Whipped (Hitched #2)(9)

I mock groan and leave them in a liplock as I go in search of my godbabies. I find them upstairs in their nursery, just waking from a nap. Adele and Daniel. The two cutest twins in the entire planet both smile up at me from their shared crib—they refused to sleep apart— and I reach for them both, dropping a kiss on each fuzzy head before picking up Adele to change her diaper. Switch, repeat, and it's go time.

With one baby in each arm I make my way down the stairs. "I have presents for you both!" I tell them, smiling. "Do you want to open presents?" The babies coo excitedly at my tone.

Once Sebastian leaves and the babies settle into our laps enjoying the discovery of their fingers more than any gifts I could bring, Kacie and I juggle cups of coffee and catch each other up on everything we've missed in the last few weeks.

"Hitched is taking off faster than we can keep up," she says. She and her twin brother, Tate, run a premiere bachelor and bachelorette party planning company here in Las Vegas, which got major exposure when they snagged a party for a prominent magician in town and he told all of his celebrity friends. This was right before Kacie and Dr. Sexy, the prominent pediatric surgeon Sebastian Donovan, got engaged after a crazy summer following a drunken night that led to marriage.

You know, because Vegas.

"I'm thrilled for you! And the babies are getting so big. I have to come over more or I'll show up one day and they'll be in college." We switch babies so I can hold Adele for a while.

"Stop it. Don't give them ideas. I swear they conspire with each other behind my back on how to take over the world."

I laugh. "I'm sure your mother felt the same way about you and Tate."

"Ha! That's probably true. And look at us now. Guess she was right." She sips her decaf coffee and my heart goes out to her. Nursing is a sacrifice. "Now, enough about me. Tell me about you! How's Whipped, how's life, how's Zoe, how's everything? Details, woman!"

I tell her all, saving the best for last. Lachlan.

Her mouth forms an O as I talk about last night.

"Can you believe his f*cking kept me up all night?"

I expect her to be outraged on my behalf, as is the job of the best friend in these situations. But instead she grins in the way I know means trouble and raises an eyebrow. "All night? With wall-banging enthusiasm? So, let me get this straight. He's got a sexy accent, he's hot as hell, washboard abs, the face of a god, all night stamina and he can go hard long enough to shake the walls? And he's willing to give you no-strings attached pleasure? Um, why aren't you hitting that?"

"Why? Did you not hear anything I said?"

She wags her eyebrows suggestively. "Oh, I did. And that's the point. Is he serious about the girl from this morning?"

"No, I don't think he knows what serious means. I'd probably have to buy him a dictionary for him to understand that word."

"Then you need to discover this man's skills for yourself." She sets her coffee mug down and reaches for my hand. "I say this with all the love of a best friend: Vi, you need to get f*cked hard and good and by a man who knows how. It's been too long."

I laugh at the deadly serious expression on her face but shake my head. "Nope, not happening. Not with him."

"And not with the sexy FedEx man," she says.

"Because I'm not starring in a porn!"

"And not with anyone else, either. You said he's only living there for a few months. So what could it hurt?"

"It could make these next few months impossible."

She cocks her head and pulls out a breast to nurse Daniel. "Fine, if not with him, then with someone. Just go out and have fun. I'd drag you out myself but, well, it'll be awhile before I spend a night on the town drinking."

We spend a few more hours talking, laughing and playing with babies until Sebastian comes home and I can tell I'll soon be the third wheel. We put the babies to bed and I leave with more hugs for them both.

On the way home that night I consider my friend's advice and decide, you know what? Fuck it. She's right. I need to get laid. I head to Spanked, a fetish sex club I used to frequent to find new clients and scratch my own personal itches from time to time. I could always count on it for finding a willing sub who was ready to play. I park and walk to the door. The bouncer, Brent, recognizes me and waves. "Vi, it's been too long. Welcome back."

"Thanks, Brent. How's it going in there tonight?"

Brent, a sub with model-like good looks who often passed clients to me, shrugs his well-defined shoulders. "A bit slow, but I think you'll find what you need. You taking any new clients, or still just focused on Whipped?"

"Just the shop. I'll let you know if that changes."

He opens the door and lets me in. "I got some clients for you if it does change. You're the best out there and everyone knows it."

I kiss his cheek as I walk in. "Thanks, Brent. You're sweet."

"Anything for you, Vi. Have fun tonight."

I intend to.

The club is dark, with beams of colored light projecting through the room like lasers. On the dance floor couples sway to loud music that feels like it's inside of me, beating out its own rhythm in my blood. One couple is mostly naked, already engaged in more than just dance, but no one seems to mind.