Page 24 of Merry Little Mishap

“And if I don’t answer that?”

“Then… you remove a piece of your clothing… one ofmychoosing.” I pointed in his direction, hoping he’d answer, but also secretly hoping he wouldn’t.

He dragged his hands down his face, contemplative, his index finger tapping the dip below his nose.

“I’ll skip that one.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I won’t answer that.”

“Bit of a prude?”

“Not in the least,” he chuckled. “I’m just more curious as to what piece of clothing you’d want me to remove…”

Conservatively speaking, I had a lot to choose from. Jacket or boots were an obvious choice, but that’d make me into the very sameprudeI accused him of. A part of me wanted him to regret his choice, and a part of me wanted to enjoy something new I hadn’t seen of him before.

“Your sweater.” I demanded, “Take it off.”

Nick didn’t react; in fact, he followed my eyes, studying my reaction as he removed his jacket first, peeling it off his shoulders, tossing it towards the corner behind me. “You sure you want my sweater?”

“Off, big guy,” I instructed once more.

Nick reached down to the hem of his soft cotton sweater, his knuckles molded and tight, effortlessly lifting it up. First were the lean cuts of his abs, a sight I’d seen before while he laid under my sink: firm and ripped with trimmed black hair that rose towards his navel, a navel framed with hard, olive abs that stretched to his side. His hair was wavy and brown, lighter than the patch that laid over his well-worked chest.

“That wasn’t so hard… now was it?” I choked, his woodsy scent wafted from my lap as he tossed his sweater towards me. I fisted it in my hands.

Nick reached for another card. “I don’t think you’re ready for a second base card, so I’ll go for first.”

“Oh, stop. I’m ready. These aren’t even that bad.”

“No?” he questioned, lifting a first base card. “Ok, then ‘Describe Your Panties to Me’.”

I scrunched my nose, almost bored by the laughable question asked by a shirtless Nick. I could be edgy; I could be like him. “No,” I answered. “Pick a clothing item for me to remove. I’ll do that instead.”

Without hesitation, Nick ordered me immediately, “I want you to remove your panties for me.”

I froze.

Describing them was so boring, but now, I was supposed to take them off? Quickly, I ran through my mind, trying to recall what I wore and if they were any good. Were they my comfortable, loose, cotton panties, or something Camilla would approve of? I tried not to hesitate, overwhelmed by how small the elevator suddenly felt.

I caught a glimpse of the security camera in the corner, nodding toward it, “Do you think anyone can see us?”

Nick looked over his shoulder. “That camera? Nah, that’s impossible.”

“Why? Because it’s too dark in here?”

“Because, it hasn’t been working since Mrs. Caporali hit it with a hammer. She does that with a lot of things, actually.”

Duh.

“Right. Okay. Turn around.”

“Did you turn around when I took off my sweater? I recall you looking quite intently… so much so I think you enjoyed it, Miss Elena Ortiz,” he said with authority, a cadence that weakened my knees as I stood up.

“Then try not to drool,” I sneered, watching the amusement on his face as I carefully reached beneath my skirt, momentarily lifting it, pinching my thighs as if that would stop my skin from showing.

Nick’s attention shifted between my legs and waist, stitching his focus to the hint of my panties that appeared for a moment.

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