Madam of Maple Court (24 page)

When he calmed, he said, "You're one talented lady. You've got great hands and a spectacular mouth. You sure you're not a professional?"

He said it as a compliment, and after a moment's shock she laughed and took it that way. "Nope. Just someone who's learning to enjoy sex, just because."

"Just because." He tossed her onto the bed and stroked and fondled until she came again.

"I think I'm beginning to like this," she quipped.

"That's the right attitude." He took a deep breath. "Think there's anything left to eat downstairs? I'm starved."

The cleaning crew! She looked at the clock. It was almost nine and they would be here soon. What would they think about Linc emerging from her bedroom? To hell with it. Let them think what they would. Oh God, clothes were scattered all over the living room. She couldn't let it go. She just couldn't. "The shower's in there. I need to get our stuff before the cleaners arrive."

She threw on a coverup and dashed downstairs, grabbing clothing from where they'd thrown it the previous evening. Wow. The previous evening. It had never been like that before. Fun. Hot. Hungry and immediate. She found his shoes last, then grabbed a tray still full of crackers with various toppings and a bottle of seltzer and dashed back upstairs.

Linc was just coming out of the bathroom, a towel draped around his loins. God, he looked so sexy she wanted him again.

"Food first," he said.

"Food only," she responded. "I've got work to do today."

"Awww, please?" he said, like a kid denied a toy he wanted.

"Not a chance," she answered. "I'm sure you've got things to do, places to go, people to see."

"I do, but it's going to be difficult to leave here. I will see you again, right?" he said, stuffing several crackers into his mouth.

"You bet." And she meant it.

"Between work and a few auditions I'm afraid my appointment book's pretty full, but I promise I'll call you." He left shortly after.

Rob called about noon. "You were just great," he said, "and I can't thank you enough for doing that. I hope the presence of Marcy's women didn't make you too uncomfortable."

"Not at all. I chatted with two of the ladies and they were charming and delightful. Did everything go well with that?"

"Most certainly. I had a limo full of happy guys going back to the city."

She wondered whether Rob had frolicked with the group but didn't ask. It was not any business of hers. "That's terrific."

"That bartender of yours was quite something. I thought he looked vaguely familiar. Is he one of Marcy's employees, too?"

"He was there to make sure everything went smoothly, if that's what you mean."

"Good idea. He looked formidable enough to put a stop to anything that got out of line."

Formidable. Good word for Linc. Rock was more of a beefy presence but Linc emitted vibes that told anyone that he brooked no nonsense. And beneath his clothes…

Rob continued, "Are you busy Wednesday evening? How about dinner, darling?"

There was that word "darling" again. He was a wonderful man, but she didn't feel like she should be his darling.
Oh well, maybe he uses that word with other women, too
. "Sure. Sounds good."

Marcy called that evening. "I got calls today from several of the ladies who were at your house last evening and they gushed with praise. About the house—and you. You're everything I thought you were, charming, poised and a whiz with people. Everyone said that you didn't let anyone feel separate unless they wanted to. Keeping a party like that going and seeing that everyone is entertained is a gift."

Such elaborate praise had Pam's head swimming. "It was really the kind of thing I do from time to time, and I guess I've gotten pretty good at it."

"That's an understatement. You'd make a wonderful entertainer. My kind, that is." When Pam hesitated, Marcy said, "Tell me you might think about that. Would you?"

"I don't know. The ladies seemed to have such a good time and I've become, sort of…"

"Curious?"

It was more than curiosity. She'd become enamored with sex. She'd made love to four men since Vin and she'd enjoyed it all, especially with Linc. He treated sex like a fun game—no ties, just enjoyment. He'd said he loved women and making love to them, and she believed every word. She thought about him in bed with someone else and there was no pain, just a wish that he have a good time. This was an entire new mindset for her. "Maybe."

"Can I try to convince you? We could make some beautiful money together."

"I guess there's no harm in your trying."

"That's great. How about lunch, maybe Tuesday?"

"That would work well for me." They made plans to meet at an upscale sandwich shop near Club Fantasy. Interesting. Very interesting. Could she be convinced? She didn't know, but there was part of her that was very, very intrigued.

Marcy was waiting in front of the restaurant when Pam arrived. In a singsong voice she intoned, "I hired a nanny. I'm a free woman. At least for the moment."

"That's great," Pam said. She knew that Marcy loved her children, but Marcy also freely admitted that she wasn't the full-time mommy type.

"Conchita is Hispanic, well recommended, the motherly kind of woman I'll never be. She's got school-aged children of her own who will be visiting relatives all summer. She's lonely already and eager to earn extra money. The kids seem to love her, and they're already saying
gracias
and
por favor
. I've become
mami
and Zack is
papi
." Marcy couldn't suppress her grin. "She's been with me for only a few days and I already feel like a new woman."

"Does she know what you do?"

"Hell no. She thinks I run a small business, but she isn't the inquisitive type. Everything's pretty well hidden anyway and all my computer records are here with me. Always." She pulled her keys from her purse. A small computer flash drive hung from them by a clip. "Since I handle all the credit cards and calendars for the club, this little baby has saved me a lot of passwording and worry." She dropped the handful of keys back into her pocketbook. "Let's find a table."

Later, after ordering and downing a glass of seltzer, Marcy said, "Everyone raved about last Saturday night. They said you were the perfect hostess with the perfect house."

"Thanks to them all. Your ladies were wonderful as well. Had I not known"—she hesitated—"what I knew, I never would have suspected. I wonder whether Vin ever had women like yours at any of our parties."

"Would he have told you?"

"Not a chance. He wouldn't have thought I'd understand back then."

"Would you have?"

Pam considered. "No. Probably not."

"But now?"

"I get it now."

"And you're finding the idea intriguing."

Pam felt herself blush. "Yeah, I guess so."

"Don't let it embarrass you. Back when I found out what my sister Jenna was doing, I was horrified. It took me months to come to terms with it." She leaned forward conspiratorially. "Interested in hosting the occasional party for one of my customers?"

"I think I might be."

"How about doing your own entertaining, being part of the action, as it were?"

"I don't really know." She smiled ruefully. "Three months ago I never would have dreamed of saying what I'm saying now, but I'm discovering that sex is really fun and if it would be that way and I'd get paid, what could be better?"

"I can't guarantee that it will always be fun, but you can opt out anytime if things get uncomfortable, and I'd give the client his money back. I screen my clients very, very carefully and I learn what they want, then match those desires to my ladies. I've seldom had to give a refund for any reason. Both the clients and entertainers are usually happy with the arrangements."

"I never really understood what fun sex could be, just for its own sake."

"Someone clue you in?"

Pam blushed again. "Yeah," she said, dropping her chin.

"Linc?"

She jerked her head up. "Why do you think it was him?"

"I know Linc and his attitudes. He loves women in all forms and makes a good living that way. And from what I gather from all the women he's been with, he's good at it. They ask for him again and again. Just don't get involved. He's not going to settle down anytime soon."

Pam had never even considered it. Settle down just when things were getting good? Not a chance. "I have no doubts about that. He's not a one-woman, or even a dozen-woman, man. But he is fun."

The two women giggled together. "I can imagine. Remember that Zack used to entertain. They say that once that kind of guy finishes sowing his wild oats and finds the right woman, he makes the best husband." Their giggling got loud enough that several people at nearby tables looked over. Marcy covered her mouth with her hand. "I should know."

"I have no delusions about Linc."

Again Marcy leaned across the table and whispered, "Is he as good as they say?"

Pam considered this amazing conversation. She was talking intimate girl-talk about sex with a madam. "Yes."

"Bravo! And Rob? How is he?"

Pam deliberately misunderstood. "He's wonderful. He thought the party went well, too."

"I know that, and you know that wasn't what I meant. How is he in bed?"

"Enough," Pam said, mildly annoyed. "I don't want to get into a discussion about the men in my life. Sorry, no gossip from me."

"Good girl," Marcy said. "Just checking."

"Finding out whether I kiss and tell?"

"I guess I was. Remember back when Larry Flynt, that
Hustler
guy, offered a million dollars for proof from any woman who'd had sex with a politician? I've got to be really careful."

"Isn't that the guy's job, too? If some famous person wants to have sex with a prostitute, he takes his chances."

"True, but the success of my business is entirely based on my reputation, and if one of my ladies sold her story, no one would ever trust me again."

"A million dollars is a lot of money."

"Sure is, and a great temptation. All I can do is trust my decisions about both my clients and my employees. After that I take my chances. Jenna, Chloe, and I understand that and just deal with it."

"You're a brave woman."

"And," she said, "I've got a little protection."

Not wanted to go further, Pam said, "I'll bet you have."

"So, are you interested in playing with my clients?"

"It's not that easy for me."

"Of course not. If it were easy you wouldn't be the kind of woman I'd employ. I'd love it if we could work together, but you need to be entirely sure of what you want to do."

"I'm not. The money's tempting…"

"This is too important to your
self to
do it for the money," Marcy said. "Oh, the money's important. I know you need a source of income, but that isn't enough for you. You're interested because you're curious about sex."

Pam nodded slowly. She realized that Marcy was letting her talk it all out and she knew she needed to do that. "Vin and I had good sex at the beginning. When we dated we couldn't keep our hands off each other and that was great. Hot, sweaty, in cars and on lawns, whenever we could find time and a horizontal surface. After we got married things sort of smoothed out. Few of the highs we'd had before. And once we found out I couldn't have children, it was as though Vin lost a little of the edge."