Part 11 (1/2)
Mitch moved toward the coat check, but Kelsey caught hold of his sleeve. ”Could you come here for a minute? I need to finish setting us up.”
”Setting us up?”
Kelsey led him across the thick gold carpeting to a corridor opposite the lobby. They slipped into a small alcove near the game room. The wall was mirrored, and the area well lit. Perfect.
”Are you going to tell me what's going on?” he asked as she dropped the satchel to the floor. ”You've been acting very mysteriously.”
”I know. But all will now be revealed.” She bit her lip nervously. Kelsey caught Mitch's eye as she began unb.u.t.toning her cape. She gently pulled the hood back, revealing her curls, then let the cape slide from her shoulders to pool around her feet.
Mitch sucked in his breath and widened his eyes.
She wore a gauzy white blouse that clung to her body as if it were painted on. Only the sleeves, long and billowy, were loose. They covered her from upper arm to wrist. But her shoulders, upper chest, and throat were totally exposed. The top of the tight blouse skimmed her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, revealing a great deal of creamy cleavage, and Mitch thought if Kelsey moved too quickly she would reveal far more than she wanted to.
Adding to the natural ”spillage” danger was the fact that Kelsey wore a tight white bustier over the blouse. It laced in the front, cinching her waist to near nothingness, hugging her midriff and pus.h.i.+ng her b.r.e.a.s.t.s up to a dangerous level.
A flowing white skirt skimmed over her shapely hips and fell in layered ruffles to mid-calf. Kelsey moved slightly, and Mitch saw that on one side the skirt curved into a slit that came up to her upper thigh.
Her hair was a ma.s.s of s.h.i.+ning curls, l.u.s.trous and inviting and seductive as h.e.l.l, falling in ringlets over her shoulders. Her huge green eyes stared at him from her exquisite face, and Mitch just drank in her beauty.
”What in heaven's name are you supposed to be?” he finally asked when he regained the ability to speak.
Kelsey dropped her eyes and said, ”Um...your wench.”
”My what?”
”You know,” she explained, ”a pirate's wench.”
”A...pirate's wench?”
Kelsey bent over, and Mitch was unable to suppress a groan at the view he was given. He watched as she grabbed for the bag she'd had him carry into the lobby.
”Now, Mitch, you trust me, right?”
Mitch was able to nod, but that was all. His voice hadn't started working yet, since she'd sucked all the air out of his body when she bent over in front of him.
”Okay, then,” she said, ”close your eyes.”
Mitch complied instantly, glad for the chance to pull his eyes back into his head.
”Just bear with me, okay? Withhold judgment for a minute?”
”I'll agree to withhold judgment if you'll agree not to fall out of that d.a.m.ned blouse,” he said without opening his eyes.
A light peal of laughter was her only response. The bag she'd been carrying rustled, then Mitch heard a clinking sound and tried to place it. It registered about two seconds before he felt the shackle slide around his wrist and snap shut with a click.
”What the...”
”Uh-uh, no peeking. Just one more second,” Kelsey said, sliding the other shackle over her own wrist. ”Now you can open your eyes.”
Mitch did.
They stood in front of a mirrored wall, and Mitch studied the reflection. Kelsey stared at him in the mirror, biting the corner of her lip and looking the tiniest bit uncertain. As well she might.
”Kelsey, we're chained together.”
”Yes, Mitch, I know.”
8.
MITCH'S RIGHT WRIST WAS ENCASED in a metal bracelet that looked and felt like a real prisoner's shackle. About five feet of chain, probably three-quarter-inch links, hung down his body, then looped and traveled up Kelsey's white-clad form, ending at a smaller shackle on her left wrist. in a metal bracelet that looked and felt like a real prisoner's shackle. About five feet of chain, probably three-quarter-inch links, hung down his body, then looped and traveled up Kelsey's white-clad form, ending at a smaller shackle on her left wrist.
Though there was enough play in the chain for them to move apart, Kelsey was pressed against him, still watching for his reaction. Mitch took a deep breath, inhaling her flowery fragrance, and felt a familiar rush of excitement. He continued to study the reflection. He and Kelsey, a pirate and a wench.
”Well?” she finally asked, breaking the several moments of silence. ”What do you think?”
”Hmm,” he said slowly, ”what do I think?”
He saw her mouth tighten and her hand move toward her pocket. She was nervous. He figured she was about to reach for the keys.
”I think,” he finally said, ”that we look pretty d.a.m.n good.”
”Oh, I love you! I knew you'd be a good sport about this,” Kelsey said as she laughed and pulled him down for a quick kiss on the mouth.
Some devil inside him made him tighten his arms around her waist and deepen the kiss. Mitch didn't question the impulse as he pressed his mouth against hers. She didn't seem to question it, either, because she immediately tilted her head and parted her lips invitingly.
He was alive with sensation, following his instincts instead of his intellect and it felt so so good. As did she. She molded against him perfectly, pressing her body against his from neck to hip. This time when they finally drew apart, Mitch didn't regret the kiss for one second. good. As did she. She molded against him perfectly, pressing her body against his from neck to hip. This time when they finally drew apart, Mitch didn't regret the kiss for one second.
”Ready, wench?” he asked, glancing at Kelsey's swollen lips, then lowering his gaze to her heaving chest.
”Oh, yeah, I'm ready,” she muttered. ”I think you are, too.”
Mitch followed her frank gaze down the front of his own body. His black pants left absolutely nothing to the imagination, and certainly no room for arousal.
”You better give me a minute before we go inside,” he said, his voice a throaty whisper.
”I'd give you a lot longer than that if we weren't standing in a public hallway.”
”h.e.l.l, Kelsey, the way I'm feeling right now, I probably wouldn't need need much longer than that!” much longer than that!”
She laughed softly. Mitch pulled his gaze off her and stared at the ceiling, trying to calm himself down by thinking of Chinese burial rituals, bowls of cold oatmeal and his first-grade teacher, a gray-haired old battle-ax named Mrs. Dora. Finally he looked at her and nodded. ”Let's do it.”
A slow, wicked smile spread across her face.
”I mean,” he said, narrowing his eyes, ”let's go to the ball, Lady Love.”
”Is that what makes tonight different?” she asked. ”Am I just Lady Love tonight, and can you forget about the fact that I'm Kelsey Logan?”