Page 55 of Under the Radar
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Mo tucked the ornate silver cuff bracelet she’d purchased for Tia in her tote. That made three holiday presents she’d knocked off her list in a little over an hour. At this rate, she’d be done her holiday shopping by dinner time. Who knew that the ship boutiques ran a forty percent off sale late in the cruise?
The marble and glass hallway teamed with shoppers. Mo swerved around a group of teenage girls and stopped short. Whoa. The Naughty Nights store advertised fifty percent off. Should she? Hell, yes, she’d be crazy not to at look at their selections. Maybe this was the place where Mac had purchased the divine nightgown he’d given her. She’d check for it in another color, and look for something for Tia, because, you know, best friends always get more than one present.
Mo browsed the spinning racks, each item more gorgeous than the last. She lifted a dainty hanger with a sexy rose-colored chemise and held it up in the full-length mirror. Beautiful and my color palette. On the next spinner, an ice blue baby doll outfit screamed Tia’s name. Perfect. She strolled the perimeter of the store searching for the nightgown Mac had given her and couldn’t find it. Knowing Mac, he probably had some high-end salon deliver it to the ship.
A perfectly coiffed saleswoman approached her. “Welcome to Naughty Nights. Are you looking for anything in particular, ma’am?”
Mo beamed at her. “Your lingerie is lovely. I’ve already decided on these things.”
The woman held out her hands. “Would you like me to hold them for you until you check out?”
“Oh, yes, I’d appreciate that.” Mo handed over the garments. “Thank you.”
“Can I help you find anything else?”
Mo pursed her lips. “Maybe. I was hoping for naughtier lingerie? Something a bit more daring, perhaps?”
Recognition flitted across the saleswoman’s face. “Of course. You’ll want to browse our selections in the ‘naughty nook.’ It’s a separate room. Back there,” she pointed, “behind the drapes. Let me show you.”
Mo followed the clerk through the gold curtains. “Oh, wow,” she grinned, taking in the fabulous array of sexy tops and bottoms. “Definitely better.”
The clerk nodded. “We only allow one person at a time in here. It’s by appointment, but no one’s reserved it for the next hour. You may try on anything, with the exception of underwear and stockings.”
“Do you have any fishnet body stockings?”
“Oh, sure. Right over here.” The saleswoman pulled out a beautiful black lacquer drawer. “We have pink, blue, nude, but the black is always a winner. If you wear one of these and a pair of heels? You may as well forget about going out for dinner,” she teased.
What would my commander do to an outfit like this?Mo fingered through the drawer and selected a black one. “How do you get in and out of one of these?”
The clerk waved a hand. “Easy-peasy. You just pull it up like any bodysuit and the straps have elastic in them so they slide on and off.”
Mo set the fishnet bodysuit on a chair. “Do you sell pasties?” She’d never worn the things but Tia was dying to try them. Mo had never felt the urge to dress bedroom sexy. Jason had pretty much ignored her, but Mac? He appreciated her femininity.
“Yes, this row over here. We have flowers, hearts, wet-look, and a patriotic assortment too.”
Mo rumbled a delighted chuckle the second she saw the stars and stripes pasties with the tassels. Mac will love them. She pulled four sets from the bin. Two were for her and two for Tia. “Does it hurt to wear them?”
“No, no. The adhesive is on the edge. They are reasonably comfortable. Have you ever invested in a basque or bustier? They’re quite lovely and some of them can be worn under regular clothing.”
“No, I haven’t, but I’d love to try that wet-look zippered teddy over there.”
* * *
Mac nodded and gave the French pastry chef a patronizing smile even though he hadn’t heard a word the man had said for the past five minutes. Mo’s conversation was far more interesting. He turned the volume up on his earpiece.
Where the heck was she? Ahh. He recognized Helga’s Swedish accent from the lingerie boutique. Did she say pasties? He rubbed his chin. Interesting. Pasties had never been on his wish list—probably because he associated them with strippers and the occasional bachelor party. He strained to listen when he heard Mo’s voice.
“I’d love to try that wet-look zippered teddy over there.”
“Oh, yes. That’s a lovely crotchless piece and the bustier is built into the garment. It’ll look great on you. However, it is considered intimate apparel and if you try it on, it’s yours.”
“That’s okay, as long as we get the size right the first time.”
“They run snug, I’d say you’re a small or a medium. Your choice.”
“I figure I won’t be wearing it very long, so let’s go with the small.”