Dawn Atkins - Don't Tempt Me…

“Yes, she mentioned that.” Another look from Mona.

Samantha had to clear her throat to speak. “Rick’s also a photographer. He helped me with a shoot earlier.”

“Even better. Photographer, assistant and handyman. Ideal in every way.” Then Mona quit teasing and honed in on Rick’s back, studying it with a clinical eye.

“I hope to learn a lot,” Rick said, glancing from Mona to Samantha, clearly puzzled by Mona’s change of focus, but when she grabbed one of his shoulders and ran a knuckle down his spine, his eyes went wide. “What are you doing?”

“I’d guess mostly Swedish with a little shiatsu,” Mona pronounced, prodding him with a bent knuckle. “Maybe some trigger-point work. You’ve got a slight curvature…. That sore?”

“A little, yeah. I was in a car wreck in high school.”

“That explains it. Makes the intercostals go into spasm.” Mona grabbed both of his arms, bent at the elbow and pulled them to first one side, then the other. “Get a lot of kinks?”

“Some.”

She manipulated his shoulder and he said, “Ohh…yeah,” his body sagging with relief. Watching Rick’s ramrod-straight frame dissolve into relaxed pleasure made Samantha want to melt.

“Better?” Mona released him.

He turned from side to side, testing his range of motion. “Yeah. Better.”

“I’ll get my book.” Mona glided out of the room.

“She’s getting her book?” Rick asked.

“To schedule you a massage. That felt good, didn’t it?”

“Yeah, but…”

He seemed so flummoxed by the idea she had to smile. “Then imagine a whole, entire hour.”

Mona returned with her dog-eared planner. “How about four tomorrow?”

“We’ll be too busy, I’m sure,” he said, looking at Samantha for a way out.

“There’s always time for a massage, Rick. Consider it an employee benefit, since I don’t offer insurance.”

“Thanks, but I’ll be fine,” Rick said, twisting at the waist to prove it.

“Mona won’t settle for fine. By the time she’s done, you won’t know your own name or even where you are.”

When he blanched, she almost laughed, but she hid her reaction and turned to Mona. “Also, Rick will be following up on the wedding-planner mailing. Do you want me to include a coupon?”

“Sure. I’ll put something together.” She turned to Rick. “I’m glad you’re on our team.”

“Yeah. Me, too. And if you have any other problems, let me know. I’ll drop in regularly, see what else needs doing.”

“Sounds great,” Mona said.

Samantha thought it was nice how he was taking charge, accepting responsibility for extra duties already. Maybe a little too conscientious, but, so far, a good hire.

“You didn’t need to do that,” Rick said as soon as they were outside the shop. “I can pay for the massage.”

“Mona gives me a discount. And you’ll need it. I’ll be working you hard.” She put her hand to her mouth and stood stock-still.

Rick chuckled. “I’m going to let that one alone.”

She smiled her gratitude, liking the wicked look on his face all the same.

“I don’t know that I like the idea of Mona making me forget my name or where I am,” he mused.

“Why not? Haven’t you ever been swept away?” she asked.

“Not on a massage table,” he said in a tone that made her heart pound.

“I know what you mean,” she said, though she really didn’t. She’d never been that lost in a physical moment. She wanted to be. With Rick. Forgetting everything but him and what he was doing to her. Rick, Rick, oh, Rick.

She sighed, then realized they were standing outside Valerie’s display windows, which held the naked mannequins she’d agreed to dress.

“Venus in a C-cup, huh?” Rick said, reading the shop name from above the nude figures. “This whole place is something else.” He shook his head, as if mystified by it all. Again she had to wonder why he’d wanted this job.

The atmosphere was so not Rick.

For a moment they stood side by side staring at the naked women with their plaster hips thrust provocatively forward, fingers extended, inviting, teasing. In her mind, she saw Rick staring at her instead of them, sliding his hot, green gaze over every trembling inch of her naked and needy body.

“I’d ask what you’re thinking, but I bet I’m better off not knowing,” he said, his low tone vibrating through her.

She turned to him. I’m thinking, you…me…naked…now.

But she was spared that bold response or a clever retort when Val burst out the door of the shop. “Thank God you’re here! My inventory finally arrived.” She stopped short at Rick.

“Meet my new assistant, Rick West. Rick, Valerie Sumner. He’ll be helping you with any tenant issues. We’re heading over to the salon right now to—”

“Terrific. You can both help. The shipment barely got here and I cannot under any circumstances miss Lindsay’s twirling tournament. Plus, you have the windows to do, Sammi.” She nodded at the displays.

Samantha looked from her frantic friend to Rick to her watch. It was already four. “You don’t need to stay, Rick. Blythe’s plumbing can wait for tomorrow.”

“I’m happy to help,” he said.

“That’s excellent,” Valerie said. “Come on.”

They followed her through the shop to the back room where men were adding a pallet of goods to the towers of boxes and crates that jammed the space.

Val named the items in each column and then indicated where in the store they belonged. “Lingerie sets there. Garters and stockings on hooks on the walls. Single thongs and panties in rows on that counter, folded. Expensive vibrators in the display case. Edible underwear, oils and genital jewels on the counter.”

Genital jewels? She and Rick exchanged startled looks.

“I’ll finish checking the order, bring out the boxes and handle the inside table displays,” Val finished. “Holler if you have questions.” She was already heading for the back room.

“Do you have questions?” Samantha asked Rick, opening a box and lifting out a red nylon bra with the nipple area cut out. She held it by its straps.

“Just one. How do you stand these things?” He held the matching thong by its thinnest strap.

“You get used to it,” she said, going for breezy, feeling hot and excited and very nervous. She’d only begun wearing thongs in the last few months.

“Looks like a match,” he said, dangling the panties below the bra, which she realized she held in front of her own breasts. “Very nice,” he added softly.

“Cut it out,” she said, fighting the warmth of his words. Heavens to horny, she had to get a grip. She thrust a two-part hanger at his chest and gave him the sexy bra. “Clip them together and hang them here.” She brushed a hanger on the circular chrome rack, setting them all to clanging.

“You’re the boss.” He grinned.

They set to work and she decided chitchat would keep her from lapsing into any more fantasies. “So, you were in the army? Did you like it?” she asked him.

“Huh? The army? Yeah, sure.”

Sounded like mixed feelings to her. “I imagine the discipline would be difficult.”

“It was good for me. Made up for my misspent youth.” He smiled.

“You were wild in high school?”

“No more than most, I guess. How about you?”

“I was your standard Goody Two-shoes. I lived in a little town with little ideas and parents who fit right in.”

“Small towns can be nice.”

“Not to me. I couldn’t wait for college.”

“To go wild?”

“Exactly.” But she laughed. “Only it didn’t work that way. I met a guy and before long you’d never know I’d left Copper Corners. All we did was study and watch TV.” Spending time with Barry had been no more exciting than League Night at the Copper Corners Bowl-A-Rama, but she’d let herself get sucked into living life his way for too long.