Wilde Thing (22 page)

“When I hired you on, I mentioned advancement within the company if you performed well, which you have—beyond what most operators accomplish in a month’s time.” His tone was very complimentary. “A lot of the operators I’ve employed have advanced on to becoming party girls, which entails attending private parties and catering to a client’s requests and desires on a more intimate level. And because I think you’re ready to take that next step, I’m going to offer you one of those opportunities, if you’re interested.”

She feigned a nonchalant shrug. “If there’s more money involved, of course I’d be interested.”

He seemed immensely pleased by her response. “How do you feel about meeting your client in person and establishing a physical relationship with him?”

If it were with anyone other than Steve, and if it weren’t for the sake of needing to make contact with Trixie Lane, Liz would have flatly refused the offer. Hell, she wouldn’t even be here right now if it hadn’t been for Valerie’s disappearing act.

“What’s in it for me?” she asked boldly.

He grinned, apparently appreciating her straight
forward manner. “Money, of course. A sixty-forty split of a thousand dollars, which is what it costs the client to attend a party.”

A thousand dollars. Liz’s head spun at the amount he so casually tossed out there. She was stunned and amazed that anyone would pay such an exorbitant fee to attend a fantasy party. Unless … “What do I have to do for that kind of money?”

“Entertain your client for the night, in any capacity he wishes.” Antonio shrugged, his expression all business. “Make the fantasies you share with him on the phone a reality.”

She’d already accomplished that with Steve, and then some. And now she would be taking their affair into a more public arena, she thought with a shudder, uncertain of what she’d gotten herself into, but determined to see it through.

Antonio went on. “There are many amenities that the two of you can take advantage of and enjoy, along with private fantasy playrooms and sexual stimulants that can be accessed for an extra fee on the client’s part.”

She couldn’t imagine that they’d stick around long enough to indulge in stimulants, or what those playrooms had to offer. Once they had the information they needed on Rob,
if
they were able to uncover anything substantial at all, she wanted out of there. For good.

She swallowed the hard knot that had gathered in her throat, and pretended enthusiasm. “What do I have to do to set this up with my client?”

“He’s already established his interest in meeting you, so tonight when he calls you, extend the invitation for him to accompany you to an Ultimate Fantasy party tomorrow night. If he agrees, then you transfer him over to Doreen, who will handle the monetary details, along with transportation to The Ultimate Fantasy mansion.
You’ll both be taken there by a private company limousine.”

Liz sat quietly, absorbing the details, so very grateful that Steve would be by her side the entire night.

“If you find you enjoy being a party girl, you can make the choice of remaining strictly a party girl, or you can go back to being an operator, or do both. The choice is yours, but the more men you invite to the parties, the more money you make in a night’s time.”

Liz inwardly cringed, knowing that being a “party girl” was equivalent to working as a high-dollar escort. Was that what Valerie was involved in, of her own choice? The thought made Liz feel physically ill. Then again, she was learning a whole lot of things about Valerie’s personality that went beyond the rebellious cousin she’d grown up with and the young girl who’d grown into a woman who needed attention focused on her in any way she could get it. What Valerie was doing was flat-out dangerous, stupid, and selfish to those who cared about her.

And Liz was beginning to wonder if she cared too much.

She immediately shoved that thought to the back of her mind, because it went against everything she believed in when it came to family—even her cousin who’d never wanted to share her mother and father with an orphaned girl who only wanted to be loved and accepted. She’d made a promise to her aunt and uncle to look after Valerie, and it was a responsibility she took seriously.

And disappointing her aunt and uncle again wasn’t an option.

They wrapped up the meeting, with Liz agreeing to make the leap to party girl and invite Steve as her first client, for a fee of one thousand dollars. But as she left Antonio’s office, it wasn’t attending the party she was
worried about; it was the money issue that weighed heavily on her mind. Another thousand dollars out of Steve’s pocket, and another thousand dollars to add to what she’d have to repay him for his PI services.

She’d planned on signing over her paycheck to him with whatever she earned as an operator, and he’d get back the forty percent of the money she earned after escorting him to The Ultimate Fantasy party, but that didn’t cover all his charges to date.

Now this—still more she owed him, and another debt to repay. Another obligation to pile on top of the others.

S
teve watched as Liz paced restlessly in front of his desk while she explained the details of her meeting with Antonio less than an hour ago. She’d come straight to his office after her appointment, and while it appeared that everything had gone smoothly and as planned with Antonio, there was something else that had Liz on edge.

“If everything went so well, what’s bothering you?” he asked, concerned.

She stopped and met his gaze, her lips pursed, and he knew whatever had her so agitated was finally about to be brought out into the open. “It’s going to cost an extra thousand dollars for you to get into the party.”

He certainly didn’t expect that they’d get in for free, but it was obvious by the disconcerted look on Liz’s face that she was devastated by yet another expense in her search for her self-centered cousin.

“That’s not a problem,” he said evenly. “I’ll cover the expense.”

Her chin lifted adamantly, and she crossed her arms over her chest. “You know I’ll pay you back. Every last penny.”

Oh, he believed her, not that he was concerned about
when or how she would pay him back. That was the furthest thing from his mind when it came to her. “I’m not worried about payment, Liz.”

The case might have started out with expenses for her to gradually reimburse, but he was fronting the fees for the party out of his own personal pocket because he cared for Liz and this was important to her. Which made it equally important to him, regardless of how he felt about the situation with Valerie, and Liz’s involvement.

He stood, rounded his desk, and gathered Liz into his arms. She was stiff and tense at first, and he caressed a hand down her back, soothing her with his touch. He smiled when she uncrossed her arms and slipped them around his waist and leaned into him, finally accepting his physical and emotional support.

He wondered when the last time was that someone had taken care of Liz, or simply comforted her as he was doing. He’d bet it had been years, considering Liz’s penchant for worrying about everyone else, and her misplaced need in trying to please her aunt and uncle and make up for her rocky, rebellious marriage to Travis. She was so afraid of losing the people who loved her that she went to the extreme to compensate, and that ingrained habit of hers wouldn’t change until she accepted that she only had to answer to herself in life.

“Listen, the most important thing is that you were able to get us into the party,” he said, and brushed his lips tenderly against her temple, inhaling her soft, feminine scent. “And when I call tonight, everything will go as we’ve planned. I’ll agree to escort you to the party, you connect me over to Doreen to handle the details, and hopefully, by tomorrow night we’ll get what we need from Trixie, so I can trace Rob and his whereabouts.”

As if realizing how much she was leaning on him, Liz stepped out of his embrace. “I swear, it never seems
to end when it comes to Valerie.” Frustration vibrated through her tone. “I’m just getting my business back on its feet and Travis’s debts paid off, and now this.”

While Steve would cheerfully strangle her cousin for putting Liz through such hell, Liz herself needed to realize that Valerie was a grown woman, that the choices she made—right, wrong, or dangerous—were her own to make. And any resulting consequences were Valerie’s to bear. No one else’s. Just as Liz’s choices were her own.

She’d let herself feel guilt where none was warranted, thereby feeding into Valerie’s need for attention. So long as Liz did that, her cousin would continue to manipulate her emotions. And all Steve could do was show Liz that he’d be there for her, to make sure she knew how much he cared. He’d protect her to the best of his ability and do his damnedest to locate her cousin and end Liz’s worry.

After that, any future they might have together was up to her.

“I have a special delivery for Liz Adams.”

Liz looked up from the Irish cream latte she was making for a customer, and glanced at the young man standing on the other side of the counter. He was wearing a navy work shirt with a courier service embroidered on the pocket, verifying his claim as a delivery man. A clipboard was tucked beneath his arm, and he held a flat white box in one hand, secured with ribbon and topped with a huge red velvet bow, and a plastic garment bag in the other.

Startled and a whole lot confused, she handed her customer the drink and met the other man’s gaze. “I’m Liz Adams.”

“Great.” He grinned, and shuffling the items in his hands, he managed to set the clipboard on the counter
and produce a pen for her signature. “Sign on the bottom line, and these items are all yours.”

She dried her damp hands on a terry towel and shook her head. “But I didn’t order anything.” At least not from Sensual Pleasures, the name of the boutique imprinted on the garment bag.

“Hey, I just deliver the stuff,” the guy said with a shrug. “And if you’re Liz Adams, then this delivery is yours, no matter
who
ordered it.”

Feeling self-conscious with her employees and patrons looking on, Liz signed off on the packages and took them from the courier. She told Katie to finish up with the few customers still waiting in line, and that she’d be in her office if she needed extra help.

Once she was in the back room, she hung the vinyl garment bag from a peg on a metal storage shelf and set the lavishly decorated box on her desk. Catching sight of the small white envelope attached to the garment bag with her name on it, she plucked it off, withdrew the card inside, and read the note written in a bold, masculine print.

See you tonight. Love, Steve.

Liz’s hand trembled, and her heart beat hard and fast in her chest as she stared at the valediction Steve had used. Not
sincerely,
not
warmly,
but
love
Steve.

The single word tugged on her emotions, made her yearn to embrace all the subtle changes in Steve she’d noticed the past few days, which were becoming increasingly difficult to ignore or dismiss with a pat excuse. There was no denying the tenderness and genuine affection in his gaze when he looked at her, and then there was the way he touched her that had nothing to do with sex, and everything to do with a gentleness and understanding she’d been without for too long.

Love.
An emotion that was so wonderful yet so complicated and scary for all it implied.

She exhaled a shaky breath and refocused on the
gifts that Steve had sent her, instead of the insistent ache in her chest. She hadn’t opened anything yet, but she was fairly certain that her bad boy had gone shopping and purchased an outfit for her to wear tonight, to the Ultimate Fantasy party.

Last night, their phone conversation had gone without a hitch, as had inviting Steve to the exclusive party. According to Steve, the transaction had gone smoothly with Doreen, and Liz was set up for his escort and date. A company limousine would arrive to pick her up first at six tonight, then Steve, and take them both to the Ultimate Fantasy mansion together.

She hadn’t seen or spoken to Steve since last night, when he’d gently told her to go home and get a good night’s rest. She’d been disappointed that he wasn’t going to come by her apartment, but knew it was for the best. At least for her. At the rate that things were progressing for the case, another day or two and her affair with Steve would be over, and she needed to get used to the lonely nights ahead. Again.

A knock on her open office door made her jump and jarred her out of her troubling thoughts. She turned around to find Mona sauntering into the room, her eyes alight with curiosity as she glanced from the box on her desk to the still unopened garment bag behind Liz.

“Hey, what’s with the special delivery?” Mona asked unabashedly.

It figured that Mona had witnessed the courier’s arrival and had shamelessly come over to snoop, Liz thought with amusement. “It’s from Steve.” Tucking the card back into the envelope, she slipped the private, intimate note into the top drawer of her desk. “Tonight’s the big night.”

Mona’s gaze widened in understanding. “The two of you are going to one of the fantasy parties?”

“Yes.” Liz gave her friend a brief rundown of the events of the past few days in terms of the case, and her
finally inviting Steve to the private party. “I’m pretty sure Steve sent me over an outfit to wear for tonight.”

“Well, what are you waiting for?” Mona said with an encouraging grin. “Let’s see what kind of taste Steve has when it comes to dressing a woman.”

“Yes, let’s,” Liz agreed, just as anxious to see what the garment bag hid.

Unzipping the front closure, she pushed the sides apart. She and Mona gasped in unison as she revealed a beautiful, dazzling red dress unlike anything she had ever owned before.

“Oh, wow,” Liz murmured, and grinned, recalling Steve’s preference to the color red on a woman, over classic black.

“ ‘Wow’ is right. You have to try this on so I can see it on you,” Mona insisted.

And Liz supposed she ought to make sure that the dress actually fit. “I’ll be right back,” she said, and took the outfit to the employee restroom located in the back of the storage area.

Minutes later, she was staring at her transformed reflection in the small mirror above the sink, which only allowed her to see to where the hemline of the dress ended, just above the knee. But it was enough to confirm that the little red dress did indeed fit, from the deep, V-halter neckline that shaped her breasts and left her entire back bare, to the flattering empire waist that hinted at her curves but didn’t blatantly display them. The hemline was flared, and swirled around her hips and thighs when she walked or turned.

She’d planned to wear something from Valerie’s closet but was secretly thrilled at what Steve had chosen for her. She’d never worn anything so decadent and sensual, never had any reason to, and couldn’t remember the last time she’d felt so sexy and confident in an outfit. It was a novel sensation, one she couldn’t help but like and enjoy despite the circumstances.

With one last look in the mirror, she headed back to her office, where Mona was anxiously awaiting her return.

A huge grin lit up her face when she saw Liz. “You look amazing, and I’m so impressed. Steve Wilde certainly has great taste.”

Liz twirled around so Mona could see the outfit from all angles. “And apparently, a good eye for my size,” she added with a light laugh, though it helped that the dress wasn’t a form-fitting sheath but loose and flirty from the waist down. The only thing that was snug was the halter-top-style bodice, which displayed a fair amount of cleavage.

“He’s obviously seen enough of you in the buff to make a fairly close judgment call on what would fit your shape.” Mona waggled her brows teasingly. “Shall we take a look at what’s in box number two?”

Liz slipped off the ribbon and bow, feeling giddy, like a young girl who was being spoiled with such lavish birthday presents. Except it wasn’t her birthday, and that made this unexpected surprise, and Steve’s attention, so much more special and memorable.

Tossing the box top aside, Liz parted the pale pink tissue paper and felt her body flash hot at the all-red, provocative ensemble she discovered. She fingered the edge of a satin-and-lace garter belt that came with nude silk stockings, and felt her body stir with desire when she caught sight of the sheer, barely there panties with convenient side ties—the only thing that held the scrap of fabric together. There was no bra, but the dress he’d bought for her didn’t require one.

“Oh, my,” Mona said, and lifted her gaze from the sexy lingerie to Liz. “Steve certainly went all out, didn’t he?”

Liz could only nod, overwhelmed by Steve’s generosity. “He even included a matching purse. The only thing missing to complete the outfit is a pair of red strappy shoes.”

“Which screams for the two of us to go shopping this afternoon.” Mona grinned. “I’ve got an extra employee at the bookstore who can handle things for a couple of hours; how about you?”

She owned an old pair of red leather pumps, but she refused to ruin the effect of the striking outfit Steve had sent her with a staid pair of shoes. “Yeah, I can wing it.” Besides, she’d rather be out shopping than sitting here in her office worrying and growing increasingly nervous about tonight’s party.

“And while we’re out, let’s get your hair and nails done, too,” Mona suggested, her eyes bright with anticipation. “I’m guessing Steve spent a small fortune on everything, and you can’t wear a head-turning dress like this and not look the part of a sexy siren.”

Mona’s comment was made innocently and out of pure excitement, but Liz felt a moment’s hesitation at the realization of how much Steve had spent on her. For once, she ignored that sensible little voice in her head and refused to think about the cost of Steve’s gift. This was one present she’d accept from him guilt-free, because she wanted so badly to look and be the part of a seductive, sophisticated woman who’d captured his interest.

Tomorrow the fairy tale would be over, but for tonight, she’d be his every fantasy.

Steve couldn’t take his gaze off of the gorgeous, breathtaking woman sitting next to him in the backseat of the limousine as their chauffeur drove them to the Ultimate Fantasy mansion, located in an exclusive area of Lincoln Park.

She quite literally took his breath away.

When he’d chosen the red dress for Liz to wear, he’d imagined she would look stunning, but he was unprepared for the full effect of the dress, combined with
artfully applied make-up that enhanced her green eyes yet didn’t overwhelm her pretty features, along with the way she’d worn her hair. Her blond tresses were swept up into a soft, sensual style that showed off her neck and the line of her jaw and gave him access to plenty of bare flesh—from her shoulders all the way down to the base of her spine. Then there were those red, sexy strappy heels she was wearing that made her stocking-clad legs look impossibly long and slender.

But for as centerfold-seductive as she looked, it was the sweet, wholesome, down-to-earth woman beneath all the outer trappings who drew him the most, and always would. And as her gaze met his in the dimly lit interior in the backseat of the limo, he could tell she was nervous about what the night would bring.