Just 4 Play

“I’m not sure. Uh…there’s this woman here. And uh…she keeps asking for you.” He lowered his voice. “She’s kind of upset.”

“Oh, hell.”

“What is it?” Meg leaned toward him, her eyes questioning. “Is everything all right?”

He covered the phone with his hand. “It’s the manager at Uncle Grif’s store. There’s a woman there demanding to see me.” He put the phone to his ear again. “What does she want?”

“I don’t know. Uh…she says her name is Lana. Lana Montgomery.”

MEG HAD HEARD OF PEOPLE turning green, but she’d never actually seen it before—until now. Actually, Mitch’s face went through an alarming array of colors, from ashy-white to fiery-red, before settling on this green-tinted phase. He snapped the phone shut and shoved up from the table so hard his chair almost fell over behind him. He grabbed the chair, saving it from crashing to the floor and signaled the waiter for their check. “I have to go,” he croaked.

Meg tossed aside her napkin and stood also. “I’ll go with you.”

He shook his head. “No. You stay here and finish eating.” He tossed a twenty on the table and headed toward the door.

She followed. He stopped at the exit and glared at her. “Meg, you can’t come with me.”

She ignored him and headed for his car. He hurried after her. “What do you think you’re doing?”

The minute he unlocked the car, she opened the door and slid into the passenger seat. “Something’s going on and I intend to find out what it is,” she said.

He fit the key into the ignition and scowled at her. “Get out of this car.”

She fastened her seat belt and returned the scowl. “Make me.”

He growled and started the car. “All right. But you’re staying in the car.”

She turned to look out of the window so he wouldn’t see her smile. Men were so predictable. Even her brother.

Mitch negotiated Boulder traffic with reckless speed, and screeched to a halt in a No Parking zone in front of a pink brick building. Meg looked up at the marquee over the building’s door. Just 4 Play. Her smile broadened. She’d heard of this place. In fact, one of her girlfriends had recommended it. When Mitch jumped out of the car and went inside, she laughed out loud. So this was his secret inheritance. Oh, that was rich. Her straight-arrow brother had been saddled with a sex shop. This she had to see.

When she walked through the door, Mitch was leaning over the counter, deep in conversation with a petite blonde. The blonde pointed toward the back and he took off.

Meg walked over to the counter and picked up a penis-shaped key chain. Now there was a conversation starter. “May I help you?” the blonde asked.

She laid aside the key chain. “I’m Meg Landry. Mitch’s sister. We were having lunch when you called.”

“Oh, I didn’t call. The manager, Sid, did.” She held out her hand. “I’m Jill Sheldon.”

They shook hands. Meg looked around, at the candy-colored condoms, the blowup dolls, massage oils, how-to books and what looked like a belly dancer costume. Her grin widened. Oh brother, what are you into now? She turned to Jill. “So what’s going on? Why did Mitch rush over here in the middle of lunch?”

Jill made a face. “A woman came in here this afternoon, took one look around and started hollering for Mitch.”

“A woman? Who?”

“One of those society types. You know, fancy suit, fancy hair, fancy attitude.” Jill’s expression said Miss Fancy had left her singularly unimpressed. “She said her name was Lana Montgomery.”

Meg shaped her mouth into a perfect O. “I take it Mitch hadn’t gotten around to telling her about this place.”

Jill leaned across the counter, ready to dish dirt. “Who is she?”

“Mitch’s girlfriend. Or maybe ex-girlfriend now.” She picked up a jar of body paint and studied the list of suggested uses. “Something tells me Lana’s not the type to approve of a place like this.”

Jill straightened. “I suppose she thinks there’s something wrong with healthy sexuality. With helping people to improve their relationships and learn about their bodies—”

“Hey, I didn’t say I didn’t approve.” Meg set aside the body paint. “To tell the truth, Lana’s always struck me as somebody laced up a little too tight.”

Jill glanced toward the closed office door. “Like Mitch.”

“Well, yeah, big brother can be a little…intense. But he’s really a great guy.”

Jill raised one eyebrow. “You wouldn’t be a little biased, would you?”

She grinned. “Not at all.” She nodded toward the office. “So what happened before I got here?”

“Sid took this Lana chick back to the office. I think he was going to fix her some tea. If we’re lucky, he slipped a tranquilizer into it.”

“That would probably help.” She walked over to a vibrator display and picked up a bright green model. No sense letting this shopping opportunity go to waste. “I’ve been thinking about getting one of these. What would you recommend?”

“We have some really nice models.” Jill emerged from behind the counter and joined her at the display. “We have every color, size and shape you can think of.” She began opening drawers and taking out boxes. “Somewhere in here is your perfect BOB.”

Meg picked up a bright purple model. “Bob?”

“Your battery operated boyfriend.” She glanced toward the office door. “Let me tell you, sometimes they’re a lot less trouble than the real thing.”

MITCH DIDN’T HAVE TIME to worry about Meg right now. He had to deal with Lana. What the hell was she doing here? How had she found out about the place? And what was he supposed to do with her now?

He paused outside the office door and forced himself to take deep, calming breaths. She was probably upset; fine, he had seen her upset before and he could deal with that. The main thing was to remain calm. After all, he’d done nothing to be ashamed of.

He grasped the doorknob firmly and shoved open the door, a placating speech already forming in his mind. But the scene before him froze him in his tracks.

Lana and Sid sat side by side in front of the desk. Sid’s head was leaned toward Lana, an earnest expression on his face as he listened to her pour out some tale of woe, his pink Mohawk almost touching her perfectly coifed hair. The teacup looked like something from a child’s toy tea set in his large hand.

“Thank you for being so understanding, Sid,” Lana was saying.

Mitch made a strangled noise in his throat and they both looked up. Lana tensed and her expression grew stormy. “Mitch, how could you!”

He walked into the room and leaned against the desk, his pose deliberately casual. “How could I what?”

Two lines made a deep V between her brows and her mouth puckered in an expression of distaste. “How could you run a…a…smut shop?”

“We prefer to think of ourselves as purveyors of accessories to enhance people’s pleasure and well-being.” Sid’s tongue-stud clacked against his teeth, giving him a slight lisp.

Lana stared at him, her mouth going slack. A rosy flush crept up her neck. “Um, yes.”

She turned back to Mitch. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I knew you’d react like this. Besides, I intend to close the place down and open a restaurant.”

Sid looked pained. “I told her.” He rescued her teacup from her hand. “Let me get you some more tea.”

“I don’t want more tea.” She clenched her fists in her lap. “I want an explanation.”

Why hadn’t he noticed before how shrewish she could be? He frowned. “I don’t see that it’s any of your business, Lana.”

“How can you say that? Don’t you realize I have a reputation in town? What will people think when they find out the man I’m dating owns a place like this?”

The man I’m dating. Was that all he was to her? Someone to escort her to dinner or to the theater, nothing more? “Maybe they’d think you were lucky,” he said, only half-joking.

Sid brought more tea. “Lots of respectable people shop here,” he said. His expression was grave as he bent over Lana. “The mayor’s wife has even been here before.”

Lana’s eyes widened as she accepted the teacup. A trembling attempt at a smile even rose to her lips. “You’ve been so kind,” she said, her voice breathy.

Sid ducked his head, looking humble—or as humble as a six-foot-plus tattooed and pierced man in leather can look. “My pleasure, ma’am.”

Lana turned back to Mitch, her smile vanished. “This is why you’ve been talking about…about sex and experimenting and being bored.”

He shoved his hands into his pants pockets. It was either that or give in to the temptation to shake some sense into her. “I was only suggesting we had gotten into a rut.”

“Well…fine. If that’s what you want then…fine.” She set down her cup so hard tea sloshed onto the desk. “You can find someone else to play your…your sex games.” She grabbed up her purse and stormed out.

“Lana, wait…”

“I’ll just make sure she’s okay.” Sid took off after her.

Mitch crossed his arms and stared at the vacant doorway. He should have been the one to go after Lana, but he couldn’t bring himself to move a muscle. Whatever they’d had between them was over now. The only emotion he could muster was relief.

He sighed and straightened. That took care of Lana—now what to do about Meg? He had little hope she’d actually stayed in the car. Even as a toddler, she’d never minded very well.

He spotted her with Jill on the other side of the store and made his way over to them. “What are you doing in here?” he asked.

She held up a large purple vibrator. “I had some shopping to do.” She pressed a button and the purple plastic penis waggled like a hula dancer. “Isn’t it cute?”

6

ALL THE BLOOD RUSHED to Mitch’s face. He grabbed the absurd toy and switched it off. “I told you to stay in the car.”

She raised one eyebrow. “Since when have I ever done what you tell me?” She grinned. “Nice place you have here, bro.”

His face felt hot. He was embarrassed—and embarrassed that he was embarrassed. Yes, Meg was a grown woman, but he couldn’t stop thinking of her as his little sister.

She picked up a pink vibrator. “I think I like this one.”

“The koi,” Jill said. “A good choice. The fish’s little fins provide excellent clitoral stimulation.”

He wanted to put his hands over his ears. He didn’t want to hear this. He turned away. He didn’t want to see it, either. Behind him, Meg and Jill laughed, apparently in on some hilarious joke.

The bells on the front door jangled and Sid came back in. “I managed to get her calmed down a little, I think. At least enough to drive home without having an accident.”

“What was her problem?” Jill asked.

“She doesn’t approve.” Mitch walked over to the counter and pretended an interest in a magazine lying there. Piercing Times. Who knew there were so many different places one could puncture the body?

“In my experience, when someone has such a negative reaction to something, it’s because they’re really more attracted to it than they think they should be.” Jill laid the pink vibrator on the counter and leaned toward him. The scent of jasmine teased him and a sudden memory of her, whip in hand, flashed across his mind.

He shifted his stance, turning slightly away from her. “I don’t think that’s Lana’s problem.”

“Don’t be too sure.” Meg joined them at the counter. “Maybe there’s really a wild woman inside that repressed, proper shell.”

He shook his head. “No.” If anyone was in a position to know that, he was. Lana didn’t even like to make any noise when she climaxed.

“What are you going to do now?” Meg asked.

He shoved aside the magazine. “Nothing.”

“Nothing?” Jill tilted her head to one side and studied him.

“If she’s that upset about me owning this place, then it’s probably best we don’t see each other anymore.”

“So you’re going to let her go, just like that?” Jill shook her head. “One little disagreement and you’re through?”

Why was she taking Lana’s side? “You don’t know anything about it,” he snapped. “And it’s none of your business anyway.”

“I think it’s more than ‘one little disagreement.’” Meg joined them at the front counter. “I think things haven’t been right between them for a while now—if they ever were.”

He glared at her. “Stay out of this.”

She shrugged. “I’m just saying you’re better off without her. I never thought she was your type.”

“Oh?” Jill turned to Meg. “What sort of woman do you think is Mitch’s type?”

“Well now, let’s see.” She furrowed her brow. “Someone a little more laid-back. Someone who can help him loosen up. Take his mind off business.” She grinned at him. “Someone who can help him have a little fun.”

There was that word again—as if life was always one laugh after another. “Stop talking about me as if I’m not even here,” he demanded.

Jill gave him a long look, her gaze starting somewhere around his knees and traveling upward, as if she was measuring him for an outfit—or picturing him without one. He felt warm and resisted the urge to fidget. Instead he looked straight into her eyes, intending to stare her down.

Her lips curved in a slow smile. “Yes, I’d say someone needs to help Mitch loosen up a little.” She leaned closer, until her breath tickled his ear. “Wouldn’t you know it? That happens to be my specialty,” she whispered.

MITCH APPARENTLY HAD MASTERED the art of looking cool and collected on the outside, but Jill knew she was getting to him. His eyes darkened, his breathing came faster and a pulse throbbed at his temple, inches from her lips. He might pretend to be unmoved, but Mitch Landry kept a lot of passion reigned in beneath his businesslike facade. Meg was right. Miss Fancy-Pants Lana Montgomery was too much of a cold fish for him. A man like Mitch needed a woman who wasn’t afraid to get a fire going.

She breathed in deeply, and felt her own pulse quicken as the scent of Aramis swept over her. Oh, yes. Now that Mitch was certifiably free from entanglements with any other woman, she was going to have a wickedly wonderful time showing him the delights of a walk on the wilder side of life.

“Don’t you have work to do?” His eyes narrowed.

She stepped back, but slowly, reluctantly, telling him with her body and her eyes that things would be so much better if only he’d allow her to move closer. “Why yes.” She turned and picked up the koi vibrator. “I need to ring this up. Let’s see now, what is our family discount?”

He glared at his sister. “You’re not really going to buy that.”

She grinned. “Why not?”

“Because.” His face burned. “Don’t you have to be twenty-one to buy something like this?”

“Eighteen.” Sid, who had been standing by the front window, looking out, spoke up. “Twenty-one is for alcohol.” He turned to face them.

“Besides, I am twenty-one.” Meg laid a credit card on the counter. “I know it’s hard for you, bro, but I’m all grown up now.”

His shoulders slumped and he smiled weakly. “When did that happen?”

Meg laughed. “Not only that, I’m a medical student.” She picked up the vibrator and pointed it at him. “What I don’t already know about anatomy and sexuality, I fully intend to learn.”

Mitch wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close. “Be careful where you point that thing, it might be loaded.”

Jill laughed. Just when she’d begun to think she had Mitch all figured out, he surprised her with a remark like that. She always did like a man who could surprise her.

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