Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 84442 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84442 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 422(@200wpm)___ 338(@250wpm)___ 281(@300wpm)
“I’m trying to get you to relax, not stress you out more,” she teases. “It’s a lifestyle club. Nothing crazy is happening; don’t get your panties in a twist.”
I glance around at the decor and the crowd of people half decked out in leather and lingerie and half dressed to the nines.
“A lifestyle club,” I repeat slowly. “Which is… what, exactly?”
Before we came in, I assumed it was a social spot for people way out of my tax bracket, but this is nothing like my imagination conjured up. It’s still unbearably, perfectly elegant, but definitely not what I expected to walk into.
“Like, for swingers,” Taylor explains lazily, watching me with open amusement on her face. “And kinky folk in general, I guess. I don’t know the details, really, Lisa just said it was an upscale sex club and that her hubby knows someone who works here. Fun, right?”
Fun?
Jesus Christ, my best friend is insane. My mouth drops open in shock as my cheeks flare bright red. I suddenly feel both incredibly overdressed and far too exposed. Not to mention that my mystery man knows this place. I guess that makes sense. He does love bossing me around, but what else is he doing in a place like this?
I’m not exactly the most experienced person in this sort of area. The only dirty things I’ve come close to are the words I read in my books! Oh my god… he’s going to hate me.
“Why would you bring me to a sex club to relax?” I hiss under my breath, fixing my eyes down on the tabletop to avoid staring. “Are you crazy?”
Taylor snickers, nudging me with her elbow unapologetically. She knows that if I were truly upset, I’d get up and walk out without a word, but that doesn’t mean I’m not utterly flabbergasted.
“First,” she says, self-important and grinning playfully, “you need to get laid. A sex club seems like a good place for that, since you won’t let me take you out to a normal bar. Plus, your mystery man hasn’t tried to meet you, so you’re not exactly locked down. And second,” she continues before I can argue, “I’ve seen what you read, honey. Don’t pull the innocent act on me.”
My blush only grows, and I know it undercuts the glare I send her. “Shut up. You’re not allowed to take me anywhere without giving me all the information from now on.”
She laughs but holds out her pinky.
“Promise,” she says, hooking our pinkies together.
I huff out a sigh but force myself to relax a little. It’s not like she’s wrong about anything—I need to relax, and even if I don’t know much about it in real life, I’m definitely into this sort of thing. And I do need to get laid, although I have no intention of sleeping with anyone but my masked man.
Or Nick.
Well, only one of them is attainable, so it doesn’t matter.
I glance around, wondering if my mystery man is already here, if he’s seen me yet, and if he’s waiting for me to be alone.
“Are you seriously planning on trying to hook me up with someone tonight?” I ask Taylor, a groan on my breath. “You said this was a charity auction. That wasn’t a lie, right?”
Taylor fixes her necklace with an all-too-smug grin even as she shakes her head, and I know I’m not going to like what she’s going to say.
“I wouldn’t lie about that,” she says, but the pleased glint in her green eyes doesn’t dissipate. “It’s a date auction. All the proceeds are going to a local charity that helps sexual assault survivors get legal representation and mental health services.”
That’s… good, then. It doesn’t explain why she’s still smiling like the cat that got the cream, though.
“What’s a date auction?” I ask suspiciously.
Taylor’s face lights up, telling me I’ve found the real reason we’re here. “They pick random audience members to go up on stage and then people bid for a date. Money goes to charity and you get to go out to a fancy dinner with some rich guy. Win-win!”
Panic slams into me as I rake my eyes over the crowd, the thought of all those eyes on me making my skin crawl.
“What if one of us gets called up?” I ask, looking at her with wide eyes.
What if I have to go up on that stage? What if my mystery man isn’t here at all or doesn’t bid on me? What if I have to go out with some creep?
Taylor reaches over to squeeze my wrist reassuringly, the chill of her gold rings a shock against my skin.
“Deep breath,” she instructs me. “Stop worrying so much. I’m sure they choose the participants before the auction even starts; we’re just here to play the audience. You’ll be fine. Plus, if you do get called, you can back out whenever you want. Didn’t you read the forms we signed when we came in?”