Changing Course (Wrecked and Ruined #1)(29)

"Shit, it's too early to get you drunk." I rear my head back shocked at his statement.

"It seems the only time you actually speak your mind with me, is when you're drunk."

"That's not true!" I scream at a decibel only a howler monkey could match.

"Really? Do you like pizza, Jess?"

"No."

"Well, thank Christ, at least you're honest."

"You're a jerk."

"And you're hiding," he states meaning it in more ways than one. "Don't hide from me, ever. Last night you didn't take my crap. You were this tiny drunk woman who I had no doubt could conquer the world. You gave me a hickey!" he says, firmly as if that one sentence was the answer to all the world’s problems. "You made bets, which you lost and still have not paid up on by the way. I didn't forget about that. You still owe me the truth about where you learned to bowl. Don't worry, I'm a patient man."

"I said I was sorry about the hickey." It was my generic answer. I have no idea how to react to the rest of his comments. He just said he wanted to get me drunk at nine A.M.! Regardless, if I'm sober or drunk, I can't conquer the world. No matter what he thought he saw in me last night, I'm just little Jesse Addison, I go with the flow and try not to make any waves. But I'm no one’s door mat. I might not be a fighter, but I have no problems walking away.

"What do you say you come back out front, and I'll try to figure out a pizza-free restaurant for us tonight?" He folds his hands together pretending to beg. "Please don't make me go back out there alone. I'm a little afraid of Kara."

"You should be more than a little afraid of Kara,” I say, pecking him on the lips and heading back out front.





Jesse

"HOLY SMOKES!" I gasp as Kara turns me around to face the mirror.

I told Brett that I wouldn't let her dress me, but she wore me down after begging for three hours straight. She was relentless. I mainly gave in because I didn't have anything to wear anyway. I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. Nothing about a date with sex-on-legs Brett Sharp says jeans and t-shirt. He didn't tell me where we were going, so I had to straddle that fine line between dressy and casual. If he takes me to a sports bar, I don’t want to look like the prom queen. But if he takes me to a nice place, I don’t want to look like a homeless woman either. So I allowed Kara to dress me again.

This time, she picked a simple black strapless dress that accentuates my best attributes, my boobs, and red sling back wedge heels. All of the real drama was in my eye makeup. She gave me the most brilliant smoky eyes I have ever seen. My usual unruly long brown hair has been flat ironed into submission, leaving shiny flowing locks in its place. Despite my best efforts, she forced me into a red lace strapless bra and matching thong that she found pushed to the very back of my panty drawer. Even I'm willing to admit I look kind of amazing tonight.

"I know! Right? You look hot! When are you going to learn to trust my expertise?" Kara says beside me.

"From now on, I vow to wear anything you put in front of me."

"Score! If you think I'm going to forget that, you are sadly mistaken. I have some dirty lingerie you can use next time."

"Eww, I'm not wearing your lingerie."

"Okay, fine, but promise I get to go shopping with you when Hottie McHottersen turns you into a sex fiend."

"Since that is never going to happen, I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die."

"Yes!" she squeals, grabbing her jacket and getting ready to leave. I made her promise she wouldn't be here when Brett shows up. The last thing I need is for her to be here drooling over him and embarrassing me more than she already has.

"I need every single detail when you get home tonight, or better yet, when you get home tomorrow morning." I just roll my eyes at her. She’s so excited you would think she was going to sleep with Brett tonight. Wait, no one is sleeping with him. Not even me, well, at least not tonight.

After pacing my apartment for twenty minutes, I finally hear a knock on the door. I do one last boob lift and smooth out the front of my dress, trying to calm my nerves. I take a deep breath and pull open the door to see the most beautiful man I have ever seen standing in the hall. He is wearing dark jeans that are perfectly washed out around his thighs, a long sleeve black button-up that fits his hard muscular body like a glove. His sleeves are rolled up, exposing his defined forearms. I had no idea a man's forearms could turn me on like this. He's wearing black shoes and a belt that so closely match, I swear they were made specifically to be worn together. The entire package causes my mouth to go dry. This man could grace the pages of GQ, yet he is here to pick me up. At least I remembered the push-up bra this time. Maybe that will help me rise to his level.

When I finally make it to his face, I see a knowing smile creep across Brett's mouth. He's caught me checking him out. Great! I'll never hear the end of this.

"Jesus, Jess, you look gorgeous!" he says, leaning over to brush a kiss across my lips. "So we're staying in tonight?"

"Oh, um. Sure."

"You're doing it again."

"Doing what?"

"Settling. I know you didn’t spend that much time getting dressed in that sexy as hell dress, making sure every hair is in place, and putting on enough make up to guarantee there isn't a man in the world who will be able to take his eyes off of you, just to sit on your couch and watch TV. So, I'll repeat. Are we staying in tonight?" He's right. After the time I spent getting ready, there is no way I'd want to waste looking this good, and being on the arm of a man who looks that good, on just staying in.