Footsteps approached the opening of the dressing screen. Toni reached behind her back and grabbed the corset ribbon ends. “I can’t believe I even have this on. Would you please tie the laces?”

The ends were taken from her hand and pulled snug. Before the strings were tied, the ribbons were carefully smoothed and tightened from bottom to top. Fingertips grazed her spine before a bow secured the corset in place.

“Beautiful,” a voice whispered. However, instead of Mia or Francine’s voice, this was husky and masculine.

Toni twirled. Her hair whipped around her face until her eyes settled on the owner of the mysterious voice. “Brax,” she said breathlessly.

“Hi there, I hope you don’t mind me joining the lingerie party,” he said with a crooked smile.

“Crap. No, I mean yes, I mind. I didn’t want to put this getup on in the first place, let alone have anyone see me in it,” Toni sputtered as she tried to grab her robe.

“I can’t imagine why. You look amazing. Have you seen yourself?”

Toni shook her head.

Brax’s eyes shifted to the bench behind her. “You left the best for last,” he said and jerked his head toward the black silky stockings folded on the seat. “Sit,” he ordered.

She followed his glance to the bench and then returned to his face.

“There’s no going back now,” he said and quirked his eyebrows.

He had a point. She may as well go through with the entire charade. Shrugging, she shuffled her feet and sat on the bench.

Brax knelt at her knees and reached for the pair of stockings. He patted his thigh, signaling Toni to lift her right foot and placed it on his muscular leg. He found the opening of the stockings and bunched them with his thumb and forefinger to the foot of the stocking. Toni pointed her toe and slipped her foot inside. He pulled the silky stocking over her calf and stopped at her knee. Their eyes locked as he reached under each of her knees and gave them a swift tug so that her ass balanced on the edge of the padded bench. He continued pulling the stocking up to the top of her thigh. Finding the other stocking on the floor, he performed the same act on her left leg.

“Stand,” he said roughly and cleared his throat.

Without taking her eyes off him, she stood and watched as he pulled the clips from the bottom of her corset and secured the stockings.

“You’re good at that,” she said smiling.

He chuckled. “I’m going to bring you out to the mirror. No peeking.”

Brax held her hand and brushed his fingers up her back. Toni’s feet stayed planted.
“Come on, trust me. You’ll be pleased. Keep your eyes closed until I say to open them.”
Toni took a deep breath and allowed him to lead her out from behind the privacy screen.
“Inch up a little and I’m going to slip a pair of heels on your feet. Good. Open your eyes, gorgeous.”

Toni squinted, afraid of what she’d see. Her line of vision started with a pair of silver heels.

“Ooo, I do like the shoes.”

She continued her glance upward to a pair of legs she almost didn’t recognize. Damn! Are those mine? Her eyes opened wide, taking everything in. The corset fit perfectly and hugged every curve of her hourglass shape. Glancing at the tiny triangle of leather at her mound, she silently thanked the spa attendant who talked her into the Brazilian wax.

“So?” he asked.

“I’m shocked. I don’t know how, but this getup works.”

“I think you’ve been told things about yourself your whole life and took them for fact. This is all you, sweetheart. You’re sexy as sin.” Their eyes met in the mirror. “Check out the back.”

Toni scooted around and looked at her reflection in the three-way mirror. She followed the crisscross of the ribbon from the top of her back to the dangling ends tied neatly at her bare ass. Only a thin band of leather covered her full ass cheeks, making them starring features. Her glance moved to Brax in his black leather motorcycle jacket and warmth flooded her belly.

“Now do you see what I do?” he asked and trailed his fingertip down her arm.

“I don’t know about that but I’m thinking it’s a keeper.” She giggled.

“I guess that’s a start.” He winked. “Come, I’ll help you with the laces.”

She turned once they returned to the other side of the privacy screen and waited for him to pull the ends of the bow. Instead, he grasped her shoulders and led her back to the bench.

“What’s your safe word, Antonietta?”

She twisted her head and met his stare. “What?”

“Your safe word.” His eyes bore through hers and stoked the embers burning deep in her core.

“Fire,” she said quietly.

“Okay. Don’t be afraid to use it. Ever. Now sit.”

She complied, and his hands moved to her stocking clips. Four snaps sounded before the silky fabric slinked from her legs and was replaced by warm hands traveling up the inside of her thighs. Hooking his thumb around the scrap of fabric at her waist, he yanked the G-string off in a fluid movement. Warm hands were back at the sensitive skin of her inner thigh as he pushed her legs apart. Moving closer, he blew a light breath over her exposed folds, eliciting a quick tremble and making her whimper for more. He growled as the swirl of his tongue sent waves of heat through her core. Toni opened her legs further and leaned backward until her back rested against the wall. Clamping down on her thighs, he lifted her legs slightly off the cushioned bench and continued to intimately reacquaint himself with her slick heat. She closed her eyes and moaned deep as the tip of his tongue circled just outside her bundle of nerves.

“Look at me. I want to watch you come undone.”

Her eyes flicked open. “Please don’t stop,” she said in a voice she didn’t recognize. It was throaty and desperate. She was transported to a time when her life was simpler, a time when all that mattered was Brax and the love they shared.

“Touch yourself,” he commanded.