Sapphire (14 page)

J
ase fought to control his grin, watching Sapphire’s cheeks flame with a mixture of embarrassment and anger underscored by a healthy dose of disbelief. He kept his narrowed gaze focused on her not allowing her to look away. He watched the warring emotions stealing across her face. They were more apparent than he wished they were. He needed her to be able to mask her feelings, her surprise, and especially her outrage. It was a cinch they were heading into a domain where her every look, tone of voice, and unchecked response—both physical and emotional, would be studied and played upon. Roberto Ventrilo was a master at reading people. He could spot a plant with his eyes closed. Jase had seen him participate in a congenial conversation with an unwary guest then abruptly signal one of his men. At that moment, the unfortunate individual would be ushered from the room. Only the distant screams, and fact that he never reappeared, confirmed that Roberto had seen through his cover.

For the moment Jase gave Sapphire the benefit of the doubt. He’d seen her steely reserves when she confronted the gang thugs on the infamous video. Both Ian and Diamond had confirmed that in operator mode she was a virtual chameleon. She could assume her intended persona and never reveal a single crack in her façade no matter how challenging the situation. He hoped so. It was essential that they both keep a tight rein on their emotions, particularly since they were running so high. For a brief moment Jase wondered if she, or more frankly, they, could work as partners. He admitted to himself that he’d never reacted to a woman the way that he was reacting to Sapphire. She’d gotten under his skin in ways he was having a hard time coming to grips with. Which made it even more imperative that they were both able to conceal their true feelings.

He settled back in his chair, took a lazy sip of his champagne, and waited to see how she would respond to his outrageous demand. He was gratified to see her expression imperceptibly harden as she glanced from him to Georgette. Seeing her gaze settle on the ramrod straight woman who was eyeing her disapprovingly, Jase saw the accomplished operator subtly emerge. Facing her target, a slight smile, utterly devoid of humor, curved her full lips. It was her only visible change of emotion. Her voice held a faint challenge.

“My sizes are easily discernable, Madame. I’m larger on the top than I am on the bottom, and I’m five feet eight inches tall, much of which I owe to my long legs; plenty long enough to reach the ground, as Mr. Lincoln said. For those reasons, it is difficult for me to find a dress that fits properly which is why I customarily rely on separates.”

Throwing Jase a challenging glance, she added, “I have particular tastes in clothing and am more than capable of deciding which clothes make the most of my assets.”

Before Georgette could respond, Jase rose to his feet. He ambled over to the bar and refilled his glass. Leaning back against the bar he crossed his feet at the ankles and met her gaze through narrowed eyes. With a flick of his finger he motioned to the raised platform. He kept his tone even, almost casual.

“The dais, please, Sapphire. And then your clothes. All of them. You need to understand. No one knows her clothing as Georgette does.” He added with a slight grin, “She is almost as adept as I when determining what size a woman needs, and which clothing options will best convey the intended impression.”

When Sapphire continued to stare at him and didn’t move, he repeated softly.

“Now, Sapphire.”

After a brief pause, Sapphire’s slight smile widened but didn’t reach her eyes. Meeting his gaze, she nodded then moved toward the dais. Stepping up onto the edge of the platform, a distant expression crossed her face. Her languid movements as she walked to the center of the stage reminded him of a sleek panther. A panther that was more than aware of the response she was having on her audience. She reached behind her and slowly began to unbutton her tight halter top. When the buttons were free, she held the top against her chest for a long moment, then casually let it drop to the floor. Jase managed to quench the surge of emotion tightening his breath at the sight of her full breasts. Showcased in a strip of gossamer white netting, her nipples tightened into hard tips at his open gaze. For a brief moment he allowed himself the vicarious pleasure of imagining his tongue laving the distended nubs.

Sapphire’s only acknowledgement of her nipples’ betrayal of her studied nonchalance was a minute flush of crimson on her cheeks that disappeared as quickly as it came. Continuing her languorous movements, she undid the clasp on her pencil skirt and tugged on the zipper. She held the skirt in place for a brief moment, then slid it over her slim hips guiding it to the floor. Standing in front of him in her bra and the merest scrap of lace covering her mons, Jase’s detachment was severely challenged at the sight of her sensational legs, a dancer’s legs. His breath hitched at the sight of her thigh-high, lace topped stockings that, in combination with her four-inch high-heeled strappy sandals, made her long, toned legs even more spectacular. Determined to keep his untoward response to her beautiful body somewhat controlled he raised his hand in a casual twirling motion indicating that she should turn around and show him her backside.

If she was embarrassed or angered by his silent command, Sapphire kept her expression impassive. If anything she openly taunted him, underscoring her slow sensuous rotation, with a saucy upturn of one, then the other of her shapely hips. Turning back to face him she met his eyes with her chin held high. Jase sipped on his champagne and then motioned to her underwear. Keeping his tone even, he said simply, “Off.” He waited a brief moment to judge her reaction, and then softened his order. Waving a hand at her “fuck me” shoes, Jase added with a slight smile, “You can leave the shoes on.”

Sapphire sucked in a long, slow breath as quietly as she could. No matter what Jase did, she refused to let him see how rattled she was. If was bad enough that she was wearing these damn high heels. Her shaky legs just made the stilt-like stilettos more treacherous. Of
course
he would insist that she leave them on. Men! God, they were so transparent. What was it about “hooker heels” that turned them on as much as they did? Yes, they made her legs look even longer, even more toned. But Sapphire believed there was something more compelling about the precarious shoes that fascinated men. It was the way that they essentially contained a woman. Kept her in her place. After all, who the hell could run fast, or even keep up with, a long-legged man when wearing heels that made quick movements challenging.

She chided herself. Enough contemplation of the sociology of high heels and why men loved them. She knew what Jase was doing. She even understood why. They were heading into a dangerous mission. He had to know that he could trust her. That she would follow orders, not question his commands. So what did the fucker do to test her? He ordered her to strip for him, down to nothing. Nothing except these damnable shoes. At first it took everything she had to obey him. Sapphire wanted to storm out of the boutique and tell him, and that haughty bitch who was laughing at her behind her back, to go to hell. But her competitive spirit kicked in. She decided that if he thought that removing her clothes in front of him—at his command, no less—would embarrass her, that she wouldn’t do it, he could think again.

If it was a striptease he wanted, fine. She knew how to entice a man with her body. Hell, she was an expert at it. There was only one problem, and it was a big one. Whenever she had used her body in the past to provoke a mark, to excite him as part of an operation, she herself hadn’t been affected. She could always rely on making her moves and actions as provocative as possible but never feeling the slightest twinge of sexual interest herself. Where, in her past, she’d been contained, unmoved, to her dismay, with Jase she was anything but. Looking at the casual, commanding, emerald-eyed stud who was now lounging in his chair took everything she had not to give into the rampant sensations that were surging through her body.

Seeing the tell-tale bulge tenting his trousers didn’t help. If anything, knowing that he was aroused only heightened her arousal. Without looking down she knew that her nipples were erect, hard, pointed. God, they had to be the way that they were aching for his touch. It was all she could do to keep from stroking them, tugging on the throbbing points to ease the passion swamping her. The gleam in his eyes as he studied the virtually transparent silk of her push up bra confirmed that her arousal was as apparent to him as it was to her. While she couldn’t hide her breasts, she had hoped that somehow she could hide the fact that she was wet. She’d prayed that the ridiculous scrap of silk that was her thong could hide the dew that she knew was coating her intimate folds. His knowing glance at the apex of her thighs shot that theory to hell and back.

Knowing that her only recourse was to obey his arrogant command, she decided to take off her underwear in a way that challenged his control as much as he was challenging hers. Tipping up her chin, Sapphire held his gaze and allowed a small smile to touch her lips. She took several steps toward him, undulating her hips slowly from side to side. The slight tightening of his jaw at her provocative move reassured her. Damn right. Two could play this game. If he thought she was the only one that would be affected by this incendiary tryst he was crazy.

She reached up behind her and slowly unhooked her bra. Making a production of sliding one strap and then the other off of her shoulders, she arched her back, raising her breasts higher then let the gauzy fabric steal across the full mounds and flutter to the floor. The involuntary twitch at the corner of his eye was her reward. Emboldened by his obvious reaction, she slid her hands under the string-like band on her thong. Hesitating for a moment, she bit down on her lip as if deciding whether she would give in and take off the tiny covering. Sliding the satin over her hips, she revealed her bare skin. The flush that stole unbidden across his face confirmed that he was aroused by her bare pussy—and inspired her next move.

Casually stepping out of the panties, one shoe clad foot and then the other, she reached down and held the satiny fabric for a moment then tipped up her chin and tossed it to Jase. His eyes widened as he caught the miniscule prize. He stared at her for a long moment, his eyes gleaming with lust, then held the moist fabric to his nose and breathed in a deep audible breath. His lips tipped up in a tight smile as he tucked the sexy strip into his shirt pocket. His audacious response to her cheeky move sent a shower of electrical sparks coursing across her sex. It took every bit of restraint she had not to moan aloud. As it was, she knew her face was as flushed as her intimate lips likely were. She could only hope that Jase’s visible swallow confirmed that he was as aroused as she was.

For the next hour Sapphire tried on the bits of clothing that Georgette and her efficient minions brought to her. If the outfits the mannequins were wearing had seemed provocative, they were burka- like compared to the ones Jase selected for her. Any questions she had about Jase’s expertise were erased when she saw what the clothes he designated did to her body. What looked like shapeless scraps of fabric became erotic, and even tasteful, works of art on her lush body. She gave up trying to act uninterested as she tried on one after another of the ensembles he chose. Instead, she gave into the pleasure of seeing beautiful, exotic clothes come to life on her body.

It also didn’t hurt to see the appreciation flare on Jase’s face or the lust that gleamed in his eyes as she donned each of the outfits he’d chosen and turned to show him the results. Whereas moments before she’d been embarrassed, even horrified, by her erect nipples and the obvious moisture between her legs, seeing Jase studying her body openly and knowingly, Sapphire gave into the fiery electric sparks streaking across her nearly naked body. It was as though a heavy curtain had been lifted, revealing the rampant sexuality that she kept buried deep below the surface. She’d spent years protecting her body and her spirit from the throngs of men who would gladly have partaken of her wares. But something about Jase’s arrogant perusal, and the obvious erection he no longer tried to hide, smashed through her reserves.

She was overwhelmed by the desire to provoke him, tease him, and, if possible, arouse him further. Unbidden, she began to saunter across the raised stage. No longer self-conscious about being vividly on display not only for Jase, but also for Georgette and her cowed underlings, Sapphire began to enjoy her celebrity. She consciously let loose the minx that existed below her carefully maintained façade. Instead of being horrified when the bosom of a particular outfit showcased her breasts, she reached inside the garment and repositioned the lush globes so that her erect nipples were even more visible. Rather than letting a tiny skirt settle discreetly over her hips, she made a point of bending over and ensuring that her wide-eyed audience had a glimpse of her curvy ass before slowly pulling the skirt down to cover it. When Jase instructed her, with an imperious flick of his wrist, to turn in a circle, she did so slowly, shifting her hips tauntingly from side to side. Jase’s groan when she bent over, and his strained chuckle at her stimulating antics, encouraged her to be even more daring. The only problem was that as she upped the sensual ante, she was as turned on by her saucily seductive moves as Jase was.

In preparation for the evening ahead, Jase studied the rack of provocative clothing he’d selected. After a thoughtful moment he chose a relatively understated, low cut, silvery white sheathe that landed just below her knees. As was true of everything Sapphire had put on, the dress came to shimmery life as it skimmed over her body. She tried not to show her horror when Georgette handed her a lacy bra and matching panties, but Jase shook his head no. With a dismissive wave of his hand, he confirmed that the skintight dress would be the sum total of the clothing that she would wear tonight. Except, of course, for the strappy silver sandals that she’d worn throughout her provocative fashion show.