The Flame (15 page)

Authors: Christopher Rice

Tags: #1001 Dark Nights, #erotic romance, #Christopher RIce, #MMF, #ghosts, #New Orleans, #Erotica

“Have you
seen
Ryan Benoit?” Emily asks.

“How about I give you the chance to see him for yourself?” Dugas says. “For a price, of course.
Several
prices.”

When Dugas starts for Emily’s chair, Jonathan straightens, watching the man’s every move.

“There’s the price of admission, of course. That you will pay directly to the Exchange. After I’ve given you a reference. And make no mistake, you
must
have a reference. The admission…well, I’m sure Arthur Benoit will cover that for you. But he’ll also need to give you some sort of fake identity, something that will make you appear to be in line with their usual clientele. Do you think he’s up to it?”

Dugas is standing behind her chair now. Jonathan watches the man with the intensity of a cat watching a bird through a window. Emily studies Jonathan’s facial expression with the same focus.

“Arthur would do anything to get Ryan that letter,” Emily says. “Short of
hurting
people.”

“No,” Dugas whispers, hands coming to rest on her shoulders. “Of course not. Pain is not on the menu.”

“And the price for your reference?” she asks.

Gently, he pulls open the flaps of her robe, exposing her breasts to the humid air. Her eyes flutter shut against her will as she braces for the feel of the man’s hands on her flesh. But the feeling doesn’t come. He continues to tug on the robe instead until the loose knot in the tie comes undone. Suddenly her thighs are exposed, and then her sex.

Jonathan gazes into her eyes, trying to read her every emotion, ready to spring into action as soon as she gives him the word, she’s sure of it. But her head is swimming and there is heat traveling up her sternum. Rather than feeling violated, being gradually exposed this way makes her feel included in a delicious secret.

“The Desire Exchange isn’t just about
your
fantasy,” Dugas continues. “It’s about surrendering to the fantasies of others as well. To do that, you have to let go of labels, of limits. Of fears.”

“I’m still waiting to hear your price, Mr. Dugas.”

The older man chuckles. “As if you’d ever say no, Miss Blaine. You’d be risking your incredible inheritance if you did.”

“I’m risking my incredible inheritance by agreeing to find the only rightful heir. Some of us are motivated by other things than money,
sir
.”

“Yes,” Dugas says. With one final tug he has separated the flaps of the robe and draws it down over her back, rendering her fully nude and exposed. “Desire.”

Jonathan is on the edge of his seat, nostrils flaring, rock-hard pecs rising and falling with his deep breaths. The head of his olive-skinned cock has emerged from the waistband of his briefs, glistening with his arousal. She tells herself it’s just Dugas acting the part of the masculine aggressor that has Jonathan engorged. It can’t be
her
, for Christ’s sake. How many times has he seen her breasts before now? But she’s right and she’s wrong at the same time. It’s not just her. And it’s not just George Dugas. It’s all of it. All three of them, the setting, the hint of danger, and the act of pure will that brought her here. It’s this sudden swirl of desire they’ve been swept up by, and Emily realizes it’s about to render comforting labels irrelevant.

“Nobody does anything for just one reason,” Dugas whispers in her ear. “You can pretend you climbed onto my roof because you were after information that will help you find this Ryan Benoit. But you’d be lying. You’d be lying if you didn’t also admit you wanted to see the expression on your best friend’s face while he was in the throes of passion with a strange man.”

Also from Christopher Rice

Thrillers

Supernatural Thrillers

THE HEAVENS RISE

THE VINES

Paranormal Romance

THE SURRENDER GATE
: A Desire Exchange Novel