Page 28 of Dangerous Temptation

They turned into a first-floor room she’d walked by many times.

The first thing she noticed was that it was different.

The furniture had been removed. All that remained was a tufted armchair with a small table at its side.

Across the room was a Japanese-style folding partition, screen-printed with cherry blossoms. Between the two was a free-standing cheval glass, something she’d always wanted.

‘I don’t understand,’ she said.

He waved to the racks of clothing that stood at the back of the room, the ones she’d walked right by without seeing. ‘You’re going on a shopping spree.’

Elena looked from one rack to the next, her eyes rounding. They took up the entire back half of the room. She walked to the nearest rack of dresses and looked at the labels. ‘These are designer.’

He signalled at someone in the hallway. ‘Jorge?’

A thin man in an exquisite grey suit came into the room. His dark hair was sleeked back and a pencil-thin moustache rode on his upper lip. Those lips were curled upwards in a smile as he extended his hand. ‘Hello.’

‘Hello,’ Elena said, returning the handshake. She rubbed her ankles together. She felt like such a bag lady in front of these two men who were dressed like power brokers.

‘Jorge, this is Elena. Elena, this is Jorge Cruz. He’s here to show you a few of his creations. It’s up to you to decide what you like.’

‘Oh, I –’

Alex’s gaze narrowed and he shook his head in warning. They were going to do this.

She rubbed her toe against the calf of her other leg as the designer’s gaze swept up and down her body.

‘You are gorgeous, my dear. Petite, but sleek and well proportioned.’ His eye didn’t linger on her curves with sexual interest. ‘Alex, you didn’t do her justice.’

‘How could I?’ he asked, going to take his seat. He opened the laptop that was on the table and started browsing business sites.

‘I have many pretty things that should suit you perfectly,’ the designer said. There were party dresses, gowns and suits. Jorge kept pulling her along, though, until she was staring at a flat table with an assortment of smaller pieces.

Much smaller pieces.

Lingerie. A hot blush settled into her cheeks. She looked over her shoulder. ‘Alex,’ she hissed.

‘It’s something I know you like,’ he replied, his gaze steady.

‘There are more designers waiting to show you their work.’ Jorge gestured to the table. ‘Lingerie is my specialty.’

Elena tucked her fingers into her pockets, but eyed all the gorgeous pieces in silks, satins, Spandex and every fabric in between. She felt like a kid in a candy store, wanting to touch but knowing she shouldn’t. ‘They’re beautiful.’

‘Which do you like?’ Jorge asked.

She pointed at a baby-pink set in front of her.

‘Ah, soft and sweet. A good choice.’ The designer picked up a bra and matching bikini-style panties. ‘Why don’t you try it on?’

She stared at him.

He gestured at the partition. ‘You can have your privacy over there.’

Was he serious?

‘Elena,’ Alex warned.

It was two against one, but the only one she cared about was sitting across the room. For some reason, Alex wanted to do this for her. After what she’d just learned, she didn’t want to hurt his feelings.

He’d been hurt too much already.

Her chest started to tighten, and the anguish built up in her throat. The vision of those claw marks on the door appeared again in her head.

She pushed the vision away, clearing her throat hard. Would it really be so bad to play dress-up? There were clothes here that she’d never be able to afford, much less try on. She wouldn’t accept them.

She hesitantly walked over to the corner of the room.

‘Let me know if you need a different size,’ Jorge called.

‘She won’t,’ Alex murmured.

Her eyes narrowed. He sounded so sure of himself. She stepped behind the partition.

She could say no and stop the whole thing. He wouldn’t force her, but he’d gone to such measures. The designer had obviously gone to even greater lengths to bring everything here.

She fingered the pretty bra. She was already in love with it.

She gave up fighting. Setting the lingerie on the table, she peeled off her jeans.

The rest of her clothes were next. They might be her comfy favourites, but with all the expensive material in the room she felt like a frump.

She put her bra down and picked up the pink one.

The difference was there under her fingertips.

The quality was better, from the fabric to the stitching.

Feeling her pulse begin to pound, she put her arms through the straps and aligned the cups over her breasts.

She clipped the tab against her breastbone and felt the change the moment the bra settled over her curves, cupping and supporting them.

There was also a difference in the fit.

Almost naturally, her shoulders pulled back and her chest lifted. There was no comparison to the cheap discount-store brands she was used to wearing.

This felt sublime.

Hurrying, she tried on the panties. They fit her just as well, hugging her curves but not cutting into them.

‘Well?’ Jorge asked.

‘They’re perfect,’ she sighed.

Alex cleared his throat.

She peeked around the corner of the partition. ‘What?’

His gaze was that steady spark of grey ice, the one she’d run into in the forest on more than one occasion. ‘Let me see,’ he said, making it crystal clear.

Elena looked down at herself. She wasn’t naked, but he couldn’t possibly be asking her to –

‘Come out here.’

She wasn’t indecent and he’d seen her in less. Still …

She stepped out into the middle of the room and clasped her hands together in front of her.

Alex leaned forward in his chair, the computer forgotten.

Jorge nodded, his eye critical. Walking over to her, he examined the fit from front to back.

Elena felt like she was under a microscope with both men staring at her so unabashedly.

Jorge’s attention was that of a designer, all about the beauty and fit.

Alex’s, on the other hand, was so fully sexual, her entire body flushed. His gaze stroked over her hotly, but it turned gentle when he looked into her face. ‘Do you like it?’

Her mouth had gone dry. ‘I love it,’ she whispered.

‘We’ll take that set,’ he said, easing back into his chair. Somehow he didn’t look as casual any more. ‘What else do you have?’

Elena took a quick step forward. ‘This is wonderful, but –’

He pointed a warning finger at her. ‘Your day, my money, your fun.’ He looked at the way the bra plumped up her curves. ‘Our fun,’ he amended.

‘The red next,’ Jorge said with a broad smile on his face. Without awaiting approval from anyone, he chose the new pieces.

The lingerie came at her, one piece after another, and her confidence grew as she modelled it.

Alex’s preferences ran to the skimpy, while Jorge liked different combinations of satin and lace …

and leather. That combo felt a little outrageous to her, but the moment she saw it on her in the mirror she melted. The set went into the growing pile.

‘That’s enough,’ she finally declared.

‘One more,’ Alex said, his voice deceptively soft. ‘The black lace.’

Jorge’s eyebrows rose, along with one corner of his mouth. He fought the smirk as he went for the bra and panty combination Elena had avoided.

She leaned more towards pastels and jewel tones. Black just seemed so dark and mysterious. She wasn’t a fan of lace – it scratched and bit – but, if he wanted to see it on her, she could do that.

Although everyone in the room knew they’d moved away from pretend dress-up to the verge of sexual manipulation.

Elena was surprised to find her hands shaking as she tried to connect the hooks and eyelets in the middle of her back.

The bra did bite, but then she noticed a strap was twisted.

When she had dealt with it, everything settled down into a tight hug.

The lace stretched and was softer than any she’d ever felt before. Dollar signs chimed in her ears.

‘It’s a bit snug,’ she confessed.

Jorge chuckled. ‘It’s supposed to be, dear.’

Oh. Oh, my.

She began to tremble in earnest. She cupped her hands over her breasts. The bottom half of the cups was a shiny silver material, maybe Lycra. It hugged and lifted in all the right places.

She hurried to put on the high-cut panties. She was venturing on dangerous turf here. The faster she finished, the faster they could move on.

Relief settled over her when she had the combination on. It felt sexy, but not as sexually explosive as she’d thought.

Taking a deep breath, she stepped out from behind the partition.

Alex’s gaze raked over her from head to toe, and he gave an abrupt shake of his head. ‘The granny panties need to go.’

‘No?’ Jorge said in disappointment. ‘High-waists are coming back this season.’

‘Not here they aren’t.’

The designer let out a huff that Elena almost echoed. The panties felt good. They came up to nearly her ribcage, and the support was nice, although she worked hard to keep her core tight.

She glanced in the mirror and her eyes nearly bugged out. Embarrassed, she clapped her hands over her breasts.

She hadn’t known the bra was see-through.

The silver Lycra was opaque, but the line cut right over her nipples. They peeked over the top through the black lace, rocketing the titillation factor of the outfit tenfold.

She scooted back behind the partition and began to take the set off.

‘Here,’ Jorge said, his hand snaking around the corner to offer her new panties. ‘Try these.’

These? Elena’s jaw dropped when she held up the tiny thong. It was barely more than a G-string.

‘Chop chop,’ Alex called. ‘The day’s a-wasting and you’ve got dresses, shoes and outerwear to go.’

There was no way she was going to say yes to this set of lingerie, Elena thought determinedly as she pulled off the granny panties. They clung stubbornly as she pulled them down her thighs. The thong was much more amenable. The strip of material slid up and settled into place as if custom made.