Velvet and Lace (4 page)

They ate their lunch slowly, making small talk about the town and the things that had changed. Of course they talked about the things that hadn’t changed and never would. Daphne loved Ambrosia with all of her heart but sometimes it was a little too stuck in the past for her.

“So this business venture of yours, would you care to explain?” Anna pushed away her almost empty plate and took a sip of her sweet tea.

Daphne was pushing the leafy lettuce around her plate, uninterested in the rabbit food set before her. Pushing her plate away as well, she grinned at her friend. She was a little worried of what Anna would think, but she hoped that she would be excited too.

“Well you know what I do right?” Daphne started with an easy place to begin.

“Yeah, you’re a fashion model.” Anna rolled her eyes like it was a pointless question.

“Most of the time yes. But I have also found that I enjoy posing for other things as well.” Daphne wasn’t exactly sure if this was the place to discuss it or not, but she leaned forward anyway. “I have found I also enjoy posing for a few gentleman’s magazines.”

“You mean like Playboy?” Anna’s eyes widened and a couple heads turned in her direction to see what the fuss was about.

“No not like Playboy. Ok well kind of like that. I only pose topless though. I always keep the lower half covered, usually in really cute panties. But anyway, I enjoy the empowerment I get from it. And I like looking good.” Daphne smiled at her friend, trying to gauge her reaction. Anna was quiet and Daphne began to worry a little. When her friend smiled, she knew it was okay.

“That’s pretty awesome, I have to admit. I couldn’t do anything like that. But good for you! If that’s what makes you happy, then go for it.” Daphne felt some of the tension drain from her shoulders. Anna’s opinion definitely meant a lot to her.

Anna’s eyes darkened with a hint of confusion.  “So what does that have to do with your business venture?”

“Well actually, this will be my third store I am opening. The other two are doing really well, and I’m hoping that this one will bring some life to this town. I know that it’s definitely going to bring the gossip.” Daphne could tell Anna was still very confused.

“Anna I own a chain of adult stores called ‘Velvet and Lace.” Daphne bit her lip, nervous of what her friend would think for the second time.

Anna’s eyes widened. “You mean like...like...” She dropped her voice into a whisper. “You mean like a toy store?”

“Yes, exactly. We sell toys, clothing, bachelorette stuff, party favors, novelty items, and there are even classes for those interested. We call them parties though, the term puts everyone a little more at easy with everything.” Daphne smiled. She loved what she did.

“Well, I have to say I’m surprised. I’ve never been into a store like that. Hell, I would doubt most of the town’s people have been in a store like that.” Anna looked skeptical but Daphne was still hoping she would win her over.

“I know. That’s why I’m hoping they will want to come to the store. I’m not financially dependent upon this store. I just thought it would be a good idea to try and liven this town up a little, get everyone to loosen up. I seriously doubt everyone is going to turn into a sex fiend or anything like that. But I like the idea of shaking things up.” She winked at her friend, and Anna smiled back. She took that as a good sign.

“Well I think you’re crazy but I’ll come check it out. Liam and I definitely have an...active sex life, but you never know. We might need something to spice it up.” When Anna winked back, Daphne laughed out loud. She had known her friend would support her, it was the rest of the town of Ambrosia that she needed to worry about.

Chapter 4

It had been a couple of days since she had lunch with Anna and she was hoping that they could get together again soon. She hadn’t realized how much she missed a close friend she could share with and rely on for some comfort.

It had also been a few days since she had seen Trent. He had called to tell her that a few of the things she wanted for the store were going to take a little longer to get in than he expected. She wasn’t worried though. He had told her that he and his crew had started demolition on the building and they hadn’t come across any problems yet.

Daphne was excited about the progress. Even though it was her third store, she was just as excited about this one as she was the last two. And even though she hated to admit it, she was enjoying her talks with Trent. He kept trying to get her to talk about the store and what she would sell there, but she kept deflecting. She attempted to feign disinterest in him, but he kept making her smile.

Trent crushed her in high school. He was an asshole to her in front of all of his friends. But back then he had been sweet to her when they were alone which was why she kissed him that night. She had been so proud of all the work he had put into his grades and the fact that she had been a big help to him had meant a lot to her. When he got that final grade, she had been more excited than him. Then she kissed him.

She had thrown her self at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her lips to his. He had been her first kiss and he had just stood there. When she pulled back, there was a very confused look in his eyes and she couldn’t take the rejection. She had run away from him.

The next day in school, she completely avoided him. But it wasn’t like he had tried to talk to her. At lunch, his friends still made fun of her and he just sat there, trying to look at anything but her.

To this day it was still a sore memory for her. Of course, most of it had been her fault, but she still remembered the look in his eyes. She never should have kissed him. Now he was making her smile all over again. She wasn’t the same naive virgin but she felt like that when she got near Trent.
Damn that man
.

Daphne rested her forehead against the cool table-top in Grams kitchen. It was early afternoon and she had been up since six. Grams had made coffee and more biscuits for breakfast and then left for her pinochle card game of the week.

Once Grams was gone, she had brought down her paperwork to the kitchen table and had been working since. She had forms to review and sign about building codes and permits and a lot of things she wasn’t exactly sure she understood. But she had had her lawyer review everything first and they were pretty much the same forms she had sign for all of her other buildings, so she wasn’t worried.

The other thing she needed to do was look over the shots from her last photo shoot. Even though she wouldn’t get the final say in which were the final shots the magazine used, she did get to pick her top ten shots and the magazine would take it from there. Not only was she just a model but she had a stake in the company as well. She only posed for one magazine and she had wanted a more hands-on take in the business.

So she was shuffling through about fifty different frames of her laying in various poses on a white sheet. Her breasts had been bare and she was covered by a pair of black lace boy-short panties. Her blonde hair tumbled down her back in soft waves. Her eyes were heavily made up and there was a sensual curve to her lips.

Daphne spent a long time deciding on which photos she liked best. She was her toughest critic, and paid attention to the small details. She enjoyed her body and the way she felt when she saw herself. She had always been the 'fat' girl in high school and had lived through years of ridicule. When she had gone away to college she spent four years on and off diets hating what she had become, counting calories to make other people happy with the way she looked.

Finally, she had gotten fed up with how she was looking at it, and decided that it didn't matter what anyone thought of her. She wanted to look sexy for her and no one else.

Another small part of her looks was that she got a small hint of satisfaction when she stopped men in their tracks. She had no interest in actually sleeping with any of them, though. Hell, it had been so long since she last got laid, that she barely remembered what it felt like to have sex with a man. She did have a large collection of toys at her disposal but most days they didn’t interest her. Well, the thought of using them alone didn’t interest her.

Leaning forward, she rested her head on the table. Daphne sighed and her breath moved across the wood in front of her mouth. Her pictures were lying out in front of her and she made up her mind about which ones she wanted. Now she was trying not to think of everything she had to do today. Her phone buzzed and she rolled her head to the side to look at it the screen. It lit up with Trent’s name and a small rush went through her. She was startled at her own reaction, but she quickly pushed it aside.

“Hello.” She tried not to sound tired.

“Hello, Daphne. Do you have a moment?”

Daphne shivered at the sound of his gravelly voice. Maybe she did need a night with her favorite vibrator.

“Of course. What’s up?” She hoped her voice was light and carefree.

“The samples just came in and I was hoping you could possibly swing by tomorrow and take a look,” he said, sounding distant.

She frowned at the phone wondering what was wrong. “I could meet you around 11:00 a.m. if that works for you.”

He was quiet for a moment. “That works.”

Daphne scribbled on a sticky note. If she didn’t remind herself, she would never show up on time. “Trent...Did you need something else?”

“Oh yes. I’m sorry. I actually have a much more pressing matter. The wiring in the building is completely shot. We are going to have to redo everything. There are also a few busted pipes that we couldn’t have foreseen. I can fix everything, it’s just going to delay things a day or two. Is that okay?”

The concern in his voice gave her pause. “Yes of course. Do whatever you can to fix it. An extra day isn’t going to be the end of the world.” She pushed her hair out of her eyes, wincing at the oily texture. She needed a shower.

“Okay good. So see you tomorrow at eleven?” His voice went slightly distant again.

“Sounds good to me. See you then.”

She had barely finished speaking before she heard the click from his side. She worried for a moment about the status of things at the store but figured it was in Trent’s capable hands. Her hands shook as she set her phone down on the table and stood up. He had a hell of an effect on her. The conversation hadn't even been a sexy one and yet her entire body was singing. Maybe it was time for a shower and a visit with her vibrator.

****

Daphne tapped her nails on the steering wheel as she sat outside of Anna’s house. When she got out of the shower, she had decided against the vibrator. Although the thought of an orgasm was pleasant, she knew it would be empty. So she needed a different way to blow off some steam. She wanted to go out and do something fun. So she had called Anna at the hospital and got Anna to agree to go dancing after she got off work.  

Daphne spent the rest of the afternoon going over the store plans once more, as well as the budget. She had to check on her other two stores and see how things were running in the city. Then she ate a hearty southern dinner of chicken and dumplings with Grams before she dressed and headed out. 

It was dark outside, as she sat waiting out front of Anna’s small townhouse in one of the neighborhoods of Ambrosia. Anna's house was cute and had a homey look to it, and knowing Anna, it was beautifully decorated on the inside. Right now however, she was anxious to go out and have some fun. She honked the horn, hoping her friend would hurry up. A minute later, Anna came rushing down the front steps after she kissed her husband goodbye at the door. Daphne laughed as she watched Liam playfully swat his wife’s behind.

As Anna climbed in the car, Daphne gave her a quick, friendly air kiss on the cheek in greeting and began to admire her outfit. She had hoped Anna would dress up, and she didn’t disappoint.

Anna had on a pair of dark skinny jeans tucked into worn brown cowboy boots with an intricate tan detail on the side. She had on a white, spaghetti strap shirt that had silver sequins in a triangular patter moving down her breasts. Her hair was down and the mass of curls was styled so that it wasn’t frizzy and looked very sleek. Anna actually had a fair amount of make-up on and her eyes sparkled with delight.

“It has been way too long since I’ve had a girl’s night out!” Anna squealed in the seat beside her as Daphne left the neighborhood and hit the main highway running through the town. Daphne cranked up the stereo and they sang along as they sped toward the outskirts of town to the only bar and dance club within thirty miles, The Lady Luck.

They had to pass her shop-in-progress to reach the bar and a thrill went through her at the sight of it. The outside hadn't changed much. It was still a brick store front, but the roof angles had been altered slightly and the shingling had been changed. Trent had replaced all of the windows and the front door. There was still paper covering everything so she couldn't see inside, but she couldn’t wait for it to be finished.

When they reached The Lady Luck Daphne was surprised at the number of cars in the parking lot. She looked over at Anna with a raised eyebrow.

Anna winked, unbuckled her seat belt and climbed out of the car. “The owners changed hands, and some out-of-towner’s bought the bar. The inside was re-done and there are now weekly specials. I thought you knew this because it’s ladies night. We get in free on Thursdays.”