Page 62 of The Innovator

“Do you need help?” What the fuck happened to my voice?

She smiled. “You can help by relaxing and making sure we have snacks for our evening under the stars.”

“Are we watching a dirty movie?”

Her eyes gleamed with amusement. “I’m going toarchitecta bedtime story for you. You’ll have the sweetest dreams tonight.”

Fuck.This woman knew how to negotiate. She knew about the erotic dream I’d had of her, and now she wanted me to experience it again? Who would decline that kind of offer?

“Since we’ve been collaborating on the Three Point Park project, you’ve learned about properties and real estate.”

She nodded. “I have. It’s all about location, location, location, right?” Her eyes went to the bulge in my shorts.

“That’s right.”

“I’ll make sure to craft a compelling bedtime story for you, McDimple.”

Natalie could arouse me by simply tempting me with a bedtime story. What the hell was wrong with me? The only person who had ever told me a bedtime story was my mother. But I had a feeling Natalie’s story wasn’t my mother’s kind of story.

I’d never been more excited about a bedtime story until tonight. I’d been willing to lose the bet to her. Now that I knew her real identity, I was more curious why she wanted me to replace The Prism. Was that the main reason she was in Providence?

I cupped her face with both hands. “You have two hours to show up, buttercup. If you’re a second late, I’ll come find you and punish you.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT

NATALIE

Once I got inside my room, I locked the door, giggled, and danced around like a fool. Spontaneity had its own high, and my body thrummed with excitement. My heart wanted to jump out of my chest as I improvised a plan to seduce Grayson. This man needed something wild and outside of the box.

What had I never done before? I had an idea, but I flipped through my mind in case there was a better one hidden somewhere. Nothing compared to the insane concept swirling in my head. It made me nervous just thinking about it. Tonight was the perfect opportunity to try something new. It could fail miserably. Or it could be the most courageous idea I’d ever acted on. Sometimes too much planning ruined the joy.

Opening the drawer, I pulled out the only negligee I’d brought with me. It was made of soft red lace that was partially see-through. Ribbons tied the bra together at the center. Being in the fashion industry, I had contacts at facilities that produced garments for other brands. House of LaRue didn’t make super sexy lingerie. Ours had an elegant and classy appearance. But I was often in the mood for something more risqué, something edgier. This mini vacation was time for myself, so I brought it along on my trip. Wearing it made me feel sexy, even though I hadn’t planned on anyone seeing me in it.

It was the perfect outfit for the act I wanted to perform for him. Doubt whispered into my ear. What if I didn’t do it right? What if Grayson didn’t like me in this lingerie dancing for him?

Stop it. If he doesn’t like it, it’s his loss.

I just needed one night with him to satisfy this aching desire burning inside me. I didn’t know where things would go after tonight, but I didn’t want to taint the moment by thinking about it. My time in Providence was limited, which meant my time with Grayson was also temporary. I had to use the time wisely and take advantage of every moment I had with him.

After changing into my lacy bra and panties, I studied myself in the standing mirror and admired how the lace enhanced my breasts and butt. Yoga wasn’t just for the mind; the results showed in my body. I had to keep up with that and self-defense classes before my muscles turned back to mush.

I sat down at my desk, searching for how to do a proper lap dance for Grayson. I had no idea where the courage to do that came from, but I wanted to please him. This moment would change things between us. But then again, things had already escalated to where all I had to do was think about him, and I’d need a change in panties. It was inevitable.

After scrolling through a few options, I chose a video and followed the instructor. The girl was a fitness guru with an amazing body, making the moves look easy. I didn’t bring any high heels, so I walked on my tiptoes, pretending I had them on. I followed her moves, strutting my hips as I walked around the chair, imagining Grayson sitting on it.

On my second round, I tripped and stumbled to the floor.Oh, my God.Embarrassment flooded me even though no one was around. Laughing to myself, I got back up and resumed the practice. The bedtime story I wanted to tell him was how I would seduce him. I prayed I wouldn’t fall because that would be an unforgettable plot twist—not the kind I’d want anyone to remember. He’d probably gotten a lot of lap dances. Insecurity crawled up my spine, but I shrugged it off.

I was a fashion designer, dammit. Creativity flowed in my blood. I could do this. I could design my own lap dance.

I blinked at the thought. Why didn’t I think about this earlier?

Because you’ve been too frightened to fail. Fear clouds judgment.

This was unfamiliar territory for me. I’d never wanted a man like this or planned a seduction where I had to learn a new skill.

A designer shouldn’t fear anything. A designer took risks. It wasn’t that I didn’t take risks; I did to an extent. But this was different. Being with Grayson wasn’t like designing a garment. A garment didn’t have feelings. I could only assume his feelings for me. What if he didn’t want me the way I wanted him? Relationships were a risk, and I’d made bad choices in the past. The last thing I needed was a repetition.

After watching a few more videos, I sat on the bed to let my body absorb all the moves from the various instructors. I got up, shook my muscles loose, and strutted around the room like a runway model, pausing and resting on my hip. Then I tossed a provocative look over my shoulder, slinking around the chair. I didn’t fall this time. Points for me.

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