Irreplaceable (20 page)
Preparation
I'd hardly slept that night,
imagining what it would be like to finally feel Logan inside me—giving in to
our deepest hunger.
I awoke early, went for my morning jog with no sign of
Logan, and returned home for a shower. I was anxious to get the day going, and
as I stood in my kitchen, staring out to the backyard, sipping some orange juice,
I caught sight of Oliver in his backyard.
He wasn’t alone. Natasha was at his side, helping him
pack snow onto the front of a melting snowman. The smile on his face was hard
to miss, and I had to admit Natasha looked equally happy.
Was there a chance she really just wanted her family
back—to bond with her son and reconnect with Logan through sex, the only way
most women did? The thought of her living in his backyard and bonding with
their son left me conflicted, and only added to mission of the day—the day
Logan and I would take the plunge and prove, once and for all, that we were
better off friends.
With a thoughtful smile, happy for Oliver to have both
his parents in his life, I set out to get dressed and start my day.
Hilary and I had spent the previous day shopping, and now
there we were again. However, shopping for the perfect date accessories that
would guarantee me the best sex of my life had me worried. Luckily, Hilary had
it down to an art, and took the lead.
When we stepped inside the small boutique, I instantly
surrendered the dress-searching part to Hilary and sauntered toward the
lingerie section sheepishly.
Yes, lingerie. I hadn’t worn it more than a total of two
times in my life, but I felt tonight it was needed in the whole package Hilary
was helping me prepare. And to ensure the night lived up to the pressure behind
it, I felt lingerie was called for.
Tonight was going to be more than just a simple dinner
date—it would be the end of the chase for Logan. After I was through with
giving him everything he’d wanted the past few months, now on my terms, the
sexual tension brewing between us would be sated and give us the closure we
both needed to move on.
I found a black lace corset with garters attached to hold
up the black sheer stockings. Perfect. It was everything I wasn’t, which was
exactly what I was going for. I wanted to have sex with Logan—to give my body
and his everything they’d been craving, the release that was desperately needed
at the other’s hand.
It was my choice, my desires, and in my control. I
plucked the hanger holding the corset from the rack and, with a smile on my
face, headed over to find Hilary. Tonight was about letting go of my inhibitions
and feeding the sexual need I’d been starving far too long. It had nothing to
do with anything other than that, so Logan wasn’t going to get the other side
of me tonight.
No, he was getting the sexual, aroused,
just-a-one-night-tryst Cassandra. The real, sweet, carefree me was getting
locked up, sealed in with my emotions, tucked away from his alluring charm.
I had to admit it excited me, holding the fine lace in my
hands, envisioning his expression when he saw me in it. Yes, it was definitely
the right choice.
The smooth red dress Hilary found was not one I’d have
chosen. I wouldn’t have called it slutty or even sexy enough to accompany such
vulgar lingerie, but she insisted it was exactly what I needed. It was very
short, but that was the extent of sex appeal it exuded. In spite of the
extra-tight fit and low cut (but not so low cleavage would show), the buttons
running up the front gave it the look of a lab coat.
“I was thinking something more like this.” I held up a
tiny hot-pink dress that would barely cover a Barbie.
“Logan’s been after you all this time for a reason.
You’re hard to get, and if you go at him too eagerly, he’ll see through it.
This,” she held up the red number, “is what you need. Something with grace
and,” the corner of her lips curled up, “buttons.”
“Buttons? Since when are buttons sexy?”
I wasn’t feeling it until she stepped to the side,
revealing a mannequin wearing said red dress and flicking her fingers over the
top button, releasing it. She slid her hand down in a slow, caressing trail and
flicked the next one open.
Oh yeah, we need buttons.
“Logan’s going to want to take his time after chasing you
so long. Let him slowly unwrap his present, and then you can greet him with the
wonder of lace underneath. By then, he’ll be drooling too much to stop, and
he’ll be putty in your hands.”
I did like that, but it was hard to image Logan being
putty in anyone’s hands. He was always so cool and confident. The mission was
to bring the man to his knees and give him all the sex he could handle until he
was completely satisfied and ready to move on to the next girl.
A pang struck through my heart. Damn it, why it did hurt
so much thinking about him moving on? We weren’t good for each other, so I only
hoped after that night we’d be nothing more than neighbors with a past who
could say hi while getting the mail and experience no weirdness or enormous
gravitational pull toward one another.
“Up next? Hair, nails, makeup, and…waxing.”
I swallowed.
Waxing?
“Is that really necessary?”
“Yeah, you’re right, your nails look great au natural.
He’d know you were trying too hard if we did them up.” She walked to the
counter, handed over the dress, and took the lingerie from my hands.
“Oh, and I have the perfect heels you can borrow.”
That was good, since I was officially draining my savings
with the three hundred dollars’ worth of clothing I’d never wear again, but it
was worth it. It’d probably be the best three hundred dollars I ever spent.
With an anxious and excited smile, I handed over my debit
card and watched the cashier wrap the items in tissue paper.
I leaned over to Hilary while waiting and whispered, “I’m
not getting waxed.”
With a bright smile, she grabbed the bag from the woman
and gave me a we’ll-see-about-that grin before strolling toward the door.
I took the receipt, blood draining from my face, and gave
a quick thanks to the cashier before following.
The salon was one I’d frequented before with both Hilary
and my mother, but that was for hairstyling, never makeup, and the only waxing
I’d ever experienced was on my brows once. I couldn’t imagine it being the same
thing.
What was Hilary thinking?
Just my legs, or..?
I
blanched.
“Hey, Maya!” Hilary greeted the receptionist. “I called
last night for an appointment. Cassandra needs the full got-a-hot-date
package!” Maya was a girl we’d grown up with, but still, Hilary didn’t need to
announce it to the entire salon.
“Good for you, girl! About time. So who’s the guy?” Maya
asked, stepping out from behind the desk.
My mouth remained shut. I wasn’t planning on dating
Logan, so I wasn’t sure what to tell her.
“Nobody from around here. Just a guy she met a while ago
who’s coming to visit her for the night,” Hilary piped in, saving me. I gave
her a grateful yet subtle smile.
“Oh really? Got to tell you, I was hoping to hear it was
Logan West. That man is…mmm, dangerously hot. Not enough words to describe a
guy that good looking. I’d give him a date he’d never forget if he asked, but
from what I hear, he went from screwing around with most of the easy girls in
town to not even buying a girl a drink. Figured it had to do with you.”
Something about that brightened my mood.
“Nope, not me,” I said softly.
I began to relax until she told me to follow her as she
began walking through the rows of hairdressers toward a door in the back.
Hilary shooed me away as she sat on the sofa in the front and opened a
magazine.
I was on my own and had no clue what I was in for, so I
just followed along, leaping in and hoping it was worth it.
“Everyone’s been gossiping about how much you and Logan
were hanging out in the fall,” Maya continued as I stepped into the small
quarters that held a long counter and massage-style table with a terrycloth
towel covering it that reminded me more of the one at my OBGYN than the spa.
I sat with my hands shaking, fingers nervously kneading
together while Maya took a seat on a stool, preparing materials and checking
the temperature on a vat of wax as she rambled.
“And that sexy show you guys put on, on the dance floor
at Haven on New Year’s Eve? Damn girl, you had me hot and envious just
watching! Hope you didn’t think that went unnoticed.”
I flushed, embarrassed. “Well, nothing’s happening anymore
with Logan. So where exactly did Hilary tell you to wax me?” I gulped way too
loudly, a cold sweat breaking out over my forehead.
Her stool swirled around, a bemused smile covering her
small, freckled face.
“Oh God, you look like you’re about to pass out! Are you
all right?”
“I’m not really into pain.”
“Pain!” She burst out laughing. “Beauty comes with pain,
but my goal is to keep you as relaxed and distracted as possible. Now get those
jeans and panties off and cover yourself with this. I’ll be back in a couple.”
“Panties?”
“Mm-hmm. Part of the hot-date package, but no worries,
I’ll take care of you.”
She walked out and shut the door behind her. Holy hell,
was I really going to get fully waxed? Would she remove all the hair, or leave
a little something? It was February, after all—too cold to go bare, right? Or
was I just being crazy? I pulled off my jeans and looked down at my purple
panties.
Yeah, definitely crazy.
I needed Logan to have my
body at its best, and a man like him would want all smooth sailing—quite
literally.
I shimmied out of my panties and lay back down, covering
myself with the towel she’d left.
“Knock knock, you ready?” Maya opened the door and
stepped inside. She must’ve seen the apprehension on my face, or perhaps it was
my wide eyes and hands clutching the side of the table that did it, but she
blew out a breath and smiled.
“So tell me about this guy of yours. Hottie? He must be
if he caught your attention, especially after Mark. God, I’m sorry, but your ex
is a dumbass.”
My hands clutched the table harder—not because of the
fear of having my skin torn off, but from thinking about Mark.
“Yeah, he is,” I grumbled through gritted teeth.
“You’re going to show him, though. I don’t remember you
ever coming in here to get all prettied up for him.” She giggled, and I relaxed
instantly.
“All right, what you thinkin’? Brazilian, or—”
“Take it all! Just do it quick before I change my mind,”
I spit out, and she laughed louder.
“You got it.” The heat of the wax being spread over a
place few had seen left me uneasy, but Maya was a friend from elementary school
and had been working at the salon since her aunt opened it when she was
thirteen. If anyone was good for the job, it was her.
“So, this mystery man…you hoping to screw him at your
place or his?”
“What—AHHH!” I bit my lip hard. “Damn! That hurt!”
“Yes, but you didn’t see it coming. Mind over matter.”
I closed my eyes, breathing steadily, ready for the next
one.
“Wow, you look amazing!” Hilary
jumped from the spot she’d occupied for over three long hours and rushed toward
me.
I was both sore and excited. Full Brazilian? Check.
Smooth legs and underarms, and brows primped to the perfect arch? Check. Hair
full of curls and sprayed with enough chemicals to outlast a tsunami? Check.
And last but not least, makeup that screamed sexy, including a dark, smoky eye?
Check.
I was all ready to go for the next phase, which included
a grocery trip.
“Come on, I still have to get some food to cook for
dinner, and then I gotta get dressed.”
It was already pressing four o’clock, and he’d be there
at six on the dot. I had no doubt about that—especially since I’d made it clear
he didn’t want to be late.
“Already done,” Hilary replied, holding open the salon
door for me.
What? When?
I stared at her, waiting for her to
explain.
“You didn’t really think I could sit there and look at
magazines that long, did you?” She smiled. “Go home. Everything you need is
there.”
Grinning, I gave her a big hug, relieved I was able to go
home. “Thanks.”
“No problem, but I expect to see you at my door tomorrow
with full details!”
“Making no promises,” I shot back, still smiling as I
headed to my car.