For Your Eyes Only Read online

  For Your Eyes Only

  Brought to you by

  eBooks from Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  http://www.boldstrokesbooks.com

  eBooks are not transferable. They cannot be sold, shared or given away as it is an infringement on the copyright of this work.

  Please respect the rights of the author and do not file share.

  For Your Eyes Only

  © 2018 By Julie Cannon. All Rights Reserved.

  ISBN 13:978-1-63555-527-1

  This Electronic Book is published by

  Bold Strokes Books, Inc.

  P.O. Box 249

  Valley Falls, NY 12185

  First Bold Strokes Books eBook Edition: January 2020

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.

  Credits

  Editor: Ashley Bartlett

  Production Design: Stacia Seaman

  Cover Design by Tammy Seidick

  Part I: Riley

  Chapter One

  “I so do not want to be here,” I said to my reflection in the bathroom mirror. I’d snuck away from the raucous crowd down the hall for a few minutes of peace and quiet. The party was in full swing, but then again it wasn’t every day someone crossed the threshold of the big five-O.

  I’m an introvert and I don’t do parties. But Ann was my BFF and when she decided to throw herself a “Hawaii Five-O” themed birthday party, I couldn’t not come. She assured me there was nothing I needed to do, but as her BFF, I took my role seriously, which, tonight, meant making sure she had a good time.

  I’d kept an eye on her for most of the evening, but it was eleven thirty and there was no sign the festivities were anywhere near winding down. It was Saturday, so I couldn’t blame the dozen ladies in the living room for having their fun, but I had a half-marathon to run in the morning and my start time was seven thirty. It was going to be a short night and a very long run.

  I splashed cold water on my face and patted it dry with a thick hand towel folded neatly on the counter. Ann had good taste in home décor and had not scrimped on towels for the guest bathroom. I would know; she dragged me along one day to every store in a ten-mile radius to buy them as well as several sets of sheets. I’d had a boatload of work to do, my normal weekend activity, but Ann had hauled me out of my house nonetheless. She rarely took no for an answer.

  I double-checked that my shirt was still tucked in. One side had come untucked from the monster hug Ann gave me when I walked in her front door, and I’d immediately felt completely disheveled. I’m a stickler, if not a little compulsive about my clothes. Being a female chief financial officer was hard enough, but having shoulder-length blond hair abd blue eyes and being an out lesbian added to the challenges of being taken seriously. I needed every advantage I could get. Whoever said we’ve come a long way, baby, didn’t have my seat in my boardroom.

  No one has confidence in their CFO if she is frazzled and doesn’t have complete control over everything, including her life. I had complete control of my appearance, which was always flawless. It was also my shield of armor. I’d taken advice from an instructor in grad school to heart. As a result, my car was washed every Sunday, my hair trimmed every eight weeks, and my clothes perfectly tailored to fit my five-foot-five-inch frame. Tonight wasn’t a work event, but I still maintained my standards. Several weeks ago, Ann informed me, in her absolute candor, that I’d turned into a stick in the mud. Maybe she was right.

  I’ve always been reserved and cautious, but I’d worked hard to come out of my shell. I had a few friends and went out when invited. Some nights, I didn’t stay long. Tonight was one of those where I’d leave much later than I wanted to.

  “Riley, what are you doing? You got a girl in there?” It was Ann.

  I took a deep breath and opened the door. She peered around me, looking for any sign of the girl she accused me of having inside. Hoped was probably a better word. She’d been after me forever to get a girlfriend.

  “Riley?” she repeated. “You’ve been in here a long time.”

  “I didn’t know you were bathroom monitor along with the birthday girl,” I said, maybe a bit too sarcastically judging by the look on Ann’s face when I stepped out.

  “I know this isn’t your thing, but I love you for coming.” She kissed me on the cheek and hugged me, which also was not my thing. I tried not to stiffen in response.

  To say I’m cold is a bit much, but I’m not big on PDA or even Private DA. My family didn’t show much affection, so I’m not used to it or comfortable with it. Makes it kind of tough with a girlfriend, but I haven’t had many of those either. I used to think there was something wrong with me, a comment echoed by several women I dated. I feel things—inside—I just have a hard time showing them. I want to touch someone, hold their hand, but I just can’t. Freud could have a field day with that if he were still alive.

  I saw a shrink for a while, but when he said I was frigid, I never went back. I thought that was the most condescending statement I’d ever heard. I went so far as to report him to the State Board of Mental Health. I guess that’s the chance you take when you pick someone off a list. I really didn’t have any choice; I wasn’t going to ask someone for a referral.

  “You know I’d do anything for you, Ann. This is just another on the long BFF list and I certainly wouldn’t miss your birthday party.” However uncomfortable it makes me, I thought but didn’t say. Ann gave me another quick peck on the cheek.

  “Stop,” I said, stepping back. “People will think we’re together.” I pretended to be appalled at the idea. At one time, I’d thought about something more with Ann, but then realized I needed a friend more than I needed a lover. Making friends was hard for me, so I didn’t dare squander the opportunity. I could always be my own lover, and often was.

  “Come on,” Ann said, taking my arm and pulling me back into the festivities. “The real fun is about to start.”

  Her statement worried me, as there was already enough fun for me, but I dutifully followed. Like I had any choice with the death grip she had on my left wrist.

  When she finally let go I made a beeline for the stool at the end of the massive island that separated the kitchen from the great room. If I couldn’t leave, then ten feet of two-inch granite between me and the partygoers would have to do.

  The doorbell rang just as I sat down, and Clarice, a robust woman in a red top and way too tight pants, shrieked in excitement. “Let’s get this party started,” she shouted to the delight of the other dozen women in the room. A tingle of apprehension went down my spine. What did they know that I didn’t? Ann opened the front door and motioned someone inside.

  I stopped breathing as the most stunning woman I’d ever seen stepped in. The woman was tall—at least five feet ten inches—and moved with the confidence and grace that I’d only read about in the sappy romances on my bookshelf. Another one of my idiosyncrasies I keep to myself. The woman had very short hair that didn’t quite control errant waves and, if the way she looked in her clothes was any indication, a perfect body.

  She was wearing Levi’s that were long enough to be crumpled over the tops of her boots—well-worn, scuffed cowboy boots. Her shirt fit like a glove, a trite cliché I admit, but completely appropriate for a butch who probably wasn’t yet out of college.

  I didn’t know her, but I immediately wanted to. The way my heart was racing and my girl-parts were reacting, I wanted to know her in the biblical sense. What the hell? I’d never reacted like this just seeing someone for the first time. I don’t believe in love at first sight, but I certainly was experiencing lust at first sight.

  She fiddled around in a large bag and pulled out a pair of small speakers and set them on the floor. Ann was introducing her to the other women and I froze when I realized I’d have my turn. What would I say? What should I say? Certainly not “How about we slip upstairs for a few minutes or hours or days?” No, that would be totally out of character for me and definitely so far out of my comfort zone I might as well be in The Twilight Zone. Oh my God, she was walking my way. I wanted to disappear, but there was no place to go that I wouldn’t be missed.

  “And this is my BFF, Riley. She’s a little shy.”

  A little shy? Thanks, Ann, for making me seem like a fourteen-year-old virgin. I reminded myself to fuss at her later.

  “I’m not shy,” I said stupidly. But then again my brain had shut down all sensible connection to my mouth.

  “I’m Jess,” she said, extending her hand. Her nails were short enough to not be dangerous but long enough to make her hands look very, very sexy. I stared at her hand like it would bite, but what I wanted was to feel it and its companion all over me. I shook myself out of my stupor and took it.

  “Riley Stephen—” I stopped myself before disclosing my full name. I met so many people it was just habit.

  “Hello, Riley Stephen,” the woman said, her voice bedroom husky.

  The instant our hands touched, a jolt of electricity shot up my arm and ignited what had been a dull throb between my legs. My eyes shot to hers. She looked just as surprised as I was. My heart didn’t know whether to stop or race, and the tingling in my stomach dropped several inches south.

  Who was this woman and why did she affect me so
much? Before I had a chance to say anything else—and that was doubtful based on my previous attempt—music started blasting out of the Bose speakers.

  Jess’s eyes twinkled and she started to move to the heavy beat. She was still holding my hand and I could feel her body move all the way to my toes. My throat was suddenly very dry and I was barely able to keep my jaw from dropping open.

  Jess kept her eyes on me as she started to dance, her movements fluid and confident. Hoots and hollers from the other women drew her attention and she released my hand to turn to face them. I immediately felt the loss of connection, like electricity being switched off.

  In my jacked-up stupor, it took me several minutes to realize what was happening, what exactly was happening. Jess was the party. She was a stripper. A dozen conflicting thoughts raced through my head. I wanted to run, but I wanted even more to stay. I didn’t want to look, yet I couldn’t help but stare unabashedly like everyone else in the room. My right brain screamed don’t look, my left turned on its video recorder.

  As the music pounded, Jess moved around the room. She stopped in front of each of Ann’s guests, giving them their own personal lap dance. Her body moved more seductively with each dance as if the woman before was a warm-up for the woman after.

  She pulled her shirt out of her pants, a glimpse of tan flesh flashing the woman in front of her. She unbuttoned the bottom button, then the next before giving her undivided attention to Ann. She moved in close and undid the next button, inches from Ann’s face. Ann reached around and stuffed a bill into Jess’s back pocket, the move putting her face even closer to Jess’s not-quite-bare midsection. Jess stepped away from a protesting Ann and into the center of the room, turning and spinning.

  Clarice pulled off Jess’s boot and Jess rubbed her socked foot into Clarice’s crotch. A collective moan could probably be heard down the block. I, however, clenched my jaw together so tight I should have broken several teeth.

  Jess teasingly opened another button on her shirt, showing just enough flesh to encourage the women to ask for more. And they did, stuffing dollar bills into Jess’s pockets, their hands lingering over the denim. No wonder Ann didn’t tell me this part of the party. She knew there was no way in hell I would come.

  Jess was a master at teasing without being a tease. When one of the women reached for more than a place to put her cash, Jess smoothly sidestepped the move. When she came back, the woman kept her hands to herself.

  As Jess made her way around the circle, I realized she was going to include me in her performance. My hands started to sweat. She looked at me, her eyes riveting. I couldn’t tear mine away. Hers sparkled with mischief and pleasure and something else I couldn’t quite describe. Her gaze held mine.

  The closer she came, the narrower my field of focus became; the awareness of my surroundings disappeared until there was nothing but ocean blue eyes in front of me. There is something just plain sexy about direct eye contact. But Jess doing it made me uncomfortable. Maybe it was because of my initial reaction to her, but there was no way I was going to break eye contact first. Not after I stupidly proclaimed that I wasn’t shy. She stepped closer. The look in her eyes told me she knew exactly what I was thinking, daring me to keep it up.

  I didn’t have any money, but that didn’t deter Jess from unbuttoning the last button between fabric and flesh. My fingers burned to pull apart the edges of her shirt, but she stepped back before I had a chance. I felt ridiculous that I didn’t have any cash to reward her for her hard work. I debated telling Jess as much when Ann ran over and pressed something into my hand.

  “My apologies, Jess. I didn’t tell Riley that you’d be here, and she never carries cash.” Ann stepped away, but not before whispering loud enough for Jess to hear, “Have some fun, Riley. You need it.”

  Not caring what Jess thought, I looked down and saw more than a few five dollar bills in my hand. Five dollars? What happened to ones? I guess inflation has hit everywhere.

  “Do I make you uncomfortable?” Jess asked, her breath smelling like cinnamon.

  “No,” I answered too quickly. That happens when I lie.

  “Why didn’t Ann tell you I’d be here?”

  “Now that she’s fifty, she forgets things,” I managed to say.

  She laughed and I almost slid off my stool. She was stunning when she smiled.

  “Stop hogging the entertainment,” someone yelled. “You might not want to see more, but the rest of us do.” Clapping and a few whistles followed the statement.

  “Is that true?” Jess asked, her body moving seductively in front of me.

  I felt heat rise from my crotch to my face. I hoped it didn’t show. “No.” My voice held more conviction than I felt.

  Jess pulled her shirt off her shoulders, giving me a glimpse of perfect breasts before turning her back to me. Holy perfect tits! If what I saw in a glance was any indication, I’d probably have a heart attack. Instead, as every other pair of eyes in the room was ogling her front, I openly admired her smooth muscular back and the way her ass filled out the back pockets of her jeans.

  By the time I caught my breath, Jess had moved back to Ann. Who was I kidding? I wouldn’t be able to breathe normally until Jess was out the front door—maybe. More than likely I’d see those captivating eyes in my dreams tonight. I knew for sure they’d be present when I relieved the tension building between my legs. After a few deep breaths, my head began to clear and I realized I was gripping the bills in my hand like a lifeline. I tossed them on the counter and rubbed my palm on my pants.

  I never took my eyes off Jess. I couldn’t. Not when she seductively ran her hand down her chest to dip into the waistband of her jeans. Not when she slowly slid her belt through each loop. Not when she popped the top button on her jeans. No one existed except Jess as she teasingly stripped off each layer of her clothes all the way down to a pair of tight black boy shorts.

  Jess didn’t ignore me, but she never got close enough for me to even think about sliding one of the crisp five dollar bills in her undies. Every time she looked at me, my pulse raced and blood pounded in my ears. It took all my concentration and willpower not to react; Jess was that good.

  Finally, the music faded and the raucous women settled down. Jess went to each one and placed a light kiss on their cheek, saving me for last. Lucky for me no one was paying any attention when she stopped in front of me as close as she had the first time.

  My gaze dropped to her lips in anticipation of what they would feel like against my skin. My head lifted ever so slightly, I closed my eyes and I didn’t breathe. The world stopped when she kissed me. She smelled like lilac and sweat, and I knew I’d forever associate that scent with her. In an instant, it was over.

  “You’re right, Riley. You’re not shy.”

  My eyes flew open. Her eyes were dark and knowing. A small frown creased her forehead as if she were trying to see deep into my psyche. I blinked to break the connection. No way was she going there. A second later, she stepped away and took her clothes from Ann.

  Chapter Two

  “Where did you find her?”

  “How much did she cost?”

  “Does she do more than dance?”

  “I need to have her at my birthday party.”

  “Party hell, I need her tonight. She was hot.”

  A variety of other questions and suggestive comments filled the room after the front door closed behind Jess.

  I felt the same way I had the three times I came out of anesthesia. It was an out-of-body experience, as if I was looking down at the scene in the room. I wasn’t quite all there and I shook my head to clear it. What had just happened? I had never experienced anything like that, and the way it shook me up, I hoped I never did again.

  “Riley, you okay?”

  Ann was beside me holding out a glass of ice water.

  “Yeah, fine,” I said, again too fast. “Where did you find her? By everyone’s reaction, something tells me Jess will be getting more than a few phone calls.” How I managed to make coherent conversation, I’ll never know, but I was relieved I could. The last thing I needed was for Ann to see how much Jess had affected me.