High Stakes, Hard Sell Ch. 03

She picked up the phone. She could delete the pictures before he got out of the shower...

But she hesitated. They were his pictures, after all. And even if she deleted these, he could just command her to pose for more...and maybe the next ones would be even worse. And if she deleted them, would it weaken his already low estimation of her trustworthiness? It might make him think that she didn't trust him.

She put the phone back on the couch. A huge risk, to be sure, but she couldn't afford any more screw-ups or false starts.

He emerged from the shower damp and grinning, a towel wrapped around his waist. His bare torso was a study in well-defined, lean muscle. A fighter's body. When he stepped in close to her she could smell soap and shampoo.

"Did you want to clean up?" he asked.

"I think I will - you made me all messy," she said, then smiled. "And thank you."

"For what?"

"Just...tonight was really good. All of it," she said, and realized it was true. It had been a while since she'd enjoyed an evening so much.

"All except the Poker."

She laughed and turned to the washroom, then paused.

"Mike...about those pictures. I mean, if something happened...if your phone got stolen or something..."

"Delete them," he said. He grabbed his phone and handed it to her.

"Well, okay. If you're sure?"

"I'm sure." His grin turned wicked for a moment. "I can always make more, right?"

She blushed, then smiled. "Any time you want."

"I'll hold you to that."

Her smile broadened and she retreated to the washroom with his phone. She called up his photo gallery, eager to get rid of the lewd photos but morbidly interested to see how they had turned out. What did she look like in the throes of passion?

But there were no pictures of her - only pictures of Mike's torso and face. He'd used the phone's front camera, not the rear one. The photo shoot had been a ruse.

Jane showered and considered the implications. Had he sensed her reluctance and backed off? Had it been a test of her commitment, to see if she'd really do anything he said? Maybe a little of both? She got out of the shower, dried and re-dressed, then went back out to Mike. He was seated on the couch wearing a white Terri-cloth bath robe open down the front with black boxer-briefs underneath. He grinned when she sat down next to him.

"Very funny," she said and handed him the phone.

He chuckled. "I'd never put you at risk. But you've got to admit, it was hot."

He'd been protecting her? Even after all the bad blood between them? What did that mean?

"You had me hotter than I've ever been," she said, and the smile came easily.

The two of them sat in silence sipping water for a few minutes and the lack of conversation wasn't awkward for a change. Jane figured she should find a way to make an exit and end the evening on a high note, before things went south the way they had last time.

"Did you want a picture?" she asked.

"What do you mean?"

"A picture. Of me."

"You want to send me a picture?"

"I'll pose and you can take one. A real one," she said.

"Dressed like that?" he asked.

"Dressed however you want me."

"Aren't you worried about the risk?"

"Kind of," she said, meeting his eyes. "But I trust you."

He looked at her, brow furrowed, then smiled.

"Yeah. I'd like a picture of you."

Jane stood and faced him. "How do you want me?"

"Why don't you choose?"

"I kind of liked it when you were...you know... giving me directions," Jane said, and felt warmth in her cheeks again.

"That's something new," he said.

"For me as well."

"Undo your top all the way, but don't take it off," he said after a moment of consideration.

She complied, slowly undoing the buttons, enjoying his eyes on her, and finally letting the silk top hang open, exposing the inner curve of both breasts, a flat stomach and her navel. She could feel a now-familiar warmth spread through her body.

He took a moment to look her up and down, clearly appreciating the view.

"Hands behind your head, and give me a big smile," he said.

She raised her arms and rested both palms on the back of her head, feeling her top pull open at the bottom, exposing more of her midriff and the bottoms of her breasts. Jane fixed her eyes on Mike's and gave him her most glittering smile. Her pulse quickened as he raised the phone. He took his time planning the shot.

Click. The sound gave her a small, pleasant shiver.

"What do you think?" he asked, and handed her the phone.

She looked at herself on the small display. Bold, brazen and sultry, but not explicit or obscene. Part of her was embarrassed to have posed for such a picture, but more than that she felt excited and sexy.

"I think it's a perfect reminder of the best evening I've had in ages." She handed the phone back to him. "Could you send me the picture?"

"You want it? Why?"

"Are you kidding? I look amazing!"

He laughed and taped his screen a few times. "It's on the way."

She dressed as Mike checked in on Nessa, then he walked Jane to the door and watched her bundle up in winter clothes.

"See you tomorrow?" Jane asked, hopeful.

"Friday," he said, not wavering from his earlier assertion.

"Okay. Think about the nanny thing, will you?"

"It's tempting. I'll give it a lot of thought."

She was seized by the urge to step in and kiss him; it seemed a natural way to end the evening, especially given the all that had happened. But that seemed somehow too intimate and she didn't want to rush anything. Instead she beamed him a bright smile and made her exit, closing the door behind her.

**