“Shoot,” Kevin said, incredulously watching his friend blush. Duncan was quick to anger, but the last time Kevin had seen him blush had been in grade six, when Kevin had snuck up behind him and pulled his sweat pants down in the middle of a pep rally.
Duncan cleared his throat and said very quietly. “Have you ever been with a virgin?”
Horrified, Kevin’s voice rose again. “God no. I mean where would you even find one today? Junior high school? Not into that, my friend.” Kevin’s handsome face was distorted with distaste, like he’d just bit into a rotten piece of sushi.
“I didn’t think so, but do you know anything about it? I mean, is it really painful?” This keeps getting worse and worse, Duncan thought. But he just couldn’t help asking. Kevin was something of a ladies man, and if anyone knew a way to make this easier, it would be him. He couldn’t bear to hurt Jessie, but if he didn’t have her soon, he was going to lose his mind completely.
Kevin paused, unsure how to respond. This was the weirdest conversation he’d ever had with anyone. “Well, I don’t exactly know, but I think if you take your time beforehand, it’s supposed to be easier. Lots of foreplay. That’s the key. Of course, that’s the key with most women, virgin or not.”
“That’s kind of what I thought, but I wanted to make sure.” Duncan nodded and turned around in his stool until he was facing away from the bar with his back against the ledge. He prodded Hannibal with his foot and watched the poodle roll over for a belly rub.
“Listen, Dunc, I’m sure this girl is everything you say, but is it possible that maybe you’re letting your little head do the thinking for your big head?” Kevin pointed down at his lap and smiled as Duncan shook his head.
Kevin angled his chin to where Tessa was bent over picking up a towel directly in front of them. The view of her remarkable bottom was impressive. “I mean; there’s lots of gorgeous women out there. Ones who aren’t so complicated as this experience-challenged one you’re talking about. Could you maybe be confusing wanting to get into her panties with something more? It’s been a while, hasn’t it?”
“Three years, almost four.” Duncan said shortly.
“Well, Jesus Christ.” Kevin stared at his friend in shock. “That’s just not healthy. You mean, not even a one-night stand?” Duncan shook his head again. “You’ve always been closed-mouth about that shit. I thought you must have been getting it somewhere. No wonder you’re all crazy for this girl. I’d have lost my mind after three months, not to mention the hairy palms.”
Duncan chuckled and held up both hands for Kevin’s inspection. “That’s a myth, buddy. Trust me, I’d know.” Duncan stared out the huge picture windows looking onto the water. Could he actually be confusing lust with deeper feelings? Maybe his friend was right. Maybe he was being influenced by his need to possess her. But then why was he waiting to have sex with her? She was certainly willing. She’d made that very clear. She wanted him and he wanted her. It was that simple. He could have run out to the corner store for protection and made love to her all last night if sex was all he wanted. But he hadn’t. Hadn’t even considered it after she’d told him her secret. Well, he’d thought about it, but not seriously.
Just the thought of the vulnerability in her eyes when she’d talked about the librarian creep who had dumped her because she was a virgin made him want to protect her from men forever. More than that, he wanted her for himself. Not just her body, but her.
But was all this intense emotion just a reaction to being celibate too long? He honestly didn’t know for sure, but he suspected there was a lot more going on here than just an award-winning case of blue balls.
“No, not even a one-night stand. How could I after what happened with Kerry?” Duncan looked at Kevin reproachfully.
“That was in high school. Birth control has come a long, long way since then, my friend.” Kevin hesitated, wary of saying anything to make Duncan want to kick his ass. “Besides,” he said quietly. “The chances of a twenty-six-year-old woman being naïve and unlucky enough to get pregnant from one time is just about nil. That only seems to happen to girls who are trying to snag themselves a millionaire.”
“What are you saying?” Duncan asked, his voice suddenly tight with warning.
Kevin ignored Duncan's tense tone and forged on. “I’m saying the same thing you must have been thinking for the past ten years.” Kevin said, unwilling to back down this one time. “Kerry faked a pregnancy to get you to propose, and then left when things didn’t go according to her plan.”
“Kev,” Duncan said, his eyes flinty with resentment. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I don’t? Listen, we’ve never talked about this before, but let me tell you.” He lowered his voice to his version of a whisper and leaned in toward Duncan. “I had Kerry lots of times in high school. She always knew the score, and she never expected a proposal from me or any of the other guys she was with. Only you.”
“She loved me.”
“She loved your money. She loved the lifestyle she thought she would be getting if she got you good and trapped. And then, when she found out you were serious about being a cop instead, she took your money and ran. She was a gold-digger, Dunc. It’s time you realized that and got on with your life. You didn’t ruin her, she ruined you.”
Duncan looked away from his friend, trying to ignore the truth blazing in Kevin’s topaz eyes. It was one thing to suspect that your wife never loved you, it was quite another to have your best friend confirm it for you. He thought about arguing with Kevin, maybe throwing a few punches, but he couldn’t summon the effort. For the first time in a long time, his dismal relationship with Kerry didn’t have the power to arouse that desperate feeling of failure in him. It all seemed very long ago and hardly important in the face of finding his sister and getting to know Jessie.
“Man, I’ve gotta go,” Duncan said, pushing away from the bar and patting his thigh to get Hannibal’s attention.
Kevin, who’d been waiting for an explosion, watched Duncan get up and put some cash on the bar. “Alright. Hope I didn’t get too out of line there,” he said awkwardly.
“You did. But what else is new?” Duncan said, punching Kevin in the shoulder to let him know it was okay.
“I’m probably tempting fate here, but have you heard from Kerry lately?”
“Nah, but my lawyer told me she sold the house in Kitsilano about six months ago. He said she was still in Europe and didn’t negotiate at all. Probably needed the cash right away.”
“Sounds like Kerry.”
“Hey, whatever she needs, right? She is my wife, at least until I can get her to sign the papers.”
Kevin shook his head in disgust. “Hey, did you want me to come along tonight for back-up?” He asked eagerly.
“No, I’ve got it covered, but thanks for offering. I’m sure the opportunity to ogle the girls has nothing to do with your wanting to come along.”
“What can I say?” Kevin turned in his seat until his back was facing the bar and held up both arms, palm up, grinning innocently. “I’m selfless to a fault. Call me and let me know what happens with Theresa tonight, okay?”
“Yeah. I will.” Duncan said over his shoulder, waving at Tessa as he walked toward the door.
“And Duncan,” Kevin called loudly at his retreating back. “Remember, lots of foreplay. That’s the key.”
Duncan ducked his head in embarrassment as he left the bar with Hannibal trotting at his feet.
Chapter 13
The Kitty-Kat Lounge wasn’t your typical strip club. It was more like a nightly stage show, featuring incredibly beautiful women that just happened to take their clothes off as the show progressed. At least, that’s what Jamie had told Jessie on the phone that afternoon. Looking around at the plush interior of the club, Jessie thought Jamie might be right.
Jessie wasn’t completely ignorant to the world of adult entertainment. She’d gone to see some male exotic dancers at a different club severa
l years ago when a fellow librarian at the VPL was getting married, but that seedy, smoky, smelly, venue had been nothing like this.
The Kitty-Kat Club wasn’t officially open, yet candles were lit cabaret-style at every small table and crystal chandeliers hung low over the corner booths. Instead of heavy metal or hip-hop playing over the sound system, Frank Sinatra crooned his way though some of his classics. The furnishings themselves were more dinner theater than Vegas flash, with a stage at one end and a long mahogany bar with brass furnishings at the other.
It was close to 9:00 in the evening and the sisters were sitting in one of the red velvet booths. Phabio wasn’t working tonight but he was hanging around the club, as usual. He had joined them earlier and the girls were pretending to listen to him talk about his plans for opening his own Chippendales-type club while avoiding his tentacle-like hands under the table. Tonight, Phabio was in pirate mode. He was wearing skin-tight, black leather pants with a wide belt and a monstrous dragon belt buckle. His frilly cream shirt was opened to reveal a smooth, deeply tanned, hairless chest and a large gold medallion.
Jessie wondered momentarily if he’d bought the pants in the boy’s section. Or judging from the shirt, maybe the girl’s section, she thought, stifling a giggle. She gave Jamie an eye roll that her sister did not return. Jamie thought clothing was an important part of how people expressed themselves, and didn’t approve of criticizing their wardrobes, no matter how outlandish.
Both women nodded politely when Phabio seemed to expect it and took sips from their glasses of red wine, while taking turns watching the entrance for either Theresa or Duncan.
Jamie was dressed for her performance later in a slinky black tuxedo and a dark, chin-length wig. Jessie toyed with the idea of trying to pass herself off as her sister tonight. She was feeling a bit nervous about Duncan’s reaction to seeing her here. It had seemed such a good idea earlier today, but now she was worried about his response. Would he get angry with her, or would he be happy to see her? She had no idea.
For a moment, she wondered if she was purposely sabotaging this relationship before it had even begun. Why else would she have come here knowing how he felt? She wanted to make sure Theresa was okay, that much was true, but she didn’t have to be here to reassure herself of that. Duncan and Jamie had both pledged to tell her exactly what happened.
Or maybe she was here to let Duncan know he wasn’t the boss of her. He was so male, so commanding and obviously used to having people follow his directions. She had a feeling that if she followed his orders to the letter so early in their relationship, she’d be setting a bad precedence for their future. But they didn’t have a future, did they?
Whatever her reason for being here, she felt a fission of excitement go down her spine at the thought of seeing him again. She’d dressed carefully for tonight, taking her sister’s advice and raiding her closet as well. Jessie wore snug, sapphire-colored velvet jeans, and a matching, nearly see-through lace blouse with flowers embroidered on the sleeves and around the deep scoop neckline. Jamie had tried to convince her to wear the blouse without a bra, but Jessie couldn’t do it. She knew the club they were going to was dim, but just the thought of her nipples being so obvious to the casual observer made her want to slip back into one of her grandma cardigans. The sisters had compromised with a black, lace, push-up bra that made Jessie very conscious of how her large breasts stretched out the front of her sister’s blouse.
Both the blouse and the jeans were uncomfortably tight, adding to Jessie’s uneasy feeling about tonight. She was used to wearing loose, efficient clothing and being home by nine. What was she doing in these clothes and drinking her third glass of wine on a Tuesday night? Not to mention, waiting to meet the most gorgeous man she’d ever seen with the intention of seducing him later. Surely, she’d lost her mind.
Jessie leaned over and whispered in her sister’s ear. “Jamie, is there another exit? I should go.”
Jamie looked at her in surprise for a moment and then stared over her sister’s head. “It’s too late, honey. The show is about to begin.”
Jessie was confused. “I thought the show didn’t begin until 9:30? I have a half hour at least,” she said, glancing at her watch.
“Not my show. Your show.” Jamie looked meaningfully at the door and Jessie angled in her chair to see what her sister was staring at. Dodging around Phabio’s oversized golden head of carefully tousled waves she was able to get an excellent view of the entrance. Jessie held her breath. Duncan stood in the archway with his hands on his hips, scanning the interior of the club and letting his eyes adjust to the darkness.
He was more compelling than she remembered. Tired-looking and a bit worn around the edges, but so irresistible in his black jeans, light blue shirt, and leather jacket that she had to fight the urge to run to him and throw herself into his arms. She waited on pins and needles, wanting him to spot her, but also a bit nervous about how he would react.
The club wasn’t open yet. He’d had to flash his badge at the oversized bouncer in the Hawaiian shirt manning the door to gain entrance. It didn’t take long for Duncan to see Jessie sitting in the corner. He’d actually been looking for Theresa, but something had drawn his gaze to the only occupied table in the place. What had attracted his attention was the way the ridiculous-looking man at the table was crowding the woman beside him. He couldn’t see the face of the pirate king’s victim, just her crown of upswept reddish hair. It had never occurred to Duncan that Jessie would disregard his wishes, so he had no inkling it was her being manhandled in the corner. It wasn’t until the man shifted in his seat to place his arm possessively on the back of the booth that Duncan got a clear view of her face.
Duncan stared. Maybe it was Jessie’s sister, he thought. No, Jessie’s sister wouldn’t be smiling sweetly at him like that. It was Jessie. Not only was she here, exactly where he told her not to be, she was also here with another guy.
Duncan felt his control slip away in a hearbeat. He could see himself stalking over there, punching the jerk beside Jessie in the nose, throwing her over his shoulder, and pounding his chest as he carried her off to the nearest bed to stake his claim. He could see this happening so vividly he wondered for a moment if he’d actually done it. But no, he was still standing in the arched entranceway, watching Jessie as she stood up and walked toward him hesitantly.
By the time she reached him, she’d stopped smiling. He could see how nervous she was by the tentative way she approached him and how she was wringing her hands. He realized that she was a bit scared of his reaction so he attempted to school his features into an expression that was vaguely less threatening. It must have been an improvement because she actually bridged the distance between them and slid her arms around his waist.
“Don’t be mad,” she whispered against his neck. “I had to come.
With her body pressed tightly against him the anger faded quickly away to be replaced by a wave of desire that made him go weak in the knees. He pulled her tight against him, kissed her temple and said, “It’s okay,” against her hair. What was wrong with him exactly? This was the part where he usually started yelling and making threats. She completely drained him of that impulse.
Jessie was wearing high heels and her high, firm breasts were pushing against his rib cage. All thoughts of getting angry or reproaching her flew out of his head. All he could think about was getting her alone and exploring her body, branding her as his.
He came to his senses long enough to ask, “Is that girl here? The one that might be Theresa?”
Jessie pulled back enough to look into his eyes. He looked away at her companions so she couldn’t see the naked desire there. He didn’t want to scare her. “No, Duncan, I’m sorry,” Jessie said softly. “She’s not. At least not yet. Jamie said she’s a half hour late. She was supposed to be here by 8:30 to get ready. Put on makeup and get her costume and stuff.”
“Alright, so we might have a few minutes. Can I talk to you? Alone?” He pointed his c
hin at the table where she’d been sitting and ran both hands down her back until they rested firmly on her buttocks.
Jessie looked at him, puzzled. Did he mean what she thought he meant? Surely he didn’t want to continue what they’d started last night right here. Looking into his heated, red-rimmed eyes, Jessie could see that talking was the last thing on his mind. She felt a tingle of response go through her and shifted slightly until her pelvis was aligned with his. Nope, she wasn’t mistaken; the evidence was there, pressing firmly against her belly. “Do you want to go outside?” She asked, her voice surprisingly husky to her own ears.
“No, there’s a line-up out there. Is there anywhere else?” Duncan looked at her and squeezed the globes of her bottom in his hands, bringing her closer to his erection.
“Come on,” she said urgently, and turned back toward the main room. Her sister and Phabio were watching them avidly, so Jessie waved and pointed toward the alcove at the back where the restrooms were. It was all she could think of with Duncan walking closely behind her, his heat against her back.
Jessie expected Duncan to be content with a quick embrace in the privacy provided by the curtained alcove. Once they were out of sight, she stopped and turned in his arms; reaching up to lock her hands behind his neck and bring his mouth to hers. He resisted and kept walking, smiling and pushing her ahead of him so she walked backward. She thought he was going to press her against the wall like he’d done last night at her apartment and she felt a shiver of excitement race through her lower stomach.
Jessie’s back finally hit something solid, but it wasn’t the wall. It had some give and she looked over her shoulder at the door he was attempting to nudge her through. In the middle of the large wooden door was a cartoon of a white, curvaceous Persian cat wearing a huge pink bow around its neck.
“The Ladies Room?” Jessie asked, turning her gaze back to stare at Duncan. He nodded at her and gave her a wicked grin. “You want to go in the Ladies Room?” Jessie laughed in disbelief. Duncan was more daring than she’d imagined.
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