Bound Temptations: Stories of Temptation and Submission Read Online Free

settled again before she whispered, "Would
you keep your voice down?"
    "If you don't want people to
stare, then stop talking to me about this," he replied. "We can
discuss it later or not at all."
    He stared down at her, at
that icy beauty and realized...he felt nothing. Absolutely nothing.
He couldn't even remember when that had started, but it wasn't a
new thing, this apathy. Shit, this was sad. Abruptly, the anger
drained away and he just felt tired. Damn tired. But one thing was
clear...he didn't need a few days away to decide what he needed,
what he didn't need, what he wanted, what he didn't
want.
    Rubbing the back of his
neck, he looked away. "Mara, we need to talk, but now isn't the
time. Let's just try to relax and enjoy the night,
okay?"
    "Enjoy it?" A smile curled
her lips, but there was nothing pleasant about it. "This isn't
about enjoying ourselves, baby. It's about getting what I want.
We'll enjoy ourselves later."
    She slid him a coy look that
left him unmoved. Blowing out a breath, he focused on the line as
it shifted closer to the shop. This must be one hell of a party,
considering how many people are here, he mused.
     
     
     
    "It's one hell of a party,"
Lacey said, smiling at her best friend in the mirror as Rocki
checked her reflection one last time.
    It was almost nine. Almost
time for her to make her appearance.
    Lush & Lace shared a
wall with the restaurant next door, and in the back, in an area
that was generally for "employees only" on Rocki's side, there was
a door that connected the two businesses. For the yearly benefit,
those two double doors were open wide and people flowed back and
forth, checking out Rocki's merchandise, nibbling at the finger
foods, helping themselves to the cash bar.
    By the time the auction
started at ten, both bachelors and bachelorettes would be feeling
mighty fine and ready to bid. Rocki was heading the event as she
always did, but she still wanted to look good. After all, her
store's merchandise was being displayed here. And on
her...
    Smoothing a hand down the
front of her red corset, she turned to make sure the laces in the
back were smooth and even. Bare skin showed underneath, gleaming
pale against the garnet red satin. Satisfied with the way the back
looked, Rocki turned around and studied the front. The garter
straps, each set with a rose the same color as her corset, held up
the floor-length satin skirt to just a little above mid-thigh,
displaying her legs, encased in black silk stockings.
    She was objective enough to
admit she looked good. Taking the black top hat, Rocki set it on
top of her head, adjusting the angle. Five more seconds—she gave
herself five more seconds to hesitate, to be alone with her
thoughts.
    Five more seconds to think
about the fact that another one of those odd cards had arrived,
with another picture of her—this one of her inside the store, taken
through the window. There hadn't been anything on the back, again.
But it still disturbed her. And she couldn't ignore it if any more
came.
    She was probably being
careless to ignore them this long. Brant had enough friends on the
force that she knew—she could get in touch with one of
them.
    Show them the
pictures...maybe even somebody would remember. She could talk to
Lacey's brother. She knew Clayton would take her
seriously.
    Okay, five seconds gone.
Worry about it after.
    Rocki blew out a breath.
"Okay. Let's go blow people out of the water," she said, smiling at
Lacey in the reflection.
     
     
     
    "Can't you at least try to
help me find her?" Mara demanded as he swirled his wine around and
stared off into the crowd.
    "Find who?" Cole asked, even
though he knew exactly who she was talking about.
    "The designer, damn it. You
know who." She blew out a breath. "I've asked like five people and
they just say ‘she's around' or ‘she's busy' and nobody will point
her out. Maybe they'll talk to you."
    "You think?" He studied her
disgruntled expression. "Not likely. You see, I'm not going