Page 1 of Is It Casual Now?

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“Some people like to be wined and dined, I like to be fajita’d and margarita’d.” The voice was smooth, seductive, and there was no mistaking its purpose. This was a pick-up line—tried and true. But Siena wasn’t sure how effective it was on her.

Curious about who would use such a tacky line on her, Siena looked up from her table at the tapas bar and directly into washed-out blue eyes surrounded by dark, perfectly-drawn charcoal lines.

“Excuse me?” She pursed her lips, a deep line forming in the center of her forehead.

“I couldn’t help but notice the way your date left, with all this food untouched and a quiet goodbye settling over the table.” The woman waved at the table to indicate that the food had just arrived and not been touched. That had been Siena’s fault, really. Her date was anything but. A young potential client of hers who had too much attitude and not nearly enough grit to handle constructive criticism. It hadn’t been Siena’s first choice to have the conversation here, but she had neglected to eat all day and the woman wouldn’t take tomorrow for an answer. Siena had never been one to hold off on hard conversations, and by the time the food arrived, she finally had some peace to eat.

Siena cocked her head and lifted a single eyebrow. The heated conversation had seemed to fly under the radar for everyone in the restaurant. Except for this brazen woman. “And you are?”

“Oh. I’m sorry.” The smile that burst across the woman’s face took Siena by surprise. It turned those washed-out eyes into sparkling jewels and, oh goodness, were those dimples? “My name is Julie, Julie Andrews.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” Siena took the offered hand, but she didn’t hesitate. She had always been a sucker for forward women, and the obvious lie about the name was probably the most amusing part of her evening so far.

“What can I say?” Julie shrugged. “My mom was a big Mary Poppins fan.”

“Right.” Siena smiled, though she looked closer at this woman, her eyes dropping to the V cut at the top of the dress that wrapped around her luscious curves and folded across her body exactly the way it should to show everything off. “And what does she think of Victor/Victoria?”

“It’s in the fabulous category, but it’s one of my favorites.” Julie’s smile stretched wider as she met Siena’s eyes on their way back up to her face from her cleavage.

“Well,” Siena leaned back in her chair and waved a hand at the recently emptied chair. “It seems a pity to let all this food go to waste. Care to join me?”

What the hell was she thinking? It had been ages since she’d been so forward with someone, since she’d allowed the freedom of a good time to transform into whatever was going to happen next.

“If you insist.” Julie smiled, already slipping into the chair .

Siena loved tapas bars. No matter which one she went to, the sound wrapped around her in a familiar blanket of noise. The clatter of glass and crockery, the chatter of excited voices, and the constant shuffle of movement reminded Siena of the rush of a concert, or backstage at a play. The calming chaos washed over her, and she breathed in the heavy aromas rising from the table just as she was served another plate—the last one that Krissy had ordered.

“So,” Julie purred as she leaned forward and plucked up a piece of chopitos. She took her time slipping it between her lips, and Siena’s mouth went dry in an instant. “Do I at least get a name?”

“A name?” Siena’s brain had been too focused on those full lips sucking in the morsel of food.

“Yes.” Her laugh was full bodied, and Siena smiled instinctively. Julie leaned forward, her cleavage on full display.

“Right.” A name? Siena’s brain struggled to reconnect synapses. Eventually images of running her tongue over the swell of those breasts were pushed aside enough for Siena to remember how to play this game. “Well, Julie, Julie Andrews, why don’t I be your Dick Van Dyke for this evening?”

“Oh my God.” Julie threw her head back and let out that laugh once more. “I am not calling you Dick, but I might be convinced to call you Van, or would you prefer Dyke?”

Siena chuckled low. If only Julie knew just how amusing that truly was. But there was no way she would be telling this forward buxom woman she was Siena Frazee of D.Y.K.E. Management. She didn’t mind keeping the joke to herself, it always ended up being safer that way.

Especially if the road the evening had turned down was the one Siena thought. And Siena was rarely wrong in these situations.

“I could answer to Van.” Siena smiled and wet her bottom lip with the tip of her tongue. How much of this attraction was mutual? With the way that Julie locked her gaze on Siena’s tongue, it was certainly going both ways. Because Julie barely raised her gaze back up in time to be considered cordial.

“All right then, Van.” Julie’s cheeks darkened ever so slightly beneath her makeup, the rouge painting across her skin in a stunning show of arousal.

Siena smiled and gave her a quick wink.

Oh, this was going to be an excellent evening after all. The woman wasn’t just deliciously curvy in all the ways that drove Siena wild, but it seemed she could play the game for what it was. And enjoy it just as much.

Dropping her hands from her chin, Julie leaned further forward, ensuring the V on that cherry wine dress strained to contain the generous breasts within. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to ask. You don’t seem upset by the breakup—not serious I’m guessing?”

“Not upset, not serious.” Siena smiled.

Very observant, confident, and forward.

Siena slid a meatball into her mouth and drew the toothpick out slowly, giving herself time to indulge in how Julie shifted around in her chair.

“But I’m not really interested in discussing that any more tonight.” Siena took charge of the conversation.

“No?” Julie smirked.

“Oh no, I’m definitely more curious about you.”

“Little old me? I’m not the interesting one here.” Julie leaned back. Her hand fluttered to her breasts, her fingers splayed out over the cleavage.

Oh yeah, this woman definitely knew how to play the game. And Siena had no complaints, though she did bite back her sigh at losing the sight in front of her. But she wasn’t at all ready for that yet. She liked the game. It was a thrill that she had always enjoyed. And her body needed more than a few minutes to warm up.

Siena laughed and shook her head. “Oh, I don’t think for a minute you’re someone without a very interesting story.”

“What makes you say that?” Julie’s hand fell from her chest, and she tilted her head, curling her fingers delicately through her hair and putting it behind her ear. For a moment, Siena saw a glimpse of the real person. Not the seductress who had sauntered over with hips delicious enough to hold onto, but a person with genuine curiosity and a brain that piqued Siena’s interest, and her libido.

The thrill Siena had been enjoying since Julie had first spoken to her went from stroking her ego, to skittering down over her chest and teasing her clit.

Oh hell. She hadn’t expected to be this turned on already. But she couldn’t deny there was something about Julie that excited her. And clearly her body concurred.

If she were honest with herself, as she was trying to be more these days, it really had boosted her ego when Julie had come over to her.

“A woman as young as you with this much confidence isn’t likely to have had a boring life.”

Siena surveyed the table and the damage the two of them had wreaked on it. She hadn’t remembered ordering more plates, but there they were, with only remnants of the food remaining. The food had melted in her mouth and made her groan more than once. Those sounds had elicited chuckles and smiles from Julie. And so far, Siena had enjoyed the conversation and company far more. She couldn’t even remember the last time that had happened.

“And you know many young confident women then, do you?”

Siena smirked. “Oh, I know my fair share. ”

“Like the recently departed?” Julie laughed at her own joke.

“Hmmm.” Siena pondered the question. “I wouldn’t say she had your level of confidence. But she definitely has the potential to get there if she finds herself able to get out of her own way. Is that a problem?” Why on earth did she find it so easy to talk to Julie? And to say things she normally wouldn’t, not to anyone. All right, maybe to Tori, but that had always been such a different experience, a different Siena.

“A problem?”

“A problem that I know many young, confident, and sexy women?” Siena took a sip from her glass wondering if she truly were as confident as she liked to present. “Like you.”

“Sexy, huh?”

Siena nodded and looked pointedly down at Julie’s cleavage. “Is that a problem?”

“That you like younger women like me? No. The only problem I can see is if you don’t follow through on what your eyes are promising.”

“Oh really?” Siena lifted her eyes and raised the single eyebrow again. She knew the effect it had on many women. Especially the young, confident, and sexy ones. Julie didn’t know that most of those women were clients of hers. Playing the player had an enticing pull to it.

“Definitely.” Julie’s voice was lower than it had been just moments ago, and Siena squeezed her thighs tight together.

Oh hell, they had to get out of here, and soon. The last thing Siena wanted to do was disappoint Julie by coming the moment they touched.

“Well then, we can’t break our promises.” Siena stood up, walked over to where Julie still sat and offered her a hand. “Shall we get going?”

Julie looked up at Siena, those clear blue eyes twinkling. How had Siena ever thought of them as washed out? They were as blue as the bright sky on a warm summer’s day. Something so rarely seen in Portland, but Siena lived for those days.

“I’d like that.” Julie’s cheeks darkened a little more as she slid her fingers into Siena’s hand.

Siena gripped those fingers and pulled Julie up from her chair with a little more force than she had meant. Julie’s body brushed against her.

Siena barely bit back the groan as breasts brushed her own.

“Don’t we have to pay?” Julie whispered, and Siena’s skin prickled with goosebumps at the touch of her breath.

“Already done.” Siena felt very powerful being able to say that. There was no need to explain she had a credit card on file with the club, because she too often had to run out in the middle of meals or grab takeaway with no time to wait in line and pay. Or the fact that she could pay for this meal and not worry about finances. It wasn’t going to affect her, not like it would have fifteen years ago.

“Fantastic.” Julie met Siena’s eyes as she stepped back, just enough for air to slide between their bodies.

“I think so.” Siena swallowed down the lump in her throat and waved at the counter as she left.

Blair nodded, and Siena knew the meal would be charged to her account by the end of the night. She’d never been so glad to have so little free time in her life.

If it wasn’t work, it was usually Harley.

Tonight though, she let her responsibilities fade to the background. She held on to Julie’s arm as they stepped out of the bar and onto the rain-slicked sidewalk.

The soft mist of rain that lingered in the air cooled her warmed cheeks. She had expected a sizzling sound like when cold butter hits a hot frying pan. But relief washed over her as the night filled solely with the whoosh of car tires over puddles, and indistinct conversations of other people walking in the rain .

“Where are we going?” Julie asked.

“To my car.” Siena took charge, and while she had enjoyed Julie’s confidence and forwardness, she wasn’t sure she would be able to relinquish the control again. At least not until she had enjoyed the pleasure of making Julie come at least twice.

With a sideways glance at Julie, Siena mentally corrected herself.

Maybe three times.