Page 86 of Putting Out
She watched him tug, but she could see where the material was caught in between the teeth of the zipper. “Wait. You’re going to rip whatever that is.”
“It’s okay. I’ve got it.”
“No, here let me…” she knelt down by the suitcase and worked the zipper over the black lace material until it was free. Once the bag was open enough, she tugged out the material so it wouldn’t catch again.
It took her a second to realize she was looking at her favorite thong. “Oh my goodness.”
“I can explain,” Pierce said. “I know this looks strange but…”
Reilly rolled to her feet and backed up carefully to the other side of the room. “You took my underwear?”
“It was a joke. Doug made a comment about my ass and…it was just a joke!”
A joke. Sure. Only there was a stalker who was obsessed with her and now she knew where her missing thongs had disappeared to.
Laundry duty.
“We’re ordering out for dinner tonight,” Luke said, popping his head into the room. “Do you want…” His voice trailed off and Reilly figured he must have seen what was in her hand.
“It was a joke! You have to listen to me,” Pierce pleaded.
“What’s happening?”
“Nothing.” She met Pierce’s eyes and tried to see beyond the beautiful face and into his soul. He was a good guy. She’d been working with him for weeks now. He’d been professional and funny and uninterested in her romantically.
He was a little kinky apparently, but not a stalker.
“Nothing,” Reilly said again, tucking the underwear into the back pocket of her jeans. “Just a gag Pierce played on me. You said you’re ordering food?”
Pierce sighed. “Nothing junky. How about sushi?”
“Sushi works.”
Luke nodded. For a second he paused, but then with nothing else to say he made his way back down the hall.
“Reilly…” Pierce began.
She held up her hand to stop him.
“Don’t say it. I don’t want to know what you and Doug did with my thong. Needless to say, please don’t return it to me when you do the wash.”
She took the lacy fabric out of her pocket and tossed it to him.
He snatched it out of the air and smiled. “Black is my color.”
A mental image popped into her mind and she squashed it.
“I don’t know what’s worse. That you took it or that it fit.”
Pierce shrugged. “It was alittletight around the hips.”
Nope. That didn’t make her feel better at all.
