Educating Aphrodite Read Free Page B

Delacroix suffered from nerves vanished with his words. A
fierce blush burned her skin. She cowered and attempted to hide her nudity with
her hands.
    “When you are on stage, there will be dozens of eyes on you.
If you are apprehensive here, you will not be able to perform for them.”
    “Trust him.” Daphne pulled Alexandra’s hands to her sides
and pushed back her shoulders. “Display your body with pride, m’lady.”
    “Turn her around.” Delacroix’s tone took on a dominant edge
and told Alexandra he grew impatient.
    Daphne wetted her fingertips before she palmed Alexandra’s
hips and swiveled her around for inspection. Delacroix’s gaze roamed over her
person like hot, licking tongues. Heat seared her insides and only escalated
when Daphne wrapped her arms around Alexandra and began titillating her breasts
with wet, wicked fingers. She rolled her semi-erect nipples in unison, tugging
them repeatedly until they became distended pearls of rose-colored flesh.
Daphne’s hands then descended. She flattened the backs of her fingers against
Alexandra’s inner thighs and presented her freshly waxed mons.
    “She is lovely, no?” Daphne asked Delacroix and kissed the
back of Alexandra’s shoulder.
    “She is exquisite. You did well.” His smile of approval was
directed at Daphne, and it was then Alexandra realized she, too, wanted to
please him.
    “You may now dress the countess.” Delacroix never once
looked away, and Alexandra found his attention stimulating. She wanted someone
to desire her the way Sebastian didn’t. And that someone at the moment was
Delacroix.
    He was undeniably a very comely man—broad of shoulder,
heavily muscled and dark. He stood and circled them like a sly fox hunting his
prey, making no effort to hide the erection tenting his trousers.
    Daphne tightened the laces of the black corset and propped
Alexandra’s breasts atop the short, rigid cups that were really more like
shelves for they displayed her breasts instead of hiding them. Daphne proceeded
to sheath Alexandra’s legs in black stockings and held them in place with
matching silk garters. With the ensemble complete, Daphne stepped away.
    Delacroix took his time studying her. She pretended to be
his equal by holding his stare, but her daring spirit began to wither after
long moments of silence. She lowered her lashes and pinned her chin to her
chest.
    “Look at me.” He lifted her chin. “You must exude confidence
at all times. There will be eleven other women on stage with you, but you must
make the audience want you . You must make Warwick want you.”
    “Do you doubt your skills as a hypnotist?”
    He grinned. “I never fail.”
    “But what if I fail?” She experienced another moment
of trepidation.
    “You will not.” Delacroix plucked out the pins binding her
hair and set her before the mirror. “Do you see that woman?”
    She looked at her reflection and saw a woman she didn’t
recognize. A woman with shimmering blonde hair and blue eyes that sparkled like
sapphires. She was shapely with pert breasts and porcelain skin. “I see her.”
    “She is beautiful. Is she not?”
    “She is.” Her chin raised an inch.
    He pressed his chest to her back, grabbed her hand and
forced her to caress her cheek with the backs of her fingers. “You are
seductive.”
    She drew a deep breath of musk and citrus.
    “When you are on stage you must tease the crowd. Touch
yourself and make them wish it was their hand caressing your skin.” His hot
cinnamon breath tickled her collarbone and sent a shiver up her spine.
    With Delacroix’s hand guiding her, she traced the column of
her neck, the curve of her breast. “Remember, you are the mistress of your own
being.”
    You will not show fear in the presence of women. Nor will
you show insecurity in the company of men. The remainder of Delacroix’s
silent words rolled through her head, empowering her as her hand glided over
the lacy black corset toward her smooth mound.
    Delacroix