Head On (Strength And Love)(17)

“Right.” She claps her hands. “Clothes.”

She pulls me up from the bed and we head to the room she’s staying in. “I stopped at my place on the way home from work when Ethan texted me to tell me he was taking you out tonight to meet Luka, and I grabbed some things.” She frowns then. “What size shoe are you?”

“Five.”

“Perfect! I’m a five too. This is like…meant to be.” She giggles and I’m not sure what she’s talking about but her enthusiasm is catching, and I find myself grinning.

She begins to pull some things out of a small case. She holds up a strappy, wispy dress and I shake my head. No way am I wearing that.

She shrugs. “Can’t blame a girl for trying. Okay, what about this?”

She holds up a forties style tea dress. I like it. It’s pretty, and it has little cap sleeves. It doesn’t look as if it will be too revealing. I nod and she hands it to me. “Try it on.”

I start to undress and then stop, remembering my scars. But why should I be ashamed of them? They’re another sign of my strength and all I’ve gone through, and I know Ann won’t judge me for them. I pull my t-shirt over my head and her eyes widen the moment they land on my stomach and side.

“Wow, Isla. What happened to you?” Her voice is gentle, but not full of pity, which I couldn’t stand.

“Car accident. My mum died in it. I got tons of glass embedded in my stomach, hips, and thighs. I needed surgery as I had trauma to my liver from the accident.”

“How old were you?”

“Nine.”

Her eyes fill with tears, and it shocks me a little to see this stranger moved by something that happened to me a long time ago.

“It’s okay. It happened ages back.”

“I know.” She sniffs. “But what an awful thing to go through so young. And to lose your mum, too. I’m sorry, Isla.”

“it’s okay.” And I mean it. Yes, it was awful, but I had my dad, and he’s been my rock. I’ve experienced a better upbringing than most of my friends with two parents. I still miss Mum, every day. But Dad has given me more than enough love in my life. As to the operation, it was awful, for sure, but nothing compared to what came later. And that’s something I hardly ever talk about.

I shimmy out of my jeans and pull the dress over my head, fastening the tiny buttons at the chest once it’s on. I glance down and am relieved to see it ends right above my knees. I don’t like wearing skirts that are too short as they show my scars.

“You, are a knockout!” Ann stares at me. “Here, slip these on.”

She hands me some sandals, and I’m relieved to see they have a small-ish wedge to them instead of heels. I’m useless in heels. I slip them on and fasten them, liking the feeling of extra height. I’ll have to get myself some shoes like this. I have a few boots with block heels, and a pair of low heeled smart shoes, but that’s about it.

“Go look in the mirror.”

I head to the full-length mirror, running down one of the wardrobe doors, and once more am shocked by what I see. The dress looked innocent in Ann’s hands. And in many ways, it is. The buttons fasten up to my collarbone, the cap sleeves cover my upper arms, and the hem flutters above my knees. But it clings to my curves in a way that’s almost obscene. My boobs look massive in it, my waist tiny and nipped in.

I narrow my eyes at Ann. “This is the sexiest, conservative dress I’ve ever seen.”

“I know.” She laughs. “It’s why I love it. Confuses the fuck out of men. You’re going to do such a number on Ethan tonight. You’re meeting Luka, too, and he’s as hot as the sun.”

“Really?” I can’t imagine him being hotter than Ethan. “Do you like him? Luka, I mean.”

“Oh, I like him alright. Like any other warm-blooded female would. But I’m not stupid enough to get mixed up with him. He’s walking heartbreak, that one. But it won’t hurt if you flirt a little and make Ethan jealous. Mess with his head some more.”

I start at her words. “What do you mean?”

“Only that my brother has the hots for you, and after tonight he’ll like you even more.”

“He has the hots for me?” I know he kissed me, but I’d thought it a game, or maybe an experiment. See how the geeky virgin kisses or something.

How can a man as virile and handsome as him have the hots for me? It makes no sense. He’s like a force of nature. Watching him hitting that punch bag made me want him so badly. I wanted the power and energy of him to be focused on me.

It’s out of character for me, and my brain knows it is a bad, bad idea. It’s not only Ethan, either. I keep getting urges to do crazy things. This feeling has been building in me for the last two years. A need to change things, shake them up. To step out of my suffocating comfort zone. But then fear will step in and hold me back. Fear of what’s out there. Of the unknown. Fear of hurting my dad. He loves having me at home, and he ended his only romantic relationship because she wasn’t nice to me. If I leave, what will he do? We’re a team. A good team.

If only Ethan does like me... He can be my temporary walk on the wild side.





Chapter Nine



Ethan



I’m about to shout Isla when I hear footsteps on the stairs. Katie is in the living room watching a cartoon and I’m finishing making dinner for her and Ann in the kitchen. Ann’s a great mum, but she’s a lousy cook. I’ve made them Spaghetti Bolognese, which Katie loves.