Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 87629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87629 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 438(@200wpm)___ 351(@250wpm)___ 292(@300wpm)
I hug her tightly, savoring the fruity scent of her hair, the feel of her body melted against mine, and then—
I let her go.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Amanda
“For God’s sake,” I say. “What is it now?”
“I don’t want to lose you,” Jack says.
“On what planet would you lose me?”
“If we… If we go down this road, Mandy. What if it doesn’t work out between us? You know I’m not a commitment type of guy. What if…”
Right. I suppose he’s right, ultimately. I’ve been in love with him for so long that I never imagined it wouldn’t work out between us.
So here he is…afraid I’ll go running from his preferred way of sex. Doesn’t he know that he could be anything short of a mass murderer and I’d still love him?
And that’s the whole issue. He has no idea how I truly feel about him.
“I want to go down this road, Jack.”
“I do, too. And I also don’t.”
“What if I take a class?”
“What?” His eyebrows rise.
“The staff of Treasure’s Chest, where I got the corset, said they give classes. Mary told me—” I widen my eyes.
No. No freaking way.
She’s here. Mary is here.
“What’s wrong?” Jack asks.
“The clerk from the lingerie store. She’s here. At least I think that’s her.”
Jackson follows my gaze with his own. “That’s her?”
“I think so.” Nerves again. So many nerves.
“For the love of God…” Jack rubs his forehead.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing. We’ve got to leave, Mandy. Please.”
Jackson’s eyes are haunted. Distraught. I don’t want to leave, but—
“All right.”
He leads me toward Claude’s desk and out the door.
“What’s this about, Jack? Do you know Mary?”
His eyes are glazed over, still haunted. “Yeah, I know her. Her real name is Mariah. In here she goes by Blossom.”
I’m not sure what to say, so I say nothing. I just stand there, feeling the color drain from my skin.
“So you and Mary…”
“In the past. Not…recently.”
Nausea crawls up my throat. I lean against the wall next to the door to the club. Costumed members come and go, and I wish for my blindfold.
I wish for a blindfold that can not only cover my eyes but change the last ten minutes.
“Mandy…”
“It’s fine, Jack. Everything’s fine.”
But everything is so not fine.
I bought a corset from a woman who has had sex with the man I love.
My one true love.
Except can he be my one true love if he doesn’t return my feelings? He can’t. Which means I have no choice. I have got to work this man out of my system if we have any chance of saving our friendship.
I move away from the wall, force my legs to turn the jelly back into muscle.
“I want to go back in, Jack.”
“Mandy…”
“Jack, this is something I need. And I swear to God, if you don’t take me back in there, I’ll find someone else who will.”
Chapter Thirty
Jackson
Mandy’s silver gray eyes are on fire. And that gorgeous blush? It’s on her cheeks, her neck, the tops of her breasts.
And here I am…guilty—and rightfully so—over what happened between Blossom and me. Upset that Blossom has made her way into Mandy’s life. And the worst of it?
I’m so fucking aroused, I can’t see straight.
Mandy… Mandy and her blush.
I breathe in, out, back in again.
An unaccompanied man wearing a Phantom of the Opera mask walks toward the door.
“What about him?” Mandy says. “He’s alone. Perhaps he’ll take me into the club. Sir…?”
The Phantom of the Opera looks toward us. “Yes?”
“I was wondering if—”
“Damn it, Mandy.” I grab her a little more harshly than I mean to and lead her through the door of the club.
“Jack!”
“Quiet,” I say.
We get past Claude as quickly as possible and into the club. Then I turn to her. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
“I think I’m getting into the club.”
“You don’t even know that guy.”
“I didn’t need to know him, did I? I’m in the club.” She smiles at me. And damn it, her smile is full of cheekiness and…sheer beauty.
A few regulars glance at me, surprise in their eyes. For sure. I’m usually dressed in my black jeans, or at least in black pants, when I come here. Tonight I’m wearing regular blue jeans and a button-down.
But Mandy…
Mandy is wearing that black-and-blue lace corset, and I can’t keep my eyes off her. And that black choker from Claude? I imagine it as a collar of diamonds and sapphires, sparkling around Amanda’s slender neck.
“We’re leaving,” I say.
“Go ahead. I’m already in.”
“You’re here as my guest.”
“Fine. I’ll just go find the Phantom of the Opera, and I’ll be his guest.”
My God, she’s going to send me to an early grave.
I breathe in, out, in again. Take it down a notch, Jack, I tell myself.
“All right, Mandy,” I say. “What would you like to do?”
“I want you to answer my question.”
I rub my temples. “What question?”
“Back at the restaurant, you said if I told you why I’m wearing a corset, you’d tell me why you came to my place last night.”