Читать книгу Courting Innocence - Kimberly Dean - Страница 7

Erin smiled at her date, but passed on dessert. Dinner had been enjoyable. He’d taken her to the Bossa Bistro, a lounge club in the Adams Morgan district that served Brazilian cuisine. Their table was in a corner, lit by candles, but the place was packed and lively. It had a sexy vibe. The music from the Latin band upstairs filtered down to their table and made the date easy and relaxing.

Maybe too easy.

She took another drink of her mojito and surveyed her companion over the rim of her glass. He was good-looking. Clean-cut, with a side of understated sexiness. She liked him. He was pleasant and charming. He’d been flirting with her, and she felt herself responding to the attention. He’d been a perfect date so far and a perfect gentleman.

Just like the last four Nina had paired her with.

Erin rolled the white rum around on her tongue and finally swallowed.

What was wrong with her?

He was great. He was interested in what she had to say. He’d given her compliments, and the banked heat in his eyes told her he meant them. So what was she waiting for? What did she want? A spark? Some friction?

He held out his hand, palm up. ‘Dance?’

She perked up. ‘I’d love to.’

He took her hand, and she followed him up the side staircase. The restaurant was long and narrow, squashed in a long row of buildings holding bookstores, clubs and other restaurants. The somewhat scandalous Madam’s Organ blues bar was right next door, and she had to admit she was curious about it. This place was fun, though, with art on the walls and photographs of musicians. Her date led her through the maze of bodies and tables to the dance floor. The band was playing a slower song that still had a definite Latin rhythm. Turning, he swept her into a glide across the floor that was almost professional. At least trained…

‘You’re good,’ she said, smiling up at him.

‘So are you.’ His white teeth glinted in the soft spotlight the club had set on the dance floor.

‘I should be,’ she said with a laugh. ‘My parents dragged me along to a lot of affairs where dancing was the only outlet I had from stuffy grown-up discussions. How did you learn?’

His smile faltered a little. ‘Lessons. I was told it would help polish me on the DC scene.’

‘Trying to get ahead?’ Erin teased.

Their gazes locked. ‘How am I doing?’

Fine. Just like the rest of them had.

He spun her around him, and Erin’s dress lifted around her thighs. She was being too picky and analytical. She needed to stop thinking and enjoy herself. And she loved to dance. She navigated a quick turn and seamlessly moved back into her date’s arms. He had the hip action of the dance down.

He really was handsome, well-spoken, polite and perfect.

Too darn perfect.

She frowned. Was that it?

‘What made you turn to Nina?’ she asked. She didn’t know if the question was taboo, but the truth was that both of them had turned to a matchmaker. She couldn’t see him not being able to pick up women. Not when he looked like he did – and could dance.

‘I’m sorry?’ he said, his eyes widening.

‘Luxxor’s dating service. Does your banking work keep you too busy to meet people?’ He’d told her he worked as a financial adviser. She’d always heard that bankers’ hours were easy, but stereotypes were hard to break.

Understanding lit his eyes, and he nodded. ‘It’s difficult to meet women, especially in all the bustle of DC.’

But the bustle was caused by people. Erin couldn’t imagine living anywhere without the energy of DC.

He dipped her and pulled her close. ‘Would you like another drink?’

‘No.’ She ran her hand along his shoulder. ‘Let’s just dance a while.’

He’d deflected her every time she’d tried to get him to talk about himself. It had all been about her – which, she supposed, should have been flattering. There had been more than one flash of interest in his eyes, but he’d been so, so…gentlemanly. Accommodating.

There it was. That was the source of her disappointment.

He wasn’t helping her understand herself any better than the other men Nina had set her up with. All of them had been friendly and doting. It was a confidence booster, but it wasn’t helping her grow.

They’d all acted like she was fascinating, which she knew wasn’t the case.

The band moved on to a sexy rumba, the music slow and sinuous. She moved closer to her date as the rhythm overtook them. Maybe if she could fan that spark she’d seen…

Their bodies brushed, moving in synchronicity. He led her into the corner, close to the band but away from the light. Erin arched over his arm, and their bodies meshed, inch by inch, as she rose. She could feel his ribs expanding and releasing with each breath he took until her breasts were pressed tight against him. The contact was pleasurable. She wrapped both arms around his neck and felt his hands settle at the base of her spine.

His hips rolled again, and her breath caught when he brought them into full contact. She hadn’t been wrong about that spark. He was hard.

Time expanded in that moment, the dance forgotten.

She looked into his eyes, and finally saw a crack in that gentleman façade. Hunger burned in the blue depths. He was going to kiss her.

Did she want him to?

Curiosity got the better of her. His head dipped, and she stood on tiptoe. Her nipples felt stiff where they rubbed against his muscled chest. Her nerves were humming as his lips settled across hers.

The kiss was long, thorough and…OK.

‘That was nice,’ he whispered into her ear.

Right, nice. He stroked his hands up and down her sides. Erin closed her eyes and let the music move her. It was pulsating and sensual. His hands slid lower until they closed over her bottom. She lifted her hair, and his mouth settled against the pulse on her neck.

Ah, maybe now…

Only his tongue didn’t lick across her pulse and his teeth didn’t nip. He merely placed soft pecks from her jaw down to her collarbone.

‘You are so pretty,’ he whispered into her ear.

Thank you. That’s nice of you to say. You’re sweet. The only responses that came to mind sounded inane. Sliding her fingers into his hair, she tried for something more enthusiastic. ‘Kiss me again.’

His mouth settled over hers harder this time, his tongue seeking. It rasped across hers, sending goosebumps over her skin. Yet her mind stayed clear. It wasn’t supposed to do that when a guy kissed you, was it? Sienna hadn’t even heard her come into the kitchen the other morning.

And why was she thinking about her roommate right now?

Deliberately, Erin let her tongue wrap around her date’s. A low groan came from somewhere deep inside his chest. His hips rolled forward, making her feel that intriguing bulge again, and she gasped when she felt the press of his leg.

He’d slipped it between hers and was pressing right against the spot where there should have been an ache.

Her excitement bumped up a notch.

His hand wrapped around her breast, and she knew what she was supposed to do. She pushed her hips forward timidly. The friction felt good. Naughty. They were on the dance floor, but all the couples were pressed close. Could anyone see?

She rocked again, but the movement was hampered by the close fit of her dress.

‘Mmm,’ she hummed when his hand stroked down again.

Yet he didn’t help her. She tilted her head back to let him nibble again on her neck, and her hair fell down her back. As discreetly as she could, she caught the front of her dress and pulled it up just enough so it wasn’t caught between them.

He growled in approval and pushed that hard thigh deeper between her legs.

Erin moaned at the pressure pushing against her clit and intimate flesh. Her panties were the only protection she had now. She rocked forward and then back, experiencing the sensation. It was good, but…She tried again, harder. And then faster.

Soon, she was riding his leg almost desperately. His mouth closed over hers again, and his hand squeezed her breast, but…

But nothing.

Her nerves settled back into normal gear before it had even ended – and she knew it wasn’t going to end with any kind of fireworks or even a sizzle. Slowly, she began to pull back. She broke the kiss and pulled her hips away. When the song ended, he still held her close, but their bodies barely skimmed one another’s.

Well, shoot.

Erin pushed down her red dress, smoothing the wrinkles, and looked to see if anyone had been watching. She was almost more embarrassed about not climaxing than she was about dirty dancing on a public dance floor.

Her date cleared his throat. ‘Sorry, that was against the rules, but I couldn’t resist.’

‘I wanted it, too.’

Her curiosity had been satisfied, albeit not to her liking.

Or had it?

Had sex been the issue with Marty? Was that what had been boring?

Her face heated to nearly the colour of her dress.

It had been a long time before he’d broken things off since they’d last ‘done it’. She’d never sensed anything wrong in that area, though. They’d been together for so long, they knew how to touch one another. They knew each other’s rhythms and moves, likes and dislikes. Once they’d got the hang of it, sex had always been easy together for them. Easy and relaxing.

Oh, damn. She might be on to something.

‘I think I’d like that drink now.’ She smiled up at the man who still held her too close for the contract they’d both signed. She didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

He cleared his throat. Red slashes of colour rode along his high cheekbones, but he didn’t say anything. He merely blew out a breath and swung an arm around her back. He guided them through the maze of moving couples to the bar. There was only one barstool open, so he helped her up into it. Erin hooked her heel around the footrest that ran the length of the bar and crossed her legs. The motion made her mound rub against the leather seat. It was cushioned but hard, and she noticed two things immediately. She wasn’t even wet, and it felt better than he had.

The flush in her cheeks crept down her neck.

‘Another mojito,’ she said tightly. ‘Please.’

Her date signalled for the bartender.

‘So you said you’d signed up for a cooking class,’ he said, not missing a beat. ‘What type of cooking are you interested in?’

Erin paused with her drink halfway to her lips, sighed and took a gulp. Again. So gracious. So upright. They’d just ground together like a power buffer, and she’d pulled the cord, but that was all he had to say? How did she cook?

And he meant food?

Why wasn’t he angry or disappointed about their sputtering kiss? Wasn’t he embarrassed that they hadn’t connected? She was. She felt the stare of another man at the bar and hid behind her hair.

She took another healthy swallow of her drink. She didn’t want gracious and polite. She wanted someone who would wake her up and make her take notice. She wanted to feel the fire. She wanted somebody like…like Jason, who kept Sienna on her toes…or that detective. The way he and Nina had squared off in that hallway!

Erin sat a little straighter. She didn’t want someone who catered to her, she wanted to be challenged. She wanted that burning sexual spark. She wanted a man.

She squared her shoulders and lifted her chin. There was nothing to be ashamed of. She’d done nothing wrong, except maybe push right up to the limits of the contract she’d signed. But that wasn’t what concerned her. She needed to call Nina first thing tomorrow morning.

Because this wasn’t working.

‘What are we supposed to do?’ Sienna asked. She was pacing back and forth in front of Nina’s desk, sweeping her hands through her ice-blonde hair.

Nina didn’t know. She sat more calmly in her chair, but her heel bobbed up and down in a rhythm that could not be contained. They’d just received word from Erin that she wasn’t happy with her ‘dates’. ‘Any ideas?’ she asked. ‘Rielle?’

Luxxor was in crisis mode, much as it had been on the day that Erin had first called to inquire about being a client. Sienna had nearly had an aneurysm that day, but they’d all sat down together to brainstorm a way to protect Luxxor’s secret.

The secret that they were not matchmakers but an escort service.

In that moment, they’d needed to plug any potential leaks, but they’d wanted to protect the sweet little blonde too. The idea of providing her with escorts as dates had been a clever means to both ends. When Erin had walked away happy, they’d all thought they’d escaped a near miss.

They’d thought too soon.

‘Could we just set her up with another escort?’ Rielle suggested. ‘Someone who’d match her new set of wishes?’ She was on her feet, too, but hovering near the window to Nina’s left. Her nails were drumming against the windowsill in a constant click, click, click, click.

‘I considered that,’ Nina confessed. She drew a never-ending circle atop the piece of paper in front of her. She had a cross-hatch shredder beside her desk to destroy any would-be evidence. Just the idea of staring at a computer screen all day gave her a migraine and made her think of wrinkles around her eyes.

She sighed, put down her pen and let the softness of the big leather chair wrap around her. ‘But the escorts who’ve been out with her all say the same thing – that she draws out their protective side. She’s pretty and sweet, and they can’t help it.’

Rielle moved quietly across the room and joined them, taking the seat that matched Sienna’s. ‘We could just do what she wants.’

Nina’s brow furrowed. ‘I don’t understand.’

The pretty office manager shrugged. ‘We could try our hand at matchmaking.’

Sienna looked startled, but Nina was even more perplexed. ‘Who would we match her with?’

‘I don’t know, but you’ve got a database full of men. You know their preferences in everything from looks to personalities to hobbies to political affiliations.’

Sienna gasped audibly. ‘We can’t pair her with another client.’

‘Why not?’

Yes, why not? Nina’s mind was already starting to mull over the possibilities.

Sienna’s spine stiffened, and her posture turned crisp when she realised the two of them were actually considering the option. ‘Erin’s not an escort.’

‘We could tell that to her potential matches,’ Nina said.

Sienna whipped her head around.

‘We have some nice clients,’ Rielle defended. ‘Not all of them are here for the hoochie-coochie. Remember? We cater to people who are too busy to form relationships. That doesn’t mean they don’t want them.’

‘Yes, but if they wanted relationships, they’d be turning to real matchmakers,’ Sienna returned. Her chin dipped, and a blush settled in her cheeks. ‘We may be high-class, but we are what we are.’

‘There’s no reason we can’t branch out.’ Nina’s foot had stopped its incessant bobbing, and her tension had eased.

She jotted notes rapidly on her paper tablet. ‘We could be up front with the possible matches we find and ask them if it’s something in which they’d be interested.’

Sienna went silent. Gathering her hair together, she formed it into a braid. She tied it off quickly and rubbed her temples. ‘You’d keep the same contract restrictions, though?’

Nina let one eyebrow lift. ‘The no-sex clause?’

Sienna’s cheeks turned pink. They both knew that had been a difficult clause for her to keep when she’d been escorting Jason.

‘I don’t know.’ Nina turned in her chair to stare out of the window of her office even as Sienna made a protesting sound. ‘If we’re matchmaking, I don’t see how we could restrict it. Our responsibilities would end the moment they left the office.’

And wasn’t that the greatest of ironies? As an escort service provider, she needed that clause to keep her company safe from the authorities. With matchmaking, though, she couldn’t restrict what two consenting adults did in their own time.

Sienna was now sitting ramrod-straight. ‘I’m against this idea.’

Nina looked at Rielle.

‘I like it,’ the woman said. ‘I don’t know what else we could do.’

Nina drew in a deep breath. ‘How about this? I’ll put together a list of potential suitors, and we’ll go through them together. None of this matters if we can’t find an appropriate man for Erin.’

Both her employees nodded, and a compromise was made.

‘All right. Let’s get started.’ She stuck her pen behind her ear and finally turned to her computer. She was energised by the new concept. It could have more side benefits than any of them expected, but she needed to think through the dangers, too.

Because, with that detective lurking around, she didn’t need any more unwanted surprises.

The three of them stayed late, poring over the lists that Nina cobbled from her private database.

‘I don’t like any of these men,’ Sienna said. She pushed away the remains of the chef salad they’d had delivered. Normal work hours had passed long ago, and the sky outside the office’s windows had grown dark. ‘Erin’s interests aren’t going to match those of an accountant or a computer programmer.’

‘But Sam is super handsome.’ Rielle pointed at the programmer’s bio with her fork.

‘If he can’t talk about anything other than the latest coding language or video games, she’s not going to care.’

Nina gathered her hair together at the base of her neck as she stared at her computer screen. She was focused on her search terms.

Erin had called out two men in particular. Both were unavailable – or at least Jason was – and there was no way Nina was going to set such tender flesh in front of Detective Morgan. Or any of her escorts, for that matter.

No, she couldn’t pair Erin up with either of those two, but she could type in the words she’d use to define them. Her own secret keywords. Hot, dark, built, intense, sexy, smart, Grade A…

She paused a moment, debating. She nearly hit the enter button, but then added one more. Dominant.

The list that came back was short. There were only twenty or so names on it. A few were intriguing, but she wasn’t finished.

She then reversed the search. She knew her men’s preferences, too. For Erin, she used her own observations: sweet, engaging, petite, blonde, eager, wilful, curious. And probably the most descriptive, innocent.

The list that came back had only five names on it, some of whom made Nina blink. Interesting…She slid the printout across her desk to her employees and waited for a reaction.

Rielle’s came first. She was nibbling on a cracker, but it broke in half when she read the names. She caught the crumbles haphazardly and shook her head in tight little jerks, rejecting them all summarily.

‘Omigosh. He’s a client?’

Both Nina and Rielle swivelled their heads around fast. Sienna had grabbed the paper and jumped to her feet. ‘That’s it!’

‘Who?’ Rielle asked. ‘What’s it?’

‘Him.’ Sienna slapped the piece of paper back down on the desk and pointed at the first name on the list. ‘Set her up with him.’

‘Colton King?’ Rielle pulled back. ‘He’s sexy and you know – huuuh – but for Erin?’

Nina’s eyes narrowed. ‘He’s too tall, and, if he has a sense of humour, I’ve never seen it.’

Yet she could practically see the energy that was flying off Sienna in a ray of colours. Surprise and excitement tingled in the air. The icy blonde was usually much more contained. ‘What is it you’re not telling us?’

Her employee sat down fast.

‘Erin has wanted him for ever,’ she shared conspiratorially. ‘He’s her older brother’s best friend, but also the kid from the wrong side of the tracks. Her parents would never let her see him.’

The three of them leaned in like girls around a campfire sharing stories about the cute boys at school.

‘Did he want to see her?’ Rielle asked.

‘Does it matter?’ The gears in Sienna’s brain were turning fast. It was clear on her face. ‘You’ll either give Erin the thrill of her lifetime, or he’ll put an end to her using a matchmaker so fast, her head will spin. I know he will.’

‘Would he tell her family?’ Nina asked.

‘Never. One time Erin went out after curfew with this new cool girl at school. She got stuck in a really bad part of town, so she called Colt. He picked her up and never told anyone. Not even Dustin, her brother.’

Sienna grimaced. ‘He chewed her up one side and down the other, though.’

‘But…is he still her type?’ Rielle ran her finger down the list of wishes Erin had given them. ‘Isn’t he some big trial attorney now? He intimidates me.’

‘Because the man oozes testosterone,’ Nina said.

They all had to agree on that. Sex appeal was every woman’s type.

‘But for Erin?’ Rielle repeated.

For Erin was more appropriate. Nina picked up the piece of paper with Colton King’s name atop the list. Knowing that background made a huge difference. ‘How young were they?’ she asked.

Sienna tapped her lips. ‘Erin was maybe fifteen. I think Colt was eighteen or nineteen.’

So, jailbait for him. He’d known better, but had Erin’s feelings been returned?

Nina glanced at her screen. According to his wish list, they had. It matched Erin to a T.

‘I still remember my first crush,’ Rielle said quietly.

They all shared a knowing look. Those first feelings of sexual attraction were powerful.

Nina pulled up Colton King’s picture and turned the monitor so they could all see.

‘Mmm,’ Rielle hummed.

‘The forbidden fruit,’ Sienna whispered.

‘The match,’ Nina decided. ‘If he’s up for it.’

Energy started buzzing in the office. Nina rose from her chair and went to the bar in the corner of the room. She poured herself a brandy and took a sip. King was a difficult one to read. A bad reaction from him, and her company could be in jeopardy. He was a powerful attorney. Definitely someone she didn’t want on her bad side.

But what if, just if, she might be fulfilling his secret desires too?

‘I want to approach this very carefully,’ she said.

‘He won’t be what she’s expecting.’ Rielle warned. ‘And she’ll blame you, Sienna, for knowing and not telling her.’

‘She’d hate us more if she knew we had this chance and didn’t take it for her,’ Nina said. It wouldn’t be like the young Erin had dreamed in her pink bedroom with boy-band posters on the wall. Colton King was all man now, but just because she was sweet, it didn’t mean that Erin couldn’t handle that.

Nina made the call. ‘We do this.’

It was time to pair the lamb with the lion.