Beauty from Pain(13)

“I’d love it if a guy did this for me.” Addison tops up her champagne with some orange juice. “This is a guaranteed panty-dropper in my book.”


“Addison!”


Ben storms out of the kitchen and slams his bedroom door. “You shouldn’t have said that in front of him, and we both know why.”


Addison reaches for a pastry. “Oh, he’ll get over it. So, what are you gonna do?”


There’s nothing wrong with trying it. If it doesn’t feel right, I can always back out. “He asked me to meet him tonight if I wanted to discuss it further. I think I’m going to go.”


“That’s my girl. I love that he has to wait all day wondering if you’ll show tonight. He’ll be so hard up by the time he sees you walk in. You have to show up late. I have the perfect little black dress that will knock his socks off. The back of it is so low, you can almost see your ass crack.”


She runs into our room and returns with a next-to-nothing black minidress. Wow, she’s right. It is low. And short. Maybe even too short. I hold it up and have no doubt it is going to hit me high thigh since I’m taller than she is.


“Isn’t this gonna be too short for me?”


“What do you mean too short? Have we met?”


It’s a lazy Sunday so we spend the day hanging out in the apartment after gorging on quiche and Mimosas. Ben is sullen the rest of the day, his attitude suggesting he is unhappy about the prospect of my new acquaintance. He doesn’t speak to me all day, but that’s all right. I may be staying with him, but I don’t owe him anything. And his behavior is making it a lot easier to not feel guilty about meeting up with another guy tonight.


It’s six o’clock and I decide to start getting ready to meet Lachlan. Addison wants me to be late so he’ll sweat it out, but if I’m tardy, it won’t be because I wasn’t ready on time.


I jump in the shower and shave my legs and pits twice, just in case, but in case of what, I don’t know. I apply my makeup as I stand with one towel wrapped around my hair and one around my body. I decide to go with smoky eyes—the sultriness will go well with the sensual dress and tall heels Addison has chosen for me.


It’s twenty minutes until eight and I stand in front of the mirror studying the final product. Hmm, not bad if I do say so myself. The smoky eyes and scarlet lips are definitely going to get his attention but my upswept hair makes my bare back call out to be touched, and quite possibly, kissed. I have never felt so alluring in all of my life—or so much like a ho—because I know why I’m going.


Addison surveys me and instructs me to do a spin. “Laurelyn, you’re smokin’ hot.”


She is my best friend so it’s her job to say stuff like that. “It’s the dress.”


“Hell no, it’s not. It’s all you, and he’ll know it when he peels that dress off you.”


Someone’s awfully anxious for me to get it on with this guy. “He’s not peeling jack off me tonight. I’m just going to talk.”


She takes my hands and looks like she’s going to give me some serious advice. I prepare because this isn’t something I would expect from her. “Listen to me, Laurelyn. The best way to get over somebody is to get under someone else.”


Well, her record stands unblemished. She’s yet to blow my mind with deep, philosophical advice. I’m laughing when I hear my cab blow for me. “Cab’s here.”


She hugs me before I leave. “Have a great time. Text if you see you’ll be late so I won’t worry.”


“Yes, Mom.”


It’s uncomfortable, but I look to where Ben is sitting on the couch. He doesn’t make a move to even glance in my direction, so I leave without speaking to him. It’s probably better that way.


It’s a short drive to the hotel and I’m almost hyperventilating by the time I walk up to the hostess. “I’m meeting someone.”


“The name?”


I smile as I say it. “Lachlan.” It’s ridiculous that I feel like I’ve won some sort of battle by knowing his name. Laurelyn, one. Lachlan, zero.


She doesn’t look happy about my arrival. “Oh, yes. He left word he might have a guest joining him. Right this way.” She leads me to a table for two in the same dimly lit corner we occupied last night. As I walk toward him, he looks up from the menu. His gaze follows my body from my feet up to my eyes. He smiles.