“Mmm. I can see that.” I wiggled against his stirring erection. “But now I’m disillusioned.” I dropped a kiss on his lips, obscenely happy. “I wanted to be your first.”

“Remember how old I am. Bound to have had a little experience. The demon chapter was a onetime deal. I learned from that mistake. I’m really sorry you had to pay for it.” He ran his hand up my back. “Sure you’re all healed?”

“I think I just proved that. But why don’t we jump in the shower, and you can examine me for yourself? Front and back.” I sat up and pulled him with me.

“Sounds like a plan.” He laughed and gathered me in his arms for a long, lusty kiss. “You know I’m going to have to meet Nadia at the club in a little while.”

“Then we’d better hurry.” I glanced at the clock. I was late getting down to the shop, and I was pretty sure Blade had called at least once in the last two days. I hadn’t even glanced at my cell phone. I ran into the bathroom and pulled a shower cap over my hair. No guilt. Just fun. I was sick of being Glory the good, the decent, the boring.

I watched Rafe adjust the water temperature, admiring his taut butt. Maybe I’d regret this later, but I laughed when Rafe jerked me under the warm water. There, I did a few things that actually surprised him. And he did a few things to me . . . definitely no regrets.

“I forgot to tell you. Looks like opening night is Thursday. Ray will be here before then so we can set up for him. You’ll have to have your bachelorette party on Wednesday night. It’ll give us a chance to make sure the sound and lighting systems all check out. If you still want me to dance . . .” Rafe ran a comb through his wet hair in front of the bathroom mirror.

“I don’t know. Show me your moves again, Angel Man.” I licked my lips, then realized what he’d said. “Wait a minute. Wednesday? This is Saturday. Not much notice, Rafe.” I stuffed my feet into red heels and stomped into the bathroom. Rafe hadn’t put on a shirt yet, and the sight of his bare chest stopped me. I was turning into a fool over a hot body.

“Can’t help it. Nadia’s already pissed at me. She set the schedule. I’ve got to go along. If you want the party at our club, that’s the date.” He turned and grinned at me. “What are you looking at? Waiting for a demo?” He did a bump and grind that sent every bit of blood straight to my, well, you know.

“Forget it.” I turned and flounced out of the room. Or tried to. Rafe caught me around the waist and pulled me to him.

“Liar. You were lusting after my body.”

“Yeah, well. And thinking what a shame you had to play dog all those years and sleep at the foot of my bed”—I ran a fingertip around one of his dark brown nipples—“when you could have been in a much choicer position.”

“You know why that couldn’t happen.” Rafe slipped open a button on my silk blouse and slid his hand inside my white demicup bra.

“Yes, I know. Not going there. So I’d better get down to the shop. Saturday night is busy. And now I’ve got to call the list of people Flo wants at this bachelorette party and invite them for Wednesday night.” I sighed when he found my nipple and squeezed it between two fingers. “I’m already late.”

“Me too.” Rafe groaned because I’d eased my hand down the front of his jeans. No underwear tonight. Which was fine by me.

“We’re torturing each other.” I pulled his head down and kissed him, amazed that I was so comfortable doing this. Rafe as my lover. I still hadn’t checked my cell but figured there would be missed calls and voice mails from you know who. I couldn’t seem to give a damn.

“A quickie?” He licked my ear and pulled me toward the bedroom.

“A very quickie.” I drop kicked my thong across the room. “Leave my clothes on. Jeans down to your knees, mister.” I lifted my skirt. He was ready, I was ready. I pushed him back to the dresser so he could lean against it, and he helped me climb on board, wrapping my legs around his waist.

“Oh, wow!” I felt him sink home, the pleasure so intense my toes tingled. My head fell back, and Rafe kissed my neck, then the vee exposed by my open blouse.

“Glory!” He held on to me and worked my hips against his, the motions fast and hard until we both gasped and bumped heads, laughing at our own crazy passion. A book I’d been reading about relationships, Should You Be Committed? , had hit the floor along with a box of necklaces and earrings, jewelry flying everywhere.

I glanced at my watch. “Six minutes. Not bad, big boy.”

“I don’t exactly pride myself on my speed, sweetheart.” He eased me onto my feet. “I’ll get you a washcloth.” Rafe grinned and pulled up his jeans. Then he headed into the bathroom while I found my thong and ran a brush through my hair.

Once we were cleaned up, we kissed and made a promise to meet back at the apartment two hours before dawn for a more lengthy session. I was grinning like an idiot when I walked into the shop. Flo and Richard were waiting for me.

They exchanged looks that warned me I was in for some explaining. I pulled them into the back room, then held up a hand.

“Stop. Don’t say it. I’m a big girl. I can do what I want on my own time.”

“Glory.” Flo’s eyes filled with tears. “I’m worried about you. You had a near miss with a demon, and now you are falling into bed with Rafael.” This time she held up a hand. “Don’t bother to deny it, girlfriend. Ricardo and I can both smell sex and him on you. And Jeremiah is still out of town, isn’t he?”

“So what?” I couldn’t look at her. Nice play of the guilt card. “I had a good time. Flo, you of all people understand that sometimes you just want to have fun. Jerry and I aren’t married. I can take a lover if I want one. Rafe and I have known each other for five years. I love him. He’s a dear friend.”

“Ricardo and I are your dear friends too. We should have stayed with you.” Flo bit her lip.

“No, you were wonderful. Both of you.” I sighed. “Come on, Flo. I had a near-death experience. It reminded me that life can be shorter than we think. So Rafe and I took our friendship to the next level. I’m allowed. Right?” I pulled my cell phone out of my purse. Good diversion. I glanced back at my friends.

Flo pursed her lips but didn’t say anything else. Richard frowned but obviously had nothing to add either.

“Rafe’s club is opening this weekend, so we have to have the bachelorette party on Wednesday night. Will that work for you?” I added a smile, trying to get this back on a friendly basis.

“Sure, why not?” Flo glanced at Richard. “You have the list I gave you of people to invite? I have a few to add.” Flo pulled a paper out of her purse. “Here, there are names and numbers. It should end up thirty-five, maybe forty women in all. Is that too many?”

“No, the more the better. We’ll have the whole club to ourselves.” I kept smiling. “I wish I could pay for this myself, but with my budget I’d have to have this in my apartment with a movie rental.” I looped my arm through hers. “But I’d be sure to get one with naked hot guys.”

“Tempting.” Flo laughed when Richard grumbled. “But let’s do it in the club. Like I told you, it’s on me.” Flo had definitely thawed out. Richard just looked ready to escape. I grabbed his arm.

“Richard, would you please not tell Jerry about Rafe and me? I know Jer’s your friend, but why get him all stirred up if this is just an experiment? Post-traumatic stress or something?” I stepped back at the look on Richard’s face.

“You want me to lie to him?”

“Ricardo! Glory didn’t say that.” Flo stepped between us. “You want to be the one to break up her relationship with Jeremiah permanently?” Flo glanced at me. “Spare your friend the pain of jealousy. You know how bad that feels, am I right?”

“I wouldn’t be the one breaking them up.” Richard didn’t say it, but his stare clearly proclaimed me an unfaithful slut. “And I won’t lie to him.”

“Of course not, amante.” Flo walked him to the back door and turned the dead bolt to unlock it. “You just won’t volunteer information. If Jeremiah asks the question, you will tell him what you know. Glory won’t expect anything more.”

“Right, Richard.” I relaxed. Jerry and Richard never discussed their love lives. The most personal info I’d ever heard them exchange had been the name of the shifter who handled a stock transaction for Jerry. “I haven’t thanked you properly. You saved my life last night. I’d be dead or in hell if it wasn’t for you.”

“Not sure you should thank me yet, Gloriana. Fights with a demon can have lasting effects.” Richard still wasn’t smiling as he kissed Flo’s cheek and stepped into the alley. “Be careful with Rafe. It isn’t like you to have what Florence is calling a fling. Think about that.”

Flo closed the door and grinned at me. “I love him, but he is a bit old-fashioned, eh? You and Rafael? Tell me everything, girlfriend.”

After Flo left I headed into the shop and assisted customers. I may have lost a few sales, but suddenly I was talking first, thinking later.

“Honey, big ass flowers on a big ass? Never in four hundred years will that look good. Trust me, I know.” I pushed the woman over to a nice pair of pin-striped gabardine pants that would make her look taller. “Of course you could always lay off those strawberry Pop-Tarts for breakfast if you really want to squeeze into a twelve.” I ignored her gasp. “Here, try these on and don’t torture yourself. Fourteen.”

The woman’s face was red, and she was wondering how I knew about the Pop-Tarts, but she ended up buying those pants and two blouses in an extra large, not the large she’d tried to cram her boobs into.

“Glory, what’s gotten into you?” Erin watched the woman leave before she turned to me. “You were pretty, uh, blunt.”