The Good, the Bad, and the Naughty

face and chest with her purse to cool off her heated skin.

Focus, Belle, focus.

She needed to get her bearings centered once more. God, when she first concocted this hoax, she never expected it would be so complicated. With all the other schemes she brewed up, she never had any problems. Everything went according to plan.

But not this time. No, hardly according to plan this time around. Then again, there hadn’t been a Trevor Kent or James Sanford in the past to turn her world upside down.

She glanced at the adjoining wall as she thought of them. While she stared, something sprung in her mind and her heart jumped into her throat with worry.

“I wonder. Did you boys hear anything last night?” she pondered as her hands began to perspire.

She walked over to the wall, taking her empty water glass from her night table. “If I can hear what you two are saying, then I know you heard John and Mat talking to me last night.” Placing the glass to her ear, she perked her sense of hearing and remained silent…

“So what did you find out, James?” It was Trevor’s voice coming through, barely audible, but she heard it clearly just the same.

“Nothing. I couldn’t find anything. It was clean as a whistle,” James responded.

“Hmm, so what do we do now?” Trevor mused.

“Well—”

Suddenly, the glass slipped from her hands and fell to the floor, shattering into pieces. Damn! She should have dried her sweaty palms before picking up the glass. Placing her ear to the wall, she tried to continue to eavesdrop. But unfortunately, the thickness of the wall acted as a barrier and the voices came through muffled, incoherent.

Double damn!

She paced the narrow room while her mind reeled with possibilities.

“Did you hear anything last night, boys?” she repeated to herself as she brought her hand to her mouth. “And what do you mean ‘It was clean as a whistle’? What was clean as a whistle?” Somehow, she doubted it had to do with work. Or did it?

Tapping her forefinger on her lips, she twirled on her heel to pace the other way.

It was clean as a whistle.

The words kept ringing in her ears. Yet, no answer came to her. An aura of danger, and excitement hovered over these men. And for the life of her, she couldn’t get them out of her mind for many reasons.

After walking back and forth for what seemed like forever, she stopped, realizing the answer wouldn’t come to her. She needed to go to it. The source. The men who intrigued her and made her insides feel like mush. Maybe they’d let something important slip out given the right circumstances.

Okay, it all became clear to her now. Taking a deep breath of resolve, she blew her hair out of her face and stood her ground.

Boys, it’s high time I turn the tables on you. The sweet and shy Belle is no more. Say hello to Isabelle the seductress. You’re not going to see what’s coming until it’s too late.

Chapter 5

Red and black corsets and petticoats floated in James’s mind. While his imagination soared, he gazed at the plain white wall before him, which acted like a screen. It played the image of her standing, staring at him, wearing only black undergarments and nothing else. She walked to him with open arms, her hungry eyes revealing what she wished from him.

God, his cock sprang in arousal at the thought. He remembered looking through her drawers earlier, searching for any clues and having to examine each and every one of her clothes and undergarments to see if anything lay hidden underneath them or inside them. He couldn’t stop his wandering mind and imagination as he realized her breasts had pressed against the bustier and the petticoats sat between her heavenly legs.

Needless to say, once he finished searching the drawer, his focus dwindled, and although he continued to rummage in her room, he daydreamed of the epitome of beauty named Belle Samson.

When he saw her in the hallway a few minutes ago, he almost lost it. She looked so breathtaking, especially with her swollen, red lips and her dress slightly disheveled. He knew she and Trevor had been hot and intense before he opened the door, and that aroused him all the more. He licked his lips, infatuated with her alluring mouth.

A loud “James, James” made him come back to reality, to the here and now.

“What, Trevor?”

“What are you thinking about? You look like you’re a million miles away.”

“Of this and that.”

Trevor laughed loudly. “Oh, I know what ‘this’ and ‘that’ you’re thinking. It’s written all over your face.”

“I’m that obvious?” James had to smile.

Trevor came to sit beside him on the bed and put his arm around him. “Partner, I was thinking the same thing.”

James stared at him, waiting. “So?”

“So what?” Trevor glanced at him.

“How was the date?”

Trevor took a deep, relaxing breath and then leaned back on the bed to stare at the ceiling. “I told you before, I didn’t get anything out of her that proves she’s Wild LaRue.” Then he beamed serenely. “But she is one smart lady.” He lifted his chin slightly to glance at James. “You know you and her got a lot in common?”

James perked his ears. “Oh? What?”

“A lot of stuff. Philosophy, books, other things.”

“Interesting.”

When Trevor didn’t continue, James coaxed him. “So what else happened on the date?”

“We joked and ate. The food was great.”

James slapped Trevor’s foot when he put it on top of James’s lap. He was in his way as Trevor stretched on the bed. “No, you oaf. I’m talking about kissing her. How was that?”

“Oh, that.” Trevor laughed again.

James got up and jumped onto his bed. He lifted his head and brought it to rest on his palm while he stared at his friend on the other bed. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?”

Trevor glanced at him briefly, then averted his attention once again to the ceiling. “Hell, yes.” He gasped. “How do you think it was?”

“Amazing.” A smile spread over James’s mouth.

“Better than amazing. Spectacular, partner. It was simply spectacular. Stars exploded in my mind with every kiss I stole.” He put his hands near his lips to reiterate. “Her lips, gosh, they were so soft, warm, and her tongue…”

“You slipped your tongue in her mouth?”

“And more.” Trevor nodded.

James sat up. He sported an erection now that left him fidgety. “Damn.” His mind roamed once more. He imagined he, not Trevor, was kissing Belle, first caressing her lips with the tips of his fingers and then brushing his mouth over hers, then probing inside it, exploring every valley and mountain. And his tongue would dance with hers, enticing her.

God, his arousal rose when he envisioned fondling her breasts and sliding his hand down every curve until he came to her pussy.

Mercy.

Trevor interrupted his lewd daydream. “We would have gotten to the ‘much more’ after that if you hadn’t been here,” he said when he turned to his side to face James.

“Where was I supposed to go after checking the train?” James shrugged.