“Is he not into lingerie?”
“He might be. I’m not really sure. ”
We were moving in the direction of the Bloomingdale’s delicates department, but Mercedes stopped in her tracks and dragged me over to a rack of plush terrycloth robes.
“Secret. ” Her gaze bored into me, and her expression was suddenly serious. I craned my neck to see if an unanticipated threat had appeared, which might explain her new tension.
“What?”
“You have slept with Lucas, haven’t you?”
Oh. That’s what had her so up in arms. I pursed my lips together and squirmed uncomfortably under her scrutiny. “Um. ”
“Oh my God. ”
“It’s not that big of a deal. ”
“Haven’t you guys been dating since forever?”
It had been nine months since Lucas had come into my life and changed everything. I hadn’t been living like a nun during that time, thanks to my very active sex life with Desmond, but I couldn’t explain that to Mercedes. There were some things it was easier for me to not tell Mercedes. The real details of my messy love life ranked right up there with my vampire DNA as hot-button topics I chose to avoid, forever if possible.
“It’s complicated. ”
“Is he Catholic?”
I snorted. “Actually, I’m the old-fashioned one this time. ” This wasn’t a lie. In the six months that Desmond and I had been living together, I’d asked Lucas to be patient with me. The three of us shared a unique and confusing metaphysical werewolf connection known as a soul-bond. Fate had bound us together; I was just being a bit of a prude about having sex with both of them.
My love life was forever a work in progress.
“Well, I think we answered your question. ” She had started walking again, and now we were surrounded by an assortment of frilly, lacy, see-through underthings. A pair of crotchless underwear dangling at eye level made my stomach churn. I’d never bought lingerie, so the whole experience was new and uncomfortable. Usually, I found getting naked was more than enough provocation to make a man want to sleep with you.
“What do you mean we answered my question?” I held up a sheer black teddy with ruffles on the cups. I could see Mercedes through it.
“Your gift for Lucas…it should be you. ”
I snorted and rolled my eyes.
Hanging the garment back up, I ran my fingers over racks of silk and satin until my wandering gaze spotted something and my breath caught in my throat.
On a mannequin adorned with a festive red Santa hat was a black leather corset demanding my full attention. I sidled up to the helpless mannequin and ran my hands provocatively over the curves of her waist, the smoothness of the leather purring under my fingertips.
Mercedes came to stand next to me, assessing the garment. “Biker chic?”
“I like to think of it as bounty-hunter formal. ” I smirked over my shoulder at her.
“Merry Christmas to Lucas. ”
I didn’t bother telling her Lucas was in Paris with his sister for Christmas and wasn’t the werewolf soul mate I had in mind for this gift. I grabbed my size off the rack and smiled broadly.
“Merry Christmas to me. ”
Chapter Three
Outside Bloomingdale’s, Mercedes and I parted ways. According to an onslaught of texts from the precinct, there was a new body to be investigated, which put an end to her night off. With two air kisses to the cheeks she vanished into the crowd, leaving me grasping my Big Brown Bag. I didn’t need another snatch and grab like the one with my gloves.
The winter air was cold and laden with the promise of moisture, but it was a promise that was taking forever to come to fruition. I breathed in deeply, enjoying the heady aroma of retail panic mixed with the constant waft of Starbucks Christmas blend drifting in from all corners of the city.
All the makings of a perfect New York Christmas were in play. The windows at Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s and Henri Bendel were decorated with such meticulous precision, tourists and locals alike stood outside to drink in the orchestrated merriment. The big tree was up at Rockefeller Plaza and was so burdened with lights it looked like a pixie convention had moved in for the season. Below it, skaters were making the rounds on the cramped rink, while overhead, visitors representing all the waving flags of the plaza took photos of the famous landmark.