Attraction Read Free Page A

haunted?” Caroline asked in a conspiratorial whisper.
Heron gave a cynical smile. “No, I don’t really think it is. I suspect the two brothers are
doing this to build up the publicity for their club.”
“Riley owns a nightclub,” Roberta proudly proclaimed.
Heron flicked a brief glance at Riley with barely concealed disinterest. “That’s nice.”
“She’s owned it for over four years, and it’s already turning a profit, isn’t it, Riley? It’s a
very popular place. In a short amount of time, it’s built up quite a reputation around the Bay
Area. Because it’s different from most other nightclubs.”
Heron flicked his eyes at Riley again. “How so?”
Riley tried to waylay her sister, feeling she did not want her family discussing her
nightclub in front of Heron. “Roberta, I don’t think your guest wants to hear about it…”
“Of course he does. You’re my sister. Besides, it’s a very innovative nightclub. You
might say it’s the cutting edge in evening entertainment.”
“How so?” Heron asked politely.
“You might say it’s a cross between a sex club and a nightclub.”
Heron’s hand that was holding his wine stilled. “A sex club?”
“It’s not a sex club, per se, Mr. Wait,” Riley explained coolly. “It just utilizes some
aspects of a sex club.”
“And what would those aspects be?”
Riley was damned if she were going to explain her club to a perfect stranger, a stranger
who was ready to show his high-brow disapproval. “Well, if you’re really interested, you can
come by, sometime.”
“And what would I see? Topless dancing. Lap dances?”
Roberta gave a laugh. “It’s nothing as sordid as that, darling. Riley’s club is like any
other bar club, not some seedy girlie show. But it emphasizes sex more than a typical club. On
some nights, it’s BDSM theme, and all the employees wear these outrages outfits that a BDSM
would. And the guests can come in wearing their own outfit. But no one is allowed to have sex
or force or harass another guest or the employees.” Roberta giggled. “I went to one of those
nights, one time, but I was too chicken to dress up.”
Heron looked from one parent to the other, then to Roberta, then to her parents, and was
amazed to see only pride and humor on their faces. “It doesn’t bother you that your daughter runs
such an establishment?”
Lawrence shrugged. “We don’t really have a choice there, do we, son? And my wife and
I don’t really see the harm in it. It’s perfectly legal, and there is no prostitution.”
Caroline chimed in, “And like my daughter was saying, it’s not the vulgar establishment
of those girlie shows. It is a place where people can explore their sexuality openly and yet with a
sense of security and respectability. We were doubtful at first that Riley might have a go at it, but
it’s been quite successful since opening night. Our Riley has always been very clever.”
“And there is a gallery room where they display all these sex toys,” Roberta said.
Heron almost choked on a mouthful of Cornish meat. “Sex toys? They offer sex toys in
the club?”
“Well, what’s a sex club without toys,” Roberta said in a reasonable tone.
“So, sex does happen in the club,” Heron said, casting a cold glance at Riley.
Riley clicked her tongue. “Oh, Roberta, I’m afraid we have to come clean. Your guest is
about to go into fits, imagining all these sordid transactions going on at the club. Actually, Mr.
Wait, there are two parts to my club. One is the bar and dance club downstairs. The upstairs is
where the actual sex club is. It consists of a gallery room that display various apparatus, or toys,
combined with a lounge where people may sit and discuss…well, whatever they want, ruminate
on the possibilities of the toys, the nature of sex, the weather, or Nietzsche. Every once in awhile,
I commission a pleasure party up there, private invitation only, to discuss and demonstrate on the
toys. Upstairs, I also have a