Ellie grabbed a wad of toilet paper and stuffed a bit between each toe, then hobbled out of the stall. “I’ve done my nails twice, plucked my brows and polished all the faucets. I was about to do some minor plumbing repairs when you walked in.”
Nora followed her, feeling properly contrite. “Why didn’t you leave? You could have escaped without him seeing you.”
“Why would I need to escape?” Ellie asked. “He saw me sitting across the bar. I wanted to give you two some time alone before I butted in.”
Nora frowned. If Pete had seen Ellie, then certainly he would have put two and two together and come up with “Nora.” No, Ellie must be mistaken. He never would have taken such liberties had he realized it was Prudence Trueheart hiding beneath the dark wig and sexy dress.
“I stood outside the ladies’ room door and watched you for a while. You two looked so cozy,” Ellie said, moving to the sinks. “I figured with all that champagne you were guzzling you’d have to visit the ladies’ room sooner or later. Who would have known you’d have a bladder the size of Lake Merced?” Ellie bent down and fanned her toes with her hands. “What did he say when he recognized you? Did he laugh at the wig?”
“The wig is necessary,” Nora said, running her fingers through the bangs. “Prudence Trueheart does not hang out in bars looking to pick up men, even if it is for the good of her readers. Besides, it worked, didn’t it? No one has recognized me.”
“Except for Pete,” Ellie clarified.
Nora stared into the mirror above the sinks, watching her reflection with objective eyes. She really didn’t look a bit like herself. She looked exotic, sultry, alluring, the dark hair falling around her pale face. Even so, there was her nose—that hadn’t changed. And her blue eyes, with the faint trace of a purple bruise beneath the left one. And though her mouth was painted a deep red, it was still her mouth. Nora sent her friend a sideways glance. “Actually, he hasn’t recognized me, either.”
Ellie’s eyes went wide and she gasped. “What? You didn’t tell him who you were?”
“I didn’t see the point,” Nora said. She tugged on the collar of her dress, revealing a bit more shoulder. “Maybe the bustline threw him off.” She reached down and readjusted her Miracle Bra, grimacing. “Do you think if I wear this bra for a week, my chest will stay this way?”
When she looked up, she found Ellie staring at her. “What are you saying?” her friend asked, stunned by what she’d seen. “Of course he recognizes you! He’d have to be a dope not to figure it out. You don’t look that different.”
“Well, he doesn’t,” Nora said. “How could he? He never bothers to look at me at work. He even told me he’d never seen eyes like mine before. I guess he forgot he stared into these same eyes earlier this morning.” Drawing a small bottle of perfume from her purse, she dabbed a bit on her neck and between her breasts. “All right, maybe he is just playing along. I don’t care. I’m having fun and I like the way he makes me feel.”
She enjoyed being the object of his desire, playing the prey to his predator. It made her feel scared and thrilled all at once, as if she possessed some secret power that drew him nearer.
With a snort of disgust, Ellie stepped behind her and yanked the neckline up until the fabric cut into Nora’s armpits. “This isn’t just some stranger in a bar. It’s Pete Beckett. You work with him. And until recently, you hated him.” Ellie grabbed Nora’s purse and tucked it under her arm. “Come on. You and I are leaving before you do anything stupid.”
Nora snatched her purse from her friend and stubbornly refused to move. “For once in my life, I’d like to do something stupid! I’ve lived a proper life for twenty-eight years, and look where it’s gotten me. I can tell you how to arrange a receiving line at a wedding, how to set a formal table, how to word an engraved invitation. But I can’t tell you how it feels to be swept away by passion, to toss aside all common sense and let desire take over. I’m as exciting as a bowl of cold oatmeal.”
“Nora, stop and think. This is Pete Beckett. Are you sure you want to become another notch on his bedpost? If you do something stupid tonight, how are you going to face him tomorrow morning?”
“I don’t care,” Nora said. “That’s the wonderful thing about doing something truly stupid. You’re supposed to regret it the next morning. You regret it, then forget it. Besides, he doesn’t know who I am. If he did, he would have said something by now. Especially after he kissed me.”
Ellie’s eyes went wide. “Pete Beckett kissed you?”
“More than once,” Nora said smugly. “And he sucked on my fingers.” She sighed deeply. “I thought I’d faint.”
Her friend frowned and shook her head, staring at her in the mirror. “Maybe he doesn’t recognize you. Pete Beckett never would have sucked on Prudence Trueheart’s fingers.” A bemused expression settled on Ellie’s face. “Sam’s never sucked on my fingers.”
“Well, it feels good. And what’s wrong with enjoying the moment? Who could it hurt?”
Ellie wrapped her arm around Nora’s shoulders. “I know how nice it is to feel wanted. And it’s been a long time since you’ve been with a man. But a one-night stand with Pete Beckett is not going to help matters.”
“It’s been three years,” Nora said. “If you don’t count Stuart.”
Stuart Anderson was Nora’s landlord and closest male friend. For the past three years, Stuart had been her escort to all her mother’s high-society parties and fund-raisers. Celeste Pierce fancied Stuart as a son-in-law. With his impeccable manners and smooth social skills, he’d fit right in with Celeste’s crowd.
“I like Stuart,” Ellie said. “He’s safe and dependable. Not like Pete Beckett. Why don’t you sleep with him?”
“Stuart is gay,” Nora replied. “I don’t think he’ll be sucking my fingers anytime soon.” A deep sigh slipped from her lips. It wasn’t just the sex that she longed for with a man. She wanted all the simple sensations that went with it. The wonderful feel of a man’s weight on her body, the smooth skin and the hard muscle beneath her palms. The narrow hips that fit so perfectly between her legs and the heady awareness of his body moving inside hers. She wanted to experience all that just once more before she died—or turned thirty! And she was about to throw away her one and only chance.
“If I wanted to have a one-night stand, this would be the perfect opportunity,” Nora said. “I can just disappear from his life as if I never existed. He won’t even have to take the trouble to give me his usual brush-off. And better yet, I know him and so do you. He’s not some deranged psycho or an escaped ax murderer. I don’t have to worry about my safety.”
Ellie shook her head. “Nora, please, don’t—”
“I can control my emotions,” she said. “I’m a big girl, Ellie. I know what I’m doing.”
“But what about your heart?” Ellie asked. “Can you promise that you won’t have feelings for him later on?”
“Of course I won’t. He’s Pete Beckett. And I’m—well, you know who I am. I’m Prudence Trueheart and I couldn’t possibly fall in love with a man like him.” Nora drew a ragged breath, then forced a smile. “Maybe you’re worried if he realizes I’m Prudence Trueheart, he’ll be so repulsed he won’t want to kiss me or touch me.”
“No! Honey, I’m just saying this is a dangerous game you’re playing and if you let it go on, the only one who stands to get hurt is you. Remember, he’s the expert here and you’re just a…rookie.”
Nora cursed inwardly, impatient with