Playing with Temptation (31 page)

“I have to say, that sounds very tempting.”

Oh, yes, Paige was definitely intrigued. It had been a year and a half since she’d been with a man. A year and a half since the morning Sawyer Burrows had shattered her heart with his betrayal. And the thought of indulging in a night of hot sex with an anonymous guy was incredibly appealing. She needed to do
something
to finally shake Sawyer from her mind and thoughts, and let the painful past go so she could move on with her life.

Easier said than done, but an evening at The Players Club was a good start to putting an end to her dry spell.

“There is one thing you need to know.” Raina suddenly looked uncertain. “Logan told me that Sawyer is a member of The Players Club. Which, in my opinion, could work to your advantage if he’s there the night you decide to go.”

Paige frowned, not sure how she felt about running into a man she swore she hated, yet still had the ability to affect her on a physical level. Yeah, that part drove her absolutely crazy, but she was curious what Raina meant. “How so?”

“
If
he’s there, think of it as a bit of revenge.” Raina’s eyes danced with mischief. “Flirt with other guys and enjoy yourself. Show Sawyer exactly what he’s been missing, and what is no longer his. Men are such jealous, possessive creatures, and it’ll drive him nuts to see you with another man.”

The corner of Paige’s mouth curled into a smile as she thought about her friend’s suggestion. It had been too long since she’d felt desired and sexy. Combine the added bonus of possibly showing Sawyer that she was over him by letting him see her enjoy another man’s attention, and it really was a win-win situation.

Her decision made, she met Raina’s gaze and lifted her chin in determination. “I’m totally down for that.”

One week later…

T
he lounge area
to The Players Club was incredibly lush and elegant, but much more relaxed than Paige would have anticipated, which helped to calm the butterflies fluttering in her belly. The glass of wine she’d ordered from the bartender—part of the club’s two drink max rule—also helped to soothe the nervous energy coursing through her.

She’d never been to a sex club before, and from the moment she’d walked into the huge mansion she’d known she was definitely out of her element. Especially since she was probably the only one there who’d yet to pop her sex club cherry, she thought in amusement. But so far, everyone had been friendly and welcoming, and she had to admit that she felt very comfortable and no pressure from the few men who’d already approached her with definite interest in their eyes. Which was also a nice little boost to her confidence.

Then again, it didn’t hurt that she was wearing a custom fitted corset that cinched in her waist, plumped up her full breasts, and gave her Kardashian curves. She’d paired the purple and black embroidered corset with a black leather mini-skirt and four inch heels that Raina had assured her did amazing things for her legs. Paige had always been a little on the plus-size, and it was hard not to compare herself to the other gorgeous, slender women in the room with the kind of centerfold figures that most men preferred.

Sawyer included.

She groaned to herself as the unwanted thought popped into her head, but that painful truth was difficult for her to forget, considering Sawyer had slept with Paige’s Barbie look-alike step-sister, Ashley,
while
he’d been dating Paige. The memory still had the ability to make her feel as though someone had punched her in the stomach, as did her step-sister’s words after Paige had caught them together.

Paige, you can’t expect a hot, gorgeous guy like Sawyer to be content and satisfied with someone as big and fat as you. Men like him want a woman who is slender and beautiful, who doesn’t have a belly and chubby thighs. He told me he just felt sorry for you…

That flashback was enough to bring all of her insecurities to the surface and make her question what the heck she was doing in a place like The Players Club. She certainly couldn’t compete with the other attractive, seductive women in the lounge, and in a moment of panic, she abruptly turned around to leave—and bumped full force into a solid male chest that stopped her short, nearly sloshing her wine onto the both of them. A pair of strong hands caught her by the arms to steady her.

“Oh, my God,” she gasped, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment as she looked up into a very handsome face. “I’m so sorry. I should have looked where I was going.”

“No worries.” He smiled and very slowly released his hold on her, his head tipping to the side in undeniable interest. “I enjoyed running into you,” he teased. “My name is Dane.”

He seemed friendly, and knowing it would be rude to continue her mad dash to the exit without a reply, she exhaled a deep breath and returned his smile. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Paige.”

He pushed his hands into the front pockets of his slacks, obviously in no hurry to move on as he studied her face. “You’re new here, aren’t you?”

The flush on her cheeks escalated to a slow heat, that he’d so easily pegged her for a newbie. “Is it that obvious?”

He laughed, the sound warm and easy-going. “Actually, I have a thing for red heads,” he said, and lifted a hand to follow the end of a soft wavy strand that curled against the upper swell of her breast. “You caught my eye the moment you walked into the lounge. If you’d been here before, I would have remembered you.”

The desire in his eyes as he glanced from her cleavage, to her mouth, and back to gaze, should have elicited some kind of physical reaction from her, but unfortunately, didn’t. “I’m a first timer,” she admitted.

He dropped his hand back down to his side, displaying all signs of a true gentleman, which she appreciated. “Then I insist on giving you a personal tour of the place,” he said amicably. “Just as soon as I get myself a drink. Would you like a refill on your wine?”

She shook her head, wanting to be sure she kept a clear head. “No, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“Then I’ll be right back.”

Paige watched him walk away and toward the bar. Unfortunately, she felt no spark and she sighed. She really wished otherwise, because not only was the man good looking, but he was a genuinely a nice guy. But she’d told herself before arriving that if she was going to be with anyone tonight, there had to be some kind of chemistry and a mutual attraction. Straight out lust would even be better. Regardless, she planned to leave the club afterward without any kind of personal attachments to complicate matters.

Maybe, while she and Dane were perusing the club things would change and she’d find him more sexually attractive, she thought as she took another sip of her wine.

While she waited for him to return, she glanced around the lounge. New men and women had arrived and were talking and mingling, while others had paired up and were sitting together in one of the intimate, den-like areas across the room, which Paige just noticed. Her curious gaze swept along each of the secluded spots and the couples within, some of which had opted to release the sheer drapes tied off on either side of the alcove for more privacy.

And that’s when she saw him—
Sawyer
—casually sitting on one of those velvet couches while a gorgeous and perfectly built woman was draped across his lap with her arms around his neck. One of his hands was on her hip, the other rested on her thigh, and the long haired brunette was smiling at Sawyer in a way that was familiar and seductive as she leaned in close and said something in his ear.

Shock riveted Paige’s feet to the floor as she watched his full lips move as he issued some kind of response. Paige’s mind screamed at her to
look away
before he caught her, but instead her traitorous gaze lifted from his mouth to his eyes. She sucked in a sharp breath as her gaze collided with his, and even from across the room she could feel his intense, heated stare, focused on
her
like a laser.

An unexpected—and definitely unwanted—surge of desire poured through her, and a traitorous ache settled between her thighs. She desperately tried to ignore both, reminding herself despite the fact that Sawyer still had the ability to make her body come alive with just a look, there was no forgiving him for what he’d done to her. Pretending as though seeing him there at the club had absolutely no affect on her at all was one of the most difficult things she’d ever had to do, but she forced herself to remain indifferent and glanced away just as Dane arrived back by her side with his drink in hand.

“Ready for your tour?” he asked, and offered her his arm in a very charming fashion.

Grateful for something to hold on to so her weak knees wouldn’t buckle, she slipped her hand through the crook of his arm and gave Dane a smile. “I’m looking forward to it.”

For the next half hour, he escorted her through the mansion, which kept her mind distracted with all the various activities the club had to offer—themed fantasy boudoirs, viewing rooms, open playrooms, and the dark and very intense dungeon. In the lower level, a Mardi Gras themed party was in full swing, complete with beads being awarded for naked breasts while other couples openly kissed and groped and fucked.

They ended up back at the lobby area, standing in front of the split staircase that led to two separate wings of the house where the public and private rooms were located. Another stairway led down below to the dungeon with all its Medieval-like furniture and contraptions that were way out of her first-timer league.

Dane turned to face her, his gaze clearly expressing his interest in her. “I’m heading down to the dungeon, which is my personal preference here at the club,” he said, holding her hand in his. “Care to join me?”

“I don’t think I’m ready for all that.” Paige wouldn’t have pegged him for a man who enjoyed those mock torture devices, but hey, she wasn’t one to judge. And considering there was still no chemistry or any kind of sexual tension on her end, she decided it was time to part ways.

“I’m going to walk through the viewing rooms upstairs and get a better feel for what interests me,” she told him.

“Good girl,” he said, clearly respecting her decision, despite the flicker of disappointment in his gaze. “Never do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or that’s out of your comfort zone. That said, if you change your mind and want to play in the dungeon, I’d enjoy being your partner for the night.”

She didn’t see that happening. “It was nice meeting you, Dane.”

He strolled downstairs, and Paige climbed the winding staircase to the second level, wondering if she was going to be able to find a man tonight worth ending her year and a half sexual drought.

*     *     *

What the fuck
was
she
doing here?

It was the first thought that leapt into Sawyer’s mind the moment he caught sight of Paige in The Players Club lounge. There was no mistaking the rich shade of her wavy auburn hair he used to love wrapping around his hands, or the soft curves of her body she tried to conceal beneath the corset she wore. Both had been embedded in his brain for the past year and a half, slipping into his dreams at night and taunting him with the way those curves felt beneath the stroke of his hands, and how sweet her breasts tasted in his mouth.

Shock didn’t even come close to describing the emotion that tightened his chest, or the way every muscle in his body tensed when her vivid green eyes met and held his from across the room.

He’d seen her briefly a few weeks ago at Raina Beck’s shop—their very first encounter since he’d left for his fifteen month, and final tour, in Iraq. It had also been the first time he’d seen Paige since that awful morning after waking up in her step-sister’s bed, naked, disoriented, and his head pounding like a mother-fucker.

Yeah, that was another less pleasant memory firmly seated in his brain, as was the absolute horror of realizing that he’d slept with Ashley—the evidence of fucking her indisputable. There was no forgetting how she’d cuddled up to him, her hand on his dick to try and persuade him into a morning quickie, but he hadn’t been able to get out of her bed fast enough. She’d pouted unhappily, like the spoiled, rich girl she was, while he’d pulled on his pants, shoved his feet into his shoes, and grabbed his shirt before racing out of her room and down the grand spiral staircase in the opulent mansion where Paige lived with her step-sister and step-mother.

He had no fucking idea how he’d ended up in Ashley’s room, his only thought at the time was that he’d had too much to drink the night before at Paige’s birthday party and had done the unthinkable—and how the fuck was he going to explain this to Paige? Just as he’d reached the entryway, his stomach roiling, Paige walked out of the adjoining living room. She froze in place when she saw him, her gaze traveling from his disheveled, half-naked state, to her step-sister, Ashley, who had chased after him in nothing but a robe that was sheer enough to see that she had nothing on beneath.

He’d been caught in the act, and the devastation that played across Paige’s features in that moment had destroyed him, as well. He’d crossed the marbled foyer to talk to her, very aware of Ashley watching the whole scenario play out from where she was standing at the top of the stairs.