The woman wore a black thong and two triangular swatches of material over each areola. Psyche's tongue clung to the top of her mouth.
The woman smiled and reached for Psyches coat.
"A lot of people are at first intimidated by our store. Let me show you a few items and you'll see that we're not so very different from other woman's boutiques."
Reluctant, Psyche relinquished her coat and hat, but held on to her sunglasses.
"As you wish. Please follow me."
She attempted to keep her gaze on everything except the sensual sway of the woman's hips. Psyche was ushered by the woman into a parlor type area, richly decorated with fine antique furniture, deep red velvet upholstery and gilded gold embellishments. Billowy cream-colored curtains with corded roping donned the floor to ceiling windows, and a massive crystal chandelier hung in the center of the room. Above her, figures of mythological gods and goddesses at play and passion took pleasure in their painted frivolity unaware of her quiet gasp.
The woman led her to a great sleigh back mahogany, fainting coach covered in a rich red embossed tapestry.
"Please make yourself comfortable. We have a short video that we like to use to introduce our lines to new customers. I'm assuming you are here to find something special? Perhaps you have a theme in mind?"
Psyche perched uncertain on the couch; hands braced either side of her hips, ready to bolt for the door. "How did you know?" She glanced up at the woman who continued to smile pleasantly.
"Wild guess." The woman's brow quirked. "Now are you interested in our special occasion gowns, suitable for quiet dinners alone, or perhaps our intimate lounging apparel?"
Psyche licked her lips. She hadn't considered eating at any point. Was she ridiculous to go through with this? Had she gone too far? What in heavens name was she thinking?
The woman stared down at her, cleared her throat, and tipped her head as if assessing Psyches intent.
"I'm guessing intimate wear." Her ruby red lips tilted up at one side.
Psyche nodded, weak, but still a nod.
"Wonderful, now lets get started." She clapped her hands twice and a drape pulled apart revealing a large movie screen.
"May I get you some tea or some other refreshment as you view our spring line?"
Psyches gaze snapped from the screen as dark blinds automatically rolled down over the windows to the outside.
"Chamomile?" She would have declined all together, but her throat was closed. Truth was she wanted something much stronger to steady her nerves.
"Certainly, please relax and get comfortable. I'll be right back. Oh, here is a list of our products. When you see something you like, simply mark it on the sheet. The order number will appear on the screen. You ready?" The woman gave Psyche a bright smile.
"Ready." Psyche mumbled through the clog in her throat. She couldn't believe that she was sitting smack dab in the middle of one of the establishments she spoke out against in her books. Did they know who she was?
The woman left and Psyche groaned. She wanted to strangle her sister. She wanted—she wanted—to meet her mystery man and toss away every preconceived statistic she researched.
Psyche scooted her fanny back, lifting her feet onto the couch. She crossed her ankles and reclined smiling as she took on the pose of a very content goddess. She had to admit the concept of pampering customers in this way was not only relaxing, but very ingenious. The more relaxed the customer, the more the chances they would spend money and lots of it. It was a decadent ploy to be sure, but then again, didn’t she deserve to treat herself now and again? She'd spent most of her adult years thus far telling everyone who would listen what was wrong with sex—with or without romance, she realized with a sudden tinge of guilt.
Soft violin music, sensual and haunting began over the surround sound speaker system. She was alone, except for the large screen. The privacy gave her a sense of security.
"Your tea ma'am. Enjoy. I'll check back after you've seen the show."
Psyche accepted the tea and inhaled its comforting herbal warmth. Certainly there were worse ways to spend a rainy afternoon.
A flash of images appeared on the screen before her, as the video started. Psyche's cup stopped mid-way to her lips as her gaze stayed glued to the screen. Her eyes grew wide as one after another voluptuous nearly naked females modeled an array of clothing that would make her sister drool. Psyche had to concentrate on placing the cup back on its saucer. As she considered once more the wisdom of what she pursued.
And the next image stopped her in her tracks.
It was Erostotle Windgate himself on the screen, bigger than life, staring straight at her. For every theme, he posed with several women in suggestive costume choices. In one pose, he was a shirtless policeman with his cap pulled over his brow, snapping on a pair of handcuffs to a woman in a see through black and white stripe baby doll gown. In another, he wore nothing but a g-string and worn leather chaps, complete with Stetson as he roped his female filly dressed in a miniscule jean skirt and barely tied over her bouncing breasts, calico shirt.
Frame after frame featuring Erostotle, flashed those mesmerizing glittering orbs her way. The hint of mischief sparkling in his gaze made Psyche's body tingle all over and for a moment she forgot why she was there. The image that touched her most was a grinning Erostotle in a made to fit black tux as he stood with two gorgeous models, donning elaborately sequined gowns, clinging to his biceps. The smile on his face was confident of his appeal on women. Psyche too was aware as she reached up daintily with her pinkie finger and swiped the drool from the corner of her mouth. She glanced down at her finger in surprise. Salivating? What an odd reaction.
Each theme tapped into Psyche's inner fantasies, places covered so deep she didn’t know until seeing them that it sent a quickening inside her. There was a depth in his eyes that she'd not expected to see without his "Ray-bans." Something that stirred primal urges inside her and she realized in one of life's many "light bulb" moments that he—Erostotle Windgate—was, in fact her deepest fantasy.
She nearly forgot the order form on her lap. With a quick scan, she marked the items in rapid succession, not caring what she spent, or how over the top the clothing was. The music stopped, the curtains raised and the woman returned.
Before she could utter a word, Psyche handed her the list.
"Very nice choices. I'll go get these ready. About a size twelve, right?"
Psyche nodded, she wasn't as svelte as the models depicted in the show, but she was okay with her physique. She only hoped her mystery man would find her as appealing.
"That comes to three-hundred fifty two, seventy-five with tax. Do you wish to place this on your credit card?"
Psyche held her tongue, hoping her eyes wouldn’t fall out of their sockets. A sheer, Roman, goddess gown, a seductive, but simple silk gown of midnight blue, a pair of pink fluffy handcuffs, a satin mask, chocolate body powder with its own feather brush, and a feather tipped silk rose.
"You qualify today for your choice of our special giveaway of a beautiful candle we call 'Midnight Yearning', it's one of our most popular products. Or a bottle of our latest in our line of massage oils. Perfect for a night at home."
Psyche's rule of darkness popped into her head. "The oil is fine."
"Wonderful. We are also giving you a discount to our day spa next door, if you are interested in receiving a massage today?"
Psyche started to decline and then realized that after all this was her afternoon to treat herself. "Do they take walk-ins?"
"For our special clients they will. Let me check for you." The woman handed the bag and her card over the counter to Psyche.
"Can I have these delivered?" She realized that to be seen on the street with a bag from Aphrodite's Pleasures was not a good idea.
"Of course, where would you like them delivered?" The woman pulled out a notepad, her pen in hand poised and waiting.
As though all she'd done came down to this one defining mome
nt, Psyche stared at the pen and weighed her options. She could just as easily have them sent to her sister's house as an early birthday gift.
Without looking at the woman, Psyche spoke carefully, not quite certain where the voice came from. "Pathenos Lodge, Bungalow 235, Friday morning please."
Unbeknownst that she was aiding and abetting a secret tryst, she finished with a flourish of her pen and a bright, helpful smile.
"Now your day spa treatment. A hot oil massage? A pedicure? I'll make any and all arrangements." The clerk held the receiver in her hand and her gaze to Psyches.
She desperately needed something for her to relax. "The massage would be nice."
"Fabulous choice. It comes with a nice light lunch of fresh fruit and a bellini."
"A bellini?" Psyche felt a little silly asking.
"Oh it's wonderful. Quite refreshing actually, but word of caution, one is all you need. They sneak up on you when you're not looking." The clerk grinned as she punched a button on the phone.
Psyche smiled in return. She'd had her share of things sneaking up on her as of late. And those weren't all that unpleasant.
"Go right through those curtains, Ms. Rainbo. You'll be taken care of."
Psyche shoved her purse over her shoulder. If this woman knew who she was and what she stood for, she was not making any overtures about the fact. After the visual experience she'd just had, a massage would be a piece of cake.
* * *
Eros waited until Psyche was completely out of sight before stepping up to store clerk.
"Oh what a pleasant surprise, Mr. Windgate. Is there something I can help you with?" A seductive smile lifted the corners of her mouth. "I'd be willing to do anything you ask."
Eros gave the woman one of his standard issue grins. The shy, "I'd love-to-but-I've-got-a ton-of-work-to-do," variety. "Maybe another time. What's this?" Eros knew full well what the shopping bag contained. He'd watched Psyche from behind the curtain the whole time she watched the video. Perhaps it was the choice of the clothing she chose that titillated him, but it was the change in her facial expression that had him looking forward to Friday night.
"Oh this is a special delivery to go out Friday morning." She plucked the bag off the counter and set it amid some other packages to be delivered.
"All of these are deliveries? Where are they going?" He gestured to the plethora of bags.
"This one goes to the east side, Dark Chaos Apartments. This one goes to Myths and Legends on Ivy Avenue
, and this one, interestingly, goes to Patheonos Lodge on Friday."
The clerk glanced at him with a twinkle in her eye.
"For one Ms. Psychedelic Rainbo." Her pencil thin eyebrows arched in a v-shape above her gaze.
Eros hid a smile. So her visit today was more than just for her own pleasure, as he'd suspected, maybe hoped. This assignment was getting better by the moment.
"Listen, I'm heading out to the office condo on Friday to talk to someone about a new hot tub. Why don't I save us a delivery charge?" Eros Plucked up the bag and handed it back to the clerk. "Take this up to my office."
"Yes, Mr. Windgate. Is there anything else you need?"
The woman was a sales marvel.
"That will be all, Cherie'." He touched her cheek with a brush of his fingertips.
Satisfied that Ms. Rainbo was following through with their plans to meet, Eros loosened his tie as he walked through the day spa entrance.
Psyche was no where in sight when Eros leaned over the registration desk of the spa. "Whose on this afternoon, Sheila?"
The young woman smiled bright as she met Eros charming grin. "Ginger is doing massages, Mr. Windgate, but we can call in whomever you request. Even me."
Was she batting her eyelashes?
Eros did a double take, making a mental note to check Sheila's work skills. "My mother would like to see Ginger and indicated that it should be sooner rather than later."
Eros waited as the woman scanned her finger down the list of possible replacements for the customer in waiting. "Ginger was just getting ready to give a massage, sir."
He gave the woman a look of mild surprise. "I don't think it's wise to keep my mother waiting. Tell Ginger, I'll cover for her."
"Should we check with the client first, to see if they mind?"
"Is Ginger her regular?" Eros of course knew the answer. Psyche had never set a toe inside Aphrodite's Pleasures before.
"No, sir."
"Did she request a female?" That thought brought other images to Eros mind, but he quickly recovered with a grin.
"No."
"Then, there should be no problem."
"Yes, sir. I'll go get Ginger."
"Great, I'll slip out of my suit coat. Our client should just about be ready, shouldn’t she?"
"She had finished her lunch and was undressing just a few moments ago. This is awfully nice of you Mr. Windgate."
Eros grinned over his shoulder as he made his way to the private room. "It's my pleasure."
Chapter Five
Eros stepped into the dusky room, made so for the benefit of the client. Over a set of speakers, an Indian flute played a sensual earthy melody. A rugged stone tranquility fountain offered a delicate waterfall giving a refreshing respite from the chaos of the outside world. On occasion, Eros would come down and sit in the dark to collect his thoughts.
"This is my first time getting a massage." Psyche's voice emitted from the soft doughnut shaped pillow as she lay face down on the table. A butter soft thin cotton blanket covered her from her shoulders to her feet.
Above all else, Eros knew he had to stay professional. On the other hand, he'd been itching to get his hands on her again, perhaps to see if she was affected by his touch.
"Just relax, Ms. Rainbo. Our staff is highly trained."
"Will I be sore afterwards?"
Eros glanced at her delicate curves beneath the blanket. Not this time, sweetheart. For a fleeting moment, he pondered whether Ms Rainbo was still a virgin, but he brusquely swatted that thought aside, the woman was, after all, almost thirty.
Lifting an amber vial of oil from the warming waters of a tub, Eros carefully poured a few drops onto his palms. "We'll start with your shoulders. You may feel some pressure as the muscles are loosened, but that will subside as your body complies with the massage. You let me know, however, if you have a particularly sensitive area."
Her neck was a slender column, soft and warm, her shoulders too, delicate, yet with the build of an athlete. He worked the length of her arms, stretching them out and up, pleased when her sighs proved that what he did was helping. Starting at the base of her neck, he moved his fingers in gentle concentric circles, folding the blanket back a turn at a time, until it lay just above her waist.
Eros glanced at her form. Her skin shone radiant and fair, she wasn't thin, but was fashioned with all the curves in places where a woman should have curves. With patient reverence, he worked the hot oil into her flesh, his fingertips sliding precariously close to her plump breasts.
"You have great hands, or maybe it's your training, whatever it is, I'm like putty."
Psyches backside jiggled briefly as she chuckled. Eros wasn't prepared for the satisfaction he derived from her confession.
Little by little he enjoyed the look and feel of her body as the tension unraveled beneath his touch. And Midas thought his touch was golden. Eros smiled to himself.
"Oh, that’s divine, "she murmured sleepily.
He folded back the blanket, exposing her full back. A shiver caused goose bumps to pop up on her delicate flesh.
"You okay?" he asked as he applied more hot oil to his hands.
"Sure," she replied.
Eros made a straight path up her spine, spreading his fingers wide, deepening the pressure where he felt the knotted muscles in her back.
She let out a deep sigh.
"That’s a tight one. Are you experiencing a lot of stress in your life right now?" Eros wondered if his sus
picions were true, that perhaps keeping up her goody-two-shoes facade was beginning to wear on her. He knew for a fact there was no goody-two-shoes persona in the kisses he'd experienced with her in that dark bathroom. They were enough to burn a man alive.
"No more than anyone else, really. It's just that—"
She hesitated and he continued to massage, coaxing an admission from her with the gentle strokes of his hands.
"I'm moving into some areas that I'm not familiar with."
He smoothed his palms along her sides, enjoying the strength in her lean waist as he tried to avert his gaze from how her ample breasts pressed against the soft flannel cotton sheet.
"Have you been doing this long?" she asked sleepily.
Eros grinned. "A couple of years." He was pleased for some reason that the tension in her voice was subsiding.
"I'm moving down to the gluteus muscles, and your upper thighs."
"You mean my—"
"Would you rather I stop now? The option is entirely up to you. But I guarantee that a full massage will make a new woman of you."
He waited, hot oil poised over his palm.
"A new woman, huh? Okay, go ahead. Just forgive me if at first I'm a little jumpy."
"No problem, we'll take it nice and easy. There's no rush." Eros wondered briefly if anyone other than him had access to Psyche's…er, Ms. Rainbo's body before now.
Her butt was firm, a perfect heart-shaped wonder and he considered the ramifications if he was not able to keep his emotions under control. Between the oil, the music and her body, Eros was having visions of her hiking her fanny in the air and allowing himself to relieve the stress building inside him.
He began in the benign spot just below her thighs, pressing his thumbs upward, applying delicate pressure as he sidestepped every erotic image that popped into his head.
With determined control, he pressed his slick oiled palms over her backside, kneading her tight muscles with the heel of his hands. "Massage is designed to bring you to a state of total relaxation, Ms. Rainbo." Her flesh moved under his expert fingers and Eros could sense her muscles succumbing to his touch.
Sons of Zeus: Risky Business Page 5
