was embedded in her memory.

  “Hey baby,” she said into the phone when Mike’s voicemail came on. “I know you’re at work, and that we have plans for later tonight, but I just had to call and tell you I was thinking of you.”

  29

  The music was heavy and throbbing, the lights were dim, and the place was filling up. Samair stood at the railing on the top landing and looked down on the lower floor of Risqué and pressed a hand to her stomach to still the fluttering there.

  Heat blanketed her back and warm hands cupped her shoulders. “It’s going to be fine.” Val kissed the back of her neck.

  “Is that a promise?” she asked without looking at him.

  “The show doesn’t start for another hour and we’re almost full. The bachelor room is full. Everyone is in a good mood, your models are in the office having a blast. Don’t worry.”

  The last few days had flown by, without a chance for her and Val to be alone together. She’d pulled several all-nighters sewing and putting together the half-dozen new designs that were the features of the Fetish and Fantasy show. She’d whipped up several of her other, more basic, designs as well. The softer, sexier camisoles and lace teddies would help round out the fantasy aspect of the show.

  She’d even put together a couple of feathered masks and made a nurses uniform out of white netting and a few strategically placed scraps of white leather.

  The models had been coached so that once the stage and runway part of the show was over, they’d go out into the crowd and chat people up, and sell, sell, sell.

  Samair turned, resting her back against the railing and facing Val. Just being near him was calming her nerves. “Thanks for offering the models some incentive. I appreciate it.”

  “A few bar tabs isn’t much to me. It’s the least I could do for you.” He kissed her forehead.

  The least he could do? Samair remembered the fully loaded catering tables in the bachelor room and the flyers plastered all over town. She’d even heard the show promoted on a local radio station that afternoon. He’d done so much already.

  Taking a deep breath she looked up at him. “Why are you doing all this?”

  “What do you mean?” His expression never changed. He still looked calm, cool, and collected, but Samair’s radar hummed.

  “What’s in this for you? I mean, you were fucking me before, so it’s not sex, and it’s not like Risqué needs more business. So what do you get out of putting so much into this?”

  Their eyes met and the silence grew.

  “Money,” he said finally. “Money is what I get. An event like this, where I can charge a lot at the door and I don’t have to pay you, or the models, brings a lot of money into the club.”

  “I don’t get it.” Samair shook her head. Unable to not touch him, she reached out and rested a hand on his tense bicep. “If it’s just about making some money and getting exposure for the club, why didn’t you tell me that when I asked you the first time?”

  “Sam! You look great, sis. Are you nervous?”

  His timing sucked but Samair was delighted to hear her brother’s voice, just the same. She stepped around Val and greeted Brett with a hug. “Nervous, anxious, nauseous, all of the above. Thank you so much for coming!”

  “Of course I came. I was planning to come to see what you’ve been up to anyway. The flyers have been all over the place. So the fact that I can actually help out is a bonus.” Brett let her go and held out his hand to Val. “Brett Jones, Sam’s brother.”

  Samair stepped in to finish the introductions. “This is Valentine Ward, Brett. The owner of the nightclub, and my friend.”

  Val’s eyes widened slightly at the introduction, but then he smiled and some of the tension eased from him visibly. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Brett. Samair tells me you’re quite the hockey player.”

  The men started to talk hockey and Samair tuned them out. Val was looking very sexy in his tux, and just being near him calmed Samair’s nerves. It was nice to have Brett there, too. She’d called Cherish and her parents and told them about the show as well, but the complete lack of interest and understanding in their voices had kept her from actually inviting them.

  Surprisingly, when Ginger had shown up, she’d brought not only her man Jason, but Samair’s old boss Bethany and her husband, Grant.

  “I’m so excited for you, Samair.” Bethany had wrapped her in a big, warm hug when they’d arrived. “This is fabulous!”

  “Thank you. And thank you for coming. How’s the baby?”

  “Big,” she’d laughed. “Big enough I’ll be going back to the boutique soon.”

  “Only part time,” her husband had said as he tucked her against his side.

  The love and affection was obvious between them, and when Ginger ushered them away to their table, the adoration in Jason’s eyes for her was just as blatant.

  Everything was working out better than she could’ve expected. She had friends and even part of her family around her. The sexy man at her side was pretty damn nice, too, even if there was still so much about him she didn’t know.

  “Well, Sam, where do you want me?” Brett’s voice pulled her out of her thoughts.

  “I’m going to check on things in the bachelor room. Once you get Brett organized, check on the models, and remind them to get down to the tent by the separate entrance early.” Val pressed a small kiss to her temple and rubbed her back comfortingly. “I’ll see you there.”

  Val walked away and Samair’s stomach dropped. Brett grinned. “He seems like a go
od guy. A little older than you, definitely rough and tough beneath the surface. Mom and Dad will hate him.”

  Samair shuddered. “Mom and Dad will never meet him, Brett. He’s a lover, that’s all. Not a boyfriend.”

  “Uh huh.”

  * * *

  Val found Karl in the bachelor room, schmoozing with the more influential people that had wanted their privacy assured, and were willing to pay handsomely for it.

  To him, it was a contradiction that people who were so paranoid about their privacy would come out to a show anyway. Karl had worked his magic, though, assuring them that they would have complete privacy from the rest of the club, with a private show.

  The logistics of giving them a separate private fashion show hadn’t been easy to figure out. They’d set up a small changing tent just outside the bachelor room’s separate entrance on the side of the building, and the models had agreed to do a change out there. Then they’d all go back inside and do the show again, for the general occupants of the bar.

  “How’s it going in here?” he asked Karl when he found him at the back wall, watching over the crowd.

  “Smooth, buddy. Your staff is keeping the drinks flowing, and the catering is a definite hit.”

  Val looked over at the tables along the back wall of the room. He’d arranged for buffet-style catering and the two end tables were piled high with hot hors d’oeuvres like poached salmon rounds and crab puffs, along with plates and such. But the middle table was what made it all special.

  Centered in the dimly lit area was a long table, the crisp white linen cloth covering it a deep contrast to the dark-skinned body stretched out on top of it.

  Sushi, sashimi, tempura-battered veggies, and prawns covered the woman’s bare flesh. Flower petals of various colors and leafy greens were strategically littered over her breasts and belly, while a small porcelain plate with pickled ginger and wasabi waited in the juncture of her thighs, just hiding enough of her hairless pussy to tease.

  “For two hundred bucks a head I figured I better come up with something other than free booze for them. Ambrosia Catering promised me that, and I see they delivered.”