Switch by EllaArdent Page A

response from Joanna that he thought she’d kill him.
    It had definitely been a step in the right direction.
    All he had to do was convince her to move with him. He was
sure she’d love it and that she’d find a better opportunity than the job she
had. He’d just surprised her and made her feel that he hadn’t considered her
goals.
    They’d talk and work it out.
    Mike lingered in the doorway of the restaurant, seeing that
Joanna already arrived. She was so lovely that the sight of her made his heart
clench. He loved her so much. She’d been shown to a table and was reading the
menu, as if fascinated by it. Her cheeks were flushed, though, and he could
practically smell her excitement.
    She’d remembered his instructions.
    Even better, he had a good idea that she was wearing one of
the corsets he’d bought for her, because she was sitting very straight. She
looked up, saw him and smiled, all the doubts of the previous night banished
from her eyes. That smile sent fire through Mike, fire and determination and
raw lust.
    This was going to work.
     
    * * *
     
    Mike appeared to be as easygoing and charming as usual, but
Joanna sensed his excitement. It wasn’t just about dinner either. He looked
great, having chosen a blue shirt that did great things for his eyes. She
noticed that he didn’t check his coat, but just left it on the back of his
chair.
    With his leather gloves tucked into one pocket.
    Joanna licked her lips in anticipation and felt her sex get
wetter.
    “How was your call?” she asked.
    “Great. I think they’ll be good people to work with. Very
thorough,” he added with apparent idleness. “Let’s talk about all of that over
dessert, okay?”
    “Sounds like a good idea,” Joanna agreed.
    Mike leaned over the table to whisper to her. His eyes were
twinkling so brightly that they completely gave him away. “Did you see that
coatroom?”
    “Big and dark,” Joanna agreed with a smile, then pretended
to pout. “Too bad I didn’t bring anything.”
    Mike returned his attention to the menu. “We can improvise.
I’ve been known to work miracles with belts.” He winked at her, the sight of
his pleasure sending a frisson through Joanna.
    She couldn’t stand it any longer.
    She had to have him claim her now.
    She grabbed her purse and smiled at him. “Will you excuse me
for a minute? I just need to go to the ladies’ room.”
    “No problem. Have you ever seen such a big menu? And it all
looks so good. It’s going to take me a week to decide.”
    Even though Joanna knew it would be Mike who came to possess
her, her heart was still pounding quickly. There was something forbidden and
illicit about this kind of a rendezvous, the possibility of discovery just
adding to the thrill. Having Mike pretend to be her secret lover was a lot like
visiting the Plume: the best of both worlds, a mix of danger and safety that
let her enjoy the moment without any fear.
    He wouldn’t really share her with everyone in the place if
they were discovered, would he? Joanna didn’t think so, but the possibility was
terrifying all the same.
    Not terrifying—electrifying. It was the perfect
combination of excitement and fear.
    Joanna found the washroom easily and found only one woman
there, washing her hands, when she stepped inside. She pretended to be fixing
her lipstick until the other woman left, then went to the last stall. It was
larger than the others and had several hooks on the walls.
    Her heart was pounding with anticipation. Joanna quickly
tugged off her dress and hung it up, then removed her panties. Her fingers
shook as she removed the bonds from her purse. She fastened them quickly around
her wrists, then gagged herself securely with the cloth gag. She was already
wet, quivering with excitement. She’d brought a length of cotton clothesline,
just in case he wanted to tie her up a bit more, and looped in over the other
hook.
    Then she took a deep breath and unlocked the door to the
stall.
    She waited, her