CHAPTER 1
Just on closing time a guy stood in front of the door Louise Lee was about to lock from the inside. She almost smiled politely and walked away. But his smile turned her brain into a roller coaster.
The prudent part of her brain cried 'Danger'. Her groin thought otherwise and Louise found her hands pulling open the door.
"We're closed."
"You could have fooled me. I would have thought almost closed would be more accurate."
"Okay, come in."
"Your assistants appear to have gone. Do you think it's safe?"
Louise gritted. God it might not be safe.
He eyed her seriously. "I meant for me."
Louise's befuddlement continued. What the hell did 'I meant for me' mean? Then she grinned. The stupid asshole meant was if safe for him to enter the store with her the only person there and likely to pounce. What a jerk!
She smiled. "Come in but I'll have to lock the door behind you. Are you prepared to risk that?"
He grinned, showing good teeth and although a little weary after all day on her feet Louise half-felt she wouldn't mind pouncing. And then she disappointed herself by thinking you slut.
"Nice dΓ©cor," he said, looking around. "I'm looking for a wife and thought you seemed promising."
What? Louise was sure she'd heard correctly.
"I've had my eye on your for a couple of days."
Jesus. Ah the big scissors were in a drawer ten feet away.
"Any chance of coffee?"
"Don't you want to buy something?" It seemed the right thing to say.
"Well frankly I've always wondered about a women's store and about sizes and stuff like that. I haven't been in one since I was a little fellow in a pushchair... taken in by mom, usually with two or three cronies. They used to pick up something and they'd laugh. I had no idea what there was to laugh about in a women's apparel store.
"If they were mothers they would probably be appraising new fashion articles for younger women."
"Oh, like panties?"
Fear clutched Louise's throat. "W-why do you mention panties?"
"Dunno. Just random and I guess it's because I don't often see them and when I was growing up it was the only thing mysterious to me about a female until I learned about their mind complications."
"Mind complications?"
"Yeah, their inability to always think in a straight line."
"Rationally?"
"Yeah."
"Devoid of passion like men?"
"Well that's going a little deep."
Louise thought control his mind and she'd get out of this safely. "Can I show you our range of panties?"
"Okay if that will give you a thrill."
What the hell did that mean?
They walked to the lingerie section.
"These little fellows are cute."
"They're thongs."
He said oh really and said he'd never seen a woman in one of those although they looked a lot like miniature bikini bottoms.
"I'm wearing a pair," Louise said stupidly.
"Oh really, show me."
"No."
"Oh come on lovely one. I won't bite."
Louise hoped certainly not. The madness continued. "What will you do if I show you?"
"I was planning to do nothing but if you insist on me doing something I'll think about it."
Moving robotically Louise pulled up her skirt, watching him carefully, ready to... what? Oh god, she was locked in with no quick escape.
He appraised her. "Oh great, very sexy but must be a poor choice if you stand in a draught. You have amazing legs."
Amazing legs? Yes she did have great legs and now he'd want to see the bra display and she'd be asked to drop her top.
"I had mentioned coffee?"
What? He wanted to be taken right to the rear of the store where they'd be out of sight of people passing the front windows.
"I'll sit here be the counter and you can bring it out if you're nervous."
"Me nervous? That's a laugh."
He grinned and turning to the rear of the shop said in that case lead on.
Louise led on thinking she must be the most stupid woman alive. Ah there was a carving knife in the small staff room. She could get that and be safe... oh god, he could take it off her and turn and raise it and... she sighed and fell.
Louise came to with the smell of coffee under her nostrils.
"Here... you fainted and I caught you. You have a lovely firm body. I've made coffee for us. Are you pregnant or having a period?"
"What?"
"I said..."
"No, no and no. I've had a long day and am hungry."
"May I take you to early dinner?"
"Yes no I mean no."
"That's not straight line thinking and I'm confused. Which is it?"
Louise's brain rolled into gear. If she said yes she'd get out on the street, out of this entrapment.
"Yes I accept. But I'll pay my way."
"Sorry but a gentleman does permit that."
That confused Louise. If he planned to harm her why would he pay for her meal? Something was not quite right.
"Who are you?"
"Daniel Peters more commonly known around here as Dentist Dan. I work opposite here, one floor up. When I take a coffee break I stand at my windows and look down at street activity and see some way into your store. I see you smiling, bending over, frowning and looking bored waiting for customers or hustling you assistants. Today you have acted differently. Whenever you stopped and relaxed you scratched under your left armpit."
"Er yes, do you wish to inspect the bra display?"
"Oh no, it's only panties that are foreign to me. Twenty percent of my adult female patients attempt to subtly show their tits to me."
"Daniel, please, the word is breasts."
"Okay, if that pleases you."
"Well yes, except in the bedroom."
"What, you change language and standards in the bedroom?"
"Well yes... no. You're not very experienced with women are you Daniel?"
"Of course I am. Almost sixty-five percent of my patients are women."
"I mean sexually."
Daniel replied stiffly he was not into that with his patients. He was an ethically responsible dentist.
"I mean socially."