by Madison, Mia
That was frustrating as hell but also kind of… sweet.
“See you tomorrow, Ian.”
He placed a gentle kiss on top of my forehead. “I hope so, Sierra.”
11
Sierra
“No,” Kait said. “No, no, no, no, and no.”
“Absolutely not,” Gabi added as if I hadn’t gotten the message.
I hadn’t intended to tell my roommates about my make-out session with Ian today, but they’d known almost as soon as I’d gotten home. Maybe it was the flush on my face? Or a twinkle in my eye? Or the fact that I couldn’t stop grinning?
As soon as I’d told them what happened—and the plan Ian and I had made to meet tomorrow at the same time—they’d thrown a fit.
“You don’t even know him,” Gabi said.
“Yes, I do.”
“Have you even had a real conversation with him?” Kait asked.
“We text all the time.”
“Text or sext?” Gabi asked.
“Text,” I said firmly. There was no need for them to know about that temporary tattoo picture I’d sent.
“That’s not the same thing as a real conversation and you know it.” Kait’s eyes were stern. Somehow, in a matter of months, she’d gone from a blushing virgin to a woman unafraid to talk about sex. And also unafraid to lecture her friends.
“There’s no rush,” Gabi said. “It’s clear you like this man. Get to know him first.”
Frustrated, I sat down at the kitchen table, my head in my hands. Kait sat down across from me. Gabi, who was making tacos for dinner, actually turned the burner off and abandoned the half-browned meat. That was a first. Obviously, my friends were concerned.
That was sweet, but they didn’t need to be. “You really don’t have to worry. It’s just a game. A really fun, sexy game. Don’t I deserve to have fun?”
“Of course you do, honey,” Gabi said, reaching over to squeeze my hand.
Kait sighed. “Saying this made me feel like I’m about eighty years old, but you know how the saying goes… it’s all fun and games until someone gets hurt.”
Since her heart was in the right place, I resisted the urge to tell her she wasn’t my mother. “I’m not going to get hurt because it’s just for fun.”
“Weren’t things fun with Joe in the beginning?”
That was not a place I wanted this conversation to go. “Ian isn’t like Joe.”
“Do you really know him well enough to be sure of that?” Kait asked.
“Yes.” On that, I was one hundred percent clear.
“Okay,” Gabi said, appearing to take my word for it. “He’s not like Joe. But there’s still the fact that you don’t know him very well yet.”
“So? I like what I know of him so far.”
Kait seized on that. “If you truly like him, then why are you treating him like a rebound guy?”
That thought stopped me cold. “He’s not a rebound guy.”
Gabi nodded her head. “What else would you call it when you break up with one man and then jump into bed—or, actually a locker room—with another so soon?”
“He’s not a guy I’m fooling around with until I meet the right man. There’s nothing to rebound to. I’m through with dating.”
Kait sighed. “I know you’ve had a rough time, but eventually, you’ll meet someone you really want to be with. If you rush into things with Ian, then you’re not giving yourself a chance to figure out if he’s right for you.”
“I don’t need a man.”
“But clearly you want one, or you wouldn’t be so hot and bothered over this one. But why make him into a booty call?” Kait asked. “I only met him once, but he seems nice.”
“Yeah,” Gabi said. “He fixed our air conditioner. He started his own company. He’s handsome as hell. Men like that don’t come along every day, Sierra. Trust me, I know. Why throw away your chance with this one?”
“I’m not throwing anything away,” I protested. “Isn’t this what this year is supposed to be about? Taking chances? Taking a few risks? Being red hot?”
Gabi looked at me with a stern expression. It was a bit startling to see since she was almost always smiling. “You know that’s not what that means. In this case, taking a chance could mean waiting to see if there could be something real between you and Ian.”
Apparently, Kait agreed. “If you meet him tomorrow in the locker room, you’re not taking a chance at something real, you’re throwing that chance away.”
“Believe me when I say that men like that don’t come along every day.” Gabi’s eyes were intense. “I’ve been looking, really looking, for a half year now, and I haven’t met a single man with enough potential to make it to a second date. Don’t let the chance for something real slip away, Sierra. I know it’s bad timing since you’re still recovering from a bad breakup, but do it anyway. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for girls like me who haven’t aren’t even close to meeting a good man.”
Kait looked almost as shocked by Gabi’s impassioned speech as I was, but it was clear she agreed. “Just slow things down a little. Go out on a few dates with him. Get to know him and see where it goes. Please, Sierra. We only want what’s best for you.
“Okay,” I said.
12
Ian
“Hello?”
Sierra’s voice was low-pitched and easy-on-the ears. We’d been texting so much that I’d almost forgotten what her voice sounded like.
“Hi,” I said. I felt like a kid whose parents had forced him to call another kid and apologize. “So… I’ve been advised that the plan for tomorrow might not be the wisest course of action.”
She groaned into the phone. “Did Tyler call you?”
“Yes.”
“Kait must’ve talked to him. She and Gabi read me the riot act when I got home.” Her next words came out in a rush. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to tell them, but they took one look at me and knew something was up.”
“It’s fine, Sierra.” For some reason, the idea that her friends could tell right away that we’d been bad pleased me. I would’ve been insulted if she could’ve been that passionate with me and then forgotten all about it right afterwards. “Our friends, though annoying as hell, may actually have a point.”
“Yeah,” she said, her voice soft. “I think maybe they do. When I heard your voice, it dawned on me that we haven’t ever even talked on the phone.” She paused, and I swear, I could hear her blush. “I mean, I’m not counting that first phone call when I thought you were—”
“I know what you mean, and you’re right. Texting has been fun, but it’s not the same as a real conversation. Like in the elevator—that was nice.”
“Yeah, it was.” She sighed. “I hate it when Kait and Gabi are right.”
“I hate it when anyone is right except me. But I know how to get things back on track.”
“You do?”
“Indeed I do. It’s a really radical idea, one that doesn’t involve a locker room. Let’s go out on a date.”
“A date?” She sounded surprised, which for some reason, pleased me.
“Yes. How about Saturday night? I’ll take you to Ambiance.”
There was a moment of silence on her end. “I’ve heard of it, but I’ve never been there. Isn’t it really fancy?”
“Yes,” I said, pausing a moment to consider. It was rather upscale, but it wasn’t like royalty dined there. “But the fancier the better, right?”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because the more high class it is, the less chance I’ll drag you into a back hallway, push you up against the wall, and ravish you.”
Sierra’s laugh was low and throaty. “That probably would defeat the getting-to-know-each-other purpose of our date. Though it does sound hot.”
I thought so, too. “See? I can be good.”
“I have no doubt about that,” she said, her voice suggestive. “But the question is, can you be a gentleman?”
God
, I loved it when this woman challenged me. “Saturday will be so romantic you’ll feel like Cinderella.”
“I’ll believe that when I see it,” she said, obviously enjoying teasing me. “After all, Prince Charming never asked Cinderella to take off her panties at work.”
“Did she even go to work? I thought she just hung out with mice and birds all day. But no matter. If it’s Prince Charming you want, it’s Prince Charming you’ll get. Prepare for an evening of top-notch food, sparkling conversation, and enough romance to make your panties melt,” I said.
“Does that mean you’ll give them back to me?”
“Not a chance. Pick you up on Saturday at seven?”
“It’s a date,” she said.
13
Sierra
A date. I actually had a date. I hadn’t been on a first date in at least a year and a half. Did I want to be on one?
I wanted to be with Ian. That much I knew. He made everything so exciting. Each day when I came to work, I felt this thrill, wondering what might happen next. What he might say. What he might make me do.
What I’d told Gabi and Kait was true—it did feel like a game. The best damn game ever. Why did they insist there was something wrong with that?
I spent the next morning working on a project with Liz and Brett. We worked well together because Brett would try to take charge, and Liz and I would ignore everything he said and do it our way. Brett was so assured of his own greatness that I don’t think he noticed that final draft contained very little of his input.
So far, the job was going great. Even if you took Ian out of the equation, it was an interesting, fulfilling place to work. My old job at a call center had been horrible, full of impossible quotas and screaming bosses. This one was a dream by comparison, yet I knew that the work by itself wasn’t what put the spring in my step each morning.
I ate lunch with Liz, and in the afternoon worked at my computer for a while—at least until my phone chimed with an incoming text. Not wanting to seem too eager, I held out for approximately two seconds before checking it. Hmm… maybe Kait and Gabi were right. I did always seem to rush things when it came to my boss. But I couldn’t help it. Talking to him—or texting, rather—was too much fun.
Ian: It’s me, the bad influence.
I laughed. Is that what Tyler said?
Ian: Yes. Several times over.
Me: Ignore him. He’s too busy fawning over Kait to think straight.
Ian: So I’ve noticed. They really fell hard for each other, didn’t they?
Me: They definitely did.
Whenever I thought about the way Tyler and Kait looked at each other, I got mixed feelings. They were so sweet together that it made me happy for my friend. But I also wondered where the heat was. Where the danger was. Maybe it was there, but I just didn’t see it? But I couldn’t imagine a relationship that was all softness and safety with no battle of wits and wills like Ian and I were engaged in.
Ian: Did your roommates approve of our plans for Saturday?
Me: Yes. They were jealous when they heard we were going to Ambiance. And they were surprised you were able to get a table on short notice. It’s a very popular place.
That part had worried me a bit. I knew that the restaurant was considered quite trendy, but the way they’d reacted had seemed a bit over the top. Then I’d looked up the restaurant online and seen the pictures. The place was the very definition of over the top.
Though I was excited about spending the evening with Ian, I didn’t know how well I’d fit in at a place like that. It’s not like I’d ever taken an etiquette course or something. Usually, my roommates and I ate together, but when they weren’t around, I was known to heat food on a paper plate in the microwave and then eat it one-handed while flipping through my phone.
And then there was the question of what to wear. Kait and Gabi said they’d help me figure something out, but I didn’t have anything formal. Kait had a beautiful ball gown she’d worn in a wedding, but it would be much too short for me. Besides, she had some kind of sentimental attachment to it that involved Tyler, and she probably wouldn’t want to lend that out.
Suddenly aware that I was ignoring Ian, I looked at my phone. He’d texted twice.
Ian: I’ve got friends in high places… but the ones in low places are more fun.
Ian: You still there?
Me: Yes, I’m here, sorry.
Ian: Speaking of low places… I put something in the locker for you. You can go get it right before you leave for the day.
My pulse sped up. Really?
Ian: Yes. Don’t worry, I won’t be down there this time.
That definitely wasn’t something I’d been worried about. I replied with a frownie face.
Ian: I agree, but we promised our friends we’d go on a real date and have a real conversation, so I’m going to do my best to be good this week. I hope you appreciate what a sacrifice that is.
Me: Duly noted. So what did you leave downstairs? More chocolate? Surely that’s G-rated enough.
Ian: Not if I warm it up and rub it across your breasts.
Mmm, what an image. I could just picture that… me lying on a king size bed, my wrist tied to the headboard. Ian swirling melted chocolate around my nipples and licking it back off.
Ian: Still with me?
Me: I wish I were.
Ian: Me too. It’s not chocolate. It’s an assignment for tonight.
Me: You’re giving me homework?
Ian: Of a sort. Will you do it?
Me: Even though you claim you’re being good this week, I’m not about to write you a blank check. I know how your wicked mind works.
Ian: And here your roommates think you don’t know me—obviously, you do. Okay, let me put it this way. It’s something you definitely *can* do. And it’s something I’d like you to do. However, it may not be something you want to do. I’m asking you to do it anyway, for me. Will you try?
I didn’t have to think long about that: Yes.
Work kept me busy the rest of the afternoon. Exchanging texts—naughty or otherwise—with the CEO meant that afterwards, I had to scramble to get more done. But that was okay. It also kept me from incessantly wondering what Ian had left in the locker for me downstairs.
For some reason, I was a little uneasy about it, and I couldn’t quite figure out why. It probably had something to do with the date on Saturday. Our friends were right, it was an obvious next step, but somehow it made things feel more real. And that wasn’t something I was ready to face. I liked the way we’d been playing, teasing each other, toying with each other. As long as it was a game, then I didn’t have to think about the future. I didn’t want to think about the future—I wasn’t even over my past yet.
Luckily, Ian seemed to be on the same page. He was having fun and I was having fun. So we could handle one “real date” and then get back to playing naughty games.
With that thought in mind, I packed up my things, said goodnight to my coworkers, and took the stairwell down to the basement.
Inside the locker was a single white envelope.
Once I opened it and looked inside, I agreed with Ian. It was definitely something I could do, but it wasn’t something I particularly wanted to.
14
Sierra
“Are you excited about tomorrow?” Gabi asked. It was Friday afternoon and we were sitting at a little park not too far from the house. Unbeknownst to me, employees got to leave early the last Friday of each month. Suddenly finding myself with nothing to do at three in the afternoon, I’d called Gabi. She worked for a temp agency and the jobs they assigned her were often only for part of the day.
“Yeah. A little nervous, but excited, too.”
“There’s nothing to be nervous about. Plus, you’re going to look like a million bucks.”
I bit my lip as butterflies danced in my stomach. The envelope Ian had left in the locker that told me that he’d arranged for me to get a new outfit at an expensive, upscale boutique
I’d never even heard of. Apparently, the place was too fancy for anything as mundane as gift certificates.
I’d made Kait and Gabi go with me, and once there, we were treated like royalty. When I walked in, the manager greeted me by name and said that I was to get a complete outfit, including a dress, underwear, shoes, and anything else I’d like, courtesy of Mr. Callahan.
At first, I’d been reluctant to spend his money like that. None of the clothes had price tags, but they were all top of the line. It wasn’t like a normal store in which they offered many dresses in an array of sizes. The boutique couldn’t have had more than a hundred dresses in it, but each one looked like it belonged on a model on a runway.
I’d been afraid to even touch those gorgeous gowns let alone try them on, but Gabi and Kait hadn’t hesitated. They made me try on at least a dozen. For once, my height worked in my favor—a lot of the dresses had been designed for a tall, thin woman.
“You’re still going to help me do my hair, aren’t you?” I asked Gabi. The dress we’d picked out was a dark navy. It had straps that clung to my shoulders and a loose, gauzy material that draped over my breasts. The sheath hugged my waist, hips, and thighs like a second skin. The only reason I’d been able to walk in it was because it had a long slit up one thigh.
I hadn’t even wanted to think about what it costs, but no one let me stop there. Gabi and Kait insisted that I also get a lacy black bra and panties set. And the manager had found the perfect pair of high-heeled sandals to go with the dress.
I wondered if the whole ensemble costed more or less than what I made in a month at my new job.
“Sierra?”
“Sorry, what?”
“I said of course I’ll help with your hair. A dress that fancy needs an awesome hairdo. I’ll make you look like a movie star.”
That thought made the butterflies in my stomach flutter wildly. What on earth was I going to do on such a formal date? It just wasn’t my style. But I couldn’t let Gabi know that. She was clearly thrilled for me. And since she didn’t have a man in her life, I knew she was eager for things to go well for me on Saturday.