But when it came to guys, especially a man you might have a crush on, that cruelty could crush a young girl’s self-esteem so fast. I was never going to be tall and skinny, so I needed a guy whose dream woman looked just like me—full of hips, full of tits, and full of attitude.
So now, finding out that Hector thought I had adream bodyand was hisdream woman—this changed everything, especially since, if I were being honest with myself, I knew I was already falling hard for this man.
“Then we need to go all out for this date of yours tomorrow,” she said, her face gleaming.
I had told her and Nancy about my date earlier. Cora offered to help me pick out my outfit, and Nancy offered to not-so-subtly give Hector a copy of her bestseller when he showed up tomorrow.
“You should wear your red wrap dress,” Cora declared, snapping her finger and pointing at me. “The low neckline makes your boobs look great, and the wrap part highlights your waist. Yep…decision made. Now on to shoes.”
She quickly hopped off the bed and wandered into my closet, though she was only gone for about thirty seconds.
“These,” she said, popping back out of my closet and holding up a pair of strappy black heels. They were my four-inch stilettos and nearly impossible to walk in, but they were also incredibly stunning and looked gorgeouson me—which was why I bought them instantly, even though they weren’t on sale.
“Do you have any sexy lingerie to go with it?” she asked.
I thought about what I had in my drawers, and instantly the red lace teddy I had bought a few months ago came to mind. I hadn’t actually worn it yet since I hadn’t had an occasion for it. It was definitely sexy, and it also had a control panel around the midsection to help suck in and smooth everything out. I loved it, but again, I hadn’t had a reason to wear it yet—until now.
I tried to picture what Hector’s face would look like if he saw me in it. The same lustful gaze he gave me this morning in the kitchen, perhaps. Maybe a completely new look I hadn’t yet experienced. I smiled just picturing it.
I couldn’t wait.
17
“Waterspouts are the ocean’s version of a plot twist.”
—It’s science
Iris
I was a nervous wreck.
I hardly got any work done at all today. Partially because Cora came to the office with me in the morning and was chatting it up with everyone, telling them about the new rain and river gauges she was installing. Mostly, though, it was nerves from my upcoming date with Hector.
I chose not to take a lunch break today so that I could leave early. My plan was to rush home, shower quickly, style my hair and makeup, and get dressed all within the hour before Hector arrived.
Things hadn’t gone according to plan though—mostly because I had a mild freakout being in my apartment alone. The day before, Hector had walked up with me to make sure my new locks were secure.Then, my sister had been with me last night and this morning. Now, after coming home from work, I was alone for the first time in my apartment since someone had broken in.
It started well. I even made it into the shower and started fixing my hair. But when I was getting dressed and just about to start my makeup routine, I heard a noise. It sounded like someone scratching at my window…or maybe it was my door.
I freaked. I raced into my bedroom, where my phone had been charging on the nightstand, and just as I was about to call 911, the scratching happened again—this time louder. I looked up in the direction of the noise to see the tree branch outside my window scraping against the glass—just like it had done many other times before when it was windy.
I went through all the emotions. Pissed at myself for freaking out over something stupid. Angry that the person who broke in was having this impact on me even days later. Scared because I didn’t know what to do since I lived alone and really didn’t want to move.
I sat on the bed for a few minutes to calm my nerves and wipe away the tears from my face, but it must have been longer than I thought. Two loud knocks on the door had my body jerking back, startled. I glanced over at my phone to see that it was 5:59.
Hector.
Crap. I hadn’t finished my makeup. Or put on my shoes. Did I remember to put on deodorant? I couldn’t remember where I had left off. Now, inaddition to all the other emotions I had gone through, I could add panicked and frantic to the mix.
Two more loud knocks. I knew I needed to let him in, but I didn’t want him to see me like this. Especially since I had been crying and hadn’t fixed my makeup yet.
Too late now.
I went to the door, hoping to let him in and turn quickly so he didn’t see my face and then finish in the bathroom. Most guys wouldn’t care if you needed five more minutes, right? Well, he didn’t have a choice.
I looked through my peephole. Dear God. He had on dark jeans and a black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. He looked mouthwatering.
Opening the door, I may or may not have openly gawked at him. His chest hair was poking through the top of his shirt where it was unbuttoned, and I may have even drooled a little. And those jeans…They fit him like a glove. Unfortunately, pausing to ogle him was the wrong choice because it gave him a chance to see my face.
