Page 13 of Dangerous Encore

"I guess, with the size of that skirt no one would know, but…still…"

"Still?"

She shrugs. "No offense, Vi. I love you, and you're the classiest person I know, but commando at your wedding? That'stacky."

"How about crotchlesspanties?"

"Much better." She laughs. "You know… as much as I hate thinking about it, you should get something special. That, um, ahem. For your weddingnight."

My laugh melts the tension in my chest. God, the look on Piper's face. She could not be moreuncomfortable.

"What?" She folds her arms. "It's not like Ethan wants to hear about mysexlife."

"Hedoesn't."

"Even Mal doesn't want tohearit."

"Oh, you wanted to talk about Mal's sex life?" I press my wrists together in ahandcuffsmotion.

Piper clears her throat. "I will not picture it. I will not picture it. Iwillnot—"

"Lacey is almost as adorable and innocent seeming asyouare—"

"Ihateyou."

"You think they ever use Ethan's old room? The mirror is still attached to the ceiling,isn'tit?"

Piper's eyes bug out ofherhead.

I can see why Joel is as obnoxious as he is. This is toomuchfun.

"You never use a mirror?"Iask.

"Well, um… Yes. But I still don't want to hear about your sex life with my brother." She makes thatewface then clears her throat. "Do you want to try on the dressornot?"

"I'll keep mypantieson."

"Good." She lets out a much too obvious sigh of relief. "Not that I have a problem with seeing you naked. You should see backstage in the middle of a show. Or before. Or after. Lots of underwear. Lots ofnaked."

"I hear that." I set my purse on the chair then slide out of my dress. My shoes. My tights.Mybra.

"I like the mirror. But I don't need any more detailsaboutit."

I hate to torture her, but this is the most at ease I've felt… well, I can't say I have my clothes on. But this is the most at ease I've felt with my panties on in a long time. I try to find a smooth way to tease her, but wordswon'tform.

Okay. Let's go forblunt.

"And no bondage?"Iask.

"You're doing this onpurpose."

"Why would Idothat?"

"I'm not innocent. I have sex. I fuck my fiancé. I suck him off. He eats me out. We've had sex in public. I'm not naïve because I don't want to hear about my brother'sridingcrop."

God, I really want to sympathize with her, but I just can't. I'm not attracted to Mal in any way, shape, or form, but the thought of him with aridingcrop—

Itsuitshim.