by Mia Ford
“What? What’s wrong?” Angela came rushing in before I could stop her. “June, what happened?”
“Nothing,” I said. I couldn’t suppress my smile any longer. “It’s perfect.”
Angela grinned. “I told you,” she said.
I couldn’t tear my eyes away from my reflection in the mirror, even though I knew that was vain. The green silk perfectly set off my green eyes, pale skin, and black hair. I didn’t look like June Rogers anymore – I looked like a real woman, someone confident and sexy. The dress wasn’t overly complicated – just a simple, sleeveless A-line. But it made my waist look nipped in and the skirt billowed around my legs, making them look shapely and much smaller than I was used to seeing.
The kind of woman who would be perfect for Mr. Thomas March.
“You’d really let me borrow this?”
“Oh, my god, yes,” Angela said.
I cocked my head to the side. “This had to be expensive,” I said, fingering the folds of the skirt as it swished around my hips. Somehow, the silk had a sensual feel that made me feel…sexy.
“I don’t care, I know you’ll take care of it,” Angela said. “Besides, you’re my best friend. I want you to succeed.”
I threw my arms around Angela and hugged her tightly.
“You’re the best,” I said softly. “And I won’t forget it.”
Angela grinned. “I know,” she said.
We burst out laughing. At least I could always take comfort in her. No matter what happened with Thomas, I’d still have my best friend.
Chapter Six
June
Friday seemed to take forever. After school, I rushed home and gave myself a quick manicure and pedicure, in pale pink, my favorite color. Angela had taken the dress to the dry-cleaners, and it was hanging on the back of my door.
I nervously killed two hours watching reruns of television, barely even paying any attention. The second the clock hit seven, I wriggled into Angela’s dress, then applied two coats of mascara, lipstick, and a little blush. When I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t believe the girl I saw.
I just hoped Thomas would like her, too.
At twenty-five past, I spritzed on some perfume, grabbed my clutch, and shoved my feet into a pair of Angela’s black patent platform pumps. Her feet were slightly bigger than mine and for a moment, I wobbled nervously as I walked into the foyer of our apartment. I’ve got this, I thought, trying to stay positive. I can do this.
As I walked outside, my heart was pounding like a nervous drum. I bit my lip and glanced up and down the block, looking for any sign of Thomas.
I didn’t have to wait long. At seven-thirty on the dot, a silver Porsche cruised by the building and braked hard. Seconds later, Thomas climbed out from behind the driver’s seat and beamed at me. He was so handsome that it almost hurt to look. His silvery hair was pushed back and he was clad in a black button-down shirt and black slacks.
“Hi,” I said, blushing furiously and biting my lip.
“Hey yourself,” Thomas said. He winked at me. “You look stunning. I’ve never seen that before. New?”
My blush deepened and I was glad it was twilight.
“I borrowed it from my roommate,” I confessed with a small laugh. “I don’t really need stuff like this for school.”
Thomas laughed – it was a nice, deep sound – and grinned. “No, I guess not,” he said. “But damn. Your kids would really pay attention if you did.”
My cheeks hurt from smiling as I walked carefully to the car, making sure not to wobble too much in my borrowed heels. Thomas opened the passenger door and held it open for me, carefully tucking the silk of my skirt inside before closing it. When his skin brushed against mine, I shivered.
“So, I thought we’d go to Daniel,” Thomas said.
I giggled nervously. “I have to admit, I’ve never heard of that place.”
“You’ll love it,” Thomas said confidently. “It’s French, and very new.”
Oh, no, I thought nervously. I don’t know how to read French!
“Don’t worry, everything is fantastic,” Thomas said. He steered the Porsche smoothly down the street. Being there, in the car with him, I could barely remember to breathe. In Angela’s silk dress, I slid sensually against the black leather seat. It was all too much to take in. The sound of Thomas’s voice made me shiver every time he spoke.
“I’m really glad you asked me out,” I said softly, taking a nervous gulp. “I…I don’t really date much.”
Thomas chuckled. He reached across and briefly rested his hand on my bare knee before shifting the car into a different gear.
“I’m glad you said yes,” he said, his voice booming through my chest. “I’ve been wanting to ask you out ever since we first met.”
I licked my lips. By the time Thomas took his hand away from my knee, I was trembling with excitement.
“Are you okay?” Thomas eyed me. “Are you always this quiet?”
“No! I mean, yes,” I babbled, blushing deeply. “I mean, sorry. No. I’m just nervous.” I glanced down at my hands twisted tightly in my lap. “Like I said, I don’t really date much.”
“I don’t mind,” Thomas said. Now his voice was lighter, teasing.
“Good.” I gulped again.
“June, are you nervous being with me?” Thomas glanced at me, raising an eyebrow.
Yes, I thought quickly.
“Um,” was all I could say.
“Don’t be nervous,” Thomas said. He smiled. “I promise, I’m not some big bad wolf.”
No, I thought. You’re just gorgeous and rich and sexy and I can’t believe you’d want anything to do with a little nerd like me.
“I am, a little,” I said quietly. I glanced out the window and watched the shops and restaurants whizzing by. The warm, leathery Porsche felt like a different world, somehow like I was seeing everything in Manhattan for the first time.
“Would it help if I said that I’m nervous, too?”
“What?” I narrowed my eyes and whirled around in the seat. “Why?”
Thomas laughed. “Because I haven’t dated in a long time,” he said. “Probably fifteen years or so.”
I blinked. “You…you haven’t dated since the divorce?”
“No,” Thomas said. He swallowed. “I didn’t want to jump back in right away, you know,” he said. “The divorce was such a headache, it took all of my energy. I didn’t think that would be very fair.”
“I see.”
“And besides, it’s not going to be easy for Brett,” Thomas added in a low voice. He pulled the car over to a little area marked ‘valet.’ I blinked – the outside of Daniel was as beautiful as a luxury hotel.
“I know,” I said quietly. “He…he hasn’t been taking this well.”
“No,” Thomas said dryly. “And I’d want to ease him into the idea that I’m seeing someone.”
“Especially his teacher,” I added in a quiet voice.
Thomas laughed. “June, don’t worry about it,” he said. “This is just a first date. I’ll handle Brett, okay?”
I nodded.
A tuxedoed valet swooped down and pulled open the passenger door. I was careful to keep my knees together as I climbed out of Thomas’s fancy Porsche. Once I was on the ground, I wobbled once again and almost fell but steadied myself with a hand against the car.
“These are my roommate’s, too,” I said, giving a guilty glance down to my heels.
Thomas laughed. “I’d like to see your closet,” he said. “But I have to admit, that dress is perfect for you.” He reached out and swept my black hair across the nape of my neck. The slightest touch of his fingers made the hair on the back of my neck stand up and I shivered.
“Thank you,” I said softly. “That means a lot.”
Thomas grinned. He offered me his arm and after a moment, I accepted.
“Wouldn’t want you tumbling down,” he said with a smirk.
I blushed as Thomas led me inside. The insid
e of Daniel was breathtakingly beautiful, with elegant marble and gold fixtures everywhere I looked. The plush red carpet under my heels felt like walking on a lush bed of grass, and the ceilings were so high that I felt tiny, like a dwarf.
“Like it?” Thomas gave me a bemused smirk.
“I love it,” I said, craning my neck and glancing all around. “This is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen!”
Thomas nodded. “I love it, too,” he said. “I hosted a business dinner here last month and everyone agreed that it was phenomenal. I hope you like escargot,” he added with a smirk.
I blushed. “I don’t know what that is,” I said quietly.
Thomas gave me a wicked grin. “We’ll order some and let you decide for yourself,” he said.
A beautiful brunette hostess gave Thomas a warm smile. When she saw me, it faded a little. She was poured into a tight black dress – much like the one I’d rejected from Angela – and as she led us to our table, I couldn’t help but notice that she was salaciously swinging her hips from one side to the other.
I had to bite the inside of my mouth so I wouldn’t roll my eyes. Thomas was so gorgeous that I knew he was probably used to this kind of attention, but that didn’t mean that I didn’t find it rude.
After we were seated, the brunette turned to Thomas and gave him a megawatt grin.
“Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“No, thank you,” Thomas said. His voice was polite but his eyes were firmly fixed on me. I blushed hotly.
The hostess’s smile faded. “Of course,” she said. Then she turned on her heel and sashayed away, showing off her perfectly heart-shaped butt.
“She was pretty,” I said quietly once the hostess had left.
“I didn’t notice,” Thomas said. He winked at me. “I’m here with you, remember?”
I blushed.
We hadn’t been seated for more than two minutes when another very attractive woman came up to the table and smiled.
“Hello, my name is Katharine and I’ll be your server tonight,” she said with a smile. I frowned when I realized her whole body was turned to face Thomas. It wasn’t like she didn’t even realize I was there.
“We’d like to start with a bottle of the ’93 pinot noir,” Thomas said smoothly. He turned to me. “June, do you like red wine?”
I nodded. Katharine turned, too. When she saw me, she smiled.
“It’s so nice that you’re taking your daughter out to dinner,” Katharine cooed to Thomas. “I can’t tell you how much I love seeing that.”
My cheeks were burning red and tears sprang to me eyes. Thankfully, Thomas laughed politely and shook his head.
“June is my date for the evening,” he said. “She isn’t my daughter.”
Katharine’s smile vanished. She glared at me, almost as if she were angry that Thomas wasn’t single.
“Oh,” she said shortly. “I’ll be right back with your wine.”
After she left, Thomas laughed. When he saw that I wasn’t smiling, he reached across the table and put his hand on my shoulder.
“June, relax,” Thomas said. He chuckled. “That was kind of funny, wasn’t it?”
“I guess,” I said sourly. “She’s jealous,” I added. I swallowed a lump in my throat. “It’s like she can’t believe you’re with me.”
“Well, I can hardly believe it myself,” Thomas said. He winked at me and I felt my frown melt off my face. “You’re the most beautiful woman in the room. I’m sure she’s just insecure, and she wanted to make you feel bad.”
“Stiff her on the tip,” I said dryly, winking at Thomas.
Thomas burst out laughing. “I should, shouldn’t I?” He snickered. “This menu is incredible,” he added smoothly, switching gears in less than a second. “What looks good to you?”
I glanced down. “I don’t know,” I confessed. “It’s all in French.”
“The lamb is fantastic, as is the hangar steak,” Thomas explained. “Do you like seafood?”
“Sometimes,” I said. I wrinkled my nose. “Not when it’s too fishy,” I added. “I only like it when it’s with a cream-based sauce.”
Thomas laughed. “You’re in luck,” he said. “That just about describes everything on the menu.”
We fell silent as Thomas perused his leather-bound menu. I glanced down at mine. The foreign words and accents intimidated me. The only thing I recognized was the word “entrée.”
“What’s chicken cordon bleu,” I asked, forming my lips around the strange words.
Thomas chuckled. “It’s a chicken dish with ham, cheese, and a creamy sauce,” he said. “It’s good, but very rich. Would you like me to order that for you?”
“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Just get whatever you think is best.” I closed my menu. “I’m hungry, but this all sounds really good to me.”
Thomas nodded. “If that’s what you’d like, then that’s what I’ll do,” he said.
Katharine returned with the wine. She barely acknowledged me as she poured Thomas a taste. I watched, fascinated, as he swirled the glass around in his hand, releasing fragrant aromas into the air. As he sipped, he closed his eyes and relaxed his sensual, leonine features. I blushed hotly – it was somehow sexual, watching Thomas drink.
I wondered if that was the face he made when he came.
“Yes, this is perfect,” Thomas said after a long pause. “June, I think you’ll love this.”
Katharine turned to me with a sickly sweet smile on her face. “Ma’am, may I see some ID please?”
“Sure.” I pulled my wallet out of my clutch and handed over my driver’s license. Katharine stared at it longer than necessary, squinting hard at the date.
“Come on,” Thomas said. “She’s twenty-two.”
Katharine flashed him a big, fake smile. My stomach curdled as I heard her speak.
“Yes, sir, I’m sure – it’s just our policy to card anyone who looks underage.”
She handed my license back to me and flounced away.
“She forgot to fill my glass,” I said miserably.
“June, don’t let this bother you, please,” Thomas said. He chuckled. For a second, he almost looked nervous himself.
I swallowed. “I’m sorry.” I stuck my license back in my wallet and tucked my clutch away. “It just bothers me.”
Thomas sighed. “I know,” he said. “Look, it bothers me, too. But I don’t want it to ruin our evening.” He leaned closer and touched my hand, sending a thrilling warmth through my body. “Besides,” Thomas added with a wry smile. “As much as I hate to admit it, if we keep seeing each other, this kind of thing will happen.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I hope not,” I replied. “I mean, I hope that it doesn’t keep happening.” I covered my mouth with both hands. “Not that I hope we don’t keep seeing each other.”
Thomas laughed. “June, relax,” he said. He poured me a huge glass of wine and passed it over. “Drink this. It’s good, you’ll like it.”
