Page 10 of A Certain Appeal
Ming frowns. “Come to think of it, you don’t reel ’em in either.”
That look from Darcy scorches through my memory, and I resist the urge to peek past the curtain again. “Maybe becausesomeonemakes me stock pasties when I could be otherwise occupied.”
“Oh?” Ming’s frown turns into a salacious grin. She holds a hand to her chest and steps down from the chair. “Far be it frommeto interfere with a lady’s pursuit of booty. Go get yours!”
I lift my chin, embarrassed to have admitted my intentions but determined to have them realized. I take one last peek at the landing—
Charles and Darcy are out there!
I hold a finger to my lips and wave Ming to the curtain. I point out Charles. “The blond,” I whisper. “He’s the one Jane sang for.”
“Jane does love a Norseman,” Ming whispers with approval. “But who is the sex god beside him?”
Indeed, this is the first time I’m seeing Darcy at his full height, and “sex god” about covers it. He’s removed his suit jacket, and I admire the broad shoulders and trim waist. He also has the sleeves of his dress shirt rolled up to the middle of his forearms. I don’t know what it is about that look, but oh, yes,please.
“Mine,” I tell Ming.
Another filthy smile. “Reconnaissance?”
Absolutely.I twist the dimmer switch to turn down the already faint light in the alcove, and we strain to listen.
“I just don’t get the allure,” says Darcy. “Especially for you.”
“Are you kidding? This is brilliant! And the singer—Jane? Sensational. That was...” Charles shakes his head. “I don’t have the words. That wassex.”
I pump my fist, and Ming whispers a singsong “Jane’s gonna see Thor’s hammer!”
Darcy doesn’t say anything, and Charles sighs.
“Come on, Darcy,” Charles replies, his tone rife with disbelief. “You can’t pretend you didn’t have a good time tonight.”
“It’s just so artificial,” he adds stiffly. He crosses his arms over his chest, clearing his throat. “And too...much.”
Ming nudges me, making an exaggerated humping motion toward the curtain. I hold in a laugh, though Darcy’s word choice, “artificial,” doesn’t sit right.
Charles laughs. “You’re such a prude, man.”
“I prefer the intimate remain intimate.”
Despite Darcy’s flat tone, the comment has me cocking my head.ThisI like; real intimacy isn’t for show. Granted, I’ve never considered what goes on here to be intimate. If I did, I wouldn’t be able to do it.
Regardless, methinks the gentleman doth protest too much.
“It’s all for fun. Come on.” Charles smirks. “What about Kitten?”
Ah!Ming smacks my shoulder and I wiggle my eyebrows.Yes, what about Kitten?
I wait, eagerly anticipating the response. The door to one of the bathrooms opens. Charles nods to the woman who steps out, then catches the door, still waiting for Darcy’s reply.
Anticipation winds through me. After this long a pause, I can only assume Darcy is searching for words adequate to convey his insatiable lust.
“She’s thoroughly tolerable, but not enough to temptme.”
A record scratch tears through my brain.Excuseme? I replay the comment, but there’s no room for interpretation. His emphasis was clear: good enough forsome, but nothim. The slight is a needle into my ballooned ego, bringing it sputtering from the ceiling to plop at my feet.
Ming’s jaw drops and she mouths an elongated, “Damn.”
“Thoroughly tolerable?” I mouth back, incredulous. Ming snorts back a laugh, then covers her mouth with her hand. But when I peer out again, the landing is empty.
