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“But you’re not self-conscious when you dance,” I observe, catching her meaning.
“Right.”
“Hmm.” Finishing her ablutions, I stand to toss the washcloth in the sink and collect my joggers.
Heidi pulls her knees up to her chest, crossing her ankles at the same time to cover herself better, and the position, with her heels still strapped to her feet, is an appealing blend of modest allure. “Hmm?” she repeats. “What does that mean?”
“I suppose I like the way your inexperience makes you so... open. I enjoy exploring with you.”
Trapping her lower lip between her teeth, Heidi gives me a shy smile. “Thanks. I like exploring with you too.”
“Would you care for some wine?” I offer. Once again, I find I’m not ready to let her go home yet, and since she won’t be staying the night, I hope I can entice her with a glass.
“That sounds nice.” Then Heidi’s eyes dart down to her stocking-clad legs, as if she’s only just realizing she doesn’t have clothes.
Since I destroyed her undies in our passion, she doesn’t have anything to cover her.
“I’ll get you a shirt,” I suggest.
“Thanks,” she breathes gratefully.
When she doesn’t move to stand, I leave her in the playroom to find her something appropriate. I grab a casual button-down from my closet and return, tossing it to her where she still sits, her knees drawn up, on the bed.
Only then does she stand, slipping her arms through the sleeves and closing several buttons before she rolls the cuffs up to her elbows. She looks sexy as hell in my shirt, the hem falling just below the curve of her ass so her long legs are on full display.
Scooping her hair over one shoulder, Heidi leads the way to the kitchen this time as I hold the playroom door open for her. As she leans against the center island, I pull out two wine glasses and open a bottle, then I collect them all in hand and jerk my chin, gesturing for Heidi to follow me into the living room.
As soon as my eyes fall on the couch, the image of her straddling my lap fills my mind, and though we’ve only just finished, I could easily be ready for round two just by the memory.
“So,” Heidi starts as she settles onto the seat beside me, “what kind of business do you and your brothers operate?”
“Banking and investments, mostly. We have a special focus on restaurants in the Bay Area.” That’s a very simplified, PG version of what my brothers and I do, but confessing that I have shady dealings that often involve illegal business and money laundering might not be the best information to hand out to a fling.
I prefer to keep the girls I sleep with at arm’s length. Then they have nothing on me when we go our separate ways.
“That’s really neat. And you have... enemies because of it?” Heidi’s lips quirk in a wolfish grin that tells me she’s not so easily fooled.
“The restaurant industry is a cut-throat business,” I joke, passing her a glass of wine before taking a sip of my own.
Heidi laughs, the musical sound carefree. She takes a sip of her own wine and delicately sets down the glass. “Are you and your brothers close?”
“We work in the same offices, so my brothers are constantly underfoot.”
Again she laughs, her eyes sparkling as she leans back into the plush couch. “You make them sound like children.”
“Sometimes, they are. No, I’m kidding—mostly. At times, they can be infuriating, but I’m blessed to have the opportunity to work with my brothers. It creates an unshakeable trust and confidence in our business. There is no loyalty like family loyalty.”
Heidi nods thoughtfully, her smile taking on a melancholy edge that piques my curiosity. But I don’t ask. Better to keep the conversation light. This kind of arrangement tends to take a more serious turn when I let questions get too personal.
“You’re an interior decorator, is that right?” I ask, diverting the conversation to avoid digging deeper.
“Yeah. I’ve always loved home magazines and learning the new trends in decor, so it seemed like a good fit. And my business has really taken off in the last few years—once I finished my degree.”
“Is that how you used the money I gave you?” I ask, enjoying the thought that I might have made a small contribution to the career she wanted. “Paid off your student loans or something?” I could see how a college-aged girl might be tempted to relieve herself of that financial burden if the offer was right.
“Oh, um... well, in a way, I guess.” Heidi takes a sip of wine as if to mask her discomfort.
I frown. “You guess?”
