“May I escort you into the dining room?”
“If you must,” she said in a tiny voice as she took the remaining steps to stand beside him, trying to gauge his reaction to her scandalous appearance. He smiled as he looked her over.
“Oh, it’s bad. It’s awful, isn’t it? I can’t believe I’m standing here in front of you like this. I can’t go in there—”
Joseph lifted a hand to halt her litany of all the reasons she couldn’t go forward with this. “I want you to listen to me. First, the way you are dressed right now is fairly normal around here, and rather modest. There are women, and men, dressed in far less in the dining room.”
“There are?” Her heart thudded. Was she relieved or more terrified?
“Depending on what their scenes require, yes.”
“Joseph, how can I go in there like this?”
Joseph squeezed her shoulder. “It’ll require trust. Tell me what you feel. One word, right now.”
No hesitation needed. “Vulnerable.” Open to criticism from everyone who sees me.
Joseph nodded. “Remember you’re here for yourself and not for all of them. Trust in Josh and Lucas. I doubt they’ll let you out of their sight today.”
Maybe so but I still have to go back into the world after this weekend. They won’t be with me then. This weekend was going to change her in ways she wasn’t sure she was prepared for. I want my water wings back!
“Do I have to?” Way to sound like you’re four, girl.
He assessed her from head to toe again. There was no lust in his gaze, only compassion. “Yes, I’m afraid you do. And you need to give yourself more credit.” He cocked his elbow out for her, waiting for her to make the next move.
“Are you sure you’re not a sadist?”
That’d been one of the first things she’d asked him once they’d gotten to know each other and he’d told her about Hazelle House. He’d confessed a slight inclination but assured her he had feelings like anyone else. Then he’d looked at her with all seriousness and told her he didn’t draw any enjoyment from the emotional pain she obviously felt. Trusting him hadn’t been an issue from that point forward, and she’d told him about Bodie, Victor, and their painful chapter in her life.
“Let’s put it this way, Violet. I enjoy seeing you learn to accept yourself, even if the lesson is a hard, possibly painful one. The greater the struggle, the sweeter the victory. This is your golden opportunity, now that you’re finally free, to get beyond the hurt Victor—and Bodie—have caused. Just for this weekend, extend the fantasy and see yourself the way I’m sure Josh and Lucas see you, in a positive light. Stop worrying about pleasing everyone else.”
“Ugh. I never should’ve admitted that about myself.”
Joseph scoffed. “Violet, you didn’t have to tell me. It was obvious.”
They were halfway to the dining room entry when a jangling sound came at them from behind. Joseph paused and turned as a voice carrying a hint of a giggle said, “There you are, Mr. H. This place is enormous! I wanted to let you know I’m nearly…whoa.”
Violet’s face flushed with heat as she caught sight of the source of the voice. A curvy woman with flaming red hair. Her jaw dropped, and she gaped at Violet’s state of undress.
Why couldn’t Josh and Lucas have a two priests and a nun fantasy scene planned?
Curious when he didn’t immediately say anything, Violet looked up at Joseph.
Oh, boy. There’s the evil Dom look.
The bubbly redhead had the audacity to grin at him and say, “Mr. H, did you know there’s nekkid people running around here?”
She had both hands on her rounded hips as she shifted from one foot to the other in a playfully flirtatious manner, proclaiming she wasn’t really scandalized. Violet thought she looked like a vintage pin-up girl except she was dressed in a pair of hip-hugging, faded jeans, a pink plaid shirt, and rugged hiking-type boots, with…a tool belt buckled around her hips.
Hey! What’s her scene? How come she gets full coverage and my chee-chees are wobbling in the breeze?
Joseph blinked and cleared his throat. “Miss Carrigan, you do recall me explaining that, while I needed you on an emergency call, I would be hosting an event this weekend and discretion might be called for?”
Violet was a little in awe as the redhead made a swiping motion across her lips and then tossed an imaginary key over her shoulder and winked at him. “I’m the picture of discretion, handsome.” Turning her bright turquoise eyes on Violet, she said, “You look fabulous, by the way.”