The Do-Over (12 page)

“Um, yeah, I guess that would be fine.”

“Okay, then try these,” Rachael ordered, gathering up several more conservative tops in varying colors with various skirts.

Lanie looked at her dubiously but took all the items to the dressing room. She tried on the first pairing, not even sure if she should look in the mirror.

“Come out. I want to see,” Rachael said.

Lanie stepped out, and Rachael actually whistled, drawing looks from nearby patrons. Lanie turned to look in the full-length mirror outside the dressing room and had to do a double take. The outfit was a simple white blouse, tight enough to show off her breasts, and a gray pencil skirt that accentuated her slim waist. She was actually curvy in this outfit, and for the first time Lanie felt some gratification in her looks. She didn’t feel beautiful exactly, but maybe sexy or passable. Passably pretty, perhaps?

“I like it. I can wear a blazer with this,” Lanie said.

Rachael gave her a horrified look, shaking her head. “Absolutely not. Show off your assets, girl. You’ve got them, so flaunt them.”

Lanie shrugged and went back to try on another outfit. She actually twirled in this one. It was a sleeveless dress with an empire waist. It showed off her legs but still covered her neck and cleavage.

“What do you think?” Rachael asked.

Lanie turned to her, grinning like the Cheshire cat. “I think I’m going to earn tons of airline miles on my American Express card today!”

They spent several hours roaming various shops. Lanie bought a whole new wardrobe, including shoes, purses, and jewelry. To thank him, she bought Kyle a key chain at one of the trendier stores that specialized in jeans. Looking at the fake, diamond-studded letters spelling out “player,” she knew it was gaudy, but he would like it just the same. She added it to his key ring, hoping she’d make her point with the other item she was placing on it. That somehow the two would counteract each other, and he wouldn’t get the wrong impression. Lanie knew Kyle would freak and assume the worst if she didn’t make her intentions crystal clear.

Their final stop was a makeup store where Rachael gave Lanie a lesson on how to do her face.

“Now, you don’t need a lot. You have a flawless complexion. I think some lipstick and eye shadow with liner.” Rachael took out several testers and rubbed the colors on Lanie’s hand. Lanie had once asked Cassie for her help when they were in high school, and Cassie had managed to cake so much makeup on her that she looked like an extra from
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
. Rachael’s advice was solid, and Lanie had no doubt she looked good. As good as she possibly could anyway.

She had managed to replace almost every item in her wardrobe in one day, and nothing was safe. Nothing was beige or boring or loose. Nothing was layered to the point that she resembled an artichoke.

“So, Lanie, how did you and Kyle meet?” Rachael asked, bringing Lanie out of her thoughts.

“Through Brad actually. He’s dating my sister. Do you know him?” Lanie asked, realizing that it had been a long time since she’d given Brad any thought.

“I’ve known him for a long time,” Rachael replied, but she didn’t smile. Rachael had shared many funny stories about Kyle and growing up together during the day. Lanie would have liked to ask for details about Brad but didn’t feel it was appropriate. “I’m glad he introduced you to my brother. Kyle never brings anyone home to meet me. I have to say I’m pleasantly surprised. You’re so different from his high school girlfriends.”

“That’s really sweet, but Kyle and I are just friends.”

Rachael eyed Lanie suspiciously and shook her head disapprovingly. “I figured, and it’s a damn shame.” Lanie wasn’t sure how to respond, but Rachael didn’t appear to want one. “Lanie, call me if you need help with anything, regardless of your relationship with my brother. I really had fun with you today, and I love doing this kind of girly stuff. Living in a house full of testosterone gets tiring, so anytime you want to go, just call.”

“Thanks, but I need a lot of help, and I don’t want you to be annoyed with your brother for introducing us.”

Rachael patted Lanie on the shoulder. “That’s not why I’ll be annoyed with him.”

* * * *

“Jeez, Lanie, did you buy out the whole city?” Kyle asked, bringing in the last of the bags from the car. It had taken three trips and both of them to carry in all the items. At least it kept him from gawking at her.

He still felt as awkward as when Rachael and Lanie had returned from their ten-hour excursion. Rachael had come in, exclaiming what a great day they’d had, but Kyle hadn’t been paying attention to her chatter. He was playing Legos with the boys, holding his piece in midair, in the middle of the living room floor. All he could do was stare at Lanie. She was wearing a black turtleneck that showed off her hourglass shape with a big black belt and tight jeans. Not the waist-high grandma jeans she’d been wearing when he picked her up. No, sir, these were low-waisted, hip-hugging, curve-revealing jeans.

Her hips, he thought, her hips are her best feature.

Her long auburn hair hung in delicate curls, framing her face. She was more than pretty or beautiful or sexy. Lanie Carmichael was breathtaking.

“Uncle Kyle, you broke our Lego building,” Joe had shouted angrily when Kyle managed to knock over their impressive tower.

Now, bringing her home, he could see she’d had a busy day. Rachael had pulled him aside and told him Lanie was a keeper, whatever that meant. Lanie wasn’t his to keep in the first place. No, he was just a substitute, and wasn’t that what he wanted?

He watched her put away her purchases. “Not the whole city. There are still a few items left for the other girls,” Lanie said cynically.

“Any lingerie…like something from this century?” Kyle asked her.

“Maybe,” she replied.

Kyle scanned the various bags on her bed. “I think it would be this bag,” he said, grabbing the small bag in two-tone pink stripes.

“Hey, give me that. That’s not for you,” she said, trying to grab it from his hand. He held her off and turned his back to reach into the bag.

“Oh no?” he said, holding up a silky, pale-pink bustier.

“No, you want me naked, remember? So you don’t get to see this.” She took the bag from him.

“I wouldn’t mind this.”

“You wouldn’t?” she asked, clutching the frilly garment to her chest.

“No, baby. Wear it for me…please?”

She smiled at him and gave him a deep kiss, bringing her hands around his neck. “I’ll think about it,” she whispered. He placed his hands around her waist, deepening the kiss, feeling his cock stirring as his mouth explored hers. “So are you going to ever explain my key chain? You got me a key chain that says ‘player’? Do you think I need to advertise that fact?” he asked when they parted.

She laughed against his neck. “No, but it was to make up for the other thing I put on your chain.”

“I assume it’s the key to your apartment, and I thought we talked about this.” If any other girl had done this, he would have probably ripped the key off the ring with his teeth and chucked it out the window before running for the hills. With Lanie, he doubted it meant what he thought it did.

“Don’t freak out, Kyle. Seriously, it’s just for show.”

“So, it’s a fake key?”

“No, the key’s real and it works, but I didn’t give it to you as a pretense for anything. It’s just that Brad has a key, and Cassie asked me why I hadn’t given you a key if we’re so serious.”

“Ah, I see, so this is a prop in our fake relationship?”

“Not exactly. You’re my friend and we’re going to have sex, but trust me, I don’t want any more than that. I wouldn’t mind if you used it, but that’s why I got you the key chain too. So you’d know that there’s no agenda or anything. Am I making sense?”

“Yes, the conflicting evidence somehow supports your case,” Kyle replied, holding up the key in question and the ridiculous key chain.

She crossed her arms. “Good, then no further testimony is needed.”

Kyle cupped her ass in his hands and pulled her against his chest, kissing her neck, inhaling that indescribable, delicious scent that was uniquely Lanie. He sucked on her lower lip, feeling the soft outline of its curve between his lips as he manipulated it, tasting the sugary sweetness of her cherry lip gloss. She moaned, threading her hands through his hair. The perfect, soft angles of her body melted into his harder ones.

“I can’t believe you went shopping.” Cassie’s high-pitched voice pierced through the sound of Kyle’s beating heart, making him groan audibly. She was standing in the doorway with Brad behind her.

Kyle managed to curse Cassie fifty ways in his head before letting Lanie go.

“I went with Kyle’s sister,” Lanie replied breathlessly.

“Sorry for interrupting,” Brad said with sincerity. Kyle just shook his head, unable to accept the apology.

“You should have waited. You know Mom and I are going on Thursday. You could have come with us.”

Kyle felt Lanie’s cringe, and it was obvious to him that she was physically nauseated at the idea of shopping with Cassie. Who could blame her? Cassie took every opportunity to insult Lanie. In fact, Kyle had an inkling that Cassie actually held back when he or Brad were present. If this was Cassie holding back, what would she be like with Lanie alone? He wondered what their mom was like and if Cassie was less demeaning to Lanie in front of her.

“I needed some things for work and couldn’t wait,” Lanie replied.

“So what are you guys up to? Want to come to the movies with us?” Brad asked.

“Nope, we’re busy. See you later,” Kyle said, shutting the door on them.

Kyle couldn’t help his cocky grin when he heard Cassie shriek, “That was rude!”

“Why did you do that?” Lanie’s voice wasn’t hostile. She just sounded curious.

“We are busy, aren’t we?” Kyle approached her and quirked his eyebrow.

“Oh…you want to do that?”

Kyle shrugged. “Seems like a good time, since our usual opening act is leaving, don’t you think?”

Lanie bit her lip. “It’s been a long day, and I’m really tired.” Kyle had to agree she did look tired, but he couldn’t hide his disappointment just the same.

“You’re playing that card already? Next you’ll be faking a headache,” he groaned. She tensed although he was joking. He softened, smiling at her hopefully. “Maybe we’ll just literally sleep together tonight?”

“A slumber party? That would be nice.”

“Yeah, well, don’t expect we’ll do makeovers and play truth or dare or anything.”

“Oh, I don’t know, truth or dare sounds fun.”

Kyle cocked his eyebrow. “Dare?”

“Nope, I’m not a dare kind of person, but ask me a truth.”

“When do you want me to fuck you?”

Lanie turned the brightest shade of crimson Kyle had even seen. He wondered if she could breathe. “Sorry, Lanie, I’m just getting anxious. You’re turning me on in some pretty crazy ways.” He embraced her and kissed her forehead. “Do you know what blue balls are?”

“I can’t say I’m familiar with the terminology.”

“Well, maybe you should Google it. It’s a serious medical condition, and I believe you’re the only cure.”

She whispered close to his ear, “Come over on Thursday night.”

“Why, are the Bears playing?” he asked sarcastically, but this time she laughed.

“No, but Cassie’s probably going to end up spending the night at our mom’s house after shopping, and Brad’s going out of town for a deposition.”

“Ah, now you’re talking.” Kyle ran his hands down her back as he kissed her neck.

Kyle hadn’t planned to stay the whole night again, just until Lanie fell asleep, which was fairly soon after they lay down. He quietly slipped out of the bed, promising himself he’d send her a text, but he noticed her shaking. It wasn’t a typical nightmare with screaming or moaning or thrashing. She just shook and squirmed, tangling herself in the sheets. He rushed back into the bed and wrapped his arms around her. He gently rocked her, whispering soothingly until she woke. “You’re okay. I’m here. You’re safe, sweetheart.” He said it over and over like a record on repeat.

She awoke, letting out a choked whimper. It didn’t sound like the cry of a grown woman, but rather that of a little girl who was very sad and disoriented. She stopped shaking but clasped his hand tightly. She was breathing heavily, and he held her until she fell asleep in his arms. Before she dozed off, she said so softly in a hushed whisper that Kyle almost missed it, “Thank you.”

He held her the whole night. She seemed to sleep more comfortably in his arms. For some odd reason, he did too. He felt a need to say more, to do more, to alleviate her pain, but his own ugly thoughts kept poking through. He wondered if Lanie knew it was Kyle holding her, or if she imagined it might be Brad. Either way, Kyle wasn’t letting go.

Chapter Twelve

Thursday couldn’t come soon enough for Kyle. He was busy writing his article, holding off his editor, and researching, but his thoughts kept drifting to Lanie. He had never gone this long without sex, and in a way, sleeping with her was a novel experience for him too. On Wednesday, he couldn’t take it anymore. He texted her to see if she had dinner plans. She said she was working late with Brad. Fuck Brad, Kyle thought.

Then he thought, what if she was fucking Brad? His mind scurried to dark places, but he quickly waved it off. Brad had made mistakes, but he wasn’t a cheat. And Lanie wasn’t like that either. She was content in her little waiting game. Still Kyle didn’t like the idea of Lanie with Brad all alone in that big office of hers, with the huge mahogany desk and armless rolling chairs. It was a little too easy to have sex in an armless chair. Would Lanie try flirting with Brad? Kyle laughed at the prospect. Lanie’s idea of flirting was most people’s idea of talking. She was innocent and so damn sexy at the same time.

After work, instead of going home or to a bar, he stopped and got some Chinese takeout to bring to her office. He had to ask her some follow-up questions anyway for his article. Just general law questions. They were so simple, in fact, that he could probably have gleaned the answers from the research library at work. Maybe even a simple Google search could have satisfied these questions. Kyle didn’t want to ask Google though. He wanted to ask Lanie.