by White, Sasha
“Your assistant isn’t a stripper, though, right?” He followed her down the hallway.
Lacey suppressed a sly chuckle. “Nope, not a stripper.”
When Matt had called her office, he explained that he’d promised the soon-to-be-groom’s fiancée that there would be no strippers or dancers of any kind at the bachelor party. He made it clear he wanted to keep that promise. But despite his pledge, Matt also wanted to host a sexy, unforgettable party. Lacey hadn’t had a clue what she would do. She’d just seen an opportunity to get him as a client for her fledgling catering company, Ambrosia, and had jumped in with both feet.
Lacey was sure the only reason he’d hired her for the job was because his little sister was her friend, and Rebecca knew that Lacey wanted Ambrosia to gain a reputation for unique and fantastic catering services. Plus, Rebecca’d probably bullied him a bit.
But that was okay; Lacey would take his business any way she could get it. And she felt confident Matt would be very pleased with what she had arranged.
With that thought in mind, she located the kitchen and set the box on the counter. Turning to face him, she laughed at the playful mock puppy dog expression on his handsome face. “Please?”
She ignored the twinge of excitement in the pit of her belly, and gave him a practiced, thoughtful look. “I’ll bet not many people can resist when you look at them like that and say ‘please’ really pretty, can they?”
“Can you?”
“I can,” she said firmly. “And I will.”
The dubious expression on his face gave her a small thrill. He was so cocky that a new idea sparked in the back of her mind.
“Just because you’re the host doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the party too.” She gave him an obvious once-over and a wink before brushing past him on her way back to her catering van.
She had never planned a bachelor party, but she’d been trying to get her catering company off the ground for a couple of months and figured this might prove to be the edge she needed to make her business stand out from the others. The fact that she had to plan a sexy and classy party with no strippers, or even a belly dancer, also motivated her more than stumped her. She’d also been too intrigued.
Hell, she’d been intrigued by everything about Matt from the moment she’d walked into Rebecca’s apartment three years earlier and seen his pictures. But friends didn’t ask to be set up with their friend’s brothers, so she’d left well enough alone. The party idea, however, had opened that long-closed door.
Now, Lacey couldn’t help but feel the seductive pull of lust tugging at her insides as she made several trips from the van to the kitchen, bantering with him the whole time. She was a bit surprised at how comfortable she felt around him, even with her head full of business anxiety and half-baked seduction plans.
He was one sexy man, but he knew it. He also knew just how to flirt with his eyes, and how to use his deep voice so that shivers danced down Lacey’s spine. Images of slow, sensuous lovemaking filled her head, but the fact that his confidence bordered on arrogance had her battling the urge to try and master him.
This is business, she told herself. Pleasure would come afterward . . . if he could handle it.
When the van was empty, Matt offered to park it at the side of the house. She gladly handed over her keys, and then wandered back to the kitchen, forcing herself to focus on the task at hand.
The house’s setup was a good one, perfect for what she had in mind. She was standing in the patio doorway, gazing at the fenced-in yard, when Matt strolled into the kitchen.
Without looking, she knew he had positioned himself directly behind her. It was as if a force field of energy surrounded him, and when he stood inches away from her, her body hummed with carnal recognition. “Dinner can be served inside or out. Which would you prefer?”
“Whatever works best for what you have planned,” he said, his voice deeper than before.
His hands settled on her shoulders and he shifted closer behind her. Lacey closed her eyes. She enjoyed the heat of his touch, and the knowledge that he was coming on to her, very subtly. Him pressing lightly against her backside, his breath tickling the tiny hairs on the back of her neck, were both seduction techniques. Practiced seduction techniques, ones she, herself, had used before.
“Is it usually so easy for you to seduce women?”
He stiffened for a brief moment, then a relaxed chuckle tumbled from his lips. “Honestly? Yes, it is.”
Lacey turned from the yard and gave him a small smile. “Then I guess it’s time for a change, yes?”
The skeptical rise of his eyebrows gave her another thrill. Seducing him was going to be so much fun.
“I think outside will be best.” She continued into the middle of the kitchen and started to unpack her things. All business, as if she didn’t feel the spark of lust flaring to life inside her. It wouldn’t do for him to know just yet how much she wanted him. “You said you would stock the bar. Is it ready to go?”
His eyes narrowed, and he planted his hands on his lean hips. “Both the inside and outside bars are well stocked with my friends’ preferred whiskey.”
“Good. Then your work for the night is through. As I said before, you’re the host, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the party.” She picked up the carryall that held the gambling paraphernalia she’d need later that night. After giving him a sassy wink, she walked onto the patio, speaking over her shoulder, “And I plan to make tonight a very memorable night for everyone.”
Amemorable night, huh?
Matt realized he was actually licking his lips while watching Lacey’s rounded hips swing gently as she left the kitchen. Not many women walked away from him, but he sure did enjoy the view of this woman doing it.
Heat pooled in his groin. His hands tingled as he imagined gripping those hips and—
Whoa! This was one of his sister’s best friends! Flirting was one thing, but Rebecca would never forgive him if he broke Lacey’s heart. And since he had no intentions of getting serious with anyone, that meant Lacey’s ass had a big neon Hands Off sign attached to it.
Swallowing a sigh, he blocked the patio door as she started to reenter the house, the empty storage carrier in her hand.
“Let me get that for you.” He wrapped his arms around the container, but couldn’t stop himself from brushing his hands across her flat stomach while gripping the edges of the armload.
Her body heat radiated through her shirt and seeped into his skin. His blood heated and his cock started to swell. The spicy yet soft scent that filled his nostrils when he leaned close certainly didn’t help matters either. Clutching the armload to his chest, he turned and crossed to the other side of the counter, giving himself shit as he went.
Keeping his mind and his hands off her would be a bit more difficult than he’d thought. After setting his load on the counter, he strove to look casually at her. “Can I help you set anything up?”
“You don’t mind taking direction from a woman?” She quirked an eyebrow at him, her green eyes shining with playful challenge, and her lips tilted up at one corner. Was she mocking him?
“Not at all. Why would I?”
She started unpacking linens from another container. “I just wondered if you—being such a big sports guy, macho man and all—had a problem with it.” Humor colored her voice. “Some men seem to think it’s unmanly to take orders from a woman.”
“Not all men. When it comes to stuff like food and party settings, I’m more than willing to take direction from a woman.”
Her tongue darted out and slid across her lips, leaving them glossy and wet. She had the kind of mouth that gave a man an instant hard-on. “Oh? So when it comes to ‘women’s work’ you’re okay with taking direction, but that’s it?”
Something in her voice reached through his lustful thoughts and made him lift his gaze to her eyes.
Uh-oh. She had that look, the look a woman gets when she’s got something up her sleeve.
&nb
sp; “Umm . . . umm . . .”
My God, she has me stuttering! Enough was enough.
He drew a deep breath, then flashed his megawatt sales-pitch smile, holding up his hands in a mock defensive gesture. “I didn’t say that. I know better than to call anything ‘women’s work’ or ‘men’s work.’ I’m an equal opportunity kind of guy.”
The glint in her eye noticeably brightened. “So . . . if a woman were to tell you what to do in the bedroom, you’d be okay with it?”
“Hell, no!” he exclaimed, but his dick jumped behind his zipper, despite his protest. “I don’t need anyone to tell me what to do in the bedroom. I’ve been pleasing women since I was fourteen.”
“What if letting her direct you gave her pleasure? Would you let her do it?”
“Matt!” a man’s voice called. “Where are you?”
“In the kitchen,” he yelled back, disappointed at the interruption. He leaned close to Lacey, deliberately invading her personal space, and spoke in a low voice. “We’ll finish this conversation later?”
Not giving so much as an inch, she grinned at him. “You bet we will.”
Hit me.”
Lacey gazed into Matt’s vibrant blue eyes and squeezed her thighs together. Oh, how she wanted to bend him over the picnic table and do just that. Spank his nice, firm ass until the cheeks glowed rosy red and he begged her to let him please her.
Instead, she raised an eyebrow and smiled wickedly at the four other men gathered around the stand-up bar. “What do you think, boys? Is Matt making a mistake? Didn’t I tell you all to trust me?”
Three of the men hooted and hollered and agreed with her. Only Craig, the groom’s brother and the youngest of the group, slapped Matt on the back and encouraged him to go for it.
When the guys had arrived, Matt had led them into the yard, where they made themselves comfortable on the deck chairs and started drinking. When Lacey went out to meet them, they’d stood up and introduced themselves in such a gentlemanly way that she worried for a few minutes her plans would bomb. Hoping to break the ice, she looked at the untouched platter she’d set in the middle of the table.
“What’s wrong, guys? No one likes mushroom, truffle oil, and cheese fondue?” The men looked at the food with such blank expressions, that Lacey couldn’t help but laugh. “Or is it the fact that the dippers are asparagus, zucchini, and cherry tomatoes? What? Did you expect me to serve chips and peanuts? Don’t be scared of it, gentlemen. It won’t hurt you.” With a small smile, she gave them a hint about the night to come. “In fact, it’ll probably make you feel better than you have in a long time.”
They smiled uncertainly, probably thinking she meant it in an “eat your vegetables” way. She cocked an eyebrow at Matt, who quickly took the bull by the horns and reached for a zucchini stick and dipped it. With no hesitation, he slipped the morsel into his mouth and started to chew.
Lacey tried not to show how the movement of his strong jaw and the look of pleasure that shone in his eyes affected her insides.
“It’s amazing, Lacey. Thank you.” He reached for another one.
The others followed suit. While they chewed, nodding and nudging one another over the good taste, Lacey planted her hands on her hips and eyed them in a stern fashion.
“Now, when I say trust me, you are all going to do so, right?”
A chorus of affirmative moans and heads bobbing yes set the tone for the night. Satisfied, Lacey had returned to the kitchen, leaving the men to eat and joke around. When she returned a short time later with another plate, this one full of salmon rounds with white wine and capers, they didn’t hesitate.
She’d wondered if they would have hesitated if she’d told them the appetizers were considered aphrodisiacs.
Now, watching Matt, with his wicked grin and the daring glint in his eye, she doubted it would have slowed him down.
He winked at her, tossed back the last ounce of whiskey in his glass, and tapped a long finger on the cards in front of him. “This fourteen isn’t enough to beat your eighteen. We’re playing Las Vegas Strip, with two decks, and there’re enough face cards showing that I think I’m safe.”
“Care to make a personal bet on that?” she countered.
The men “oohed” and started whispering amongst themselves, betting on Matt or Lacey, but not interfering in their byplay.
“What do you have in mind?” he asked.
“You break, you owe me . . . a favor of my choice.”
“And if I don’t break?”
“If you don’t break, I’ll owe you.”
Fire raced through Lacey’s veins. The thrill of the risk. She didn’t know for certain if he would break. Nothing was guaranteed, that’s why it was called “gambling,” but she’d been playing blackjack since she’d learned how to count, and she knew the odds were on her side.
“Deal.”
Her subtle flirting hadn’t gone unnoticed by the rest of the men, and sexual tension thickened the air. The others sighed or asked why they hadn’t received the same bet when they’d made a dumb move. But Lacey ignored them and locked eyes with Matt. With a slow flick of her wrist, she pulled the next card and turned it over. Neither of them broke their stare to look at it, until the group’s laughter and jostling nudged Matt so hard he almost fell off his stool.
The Jack of Spades. Busted.
Matt tossed his hands in the air and gave her a cocky grin. “I’m all yours, sugar. Whatever you want, I owe you.”
Warmth flooded through Lacey and her panties dampened at the obvious lust in his heated gaze. She knew exactly what she wanted, and from the sparks arcing through the air between them, she felt certain he would enjoy giving it to her. But before they got to what she really wanted, he needed to be taken down a peg or two.
She gave him a small smile. “You’re going to help me clean up tonight, Matt. My assistant will appreciate getting off work early.”
His grin froze, and his buddies laughed even louder. She knew they’d all been expecting something much more flirtatious as a favor . . . and that was exactly why she wasn’t going to give it to them.
“Okay, boys, card game’s over.” Lacey pulled her gaze away from Matt and spoke in her firm voice. “Go into the house and pour yourselves another drink while I set up the food.”
She watched as the five men headed inside, stumbling just a little as they laughed and playfully shoved at one another. They were like a bunch of rambunctious puppies, except sexier.
Lacey restrained herself from commanding them all to strip and kneel at her feet . . . just barely. Oh what fun she could have with the group of them.
What fun she was going to have with them.
Matt was the last one to enter the house, pausing to flash her a wicked grin over his shoulder.
Lord, but that man was hot! Treating him like all of the others had been extremely difficult, but she knew it wasn’t time to let him see her interest. Normally she didn’t like to play head games with men, at least not outside of the bedroom, but Matt was special.
At first, she’d just wanted him as a conquest, but over the past few hours that idea disappeared. She found herself actually wanting him. Not just the conquest of one of Vancouver’s top bachelors, but Matt himself.
She gathered up the cards and empty glasses left on the bar, then went to the kitchen to see how Beth was doing with the food preparation.
“Are you just about ready?”
The tiny brunette looked up from the tray of sushi she’d just pulled from the catering cooler. “I think so.” An eager grin spread across her delicate face. “Are they?”
An answering smile tugged at Lacey’s lips. “I don’t think they have a clue. But as soon as we get you set up, they might be more ready than you want them to be. You remember the safe word?”
Beth’s whole demeanor changed. Her spine straightened and she clasped her hands together behind her back, thrusting her perky breasts forward. Her dark eyes flashed before she cast her gaze toward the fl
oor and spoke softly.
“Yes, mistress, I do.” She was eager to please, and to fulfill a fantasy of her own at the same time.
“What is it?” Lacey questioned sharply.
“Sunburn.”
“Very good.” She smiled at Beth and brushed a tender thumb across her smooth cheek. A minute tremble went through the other woman and Lacey’s body tingled all over. She was responsible for what happened to Beth tonight, and that thought was one of the many that kept her on the edge of arousal. “I’ll be here, and I’ll look after you.”
“Yes, mistress.”
“The table is set up outside. Lay out the cloth and get yourself ready. I’ll follow with the food.”
Shot down, Matt!” Brian slapped him on the shoulder and leaned on the oak bar in the recreation room, a shit-eating grin on his face. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you get turned down by a woman.”
“She didn’t turn me down,” Matt corrected amidst the laughter. “I haven’t made a move yet, therefore she hasn’t shot me down yet.”
“You keep thinking that, buddy,” Cole said, pouring a round of whiskeys for the group. “I have to admit, I wondered what the hell we were going to do to send Brian off in style, but so far, your girl’s done a good job.”
A surge of pride burst in Matt’s chest, not because Lacey was doing a good job, but because Cole had referred to her as Matt’s girl. Somehow, during an evening of lusting after her, she’d become more than just a pretty girl to him. The neon Hands Off sign had dimmed because he actually liked her.
“Since she shot down Matt, maybe I’ll give it a go.” Craig leered at the others. “She’s nice looking, and damn sexy. You know what they say about older women and younger men. I could be just what she needs.”
Matt’s gut churned, and he clamped a tight rein on his temper. Relaxing his clenched jaw, he slapped Craig’s shoulder and gave him a warning squeeze. “I told you, she didn’t shoot me down. Even if she did, she’s way too much woman for a young pup like you to handle.”