Chapter 1

He spied her in the crowd as he climbed the red carpet up the steps of the theatre.

Held back from the carpet by a string of authoritative red ropes, she stood quietly, her dark skin a stark contrast to the short white dress she wore. Her firm breasts got his attention first. Her eyes, bright with mischief, kept him staring. Just as she'd planned.

Lasco had a reputation with the media primarily for his sleight of hand, but he backed that up with a string of widely publicised associations with beautiful women. None of the relationships lasted long, and his short-term partners were seldom noticed by the media once they were out of his circle of influence. The women mostly knew how this worked, but went ahead anyway. Anything for fifteen minutes of fame.

The dark woman continued to watch as Lasco shook hands with random fans on the other side of the rope, a smile breaking out on her face as he got closer. She didn't flinch as he shook her hand, and barely moved when she found his palms pressed flat against either side of her slender waist.

"Are you coming to the show tonight?" he whispered, his mouth near her ear, his body pressed to hers, only the rope keeping them from a proper embrace.

"I wasn't planning on it," she lied.

"You must."

"Oh?"

"I won't be able to perform now, if you're not there."

"Save your stories, Mr Lasco, for those who believe them."

"I'm not sure I know what you mean."

"I'm not sure I'm convinced."

The woman's face brightened more and more with the swapping of lies, and Lasco knew she was teasing. "The name is Zane."

"I know that, too." She grinned again, pleased and a little surprised at her genuine attraction to the man.

"You have me, as they say, at a disadvantage."

"Lucilla, Mr Lasco."

"Zane. Nice to meet you, Lucilla."

"I wonder, Zane, if you mean that?"

He took a step back. This wasn't the way things normally went. "Lucilla, how brave are you?"

"I like to think I can keep up."

"I'm tempted to dare you."

"Give in to it, Mr Lasco. You might not get another chance."

"Okay. Lift up your dress."

"Here?"

"No, when you get home. Of course here, woman."

"You... alright." Lucilla's hands took hold of the hem of her already short white dress, and lifted it a few inches. She couldn't fathom quite why she was going along with this, but she was sure she wanted to.

"Further, Lucilla."

She stared at him, trying to see what was going on, without success. "You want everyone to see?"

"I don't mind. I want to see." He just stood and waited, as thought the crowd weren't there.

"Do you always get what you want, Zane?"

"Mostly. Yes, or no?"

Lucilla didn't answer, but lifted the dress a little further, exposing more thigh, more grin, and a glitter in her eyes which showed she was enjoying this as much as he was.

"Not enough, Lucilla."

"For what?"

"Lift, and you'll see."

"You will see."

"Indeed."

"You are a more interesting person that I'd thought, you know. I figured you'd be more... showy."

"You are the one doing the showing. Your panties, mostly. Let the people see."

"Aren't you embarrassed?"

"They're your panties, Lucilla. I do hope white doesn't signify innocence."

"The chances are slim, and I don't embarrass."

With this final comment, he reached forward again, over the rope, and put his hand on Lucilla's right hip. She jumped this time, despite herself, pushed his hand away, and smoothed her dress down over her legs. The crowd roared while cameras clicked and flashed. Lasco smiled broadly before turning to whisper to someone behind him. Lucilla was perturbed. He should not have been able to do that, and she should not have wanted him to.

As the magician continued up the steps with the rest of the VIPs, a young woman dressed in an immaculate black business suit, complete with earphone and sunglasses, leaned and whispered to Lucilla. She straightened and handed over a small paper ticket, before continuing up the steps after Lasco.

Lucilla watched the celebrities for a few more minutes, and then turned to go. It wasn't until then that she noticed the key. The hotel room key, hooked impossibly over the waistband of her white panties. Lasco's key, obviously. This was worse than she thought. Or better, she realised, grinning.

Lucilla wasn't sure what to expect as she walked quietly down the hotel hallway. She'd come straight here after attending the show, and wasn't sure if Lasco would even have arrived yet.

As she neared the door whose number matched that on her key, she could hear the sounds of lovemaking. Squeaking and groaning assailed her senses, and the dim hallway no longer seemed so distant from the action.

She considered leaving, and decided that if nothing else, she would take the satisfaction of interrupting the activity, and walked boldly to the door, key in hand. It wasn't until she was reaching up to the keyhole that she realised the noises were coming from across the hallway, and in any case she had the distinct impression they were near their natural completion. She had a distinct advantage in this matter, but was convinced anyone with ears would have been able to tell.

Without her anger to back her up, she was suddenly less sure, and she gingerly pressed the key into the lock, and turned it quietly, listening to the click of the latch in the sudden quiet. It seemed she was right, and the couple had completed their exercise for the moment.

She pushed the door open with the flat of one hand, removing the key with the other, and looked into the room. A dim light was glowing above an armchair, and the chair wasn't empty.

"I'm so glad you could make it, Lucilla."

"I wasn't sure you'd be here, yet."

"Oh, I escape as soon as I can. A professional skill, you understand."

"I wonder. Should I do the same, Mr Lasco?"

"But you just got here, Lucilla. And I thought we'd settled on first names?"

"I thought..."

"I bet you did."

"... as I walked up, that you..."

"Had someone? Yes?"

"Yes."

"It was," he waved vaguely towards the door, "the people..."

"Across the hallway. Yes, I found out."

"I'm impressed."

"With what, Zane?" She shrugged. "My hearing?"

"Hardly. It would have been difficult to miss. No, that you thought it could be me. He has... well, staying power."

"Oh? You know him?"

"I hear him. Repeatedly."

"You have an advantage."

"I do? Lucilla, whatever can you mean?"

"I only heard the finale, it seems."

"Ah. Well. Lucilla, I'd offer you a drink, but..."

"But?"

"That might delay..."

"Oh, this should be good."

"... Moving into the bedroom."

"Mr Lasco, you suffer from rampant optimism."

"Oh, don't start that 'Mister' business again. Tell you what, how about you tell me why you are here?"

"Could be to swap lies."

"Or not."

"Or not. Has no one ever told you about small-talk?"

"Lucilla, we're getting older. May I be... blunt?"

"I'm fairly sure I couldn't stop you. Have at it."

"Thank you. I'm pretty sure you came here to fuck. That dress serves only one purpose. To show how lovely your skin is. You don't mind showing off your underwear in the national newspapers, and you'll be in them tomorrow for sure. I'm not suggesting anything but sex, but I'm not about to force you. Okay?"

"Zane?"

"Yes, Lucilla?"

"Shut up now. Where is the bedroom?"

He pointed, and then spoke. "Take it off, first."