“I can’t go out like this!” Kali stared at her reflection in the mirror.
Embarrassment washed through her at the sight of herself in the sexy leather bra and panties, with criss-crossing bands of studded leather across her torso, and a black collar studded with spikes around her neck. The six inch stiletto heels she wore made her legs look incredibly long and sexy.
She felt so brazen.
“Of course you can,” Serena said to her.
Serena wore a one piece latex bodysuit that showed every curve. With a riding crop in her hand and handcuffs attached to a loop at her waist, she looked like the perfect Dominatrix. She seemed totally nonplussed by how blatantly sexy their outfits were.
Kali pulled at the low cut bra, trying to cover more of her breasts, with no success. She turned away from the mirror, viewing her back over her shoulder. Way too much of her ass was on display.
“But it’s so… revealing.”
“It’s a costume party. It’s a great excuse to dress sexy.”
“Says you. I’d be happier in the princess costume.”
Serena laughed and waved away Kali’s comment. “Come on. You’re much more likely to get laid if you wear this.”
“Who said I want to get laid?”
“It’s been eight months. We both know you want to get laid!”
Kali compressed her lips. “Yeah, you’re right, it has been a while, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to throw myself at some stranger at a party.”
Serena arched an eyebrow. “You might want to be open to the idea. It’ll ease the tension.”
“Not going to happen,” Kali insisted.
But Serena was right about the tension. And being around her boss, Ryan Blair, everyday didn’t make it any easier. The man was an Adonis. Sexy. Masculine. Authoritative. God, she melted every time he was near.
But he was her boss so nothing could ever come of it.
“Okay, if you insist you could put this on.” Serena held up a tiny leather skirt.
Kali took it and wrapped it around her hips. It fastened with two snaps on the top band. It was extremely short, barely covering her panties, and it was slit to the hip, leaving an opening over one thigh. It did cover her nearly naked behind, though.
Serena handed her a lipstick. Deep crimson red. Kali applied it.
“Okay, now we’re ready to go.” Serena grinned. “You look fabulous.”
“Serena, I really don’t think…”
“If it helps, you can wear a mask the whole night. Then no one will know it’s you. You can pretend to be someone else entirely.”
Serena held up a leather mask that looked like a blindfold, but with eyeholes. She tied it around Kali’s head. As Kali stared at the masked woman in the mirror, she could almost believe she was someone else. Serena pulled on a mask of her own.
“Now let’s go.”
Serena grabbed Kali’s hand and dragged her from the bedroom. At the front door, she pulled Kali’s coat from the closet and handed it to her. When they stepped out into the cool, fall night, Kali pulled her coat close around her, negotiating the walkway carefully in her spike-heeled shoes.
In the driveway, a long black car sat waiting.
“A limousine?” Kali stared at Serena as her friend pulled her toward the car.
The driver opened the door and Serena urged her inside, then climbed in after her.
“Yeah, Mr. Jameson sent it.”
Kali glanced nervously at the glass panel between the driver and them.
“You two are being pretty blatant about your relationship,” Kali said.
“It’s not a relationship,” Serena said. “It’s just sex.”
“But he’s your boss.”
“Yeah, and he loves that he bosses me around at work and I boss him around in the bedroom.”
“You really do that?” Kali’s gaze dropped to the handcuffs at Serena’s waist.
“Yup. Handcuffs and all. And he really does love it, believe me.”
The driver turned onto the highway and the limo glided into high speed.
“Where is this party?” Kali asked.
“It’s at a lovely inn just outside the city.”
Kali’s eyes narrowed. “If you and Mr. Jameson are going to wind up in a room for the night, then I’m stuck.”
“No, I thought of that. I told Spence he has until midnight. Then just like in Cinderella, I disappear into the night.” She grinned. “It teaches him discipline. So we meet at the front door at midnight. Okay?”
* * *
The party was in full swing when they stepped in the front door. Music blaring, people dancing. A waitress walked by with a tray of champagne flutes and Serena grabbed two and handed one to Kali. Serena downed hers.
Many of the costumed people had masks on, but even more didn’t. Still, she and Serena didn’t stand out. But as Kali perused the crowd, she realized she recognized many of the faces. Mr. Horner, head of accounting. Mr. James, VP of Marketing.
Her chest tightened and she grabbed Serena’s arm. “What the hell, Serena? This is a party for the executives of NewGen? Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because if I’d told you, you wouldn’t have come.”
“Of course I wouldn’t have. What if Mr. Blair is here?”
Serena grinned. “Yes, what if he is?” Her grin broadened. “Then maybe you and he can sneak away for a little tryst, and you’ll finally get what you’ve been longing for all these months.”
Kali squeezed Serena’s arm, anxiety flaring inside her.
“Not going to happen,” Kali insisted in a hoarse whisper.
“You can say that, but it seems you’ve caught his eye.”
Kali glanced in the direction Serena was looking. The sight of Ryan Blair watching her from the railing on the second floor froze her to the spot. His gaze glided over her body, sending heat fluttering through her.
He oozed sexuality standing there in his tailored suit, his dark, wavy hair combed back from his face, his square jaw lightly shadowed with whisker stubble.
“If you want to seal the deal,” Serena said with a wink, “just slip off the skirt. He won’t be able to keep it in his pants.”
A part of Kali wanted to do just that—slip off the leather skirt and turn away from him, then walk away with a sway to her hips. But she would never… could never…
* * *
Ryan sipped his drink as he glanced around the room. He had to make an appearance at this party, since it was a special event for the executives, but that didn’t mean he liked it. He hated costumes and refused to wear one. His expensive, tailored suit would do just fine.
His gaze fell on two women who had just arrived and heat rushed through him at the sight of the woman dressed in the skimpy leather costume, the bra cut low in front revealing the swell of her luscious breasts, straps around her torso, and a spectacularly short skirt that revealed every long inch of her shapely legs. The collar around her next sent his hormones into a spin.
He immediately developed a rising appreciation for the costume aspect. As did his cock.
A woman dressed as a submissive would excite him no matter what, but this woman… With her long, dark hair flowing over her soft, creamy shoulders, and her tall shapely body… She looked so much like his secretary. Kali had been with him for six months, and he could swear that he hadn’t been without an erection at work that whole time.
She was a distraction and he’d thought several times that he should let her go, but she was an excellent secretary. And he liked her. It wasn’t fair to get rid of her for something that was his own damn issue.
As he gazed at this sexy woman, he wondered if having sex with her could relieve him of the tension that had built up from being around Kali. He would pretend she was Kali, have hot, hard sex with her, and then he could finally get his cock under control at work. And if that didn’t work, maybe he could start a casual fling with this woman, providing him with a regular Kali fix, keeping him satisfied, and therefore free of distraction.
A man approached the woman and they chatted. Ryan watched as he led her to the dance floor. From his vantage on the second floor, he had an excellent view of her sexy, scantily clad body. Her shapely legs were so long they seemed never-ending, and he could imagine them wrapped around his waist. The slit on the skirt flashed creamy thigh as she danced. And her breasts—lifted high and pushed forward in the leather bra—sent his cock twitching.
God, he had to have this woman.
* * *
Kali followed the man she’d been dancing with off the floor. She had never met him, but recognized him as Mr. Lawrence, director of the research department. He’d introduced himself as Rene. When he’d asked her name, she’d lied, saying it was Cindy, because she didn’t want anyone figuring out who she really was. She was sure she wasn’t supposed to be at this party. It was the first name that had popped into her head, probably because of Serena’s earlier remark about Cinderella.
“Would you like a drink?” Mr. Lawrence asked with a smile.
“Um… yes, a daiquiri please.”
He moved through the crowd toward the bar. She stood awkwardly, glancing around. Serena had gone off to find Mr. Jameson. Kali had seen them on the dance floor for a bit, but then they’d disappeared.
She hated standing here alone, feeling conspicuous. Then she felt a presence behind her. Good, Mr. Lawrence was back with her drink.