Lingerie Wars (Invertary 1)

“Then you move on.” He caressed his way up her spine, feeling her respond to his touch.

“I could make a complete fool out of myself.”

“It’s not going to happen.”

She raised her eyebrows at him.

“Really? You know so much about designer lingerie that you’ll be able to tell if my work is good or not?”

“That’s my point exactly,” he said as he slipped his hand under the back of her jumper.

The feel of her warm, soft skin made his concentration dip for a minute.

“If I can’t tell if it’s good or not,” he said, “and I own a lingerie shop, I don’t see how the town will tell.”

Kirsty looked a little deflated.

“There will be pictures in the paper too. People outside of Invertary will see. They might think it’s rubbish.”

“How will you know? Do you plan to call everyone who reads the paper and ask for an opinion?” He leaned forward and kissed the corner of her mouth. “You need to forget what people think and have some fun.”

His oth

er hand slid under the front of her jumper. He was slightly surprised that Kirsty didn’t stop him.

“While we’re on the topic of the show,” Kirsty said, “I’m two models down. Can I have one of yours to even things up?”

“No way,” Lake said as his fingers traced over her stomach. “This is war, and you don’t help the enemy in a war.”

“You helped me when Betty stole my lingerie.”

“That was different. I was fresh from bed and too lightheaded to think straight.” He grinned at her as his hand drifted upwards. “You’re not getting one of my models. What happened to yours, anyway?”

“Claire and Megan, the Donaldson twins, have been put on house arrest by their brother for dyeing Kitty Baxter’s sheep pink.”

Lake’s hand stilled, then he threw back his head and laughed.

“I love this town,” he said with delight. “You’re still not getting any of my models.”

His fingers crept over the lace of her bra.

“Why are you here, anyway?” she said.

He knew she was trying to sound grumpy, but her eyelids were a little heavier now, betraying the fact her mind was on his touch rather than the words. Her beautiful rose-coloured lips parted slightly as his hand traced the curves of her breast. All thoughts of telling her what he’d learned about her scumbag-ex flew from his mind. The last thing he wanted to do was mess with the look of sheer bliss on her face.

“I came to see you,” he said instead.

He’d tell her another time. A better time. A time when he wasn’t dying from jeans that were too tight and a deep frustration from not getting Kirsty naked as fast as humanly possible.

“I’ve told you.” Her voice was a little breathless. “I’m not ready for you to see me.”

“That’s not what I meant.” He smiled at her.

His left hand flicked the back of her bra and performed the one and only trick he knew. A second later, his right hand was under the lace and holding her. Kirsty’s eyes fluttered shut. Lake groaned.

“Come on,” he said. “We need a bed.” He grinned at her wickedly. “With the lights out.”

“But I have work to do,” she moaned. “I don’t have time for this.”