Page 21 of Making Over Maris

Chapter Four

Oh. Holy. Crap.

Sara swallowed the pool of drool in her mouth.

Yeah, she’d been surprised to see the new Jack during Kriss’ amazing transformation. Losing the beard and that mop of hair had turned him from a sulking nerd into a pouting hunk. But she hadn’t been prepared, not nearly prepared, to see his chest.

Why had she assumed he’d be doughy and soft? Doughy and soft—he was not. In fact he was buff. His pecs and abs were well-defined ridges and when he’d grabbed that sweater, his biceps had bulged, catching her eye. The boy had muscle. Who knew?

She turned away and riffled through the outfits in her hands. Not because they needed riffling but because she didn’t know how to face Jack when he emerged.

Her attention had been snared by the sight of him—Jack Maris, for God’s sake—slipping into a pair of tight jeans. His ass had been firm and tight and, when he turned around, with the zipper undone, it had been like a scene from a hot-guy photo shoot. Like the ones she favorited in her browser.

She longed to fan herself but didn’t. Instead she diligently reminded herself this was Jack. Jack Maris. The computer nerd from work, the friend who had hired her—hired her—to make him presentable. And damn it, she was doing a good job.

Too good of a job, judging from the panting sales associate. For heaven’s sake, did she have to paw him like that? Sara nearly growled when Jack emerged from the dressing room wearing the black jeans and another sweater. Molly went right up to him and squeezed his ass. His ass, for God’s sake. Sara was only slightly mollified when he jumped and uttered a stunned squawk. He shot a panicked glance at her. She thought perhaps his lips formed the words “help me”.

Sara frowned. She was done with this. Plenty done, thank you very much. They had a few good outfits and that would have to do. She couldn’t bear to continue.

Odd thing was, she wasn’t quite sure why.

“I think we’re done here,” she said, dropping the selected clothing on the counter.

“Oh?” Molly’s face fell. “What about…underwear?” Her gaze flitted over to Jack and her lashes fluttered.

Sara swallowed her gorge. She grabbed a packet of briefs and slapped them on the counter. Glared at Jack. “There. Done. Ring us up.”

Molly pouted but did as she was asked. She took her time though, Sara noticed, slowly scanning and folding each garment, stroking them with loving fingers and mooning at Jack all the while. She processed the payment and slipped everything into a big bag and handed it to him, not-so-surreptitiously stroking his hand as she passed it over. “You will come back now, won’t you?”

Jack grunted and snatched the bag. Then he grabbed Sara’s elbow and dragged her from the store.

“Well,” Sara huffed as they emerged onto the street. “That was interesting.”

Jack glared at her. “It was mortifying.”

Why the hell was he in a snit? He’d just been hit on by the hottest chick in town. Granted, she was probably a junior in high school but she was hot. “Come on, Jack. You liked it.”

He shot her a dark glower. “She touched my ween.”

“What?” Sara couldn’t help it. A laugh bubbled out.

“She did a reach around, Sara.” His outraged expression was comical. He was so put out…that a hot chick had grabbed his pecker. Sara wasn’t sure why the whole situation lifted her mood. Molly had copped a feel and he was annoyed about it. It shouldn’t elate her. But it did. “She touched my…privates. Isn’t there a law about that?”

Sara hooked her arm in his. “There is a law. It’s called the law of nature.”

He shot her a confused frown.

“You look great, Jack. I can tell you’ve been…working out.” She caressed his upper arm and then squeezed it. He stumbled on the sidewalk. “Molly could tell too. She wanted a piece of you.”

For some reason his frown darkened.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t want strange women grabbing my junk.”

“Jack, isn’t that the point of all this? To make you hot? So women notice you?”

He shrugged. “Not all women.”