by Fiona Cole
“I’m right behind you,” Ian said. “Carina and Audrey are waiting at home.”
“Let me know when you’re available,” Erik said to my retreating back.
I quickly made my way back down to my office and started packing up for the day. My class didn’t start for another couple hours, but I could squeeze in some extra chapters before. Maybe it would help ease the pressure from earlier. Usually, the two activities eased any tension that crept up, but sometimes books and sweating it out weren’t enough. Hopefully, the extra hour of reading would do the trick.
I’d just slung my bag over my shoulder when my phone vibrated with a message.
Carina: Daniel said he’d give you a pass, but you need to sign an NDA first.
Carina: You in?
Daniel.
Just reading his name had my fingers tingling. It was the oddest thing to me because he was the newest person to my circle of friends, and yet, I didn’t have the usual anxiety around him. When I compared the feeling I had to hearing Sean watched me to how I felt just seeing Daniel’s name, it wasn’t even close.
Sean brought nerves and the unknown.
Daniel made my chest warm, and my heart speed up and slow down at the same time.
I’d only been around him a few times at get-togethers over the past year, but his smile was easy and almost calming. A complete contradiction to his ice-blue eyes, but even those had me heating up from the inside out when they focused on me.
Being honest with myself, I had to admit, I liked him, and it kind of made me giddy.
It made me want to be around him more so I could figure out what it was that made him different than other men. Maybe if I knew, I could recreate it with someone more available than the almost forty-year-old man who owned a sex club.
Or not a sex club, as Carina would reprimand. A club that had sex happen within its walls.
The same club that Carina was asking if I wanted to go to.
She knew my issues with intimacy. She knew my stunted knowledge of liking someone. She’d been on the receiving end of one of my biggest mistakes, and yet she still became my friend. She still wanted to help me.
So, she’d come up with this crazy plan and apparently had talked to Daniel to make it happen.
Fear pressed in hard on my chest, and my fingers tingled with numbness. Every ounce of me wanted to pull back and hide.
Do it. Stop being a baby and do it, Sofia’s voice reprimanded.
This is the last thing I needed to conquer. Everything else could be locked tight in a box, but Voyeur could help me get over this one fear.
Before I could back out for me, I answered, living for the both of us when she couldn’t.
Me: I’m in.
2
Daniel
“A little dressed up to meet Carina,” Kent commented from where he lounged back on my couch in my office, his feet propped on the table. His comment came off innocuous and innocent, but the smirk I’d known since college let me know he had an ulterior motive for asking.
“I’m not dressed up,” I denied from the chair beside him.
“Says the man wearing his favorite shirt with two buttons undone. And is that gel in your hair?”
Kent leaned forward to touch my hair, but I slapped his hand before he could. “Fuck off.”
“Hmmm.” His lips pursed, and his eyes narrowed, studying me. I tried not to squirm under his scrutiny. “Or is it because Carina is bringing Hanna with her?”
“I’m not dressed up,” I growled.
It had nothing to do with Hanna. A man could look nice for a meeting with a new client. That was all this was. Who cared if I picked the blue shirt she’d commented made my eyes brighter the last time we were together.
Kent nodded and winked, holding up his hand in an okay sign. “Of course not.”
Glaring at him out of the corner of my eye, I tried to force myself to focus on the spreadsheet in front of me. Kent had been my best friend for almost twenty years, and my business partner for only a few less than that. He knew me better than I knew myself, which made him calling me out hard to deny.
“Besides, she’s too young for me.”
“Age is just a number. Look at me,” he said, gesturing to himself.
“I try not to.” I never wanted to look too closely at my almost forty-year-old best friend dating my twenty-three-year-old niece.
“Come on, man. I’m your best friend. I know when you see something you like. Mind you, I’ve never seen you stumble all over yourself—”
“I don’t stumble.”
“—and follow a girl with your eyes every time she’s in the room, but still,” he continued like I hadn’t spoken.
“She’s hot,” I muttered as an excuse.
“She’s cute and sweet. Almost demure. Not your usual type.” He put his feet on the floor and rested his elbows on his knees, keeping his dark eyes glued to my face for a reaction. “But maybe you’re getting to a point where you don’t want your usual type.”
A knock on the door interrupted any response I could have formed. Not that I had one. I didn’t know what to say to that. Kent and I were loners. Or we were until he settled down, with my niece, no less. Being alone didn’t bother me.
I’d accepted long ago that I wouldn’t find that kind of love with anyone. I wouldn’t let myself find it. Not again.
“Really, Daniel?” Carina said, pushing through the door. “An escort through the hallway? We could have come in through the front.”
She strolled in like she owned the place—with her lacy top, wide-leg pants, and red-soled shoes. Carina was the embodiment of lady boss, and she walked in everywhere like she belonged.
Hanna strolled in behind her, almost as confident as Carina, but the air around her didn’t take up as much space. The nervous glances around the room dimmed her own powerhouse, but not any of her elegance and poise.
Just like Kent accused, I followed Hanna all the way until she stood in front of the seating area. God, she was stunning. She had on black high-waisted jeans that accentuated her tiny waist and a silky green blouse that perfectly matched her eyes.
We almost matched with the way she had the top two buttons undone on her shirt too, her full breasts peeking through the deep vee. She tucked her long dark hair behind her ear, and the gold bangles she always wore sparkled under the dome lights. I’d never seen her without them, no matter where she was.
I shook myself out of her entrancement and leaned back, gesturing for them both to sit. “You know I protect my clients first, and Hanna hasn’t signed anything yet.”
“Sorry,” she said softly, gently perching on the edge of the chair.
“Don’t apologize,” Carina reprimanded, falling back in the chair, crossing her long legs, and looking like a queen on a throne.
“Hey, Hanna,” Kent greeted.
A relaxed smile tilted her pouty lips. “Hey, Kent. How’s Olivia?”
“A pain in my ass.”
“Hey,” I chided.
Kent held his hands up in surrender. “I’m sorry. A pain in the ass, I love.” I wanted to be mad at him, but hearing Hanna’s laugh, watching her sink back in the chair a bit, made it all worth it. “She’s good. Loving life after college and getting ready to start her own business to rival mine. Her words.”
“Good for her,” Hanna said with a decisive nod.
“Speaking of businesses,” Kent said, shifting his attention to me. “I wanted to ask you about New York next week?”
“How long will you be gone?”
Kent rolled his eyes, already knowing I probably wouldn’t go if it was more than a weekend. While he loved bouncing from place to place, I tended to like to stick close to home. “Never mind. It will be a couple of weeks.”
“Yeah, I’ll pass on this one. Maybe next time.”
“Fine, Grandpa.”
I ignored his dig at my homebody tendencies and slid a paper and pen across the table and started what we came here for.
“Okay, so this is the NDA. It’s a typical one that says you won’t talk about anything or anyone you see within these walls. I’ll need you to sign it before showing you around. Whether you choose to come back or not.”
“Okay.” She licked her lips before leaning forward to sign the paper. The angle opened up her blouse more, and I caught a slight glimpse of the lacy edge of her bra that barely contained her curves. I was torn between wanting to soothe her nerves and bury my face in her cleavage. But then a foot kicked mine, and I snapped my gaze to a smiling Kent.
Fuck. Heat crept to my cheeks, and it pissed me off that Kent was giving me shit about Hanna at all. So what, I could check out women. It wasn’t like she was different than any other woman.
I cleared my throat when she finished. “Any form of judgment will get you removed from the premises immediately, and you will not be welcome back,” I said in a harsh tone.
Apparently, too harsh, by the way Carina’s eyes widened to saucers and yet still managed to glare.
Tugging at my collar, I cleared my throat again and softened my tone. “Just to protect everyone here. It’s a safe place for people to feel comfortable with who they are.”
“That’s good to know,” Hanna said.
“Well, I will leave you three to it.” Kent stood, and I joined him. He said his goodbyes and turned to me at the door. “Maybe you can show her the ins and outs yourself. Demonstrate some scenes for her.”
“Fuck off,” I grumbled.
With a waggle of his brows and a laugh, he left.
“Let’s get started, shall we?” When we stood outside the office, I turned to Hanna. “If at any point you want to stop or feel uncomfortable, just let me know, and we can head back here.”
I knew a little about Hanna’s past. I knew she was what spurred on Erik’s charity, but I didn’t know the details. While I didn’t want to alarm her, I also didn’t want to coddle her. I was sure she got enough of that from everyone else who knew.
“This is the bar where everyone can relax,” I said, gesturing to the open area in front of us. “It’s fully stocked, but there is a two-drink maximum to keep everyone safe.”
She looked around the room with wide eyes, and I tried to see what she saw. A dance floor with a DJ booth opposite the bar, backlit with warm lights. High-top tables in between and a seating area toward the back. We designed Voyeur to be a comfortable place to relax and enjoy yourself, no matter what you liked. The colors were warm browns, leathers, and wood.
“Along this back hall we just walked through, you saw a collection of iPads where you can make your selection for what you’d like to view for the night. The options are…abundant. When you check-in, you’ll be given a bracelet with a number, and you’ll enter that number when you choose, and it will vibrate when the room is ready.”
“Okay.”
Her eyes were still wide and tinged with nerves, but she’d pulled her shoulders back and stood tall. I admired her strength to push through any fear she may have. A woman with that kind of determination turned me on more than any pair of great tits could.
“It’s still early, so the lounge is quiet, but it never gets too rowdy.”
I directed her to the bar so she could get a better feel of the layout, and Carina followed like a silent sentinel, watching over Hanna.
“Is there…activity out here too?” Hanna asked, stuttering over her words.
“Sex?” I asked to clarify, and also to watch her cheeks flood with color.
An added bonus was to watch her determination show. She swallowed and cleared her throat, but held my eyes, even raising her chin like a regal queen. “Yes. Sex.”
My lips twitched along with my dick at hearing such a simple word slip from her lips. When she dropped her gaze, I reprimanded myself. This was a client. This was a young woman who had been through trauma, and here I was, hitting on her like some pervert. Shaking my head, I answered her.
“Things can become graphic out here, but we ask that the patrons keep it subtle. No overt sexual acts in the middle of the room or on tabletops. The allure of the lounge is to tease and excite you about what lays down the halls.”
She licked her lips, and her eyes flicked around, stopping when she looked over my shoulder at the seating area. “Like that?” she almost whispered.
“Oh, damn,” Carina muttered, fanning herself.
I scanned the leather club chairs and found a section circled around a low table. A woman sat on a man’s lap, her back to his chest, her legs on either side of his, with his hand under her skirt as the other gripped her breast over her shirt. Two more men sat—stroking their cocks over their pants—so they could watch the man’s fingers move in and out of her pussy. I knew if we sat there long enough, they’d have their dicks in their hands, jerking off to the woman’s pleasure.
“The seating area is where most of the public acts happen. It’s darker over there and can offer enough illusion of privacy while still exploring exhibitionism.
With a jerky nod, she turned to face the bar, asking for a water. I moved to stand next to her and gave her a moment to collect herself. Her small fists clenched and unclenched atop the bar, and a part of me I thought I’d killed off long ago, ached to soothe her. To ask her if she was okay or if there was anything I could do to make it better. My own fists clenched, holding back the urge to brush her hair back.
She almost emptied the entire glass of water before she glanced my way. “As long as it’s consensual.”
“Always.” When she looked over again, I held her stare so she could feel the sincerity of that promise. “If you ever feel uncomfortable, come to me or any of the staff. Each of the rooms we’ve walked past has a guard standing outside to make sure everyone is safe.”
“Great,” she said with a forced smile. “I’m just going to use the restroom.”
“Okay. We’ll be here.”
As soon as she walked away, Carina took her spot. “Thank you. I think she could use this.”
“It’s nice of you to look out for her after everything.”
Hanna had made it very apparent that she’d had a crush on Ian, Carina’s baby-daddy. After intense apologies and a girl’s night filled with wine and a deeper understanding, they formed a friendship.
“That was the past.” Carina waved it away like it was an annoying fly. “Every woman should be comfortable with their sexuality. She deserves this chance.”
“Did I miss anything?” Hanna asked, coming up behind me.
“Just a quick BJ on the dance floor. Nothing big,” Carina joked.
I expected shock and another blush. Instead, Hanna snorted a laugh and gave Carina a deadpanned stare.
Carina shrugged unapologetically and smile. “Hey, I’m doing dinner at the new house tomorrow night. Wanna come?”
I looked at Hanna to see her response. Not that it mattered. I had to start inventory at Voy, my other regular bar. It’d be a long night, and the earlier I got started, the better. A dinner party would set me back, and I didn’t have time for it.
“Sure,” she answered.
When Carina looked to me, my mouth opened, and words I hadn’t planned tumbled out. “I’ll be there.”
3
Hanna
I should have put a pin in my top. Maybe I could run back home and change shirts. I almost turned when I stopped myself. I was already late—probably the last person to arrive since the driveway and street were full. Adjusting the wrap sweater to cover more of my chest one last time, I knocked on the door.
I’d just finished taking my forty-seventh deep breath of the night when Carina’s smiling face greeted me.
“Yay, you made it. I started to get worried,” she said, pulling me in for a hug. “Great top, by the way. Makes your cleavage look top-notch.”
Pulling back with a laugh, I muttered a quick thank you and tugged again, trying to cover said cleavage.
“Good choice since a couple of single guys came.” She bobbed her brows and turned, missing my eyes
trying to bug out of my head.
How many guys? Did I know them? Would they talk to me? I should have stayed home.
Then I saw Daniel talking with Erik and Kent by the fireplace, his hand full with a drink. My anxiety over the possible men settled, just to start back up again. Only, this time, it was different. More fluttery.
God, he was cute.
Cute? Yeah right.
More like hot, sexy, alluring, dangerous in the best way, tempting. Any, and all, of those applied better than cute.
I hovered by the door, taking in the room, cataloging who was there.
Erik and Kent were with Daniel to the left.
Alex and Olivia were in the kitchen with Carina to the right.
Leaning against the couch off to the side were two guys I’d seen around the office. One of those guys was Sean, and my stomach went on a full rollercoaster when he turned to give me his dimpled smile. I awkwardly smiled back but looked away when I could feel the heat spreading across my cheeks.
Ian was the only man unaccounted for, but not for long. “Little Brandt.” He strolled out from a hallway, his hand held up as he approached.
I stepped back before he could reach me, my back hitting the door, my finger pointed like an angry school teacher. “Swear to God, Ian, if you give me a noogie, I will punch you.”
“I’ll allow it,” Carina called from the kitchen.
And with that, everyone became aware of my arrival. He pulled me in for a quick hug and muttered, “Party poopers.”
I made my way over to Erik first, who stepped back from Daniel and Kent to give me a hug. “You coming to brunch tomorrow?”
“Probably not. I have to go finalize the flowers for the event, and tomorrow was the only time that worked.”
“Mom won’t be happy.”
“I’ll meet her for lunch to make up for it.”
He leaned a little closer. “How are you doing with all the planning?”
I loved Erik, and I understood his protectiveness. I tried to understand his helicopter brothering, but man, it was hard when all I wanted was to get through a day without being reminded of my past. “I’m fine, Erik.”
