by Reilly, Cora
“Finally!” Amy pushed past me, causing me to stumble over my own feet and almost fall to the ground. The door hit the wall, and Bruno jumped off the bed with a startled bark, disappearing under it. A wave of her vanilla perfume trailed after Amy and while I usually loved the scent, so early in the morning it only made me want to sneeze. I scowled at her retreating back as she headed for the kitchen area, then slowly followed and opened the window, letting early morning air in. It had rained during the night and I sucked in a deep breath to soak it in. Bruno peeked out behind the bed, as if to check if the coast was clear and trotted out from his hiding place once he spotted Amy. He really wasn't a good guard-dog.
Not bothering to put a bathrobe over my nightgown, I dragged myself toward the kitchen table where Amy had already made coffee and was currently staring intently at a piece of paper with her scribbling on it. She didn't even look up when I dropped down on the chair next to her with a groan. I grabbed the cup of coffee and took a sip to wake up. I’d run out of Amy’s favorite blend and now had to rely on the cheap stuff I could afford. It tasted almost moldy, but if I didn’t get some caffeine into my bloodstream quickly, things would get ugly. “What's that?” I pointed at the piece of paper.
“It's out to-do list,” she replied curtly, a tiny frown on her forehead.
Apparently she'd made a detailed plan for the day. She was staring at it like it held the answers to everything. I smiled against my coffee mug. “A to-do list? Is that really necessary?”
Bruno was starting to get bored with the lack of attention and petting he was receiving, and had begun scratching the door that hid his dog food. Usually Amy always made a fuss about him, but today she was on a mission. Mission impossible, if you asked me. By the time of the date, I was supposed to be a beautiful temptress (Amy’s words, not mine). I knew how to flirt with customers, how to swing my hips and smile seductively; but that was work. I didn’t care if a customer ended up not liking me, but with Adrian things were very different. If he didn’t try to get into my pants by the end of the evening, I’d feel like the biggest failure in history. It’s not as if I was determined to sleep with him, but I, at least, wanted to him to want to sleep with me.
Bruno rose to his little hind legs and rested his fore-paws against my bare shins, whining loudly.
Amy made a sound of shocked frustration. “Careful! Don't let him leave scratches on your legs! I want you to wear a short dress. Scratches would ruin everything.”
“Okay,” I drew the word out. I stared at her like she'd lost her mind before I directed my gaze to Bruno who'd hidden beneath the table because of Amy's screech. His cute, little head was poking out and he was looking at me as if he expected me to explain the actions of my crazy friend to him. “Sorry, Bruno. This woman is an enigma to me,” I said as I picked him up and put him on my lap.
Amy was watching me with hawk-eyes. I cocked an eyebrow at her, hoping for some kind of explanation for her outburst. “So a short skirt?” I prompted when it became clear she was too busy staring at my legs to say anything.
She shook her head, eyeing Bruno's paws on my upper thighs disapprovingly. “I haven't yet decided what you should wear tonight, but right now I'm favoring a skirt or dress, and you simply can't wear something like that with scratches on your legs.”
I rolled my eyes, but sadly Amy didn't see it since she'd returned her gaze to the plan in front of her. “I don't really understand why you're even helping me,” I said under my breath, petting Bruno's head gently.
Amy looked up, completely uncomprehending of course.
“If you're so averse to the idea of my date with Adrian, then why are you doing all this?” I gestured at the paper in front of her that was supposed to guarantee utmost success. Whatever that meant.
Amy stopped gnawing the end of her pencil and put it down before sighing quietly. “Of course I don't like the idea of you going out with Mr. Manwhore, but I'm not blind. It's obvious that you'll go no matter what I say. If you're so determined to throw yourself at the devil, then we should at least make it as enjoyable and promising as possible.”
I scowled at her. “I'm not throwing myself at him.” Yes you do. “And he’s not the devil.” Only devilishly sexy…
Amy raised one of her delicate copper eyebrows, clearly doubting my words. I decided to ignore her for the time being and focused my attention on my cup of coffee instead. Maybe this date really wasn't a good idea.
Amy slipped into the chair across from me. “Tell me, how far have you gone?”
I blinked at Amy stupidly, not sure what she was talking about.
Her arms were propped up on the table top and her chin was resting on the back of her hands.
“First base, second base, third base?” she elaborated calmly, not even batting an eyelash.
I choked on my coffee and spewed half of it on the table, coughing. “What?” I sputtered. I reached for a rag and wiped up the spilled liquid, buying myself time to consider my reply.
“Come on,” Amy urged.
“I kissed a couple of guys on parties.” I lowered my gaze. “And then there's been Chris.”
“And?”
“We went out twice. I don’t even know why I agreed to it. I didn’t even like Chris all that much, but I was glad for the attention,” I admitted reluctantly. Not that I’d been much more successful in finding the right guy ever since. Maybe my expectations were too high. But going out with Chris was one of the things I'd like to make undone if I could.
“Tell me more about it,” Amy said eagerly. “What exactly did you do with Chris?”
“I'd rather not,” I said slowly, my nose wrinkling in disgust. The dates with Chris had been one of the biggest mistakes in my life. It had made him even more insistent. Amy kept staring at me.
I held up my hands. “Okay, okay,” I said. “We kissed and he fumbled with my boobs. It didn’t do anything for me. Then he tried to reach into my pants but I wasn’t in the mood at all, so I pushed him away. He asked if I was frigid, then drove me home. After that I went out with him one more time and we kissed again and he grabbed my boobs again, but I felt nothing, and that’s it. Maybe Chris was right. Maybe I’m frigid.”
Amy laughed but after a moment or two she quieted and gazed at me with a piercing look. “You don’t really believe that, do you? That guy was a jerk, that’s all.”
“No.” When I’d touched myself while watching Adrian having sex with all those women, I’d definitely felt something, but I couldn’t tell Amy that. “Maybe I just need a man who knows what he’s doing.”
I shrugged, then bit my lip nervously, not sure why Amy was looking at me so imploringly.
“Tell him.”
I frowned at her. “Tell who what?”
Amy leaned forward until her face was close to mine. “Tell Adrian that you're not experienced before this ends badly.”
I gaped at her, slowly shaking my head. “You can't be serious!”
“Nora-”
“I won't tell him. He'll think something is wrong with me,” I blurted.
“Nothing's wrong with you, Nora, but you need to tell him.”
“No. End of discussion.” I stared at my coffee intently, my face burning from embarrassment.
Amy's sigh sliced through the silence, and I felt bad for talking to her like I'd done. She was only trying to help me, and I was grateful for it, but I could not talk to Adrian about my inexperience. He’d probably laugh at me. I wasn't planning on having sex with him anyway, so it didn't matter.
For the first time since I'd known Amy, she gave in and didn't try to make me talk about it. I appreciated her even more after that. After we'd finished our coffee and eaten some oatmeal without sugar – apparently my favorite cookies were out of the question since they weren't good for my skin – I was given thirty minutes to shower and get dressed. Amy should consider a career in the army. She could be really bossy and commanding if you gave her the chance.
As soon as I stepped out of my room
, dressed in jeans and a simple white t-shirt, Amy grabbed me, and from that moment on I didn't have a single moment of peace.
She dragged me through every decent shop in New York that was remotely in my price range and made me try on extravagant dresses and skirts I was probably never going to wear. I didn’t mention that the thrift store would have been the better choice given my financial predicament. I was close to giving up when Amy ushered me into a small boutique in Harlem. It was dark and crammed, but Amy seemed to know what she was doing. She headed for a rack with dresses and after some shuffling pulled out a red satin dress. It looked breathtaking. With dread, I peeked at the price tag. It was only $40. “Wow, that’s a bargain.”
“It’s second hand,” Amy said. “I hope you don’t mind?”
I shook my head and took the dress from Amy, then headed into the narrow dressing room. When I came out in the dress, Amy and I exchanged a look. This was it. The dress ended a couple of inches above my knees, had a high neckline in the front but a plunging waterfall neckline in the back. It hugged curves I didn’t even know I had. I stared at myself in the mirror. “You look perfect. Adrian won’t be able to keep his hands off you,” Amy said with a satisfied smile. Considering that she didn’t want me to lose ‘it’ to Adrian, she was really doing everything in her power to make it happen.
I bought the dress, and after some convincing from Amy I even got lacy red lingerie from Victoria Secret that I couldn’t even afford. At least, I had sexy high heels, so I didn’t need to buy new shoes. But I'd given out more money than I should have anyway. I really hoped it was worth it. Adrian had better appreciate my outfit.
Of course, I was sorely mistaken when I’d thought shopping was the only torture Amy had in mind for me. Without warning, she pulled me into the waxing studio I’d sworn to never enter again. Before I could as much as protest, I was already on my way to get another Brazilian waxing. At least, my leg hairs were too short even for the special sugar-mix they were using because I’d shaved them only yesterday. Even though I hated to admit it, Amy had been right. The second time wasn’t as painful as the first, but definitely not pleasant in any way.
At three pm, we returned to her apartment – exactly as Amy had planned it. Jared gave us an amused smile when Amy pulled me into their bedroom. Bruno was sitting on his lap because he'd agreed to keep an eye on my pug while I was busy.
Amy pushed me down on the chair in front of her dressing table.
“Amy, do we really need three hours to get me ready?” I hadn't intended for it to come out quite so whiny, but I was already tired and cranky, and I still had to survive a date without embarrassing myself. Amy made an impatient little noise and grabbed tweezers from the dressing table. I followed her movements warily when she brought the tweezers closer to my face.
“What are you doing?”
“Plucking your eyebrows.” Without warning, she ripped the first hair out and I yelped. It hurt. I'd plucked my eyebrows only yesterday, but obviously I hadn't done the job properly. I closed my eyes and winced now and then when Amy plucked too roughly. She really was a little devil.
“Done!” she exclaimed happily after what felt like an eternity and I opened my eyes slowly to find her beaming at me. It seemed as though plucking eyebrows made her very happy. I attempted a smile, which looked like a grimace. Red blotches formed where Amy had removed wayward hairs. I really hoped they’d be gone by the time Adrian picked me up. As if on cue, Amy reached for a tube of calming cream and rubbed into my forehead.
“You need to shower, shave your legs, and wash your hair,” she demanded and ushered me into their bathroom. I didn't even try to protest. After the shower, I returned into the bedroom where Amy had already laid the clothes out. She handed me the red silk and lace underwear and I took it reluctantly. “Amy, do you really think that's necessary? I don't plan on letting him see my underwear.” What if I dressed up and Adrian didn’t even try anything? That would be the worst. I’d feel like an idiot.
She rolled her eyes. “Of course, it's necessary. Men can be incredibly charming and convincing if they want to get into the pants of a woman, especially men like Adrian, and I fear you might fall for his charm.”
Maybe it was ridiculous, but I was actually glad that Amy was sure Adrian would lay the charm on. Of course I would never admit it. “I won’t fall for his charm.” I took the underwear from her and went into the bathroom to put it on. “I don’t bite,” Amy called as I closed the door behind me. It probably wasn’t a good sign that I was too embarrassed to let Amy see me naked. Maybe I could ask Adrian to turn off the light if we ended up in his bedroom.
Oh God, Amy was right. How could I ever resist Adrian’s charm? I was a horny virgin who needed to get laid. I was doomed.
I put the underwear on and admired myself in the mirror. I loved the feel of the lace panties on my waxed skin. A knock sounded, making me jump. “Can I come in?” Amy called.
“Sure.”
Amy poked her head in, looking apologetic. “I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that you will fall for Adrian’s charm, but I'm worried about you, Nora. Are you mad at me?”
“Of course, I’m not mad at you. But you should really trust me. I can handle Adrian.”
“Good,” she said, pushing the door open and finally stepping in. Her eyes travelled up and down my body. “Wow. You look hot.”
My cheeks heated and I didn’t know what to say. After a moment, Amy clapped her hands. “Let's get you ready. There’s still so much to do.”
“Great,” I muttered sarcastically, but Amy had already disappeared into the bedroom. I followed after her. She’d laid out my dress on the bed.
“Make up first.” She waved me over to her vanity and with a last longing glance toward the dress, I walked up to her and sank down on the chair she was pulling out for me. In the next hour, Amy did my make up and used a curling iron on my hair.
I had to admit that Amy had done a marvelous job. My hair was falling in small ringlets down my back and the dark eye shadow set off my blue eyes. We’d gone light on the rest of the make-up because we wanted to focus on my eyes – according to Amy. A bit of lipgloss and rouge completed the look.
“Now the dress,” Amy said.
I picked it up and slipped it over my head, relishing in the feel of the soft fabric as it slid over my skin. Amy helped me zip it up. I put on my black high heels, then I faced the floor length mirror beside Amy’s and Jared’s bed. I turned around myself to see my body from every angle. “Thanks, Amy. I couldn’t have done this without you.”
“No hugging,” Amy warned when I took a step toward her. “It’ll ruin your make-up.”
I snorted.
“I’m so glad we found this dress,” Amy continued. “You look sexy enough to catch Adrian's interest but not too sexy. We don’t want him to get the wrong impression.”
Maybe I wanted him to get the wrong impression.
“We are aiming for the sexy-aloofness-look.”
Whatever.
I was so nervous, I doubted I'd be able to pull off the sexy-aloof act. I was already doubtful if I'd even manage the sexy act. Or the sane person act.
Amy touched my arm. “You look nervous.”
I swallowed. “I am.” I laughed. “Stupid, I know.”
“No,” Amy said. “Just be yourself.”
I couldn't help but wonder, would being myself be enough? So far being myself had only caught the attention of clingy Chris.
“And remember, don’t think you owe him anything. Even if he’s charming, even if he pays for dinner, even if every woman he’s ever dated jumped into bed with him after the first date, you make the decision. If you don’t feel like having sex, then don’t. You should be absolutely sure you want it, especially with a guy like Adrian.”
“Okay,” I said quietly.
My hands were trembling and my heart was pounding so fast, it felt like it was going to burst my ribcage. I was worried about doing something wrong. I wanted this date to be p
erfect. I wanted to be perfect. Maybe then Adrian would see that one person could be enough, that one woman was enough.
“I better leave now,” I said in a bare whisper. Amy gave me a worried look but before she could say more, I hurried out of their apartment and into my own. I closed the door and took a deep breath. I chanced a look at the clock. Adrian would pick me up in ten minutes and I was close to hyperventilating. I knew I was overreacting, but I couldn't stop. Calm the fuck down, I told myself. I wanted this. I’d wanted Adrian pretty much from the moment I first laid eyes on him having sex with the redhead. I reminded myself of the way his butt tensed with every thrust, of his muscled chest, of the look of rapture on his face when he came. My heart was still racing but it wasn’t nervousness alone anymore. Tonight was my chance to be the woman in Adrian’s bed. Tonight I’d make all my dreams come true. I wouldn’t mess it up.
Chapter Eleven
The bell rang out, and my heart might have stopped for an instant, only to start racing a second later. I took a look at my reflection, satisfied that it wasn't obvious how nervous I felt. This was just a date. Nothing special. No need to feel nervous.
Yeah, right.
I smoothed the non-existent wrinkles in my dress and strode toward the door, trying to look confident and sexy. I grabbed the door handle, then took a deep breath before I opened the door. There he was, holding out a single red rose to me.
He looked amazing. He was wearing black slacks and a slimfit white shirt that didn’t do much to hide the lean muscles beneath. His hair was disheveled as usual, and he was giving me his trademark confident grin. I took the rose from him and forced a smile. I’d never realized how tall he really was. Even though I was tall and wearing high heels, he still had several inches on me. “Thanks,” I said, hating how breathless my voice sounded.