Behaving Badly

by Ursula Whistler

  Behaving Badly

  by

  Ursula Whistler

  Copyright

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales, is entirely coincidental.

  Behaving Badly

  COPYRIGHT © 2012 by Ursula Whistler

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission of the author or The Wild Rose Press, Inc. except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

  Contact Information: info@thewildrosepress.com

  Cover Art by Angela Anderson

  The Wild Rose Press, Inc.

  PO Box 708

  Adams Basin, NY 14410-0708

  Visit us at www.thewilderroses.com

  Publishing History

  First Scarlet Rose Edition, April 2012

  Digital ISBN 978-1-61217-306-1

  Published in the United States of America

  Dedication

  To all those who want to sing a different tune.

  Chapter One

  Questions swirled in Jessica Oldham’s head as she inspected the basket of sex toys displayed on her friend’s table. What did one do with the two pronged pink wand? Why did one of them need a remote? Her nipples puckered against the satin fabric of her bra as she wondered if the toys came with instruction manuals. Or did you just try them wherever?

  She fanned her chest with the catalog the hostess gave her when she arrived. Only one of the items in the basket bothered her. All the others intrigued her and had her mind focused on sex and orgasms. If the presenter gave the smallest amount of instructions on how to use any of the toys, she’d have to change her panties after this party.

  Whoever set up the display knew how to lure people to touch the vibrators, cuffs, and smooth ropes nestled in the folds of the maroon satin. Jess watched four people reach for a toy before they thought better of it. When her friend and hostess, April, remarked on the dazzling display, Jess could only nod.

  The consultant, a large woman who introduced herself as Delilah, smiled as she touched her glass to Jess’s. “Which one do you want to try first?”

  None of them. Something about using the toy solo saddened her. Yet, she answered to be polite. “The pink one certainly looks interesting, or that tickler. Is that what it’s called?” The translucent purple vibrator seemed like the one she’d seen on a website. Not that she did a lot of looking at sex toys, nor could she really afford one. She’d lived with her sister and brother-in-law until two months ago, and privacy hadn’t been possible. April had been the instigator of all the browsing of vibrators and various sex aids.

  Delilah gushed. “Ah, I can’t wait to tell you about that one. It’s waterproof for use in the shower or bath. I just got an email from a client who used it in a hot tub with her partner.” The woman’s eyes rolled upwards in mock orgasm.

  Jess often laughed at the descriptions in books of a sparkle in a person’s eye, but this Delilah’s did that, and more, as she rubbed her hands together. Jess, however, doubted that a relative stranger would share such details. “People email you about what they did with their purchases?”

  “Oh, they do. And, such fun emails they are. My ex-husband would read them to me. He has one of those husky voices you hear on the radio, and it used to drive me wild.” Delilah’s breasts jiggled as she shimmied her shoulders.

  Jess had to know, despite it being uncouth. Yet, this lady did sell sex toys. She couldn’t be offended by much. “But he’s your ex? What happened?”

  Her smile reversed direction. A loud sigh rattled her body. “I discovered toys. He hated them. Sad, but I’m better off being able to explore my sexuality in a way that suits me.” In an instant, Delilah put on her cheery demeanor. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to get in place. I have a few larger items to put in front of the table. You don’t want to miss those.” She wiggled her ring-bedecked fingers as she left.

  Jess moved to a chair on the side of the room, which her friend had lit with candles and lamps covered with red mesh. The effect brought to mind a pleasure palace. She’d never been in one, but she imagined that a room designed to make a person desirous of sex would have soft, red lighting and plenty of pillows. This place certainly set the mood. Something about the night made her want a body next to hers. She craved it, but she knew better than to take just anyone even if her loneliness ached like an empty stomach.

  April sat next to her. “Where are you supposed to be tonight?”

  “Not with you, my heathen friend.” Jess poked her friend in the shoulder.

  With mock offense, April whined, “I’m not good enough for Teresa? Is she dissing me again?”

  “Yes,” she admitted, “but I defend you.”

  “Your sister won’t ever accept me. My tattoos and crazy hair mark me as strange, and she hates strange. Anyway, enough about the loving, but not very open Teresa. Aren’t you singing tonight?”

  “A fundraiser this evening, although I think my mind will be on other things.” She tilted her head at the basket and Delilah, who stood in front of the fireplace calling everyone to the chairs.

  April nudged her. “You might sing so much better. Too bad I didn’t ask you to sing ‘Making Whoopee’ to open the presentation. You and Theo did that so well.”

  “I might be here as the singer Jessica Gold, but I’m not performing.” For years, Jess and two other women performed whenever someone needed backup singers. They’d made a modest name for themselves as Tres Belles, always performing in styles from the past.

  With the expansion of a World War II museum in New Orleans, demand increased for the harmonies of that era, which explained the 1942 reproduction dress with its nipped waist. Thanks to a corset, she rivaled any pin-up girl. She counted the shoes as her favorite part of the outfit—rounded toe red suede pumps that made her feel like one of those women the men painted on their war planes.

  “Plus you don’t have a piano.” Jess had once loved singing that song, delighting in the wickedness of the words and the sultry melody. Then, Theo drained her bank accounts, ran up a load of bills on her credit cards, and left town. Jess kept it a secret from all but her family, which is why April wouldn’t think twice about mentioning the bastard who posed as her agent.

  “Or a good piano player to curl your toes.”

  April romanticized musicians, but Jess understood that many were loveable rascals and a few where muck-sucking low-lifes who pretended to have a woman’s best interest as their focus, but left that woman broke and struggling. Yeah, some of them did things like that.

  In a lowered voice, April said, “Does your sister know about the fundraiser?”

  “Yeah, it’s for a hospital. Nothing salacious that might embarrass her or Bill.” As the sister-in-law of an Episcopal priest, Jess had to choose her gigs carefully. Or rather, she did to keep the family living and working harmoniously. They had let her move in with them until she was able to pay off her debts. If not for them, she wouldn’t have the position of church secretary. That job paid the remainder of the outstanding bills. The gigs got her extras.

  “I think you need to branch out.” April dished out the advice she gave every time the two got together. “Your family happiness plan has cost you gigs and boyfriends. You’re the only one not happy.”

  She scowled. They’d kept the incident as quiet as possible, so no one knew how helpful her sister and brother-in-law had been. A restricted life seemed like a good trade for the emotional healing spurred on by Teresa. Some days she wondered what had happened to the supportive, caring s
ide of her sister. The woman had an edge lately, and Jess had brushed up against it a time too many. “I am happy. That’s not fair.”

  With a wave of the hand, April dismissed her further admonishments. “At least you’re here. My hairdresser, Jim, told me that these are fabulous products, and that Delilah really knows what she’s selling. You can hide yours at my place.”

  “Who says I’m going to buy anything?” She flipped through the catalog and blanched at some of the prices. These would be expensive extras.

  “I saw you ogling that rabbit toy. I’ll treat you to one if you really want it.” April often bought things for Jess. She called it her contribution to the New Orleans music scene.

  “I wasn’t ogling, and you don’t need to buy anything. I’ve got some money saved since seeing some of the products at a lingerie store.”

  “That one on Magazine?”

  Jess nodded. While she couldn’t afford to shop much, she enjoyed riding her bike along the six mile corridor of boutiques, restaurants, and houses. The mannequins in black and gold lingerie had drawn her into the House of Lounge two months ago.

  She’d saved twenty dollars a week to buy the bra, corset, thong, garters and stockings she wore under her vintage Forties dress. The owner gave her a discount, which is one of the reasons she agreed to come to April’s party this evening. Jess, for once, had some money not slated to go directly to paying off her bills.

  “I’m still buying you something.” She pointed to the purple toy Delilah waved in their direction. “You liked that one. How much is it?”

  “Whoa. Way out of my budget.” Jess wouldn’t dare to ask that of her friend. She read a bit more of the description. “Wait. That’s the wrong one. She’s holding the affordable one. For fifty more bucks you get one that thrusts.”

  “Why would you ever need a man?” April winked.

  “I can think of lots of reasons.” Like the nip of teeth on her nipple as a strong hand cupped her other breast. Or, the deep groans as she slid down his upright cock. She could feel fingers pushing into the flesh of her hips as the man urged her to go faster, when she wanted to tease him with a languorous pace. Not that she had a man like that, but, oh, did she crave one.

  “I meant ones that don’t have to do with taking out trash or moving large pieces of furniture.”

  She giggled, but Jess wanted a man. One that would embrace her struggling music career as well as the tamer side of her. Mostly, she needed a man she could trust.

  “Let’s both end our vibrator virginity tonight. This way you can have orgasms without your sister preaching at you about morality.”

  “All right, but not the thrusting one. We’ll work up to that.” Jess looked forward as Delilah called for a volunteer to put on some swing harness. That’s when she noticed him. He sat in one of the darker spots of the room. Even so, she saw the smile and wink he tossed in her direction.

  His chest, more than any other part of him, caught her eye. Muscles rippled underneath a fitted T-shirt, stretching the fabric with lean definition. She wanted to touch him much more than she did the vibrators, and she imagined rubbing her hands on his chest, pinching his nipples, and honoring each one with a kiss before traveling lower. That would be a body worth breaking her self-enforced chastity.

  “Hey.” April’s elbow jolted her back to the living room-turned-bordello.

  “Yeah?” She kept her eyes on him despite appearing rude or overly interested.

  “I’ll introduce you later. Or, would you prefer not to know his name since you are already fucking him with your eyes?”

  That comment got her to look at April. A flush covered her cheeks. “I was not doing that.”

  “Oh, honey, you were, and he knows it.”

  The flush moved down her neck to her chest. “Who is he?”

  “Harrison Andrew Landry Favreau the fourth, but I just call him Drew. You two can fill each other in on all the details of your lives after you rip off his clothes.” April snickered.

  Jess narrowed her eyes at her friend. “Did you do this on purpose?”

  “What?” April fluttered her hand like a fan in front of her face. “Invite a wonderfully eligible man to the same party as you?”

  “Yes. That.” Serendipity was one thing, but a set up? The past few hadn’t turned out well.

  “Of course, I did.” April grinned. “I think you need some. He’s available. I was having a party. Voila!”

  “A dinner party I would understand, but a sex toy presentation? That is cruel with a capital C. There’s no easy segue from her presentation to how ya’ doin’ that won’t sound like a proposition.”

  “You’ll have to pardon me, but I had the same conversation with the both of you at different times. He wants to try sex toys. You do, too. Voila! Try them together as you hide your relationship from squeaky clean Teresa and Bill.”

  “I’m not that kind of person now.” Dating came first, instead of sex. Not that she’d had great luck with any of the men who met her family’s approval. Still, the last time she’d jumped straight to sex had left her with a streetcar full of bills and no one willing to give her a gig. Theo had ripped off the club owners, too.

  “You used to be, and I bet she’s pushing at all those virtual chastity belts you’ve got wrapped around your crotch.”

  “April, shut up.” Her friend hit the nail on the head. Dating had become a no-no as had girls’ nights out after the Theo disaster. Jess had even changed the types of movies she’d watch. She wore prudeness as a shield with only the sexy underwear as a reminder of the person she had once displayed to the world.

  That god across the room caused her belly to tingle. Her inner vixen shredded all the reasons that she used to adopt a moral life. Even if he weren’t worth a long relationship, the idea of a few late night romps with the dark-haired stranger appealed to her. If April gave her approval of him, then the good girl in her could step aside for a little bit, especially for that hunk of flesh.

  Chapter Two

  Drew Favreau never believed in pheromones or in perfect partners, but the honey-haired woman in a Forties-style dress lounging across the room tested those beliefs. He imagined her ruby-red painted lips around his cock, and those brown eyes looking up at him. The thought became so real that he crossed his legs to hide his growing erection.

  He stopped staring at her lips and dropped his gaze to her calves and feet. His cock strained against his pants when he saw the fishnets and red shoes. The woman with the basket of toys talked about how this vibrator worked and why a lady or a couple would want a rabbit-style toy, but all he wanted to do was lead that siren to the nearest private room, remove everything but those stockings and shoes, and listen to her moans of pleasure while he brought her to orgasm.

  “I cleaned up my bedroom,” April whispered in his ear.

  “Good for you.” How he wished it was the siren across the room this close to him. April had her own raw attractiveness, but she couldn’t compare to the full-figured beauty.

  “Her name is Jessica.” April ran her hand over his shoulder. “Although she won’t admit it, she wants you as badly as you seem to want her. You could use my room.”

  He twisted so she could hear him. “That’s great, but you’d have to come back tomorrow morning. Once I get her, I’m not giving her back for a long time.” His place didn’t have much to recommend it, as it was a make-shift apartment behind his boss’ house. That woman, with her large breasts and round hips, would add instant decoration to the white walls and creaking futon.

  “Drew, you have to tell her that.”

  “When this lady stops talking, I’m at her side.” Damn. She’s even sexier standing up. The fabric barely contained her breasts. He suspected the dress added inches to her top and bottom as it accentuated her waist. The way it draped her figure made her look like a comic book heroine. The golden hair added to the effect.

  “She’s done now. Want me to grab you a goodie bag?”

  “Sure.” Not knowing w
hat he answered and without a look to April, Drew wound through the chairs toward the object of his desire.

  ****

  Jess saw him coming toward her. In the dimness of April’s crowded living room, she had no idea the color of his eyes no matter how intently he studied her. As he closed the distance between them, the ruggedness of his face entranced her. He hadn’t shaved. She imagined the brush of the whiskers across her cheek as he nibbled her ear or as his mouth traveled up her leg. Ah, blue. His eyes came into focus as he said hello in a voice that promised amorous whispers.

  Her mind chanted, “You have a gig. You have a gig,” as if trying to stop the desire that caused her heart to race and her hands to sweat. Her fingers ached to trace the laugh lines beside his eyes. She bit the inside of her mouth to keep her tongue from licking her lips. She’d never wanted someone in this way, not even caring who was in the room. “I want you,” she whispered.

  He wrapped a hand around hers. “I like a direct woman. Do you live close?”

  “No, and I have somewhere I have to be.” She swallowed and licked her lips. The rub of his thumb on her wrist sent pulses of pleasure along her arm.

  “Reschedule, please.”

  Her brain clouded, but she knew her limits. “I can’t. I’m a singer. It’s a paying gig.”

  “Can you suddenly lose your voice?”

  With a glance at the clock, Jess calculated how much time she had. Fear would keep her from going all the way, but she’d take what she could get. “All I have is half an hour.”

  The half-smile and raised eyebrow he turned on her weakened her knees. He brushed her nipple as he put his arms around her back and whispered in her ear. “I can make you melt.”

  She believed him, because her breast had flamed from such a light touch. Her clothes constricted her breathing and put too much of a barrier between them. Words escaped her when his erection rubbed against her pelvis. The corset seemed to tighten as her breaths increased.