Love Thy Neighbor

by Sophie Wintner

  “Are you sure about that?” He raised an eyebrow and dipped his strong chin. “You’re absolutely positive?”

  “I’ve never worn something like this. Like any of these.”

  “Maybe it’s about time you did.” He stepped inside the fitting room. With two fingers he reached over and raised her chin, making her eyes meet his. “Do you think I’d try to make you look foolish? Trust me. I know what I’m doing here. Okay?”

  Something in the way he said that made her nod, though she had no real basis for trusting him. She’d known him for what, about a minute?

  “Just try one of those dresses on,” he said again, moving his fingers from beneath her chin to the side of her face.

  Nikki’s heart about sprang from her chest.

  Ever so slightly, he leaned in like he wanted to kiss her when suddenly Lana knocked on the door. “How are you doing in here?”

  “We’re fine, Lana,” Dallas said.

  Nikki’s pulse raced as she tried to recover from their near kiss. What was that all about? Had she imagined it? He was still looking at her, and she was lusting for him with every fiber of her being.

  “Trust me. Try one of those on,” he said, stepping out of the fitting room, closing the door behind him.

  Reluctantly, Nikki wiggled out of her baggy jeans and blouse before slipping on one of the slinky black numbers. At first she didn’t think it would close, but then she got the zipper up and saw that it hugged every inch of her body. She turned to the left and to the right, placing one hand over her flat stomach and smoothing the other one over her hips. She was sure it looked terrible, but she was just grateful she got the damn thing zipped.

  Timidly she stepped out of the dressing room. “Well? I told you, this isn’t me.”

  Lana’s stern face broke into a smile.

  Dallas stepped to Nikki’s side, twirled her around. “You’re kidding me,” he said. “Look at yourself.” He pointed toward the mirror. “You have to stop hiding that amazing body of yours.”

  “Please don’t make fun of me.”

  “Nikki.” He turned her by the shoulders, making her look him in the eye. “I’m not making fun of you. I’m dead serious. Look at your legs, woman. You’d bring any man to his knees.”

  She wanted to believe that she was attractive and enchanting, but everything inside her sagged. It was like Matthew was standing there in front of her rattling off all her shortcomings: You can’t tell a joke. You can’t carry a tune. You can’t dance. You can’t stick to your diet. You can’t, you can’t, you can’t.

  Dallas placed his hands on her waist and this time turned her toward the mirror. “Look at yourself, Nikki. Just look…”

  Nikki gazed at the length of her body in the mirror. It honestly wasn’t as awful as she thought it would be. Maybe all that running had made a difference, but still, she felt like she’d been stuffed into a sausage casing. And even though she’d managed to fit into that tiny dress, she still felt supersize.

  “Lana, what do have in the way of shoes?”

  Lana pulled out a dozen boxes of stilettos, platforms, and strappy sandals, and when Nikki saw the price on one of the boxes, she almost choked. $675.

  Six dress changes later, the three of them agreed that the second Ted Baker dress was the way to go, along with the Stuart Weitzman pumps. Dallas plunked down an American Express card like it was nothing and when Nikki began to protest, he said, “I wouldn’t be doing this if I didn’t want to.”

  Nikki thanked him, thinking that was the end of their excursion, but after Lana’s boutique, Dallas made another cell call.

  “Hey, babe, yeah it’s me…”

  Babe? Was every woman “babe” to him?

  “Listen, can you squeeze in a last-minute cut? Yes, tonight… I know it’s getting late, babe, but I’ll make it up to you…” He hung up and flexed his index finger motioning her over. “Come with me, Nikki Norris.”

  They headed up to Old Town to a posh condo on Goethe and Wells. Another chic-looking woman with very short auburn hair answered the door. “Come. Come. I haf been vaiting for you.”

  Dallas introduced her to Ivana, who spoke with an accent Nikki couldn’t place. Her apartment was spacious, with a very industrial feel to it. She practically had an entire salon inside.

  “Ivana is the best stylist in all of Chicago.”

  Ivana walked around Nikki, lifting up handfuls of her hair. “You have za lung face,” she said with a nod.

  “I do?” Nikki looked in the mirror. She always thought she had a fat face.

  “And your hairs is dry. You need za deep conditioning treatment. And layers. Lots of za layers.”

  Forty-five minutes later, Nikki could hardly believe it was her in the mirror. Ivana had given her bangs, and when Nikki first protested, Dallas said, “Trust her. She’s the best.” Now Nikki was glad she’d listened. Her hair had swing and bounce, body and shine.

  For the first time in her life she felt beautiful. Really beautiful. She looked over at Dallas, watching her, a grin planted on his handsome face. God, how she wished she knew what he was thinking.

  She knew what she was thinking. She was wondering if that near-kiss back at Lana’s had really happened, or if she’d just imagined it.

  Chapter Eight

  It was Saturday, and Dallas couldn’t stop thinking about Nikki. He was looking forward to taking her out that night and had to stop and remind himself that it wasn’t really a date. He was there to make her ex jealous, and man, was he going to enjoy doing that. He knew from the hard-on he was already sporting that it wasn’t going to take much acting on his part.

  He had suspected all along that she had a great figure, but when Nikki stepped out of that fitting room at Lana’s boutique the other night, she took his breath away. And those legs of hers, they were something else.

  He cranked on the shower and stepped inside, letting the spray beat against his chest and abdomen. He wasn’t quite sure where all this lust for Nikki was coming from, but if it were up to him, they’d skip the wedding altogether. He’d take her in his arms and kiss her with all the hot need and desire burning inside him. Hell, he’d come this close to kissing her in the fitting room at Lana’s. Something about her got to him in a way that no other woman had, and it terrified him.

  He ran his hair under the shower. There wasn’t one inch of her body that didn’t turn him on. Her neck, so long and graceful, so tempting to kiss and caress with his tongue. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair, along her breasts, and up her thighs. He wanted to take her nipples in his mouth and show her what she had going on inside her…

  He reached for the soap and lathered up his body, his hands working down his abs until he reached his cock, rock hard and throbbing. His soaped-up fingers slid easy-like over the head, making him moan. Working his hand up and down his engorged shaft, he thought about Nikki.

  He wanted to please her, make her feel how much of a woman she really was. He wanted to show her how sensitive her breasts were, wanted to help her discover what really got her excited. He worked his hand up and down, faster, harder. He wanted to hear her tell him how she liked to be kissed and stroked, how she wanted to be licked and sucked. He wanted to hear what she sounded like on the edge of climaxing. He wanted to watch her face when she had her first orgasm with him.

  Dallas let out a guttural grunt and lost himself in his own release. As soon as he could think clearly again, he soaped himself, rinsed down, and turned off the shower nozzle. Get a grip, man. That is not what this girl is looking for from you. She’s got one man on her mind and it ain’t you, sport.

  …

  On Saturday, before the wedding, Jenna showed up at Nikki’s wearing a sweatshirt and old ratty jeans. She wasn’t going to the wedding. Instead, she had to shoot a training video that night in a local grocery after the store closed. Jenna waited out in the living room, munching on a bag of cherry Twizzlers while Nikki finished getting dressed.

  “I’m sorry I couldn’
t come over the other night to help you pick out your outfit.”

  “You’ve already apologized and it’s okay,” Nikki called out from her bedroom. “I told you, Dallas went shopping with me and helped me pick out a dress.”

  “I still can’t get over that he did that.”

  “Neither can I.”

  “Are you sure this guy isn’t gay?”

  “Positive.”

  “And you’re sure he’s not into you?”

  “Absolutely positive. We’re friends. And well, now he’s a client. But believe me, there’s nothing else going on there.” Nikki told herself that Dallas was a natural-born flirt. Every woman he knew was babe, and he probably always looked like he was on the verge of kissing all of them. He felt sorry for her and was trying to boost her confidence. That was all. “He’s definitely not interested in me,” she said.

  Nikki ventured out of her bedroom modeling the new outfit. “Tell me the truth, do I look ridiculous?”

  “Holy crap.” Jenna’s mouth dropped open.

  “I know. It’s bad, isn’t it? I look like an idiot.”

  “Are you kidding me? You’re hot. I mean seriously smokin’ hot. Turn around…”

  Nikki turned and showed her the daring back, low-cut and very form-fitting.

  “Jesus Christ, how much weight have you lost?”

  “I don’t know. I threw out my scale.”

  “That’s so sexy.”

  “Do you think Matthew will think so?”

  “I think Matthew’s going to lose his shit when he takes one look at you.” She followed Nikki back into the bedroom and plopped down on the bed. “Does Matthew have any idea you’re showing up with Mr. Gorgeous over there?”

  “No. I called Lori and asked if I could bring a date and she was thrilled. She said absolutely.”

  Jenna pulled another Twizzler from the bag and bit down hard, tugging the licorice free from her back teeth. “This is so awesome. So what’s the plan? What are you gonna do?”

  Nikki stopped for a minute. “I have no idea.” She was going to show up with this walking sex god, but beyond that, she hadn’t a clue. How should she introduce Dallas to her friends? What if someone asked how they’d met, or how long they’d been going out? She hadn’t thought about any of that, because she was so fixated on what Matthew would do when he saw her.

  She’d anticipated every possible scenario. It was like a movie she’d been playing over in her mind. In one scene Matthew asked her to dance, and as he held her in his arms he leaned in and whispered, “You’re beautiful.” In another scene he cornered her in the hallway, confessed how much he missed her, and said, “Can we ditch our dates and go home together?” Each fantasy was built on the one before, and all of them ended with her back in Matthew’s arms, and him declaring his love, wanting to give their relationship another shot.

  “I’d like to be a fly on the wall tonight,” Jenna said.

  “I wish you were going to be there.”

  “Yeah, instead, I’ll be in aisle three.”

  “Aren’t you going to roast in that sweatshirt?” Nikki asked, suddenly noticing how her friend was dressed. “It’s the middle of summer and you look like you’re dressed for a snowstorm.”

  “You ever spend a night in a grocery store? They’re frickin’ freezing. Even the produce section. I’ve got gloves and a hat out in the car.” She grabbed another piece of licorice and pushed off the side of the bed. “I gotta head out.” She gave Nikki a hug. “Have fun tonight, Cinderella. And I want a full report first thing tomorrow morning.”

  After she left, Nikki finished getting dressed. She dabbed on Matthew’s favorite perfume, the Bvulgari he’d given her for Valentine’s Day the year before. She adjusted her earrings, added her blusher and an extra coat of mascara. She puckered her lips and rolled on a thin sheer layer of glistening color.

  When Dallas knocked, she said, “You better not laugh at—” She opened the door and nearly lost her breath. “Dallas.” That was all she could manage to say.

  “Look at you,” he said, smiling. “Nikki Norris, you are so beautiful.”

  “Me? Look at you.” She thought he looked amazing before, but that was nothing compared to the man standing in her doorway. Dark suit, black shirt, and a gorgeous tie. His hair looked perfectly windblown. I can’t do this. I can’t walk into the wedding with this man. It’s going to crush Matthew. “I’m not sure this is such a great idea,” she said.

  “And why is that?”

  “It’s so over the top. I mean, you look like a model. No one’s going to believe you’re really my date. They’re going to think I paid for you or something.”

  “So you’re saying I look like a gigolo?”

  “God, no.” She laughed, shaking her head. “Absolutely not. It’s just that you’re too perfect.”

  “Hardly perfect.” He grinned.

  “I’m serious. No one is going to believe you’re my date.”

  He took a couple of steps closer, the scent of his shaving soap filling her scenes. “Hey, have you looked in the mirror lately? You are a stunning woman. I’m lucky to have you on my arm tonight.”

  She ran a finger along her brow. “I—I guess I’m scared to see Matthew with another woman.”

  “Would you rather not go?” he asked.

  It was tempting, but she sighed. “I can’t not go. I can’t do that to my friends. Not at the last minute like this.”

  “Well, your ex is going to kick himself when he sees you. I’m telling you, he’s gonna die a little when you walk in.”

  “And see, I think he’s gonna die a lot when he sees me walking in with you.”

  “Would you rather that I didn’t go with you?”

  Surprisingly enough, he almost sounded hurt that she wouldn’t want to go with him. The thought of attending that wedding alone was terrifying. She grabbed hold of his lapel and looked up into his intense, dark eyes. “No, I need you with me tonight. I’m sorry. I’m scared. It’s so weird. I mean the four of us—me and Matthew, Lori and Ned—used to do everything together. We all went to Italy last fall. Matthew and I even bought their wedding present together. And I haven’t been to a party or a celebration like this without him in five years.”

  Dallas held out his arm. “Well, you’re with me now. At least for tonight. Let’s show ’em what you’ve got.”

  When they arrived at the wedding, Nikki swore more people turned around to admire her date than the bride.

  “Quit looking around for him,” Dallas said when they sat down. “He’ll see you. Don’t worry. He won’t be able to take his eyes off you, trust me.”

  As he said that, Nikki saw Matthew coming inside the church with a petite blonde trailing behind him, sidestepping their way into the pew. Nikki couldn’t get a good look at her face. She had pretty hair the color of honey, but wore a ridiculous butterfly hairclip more befitting a six-year-old. Her beaded clutch looked like something out of Hello Kitty. But bad hairclip and clutch aside, Blondie did have the kind of slim, athletic figure Matthew had always liked. Why he’d ever been attracted to Nikki in the first place had always been a mystery to her.

  Nikki’s heart sank. She was doomed. She kept waiting for Matthew to turn around and scan the room looking for her, but he never did. He kept leaning in toward the blonde, smiling and nodding when she whispered something. Nikki’s stomach ached like she’d swallowed a brick.

  When the bride made her way down the aisle, Nikki’s eyes welled up, as she was thinking that she was supposed to be a bride, too. She and Lori had even shopped for wedding gowns together. Nikki’s was still hanging at the dressmaker’s. She couldn’t bring herself to go claim it. What would she do with it now? Stuff it in the back of her closet? Sell it on eBay? No, she never wanted to see that dress again.

  After the ceremony, when they entered the reception hall, once again Nikki was aware of everyone’s eyes on her date. She could almost read the thought bubbles above their heads: How did she get a man like that?
r />   “You okay?” Dallas cocked his perfect head and looked at her. “You need a drink?”

  “Oh yeah. Definitely.”

  “Coming right up.”

  While Dallas worked his way over to the bar, Matthew and Blondie walked into the ballroom. What the fuck? Are they holding hands? Nikki almost choked. She squinted, looking closer this time. Fingers laced together, Blondie’s free hand possessively on Matthew’s arm. Oh, shit. They are holding hands.

  Matthew did a double take when he saw Nikki watching him and guiltily dropped Blondie’s hand. Nikki smiled in spite of the stabbing pain in her heart. She held her breath when he excused himself from his date and made his way over to her.

  “Nikki.” That was all he said. She waited for something more but he seemed tongue-tied. “You look like you finally lost some of that weight.”

  Nikki stared at him, speechless. Of all the things he could have said, that’s what he chose to lead with. What an idiotic thing to say. Or maybe he was nervous? She decided to give him the benefit of the doubt.

  He tilted his head, scrutinizing her face. “Did you do something different to your hair, too?”

  She reached up and fluttered her bangs. “I got it cut. Do you like it?”

  “Sure. Yeah.” He glanced back at his date, then stared into his wineglass. “So, um, you doing okay? You know.” He sort of gestured with a nod in Blondie’s direction.

  “I’m fine,” she said, fighting to hold on to her composure. “You already told me you’d be here with her.” Nikki sneaked another look at Blondie, who was definitely keeping tabs on the two of them. “She’s young,” Nikki observed.

  “Not really.”

  “What is she, twenty-four? Twenty-five?”

  Mathew sheepishly lowered his head and raised his eyebrows. “Twenty-two.”

  Nikki blew out a sigh. This evening wasn’t going the way she’d expected.

  “Well, I should get back to her. I don’t want to be rude.”

  “Oh, heavens no. We wouldn’t want you to be rude to your date.”