She pushes her hands on my shoulders, forcing me to sit on the stool in front of her dressing table. “That’s who you are trying to impress?”
“I’m not trying to impress anyone,” I mutter as I glare at her in the mirror. “But your grandson is determined to push me out of my shell, so I’m giving him exactly what he wants.”
“God help him,” Helen says with a smirk. “It’s about time a woman made him weak in the knees.”
“He’s going on a date with Amalee, not me.”
“No, he’s attending a date you agreed to with his best friend. Amalee is the excuse to not make him seem like the third wheel. So my question to you is, are we going for a widening of the eyes, or are we leveling these men who think they know better to their knees?”
I grin at her. “Knees, always the knees.”
She squeezes my shoulder. “Good girl. What color are you wearing?”
“Red.”
“Shade?”
“Blood.”
“Then half my work is done. But let’s go for a dramatic smoky eye, some gentle contouring, and a shade of lipstick to match the dress. Nails, we can do in gold.” She pulls my hair tie out and lets the long mop fall down my back. “Soft but bouncy waves. Sound good?”
I drag in a breath and shove down the rising panic that dressing to purposefully attract brings. “Let’s do this.”
Helen worksa goddamn miracle in less than an hour. I’m almost unrecognizable. What’s even better is that it’s a lookHonor has never rocked. It’s dark, mysterious, and sultry—a reflection of everything inside my soul, and I love it. She even packed me off with some essentials so I can recreate it.
Standing in my bathroom, I stare down at the box Fox gave me. Do I take the challenge he’s laid at my feet? Dirty dreams and night time rumblings aren’t getting me off, so it’s time to try something different. I pull out the black object and unwrap it. I’ve never done butt stuff. Gideon thought it was dirty, and before him, my sex life was fairly mainstream. I think an ex-boyfriend slapped my ass once, and I might have kicked him like a donkey.
I drop the butt plug and pick up the slightly less scary bright pink bullet, which, according to the instructions, vibrates so quietly you can enjoy it on the go. Maybe orgasms on the subway are how people manage the commute to work.
I also pull out the small bottle of lube Fox so kindly added for me. Guess that’s for the plug. What was going through his head when he made the decision to order this? I glance at the note. This isn’t for him, it’s for me—which is why I’m about to accept the challenge to wear the damn pink and black.
I grab the underwear I’d laid on the bed and take my toys to the sink before washing them. How does one insert a butt plug? I retreat, grab my phone, and then lock myself into the bathroom.Google, don’t fail me now.Oh, interesting—it’s a question on Quora. It seems I’m not alone. Okay. Lube? Check. Deep breathing exercises? Umm, I mean, I can breathe, so that’s halfway there.
Insert the tip, relax, then withdraw. Then try again. I glance at the time on the phone. I have twenty minutes max before Fox comes to find me, and I don’t want it to be with a butt plug stuck halfway in my ass. If I feel pain, stop. No shit. People really need to be instructed to stop if it’s painful?
I smother the bulb in lube and take a sniff. It’s fruity, likemango or something exotic. Does that make a difference to how it feels? How am I so sheltered after living through a relationship with Gideon? Resting my palms on the counter, I lean forward and stare at myself in the mirror. Honor would have never even considered this. She would have dumped the box in Fox’s room and never looked back. But Cleo is curious and ready to take a step out of her comfort zone. If you do nothing different, how can you expect things to change? Am I any freer than I was six months ago if I constantly live in fear? I need to embrace the challenge, to live a little and make Fox Alderidge squirm.
I watch an informative video, and ninety seconds later, I feel like a porn star.Okay, just the tip first, it’s not that big.
I gasp. “Jesus fucking Christ. How do people do this?” I mutter to the mirror. “More importantly, why do people do this?” My body gives me a firm signal that we don’t put things in here; it’s where things come out. My cheeks flush and a fine layer of sweat glistens on my chest. My cheeks flush as I wiggle it back and forth. No pain, deep breathing, and relax. It pops in, my body literally sucks it. Interesting. I straighten and wiggle my butt. Oh, that’s an unusual sensation. Not painful, just unusual. It makes me very much aware of all the sensations down there. Perhaps that’s the point?
I eyeball the pink mini bullet vibrator as I slip on the red silk panties which match the dress perfectly. Then I slip it inside and nestle it against my clit. I grab the tiny remote control and press theonbutton. My hand slaps against the vanity. “Holy shit.” I can’t come just before I go out on a date. That would be weird, right? I switch it off and press my lips together as a rumble of laughter tries to break free.
After exiting the bathroom, I pull on the dress and slide the remote control, phone, and lipstick into the borrowed black clutch. To finish, I push my feet into the designer black pumpswith those famous red soles. Apparently, Helen just happened to have these shoes in her closet, even though they aren’t her size.
One last glance in the mirror, and my mouth parts at my reflection. I look like someone else. Someone who wears sex toys outside the bedroom apparently. This is going to be an interesting night.
I head out of the door and into the main house. Fox is in the kitchen with his back to me as he takes a drink of water. Duke potters over, nudging my hand for some attention. I bend to give him some love and gasp at the sensation.
“Hello, my precious boy,” I mutter. “I need to go out for a few hours so we can convince Sam I’m not a princess, and then I’ll be back and we can hit the sofa with a book.” He huffs in agreement as I stand, and Fox turns to face me. His jaw drops, and his eyes widen.
“Holy cow. I changed my mind. The red dress is a bad idea. Wear the black.”
I park my hands on my hips and level a glare at him. “Not a chance. I’m not getting ready all over again.”
He shakes his head and takes a step toward me. I hold my ground and tilt my head back as he approaches. His fingertips trail up the column of my throat before grasping my chin to stare into my eyes. “You look stunning, like a siren calling to the strongest of sailors, luring them to the watery depths. They would no doubt go willingly with a smile on their faces.”
I blink. It’s been far too long since anyone looked at me like this. Like I am desirable and perfect, even with all my flaws. Actually, I’m not sure anyone has ever looked at me like this—with a single-minded determination to strip me naked. And I’m not just talking about my clothes.
