Chapter 21 #2
“Haha, very funny. What did you want after I was put into the hands of a stylist who had access to your credit card?” She produced said card from her pocket and dropped it in front of Varen. “Nice touch sending Robin. Didn’t know you two were friends.”
“I’m not friends with her, but I called in a favor with Lucian.”
Do I tell her now?
“Speaking of him, this shit’s all for a project we’ve started working on together. He’s hired my company to create an app to manage the cars he oversees before they leave port. Could lead to some very nice international deals, especially with Korea and Japan.”
“They have all the interesting research right now.” See? Nala read some news too.
“Basically. Did you buy anything nice?”
She opened the nearest bag – which was of course the lingerie bag.
“Uh-oh.” Varen pulled out a lacey black thong and dangled it from her finger. Nala pretended to be unperturbed, but for some reason, she couldn’t look Varen in the eye while she fondled the purchase. “What were you planning to do with these?”
“Wear them, duh.”
Varen touched the bottom of Nala’s hair, letting her finger trail along the trimmed edge. “You look good.”
“I’m not wearing new clothes. I already owned these.”
“I know.”
Nala stiffened. Did she have to get right to flirting? “Can I leave these here? I’ll take what I’m wearing tomorrow home, but I can’t bring these back to my house.” She left out the part where she had completely run out of room to store things in her closet.
“You can leave whatever you want here, but as for going home…” Varen scooted her chair back but did not get up. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Um…”
Her hand grazed Nala’s hip. Oh no. If she didn’t rein in her sex drive, she would quickly find herself in Varen’s lap. Why is my imagination going straight there? Shit, I’m in trouble.
“You can stay here tonight if you want. I know you already had dinner, but…”
“Let me guess,” Nala brusquely said. “Sex for dessert?”
“Only if you want. We don’t have to do that.”
She kept complicating things. I get it. You’ve got it bad for me.
Varen had said more than once that Nala reawakened yearnings she hadn’t had since Desirée’s death.
Yearnings like famished fucking. Yearnings like BDSM bullshit.
She wants to tie me up and fuck me, hard.
Nala crossed one leg in front of the other to keep them closed.
Maybe I want her fucking me on this table.
Okay, that she might have a really hard time saying no to…
“You’re an okay chick, Varen, but I’m not ready for sleepovers.”
Her hand curled around the front of Nala’s waist, touching her bare stomach beneath her blouse and tugging at her waistline. “Then don’t stay the night. I’ll give you a ride home later.”
She stood. Even though Nala knew what was coming, she still was not prepared for Varen to kick aside an expensive boutique bag and lower her lips to meet Nala’s
I’m a fool. Nala let her kiss her, and in truth, she kissed her back. Maybe not as much as she was kissing her, but she was definitely into it, even if for a few seconds. Seconds that were long enough to let Varen’s tongue dip into Nala’s mouth and explore the near back of her throat.
Nala’s hand went around Varen’s neck. She held her upon her lips long enough for Varen’s hand to make its way up beneath her blouse and discover she wasn’t wearing a bra.
“Naughty girl,” she purred into Nala’s ear. Her whole body shuddered, threatening to take Nala down to the floor with her. When Varen pinched her nipple, Nala finally snapped out of her stupor and yanked that hand out of her blouse. “What is it?”
Nala looked at her, taking in her physique beneath that cotton T-shirt.
She also wasn’t wearing a bra, based on those pert nipples beneath the fabric A quickie.
We could have a quickie and then I would be on my way.
No, no… that was a bad idea. “I spent the whole day with a member of The Aviary, talking about the other members and Ravenwood himself… and your first inclination is to get into my pants?”
She should have anticipated this. “I may have been playing for Robin, but I assure you that I’m not in the mood for your games right now.”
“Fine.” Varen sat back down. “What did you find out?”
Nala didn’t expect that spotlight to be shone upon her so quickly. “Er… nothing, really. She told me a lot of junk, but it didn’t relate.”
“You mean you spent the whole day with her, and didn’t learn a thing?”
“And Lucian? You learning shit from him?”
Varen leaned an elbow against the table. “Touché.”
“So, we both suck.”
“I’ve got a business to run in the interim. This is a big week for us, with the proposals going out and having to hire new staff… I spent all day yesterday conducting interviews for more programmers. There isn’t a short supply of them around here.”
How utterly fascinating. Nala pushed off the table.
“I’ll be going then. I’ll take the bus home before it gets too late. I’ve got work tomorrow before our big date with your business associates. You owe me, you know. This shopping spree doesn’t count, because I bought clothes to wear around you… and because I don’t care that much for shopping.”
She should have figured Varen’s hand would reappear on her shoulder. Oh, brother. “Tell me what you want, and I’ll give it to you.”
Ha! Just like that? This woman was showing off her god complex if Nala ever saw it. I guess some find that sexy. She found it sort of creepy. Definitely off-putting. Where’s the woman who wanted to play video games and eat pizza? “I don’t want anything but to go home.”
Varen’s hand lingered near Nala’s chin. “If you’re not in the mood, say so.”
“I’m not in the mood.”
She took her hand off Nala. “Sorry. I assumed.”
“Have you ever considered getting a real girlfriend? I’m sure it’s great to have your kicks again, but I’m not available for that every time you see me. Maybe you should get an honest woman who wants your bod as badly as you want it serviced every day.”
Varen sat up in her seat. “What’s gotten into you? You’ve implied numerous times that you’re not put off by us having occasional sex.”
“Yes, Varen, and occasional means just that. Not every time we see each other.”
“Fair enough. Can you blame me for inquiring, though?”
“So, getting that real girlfriend?”
Varen frowned. “I don’t think that’s a good idea right now. Maybe after all is said and done I’ll start looking again.”
Somehow, Nala was amazed that she was able to say that so casually.
Was it something she had been thinking about?
“Well,” she began, “that’s true. Best not to get another woman wrapped up in this bullshit. Besides…”
she picked up the bag containing her outfit for the next day.
“I did imply numerous times that I’m okay with playing with you when I’m up for it. How about tomorrow night, after the dinner?”
Varen looked as if she couldn’t believe it. “Are you making a sex date with me?”
“Yes. As Nala.”
“As Nala…”
“That means you don’t get to hold me down and do that dirty girl stuff. Trust me, Varen, I want you to. Carnally, at least. By that, I mean I want to have my way with you like you keep having your way with me. What do you say? When your dinner is over,
we’ll come back here and hide your two finger-sized sausages in my taco.”
‘That’s… not the sexiest talk I’ve ever heard.”
“You mean I’m not good at this dirty talk stuff? Darn.”
“We’ll see where the wind takes us tomorrow. But it’s a date. After dinner, we’ll come back here and do something.”
Date. She said date. Nala had not thought of it as a date. This was a business transaction at best. Oh my God, I’m officially a sugar baby. If she hadn’t thought it before, she thought it wholeheartedly now.
Entry 10
Tomorrow night has nothing to do with The Aviary and everything to do with it at the same time.
It’s so important that I have paid for Nightingale to have a shopping spree.
We must look like a real couple, and that means only the best clothes for her body – that I paid for, as her girlfriend, of course.
She will be surprised to see who is at dinner. I’ve done a lot of digging since she received her note, and I have some pretty good hunches. It will be interesting to see what transpires.
Meanwhile, I must be on my best behavior.
I cannot afford to lose myself around a woman who would barely be in college if she went.
When I was in grad school, women her age seemed so young.
That was only a few years ago. Now she doesn’t seem so young.
I think it’s the age of her soul that makes her seem much older than she is.
Even more dangerous for someone like me. Women wise beyond their years are my number one weakness.