by TG Haynes
‘Double or quits? No thanks.’
‘No. Not so much double or quits. I was thinking more along the lines as to where the interview should take place.’
Nikki was starting to get the distinct impression that the princess was something of a slippery customer and so she replied, ‘There’s no time like the present.’
‘Now, now, no need to be so hasty. How about I roll again and, this time, if it comes up odd I do your interview here and now, but if it comes up even, you come to my island for a long weekend and see for yourself what we get up to there?’
Nikki’s mind raced. The offer seemed almost too good to be true. She tested the water to see if there was any catch. ‘I can’t afford to travel there.’
‘I’ll put my own private jet at your disposal. You’ll stay at my palace, so accommodation will be taken care of and, as you’re my guest, you won’t need to spend a single penny. Everything will be my treat. Apart from the poker chips on games night.’
The more Nikki considered it, the more she warmed to the idea. ‘How soon were you thinking?’
Roxanna shrugged. ‘Next weekend?’
Nikki reached out for the dice.
Roxanna withheld it. ‘Oh no you don’t! I roll this time.’
Nikki acquiesced; Roxanna rolled the dice. Again, it landed on a fold in the bedlinen and stuck up at an odd angle, part way between the three and four. Roxanna went to pick it up, intending to roll again. Feeling bold, Nikki tugged at the sheet, to straighten it out. The dice flipped over and came to rest with the four face up.
‘I told you that you have to try and make your own luck in life,’ Nikki said.
Roxanna formed a bridge with her hands and leant her chin on it. ‘That’s extremely cheeky of you, Ms Foster.’
‘Coming from you, I’ll take that as a compliment.’
‘Which is precisely how it was intended.’
‘So, what about travel arrangements?’
‘Leave your details with Matt and I’ll send my car to pick you up.’
As Nikki went to get off the bed, a sudden bump startled her. It sounded as if it had come from the adjoining room.
‘It’s just the Earl and his latest conquest,’ Roxanna explained. ‘The walls here aren’t particularly well soundproofed.’ She then took hold of Nikki’s hand. ‘Why not stay and listen to the fun?’
Nikki was on the verge of declining when she was interrupted by the sound of giggles echoing through the wall. The next moment, there was a scream of delight, quickly followed by laughter. Roxanna decided to treat her to a running commentary. ‘If I had to hazard a guess, I’d say that the Earl and his chosen one are lying on the bed, in a position not dissimilar to that in which we find ourselves.’ The adjoining room fell silent. ‘Ah, you know what that means don’t you?’
‘No.’
‘Yes you do,’ Roxanna insisted.
Nikki blushed slightly.
‘Don’t tell me you’ve never listened to anyone …?’
Nikki shook her head.
‘Come,’ Roxanna said, ‘let’s live a little vicariously.’
‘No.’
‘Now, now,’ the princess said. ‘I insist. So, Nikki Foster, when the laughter stops, what does it usually mean?’
Nikki was unsure how to reply. She also found it difficult to hold the princess’ gaze.
Roxanna twisted around on the bed so as to snuggle up next to her. ‘I bet that right at this very moment, they are in the throes of undressing one another. The Earl’s hands are probably reaching for her thus.’ Testing the water, Roxanna gently placed her left hand on Nikki’s right thigh. Nikki tensed, but was so intrigued by the thought of what was going on in the Earl’s room she didn’t remove it.
‘After an evening’s partying, the Earl is usually quite a fast mover, so I’m fairly sure that he’d be some way ahead of us. And I’ll also bet that the girl he’s with is responding in kind.’ At this, Roxanna gave her a meaningful look. Nikki met the princess’ gaze and found herself getting lost in her enticing hazel irises. ‘Just think, they’re probably down to their underwear by now. What do you think the girl will be wearing?’
‘I’m not sure,’ Nikki mumbled.
‘Come, that’s no fun. You’re supposed to guess. Let’s see, what are the options? How about a tight-fitting basque, hmm? Or stockings and suspenders? If so, she might have one of those lacy garters around her left thigh.’
‘I don’t think so.’
‘No?’
Gradually getting into the spirit of the game, Nikki said, ‘No. I think that she might well have gone to town for the evening. Maybe she’ll be wearing a peephole bra.’
Roxanna’s eyes lit up. ‘Really?’
‘Or possibly a half-cup or quarter-cup, even.’
‘So that her breasts will spill out the moment the Earl removes her top.’
Nikki nodded.
‘What about her panties?’ Roxanna asked. ‘Black? Red? Pink?’
‘Red.’
‘The most dangerous colour, don’t you agree?’
‘Absolutely. I also think they might well be see-through.’
Roxanna caught her breath. ‘How daring.’
At this point, Nikki couldn’t help thinking about the lacy red bra and panties that nestled snugly against her own curves.
The princess resumed her speculation. ‘Red it is, then. With a black lace trim. A sure sign that a girl is hoping they’ll be seen by the end of the night. Seen and appreciated.’
As Roxanna spoke, Nikki was aware that the girl’s hand had inched around and come to rest on her bottom. Only the fabric of Nikki’s dress separated it from the sinful red panties she was wearing.
‘Not that they’ll stay on for long. Naturally, the Earl will be eager to see what delights they’re hiding. He’ll strip them away from her body and then there’ll be that wonderful pause as they take in the sight of one another’s bare flesh.’
‘What about the Earl?’ Nikki asked.
‘Oh, he’ll have discarded his clothing by now, for sure. Men’s outfits are so boring by comparison, don’t you think?’
Nikki agreed. ‘So he’s already naked?’
‘Not quite. He may have left his briefs on.’
‘In the hope that she’ll remove them?’
‘Precisely,’ Roxanna said. ‘Why, I bet that at this very moment, she’s reaching out towards them. Her hands will take hold of the waistband. She’ll pause as they look into one another’s eyes. The atmosphere will be highly charged by now. Then, with a quick yank, she’ll jerk his shorts down and gasp in surprise as his cock springs out to attention, already impressively stiff and hard. I wonder if she’ll take it in her hand and stroke it. Or run her fingers down the shaft, as if gauging its length. Personally, I always like to give them a little treat at that point: lean down and feather the end with a delicate kiss.’
Nikki bit her bottom lip.
‘What?’ Roxanna asked.
‘I like to do that too,’ Nikki confessed. ‘It always feels so …’
‘Wicked?’
Nikki blushed slightly. ‘Yes.’
‘Especially if the lucky gent in question is already really excited. There’s nothing better than finding a touch of precome coating the tip of a man’s penis. Running your lips around it and licking it off.’
By now, Nikki could clearly envisage the scene that was taking place in the adjoining room.
‘The next thing,’ the princess continued, ‘the pair will kiss. Can you picture their tongues darting in and out of one another’s mouths?’ She paused momentarily to allow the image to implant itself in her companion’s mind. ‘Hands will begin to explore, touch, stroke, caress …’ As she spoke, she traced her hand around Nikki’s bottom, up the curve of her lower back, and then around her ribcage, until it eventually rested against her right breast.
‘In his eagerness, the Earl will force himself against her. Not that she’ll object, of course. He’ll slip his hand between
her thighs.’ Roxanna’s voice lowered a notch. ‘She’ll already be wet with excitement.’ Nikki felt her own inner thighs start to tingle. ‘Aware of this, the Earl will ease himself into her.’
The next moment, the two women clearly heard a low gasp of pleasure through the wall.
‘What did I tell you?’ As if to confirm Roxanna’s commentary, the couple next door sighed again. ‘Ah, yes, he’s entered her now. Surprising, really, but he’s always had a penchant for the missionary position.’
For a second Nikki wondered how on earth the princess knew this. Only for a second though, for the next instant Roxanna’s hand began to massage her breast. ‘She’d like him to play with her tits, but I’m afraid our Earl is a man of routine. Instead, his hands find their way around her back and cup the girl’s bottom, to pull her harder towards him with every thrust he makes. She forgives him for ignoring her breasts because, as his rhythm increases, she starts to lose herself in the moment.’
A strangled cry erupted from the room next door, startling Nikki. ‘What was that?’
The noise spoke volumes to Roxanna. ‘Ah, so it’s Claudie. Claudie has a tendency to do that.’
‘What?’ Nikki asked.
‘Rake her fingernails down the Earl’s back,’ Roxanna whispered. ‘He loves it.’ Her hand detached itself from Nikki’s breast to glide up and down her spine. Through the material of her dress, Nikki could clearly feel her fingernails. She wondered what the sensation would be like if the princess chose to dig deeper. As if reading her mind, Roxanna explained, ‘It’s exhilarating if done correctly. It treads that fine line between pain and pleasure. The trick is to know exactly how far to dig in.’
Another indefinable low utterance came from the adjoining room, and the headboard began to knock against the wall. ‘The Earl’s so excited: it sounds as if he is already nearing his climax. Claudie will be wet with arousal too. Her thighs will be burning, aching, while she herself will be longing to experience her first orgasm of the night. I wonder if he’ll last long enough to grant her that pleasure?’
Roxanna’s commentary was interrupted by a loud cry. She smiled. ‘And there you have it.’ A series of high-pitched yelps followed. ‘Ah yes, definitely Claudie. I wonder if that’s a genuine orgasm or if she’s faking it to please her lover?’
Never mind her lover, Nikki thought, what about me? Roxanna’s provocative narrative had aroused her to the extent that she had begun to envy the girl in the adjoining room. Though she had never felt any desire for another woman before, Nikki found herself so turned on she longed to kiss the princess again, to sate her desire. She felt that Roxanna only needed her to say the word and she would happily oblige. The two girls gazed deeply into one another’s eyes. Roxanna nodded gently in a reassuring manner. Nikki arched forward and planted her lips on the princess’.
Though Nikki had enjoyed the kiss they had shared earlier in the evening, that degree of pleasure had been nothing compared the one they shared now; as their lips locked, Roxanna’s hands began to explore her body. Nikki responded and, for the first time in her life, found herself caressing another girl’s hips and thighs. Did she dare to explore further? Roxanna broke away to plant a series of thrilling kisses around the nape of her neck. The next second, Nikki felt the fingers of Roxanna’s right hand clasp the zip at the back of her dress. The princess sat up and looked deep into her companion’s eyes for a sign of approval. Nikki took a deep breath … then, at that precise moment, the door opened.
Nikki sprang off the bed as if she had experienced an electric shock. Matt stood in the doorway, a knowing grin upon his face. She scowled at him.
Roxanna didn’t look overly happy at the interruption either. ‘Yes?’ she snapped.
‘I was just wondering if my mistress wanted a nightcap, but I can see that you have everything taken care of. Good night, ladies.’ Matt bowed and closed the door behind him.
With the spell broken, Nikki stumbled off the bed and gathered her purse and Dictaphone. Glancing back at Roxanna, she wondered if the princess was aware that her dress had ridden up and was revealing a glimpse of her panties. Nikki stared at them. Was it her imagination or was the front of them ever so slightly damp? For a split second, she thought about rejoining the princess on the bed and burying her tongue between her thighs. As if sensing Nikki’s desire, Roxanna lay back in an inviting manner and pulled her dress up a little further.
Determined to keep her longings in check, Nikki coughed and cleared her throat. ‘You said to give Matt my details, didn’t you?’
‘I did indeed.’
‘Goodnight then, your Highness.’
‘Goodnight,’ Roxanna replied.
Nikki opened the door and nearly bumped into Matt. Immediately, her suspicions were aroused.
‘Were you eavesdropping?’ she demanded.
‘I don’t think I was the only one,’ he retorted rather cheekily. ‘Now, I believe I have to take some details, don’t I?’
Nikki retrieved her phone from her bag and gave Matt her number. He punched it into his BlackBerry and then, as she retreated back towards the servants’ staircase, he wandered over to Roxanna’s room. She watched as he gently knocked the door and waited to be summoned. As she retreated down the stairs, she couldn’t help but envy the princess, for she could well imagine the kind of nightcap that Matt provided.
Chapter Four
Preparation
The following week proved to be one of the most exhilarating of Nikki’s life. Her emotions seesawed dramatically. One minute she would be ridiculously excited at the prospect of the long weekend ahead on the princess’ Caribbean island, whereas the next, she found herself on the verge of cancelling the trip.
Part of her suspected that Roxanna wasn’t simply going to grant her the interview and would somehow do her best to involve her in another passionate encounter. Nikki had mixed feelings about this. Though she had a clear recollection of how highly aroused she had become while kissing Roxanna at the Earl’s party, she felt slightly guilty about it too. But, despite her reservations, Nikki knew, deep down, that she was going to go.
As preparation for the trip, she tried yet again to find out any scraps of information she could about what happened on Pleasure Island. Alas, details were thin on the ground. While rumour and conjecture abounded, hard facts were practically nonexistent. It seemed that whatever took place on the island remained on the island. After digging around for several days, she did manage to uncover a rather scandalous tale on a rather vindictive blog. However, the piece read like an embittered and jealous account, written by someone who seemed piqued at Roxanna’s success, and so Nikki took it with a pinch of salt.
It also seemed that any snide comments about Roxanna were far outweighed by the welter of positive ones, many of which were made by the great and the good. Praise of her hospitality and munificence abounded. Disappointingly, the vast majority of these snippets didn’t go into any great detail, and the only ones that did tended to dwell upon descriptions of the island itself or the princess’ palace, neither of which was Nikki’s main area of interest.
The most intriguing fact Nikki did manage to uncover was that Roxanna had faced a sexism charge some time ago, as a result of the “men only” policy she had adopted when it came to recruiting staff to work on the island. Therefore, to avoid incurring the wrath of the courts, she had recently acquiesced and agreed that, if they wished to do so, women would be permitted to work on the island too. Interestingly, none had taken up a post to date and so the staff remained male only.
In stark contrast, Nikki couldn’t help noticing a distinct absence of men on Roxanna’s guest lists, for they were made up almost entirely of women. When questioned as to why male visitors to her island were rare, Roxanna was at pains to point out that they were most welcome, but strictly on her terms. Should any leading lights from the male-dominated world be eager to pay her a visit, she would be happy for them to do so.
When pressed on this point, Roxanna noted all of
the areas of the world in which women were still treated as second-class citizens. All she was doing was trying to redress the balance a fraction. Surely no one would begrudge the world one tiny island upon which traditional roles were reversed and men were subservient to women?
Through her research, Nikki began to build up a vague picture of the princess. Most of the guests who had made comments in the public domain following a visit were extremely complimentary about their host. Nikki also searched around for the opinions of staff who had worked at Roxanna’s lingerie stores. Once again, it was a very similar story. Though there were criticisms, none were aimed at Roxanna herself, and several employees had taken the time to note that Regal Lingerie – the name of Roxanna’s company – was the best company they had ever worked for. Nikki found the glowing, positive comments a refreshing change from the usual dose of bile that tended to be served up by staff speaking about their former employers. The only downside to this was it didn’t really help her.
As a last resort, Nikki tried her best to get Matt Darnley to open up to her, for throughout the course of the week, the pair had exchanged a series of emails. To her chagrin, she found that he refused to be drawn. In fact, she began to wonder if she had misjudged him entirely, for the tone of his messages was actually rather formal, which Nikki found completely at odds with the impression she had formed of him at the Earl’s ball.
Matt’s final email was to advise her that a car would be sent to collect her that Friday morning to take her to Bristol Airport: this location was favoured by the operators of private jets as it was less busy than the London airports. It meant she would have to set off in the middle of the night, but this would ensure she’d arrive in plenty of time for the traditional Friday night reception party that Roxanna held to greet her guests.
By the time Thursday arrived, Nikki had given up on background research. While her finances weren’t such that she could afford to splash out extravagantly, she could allow herself a few little treats and so she decided to visit her local Regal Lingerie store. Though she had shopped there before, she hadn’t done so for some time and was quite surprised at the exciting new selection of products on offer. The last time she’d been there, the place had specialised solely in lingerie. However, that morning, she discovered a whole new collection of items. These ranged from the relatively innocent, such as feather boas, bikinis and beachwear, to the outlandishly risqué.
