Provoke Me

by Cari Quinn

  He didn’t have sex every time he went to Kink. Or even most times. He enjoyed voyeurism for its own sake and as often as not, cruised through to soak up the atmosphere. Beautiful, sensual women roamed the premises and nothing turned him on more than seeing a couple engaged in the physical expression of their desire.

  Sometimes watching was more than enough. And sometimes it wasn’t. Tonight would definitely fall into the second category.

  He parked and shut off the ignition. Maybe Marcia was right about his low standards. She had a thing for young guys but at least she was a serial monogamist. He agreed with the serial part of the equation, but monogamy? Not so much.

  It had been over a year since he’d had a regular girlfriend. Nina had actually been the one to introduce him to the club. He worked too much, she’d claimed, and this was a low-pressure way to have some fun. He’d been reluctant at first but he’d returned even after they’d broken up.

  For a guy who didn’t unwind easily, Kink was a freaking gift. It was the only place he felt comfortable being exactly who he was. More than that, no one there frowned upon his urge to watch. In fact, it was encouraged. He still saw Nina there once in a while. They’d even had a semi-reunion in the steam room a few months ago. She didn’t ask for much. A couple of orgasms and they parted mutually satisfied with no messy feelings to get in the way.

  He sucked in one last breath in his air-conditioned car and stepped out into nature’s own steam bath. He’d barely made it to the short line waiting to enter before he felt a trickle between his shoulder blades. It was only May and the entire long hot summer loomed ahead.

  Good thing he liked to sweat.

  He paid the cover charge and strode inside, blood already humming. Luckily the interior was nice and crisp. He stepped up to the bar to order his usual neat whiskey. The liquor cooled his throat all the way down. The burn in his gut afterward was a bonus.

  “Hey, handsome. Buy me one of what you’re having?”

  Speak of the devil. He turned, a smile already forming. “Nina.”

  “In the flesh.” That flesh was prominently displayed, all but overflowing the constraints of her short, black, jersey minidress. She leaned up to lick his cheek, making him laugh. “How’ve you been?”

  He shifted toward her and mentally rearranged his plans for the evening. Nina was as low-maintenance as they came, part of why they’d been so good together. She liked sex as much as he did and didn’t get it all tangled up with love. From the flickers of arousal in her sea-green eyes, she’d come ready to play.

  Worked for him.

  He picked up her long, slim hand, laying it deliberately against his erection. “Hard.”

  “Mmm, so I feel.” She curved her fingers, squeezing him. “Buy me that drink and we’ll see what we can do about that.”

  Chapter Three

  Kelly glanced at Alana as they pulled into Kink’s parking lot. “This is it?”

  “Yep.” Alana grinned. “Behold the awesomeness.”

  The building was a gray, nondescript box. Not that aesthetics seemed to matter—the parking lot was full. A black awning hung over the doorway and the three-deep line of patrons. Kelly squinted at the cavernous hole she assumed was the entrance.

  “Looks kind of…” Shady was the word that came to mind, but then she remembered what sort of establishment it was. Probably looking shady was part of the appeal.

  “You’ll love it.” Alana patted Kelly’s bare knee—which went with her equally bare pussy—and drove toward the last line of cars in the lot. “I always park in the same place, just in case the police show.” She paused. “What the hell?”

  Kelly craned her neck to see what the problem was. She couldn’t see where Alana was staring, thanks to all the people strolling about as if they were on the beach rather than at an illicit sex club. Why weren’t they slinking around and trying to hide their faces? Was she the only one who found the concept of visiting a sex club blush-worthy? “What?”

  “My space. Some creep took it.” Alana screeched the car to a halt in the nearest empty slot and yanked the key out of the ignition. “I’ve been here half a dozen times and no one ever takes it. Must not be my night.”

  “Which space?”

  “The one on the end. Closest to the side exit. Anyway, it doesn’t matter. We’re parked now.” She fluffed her curls, checked her teeth in the rearview mirror and smiled brightly. “Ready?”

  Kelly looked. Looked again. She forced out the breath trapped in her throat. “No.”

  The car in Lan’s space looked awfully familiar. Surely a lot of people drove red Acuras. Just because Spencer did too didn’t mean anything.

  She just had him on the brain. That was all.

  “Kel? What’s the problem?”

  It was silly even to consider it might be him. Because there was absolutely no chance her straitlaced boss would hang out here. A down-and-dirty, illegal sex club? No way.

  “Nothing.” It couldn’t be Spencer, and that was that.

  She got out and followed Alana as quickly as she could in her high-heeled sandals. What choice did she have? She’d been dumb enough to agree to come along, so she’d slink inside, take a quick look around to say she had and hit the exit. She opened her tiny purse to dig out her wallet. Hopefully she had enough money for a couple of mixed drinks. They’d blunt her anxiety but not leave her hungover in the morning. Very important. She’d be damned if she had to fight a migraine all day at work.

  Alana huffed out a breath. “There are hot guys all over the place. And I need to find my hot guy soon before I melt into a damn puddle.” Obviously reading Kelly’s torn expression, she tugged on her arm. “Can’t you just live a little? You program your sex, your meals, your exercise. You never get to work a minute late. You so need to get laid tonight. You need something.”

  Maybe so, but sex was absolutely the last thing on her mind at the moment, other than the trouble her damn list was going to cause her if the wrong person happened upon it. Which was anyone, really. Especially if she’d lost the PDA at work—the most likely scenario. God, why hadn’t she thought to password protect the file? Was she really that stupid?

  Yes, she was.

  At the sudden prickle of heat behind her eyes, she glanced away from Alana and stared across the parking lot, the perfect angle to see the red sedan. Dammit, it even had a dent in the same place on the fender. She’d seen it just that morning when she’d parked behind him.

  Holy fuck. Her boss, here. Looking for sex. Naughty sex, the kind best suited to explicit movies.

  Kelly licked her lips. No damn way. Not Mr. All Business, 24/7. It was even more improbable than her being here. Forget improbable, try impossible.

  “Lan, c’mere.”

  Though her friend sputtered, Kelly dragged her to the next row of cars. She peered through the lightly tinted windows at the sedan’s miniscule backseat. Sitting there, plain as day, was a paper bag from The Book Nook full of promo items.

  “Oh man.” She leaned against the trunk to keep from collapsing on the sizzling blacktop. “Oh man.”

  “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  She couldn’t tell her. How could she out him like that when she didn’t know the score? Not that Alana knew him or would ever betray a confidence, but still. She owed Spencer the benefit of the doubt.

  And God, the heat must be getting to her, because what doubt could he be benefiting from? His car was in the parking lot of a traveling sex club. He probably wasn’t inside reading the magazines.

  Her stomach twisted in slippery knots. He could be having sex right now, with who knows who. Or maybe several whos. Dammit, she couldn’t even say if that aroused her or pissed her off.

  “Kel, we’ve been here ten minutes. The line’s getting longer and I’m nowhere near getting any cock.”

  It took Kelly a split second to make up her mind. Spencer was off-limits, which was why she’d ranked him at the top of her list. She’d always half-hoped their situation would have
changed by the time she reached him, so the office romance issue wouldn’t be a factor anymore. But the reality was, she didn’t want it to change.

  The bookstore meant the world to her and she knew even if she and Spencer saw nothing else the same, they had that in common. She didn’t intend to go anywhere and she didn’t think he did either. Nor did she want him to. She wanted him right where he was, teasing the hell out of her just by occupying the same airspace.

  She wanted him. Even if she’d never anticipated his sexual appetites would extend to this, or maybe even more because they did. The idea of seeing by-the-book Spencer unbuttoned and uninhibited set off a dozen explosions inside her. Her nipples tingled, her thighs clenched. And the sweat dripping down her back paled in comparison to the sudden flood between her legs.

  Here, the rules about workplace romance didn’t count for much. They definitely weren’t at work now. Why should propriety affect them any more than it did their coworkers? Several of the other employees had slept together. Just because Spencer happened to be the boss didn’t make things different. Did it?

  Besides, how would she ever face herself if she didn’t go inside and see where things went? Even if they only led to her going home alone with a fantasy, she had to find out what the hell he was doing here.

  Kelly smiled and fought to ignore the nervous fluttering in her belly. “Let’s go inside.”

  “Whose car is this, Kel? Why are you so flushed all of a sudden?”

  “C’mon.” Kelly linked fingers with Alana and they hurried over to take their place at the end of the line.

  She tried not to fidget while they waited. It was damn tough. Spencer would be her biggest catch yet, and she still hadn’t fully worked out how she’d get him on the hook. While also avoiding hooking herself, since she was already almost in love with him. And that was before sexy times were added into the mix.

  As of yet, she’d only ever seen him fully dressed and coolly staring her down. But tonight he’d have to deal with her as a woman and not just an employee.

  He wouldn’t be happy to see her here, if for no other reason than his blown cover. But hers would be blown too, though she figured it already had been thanks to her inability to hold on to her personal property.

  She worried the strap of her purse as they crept toward the gaping dark mouth of Kink. The line contained a wide assortment of people, ranging in age from college students to one older gentleman with a combover. Once they paid the cover charge, the customers disappeared through a shadowy door ringed in white lights, and Kelly could hear smoky laughter and a thumping bass from within the club. What she didn’t hear were moans and groans, but the music was pretty loud.

  “Ever done anyone here?” she whispered to Alana.

  “Um, yeah.” Alana sighed as if she’d run out of patience. “I met Ramon here, remember?”

  “How could I forget?” She glanced down at her purse as they stepped under the awning. “I didn’t bring any condoms.”

  “Thought you didn’t need any.” Smirking, Alana pointed inside the doorway. “They’re all over the place. Free of charge. Now relax. Lots of people hang out at Kink, even vanilla types. I even saw one of my parents’ friends last time I was here.”

  “Ick. Seriously?”

  “Seriously. Talk about horrifying.” Though she was a good six inches shorter, Alana reached up to massage Kelly’s shoulders. “You’re so tense. This is going to be fun. Right?”

  Ignoring every inner alarm that screamed no, Kelly nodded. She could do this.Sexy woman of the world, remember?

  If she didn’t go for it with Spencer now, she didn’t know how she’d ever drum up the nerve again. Not that she had nerve now either, but at least she hadn’t hightailed it home. Yet.

  “Right.”

  She blew out a breath and smiled at the guy taking money at the door. He winked and waved away her money. The gesture seemed more kindly than suggestive considering he looked old enough to collect Social Security.

  “Women don’t pay, silly,” Alana whispered.

  “Oh.”

  Kelly gave the door guy a hesitant smile and followed her friend inside. A medley of scents greeted her. Smoke—cigarette and otherwise—cologne, perfume, liquor. A light overlay of sweat too, probably some her own. She was practically incinerating. And it wasn’t all fear. Most of it was. But there was excitement too.

  The lights were low but she had no trouble finding the neon-lit bar. “Want a drink?” she asked. “My treat.”

  She didn’t think anything of it when Alana didn’t answer right away. Her best friend didn’t have much of an attention span to begin with and a place like this could fray anyone’s focus. But when Kelly glanced over her shoulder, she saw she was now very much alone.

  “Thanks, Lan,” she muttered, taking the last empty stool. “So much for sticking close.”

  People pressed all around her, laughing, talking, kissing. But she tuned everyone out as she focused on the beaming bartender who would be her savior tonight. “Midori Sour, please. Actually, make it two.”

  “Two’s the limit for newbies, you know.”

  “Huh?”

  “Of drinks. No more than two alcoholic beverages for new patrons.” His lips parted in a lecherous grin. “We want everyone to be alert and aware.”

  She shrugged. This beggar couldn’t afford to be choosy. “Fine. Whatever.”

  “You got ID, pretty lady?”

  “Sure. I already flashed it at the door.”

  She dug it out and waited as he studied her photo, surreptitiously checking out the men at the bar. She didn’t see anyone with wavy blond hair and she definitely didn’t see any fancy suits. Had he gone up to the infamous lounge? Or maybe he’d headed right for the steam room.

  Imagining Spencer naked and sweaty was not what she needed at the moment. She pressed her thighs together and hoped they didn’t squish.

  “You have a great mouth,” the bartender offered as he returned her ID. “Bet you know what to do with it too.”

  She managed not to blush. Dear Lord, she was not prepared for this place. “Haven’t gotten any complaints yet.”

  “I’m sure you haven’t.” He grinned and served her both drinks, cheerfully adorned with two fat cherries each. Then he stamped her hand, which apparently declared to any other bartenders she’d reached her limit of booze for the evening. “You meeting someone here? Don’t think I’ve seen you before, Kelly.”

  “Uh, no. Not meeting anyone. I’m solo.”

  “You won’t be for long. Guaranteed.” He tapped the back of her hand, which she realized was his way of encouraging her to pay. Apparently running a tab wasn’t cool at Kink.

  “Hey, you pay attention to faces, right?”

  “Sure do.” He grinned again. “The attractive ones especially.”

  “How about guys? If I described one to you, maybe you could give me a heads-up where he might be.”

  He leaned against the bar, folding his forearms very close to her drinks. “It’s a big club, but I’ll give it a shot.”

  “Average height, good build. Big shoulders, nice ass.” God, did she just say that? Two slurps and already her tongue felt thick. “You loaded up my drink, didn’t you?”

  “You looked as if you could use a little buzz, sweetheart.” He rubbed his chin. “Hair color, eye color? I might’ve seen the ass but that would help to narrow it down.”

  “Blond and brown. Although the brown’s really dark, almost black. Weird with blond hair, but I think he spends time on the beach. Sun highlights,” she explained.

  Her new friend, “Jack” according to his nametag, nodded. “Anything else?”

  “Oh and he dresses well. All the time. I’ve never seen him with his hair wet or wearing a T-shirt.”

  Jack nudged the hand clutching her glass—her other glass, because the first one was up to her lips—and inclined his head. “You don’t mean him, do ya? Over your right shoulder.”

  Her heart started to pound so fast s
he actually felt dizzy. What would he do when he saw her? Should she flash him her bare pussy? Would that be like a mating signal, giving him permission? And God, was she really getting drunk off half a mixed drink?

  “Not smart to skip dinner,” she mumbled, looking where Jack had indicated. She saw blond hair but this guy’s was halfway down his back in a messy ponytail. “Uh uh. Spencer never misses a trim. I’ve never even seen him with stubble.”

  “Spence? Why the hell didn’t you say so?”

  Jack winked when she turned back around, but she definitely didn’t get any friendly vibes now as she had from the guy manning the door. He might as well have licked his lips, his meaning was so clear. Christ, did her competition come with a penis?

  “I’m sure he’s upstairs,” he continued. “Hooked up with Nina first thing. She’s delicious.”

  Kelly choked on her drink. Great. Nina probably didn’t feel like a gangly wannabe sex kitten who’d somehow snuck into the lion’s den. “Were they…” Jack wasn’t her best friend. She couldn’t get dirty with him, at least not until she’d had a bit more to drink. “Getting busy?”

  “You mean fucking?” He gave her a kindly smile as he moved down the bar to fill another order. “Not right here but that’s usually the way of things. You know?”

  “Yeah.” Watching her boss have sex would definitely make this a night to remember. “Can I bring a drink upstairs?” she asked, pushing aside her empty glass.

  “Sure. He’s probably in the steam room. They both like it hot.”

  Kelly didn’t stick around to chuckle with her new pal. She eased off the stool and skirted the edge of the roped-off dance area with its strobe lights and smoke machine. She sidled through the crowd, taking in all the couples—and sometimes three- and foursomes—twined around one another, hips gyrating to the pumping music. A stiff breeze and some of these chicks would be getting pregnant. They were dancing that close.