Trouble

by Sasha White

  Karl slapped him on the back.

  “All the tickets were sold, so that’s some solid coin. Between this and what you make at the front door, you’re home free, brother.”

  “As much as I hate to anticipate, I think you’re right. Now if we can sell a lot kinky shit, Samair’s new business will be off to a great start, too.”

  “How’s she doing?”

  Val gave him a look.

  “Hey, I like her.” Karl grinned. “She seemed pretty smart, she’s got a rockin’ body, and there’s no arguing with her taste in lingerie.”

  “Speaking of which, you got plans later tonight?”

  Karl’s eye narrowed. “Not really. Why?”

  30

  Samair gritted her teeth and let Joey push her out of the ladies room they’d commandeered as a change room for the final show. The private showing in the bachelor room had already gone off without a hitch and it was only minutes until the second showing, the one that would take place on the dance floor.

  “We’re fine,” Joey said with a gentle push. “You’re driving us nuts, though, so go sit and watch like the rest of the crowd.”

  Mike turned from his post outside the change room, and the two exchanged a lingering look. He was there to make sure nobody got in the dancers’ way as the strutted to the dance floor, and he grinned when he saw Samair’s mutinous expression.

  “They’re a cocky bunch, aren’t they?” he asked.

  Samair felt her cheeks flush. “Yes, they are. It’s a good thing they know what they’re doing.” I hope.

  She looked around the club, at a loss until she spotted Bethany waving at her from a few feet away.

  “Ready?” she asked when Samair joined their table just as the lights dimmed and the music lowered.

  “Not by a long shot.”

  “Welcome to Risqué, everyone.” Val was standing in the middle of the dance floor on the temporary raised stage they’d had put in. “We’re normally closed on Sunday nights, but tonight is special. Tonight is the debut show for a local fashion designer who specializes in the naughty and risqué. Her name is Samair Jones, and the label you’re all going to want to remember is Trouble. Now, please, sit back and enjoy your first look at her new line.”

  Instead of watching the show, Samair watched the crowd. The dancers strutted their stuff as people nodded and smiled, some oohed and aahed, and a couple looked bored. She didn’t panic at the bored expressions of one or two, she could see the outfits with a critical eye, and knew they were just what she’d been aiming for.

  By the time the six of them did a final walk-through together, people were pointing and everyone was clapping. The models stopped on stage and waved Samair up. Pleasure and pride made her heart race as she stepped up on stage with her models and took a bow. Her eyes met Joey’s and the two of them grinned like idiots. A dream had just come true, and they both knew it.

  She stepped off the stage without saying a word to the crowd. She didn’t need to, her designs had spoken for themselves, and the models were making their way through the crowds to show off them off up close now.

  Bethany rushed up to her as soon as she was on the ground and gave her a big hug. “I knew you loved to play and alter clothes, Samair, but I had no idea that my shy and quiet sales girl had so much talent. You did fantastic!”

  Suddenly Val was at her side, speaking softly. “Fantastic show, babe. So fantastic Karl is swamped in the bachelor room taking orders for Trouble, and Brett is still in there helping him so we’ve got no one out here to take orders.”

  “Have you got a price list?”

  Both Samair and Val faced Bethany in surprise. “What?” she said. “I ran a clothing boutique forever, I think I can take some special orders.”

  Overwhelmed with surprise and appreciation, Samair almost cried. “Really? You don’t mind?”

  Samair made a quick dash up to Val’s office and snatched up a pre-printed price list and a stack of her business cards for Bethany. She’d just handed them off to her friend and was getting ready to work the crowd when a sullen couple stepped in front of her.

  “Well, well, well. Who knew you had it in you?” The bleached blonde said with a smirk.

  “Lisa, what are you doing here?” Anger bubbled to life in her gut.

  She’d made it a point to retrieve her stuff from the apartment when Lisa was at work, and even though they’d spoken briefly on the phone a few times about the apartment, they hadn’t seen each other since the night Samair had walked out.

  “We heard about the show and had to come check it out. You know, seeing is believing and all that.”

  Samair looked at Kevin, standing silent beside Lisa, his embarrassment clear. “I hope you enjoyed the show,” she said through gritted teeth and turned to leave.

  Only, a sharp-clawed hand grabbed her arm and swung her back to see an ugly snarl on Lisa’s face. “I know you only got into this kinky stuff in an effort to get Kevin back, but it’s not going to work. You can pretend all you want but we both know you can’t give him what he needs.”

  “First off,” Samair said as she jerked her arm out of Lisa’s grip. A large presence closed in behind her but didn’t bother to look back. “I’ve been sewing and designing my own clothes since I was fifteen, which you would know if you’d bothered to be a real friend when we lived together. Secondly, I have no desire to see either of you ever again, therefore thirdly, anything—kinky or otherwise—I get into has absolutely nothing to do with you.”

  Lisa’s mouth opened but Samair beat her to the punch. She crossed her arms over her chest and spoke firmly. “Save it. Whatever you have to say, I don’t want to hear it. If you’re not here to enjoy the party, leave.”

  “You okay?” Val asked softly from behind her when Lisa and Kevin were out of earshot.

  She summoned a smile and spun around to face him. “I’m great. How are you?”

  His eyes narrowed. She could see he wanted to push the issue, but before he could say anything another woman came up to congratulate Samair on a wonderful show. A steady stream of people came up to Samair and she lost track of Val as she mingled, absorbing the energy of the crowd and living in the moment.

  * * *

  The best part of the show for Joey was the fact that Mike had seen it. There had been many, many hot eyes on her throughout the night, first in the luxurious private room, then out in the club. When the show was over, and she was mingling in the club, letting people see the last outfit up close, and touch the materials, she did her best to stay focused on the job. To tell them about the outfit, and how to order things, to hand out business cards and rave about all of the clothes she’d been wearing over the years that had been made by the talented Samair Jones. An hour after the show finished there was finally enough of a lull that she could speak to him.

  “One more hour to go, baby. Then I’ll give you a very private show.”

  His smile was rueful. “I have to be at work early, and you have an important audition tomorrow. You need to get some sleep so it’s no good for either of us to stay up all night talking again.”

  Hurt, frustration, and confusion welled up. But she was strong, she was independent, and she didn’t want him to see just how much his rejection stung. She stretched her lips into a smile and shrugged. “Okay, have a good night then.” And walked away.

  “Joey,” he called after her. But she kept going. Pretending not to hear him, she headed for the private room to do one last go around there. Val had brought in private security for there, and Mike couldn’t follow her. Not that he even tried.

  31

  The Fetish and Fantasy party was held as a special event on a Sunday night, when Risqué would normally be closed. It worked out well that way because the regular party-all-night crowd wasn’t in attendance and when last call was announced at midnight instead of two in the morning the place was already emptying out.

  Samair was flying high on adrenaline and jubilation, floating six inches off the ground as sh
e stood on the top landing saying good night to people as they left. Not only had Brett handed her forty-three orders from the clients in the bachelor room, several orders for more than one item, but Vera, Val’s ex wife, had made it a point to make a lunch date with her.

  Samair wasn’t sure exactly what that was all about. The woman was openly flirtatious and seductive toward her, making it clear she was sexually attracted, but when she’d made the date she’d implied it was about placing a large order from Trouble. Samair had only been with one woman in her life and that was Joey. While she wasn’t biased against same-sex relationships she wasn’t interested in one, either. Her affair with Joey had been a one-time thing, her curiosity had been sated, and their friendship cemented in it. But deep down, Samair knew she loved cock way too much to go that route again. Especially with Val’s ex-wife.

  She didn’t know what to make of the relationship between Val and Vera, either. She’d seen them talking at one point. Well, Vera had been talking, her head tilted up and her hand on his sleeve in that universal flirtatious way of women trying to seduce, while he’d scowled down at her. Just as Samair had started to make her way over to them, Val had leaned in close to say something then stalked away.

  That was when Vera had zeroed in on Samair, and she’d gotten the distinct impression that whatever Val had said to her, had set Vera’s seduction in motion.

  “Don’t be such a stranger, Samair.” Ginger’s voice interrupted her thoughts. Samair snapped back to the present to see Ginger and Bethany, and their respective men, coming toward her.

  “We don’t have work to hang out at together anymore, so don’t make me hunt you down again,” Ginger said, pulling her into a fierce hug.

  “I won’t. Be a stranger, that is. Although your timing on this last hunt was absolutely perfect.”

  Bethany reached over and hugged her, too. “Thank you so much for coming, I’m sorry I had to put you to work.”

  “Are you kidding?” Grant laughed. “You made her night!”

  Beth smacked him playfully, but gave Samair a sincere smile. “He’s right. I enjoyed every minute of it. Sexy and erotic you definitely did, and the workmanship and love you put into making them is obvious. It was easy to sell.”

  Wow. High praise from someone who truly knew the business. For the first time ever, the concept wasn’t completely unrealistic. Joey joined them then, now dressed in jeans and a faded T-shirt with Danskin scrawled across her breasts.

  She exchanged hugs and good-byes then they watched the two couples leave together. Next to her, Joey let out a heavy sigh.

  “What’s wrong? You wish you’d gone dancing now?” The other dancers and models had left about half an hour earlier, on their way to a different club to do some dancing.

  “Nothing’s wrong. The night was a complete success for you. I’m thrilled.”

  The grin Joey flashed her didn’t quite reach her eyes and Samair almost growled her impatience. “Don’t bullshit me, Joey. Something’s wrong, now tell me.”

  “Nothing,” she mumbled, ducking her head. “It’s just Mike.”

  Comprehension dawned. “Still no lovin’ happening?”

  “I thought for sure after tonight he’d be ready to go, but he’s not into it. He has to work early.”

  “Well, he does have a day job,” Samair reminded her gently. “Maybe the last all-nighter you two pulled was too much for him.”

  “We talked all night then!”

  “Still, it was all night. Not all of us can get by on four or five hours of sleep like you can, honey.”

  “I don’t get it, Sammie. He wanted to date, so we dated. We’ve gone out four times, movies, coffee, dinner, and still I get nothing more than long kiss goodnight. After watching me strut around this club in less than a bra and underwear all night, he still isn’t interested in sex? He’s not interested period.” She straightened her shoulders. “From now on, he’s just a friend. That’s the way he wants things, so I’m moving on.”

  Samair saw the hurt and the stubbornness in Joey’s mulish expression and gave up. There was no talking to Joey when she’d made up her mind about something.

  Instead, she just pulled her into a hug. She pulled back slightly and pressed her forehead to Joeys, staring deep into her eyes. “I love you.”

  “I know.” Joey kissed her quickly. “Thank you.”

  They pulled apart and she smacked Joey on the butt as she walked away. “See you later, brat.”

  The club was almost empty. A few stragglers milled about. Kelsey, the cute Goth bartender was shutting down the bar while the waitresses wiped the last of the tables clean and Mike urged the final few people toward the stairs. She couldn’t see Val on the floor anywhere, and after a quick look in the office with no results she headed for the bachelor room.

  She smiled at Marc, the bouncer guarding the door under the stairs and went in. The bartender was gone, the guests were gone, and the catering tables were all cleared up. Karl stood near the rear exit with the woman who had been the human centerpiece on the catering table. Her eyes finally found Val seated in an overstuffed armchair. Seated across from him was a good-looking guy that she’d never met. Val saw her watching and waved her over.

  “Samair this is Jonathan. Jonathan this is my friend, and the woman behind all the lingerie you saw tonight, Samair.”

  He was even better looking up close. He also looked to be approximately thirty, younger than she’d first thought. He had midnight-black hair cut short and a darker complexion that made his light blue eyes stand out eerily.

  “Hello, Jonathan. I hope you enjoyed the show.” Samair smiled and perched on the arm of Val’s chair.

  “It was very well done. I placed an order for several items. Val assured me shipping them would not be a problem.” Those piercing eyes ran over her lightly and a tingle of arousal roused low in her belly.

  Val put a hand on her thigh and she glanced down at him. He didn’t smile but his eyes held the beginnings of dark hunger that never failed to remind her that he was the big bad wolf, ready to eat her up.

  Her pulse skipped and her body warmed, softening and readying itself for his possession. Dragging her eyes from him she focused on the new man across from them. “You’re not from Vancouver?”

  He shook his head, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “I visit often, but my job requires a lot of travel. One of the purchases on my order is for a local friend who will make herself available to you for fittings and such. I’ll email the measurements and specifics to you for the others.”

  Karl came up to them and clapped a hand down on Val’s shoulder. “I’m out of here, buddy. I’ll be back tomorrow to go over things with you.” The two men shook hands before he leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Samair’s cheek, surprising her. “You were a hit. Great job.”

  He nodded at Jonathan and left through the rear entrance.

  Samair gave herself a mental headshake. Being the only female with three very attractive and mesmerizing men, if only for a moment, had her juices flowing. Trying to ignore the direction her thoughts were traveling in she smiled at Jonathan and continued their conversation. “It sounds like everything is worked out. I’m pleased you found some things you liked.”

  His smile grew and he gave Val a small nod. “There’s a lot to like.”

  Val’s hand slipped beneath the slit in her skirt and higher on her thigh. She gasped, her gaze flying to his.

  “You mentioned once that two men, focused completely on you was one of your fantasies. I told you I could make all your fantasies come true.” His intense gaze burned into her, seeing everything, telling nothing. “If you’re willing.”

  32

  Samair held on tight to Val as he directed the Harley toward his place. There had been very little talking between them since she’d uttered the words, “I’m willing.”

  They’d left the bar then. Jonathan getting into a cab while Val had let his staff know he was leaving.

  The rumb
ling vibrations of the bike between her thighs kept her body at such a fever pitch that when Val stopped at a red light, she let her hands slip forward from his hips to his thighs. Muscles flexed beneath her hands and the heat of him soaked through the palms of her hands into her blood.

  A threesome. Not just any threesome but one with two men. One of them Val.

  Too many times to count she’d used the fantasy of two men completely centered on her to reach orgasm. She’d used it when masturbating, as well as when she’d been with other lovers. Strangely, she’d never used fantasies to get off when she was with Val. Maybe it was because with him she didn’t need to fantasize. Right from the first night she met him, everything he did for her was a dream come true. The fantasy comment about sex with a stranger had been a throwaway at the time. Something that had popped into her head and out her mouth. Until then she’d never really given her fantasies much thought. Not the sexual ones, nor the career ones. And here she was riding on the back of a Harley after her first fashion show—a successful fashion show—on her way to experience yet another fantasy come true.

  She pressed closer to him, squeezing his hips with her legs and slipping her hands to the inside of his thighs just as the bike rolled to a stop. She climbed off the bike and he followed, silently relieving her of her helmet before taking her by the hand and leading her into his apartment.

  Once inside, he sandwiched her body against the wall.

  “You test my control every time you touch me,” he muttered before taking her mouth. His tongue swept in and took complete control.

  Samair’s mind shut down and her body took over, her fingers thrust into his silky hair, dislodging the elastic tie as his hands grabbed her ass and lifted. She wrapped her legs around him and felt his hardness press against her core. His hips thrust against her and her insides tightened.