Sweet Persuasion (Sweet #2)(23)

Julie sighed. “He rescheduled his massage after I sort of plotted to begin my grand seduction scheme. Well, he hasn’t exactly rescheduled yet. He just cancelled.”

“Uh-oh. That doesn’t sound good,” Serena offered.

“Faith, is Nathan seeing anyone?” Julie asked.

“Not that I know of, but I don’t keep up with his love life. Why do you ask?”

“I want to hear about this seduction plan,” Serena spoke up.

“I wore a shirt that my tatas were damn near about to spill out of.”

“Oh my,” Faith said in amusement. “That had to be a glorious sight to behold. You have such, um, impressive tatas.”

Serena sat up, and Julie’s hands fell away from her back.

“I’m not finished, hon,” Julie protested.

“Oh yes, you are. I want to hear all about this, and I hate having a conversation lying down unless it involves a gorgeous man.”

Faith laughed. “You know we’re getting to you next, Serena. Just so you know.”

Serena rolled her eyes. “As if I thought I could escape you two.” She turned to look at Julie. “So? You displayed the tatas, then what?”

“Nothing. That’s what I’ve been trying to say. I’m here plumping my cle**age, planning how to plant it in Nathan’s face, when he calls to cancel his appointment.”

“Ah, gee, I’m sorry,” Faith said, sympathy shadowing her pretty features.

“It gets worse,” Julie said darkly. “Some bimbo in the background was informing him that he didn’t need to pay for a massage because she’d be more than happy to give him one. Then when I asked him when he wanted to reschedule, he said he’d call me.”

“Oh, ouch,” Serena murmured. “The I’ll call you line.”

“Yeah,” Julie grumbled. “Shot down before I ever got off the ground. Clearly I need to focus my attention elsewhere. I mean, I’m not a complete dog, right? I’ve never had a man want to put a paper bag over my head during sex or anything.”

Serena and Faith both burst out laughing.

“I’m so sorry, Julie,” Faith said as she wiped tears of laughter from her eyes. “I have no idea what Nathan’s problem is. You’re gorgeous!”

Julie rolled her eyes. “Spoken like a loyal friend talking to an ugly woman.”

Serena snickered. “Well, you’re not as pretty as I am, but you’re definitely not paper-bag ugly.”

Julie shoved at Serena’s shoulder. “Gee, thanks, what a pal.”

“Why don’t you just ask him out?” Serena asked. “Stop with the hinting around—the plan to jump him while giving a massage, though that wasn’t a bad idea at all—and just come out and ask him on a date. If he refuses then wipe his existence from your memory banks and go ask Micah or Connor out. They’re both hot.”

“I can’t go out with someone who’s slept with one of my friends,” Julie muttered. “So thanks, Faith, for ruining Micah for me.”

Faith chuckled. “If you knew how good he was in bed, you wouldn’t be all holier than thou about going out with him.”

Julie groaned. “For the love of God. Stop already. You’re killing me. What I wouldn’t give for a threesome with two hot guys. Hell, right now I’d take one hot guy. Or even a not-so-hot one. I just want to get laid, damn it.”

“Toys not working for you?” Serena asked innocently.

“Fuck you,” Julie said darkly. “So speaks the woman who is assured of some killer sex now that she’s signing on to be someone’s sex slave.”

“Which brings us nicely to the next topic of our conversation,” Faith said. “Did Damon find someone for you yet?”

Serena bit her lip and looked between her two friends, wondering if she should tell them everything.

“He has, hasn’t he?” Julie pounced. “Dish, Serena. We want details.”

“He didn’t exactly find someone,” she hedged. “He sorta volunteered himself.”

Faith’s mouth fell open while Julie just looked confused.

“He did what?” Faith demanded. “Are you serious?”

Julie looked rapidly back and forth between Serena and Faith. “What am I missing? This is the GQ guy, right?”

Faith ignored her. “But he’s so not into all the role-playing and games. I mean, he once told me that if he had his way, he’d have a woman collared and tied to his bed.”

A delicious shiver started at Serena’s toes and worked up until her entire body was bathed in goose bumps.

“Well, we don’t need a rocket scientist to figure out where this is going,” Julie said dryly.

Now it was Serena’s turn to ignore Julie. “Well, he did sort of mention that. Not in such specific terms, mind you, but um, it works for me, at least on a temporary basis.”

Concern shadowed Faith’s eyes. “I never figured Damon would go for something temporary. He’s very focused on what he wants.”

“Maybe he’ll talk you around,” Julie teased.

Serena shot her a glare. “Come on, Julie. Can you really see me as someone’s permanent sex slave? It’s fine for some really hot sex and a scorching fantasy, but for real? So not me.”