Mitch laughed, a combination of embarrassment and pride. He pulled her closer to his groin, his hands spread across her lower back.

The pressure of her body against the fullness in his jeans sent the blood thundering to his belly. “You told me that’s what you wanted, right?

The working gear?”

“Yes,” Sandy admitted, rolling her hips over him lazily. “But Michael might get up. And I don’t want her to see you like this.”

“Why?” Mitch searched her face, frowning. “Are you

embarrassed?”

Sandy bumped him sharply, groin to groin, making him gasp in

• 81 •

RADCLY fFE

surprise. “No,” she said, as if speaking to a Þ ve-year-old. “I just don’t want any other woman but me checking out your equipment.”

“Sandy,” Mitch complained, distracted by the subtle insistence of her hips moving against him. “It’s always gonna show some. And even if Michael sees, she isn’t going to be interest—”

“You don’t know that,” Sandy whispered as she slid a hand between their bellies and cupped the rigid length of him. “You look so hot.” She squeezed, massaging him rhythmically. “And this is mine, baby.”

Mitch was losing focus, every sense concentrated on the exquisite pressure against the turgid tissue beneath the cock in Sandy’s hand. His stomach spasmed, and his legs shook. “Sandy. Honey. You gotta cut that out.”

With a hand between his legs and one around his shoulders, Sandy walked him back against the dresser, until she had him pinned with the weight of her body fused to his. She pumped him faster and watched his eyes glaze. “You like it, baby?”

“Oh…jeez…honey…” Mitch trembled and groaned. “You’re gonna get me off like that.”

“I could,” Sandy said sweetly, stilling her hand as she kissed his mouth. Still leaning into him, she stroked her tongue inside his mouth until he quivered the way he did when he was getting ready to come.

Then she eased away. “But I’m not going to, not right now.”

Mitch braced an arm along the edge of the dresser for support, his chest heaving. “What are you doing to me? Honey, what are you doing?”

She stroked his cheek. Kissed him again. Pumped his cock one more time with her hand. Eased farther away. “I want you to remember where this belongs. Now go change into something that’s not gonna make every girl within a mile want to fuck you.”

“If I move right now, I might come.”

“Are you hard, baby?”

“Oh yeah.”

She nipped his chin gently. “Good. Save it.” Forcing herself to back completely away, when what she wanted to do was unbutton his jeans and pull him down on top of her and into her, she said, “I’m going to get dressed.”

Smiling a satisÞ ed smile, Sandy pretended she didn’t hear him whimper as she turned her back and stripped off her top.

• 82 •

Justice Served

v

“Darling?” Michael massaged Sloan’s back as she lay with her head pillowed against Michael’s breast.

“Mmm?”

“I think there’s a party going on in the other room.”

“Mmm.”

“Are you awake, or are you just humoring me by pretending to be listening?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

Michael gently extricated herself from her lover’s grasp and sat up in bed. “I think I hear Sarah’s voice.”

Sloan rolled onto her back and lazily opened her eyes. “How come I’m wasted and you’re wide awake?”

“Because you did all the work,” Michael murmured, stroking Sloan’s cheek. “In fact, as I recall, you were having one of those butch attacks and wouldn’t let me do anything.” Her Þ ngers hesitated, then began their slow caress again. “Are you afraid to let me get too excited?”

Sloan stiffened. “No. You had an orgasm, right?”

“Yes,” Michael agreed gently. “A very sweet, very tender, very quiet orgasm. And when I wanted to touch you, you—”

“Baby,” Sloan interrupted, “I just couldn’t wait. I just…lost it there.”

“I know, and I love it when you’re like that. When all you have to do is lie on top of me and come in my arms.” Michael leaned over to look directly into her lover’s eyes. “But tell me that you weren’t trying to keep me from exerting myself.”

“Ali said—”

“Ali said we could have sex,” Michael said Þ rmly. “She didn’t say we could only have sex if I stayed very still and let you tend to me.

That’s not the way we make love.” She kissed Sloan to take the edge off her tone. “I happen to like to make you scream.”

“Jesus,” Sloan groaned, her body twitching. “You know how crazy you make me. And just being next to you—”

“Is wonderful, yes. But it’s not everything that I want.” Michael glided her hand down the center of Sloan’s chest, over her stomach,

• 83 •

RADCLY fFE

and between her legs. She closed her Þ ngers and watched Sloan’s eyes grow hazy. “I want you like this.” Never taking her eyes from Sloan’s face, she slid into her, pressing her palm hard against Sloan’s clitoris, still swollen from her recent orgasm. “I want to make you come my way, my time.”

Sloan’s chest jerked with spastic breaths, her hands trembling on the sheets. “Please. Michael, please, I love you so much.”

“I know, my darling,” Michael whispered, beginning to thrust. “I know.”

v

Sandy sat on one end of a leather sofa across from the matching one where Jasmine, in tight black satin slacks and a deep burgundy, scoop-neck top, lounged beside a redhead in a pale green oxford shirt and chinos. Sandy watched the two of them with curiosity, trying to Þ gure out the score. Every time the really cute redhead—Sarah, she said her name was—spoke to Jasmine, she rested her hand lightly on Jasmine’s knee. Jason had said he liked girls the Þ rst time he’d helped Mitch get dressed. Sandy had made it pretty clear then that Mitch was off-limits, and Jason had said that wasn’t a problem because he was involved. As for Jasmine, Sandy wasn’t so sure. Jasmine ß irted with the drag kings, so maybe Jasmine liked boys. And Mitch was a guy.

“Whatcha thinking, honey?” Mitch murmured, sliding an arm around Sandy’s waist as he settled a hip on the arm of the couch for support. He’d been using one crutch to get around, and he propped that against the back.

Sandy leaned into his body and tilted her head up to see his face.

“Jasmine’s really hot, isn’t she.”

Mitch grinned. “Sizzlin’.”

“Phil,” Sandy whispered, indicating the small, hard-bodied drag king with the hint of Þ ve o’clock shadow, tight blue jeans that announced in no uncertain terms that he was a guy, and short-sleeved, retro striped shirt, “has the major hots for her.”

“As long as it’s her and not you,” Mitch growled as he dipped his head and kissed her behind her left ear. “All those guys are horny. I thought their tongues were gonna fall out when they Þ rst saw you.”

• 84 •

Justice Served

“They were just being guys,” Sandy said offhandedly. “At least they looked at my face before my tits.”

Mitch laughed softly. “It’s a tough choice.”

“You better think so.” Sandy dropped a quick kiss on his neck. “Is everything going okay?”

“Yeah, they all seem cool.”

“No questions about why you’re here?”

Mitch shook his head. “Jasmine already took care of that. They know she’s friends with Sloan and Michael, and that’s how I knew them. They offered to let me stay here for a few days until my leg’s better because of the elevator.”

“Good.” Sandy hooked an arm around his leg, absently stroking the inside of his thigh, still watching Phil talking to Jasmine. The young drag king’s bright eyes were Þ xed on Jasmine’s face, and although Sandy couldn’t hear the conversation, the tone of Phil’s voice telegraphed his excitement. He had it bad, that was plain to see. “Does Jasmine turn you on?”

“What?”

“You heard.”

“No,” Mitch said quickly.

Sandy gave him a look. “Something wrong with your

hormones?”

He leaned down, pulling her close against his side as he bent his head to hers. “She’s gorgeous. And sexy. And the only woman who gets me hot, even a little, is you.”

“You know,” Sandy whispered, rubbing her mouth on the edge of his jaw, “you really learn fast.”

“Honey, it’s the truth.” Mitch smoothed a hand down her bare arm. She wore red satin slacks that nearly matched Jasmine’s and a lacy white bit of nothing on top that showed off her small, Þ rm breasts to mouth-watering advantage. “Besides, you think I have energy for anyone else after what you do to me?”

Before Sandy could reply, a voice from across the room caught their attention.

“Can anybody come to this party?” Sloan asked, her hand in Michael’s.

Immediately, the three drag kings who made up the core of the Front Street Kings Drag Troupe jumped to their feet, their eyes Þ xed on

• 85 •

RADCLY fFE

Michael. With her hair down, in a faded gray workout T-shirt of Sloan’s and loose cotton pants, she was as naturally beautiful as a woman could be. Despite the lingering hints of trauma that shadowed her face, her eyes were clear and warm as she smiled at her unexpected guests.

“Hello, I’m Michael.” She held out her hand to the nearest king, Ken Dewar, who took her hand.

“Ma’am,” Ken murmured, and brushed his lips over her knuckles with courtly grace. “I’ve seen you at the club with Sloan, but she’s never introduced us.” He lifted bedroom eyes to hers, the corner of his mouth raised in a rakish smile. “Probably wise.”

Michael laughed, delighted at his charm. “So very nice to meet you. And I shall certainly take Sloan to task for not introducing us sooner.”

Ken tossed a grin to Sloan, who merely growled good-naturedly, before indicating his companions with a sweep of his arm. “These two outstanding fellows are Phil E. Pride and Dino.”

“Gentlemen,” Michael replied, offering her hand to each in turn. “I take it you all have everything you need? Food? Something to drink?”

“We’re great,” Dino said with just a hint of South Philly in his voice, hoisting his bottle of Black & Tan. “Jasmine took care of us.”

“Thank you,” Michael said as she leaned down to kiss Jasmine’s cheek. “Hello, Sarah.”

“Hi.” Sarah stood, sliding an arm around Michael’s waist. “You look terriÞ c.”

“You’re a true friend to lie about that. Thanks.” Michael’s gaze went to Sloan, who stood talking to Ken with an arm draped over his shoulder in friendly companionship. “I feel wonderful, though.”

Sarah laughed. “Can’t imagine why. Sloan looks pretty contented too.”

Michael blushed and shushed her. “Quiet. We have guests.”

“I don’t think the boys would be shocked.”

“Maybe not. But I’d prefer not to make an announcement.”

“Fair enough.” Sarah cast an eye toward the sofa where Phil had taken her place next to Jasmine. “I see my girlfriend has another admirer. Sometimes I wonder why I let her out of the house alone.”

Michael followed her gaze and smiled. “You’re not really worried, are you? I mean, it all gets a bit confusing to me still, but Phil does know that Jasmine is, well, more than Jasmine.”

• 86 •

Justice Served

“Oh, sure. Phil knows Jasmine is a transvestite, just like Jasmine knows that Sloan is a lesbian and that Phil is a drag king. But that doesn’t stop Jasmine from teasing Sloan, or Phil from lusting after a sexy woman like Jasmine. Sometimes one reality just gives way to another, don’t you think?”

“Well,” Michael mused, “I know that Sloan Þ nds Jasmine attractive and that it confuses her at times.”

Sarah tilted her head thoughtfully. “But you don’t? Find Jasmine attractive, I mean. And you’re a lesbian.”

“Well, I think you’re very attractive, and I love you as a friend, but…well—”

“I don’t have a starring role in your fantasies?”

“Actually, no one does except Sloan. But that’s just me. Sloan,”

Michael murmured, watching her lover grinning at something Sandy had just said, “is put together differently. She has a different kind of On button than I do.”

“And you’re not bothered by that?” Sarah’s tone was curious, not censuring.

“I can hardly be upset with her for something she can’t help.”

Michael met Sarah’s eyes. “I trust her to put our relationship Þ rst before casual attractions.”

“I guess we’re pretty much in the same place, then. Jasmine is more a good friend than a lover, although now and then…” Sarah shrugged. “We cross lines.”

“Really? I’ve wondered.”

“Well, there are times when I’m watching Jasmine get ready to go out or up onstage performing, that I get this overwhelming desire to just…ravish her.” Sarah laughed self-consciously. “And then, when I do, right in the middle of it all…guess what I Þ nd.”