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“I don’t have to dress up for the bookstore,” Cat said. “I wear these cute dresses and pants, but underneath…” Cat shrugged.

“Oh my God! If your customers knew what you were wearing when you sell them a sapphic romance.”

“Or erotica,” Cat added.

Elena’s eyes widened.

“Do you want to see?”

Cat thought Elena’s eyes were going to pop out of her head. “The other ones, Elena. Not the rest of what I’m wearing.”

“I didn’t think you meant that,” Elena stammered.

Cat chuckled. “Come here.” She walked over to a chest of drawers and opened the middle drawer. “I have a variety of colors. Some lacey, some not.”

Elena gasped and reached out to touch one of the silky bras. “They’re beautiful.”

“You can touch it,” Cat said.

Elena looked up at her and grinned. “Wow, that’s nice,” she said as she ran her fingers over the fabric of a deep red bra.

Suddenly an image of Elena running her fingers over the bra while Cat was wearing it flashed through her mind. She shook her head, casting the image away. What the fuck!

“It’s become a guilty pleasure of mine,” Cat said, taking a settling breath.

“You shouldn’t feel guilty about something that makes you feel beautiful, but…” Elena said, looking into Cat’s eyes. “You’re beautiful without them.”

Cat smiled and closed the drawer. “Thank you. Let’s try that glass of wine again.”

They walked back into the living room and Cat took her glass off the table. “I’ll be right back.” She walked into the kitchen and wiped the outside of the glass dry.

“You know, now I’m going to be wondering what you’re wearing underneath your clothes every time I come into the bookstore,” Elena said.

Cat sat down on the couch. “If you’re a good girl, maybe I’ll give you a peek.” She took a sip of her wine and couldn’t hold in the laughter.

Elena chuckled. “You are something else, Cat Sloan.”

Cat shrugged. “It’s the quiet ones you have to look out for.”

“Were you ever going to tell me?”

“I almost did the other night when you were reading that passage describing the woman’s undergarments. I guess you have your sapphic study and I have my sexy lingerie.”

“Good for both of us,” Elena said, clinking her glass to Cat’s. “Is that how The Bottom Shelf came about?”

“My vibrator serves a purpose just as Aqua does for you. I really wanted a place where they didn’t seem quite so taboo. I mean, there’s going to be a little hint of naughtiness attached to The Bottom Shelf and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“I think it’s good to feel naughty as well as beautiful. Cheers to you for providing this public service.”

Cat nearly spit out the wine she was drinking then snorted. “Public service! Oh, I love that.”

They sipped their wine and Cat gazed at Elena. “Hey, why don’t you come to my mom’s with me on Sunday? She’s a great cook.”

“Isn’t it a family thing?”

“Alexis will be there with CeCe and you heard my mom say she loves meeting our friends.”

“Okay, I’d love to.”