"But even if you don't make the contest, you'll meet me there?"
"Absolutely," she said. "And as for the contest, I still think you should enter."
"Too late now."
"Not for Mr. April."
He narrowed his eyes. "Not happening."
"If I can surprise you, can that be my prize?"
"Surprise me?"
"Yeah, you know. Pull a rabbit out of a hat. Give you a blowjob while we're doing eighty on the toll-road. Stuff like that."
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"Let's skip that one."
"Illustrative purposes only," she promised. "But if I manage a safe surprise..."
"I guess it'll depend on the surprise."
She rolled her eyes, but knew it was the best she'd get from him. "Go," she said. "And let me get back to work."
It really did take her all afternoon and into the early evening to get a handle on her various projects, but that still left her plenty of time to get to The Fix and settle in. Because she had no meeting tonight. She just needed to go alone. Because that was all part of her plan.
* * *
Nolan clapped Cam on the shoulder, congratulated him on being Mr. March, and thanked him for doing the promo spot. Then Cam pretty much bolted. Not that Nolan could blame him. Nolan knew damn well that the only thing on Cam's mind at the moment was Mina.
He checked his watch, then glanced again at the door. He still hadn't seen Shelby come in, and he hoped that he hadn't missed her in the crowd. He'd been to all three of the Man of the Month contests, and with each event the crowd grew bigger and bigger, such that Brent was going to have to hire extra security to make sure the crowd didn't get too rowdy and that the door didn't let too many people in and violate the fire code.
But, again, that was something Nolan didn't care about.
He wanted Shelby, and he was about to pull out his phone and text her when Aly hurried up, her expression harried and her tray overfull. "A lady just tipped me twenty to make sure this gets to you," she said, then shoved a folded receipt into his hand. He started to ask if she'd given him the wrong thing when he realized that the handwriting on the thin strip of paper was more than just a signature.
He unfolded it, then laughed out loud at the note in Shelby's neat, precise handwriting--Surprise.
As soon as his laugh faded, though, he frowned. What was the surprise? For that matter, where was Shelby?
The question was answered almost the instant he'd asked it. Because there she was, walking toward him in her familiar linen blend suit skirt and matching suit jacket. That, however, was the end of familiar. Her usual buttoned-to-the-collar shirt was open all the way to her cleavage, revealing the white lace trim of what was undoubtedly a sexy camisole.
And most interesting of all, she was walking on the same incredibly high fuck-me pumps she'd been wearing the night he'd first laid eyes on her.
"Shel? What is it?" he asked as she approached. "Are you okay?"
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, he kicked himself, because of course she was okay. He was the one having heart palpitations.
"I'm fine," she purred. "I have something for you."
She reached into her purse, and then pressed something soft into his hand before flashing him a flirty smile and continuing on toward the exit.
He watched her go for a full minute before thinking to look down into his hand. When he did, he felt his cock grow hard. Because he was holding a pair of red La Perla panties--and he was quite certain that his Paradox--who had repeatedly refused to go commando--was wearing absolutely nothing at all.
* * *
Shelby kept walking even though she knew that she had Nolan's attention. And sure enough, she heard his footsteps hurrying to catch up to her. She glanced over her shoulder as she walked, lifted her brows, and said, "Good surprise?"