Rider's Kiss (5 page)

Reena stared, her jaw dropping, eyes bugging out. She stared for so long it made Victoria snap out, “If you can’t even form a coherent sentence, then it must be even more horrid than I thought!” She threw her hands up and started back into the dressing room.

Finally, Reena found her voice.

“My lord in heaven, Victoria. You look absolutely gorgeous. I really had no idea.”

That had her stopping and turning. “Gee, thanks, Reena,” Victoria said ruefully and planted her hands on her hips.

Reena shook her head and beamed a smile at her. “No, what I mean is, I knew you had a body under all that material, but Lordy, that skirt looks fabulous on you. Rider is going to swallow his tongue when he sees you, I can promise you that. I know my brother, Victoria. He’ll stop, he’ll stare and then he’ll pounce.” Then Reena’s brows drew together in concern. “Are we sure we know what we’re doing?”

Victoria shook her head in denial of that statement before looking down at the white skirt. She tugged at the hem, willing it to grow another inch. She’d never felt comfortable with her thighs showing. Not even in the dead of summer. It made her feel vulnerable and gangly. Somehow, it just seemed too intimate to have that much flesh on display. She was a throwback to the old spinster days, that’s what she was. And she’d never get Rider’s attention if she continued acting the maiden.

“We made a deal, Reena,” Victoria reminded her best bud. “I’m going to show Rider that I’m not the spinsterish woman he imagines.”

“Well, I know for sure my brother is going to be begging your forgiveness the instant he sets his sights on you in that outfit, girlfriend.”

She turned and looked into the mirror, looking at herself from every possible angle. The white skirt was clingy and short and pretty darned revealing. Her butt seemed to stick out too far, and it made her uncomfortable. Still, all the time she spent running in the mornings seemed to be paying off now.

The pale blue silk blouse with its V-neck and short sleeves was a nice touch. She looked delicate and feminine, which was the plan. The notion was foreign to her. From the time she was big enough to walk, Victoria had been a jeans-and-T-shirt sort of girl. Rider, the rebel with the dark hair, leather jacket and fast car, liked feminine women, didn’t he?

Victoria recalled the first time she’d seen him. She’d melted. Rider had walked into their small town school as if he owned the place. The prettiest girl on the cheerleading squad had practically drooled when he’d strode straight up to her and planted a kiss square on her mouth. All the girls had shamelessly panted after Rider. Deep down, Victoria had envied the cheerleader. But she hadn’t done anything about her feelings. She’d hidden them away. Where had that gotten her? Exactly nowhere.

Until now, when she let her friend give her a complete overhaul in a ridiculous attempt to gain the attention of the biggest playboy and rebel that Summit Green had ever seen.

Once again, she covered her face and moaned like a total ninny. “I cannot believe I’m doing this, Reena!” She felt Reena’s comforting hand on her back. “I’m not cut out to be a sexy siren!”

Reena
tsk
ed. “Of course you are, Victoria. Every woman on the face of the earth has it in her to charm the pants right off a man. You just need to dig down deep and set her free. That’s why we’re here, remember? To prove to my lame brother that you’re not a nerd.”

When she put it that way, Victoria’s spirits began to lift. Yes, she did want to make Rider sit up and take notice. No more hiding under a rock. “You’re right.” She smoothed the skirt down and said, “I’m buying this one.”

“Good girl. Now, let’s see what else we can find, then tomorrow we have an appointment at the hairdresser.”

Her spine stiffened. “Hairdresser?”

Reena rolled her eyes. “Relax. I’m not going to let Christy give you a Miley shave or anything. She’s just going to get rid of some split ends and add a few layers. Nothing too drastic.”

A new determination that she’d never felt before began to take hold. “You know what, Reena? You’re right. Let’s get this show on the road so I can give Rider a taste of what he’s been missing all these damn years.”

“Now that’s the spirit!” Reena shouted, getting entirely too excited for Victoria’s peace of mind.

And so the day went. By the time they were finished, Victoria had six new outfits, jeans that fit her like a glove, shirts that conformed to her curves, and new heels that added a few inches to her height. Her credit card had never seen so much action. But it’d been worth every penny. Victoria felt a sense of triumph at the end of stage one of her transformation. Reena had been thrilled at all the new purchases too. Victoria considered it a good sign, since Reena was a pro when it came to fashion.

Tomorrow would be stage two: hair. The stylist would shampoo and trim, maybe add a few highlights. With any luck, Victoria’s hair would look healthier and sexier. And if there was a God, Rider would be the one drooling for a change. About damn time too.

Chapter Four

Saturday flew by so fast, Victoria’s head spun. After a visit to the hairdresser, there’d been more clothes shopping. By the time Reena had wound down, Victoria’s feet ached and she had a splitting headache.

Now, it was seven in the evening, and Victoria couldn’t stop staring at her reflection in the mirror above the bathroom sink. The transformation a few tweaks could make to her appearance was downright amazing. The hair stylist at the salon had added subtle caramel highlights to her hair along with a few layers that added volume and got rid of a fair amount of split ends. Reena had insisted on an eyebrow waxing as well. The change wasn’t anything truly remarkable, and she supposed that was why Victoria liked it so much. It was still her, only shinier. Sort of like giving an old car a wax job. Her thoughts strayed toward Rider. What would he think of the new and improved Victoria Kiss? Victoria’s previous, ordinary style had never held a man’s attention for more than a few passing minutes, but would that all change now?

Victoria ached to make Rider sit up and take notice. She wanted to be the kind of woman who could make a virile man like him become totally overcome by passion. As if right on cue, old insecurities surfaced, and Victoria knew it’d be a miracle if Rider ever saw her as anything more than Reena’s BFF.

She flipped off the light and left the bathroom, then dropped onto her recliner. God, she was exhausted. She hadn’t known beauty could be so damned tiring. She took a sip of her cabernet and stared at the pile of clothes that littered her couch. “What the hell was I thinking?” Her poor credit card had never seen so much action. It’d take a year to pay it all off. And for what? So Rider James would see her as a woman. How ridiculous was that?

“You better be worth all this,” she muttered as she tucked her aching feet beneath her.

Tomorrow, she and Reena were going to hit a few garage sales, then have lunch. They planned to discuss the next phase of their Get Rider plan. She let out a sigh and rested her head against the soft white chair. She pictured Rider striding up to her, grabbing her by the shoulders and kissing her senseless. His mouth would be rough and demanding, and Victoria would melt against him. He’d kiss her the way a man did when he craved a woman. As if he longed to claim her as his. Sure, that was bound to happen. And maybe pigs would fly.

The ringing of her cell phone yanked her out of her annoying fantasy. She picked it up from the end table and peered at the caller ID. The number didn’t appear familiar. “Hello?”

“You continue to surprise me.”

“Rider?” Was she still fantasizing?

“Yep. Reena gave me your number.” There was a slight pause before he asked, “You weren’t busy?”

“Uh, no,” she answered after the shock wore off. She thought of what he’d said about surprising him. “You said I continue to surprise you. What do you mean?”

“Reena told me about your shopping trip—and the makeover.”

Victoria’s face heated. She was going to strangle Reena for opening her big mouth. She wasn’t ready for Rider to know. Hell, she might never be ready. “It’s not that big a deal, really.”

“That’s not what I saw.”

Confused, Victoria asked, “Saw?”

“Reena took a few pictures with her cell.”

She swallowed a curse. “I’m going to kill her.”

Rider chuckled, and the sound went clear through Victoria. “I take it she did it without your knowledge?”

“Most definitely,” she bit out. “She is so dead.”

“Well, if she hadn’t taken the pictures, I wouldn’t have gotten to see your new look before anyone else,” he said, his voice lower than before. “Makes me feel special.”

Oh God, even over the phone, Rider managed to turn her on. It was a little humiliating how effortlessly he could have her heartbeat speeding up. The effect was nothing new, though. Rider always sent her into a tailspin.

“Are you still there?” he asked.

“Yeah, I’m here.” Victoria heard some rustling around in the background and asked, “Where are you?”

“In my car on the way to the hotel. I just had dinner with Reena at Big Joe’s.”

Victoria’s stomach rumbled at the mention of the familiar pizza place. Big Joe had the best pizza in the state. “The chef in me approves of your choice.”

“It was good,” he admitted, “but it would’ve been better if you’d joined us.”

Victoria nearly smiled at the thought, but before she could get too excited, her guard went up. He was probably merely being polite. There wasn’t anything more to it than that, and she’d do well to keep that in mind. Rider wasn’t interested in her.
And he never will be unless you do something about it.

She ignored the inner warning and said, “I don’t remember getting an invite.”

“That’s easily fixed,” he answered with a deep, gravelly tone that had the juncture between Victoria’s thighs warming. “Would you like to go to dinner with me tomorrow night, Victoria? Just the two of us, I mean.”

She made a valiant attempt to tamp down her eagerness. “Are you being serious?”

“I’m very serious.”

She couldn’t help wondering if Rider was asking her out only because he’d seen her new look and liked it. She’d proven to be less of a frumpy old maid so now she was date worthy. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” she replied, surprising herself by turning him down.

He was quiet a moment. Finally, he said, “I had a feeling you’d say that. You don’t trust me much, do you?”

“I don’t trust your sudden change of heart,” she explained. “You saw a few pictures, Rider. I’m still the same person I was the other day when you called me a spinster.”

He cursed. “You’re determined not to forgive me, aren’t you?”

Victoria bit her lip as the need to shy away from the conversation rose up. “All I’m saying is that you’ve made yourself pretty clear.”

“I was an ass,” he grumbled. “And I wish like hell you’d let me make it up to you.”

Victoria’s heart raced, and she took a sip of her wine for strength. “There’s no need.”

“Is there someone you’re interested in? Is that what the new look is about?”

Yes, you.
She kept the words to herself, but it wasn’t easy. “I need to go,” she said, desperate to end the conversation lest she start professing her undying love to the man. “I have a long day tomorrow.”

“Don’t do that,” he whispered.

Victoria frowned, unsure what he meant. “What?”

“You run any time things get complicated.” He paused, then softly added, “At least answer my question.”

“Yes, there is someone,” she answered as honestly as she could. “But it doesn’t matter, because he doesn’t want me that way.”

“Then he’s a damn fool,” Rider said with no small amount of anger in his tone.

“Couldn’t agree more,” Victoria said.

“You’re a beautiful woman, sweetheart,” he said in a softer voice. “Any man would be lucky to have you.”

If only that were true. “You’re a liar, but thank you.”

“Talk to you soon, Victoria. Sweet dreams.”

“You too,” she said, her voice a little unsteady.

Victoria hung up the phone and shot out of her chair. Had she really just turned down a date with Rider? Was she certifiable? Her emotions were going haywire, and for what? All because she’d gotten a call from a man. “God, I’m so stupid!” she shouted. There was no way she’d get any sleep tonight.

The thought of her bed made Victoria imagine what it would be like to sleep next to Rider. She yearned to wake up next to him after a long night of intense lovemaking. She would make them breakfast, and they’d flirt and tease, then maybe fall back into bed for another round. She wanted to share lazy afternoons with Rider. She wanted all or nothing with him, she suddenly realized.

The question was, would she ever get her wish, or would she end up getting her heart crushed by the man?

Two hours and half a bottle of wine later, Victoria crawled under her navy-blue comforter. As she turned off the lamp next to her bed, drenching the room in darkness, she thought again about Rider. The way he’d looked with his T-shirt soaked with the iced tea the other day. So powerful, every inch the wild jungle cat. Her mind headed toward erotic territory as sleep took hold.