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He nodded, hisbrows pulling together like he was reflecting. “Do you have oral experience?”

She shook herhead with a long sigh. She seemed to have gone past embarrassment now to aweird state of restless resignation. “No. Nothing really. I’ve had somemake-out sessions, but they weren’t very good and I couldn’t really get intothem. I can’t even get myself off very well.” She slanted a sharp look over athis face to check his expression, but he still showed no signs of surprise.

“In that case,it might be a good idea to start with oral. There’s a better chance of yourreaching climax that way.”

Despite thebizarre situation, Lori couldn’t help but give a little snort. “And I supposethat doesn’t have anything to do with the fact thatthatservice is moreexpensive than intercourse?”

This time,there was no mistaking the slight twitch of his lips. His eyes glinted brieflywith amusement. “Just a suggestion.”

“Why is it moreexpensive?” she blurted out, her curiosity once more taking over.

“It’s moreintimate,” he murmured, for the first time glancing away. “On my part.”

Lori wrinkledher brow as she mulled that one over. When she realized he was waiting for aresponse to their previous discussion, she pulled herself back to the topic athand. “Well, you’re probably right about starting with oral.” She added glumly,“I would like to have a good orgasm at least once in my life.” Money wasn’t anissue for her. After four bestselling novels in three years, she had more thanenough of that.

“We’ll do thebest we can,” Ander said matter-of-factly. “Friday still works for you?”

“Yeah.”

“The eveningstarts at seven o’clock and goes until midnight—unless other arrangements havebeen made in advance. Did you want to do anything beforehand? Dinner perhaps?”

To Lori, thatsounded absurd. She wasn’t trying to trick herself into believing this was areal date. She had no delusions about what she was about to do, and trying toromanticize it would only make things more confusing. But because she wasstarting to feel really nervous again, she quipped to break the tension, “Isuppose I’d have to pay for dinner too.”

Ander arched aneyebrow.

She snickered.“Right. I know. Sorry. That was on your handy list of prices and terms. I don’twant to waste time doing anything beforehand anyway.”

“We can meet atyour place or at a hotel.”

“A hotel. I canemail you the details tomorrow after I’ve made a reservation.”

“Excellent.” Anderstood up and smiled down on her—once more that urbane, sensual smile he’dmastered perfectly. “If you have any other questions or concerns, feel free toemail or call me about them.”

Lori stood uptoo. She had to look up in order to meet his eyes. “Yes. Good.”

He extended ahand and she reached to shake it. Once again, his hand was startlingly warm. “Iwill see you on Friday at seven.”

“Right. Good.I’m looking forward to it.” As he started to walk away, she watched his lean,straight back and tight butt in his well-tailored trousers.

She gulped. “Ithink.”

Two

Lori checked into her room in anupscale Seattle hotel at about six o’clock on Friday evening. She wanted to getthere early enough to relax and prepare before Ander arrived.

She’d startedto change her mind about this encounter about twenty times over the last threedays. But she’d never done things the conventional way, and she was determinedto go through with this. It didn’t matter that it wasn’t the traditional way—oreven a likely way—for a woman to lose her virginity.

It made sensetoher, given her situation. She was going to do it this way.

After puttingthe appropriately counted wad of cash in an envelope on the table, she took ahalf-hour bath in the jetted tub, making sure to shave carefully and ensure shewas presentable for sex. While she had no need to impress Ander or try toattract him, she didn’t want to embarrass herself with excess hair. The bathhelped to relax her, as did the second glass of white wine she poured from thebottle she ordered from room service. She’d turned off her cell phone whenshe’d arrived, knowing that pestering calls from Sabrina would only make hermore nervous at this point in the process.

She wasn’t surewhat she should wear. She’d feel stupid in sexy lingerie. But her streetclothes hardly seemed appropriate. So she’d brought her favorite pajama setwith her—camisole and flowing pants in soft lavender cashmere. They werecomfortable and flattering, and it was the best she could come up with.

For the moment,she covered them with a long, belted sweater so she wouldn’t feel so silly whenAnder arrived.

She put on somemelon-scented lotion. Combed out her hair. Brushed her teeth. Decided to gowithout makeup.

Then she tookher half-drunk glass of wine and sat stiffly on a chair by the window.Recounted the cash.

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