Sweet Persuasion (Sweet #2)(12)

“You’re totally not going to let me enjoy the scenery, are you?” Serena said with a disgusted sigh.

“You can watch them and talk at the same time.”

Serena rolled her eyes then leaned in, and in low tones, related the conversation she’d had with Faith and her subsequent meeting with Damon.

“Holy shit,” Julie breathed. “Now that’s what I call a shocker.”

“I’m not sure I like where you’re going with this,” Serena said in a dry voice.

“I get the fantasy bits, but Serena, a sex slave?” Julie asked in disbelief.

“Shhh!” Serena hissed. “For Pete’s sake, I’d rather the entire greater Houston area not know about this.”

“You’re really going to do it?” Julie asked in a lower tone.

Serena paused for a minute then turned to her friend. “Yeah, I think I am.”

“Wow. You’ve got balls, girlfriend. My hat is totally off to you. I’m such a chicken shit. I can’t even work up the nerve to ask Nathan out, and here you are taking on your darkest fantasies.”

There was a rueful gleam in Julie’s brown eyes. Admiration shadowed her expression and a tiny bit of envy as well.

“If I can discuss sexual slavery over lunch with a guy who looks like the cover model for GQ, then I think you should at least have the guts to ask Nathan out,” Serena said.

“GQ, huh. This is Faith’s friend, right?” Julie glanced sideways at Faith who kept her lips pressed tightly together although her eyes glittered with laughter. “I think she’s been holding out on us, Serena. Not only does she work with a horde of hot guys, but now she’s cultivating friendships with hot sex club owners?”

Faith heaved an exaggerated sigh. Then she leaped to her feet as Gray ran home.

“Girl needs to learn to share,” Julie grumbled.

“Hey, I hand-delivered Nathan to you. What more do you want?” Faith demanded as she plopped back down beside Serena.

“She’s got you there, Julie,” Serena pointed out. “She took him to you when he wanted to get his ear pierced and you got him hooked on those massages.”

Julie sighed unhappily.

“Bet if you showed up naked to massage him, he’d notice you,” Faith offered.

“Make him roll over,” Serena said with a snicker.

“He’s not a damn dog,” Julie said darkly.

Faith muttered a curse when one of their guys got thrown out at first, ending the inning. Then she turned to Serena, her expression serious.

“Are you sure you know what you’re getting into, Serena? I mean, have you thought this through?”

Serena inhaled sharply then nodded. “Yeah, this is something I want to do. And hey, it’s not like I’m making a major life change. It’s a temporary fantasy. If I hate it, I’ll just put an end to it early and go dream up something different.”

“I trust Damon,” Faith said. “He’ll take good care of you, I know it.”

“Just how is it that you know Damon anyway?” Julie interjected. “Seems like that has to be a juicy story.”

Faith blushed and glanced down at her hands. “Let’s just say I had some fantasies of my own, and Damon was very helpful in directing my path.”

“Get out!” Julie exclaimed as she all but pounced on Faith. “Does Gray know about this?”

Faith laughed softly. “Gray hauled me out of Damon’s club, so yeah, he knows.”

Serena gave a small shiver. “Girl, you have all the fun. What I wouldn’t give for a gorgeous man to go all he-man on me.”

“So, um, what were these fantasies of yours, Faith?” Julie prodded.

Faith blushed again. “They weren’t so different from Serena’s, which is why I sent her to Damon.”

Julie arched an eyebrow then glanced between Faith and Serena. “Don’t get any ideas about me, chicas. I don’t have a submissive bone in my body.”

“We aren’t out to convert you, Julie,” Serena said in mild exasperation.

“We’re just owning our sexuality,” Faith said firmly.

Serena nodded. “Exactly.”

“Well, damn, I want to own mine,” Julie muttered. “Just as soon as I get it all figured out.”

“You mean you’re secretly a lesbian?” Serena teased.

Julie elbowed her in the gut. “Very funny. A girl can’t get any straighter than I am. In fact, I think my fantasy might be to take on Nathan and his buddies.”

Serena coughed and then she burst into laughter.

Julie’s eyes narrowed. “Hey, I wasn’t joking.”

“Come on, Julie. More than one guy? What the hell would you do with them all?”

“Oh, you’d be surprised,” Faith murmured.

Both Julie and Serena whipped their heads in Faith’s direction, but she stared out at the field, a look of supreme innocence on her face.

“Tell me you haven’t,” Julie said in a low voice. “Because if you have, I may gut you in my envy.”

Faith just smiled and continued to watch the game.

“Hell, she has,” Serena said. She followed Faith’s gaze to the field where the guys were lining up for handshakes. Then she glanced back at Faith, whose cheeks were a delicate shade of pink. “With them?”