Stolen By The Boss

“How?”

I lean back, clasping my hands in my lap so I’m not tempted to touch her with them. “I haven’t quite figured that out yet. There’s a man by the name of Humphrey Hollingsworth in New York. He’s a big time player and one of Bishop’s friends. I’d like to get close enough to him to find out the location of Bishop’s secret base.”

“You’re sure he’s not at Zanzibar?”

“Positive,” I tell her.

“How can you be so sure?” She smiles, softening her question.

“Because the men I have there, I trust.”

She swipes a piece of hair from her face and pushes it behind her ear. “So, this Mr. Hollingsworth, you think he will lead us to Bishop?”

I nod, watching her action slowly, wishing I could have been the one to brush the stray strand away. “I do.”

“How do we get close enough to him?”

“See, that’s what I’m having trouble figuring out.”

“Why?”

I lean closer. “Because he’s just like you. He doesn’t trust that easily.”

“What kind of circles does he run in?”

“The bad kind.” I don’t smile this time. Because if Sophia knew exactly the type of company Hollingsworth keeps, she’d run screaming from this room.

“How bad?” She doesn’t give up. And suddenly I feel like if any woman could handle the type of people Hollingsworth entertains, it would be her.

“Terrible.” I lean in closer, ready to tell her part of the truth. “He runs hard-core BDSM clubs and hosts swinger parties for married couples.”

Chapter 8

Sophia

* * *

Well, then. I try to keep my cool, like Dean’s words haven’t affected me. I’ve never attended a swinger party in my life. I’ve done nothing kinky ever. And I wonder if this is something I even want to continue talking about.

“Oh,” I breathe out.

“Exactly. So, I’m not sure how we’re going to get close to him.”

An idea forms in my head, but I can’t voice it. No, it would be too crazy to even speak this idea out loud. “Um…” my words fail me.

Hard-core BDSM isn’t my thing, but I think I can manage a bit of kink…

“Um, what?” Dean stares at me like he can read my mind. And who knows, maybe he can. Maybe he’s thinking the same thing. “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”

I nod, slowly. “I think so.”

He bounds from the couch, running a hand through his blond hair. “Listen, Sophia, this isn’t something we could half-ass. This isn’t something like pretending to be friends and talking to a few people at a party.”

“No, I know.” Although, I’m not sure if I really understand what we’re agreeing to here.

“We’d need rules.”

I nod. “Lots of rules.”

“Are we really thinking the same thing?” He turns around to stare into my eyes.

His gray eyes intensify, and I try to turn away, but I can’t.

“Pretend we’re married to get an invitation to one of Mr. Hollingsworth’s swinger parties?”

He returns to sit beside me. “It’s up to you, Sophia. Tell me you want to do this.”

His eyes drop to my mouth. Is it crazy, earlier when we were both sitting here on this couch, I thought Dean wanted to kiss me? It is, right? And even now, I feel the spark of chemistry between us.

“I want to do this,” I tell him.

He leans in and captures my mouth with his and my heart nearly thrashes out of my chest. His tongue traces along my lower lip, begging to come inside. I open, letting his tongue roam over mine. It feels so good, and he moves closer. There’s this charged electricity between us and if I’m not careful, I might get zapped.

Dean releases me, breaking the kiss. “Sorry, we need to get used to each other, that means practice.”

He licks his lips, and I watch the action. The little smile he gives me once he’s caught me staring makes my cheeks heat.

I’m pretty sure I’m blushing so I glance away.

And then, it dawns on me, Dean and I are going to have to play the part of a married couple. We’re going to be attending parties with sex and other things. All of a sudden, I feel like a virgin. Like I’ve never been touched before. “I’ve never done anything like this,” I tell Dean.

“Done what?”

I sit back, needing the space between us both. “Sex parties. Swapping partners. Any of it.”

Dean smiles a highly seductive type of smile. “It’s ok. Neither have I.”

I want to believe him, but I don’t. Maybe Dean isn’t into swapping and sex parties, but I’m sure he knows his way around a bedroom. I’m sure he deals in kink like Vegas deals in cards. “What if they don’t believe us?”

“Then, we’re dead.” Dean adopts a serious look, and gazes into my eyes. “We’re going to have to play this part well. We must be believable.”

I nod.

“I mean it. We can say we’re newly married and you’re new to the game. That way when your big eyes give you away, they’ll know why.” He reaches a hand up to brush a stray strand of hair from my face.