Page 58 of The Broker

It was impossible not to stare at the gorgeous couple conversing with each other on stage. “Have you ever...”

“Played with them? No.” He sounded faintly amused. “I wouldn’t say no if they asked.” His warm tone turned serious. “But they haven’t, and I don’t think they’re interested in playing with others.”

I cast a glance at him, giving him a once-over and didn’t try to hide my smirk. “Their loss.”

My comment brought his amusement right back. But then something caught his attention, and I turned to follow his gaze.

A man was coming up the center aisle, carrying a large piece of furniture. It looked heavy and wasn’t like anything I’d seen before. The closest comparison I could make was like thesawhorses my grandfather had in his woodworking shop, only this one was beautifully constructed. It was painted a glossy black, and the top of it was padded with a red leather-like cushion.

Noah leaned over me, so the man in the aisle could hear his question better. “Clay. You need help with that?”

The man set the furniture down for a moment, either to rest or to push up the glasses that had slid down the bridge of his nose, as his gaze went to Noah. He recognized him, gave a brief smile, followed by a shake of his head.

And then he was off again, carrying the sawhorse-looking thing up onto the platform, where it was set to the side.

Clay always watches,Noah had said. This was Lilith’s other boyfriend? My gaze bounced between the two men, and it pumped fresh envy inside me. Clay wasn’t quite as attractive as Travis, in my opinion, but it was fucking close. He was hot, too, just more in a nerdy way.

Her two boyfriends didn’t speak to each other, at least not with words, but when they exchanged a look, I would have sworn they’d just had a full conversation. Travis nodded in acknowledgment and Clay stepped off the stage, moving to take his empty seat in the front row.

The volume of conversations in the narrow room rose as more people arrived, and it was stunning how quickly every seat was taken. More people came in, filing into the back where it was standing room only.

“You were right to get here early,” I whispered to Noah. “Glad we got seats.”

There wasn’t an announcement that the show was about to start. There also wasn’t an introduction of the performers. Travis and Lilith moved to stand center-stage, and the room must have sensed they were ready, because a hush fell over the crowd.

The order from Travis was quiet enough I wouldn’t have heard it if I’d been sitting any farther back.

“Take off your dress.”

She peered out at the audience as she did it, grasping the sides of her skirt and pulling it up. Red fabric gave way to icy blue lace and flawless skin. Her bare stomach was toned, and as the dress continued to travel upward, it exposed the matching blue bra she wore.

Shit, her boobs looked amazing. The pale blue bra was demi cut, and her breasts nearly spilled out the top of it in a wicked tease. The lingerie was sexy and probably insanely expensive, and I would be lying to myself if I said I didn’t want to see what was hidden beneath.

Her dark hair splashed around her after she’d finished pulling the dress over her head, and she turned to look at him—or perhaps to make sure he was looking at her. She dropped the dress like it was a challenge, a signal she was ready for the next step.

Travis lifted an eyebrow.Is that so,his expression read. He strode forward to the edge of the platform, shrugged out of his suit coat, and handed it off to Clay. Next, his fingers worked to loosen the knot of his black tie and undo the buttons of his dress shirt.

There was something for everyone to enjoy once his shirt was off. They could look at the stunning woman in skimpy lingerie, or the shirtless man who looked like he’d been carved out of stone.

It was instinctive, the way I tensed when Travis unbuckled his belt, slid it free from the belt loops, and coiled the buckle end around his palm. It left the other end dangling free from his hand and when he stepped toward her, I sucked in a breath.

Was he planning tousethat on her?

I didn’t know how to feel about that, but Lilith did. She focused on the strap of leather swinging from his grip, and electricity sparked in her eyes. She looked at that belt like she wanted it badly.

His back was to the audience, but he must have noticed her hungry expression because he paused. Something like a chuckle rumbled out of him, and he kept his voice low. “Maybe later.”

Her excitement fell at the same moment the belt was dropped to the stage with a loudthunk, but that excitement returned as he bent and scooped up one of the pairs of leather cuffs he’d pulled from the bag. She offered her hands to him eagerly and held still as he latched each of the black cuffs closed around her wrists.

And when it was done, she laced her fingers together and held her hands out in front of her as if in prayer. There were lights overhead, angled toward the platform to light the stage, and it made the silver clasps dangling from her cuffs gleam brightly.

Travis took a knee to retrieve the other pair of cuffs, and while he fastened them around her ankles, I stared at her impressive shoes. The stiletto heels were so tall and thin, it was like she was balancing on needles, and my calves ached just looking at them. But she had perfect balance.

When he was done, he rose and loomed over her, showing the powerful flat of his back to the audience, but my focus didn’t stay there. It was because he placed his large hand on the base of her neck so his fingers could collar her throat.

It didn’t seem like he was squeezing, or that she was the least bit uncomfortable with it, but the action left me breathless. It was so... possessive. I bit down on my bottom lip. God, what was wrong with me? Seeing his hand wrapped around her throat turned me on, but the thought of Noah doing the same to me?

That turned me on a hell of a lot more.

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