Page 50 of A Certain Appeal
“Speaking offeeling good.” Ming prods me with the rounded end of a pin. “You going to tell everyone about theotherhighlight of that evening?”
I cut my eyes at her and she grins wickedly.
Chloe’s brows peak. “Another highlight?”
“You made the most of the open back of that dress.” Ming resumes her pinning. “Or,hedid.”
“Who is this now?” Jane asks.
Ming’s dark eyes widen, her mouth going round in mock surprise. “Kitten, are you keeping secrets from our Sweet Jane?”
“I...” I clear my throat. The memory of Darcy’s hands flares all over my back, but I chase it away, thinking of Wickham. “I don’t know where I am with that.”
“I can tell you where youshouldbe with that. Somewhere horizontal and weight bearing. The two of you were radiating sex,” Ming says.
“Weren’t you downstairs?”
“I got a peek of the action. I thought he was going to stick his handintothe dress.”
“That—” The idea of being close enough to Darcy for him to pull that off evicts any concern for poor, wronged Wickham.
We’d have to be pressed together fully, his hand sliding along my skin to edge beneath the dress, down to my waist...
I shiver.
“What did I just witness?” Jane asks in a high voice.
Chloe laughs. “I think I heard her ovulate.”
“Shut up, all of you,” I complain.
“Who is this even about? Wickham?” Jane ventures.
A cackle from Ming. “No offense to Kitten, but I think that guy is getting everything he ‘needs’ from the Twins.” She tips her head, thoughtful. “Wasn’t he the one you wanted a rush on that other dress for in the first place?”
I fiddle with one of the pearl buttons. “Yeah?”
“Interesting.” She shifts to my opposite side, then points a pin at my reflection. “Aren’t you supposed to be the ‘stable’ one in our sexy little family?”
“I never agreed to that. And yes, the dress was in case things got interesting with Wickham. He no-showed that night, I handed him off to the Twins, and now they’re doing, I dunno, whatever it is they do with men.”
“Ohmigod, the sexual intrigue of your world is too much for this old bride-to-be,” Chloe submits. “I love it.”
“It seems our beloved kitty cat,” Ming continues with unnecessary gravitas, “has hooked her claws into a certain Mr.Tolerable.”
“Darcy?” Jane sits upright on the edge of the bed, eyes narrowed but still smiling. “How dare you hold out on me!”
“Fine.” I sigh. “He came in—”
“That’s right! Charles needed him to drop some paperwork off while he and I were out.” He purses his lips. “Imeantto ask if you played nicely.”
Ming laughs, sordid as ever, but at Jane’s mention of “paperwork” I’m back to imagining Darcy’s lips forming the word against my neck... and everywhere else.
“Aah! She shivered again,” Chloe hollers.
“Girl, I’m gonna have to sew cups into this thing if you’re going to keep getting riled up,” Ming warns. “You look like you’re hiding pencil erasers up there.”
I cross my arms over my chest, earning a poke from a straight pin. “We danced. It was...” I drop my arms to dislodge the pin. “Ming’s right. It was very sexy and I liked what he did with his hands. But it’s complicated—he and Wickham have a severely fucked-up history.” I give the quick and dirty version of Wickham’s claims about Pemberley and his relationship with Darcy’s dad.
