Have Mercy. Jo Leigh

a blush that could have started forest fires, she turned off the light and backed out of the bedroom.

      Murmuring “Oh, God” over and over she stood by the door, her hands filled with dog accessories, her mind screaming at what she’d just seen.

      Aside from the incredibly naked man, there had been other…things. Things from the sex chest. Things she didn’t think a guy would use, at least not by himself.

      But he’d been tied up. He couldn’t have done that on his own, right? Someone had to have been there to gag him. To wrap the rope around his ankles. Or…someone was still there. A woman. Maybe his wife? Or maybe it was a man!

      She should leave. Now. Go hit herself on the head with something heavy so she’d forget what she’d seen. Forever.

      But what if he was in trouble? What if he’d been hurt? If she ran, and he died, she’d feel horrible. Wouldn’t she? Yes. Yes, she would. That would be a terrible thing.

      It wasn’t as if she hadn’t seen a naked guy before. Usually they were younger and in a lot better shape, but it wasn’t the worst thing she’d ever witnessed.

      She’d just go back in, untie the man and leave. The end. No big deal. No need for her face to flame or her hand to shake as she turned the bedroom doorknob.

      The light went on, proving to her that no matter how desperate and justified the wish was, there were no magic elves. It was just her and Mr. Naked Erection Man.

      She cleared her throat as she put down the dog supplies on one of the cushy chairs. Then, telling herself there was no need to freak out, she approached the bed. She’d undo the gag first. That way, he could tell her to get out. Or to call 911.

      Her steps felt leaden as she got closer to the bed. Jesus, she looked at it. Him. It. Her gaze skirted away to something safe. The wall. The nice pastel wall.

      She could still see Naked Man, but only in her peripheral vision, which was still too much. But she made it to the head of the bed and saw that the gag had been tied pretty tightly.

      Through squinted eyes, she located the knot. She had to lean over to get to it, and crap, crap, she looked at it again. She shut her eyes tight, but then she lost where the knot was.

      Opening her eyes just a bit, she found the knot again. Her hands were shaking so it was hard to untie the damn thing, but she held her breath and went for it. Finally, the knot gave and she pulled the gag out of Mr. Evans’s mouth.

      “Thank God,” he said, right before he coughed.

      “Are you hurt?” she asked, her voice so high she sounded like a mouse.

      “No. I’m not hurt at all.”

      Although the words should have reassured her, they had the exact opposite effect. Against her will, Mercy looked at Mr. Evans. His smile was so wrong it made her skin crawl.

      “The only thing wrong with me is that I’m lonely.”

      “You’re…”

      “Why don’t you stay? I promise, I’ll make it worth your while.”

      “I—Are you kidding?”

      “I never kid when I’m this horny, beautiful.”

      Mercy took a step back, then another. Until her back hit the bedroom door. Two seconds later, she was on the other side, Mr. Married Naked Pervert still calling out to her to stay.

      She grabbed her cart and got the hell out of there, still freaked, still blushing, still mortified. It wasn’t until she was halfway to the elevator that she remembered.

      This time, she didn’t knock. She didn’t call out, or even bring the cart in. She ran straight to the fishbowl, fed Blue and ran out of there.