Just 4 Play

He paused outside the office door and forced himself to take deep, calming breaths. She was probably upset; fine, he had seen her upset before and he could deal with that. The main thing was to remain calm. After all, he’d done nothing to be ashamed of.

He grasped the doorknob firmly and shoved open the door, a placating speech already forming in his mind. But the scene before him froze him in his tracks.

Lana and Sid sat side by side in front of the desk. Sid’s head was leaned toward Lana, an earnest expression on his face as he listened to her pour out some tale of woe, his pink Mohawk almost touching her perfectly coifed hair. The teacup looked like something from a child’s toy tea set in his large hand.

“Thank you for being so understanding, Sid,” Lana was saying.

Mitch made a strangled noise in his throat and they both looked up. Lana tensed and her expression grew stormy. “Mitch, how could you!”

He walked into the room and leaned against the desk, his pose deliberately casual. “How could I what?”

Two lines made a deep V between her brows and her mouth puckered in an expression of distaste. “How could you run a…a…smut shop?”

“We prefer to think of ourselves as purveyors of accessories to enhance people’s pleasure and well-being.” Sid’s tongue-stud clacked against his teeth, giving him a slight lisp.

Lana stared at him, her mouth going slack. A rosy flush crept up her neck. “Um, yes.”

She turned back to Mitch. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I knew you’d react like this. Besides, I intend to close the place down and open a restaurant.”

Sid looked pained. “I told her.” He rescued her teacup from her hand. “Let me get you some more tea.”

“I don’t want more tea.” She clenched her fists in her lap. “I want an explanation.”

Why hadn’t he noticed before how shrewish she could be? He frowned. “I don’t see that it’s any of your business, Lana.”

“How can you say that? Don’t you realize I have a reputation in town? What will people think when they find out the man I’m dating owns a place like this?”

The man I’m dating. Was that all he was to her? Someone to escort her to dinner or to the theater, nothing more? “Maybe they’d think you were lucky,” he said, only half-joking.

Sid brought more tea. “Lots of respectable people shop here,” he said. His expression was grave as he bent over Lana. “The mayor’s wife has even been here before.”

Lana’s eyes widened as she accepted the teacup. A trembling attempt at a smile even rose to her lips. “You’ve been so kind,” she said, her voice breathy.

Sid ducked his head, looking humble—or as humble as a six-foot-plus tattooed and pierced man in leather can look. “My pleasure, ma’am.”

Lana turned back to Mitch, her smile vanished. “This is why you’ve been talking about…about sex and experimenting and being bored.”

He shoved his hands into his pants pockets. It was either that or give in to the temptation to shake some sense into her. “I was only suggesting we had gotten into a rut.”

“Well…fine. If that’s what you want then…fine.” She set down her cup so hard tea sloshed onto the desk. “You can find someone else to play your…your sex games.” She grabbed up her purse and stormed out.

“Lana, wait…”

“I’ll just make sure she’s okay.” Sid took off after her.

Mitch crossed his arms and stared at the vacant doorway. He should have been the one to go after Lana, but he couldn’t bring himself to move a muscle. Whatever they’d had between them was over now. The only emotion he could muster was relief.

He sighed and straightened. That took care of Lana—now what to do about Meg? He had little hope she’d actually stayed in the car. Even as a toddler, she’d never minded very well.

He spotted her with Jill on the other side of the store and made his way over to them. “What are you doing in here?” he asked.

She held up a large purple vibrator. “I had some shopping to do.” She pressed a button and the purple plastic penis waggled like a hula dancer. “Isn’t it cute?”

6

ALL THE BLOOD RUSHED to Mitch’s face. He grabbed the absurd toy and switched it off. “I told you to stay in the car.”

She raised one eyebrow. “Since when have I ever done what you tell me?” She grinned. “Nice place you have here, bro.”

His face felt hot. He was embarrassed—and embarrassed that he was embarrassed. Yes, Meg was a grown woman, but he couldn’t stop thinking of her as his little sister.

She picked up a pink vibrator. “I think I like this one.”

“The koi,” Jill said. “A good choice. The fish’s little fins provide excellent clitoral stimulation.”

He wanted to put his hands over his ears. He didn’t want to hear this. He turned away. He didn’t want to see it, either. Behind him, Meg and Jill laughed, apparently in on some hilarious joke.

The bells on the front door jangled and Sid came back in. “I managed to get her calmed down a little, I think. At least enough to drive home without having an accident.”

“What was her problem?” Jill asked.

“She doesn’t approve.” Mitch walked over to the counter and pretended an interest in a magazine lying there. Piercing Times. Who knew there were so many different places one could puncture the body?

“In my experience, when someone has such a negative reaction to something, it’s because they’re really more attracted to it than they think they should be.” Jill laid the pink vibrator on the counter and leaned toward him. The scent of jasmine teased him and a sudden memory of her, whip in hand, flashed across his mind.

He shifted his stance, turning slightly away from her. “I don’t think that’s Lana’s problem.”

“Don’t be too sure.” Meg joined them at the counter. “Maybe there’s really a wild woman inside that repressed, proper shell.”

He shook his head. “No.” If anyone was in a position to know that, he was. Lana didn’t even like to make any noise when she climaxed.

“What are you going to do now?” Meg asked.

He shoved aside the magazine. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Jill tilted her head to one side and studied him.

“If she’s that upset about me owning this place, then it’s probably best we don’t see each other anymore.”

“So you’re going to let her go, just like that?” Jill shook her head. “One little disagreement and you’re through?”

Why was she taking Lana’s side? “You don’t know anything about it,” he snapped. “And it’s none of your business anyway.”

“I think it’s more than ‘one little disagreement.’” Meg joined them at the front counter. “I think things haven’t been right between them for a while now—if they ever were.”

He glared at her. “Stay out of this.”