Kathleen Dante
Erotic Romance with a Touch of Magic

“You said you’d replace it ‘at the first convenient opportunity.’ Well, if this weekend isn’t convenient, I don’t know when is.” Kiera strolled through the air-conditioned mall, hand in hand with Lantis, her long hair swishing against her rear as she led him to Leather ’n’ Lace. She’d looked forward to this treat all week.

Lantis had torn one of her panties during some rather tempestuous sex and promised to buy her something to replace it. Granted he’d been doing his best to distract her from that chilling threat — and succeeded prodigiously — but a promise was a promise and that panty had been part of a set.

“Of course I’ll replace it. You don’t have to worry on that account,” Lantis assured her, tweaking her wavy tresses. He’d convinced her to tie her hair back in a ponytail, instead of her usual chignon, and delighted in toying with it, showing his appreciation for her concession. “Just remember, this shopping trip was your idea.”

At the sight of the familiar store window, her steps slowed, second thoughts about exposing him to that ultrafeminine enclave giving her pause. “You don’t have to put yourself through this, you know,” she said, her conscience getting the better of her. As far as she knew, most of men hated shopping. “I can just buy something and you reimburse me later.” Suddenly remembering the product range of the store, she realized her lover might not be the only one discomfited.

“Too late,” he replied, taking the lead. “I’m committed.”

This late in the day, Leather ’n’ Lace was fairly busy, with a number of women browsing the racks and wandering among the displays. Kiera headed straight for the more conventional lines, hoping to find something she liked quickly to minimize the time Lantis spent there.

“Hold on. Don’t you want to look around? See what else is available?” he asked, his hand tightening on hers as he halted her forward motion.

She flinched inwardly. “I already know what I want.”

“But I’m the one buying, and I want to make sure the replacement is the best available,” Lantis told her earnestly.

“It’s not a matter of ‘best,’” Kiera whispered self-consciously. “It’s personal style.”

“So it shouldn’t be a problem if we look around first, right?” Lantis pulled her close, tucking her under his arm. “I mean, how often will I see the inside of a lingerie store? With you beside me, I won’t look like a pervert.” He gave her a fleeting grin that transformed his solemn handsomeness to devastating gorgeousness.

Her mind blanked. Such underhanded tactics had to be illegal! Before she could recover from the surprise, he’d guided her away from her goal back to the door, as though sightseeing.

Kiera went along quietly. It would have been ungracious of her not to accommodate Lantis’ preference when they had nothing else planned for the day; after all, she was the one who’d wanted to come here in the first place.

Lantis had a systematic approach to shopping: tour the store, section by section, from end to end; then return to the points of interest.

Kiera wasn’t surprised that he didn’t pay much attention to the vinyl and leather products, although he did give the chain mail a lingering look. She pulled him away with a vehement “no,” not wanting to risk him deciding he wanted to do more than look.

Luckily, he went along readily enough.

“Anything I can help you with?” A blond sales clerk batted her lashes at Lantis, smiling in invitation and giving Kiera only the most perfunctory of glances.

“We’re still looking,” Lantis said with a nod of dismissal, drawing Kiera against the side of his body. “Thanks.”

“Well, if you need anything, just ask.”

The hussy moved away so reluctantly Kiera was tempted to provide some encouragement for a faster departure. The nerve! Ogling her lover in her presence!

Lantis’ chest quaked against her breast.

“Are you laughing?”

“If you could see the expression on your face . . .” Lantis shook his head, his eyes sparkling with silent laughter. “I thought she was in danger of getting kicked.” He stole a quick kiss. “I appreciate the thought.”

“Oh, go look around already!” Kiera ordered, flushing with pleasure. “I don’t know how much more of this I can stand.”

The contrary man took his time browsing. “You need a replacement for the panty, right?”

“Right.”

“This is nice.” A raspberry red silk thong with a satin bow hung from his fingers.

“I don’t have a bra that matches,” Kiera protested automatically. The bow would ruin the line of all but the heaviest skirt and probably be flattened in the process. Totally impractical.

“Ah!” he breathed on a note of discovery. “It has to match.”

“The one you tore was part of a set,” she pointed out reasonably.

“Oh, my! Did you hear that?” someone asked in a fluty voice. Tittering from a group of women huddled in another section made Kiera squirm.

With supreme confidence, Lantis ignored the comment. His brow lifting with distinct interest, he eyed a bra and G-string set consisting of pearl strands attached to stretch lace bands.

Gulping, Kiera forgot about their audience. The thought of wearing those champagne pearls for Lantis kindled a wildfire in her core. “Be serious. It should be something I can wear to the office, just like the original.”

“You wouldn’t wear this?” He looked at her so speculatively she remembered he had gotten her to do so many things she’d never imagined actually doing.

“Not to the office!” Kiera muttered under her breath defensively, trying to ignore the gentle throb between her legs. “What if I were in an accident and have to go to a hospital?”

Lantis tilted his head to one side in thought. “Good point. I guess I’ll have to get you something else as replacement.”

Kiera’s eyes widened involuntarily as he picked up a pair anyway.

“What’s your size?” he asked casually, stretching the band of the G-string across her hips for comparison and leaving the pearl strands to dangle where they would.

“Lantis!” she hissed, blushing as she checked around them. Unfortunately, the presence of such a virile male hadn’t gone unnoticed. Most of the women in the vicinity were staring at her lover with blatantly envious eyes.

“Hmm. Too small.” He put the set back to try another size.

Kiera tried to snatch it away.

“Uh-uh-uh,” Lantis chided. “We have to make sure it’s the right size; I don’t think you can exchange this.” He stretched another lace band under her breasts, then nodded in satisfaction. “You’re definitely a medium. We’ll take this one.”

“I told you I can’t wear that to the office,” Kiera argued.

Lantis nodded agreeably. “You can wear it in private, for me.” He rubbed his knuckle along her chin, his eyes pressing a lingering kiss on her lips. “You don’t object to that, do you?”

Mutely, Kiera shook her head, nearly overwhelmed by the prospect, a sensual fire licking her body.

“Now for the replacement.” He strolled down the aisle, surveying the lacy merchandise with a discerning eye.

“This one,” Lantis finally decided, selecting something in teal blue, all embroidered lace. It was a set, alright. An underwire, uplifting shelf bra — the next thing to bustless — and a matching garter skirt with an attached thong panty.

“That?” Kiera squeaked, instinctively raising her hands to cover her breasts. The garter skirt was actually quite pretty, but if she wore the bra, more than her areolas would be completely exposed. “To the office?”

“Why not? I think it’s very fetching.” He rummaged through the rack, evidently searching for something in her size.

“There’s no cup,” she whispered urgently.

“Just use a jacket,” Lantis suggested over his shoulder.

He had a point. And it wasn’t as if he’d never seen her breasts before.

The thought of him seeing her wear it under her power suit left her breasts tight and achy. In the face of tantalizing temptation, Kiera’s refusal went unspoken.

“At least try it on. If it’s uncomfortable, we’ll get something else.” Lantis must have sensed her acquiescence. He ushered her to the fitting rooms under the scandalized gaze of several women.

The attendant bravely — or maybe opportunistically — stopped Lantis from joining Kiera. “Company policy,” she explained apologetically with an unnecessary fluttering of lashes.

He took the refusal in stride, extending the lingerie he had selected to Kiera. “Try both of them?”

“Medium is fine,” Kiera insisted, stretching the respective lace bands over her hips and under her bust. “See?”

“But what about length?”

Surrendering to his bull-headed logic, Kiera pulled the curtain shut and quickly tried the stretch lace pair for size. The bands were sinfully soft, as light as a dream on her skin, while the cool pearl strands defined and caressed her breasts wickedly. The thought of how the G-string would feel between her legs when she wore them for Lantis made her core clench in anticipation, sending heat spiraling through her body. Oh, God! This was a far cry from her shopping expedition with Shanna, when crotchless panties had seemed the height of daring.

Taking her time with the second set, she tested for scratchy seams and poor fit, but as she’d expected, there were no problems. It felt right.

Kiera stared in the mirror, trying to see herself as Lantis might. What there was of the bra gave her a bountiful cleavage and left most of her breasts bare. Its teal blue complimented her fair skin, emphasizing the pink of her nipples. Was she really considering it? She mentally scanned her wardrobe, wondering if she had a dark enough blouse to go with it.

“Well?” Lantis’ velvet baritone caressed her skin almost as if he had used their link.

Over a shiver of excitement, she checked the curtain, half afraid he’d insist on seeing for himself, half wishing he’d join her. She changed into her own clothes, then pushed back the curtain to see him leaning against the wall, his strong legs crossed patiently. A number of women hovered nearby. “It fits.”

“And here I was hoping you’d honor me with a fashion show.” He dangled more bits of lace in front of her, obviously having spent his time well.

“But you’ve already settled on a replacement,” Kiera protested.

“What’s a few more?” Lantis shrugged, the gray knit of his cotton T-shirt clinging to his broad shoulders. “We’re here anyway, might as well make the most of it.”

“Just those?” she asked cautiously.

His chiseled lips quirked. “Well, there’s this, too.” He got something from a shelf beside him and presented it with a clinking flourish: a cobwebby chain mail chemise studded with crystal droplets.

“That?” Kiera gaped in disbelief. As pretty as it was, when did he think she would wear it?

“I thought it had an exotic slave girl look to it.” Lantis gave her an intimate smile, his blue eyes lambent with promise.

Did I mention that? Kiera searched her memory. Maybe. When he coaxed her to share some of her fantasies last night, she’d been too sated to watch her words. She swallowed at the possibilities. “Really?”

“Definitely.”

Kiera could practically see dollar signs in the clerks’ eyes. She groaned, unsuccessfully trying to suppress a smile. “I knew it was a mistake to leave you out here.”

Lantis ran his fingers over the fine steel links. “I had to occupy myself somehow.”

“If I try these on, that’s it, alright? You won’t add anything else,” Kiera negotiated, wanting to forestall more risqué selections. She preferred to expand her horizons with a smaller audience, with just one man, in particular.

“If you give me a fashion show,” he countered. By his immediate response, Lantis obviously had some experience in driving a bargain.

“Here? No way!” He had a long wait coming if he thought she’d do anything that exhibitionistic in such a public venue.

Lantis raised his brows sternly, meaningfully, like a master faced with a recalcitrant slave.

“At the condo,” Kiera offered, giggling. Taken hostage in a lingerie store! Shanna would scream.

“Done,” he agreed promptly.

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