A Taste of Sin by Fiona Zedde Page B

you had misgivings, then why did you call?”
    That flickering glance again. “The usual reasons.”
    Dez chuckled. “I see.” She pushed herself off the counter. “In that case, to prevent any future complications, why don’t we see right now if any of this is worth it?” Four steps took her within a hair’s breadth of Victoria’s mouth. “What do you say?” Her breath teased the wet and parted lips.
    “Why not?” Victoria’s voice roughened. “Can’t do any harm, right?”
    Up close she smelled like honey. Sweet, sun-warmed, melting-over-the-tongue honey. Dez made a noise of appreciation that became a groan when Victoria settled a warm palm on the small of her back, then another on her hip. Succulent, heavy breasts nestled just below her own.
    “Right.” Her mouth was soft. Soft and pliant and yielding and wet. Dez moved her hands in the loose hairs at Victoria’s nape. They tickled her hands, twined around her fingers. Victoria’s tongue sought entry, flicking lightly at the corners of Dez’s mouth, teasing. Then she was inside. She was all sweet and spice, this one, tongue wicked and slow against Dez’s, inciting a riot inside her boxers. She slid a thigh between Victoria’s and cupped her ass, bringing her firmly up against the place that needed it the most. Dez’s hands burrowed under the skirt, up to find a clenching thigh and luxurious bare skin higher up. Christ! She didn’t have any panties on. Then the doorbell rang.
    Victoria groaned. Dez did, too, still reaching for her goal. But Victoria shook her head and backed away, breathing heavily from her wet and reddened mouth.
    “I have to get that.”
    “Of course.” Dez wasn’t breathing so evenly herself. “But you might want to fix your skirt first.” And those perky little nipples, too.
    As Victoria walked away straightening her skirt and blouse, Dez wiped her lips with a paper towel, dabbed at the wet stain on the cloth over her thigh before smoothing a hand quickly down her shirt front. Damn Victoria’s friends. If only they’d come just a few minutes—maybe even an hour—later. Dez laughed. And that was exactly why they were here. She picked up the glasses and went to finish setting the table for dinner.

     
    The women came into the house whispering. Dez smiled to herself as she carefully placed the wineglasses near each dinner setting, wondering if she would be allowed to sit next to Victoria. Their voices were quiet but excited. She heard Victoria telling them to put up their jackets, hearing the raucous fluting notes that signaled long-standing friendship and camaraderie.
    “She’s in here,” Victoria said just as Dez straightened from putting out the last glass. The three women walked in with unabashed curiosity, obviously having been told a thing or two about the new dinner guest beforehand.
    “Hello, ladies.” She moved from behind the chair. “Dez Nichols.”
    Victoria had some very sexy friends. Dez stopped her mind from going where it normally went when presented with a vision like this one. Or at least she tried to stop it.
    Victoria brought up the rear. “Dez, this is Kavindra.”
    “Kavi is fine.” The slim, sloe-eyed one with skin like creamed cocoa held out a hand and a smile. She seemed pleased by what she saw. Her heavy, waist-length hair slid forward into her eyes as she nodded to Dez. “Good to finally meet you. I’ve met your brother a few times.”
    “My brother and his good fortune strike again. I’d never been jealous of him before now.” Behind Kavi, Victoria rolled her eyes and smiled as if she were used to people making fools of themselves over her beautiful friend.
    “This is her girlfriend, Michelle—um Mick.” Victoria nodded at the seal-sleek woman with a proprietary hand on the small of Kavi’s back. Her bald head gleamed under the light, matching the warning look she lasered at Dez.
    The two women shook hands and Dez tried not to wince at the crushing grip. “And Abena.” The