“You’re early,” he murmured, his arms already around her. He lifted her clean off her feet and slipped his palms down her body until he cupped her backside in his big warm hands.
“I missed you,” Sophie murmured, and saw the smile kiss his lips a second before his mouth covered hers. Five years on since she’d first kissed this man, he still had the power to melt her with just one touch, one slide of his tongue against hers. As hello kisses went, it ranked up there with the very best of them.
“I can fuck you here against the front door, or I can fuck you in our bed. I don’t mind, as long as I fuck you in the next three minutes,” he said hoarsely, as he pressed his body against hers.
Sophie could feel his cock straining between her legs and bit gently down on his lip with a soft laugh. “Cool it tiger. Kara’s out by the pool.”
Lucien groaned and slid his fingers inside her bikini bottoms. “Feels like you’re ready too, Princess,” he whispered into her mouth, his sure fingers stroking slowly over her clitoris until she moaned softly too. His hand lingered as he deepened the kiss, taking the time to dip his finger inside her before rearranging her bikini with a regretful sigh.
By the time Kara wandered in a couple of minutes later, they’d made it as far as the kitchen.
“Hey Mr. K,” Kara grinned and stood on tiptoes to plant a kiss on Lucien’s cheek. “Did ya miss me?”
“I survived,” he said dryly, tugging lightly on her ponytail before slinging his arm around Sophie’s waist and kissing her shoulder. “I missed Sophie more.”
Kara laughed. “Get a room, love birds.”
“We have one. Sophie said we can’t go there yet because I have to be polite.”
Sophie smacked him in the ribs and crossed to load the dishwasher, safe in the knowledge that Kara and Lucien’s sparring was underscored with mutual affection.
She tuned out as they talked shop for a few minutes, Kara quizzing Lucien on the readiness of the club and boutique. Business acumen was one of the traits that bonded Kara and Lucien as friends, and Sophie usually enjoyed the way Kara was unafraid to challenge him. But right now, her mind was on other things. As she tuned back in again she realised that Lucien had drawn his mobile out of his jeans and was talking to someone. Within minutes a driver had materialised to take an eager Kara down to the club to have a nose around, and she silently thanked her friend for her tactical withdrawal. If Lucien didn’t get her alone soon he was in danger of spontaneously combusting. And quite possibly, so was she.
Kara let herself into the club with Lucien’s keys, looking forward to seeing the development for herself. She and Sophie had followed it closely from back home in the UK via email updates and photos, but experience had taught them that despite the common perception to the contrary, the camera can actually lie. Bad workmanship could be disguised with a few carefully positioned props, and slow developments can appear faster with the right omissions and clever lighting.
She knew the club layout pretty well from studying the plans, well enough to know that the boutique lay just off to the left of the main vestibule. Kara took a moment to appreciate the effort that had gone into transforming the club’s interior to meet Lucien’s exacting, opulent standards. Lavish and sexy, full of the promise of pleasure with its curvy, embracing seats and sensual colour scheme, the interior already exuded the exotic glamour that so successfully seduced customers the instant they crossed the threshold.
Kara had never set foot inside an adult club before Sophie and Lucien had offered her the opportunity to join the business. She well remembered her first eye-opening visit with Sophie at her side, and marvelled even now at how what had once seemed outrageous now struck her as entirely routine. Kara had been instantly fascinated, and over the years she’d entrenched herself firmly in the world of adult pleasure, from a strictly commercial perspective. Or mainly so. It was impossible not to feel the frisson of it at times. She’d gone quickly from a toy novice to an industry expert, thanks to the trade shows and exhibitions she attended on behalf of Knight Inc., usually with Sophie at her side. They’d become well-known faces around the industry, one blonde, one brunette, one shared aim of making their boutiques a runaway success.
Kara hadn’t anticipated this turn in her career, and she definitely hadn’t anticipated that she’d love it so much.
Stepping through the archway into the boutique space, she was pleased to see that the progress reports they’d received seemed to have been accurate. The place was looking pretty shipshape; shelving already on the walls, velvet mannequins ready to be dressed in wisps of lace and silk, and boxes of stock lining the walls, all ready to be opened. Leaning down, she peeled the tape back on the nearest box and delved within it.
“Pretty as your ass is, sweetheart, you have thirty seconds to get out of here before I remove you myself.”
Kara jumped up and twirled around in shock at the sound of the drawling Californian voice behind her. Lucien had specifically told her that the club was empty of workmen, and her heart banged hard with both panic and indignant annoyance. She had the right to be here, and this guy didn’t.
“Who the hell are you?” She planted one hand on her hip and jutted her chin at the stranger. He glanced down at her other hand.
“It looks as if you got what you came for.” He crossed his arms and leaned on the wall of the archway.
Kara swallowed hard and closed her eyes for a second to gather her thoughts. Problem. She was gesticulating at him with a vibrator. This seriously weakened her stance. She had two choices, and Kara was a woman who always came out fighting.
“This?” She held the classic vibrator up in front of her. “Oh, I don’t think so. This is a beginner’s tool. If I’d come here to steal sex toys I’d go for something bigger. More functions. Something like the Thor, or maybe the brand new Thor Deluxe. It's, umm, waterproof.”
He raised one eyebrow. “Your encyclopedic knowledge of vibrators tells me a lot about the state of your sex life, lady.”
Kara fought the urge to shove the vibrator somewhere that would shut this guy up for a very long time.
“Managing a string of adult boutiques does that to a girl.” Her voice dripped with cool sarcasm, and by the look on his face she’d made her point because he dropped the attitude and his face cleared.
“Gee, I’m sorry. You must be Sophie.”
Kara shook her head. “Sophie would have been much politer. I’m Kara Brookes, Sophie’s business partner. And you are?”