Page 20 of Beneath the Sapphire Sky

More mumbling. Belle let out a huge laugh. She could just imagine what he was saying.

She tidied up as fast as she could, applied the oddly shaped, adhesive silicone bra, then stepped into the shower to cover herself in baby powder. She stepped into the legs of the revealing catsuit and shimmied it up her hips. It was a tight fit, but she’d wanted it skin-tight and sexy.

She wasn’t going to pretend that she hadn’t bought this costume to try to get a reaction out of Dante. If he looked impressed enough by it, perhaps later in the night he might be convinced it would be a good thing to act on any attraction.

She almost laughed at that. Dante, attracted to her.

“It’s worth a shot.”

She faced the mirror and tugged the sleeves of the suit up her arms, the material squeaking in protest. She positioned the plunging neckline and the silicone sticky bra to show the best cleavage and tried to hold the back together in one hand as she opened the door.

A half-dressed Dante turned at the sound of the door opening. She couldn’t help staring. Bare torso, the top half of the costume hanging from his hips, the bottom half moulded firmly to his long legs and firm butt.

“Whoa,” he whispered.

Belle brought her gaze back to his face, and almost let out a squeal of triumph at the look on his face. Her costume was worth every cent of the ridiculous asking price, just for that expression. Her arms being twisted behind her to hold the sides closed made her cleavage even more impressive than when she’d jiggled everything into place.

She fought the rising heat headed toward her cheeks and spun around before he noticed.

“Could you zip me up? I can’t reach.”

She could feel his heat as he reached her. She wanted to lean back into him, into his warm, bare chest, and see where it might lead.

If she was game enough, that is.

She wished with everything she had that she was that confident he’d say yes to a fun night. But she wasn’t. Not yet.

Maybe never.

But at least she’d gotten the response she’d wanted.

Warm hands took the material from hers and pulled tight. If she wasn’t mistaken, his breathing sounded different, faster.

Are his hands shaking?

No. Surely not.

A happy little smile slipped past her defences.

“Ah, aren’t you supposed to be wearing a bra or something? Won’t that get uncomfortable?”

Belle twisted a little but couldn’t quite see his face. “No. I have these little silicone thingies to help push things in the right direction, but that’s it. I didn’t want to be able to see anything from the front.”

Silence, as if he was thinking. Then, “Aren’t you worried you might fall out the front of this thing?”

Belle snorted a laugh.

“I mean, it’s pretty low-cut, B.”

She bit her lip, happiness flooding her veins. The deep V cut of the necklinewasout of character for her. “It’s supposed to be.”

“Oh.” He hooked the eye at the top of the zip and stepped back. “But what if you have a nip slip or something like that?”

Belle turned and tilted her head, pretending to think about it. She looked down.

Why not? Go for it.

She cupped the sides of her breasts and jiggled them as if to check for possible gaffes. “Nah. I think they’re safe.”

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