Cherie's Silk Read online

  Cherie’s Silk

  Dena Garson

  Cherie’s favorite work adversary, Mason, stumbles across her in the midst of a humiliating “wardrobe malfunction”. She has to choose between possible public embarrassment and exposing her secret undergarment obsession to Mason. An obsession that could taint Cherie’s prim and proper office persona.

  Thankfully Mason is willing to lend a hand in more ways than one. He’s lusted after Cherie as much as she’s wanted him, and getting his hands on her frilly silk leads to a hot, sexy hallway encounter.

  A Romantica® contemporary erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

  CHERIE’S SILK

  Dena Garson

  Chapter One

  “Cherie, are you hiding from someone or is there something of interest in that collection of fake plants I hadn’t thought of before?”

  Mason Andrews. Goose bumps shot down all my extremities at the sound of his voice. For some reason the man possessed the ability to turn my insides to mush just by speaking. For the last two years I have tried to understand why I had a physical reaction whenever I heard him speak.

  Every time I heard his voice drop to those lower, more intimate octaves, it didn’t matter if we were in the middle of a meeting with twenty other people in the room, I lost the ability to think of anything except licking him from his bellybutton to his Adam’s apple. With or without whipped cream.

  Thank God he never discovered the power his voice held over me. At least I don’t think he ever figured it out. As I thought about it more I realized he’d used that tone more often than I was comfortable with.

  Maybe that’s why I couldn’t help but play devil’s advocate whenever he was around. Mason was always an excellent verbal sparring partner and seemed to relish the challenges I brought to our meetings.

  When I bumped into him at the conference registration table he seemed as surprised to see me as I felt seeing him. I was both relieved and disappointed when I lost track of him in the crowd. It would have been distracting to sit next to him all day when I was supposed to be listening to some of the business world’s greatest motivational speakers.

  Then somehow, in a crowd of thousands, he managed to find me again. And at a most inopportune time too.

  “I, uh, needed to make a call.” Sounded like a good reason to hide behind a cluster of plants. I certainly wasn’t going to tell him the truth.

  “You know you get better reception near the windows.” He pointed in the direction of the wall of glass about forty yards away.

  “Yes, well,” I stammered, “I needed to make that call in private.”

  “I’ll leave you to it then.” He turned to walk away.

  “Hey, Mason,” I called after him hesitantly.

  He stopped and turned back in my direction, his eyebrow raised in question.

  “I, uh… I don’t suppose you have a safety pin on you, do you?”

  “No. Sorry.” He took a couple of steps closer. “Why do you ask?”

  “Oh, just wondering,” I said with false cheeriness. “Thanks anyway.”

  He looked up and down the hallway then stepped behind the fake plants. “What do you need a pin for, Cherie?”

  “Nothing, it’s fine.” I felt myself turn pink. “I’ll figure something out. Go on back to the conference.”

  “Did something tear on your dress?” he asked as he looked me over from head to toe.

  “No, no. Nothing like that. Go on, really, it’ll be fine.” I tried to persuade him.

  “Okay look. I grew up with three sisters and a thrifty mother. I’ve heard them talk about dozens of emergency repairs. What’s the problem?”

  “I—” My voice failed me. I simply couldn’t bring myself to tell him. Mason was my favorite opponent at work. We constantly challenged each other, pushed each other to do more, to do better. And the company benefited from the results.

  It didn’t matter that I secretly lusted after him. But it would never do for him to find that out. And it certainly wouldn’t do for him to see my secret obsession.

  Unfortunately that obsession had me in a bit of a bind right now.

  I loved frilly underwear. The skimpier the better. It made me feel sexy and confident and gave me a sense of power. Even if no one else knew about it.

  Most people would think it was no big deal. But at the office everyone thought of me as a mousy girl next door who was really good with numbers. I simply couldn’t let Mason catch even a glimpse of what I was wearing under my suit.

  “I don’t see anything wrong with your skirt or jacket. Did the elastic snap in your hose? Did you break a bra strap? What?” he asked, sounding a bit exasperated. “And why are you trying to fix it here in the hallway instead of in the bathroom?”

  Irritated by his pushy behavior, I finally snapped at him. “Because the blasted ladies’ room they put at this end of the corridor is closed and I wouldn’t have made it to the other one without embarrassing myself.”

  “Oh.” His voice gentled. “Well, that kinda sucks, but I still don’t get what the problem is.”

  I gritted my teeth. “I’m not sure. I can’t tell what broke or came undone without taking the whole thing off and looking. I just know that something happened to my corset and now it and my stockings are sliding down.”

  Mason looked as if I’d just told him space aliens had landed behind the building and they were here to take over the world.

  I ignored his look of disbelief and continued. “If I take five more steps, not only will my stockings be slipping below my skirt but I’ll be flashing everyone through this,” I tugged at the collar of my blouse for emphasis, “thin, white blouse. I’d hoped to slip back here and fix the problem enough to make it down the hallway before the crowd lets out on the next break.”

  “Okay. Corset,” he stammered. “Gotcha.”

  If I hadn’t been so embarrassed, it might have been comical that I’d rendered Mason speechless by telling him what kind of underwear I was wearing. I made a mental note to remember that next time he annoyed me in a meeting.

  “Well, let’s have a look.”

  I narrowed my gaze at him, assessing whether or not he was serious or just trying to cop a feel.

  He nodded, “Okay, yeah, I’ll admit it’s a bit of a thrill to see you in your undies, but I promise to take this seriously and try to fix the problem.”

  “And you promise you won’t go back to the office and tell anyone?”

  He held up one hand. “Boy Scout’s honor.”

  I grumbled, “You probably weren’t even a Cub Scout.” I slipped off my suit jacket then turned to give him my back.

  I felt him pull my shirt up out of the waist of my skirt.

  He whistled. “White silk. Nice.” I could feel the warmth of his hands through the silk where he held my shirt out of the way. “Where’d you get this?”

  I swallowed hard and fought the urge to lean back, closer to Mason. “I found a company online. They specialize in made-to-fit corsets. I’ve bought several things from them. Their work is outstanding.” My nerves must have made me babble.

  “From what I can see I’d agree.” He ran one hand down the length of the crisscrossed laces, sending a tidal wave of goose bumps down my back and legs. “Ah. Here’s the problem.”

  Happy for the distraction, I tried to look over my shoulder. “What happened?”

  “The string that ties this thing together broke so it’s sliding apart. Your skirt probably kept it from coming completely open.”

  “Can you fix it?”

  “Fix it how?” he questioned.

  “Just grab the two ends where the string broke and pull, even if a couple of the eyelets are empty. When you get enough string to work with, tie it together again. I can go to the bathroom and fix
it later.”

  I felt the familiar pressure of the corset tightening around my ribs and waist.

  “There.” Mason said. “I think I got it.”

  “Oh good.” I sighed in relief from knowing it wasn’t a major fix and getting away from the warmth of his hands. “Thank you.” With my back still turned toward Mason, I squirmed and rearranged the corset until it felt comfortable again. It was a little loose at the bottom where the strings were no longer laced but it would do.

  I turned to face him then remembered to check my garters to make sure my stockings hadn’t come loose. When I bent over, his swift intake of breath startled me. I looked up too fast and stumbled. Mason slipped one arm around my waist and pulled me against him. While I was thankful he kept me from falling headfirst into the plant, I was unprepared for how good he felt. His dress shirt did little to hide the well-defined lines of his abs and chest and his growing erection was more than evident. Parts of me were giddy and begged for more.

  “You just keep coming to my rescue, don’t you?” I murmured as I let myself lean against him. When I turned my head Mason’s lips brushed against my ear, sending another wave of goose bumps down my spine.

  “I do what I can.” Without letting go, he added softly, “You, Miss Barnett, are a bundle of contradictions.”

  “How so?” My fingers itched to touch the hint of razor stubble I could see on his cheek and chin.

  “At the office you’re very dedicated and serious. I was surprised to find you here at what some people would call a frivolous waste of a weekend. The company isn’t reimbursing the conference fee, so you had to want to come on your own.”

  I turned so I could face him but thankfully he didn’t relinquish his hold. “I happen to like several of the speakers.” I shrugged one shoulder. “That’s why I came.”

  “But most people wouldn’t have guessed that about you. You’re always very numbers driven, very analytical. It’s a nice contrast.”

  I shrugged again, not knowing what else to say.

  “Then there’s your attitude toward people.”

  I frowned. “What about my attitude?”

  “Again, you’re very analytical and serious. With most people you’re very direct, right to the point. You don’t mind challenging anyone if your data tells you something different. Some people find that unnerving.” He tapped me lightly on the nose with one finger. “I, personally, find it refreshing.”

  The frown melted into astonishment as I continued to listen to him.

  “I’ve seen you around Ruby and Gina when you’re laughing and joking. It’s amazing. I’ve often wondered what it would be like to be the one to make you light up like that.”

  My heart pounded against my chest. I couldn’t have torn my gaze away from his if a herd of cattle stampeded down the corridor.

  “I don’t light up,” I whispered hesitantly.

  He leaned back so I could see more of his face than just his lips. Which was probably a good thing since I was mesmerized by them at that moment.

  “You do,” he said with a smile. “It makes me wonder how much brighter it would be if I were to see you when you came.”

  I gulped. “I—”

  This was Mason I was talking to, for God’s sake! My mind kept telling me Mason couldn’t possibly care less about me except to the extent that I challenged his conclusions or provided resources he needed to finish his projects on time.

  Mason lowered his gaze to my lips. I had to resist the urge to lick them now that they felt like all the moisture had been sucked out. “I bet sex with you is just another contradiction.”

  Trying to act casual while I stood in the circle of his arms, I shrugged noncommittally and asked, “Why do you think that?”

  He leaned closer, close enough that his five-o’clock shadow brushed against my cheek and my ear, sending a million goose bumps down my leg. His lips were just a breath away as he whispered, “You have this wholesome, good-girl appearance. But I bet that you’re as passionate in bed as you are when you’re grilling someone on their data. I get a hard-on every time I hear you talk about exponential growth.”

  I gulped and pushed away enough so I could read the expression on his face. “How—” That was the moment I realized Mason had maneuvered us farther into the dark alcove behind the plants, out of sight of the main walkway outside the conference arena.

  Heat rushed through every part of my body when I realized I was completely alone with Mason. It was a good thing he hadn’t removed his arm from around my waist because my legs had turned to jelly.

  “You don’t know that about me,” I exclaimed, hoping it didn’t sound as much like a squeak to him as it did to me.

  He smiled a devilish grin and reached up to tuck a stray piece of my hair behind my ear. “No, I don’t, but I’d love to find out.”

  Chapter Two

  One hand continued to hold me against him while the other slid down the side of my neck, creating a new set of goose bumps on top of the last. He continued to slide that hand down the front of my blouse, over one breast, making both breasts tingle in anticipation. “Will you let me find out, Cherie?”

  I was caught in his gaze, speechless as his hand finished its descent down the front of my blouse then on down my skirt. When he’d reached as far down as he could without breaking eye contact, he began to work my skirt up until bare skin was exposed to his exploring fingers.

  Something in the back of my mind told me I should tell him to stop, that if I didn’t there would be no turning back. The devil on my shoulder whispered that I shouldn’t let this chance slip by. I’d had a thing for Mason for some time but was never bold enough to approach him. My “wardrobe malfunction” may have turned out to be a fortuitous thing.

  “I’m having trouble believing you, Mason.” Now that he had seen what was beneath my blouse I had an urge to explore what was beneath his dress shirt. And maybe even his slacks. “I didn’t think you had strung together more than two thoughts about me.”

  A pool of warmth had formed in my belly from the first touch. It began to spread as I ran one hand across the solid plane of his chest and over his shoulders.

  “You’d be surprised how much I have thought about you.” He dipped his head closer so that his lips were only a fraction of an inch away from mine then whispered, “And what we were doing in some of those thoughts.”

  Thankfully it was just dark enough in the alcove that I doubted Mason could see the flush I was certain had just covered my entire body. Given the fact that his erection was pressing against my belly, I doubted those thoughts had much to do with numbers or data.

  I knew that office romances frequently end badly, but at that moment there was nothing I wanted more than to feel Mason’s lips on mine. Even if nothing more came of it I’d have that memory.

  Before I lost my nerve, I let my jacket drop to the floor then slid my arms up and around his neck and closed the distance between our lips. I felt his hand slip beneath my butt cheek as he pulled me even closer against him. This was no timid kiss. His lips were as demanding as my own and somewhere in the foggy recesses of my mind I wondered who was really in control of that kiss. Our tongues danced and teased, creating fireworks in every part of my body.

  Everything around us melted away. The only thing I was aware of was the warmth that radiated from Mason’s body, the solid, steady feel of him holding me and the taste of mint on his tongue. My breath seized in my lungs when he backed me up against the wall and kissed me with even more intensity. His erection made it clear how much he wanted me.

  He slipped one hand down my leg ’til he found my knee. He pulled up and wrapped that leg around his waist as he nibbled the sensitive spot on my neck. The sensation was too much and I had to force myself to breathe. He slid his hand back up my now exposed thigh and I felt him tracing the lines of my very skimpy undies between our bodies. I started to protest when he broke our kiss, not wanting it to end.

  “Please tell me your thong matches the corse
t,” he rasped.

  Barely able to speak, I nodded and whispered, “Of course.”

  “Damn, Cherie.” He groaned and tried to look down at our seemingly merged bodies. “What I wouldn’t give to see you in this without all the extra layers of clothes.”

  He ran his hand farther up my hip, making me anxious for his touch in the place I needed it most. Once more I was lost in his gaze as he teased the edges of my pubic hair. When he cupped my most private spot in his hand I had to bite my lip to keep from whimpering with need.

  Mason teased me cruelly by alternating between putting pressure on my clit with the heel of his hand and flicking his fingers across the opening of my vagina. All the while he whispered in my ear, “Tell me the truth, Cherie. Do you usually wear corsets to the office?”

  “Not usually,” I said with a gasp as his middle finger found a particularly sensitive spot.

  “Really?” Even in my foggy state a note of disappointment rang through. He nibbled my ear as he mumbled, “How unfortunate.”

  “It was a whim. I didn’t think I’d see anyone I knew today.” My legs were turning to jelly as he did wicked things to my increasingly wet pussy. Some part of my mind registered that if he kept doing what he was doing, he’d have a spot on the knee of his pants. “Mason, we shouldn’t—”

  “Shhhhh,” he whispered. “Let me do this, Cherie.”

  “But the conference—”

  He cut off my protest by capturing my lips in an even more insistent kiss than before. It didn’t take long before I couldn’t remember why it was such a bad idea for him to be touching me the way he was.

  The tempo of his fingers increased and so did his grip around my waist as I got closer and closer to that brink of ecstasy. My head spun with the smell, the taste and the feel of Mason. He managed to make me forget that we were in a public place, at a conference that at any minute could break for coffee, sending a thousand people into the hallways just ten feet from where we stood. That someone could walk up and see what we were doing. Or, God forbid, one of the arena security guards could find us and ask us to leave the building.