Page 46 of Passionate Defense

“I’m serious, so don’t roll those pretty eyes at me.”

“How did you—”

“I know you better than anyone.” Again, he was right. “I’ll call Mariano’s and confirm our reservation then swing by and pick you up.”

“I could meet you there.”

“No. I’ll swing by.”

“Okay. Love you, honey.”

“Love you, too. That’s why I want you safe. See you in...thirteen.”

After finishing the court filing, she was working on, she shut down her computer and turned off all the lights except the one in the lobby. When she heard the alarm on the front door deactivate, she glanced at the clock, noticing he’d made it with thirty seconds to spare.

Meeting him in the lobby, she admired how handsome he was in his dark-navy suit. The sleek lines made him appear taller and the splash of color in the sky-blue tie was just right. She smelled the clean, fresh scent of Chrome, the cologne she liked on him the best, as she moved up next to him.

“My-oh-my, Professor, you look and smell good enough to eat. Maybe we should skip dinner.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she stood on her toes, her lips brushing his jaw, which was all she could reach as he busied himself reactivating the alarm. When he was done, he slipped an arm around her waist and drew her in for a more substantial kiss. As always, it took her breath away.

A rumbling of approval rose from his chest as he lifted his head, his eyes sparking with desire.

“Is that a yes to skipping dinner?”

“No. Unfortunately, we have business.” With his gaze locked on her mouth, he dipped his head toward her, his intention clear. She leaned into him, lips parting eagerly, when paper crinkling caught her attention. Lanie pulled away, noticing for the first time the Lord and Taylor bag he held.

“What do you have there?”

“A gift.”

She took it, eagerly peeking inside. “What’s the occasion?”

“Do I need one? I went out for lunch and bought you a little something. Mind you, it’s not another suit.”

“Thank heaven for small favors. Wearing one every day gets really old.” She pulled out a handful of tissue paper and spied slinky pale-purple fabric. “So, this isn’t for play, it’s just because? That’s so sweet.”

“It’s both actually,” he said as he checked his watch. “Although it started out as just because, when I heard the edginess in your voice earlier, I thought you might need a little anxiety reducer and came up with a little game.”

“In the thirteen-minute rush-hour drive over here? I’m impressed.”

He swatted her lightly. “Go change, smarty pants. Wear only what’s in the bag.”

Her mind reeled with a mix of excitement and apprehension as she imagined all the naughty outfits Ethan might have come up with. None of which were appropriate for dinner at a nice restaurant let alone interviewing a professional she might have to work with.

“Ethan,” she began hesitantly.

“After all this time together, do you think I would dress you in something inappropriate or embarrassing?” His frown, as much as his words, spoke to his disappointment. Never mind how he had known exactly what she was thinking. He’d done nothing that would expose her to scorn or ridicule. She felt two inches tall.

“Of course you wouldn’t. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”

The kiss he pressed to her forehead told her she was forgiven. “We’re supposed to be there in thirty minutes. Hurry and get dressed.”

In the private lavatory in her office, she removed all of her clothes—to be sure history did not repeat itself—and removed each item from the bag one by one. Finding a sleeveless silk turtleneck in a lovely soft lavender, she held it up. The narrow band at the neck gathered the material in soft drapes at both front and back, but the shoulders cut in, and would expose a lot of skin. This ruled out a bra. She dug through the bag. A strapless would have worked, but she didn’t find one. Slipping it on, she eyed herself critically in the mirror and grimaced. Braless was not a good look for a girl with nearly double D measurements.

Lack of support was one concern. The outline of her hard nipples beneath the thin silk was the other. They were set on high beam, as the joke went. She’d always thought it crude, but now saw how perfectly it fit her situation. She rubbed them until they softened.

Next, she pulled on the high-waisted black pencil skirt. Made of a stretch blend, it fit the contours of her body like a second skin. Although of conservative length, hitting slightly above the knee, there was a slit in the back that reached to mid-thigh. Poking around in the bottom of the bag, she found a pair of black stilettos and, to her surprise, a black lace thong. Would wonders never cease?

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