Page 97 of Passionate Defense

“I value your opinion. Listen to it one more time and I’ll head on home.”

“Did you hear a word I said?”

“Of course, I heard you, Ethan.”

“Yeah, but were you listening?” Once again, he stared at her, long and intently. Then he shook his head with a little smile, as if resigning himself to going over it one more time.

“Okay, I’ll hear your summation again. But first, look in your purse. I left you a little present.”

“You did? When?”

“I snuck it in there before I left.”

She pulled out her bottom drawer and grabbed her purse. With the big leather bag in her lap, she started digging through it.

“I was going to say I was surprised you hadn’t found it before tonight, but I forgot. That isn’t a purse. It’s a bottomless pit. It weighs a ton, too, and can’t be good for your back.”

“So you’ve said before. This is the perfect size bag for me. Everything I need fits right in here.” She glanced up at the screen, saw his teasing smile, and replied in kind. “A girl has needs, honey.”

“Yeah. That’s what I’m counting on.”

“What?”

“Have you found it yet? It’s in a blue velvet pouch.”

As a diversionary tactic, distraction worked. She was much too curious about the mysterious blue bag to wonder about his cryptic answer. Diving elbow-deep into her huge purse, she finally found it at the bottom.

“Here it is.” Eagerly, she tugged on the drawstring.

“Wait. Put it on the desk. I want you to unbutton your blouse first.”

Her eyes flew to the screen. “Here? In the office?”

They’d had sexy video chats before when one of them traveled. After the first awkward minutes, Lanie had loosened up and enjoyed it every time. The only difference tonight was the location, but still.

“I’ll give you a minute to close the door and the blinds. Hurry back.”

As she moved around the room, ensuring their privacy, she heard his stern voice from the speakers and turned back to the screen.

“I don’t have to ask about the main door being locked, and the system being armed, do I?”

“No, you don’t.” Ethan had made an upgrade after the last incident. She now had an app that would remotely alarm and deactivate the security system via her phone. She swiped the screen a few times and then angled it toward her laptop. “See, all secure.”

“Good girl.” His eyes twinkled as she took her seat. “If we’re all set...” He paused, continuing when she nodded. “Your blouse. I want it open.”

Her fingers shook with nervous excitement as she quickly undid the half dozen buttons and pulled the sides apart.

“Is that a front-hook bra?”

“No.” She started to shrug off her shirt.

“Lanie, stop. For the next little bit, I want you to do only what I tell you to. Okay?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. Leave the blouse as it is and pull down the cups.”

Lowering the lightly padded cups turned the champagne satin into a pushup bra, which plumped up her breasts and pushed them together. Without looking, she knew his eyes were fixed on her chest, and her nipples hardened.

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