Seduce Me (Body Scenes 3)

“Remember,” he cautioned as they left the room and traveled down the marbled hallway to the elevator. “What transpires this evening is strictly up to Shana.”

Jane nodded. “Yes, I know.” She smiled in anticipation, a playful glint in her eyes as she added, “But I truly think we’re fated to meet her, Drake. And to help her, which should prove very…exciting.”

Chapter Two

“Excuse me, Miss White?”

An attractive man in a sharp, charcoal-gray suit extended his hand to Shana, which she accepted.

“Yes?”

“I’m Michael Toliver, Mr. Halston’s head of security. He’d like to invite you to take a backstage tour with him.”

It wasn’t really an invitation. She could tell by the way Toliver coaxed her forward as he gently gripped her hand.

“Oh my,” her friend Yvette cooed from beside her. “That’s setting precedence. Drake Halston doesn’t invite anyone backstage. In fact, he rarely comes out of his office when the club is open.”

Shana glanced over at her. “I thought you and Finn had cocktails with him recently.”

“We did, when the club was dark. He’s a fan of Finn’s work, but I’ve never known him to take a personal interest in a guest.”

From Shana’s extensive research on the owner of Body Scenes, she knew Drake Halston was shrouded in mystery, which intrigued her greatly. That he’d allowed her access to his club was shock enough, but a backstage tour? The idea was certainly an appealing one, sending a shiver of excitement down her spine.

Conversely, the unexpected gesture prickled her nerves a bit. It was an unfortunate double-edged sword. Shana wasn’t skilled at in-person, one-on-one interactions, particularly with men. Something she’d never regretted more than at this moment, with this extended invitation. If she stayed true to form, she’d likely bumble her way through the entire conversation—the reason she conducted the vast majority of her business within a virtual environment.

Despite her love of journalism, she’d never been comfortable interviewing people in the flesh and she didn’t venture outside her spacious Fifth Avenue apartment much. But the rare opportunity to meet Drake was impossible to resist. So she tamped down her nervous anxiety.

Turning back to Toliver, she said, “It’d be my pleasure to accompany Mr. Halston on a tour.”

He released her hand, as though now convinced he wouldn’t have to drag her kicking and screaming. As if. Although there were no photos of Drake on the Internet and his existence was documented only by shadowy accounts of brief interactions with him—their legitimacy questionable—he fascinated the hell out of her. So much so, she’d practically begged Yvette to get her a coveted invitation into the club. Her friend, however, had informed her Drake had already expressed interest in inviting Shana to Body Scenes. So the stage had been set long before this evening.

“This ought to be enlightening,” she said, excited by the turn of events. “It’s like removing Batman’s mask and revealing his true identity.”

Beside her, Yvette snickered. She reached into her small clutch and handed over two folded tissues. “You’ll need these, Vicki Vale.”

Shana’s brow furrowed. She got the reference to the reporter in the comics, but didn’t understand Yvette’s offering of the tissues. “My allergies haven’t bothered me all week.”

With a wink, her outrageous friend said, “They’re not for your nose, sweetie.” Her gaze dropped pointedly to the apex of Shana’s legs.

“Oh my God.” Shana gasped. Heat ignited in her cheeks as embarrassment consumed her. Toliver was standing right there with them, in earshot of Yvette’s wicked words!

“You could be a little more couth,” she snapped.

Not the least bit contrite, Yvette said, “I’ve tried. I’m simply incapable of pulling it off.” With a sassy shake of her head that sent long strands of sleek blonde hair flying over one bare shoulder, she sauntered off, swaying her hips and making every male head within a twenty-foot radius whip in her direction.

Cheeks still flaming, Shana turned back to Toliver. “Well. This is awkward.”

He gave her a casual smile. “I’ll admit Ms. Samson leaves jaws on the floor, but she’s nothing compared to what happens backstage. Please, come with me.” He lightly cupped her elbow with his large hand and guided her deeper into the crowded club. “It’s true Mr. Halston doesn’t invite guests behind the scenes. He must think you can handle it.”

Which begged the question of what sort of research he’d done on her. Not to mention Toliver’s comment made her mind reel as to what went on backstage that was so hush-hush—and risqué.

She tried not to obsess over the latter thought—and what her reaction to it might be. Instead, she wondered how a man like Drake Halston had heard of her and what he’d gleaned from whatever snooping he’d done. Granted, Shana had been in the public eye her entire life, but she’d fallen out of mainstream media attention long ago. In fact, she’d changed her name and had disassociated herself from the celebrity presence she’d cultivated in her youth. Today, her audience was strictly Internet-based, a result of her having launched an e-zine when she was just nineteen.

The business venture had been slow to take off, but once she’d found her niche, there’d been a snowball effect. Through her e-zine, she reached out to other struggling young women not sure what path to take around the pivotal point of their lives when they graduated high school and faced a multitude of decisions to make about their futures. Attend college, marry their high school sweetheart and have babies, backpack through Europe, stay in mom and dad’s house or strike out on their own…the choices were limitless and daunting. Shana had been overwhelmed herself.

The explosion of interest in, and embracement of, her online concept had resulted in her creating a web community dedicated solely to the pressures and issues her particular demographic and gender faced. Five years of helping others was extremely rewarding.

She’d discovered all of her idiosyncrasies and insecurities helped her relate to women seeking guidance under the comfort of an anonymous username. She’d been able to home in on the most important topics and employ freelance experts in those fields. Her network of consultants and professional counselors provided the education and assistance her members were in dire need of and that fulfilled Shana on most levels.