she was here. From far off in the apartment she
could hear Regina puttering about. Top forty R & B floated
into the bedroom and just below it was the sound of Regina's
voice. The woman was adventurous, uninhibited. Sinclair
had known that when she read her books, had even looked
forward to fulfilling some fantasies with her. But was this too
much? And what about this other mysterious person that Regina was seeing? Were they getting as much of a workout
as Sinclair?
Outside the window, city lights flashed, winking on in a
domino of brightness that quickly spread out farther than
Sinclair's eyes could see. She heard Regina approaching the
bedroom with sure footsteps and still carrying the melody of
a song on her lips. Sinclair slid back under the covers and
pretended to sleep.
Chapter 4
soft knock sounded on Sinclair's office door. She paused
.in the act of putting away paperwork in the filing cabinet and glanced at her watch. Five thirty-five. Sinclair felt a
moment's regret for allowing Shelly to leave at the dot of five.
This better not be business.
"Come in."
"Hey, there," Regina purred as she walked into the office.
She could have done nothing else in the outfit she was wearing-black skintight leather pants, boots, and a corset laced
so tight that she almost had cleavage. Catwoman come to
life. "Come play with me," she said.
Sinclair stared at her lover, at the sleek skin that shone
with body glitter, the ornate makeup and cornrowed hair.
Her belly tightened with sudden desire to do anything and
everything that Regina wanted. But Sinclair shook her head.
"Can't. I have some things I need to do at home tonight."
"But it's a Friday."
"Sorry." Sinclair slid the file drawer closed and walked
back to her desk. She'd been out with Regina almost every
day this week. Tonight was her time to regroup, cuddle into
her easy chair with a good book and a cup of rosemary tea.
Regina hummed deeply in her throat as she stalked Sinclair
across the room then sat on the edge of the desk. "Come on, sugar." She brushed a thumb across Sinclair's nipple through
the thin black blouse. "I'll make it worth your while."
Dinner and dancing. That's all she said it was going to be.
But when they ended up at the Burning Rose, Sinclair knew
that she'd been had.
"Welcome, ladies." The slim woman dressed in a rubber
French maid's outfit took their coats and guided them to a
table. A corner one, at Regina's request. The table was intimate, set far enough away from the main dining room that it
was private, yet still had a good view of the round, stagelike
area that was now empty except for a single chair. People
stared as the two women walked past, sliding their eyes along
Regina's leather-covered flesh with undisguised delight. Sinclair
was glad that Regina had taken her back to the uptown penthouse for a change of clothes-simple leather pants, high heels,
and a halter top that covered her breasts and almost nothing else.
"A gift," Regina had said with a seductive smile.
At least she fit in with the leather-and rubber-wearing crowd.
The lights in the restaurant, provided by glittering crystal chandeliers, were golden and dim, giving the Burning Rose an air
of romance and mystery. A pale-skinned waitress brought two
menus and tall glasses of water.
"Would you like something else to drink, ladies?" Her
Western European accent sounded fake.
"A bottle of your house red, please," Regina said with a
dismissive wave. The girl nodded and left them alone.
"Are you going to tell me what kind of place this is?"
Sinclair's curiosity was piqued. But not in a good way.
"Why spoil the fun, when I can just show you?" An impish
smile teased her burgundy lips. "What would you like to eat?"
"I'm suddenly not hungry."
"No? At least look at the menu. You might find something
that intrigues you." Regina opened the velvet-bound menu in
front of Sinclair, smiling expectantly.
Sinclair sighed, but skimmed through
Learning to Kill: Stories