Illicit

“Great. I’d love to have you working the register on weeknights from, say, six o’clock to ten o’clock, then possibly picking up some weekend shifts as well. Will that work?”

I nodded. “Definitely.”

Mina grinned, then looked past me into the store. “Laurel, ring up that corset Rylan was admiring, the black velvet one. On me.”

My eyes widened. “No, you don’t… I can’t–”

Mina winked. “Pair it with some slacks like those for work, or maybe a nice pencil skirt–no jeans–and you’ll be all set. Consider it a uniform allowance.” She flashed a smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a few things to tend to before I head downstairs.” She slipped back into the office and closed the door, leaving me a bit dumbstruck.

Greer grinned wildly by the cash register. She’d already grabbed the corset in question.

As I made my way toward her, Greer pushed the corset against my chest. “Put it on.”

I set it on the counter. “No way. I’m not wearing that now.” I glanced at Laurel, hoping I hadn’t come across offensively. “Aren’t we going to go eat? This is for work.”

“Fine. But you’re putting it on when we come back after dinner.”

My eyes narrowed. “How did you know we were coming back?”

Greer beamed. “I was invited.”

I looked at Laurel and she smiled, slipping the corset into the bag and passing it back over the counter.

“Not her,” Greer said. “Lacey invited me.”

“Oh?” I turned to face her again. “That woman from the bar you talk about nonstop?”

Greer’s eyes widened and flicked to Laurel, then back at me. She grabbed my wrist and pulled me toward the front of the store. “Lacey works here, Ry,” she whispered angrily. “God, I can’t take you anywhere.” Greer shook her head as we stepped outside and headed toward the pub across the street.

“I didn’t even say anything embarrassing.”

She scoffed.

Rolling my eyes, I pulled the door open and followed Greer inside the noisy pub. We settled into a booth at the back of the bar area, and I realized for the first time tonight that my best friend could barely hold still. And, as much as she loved me, it finally occurred to me that she was probably not buzzing from excitement over my internship–or even my new job at the lingerie store. Something else had her lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.

Ten bucks it was this Lacey person.

After ordering my loaded potato skins and a pint of blonde ale, I rested my forearms on the table and looked pointedly at my best friend. “Okay, tell me about the bunny hole.”

Greer’s eyes widened and she rolled her lips to keep from laughing. “Rabbit Hole, Rylan. Like when Alice slipped into the rabbit hole and all of her fantasies came to life?”

Ah. That makes more sense. “All right, so… what’s so big about this, like, underground nightclub or whatever?”

“It’s a fetish club.”

“A what?”I said way too loudly. Looking around quickly, I lowered my voice and said, “Come again.”

Greer leaned forward. “It’s a fetish club,” she whispered. “Whips and chains. Bondage.”

My eyebrows made a slow climb up my forehead… trying to get away from this information, no doubt. “And Lacey?” I asked. “How does she tie in…?”

But did I really want to know?

“She’s having a fashion show tonight and she invited me. She went to FIDM.”

I pursed my lips, considering what kind of fashion a person might wear at a fetish club.

“Stop. I know what you’re thinking.”

“What? I’m just curious about how much design experience someone needs to make a leather g-string.”

Greer rolled her eyes. “She works with latex, not leather.”

Now it was my turn to bite back a smile.

“Stop it, Rylan. I’m serious. I really like her.”

Raising my hands, I said, “Okay, I’ll give it a shot. I mean, apparently I’m going to be working there now, so…” I chuckled softly. “Who saw that coming?”

Greer flashed a grin. “Me.”

The server returned with our drinks, and after we clinked our glasses together, Greer said. “Now, tell me about your boss.”

“She’s lovely. You just met her.”

Greer’s mouth dropped open and she gave me that incredulous look that only a best friend can get away with. “Try again.”

I groaned. “Do I have to talk about him?”

Greer tilted her head, eyes narrowing. “Oh wow.”

“What?”

She scoffed, shaking her head. “You like him.”

“What?” I snorted. “I don’t even know him. And…” I shuddered. “He’s really arrogant and, like, not even likable. At all.”

“And yet.” She pointed at my face and swirled her finger in a circle. “You’re blushing.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Okay.”

“I’m not.” I crossed my arms because I hadn’t quite pulled off the petulant child yet.

“So he’s hot.”

I scoffed, but Greer just raised her eyebrows.

“Okay, fine. Hot. Really hot. Scorching.” I sighed, shaking my head. “He’s like… so freaking hot I had to keep myself from climbing him like a tree and riding his stupid face.”

Greer laughed loudly, then covered her mouth. “You know, if you were the type of girl to do that kind of thing.”

I laughed. “Yeah. There’s that.” Shrugging, I added, “If I was that type of girl, though, he’d be in big trouble.”

The food came and I dug in, grateful for the reprieve. Sure, I burned my mouth on melted cheese lava, but it was better than flapping my lips about Cabot Reed.

“So he’s hot and arrogant,” Greer said around a mouthful of seared ahi tuna. “He’s rich. Smart. Older, so… obviously more mature.”

I snorted.

Greer raised an eyebrow.

I blew on my potato skin. Time for a subject change. “Will I meet Lacey tonight?”

Greer grinned around her fork. “I hope so.”

“What does she look like?”

“Oh my god.” She groaned, rolling her eyes back in her head dramatically. “You should see this girl, Ry. She’s like…” She focused on the ceiling as she tried to come up with the perfect description. “Okay, so, like Barbie and Jessica Rabbit had a baby, right? And that baby’s all grown up now.” She widened her eyes in emphasis. “That’s Lacey.”

“So she's a cartoon bombshell who went to FIDM and works in the lingerie store?”

“No.” Greer licked her lips, watching me, hesitating for the first time since we started talking about this. “She works downstairs. She’s… like… a dominatrix?”

My eyes widened.

“Don’t be judgy.”

“I’m not, I just… I’m surprised, that’s all.”

“I just want to check it out,” she said, a bit defensively.

“Hey.” I set my fork down and looked at my best friend. “I didn’t mean to make you feel that way. I’m sorry.”

She gave me a lopsided smile.

“G, I’m serious. If you want me to go to some Dominatrix fashion show at a fetish club, I’m in, okay? Any time.”

“Thanks, Ry.” She took another bite of her ahi salad, visibly relaxing.

At least one of us was relaxed about going to a Dominatrix fashion show at a fetish club.