by Lexi Ryan
“Hey, grumpy,” she said when they reached the bottom of the stairs. She tugged on his shoulder until he turned to face her. “Anything I can do to improve your mood this morning?”
“I can think of a few things.” He couldn’t help himself. He let his gaze travel slowly down her body, lingering at her curves. His gaze traveled so slowly back to her face, he had enough time to picture every inch of her bare, exposed, ready for him. It was an image that was half fantasy and half memory.
When he returned his eyes to her face, a deep red blush stained her cheeks. “Ben!” She landed a soft punch to his solar plexus.
Ben lifted a shoulder in a half shrug. “You asked.”
“When was the last time you got laid?”
He knew down to the day, but he wasn’t about to share the truth with Reese—not when the date was just as significant in her life. “A few months.”
“Well, you need to do something about that.”
“You volunteering?”
CHAPTER FIVE
“Spill,” Masey demanded an hour after Reese had finished her workout.
The Coffee Spot hummed with activity. Classic rock played lightly overhead and caffeine addicts milled around the counter, casting evil glances toward anyone who dared get between them and their next fix.
Reese did her best to look innocent. “Spill what?”
“Yesterday you said you’d made out with Ben. I want details.”
“I said he came to my apartment to kiss me.”
“Spill.”
“I’d rather not.”
Reese frowned at the sealed envelope she’d pulled from the depths of her purse. The bootcamp wasn’t anything like what she’d expected. There’d been no makeover, no tips on how sway her hips when she walked, not even a lesson on perfecting her blow job. Instead the whole day had been an exercise in introspection, reflection, and self-evaluation.
Reese had actually…enjoyed it. Everything except the moment at the beginning when she exposed her secret history with Ben.
“Was this recent?” Masey asked. “Like since you broke up with Lance?”
That jolted Reese out of her reverie. “No! No, it was…” She smudged a drip of coffee with her thumb. “It was before he and I became friends.”
Masey leaned back in her chair and studied Reese. “Well, well, well. And here I thought the second you two gave in and touched each other, the rest would be history.”
“What? Why would you think that?” Damn. She hated this. Learning to give a porn-star-caliber blow job wouldn’t have sucked this much.
“Reese, everyone can see—”
“We’re. Just. Friends.” She ground the words out through her teeth, then forced herself to relax her shoulders. “That’s all.”
Masey nodded, but Reese got the impression she was humoring her more than believing her.
“Listen.” Reese took a deep breath. “I’m not stupid. I know everyone thinks we’re together or going to get together, but it’s not like that.” She swallowed the lump in her throat and shrugged. “I tried. He didn’t want me.”
The sympathy on Masey’s face was enough to make Reese want to run away.
“We decided the only way to salvage our friendship was to agree that neither of us would ask for more than friendship from the other.” She forced a smile, but the memory was anything but happy. “The rest is history.”
“I’m sorry, Reese,” Masey said. “I had no idea, but I just don’t understand. You said, he came to your apartment because—”
Her coffee sloshed and she winced. “I don’t like to talk about it.”
“Okay. Is there a reason you haven’t opened that yet?” Masey pointed to the envelope in Reese’s hands.
“Chicken?”
“Pretty much.” Reese tapped the envelope on the table, grateful to escape the interrogation about her and Ben’s past. “Step one is the same for everyone, right? It can’t be that bad.”
“Open it.”
Reese handed it to Masey. “You do it.”
Masey didn’t hesitate. She tore into it and withdrew the letter inside. “Step one,” she read, “Say it out loud.”
“IamaSexGoddess,” Reese said just loud enough for Masey to hear. “Now, what did she mean by giving me instructions for getting the next step?”
Masey laughed, a big, contagious sound that filled a room and made anyone with an ounce of heart smile. “You’re not getting off that easy. There’s more.” She handed the note to Reese.
Step One: Say it out loud. Declare your intent to the Universe!
Dear Reese,
I am so pleased that you’re choosing to embark on this journey with me.
“More like she conned me into it,” Reese grumbled, but she couldn’t be too sour about it. The woman was giving her a fantastic job, after all.
I know you’re scared, and right now you may not even believe in my program.
She looked up. “That’s not true. I totally believe she can transform me in ten steps.”
Masey crossed her arms, doubt compressing her features. “You do?”
“Yes! I also believe in that an obese geriatric can fit down a chimney, leave the exact kind, type, and number of gifts the child’s family can afford, and fly his reindeer off the roof all without making a sound.”
Masey’s lip twitched. “Just read the letter.”
Belief will come with time. With each step you’ll see changes in yourself that will motivate you to continue.
Write me a letter describing the Sex Goddess version of Reese. Spend some time fantasizing first, then write it down.
“Damn,” Reese muttered. She looked at Masey. “I’m dead, aren’t I? I’m dead and in Hell for having impure thoughts about the Hawk brothers.”
Masey wriggled her brows. “Brothers, plural? So you admit it?”
Reese’s cheeks burned but she smiled. “Look at them. Who hasn’t?”
“No one with working mommy parts, I’ll grant you that.”
Reese sighed. “I don’t know what I’ve gotten myself into, Mase.”
“Buck up, soldier. You can do this.”
“Right.” Reese took a sip of her caramel latte. She’d expected Sex Goddess 101 to put women on strict no-carb diets and exercise regimens, but Halie had made it very clear during yesterday’s bootcamp that their goals shouldn’t include weight loss.
“Aren’t you excited?” Masey asked.
“Oh, Masey, always the optimist. I’m mortified. This is exactly the kind of thing a girl like me avoids.”
“What do you mean a girl like you?”
Reese waved away the question. “I should get going. Need to make a good impression on my first day. Maybe if I’m an awesome employee, she’ll keep me when I am a miserable failure at her program.”
“Come on, it’s only ten steps,” Masey said. “And you’re half sex goddess already.”
“Ten steps,” Reese repeated. “How hard could it be?”
***
“It’s not an easy program,” the leggy blonde told Ben. Holly? Hadley?—hell if he could remember the name of the woman who had showed up to his worksite unannounced.
Ben’s crew dragged another set of ancient cabinets out of the house, slowing when they spotted the platinum blonde. He couldn’t blame them. The woman was sex on ice. A serious face on a body poured into a slinky black dress and a pair of fancy heels.
Her polished appearance contrasted sharply with the project site where four of Ben’s guys were tearing out the kitchen of a suburban Cape Cod and preparing to install a new one. Solid honey oak cabinetry, hardwood floors, dark granite counters—the finished product would be a showplace featuring the custom high-end finishings he wanted Hawk Construction to be known for.
“I’m sorry—Hadley, was it?”
“Halie,” she corrected. “As in Sex Goddess, Inc. CEO.”
He was probably supposed to be impressed. “Why are you telling me?”
He understood Reese needed t
o go through the motions of the Slut Hotness program for her job, but he’d be damned if he was going to be a part of some makeover program that made her feel like she needed to dress in revealing clothes and sleep around. The program may be hotter than the latest iPhone, but Reese didn’t need it.
Halie narrowed her eyes and studied him. Feeling less like a stud in a work belt and more like a bug under a magnifying glass, Ben resisted the urge to squirm.
“Tricia tells me that you’re Reese’s best friend,” she said.
“Sure.” He shoved his hands into his pockets and rocked back on his heels. That label, best friend, pissed him off a little this morning. Sure, he cared about Reese, spent time with her, would do most anything for her. But he was also a man, and he was getting a little irritated with Reese forgetting that.
“She’ll need your help to get through the program,” Halie said. “As I was saying, it’s more difficult than people anticipate. I really push my clients outside of their comfort zones.”
His phone buzzed and a glance at the screen told him one of his subcontractors was on the line. So as not to appear rude, he sent the call to voicemail. He really needed to get back to work if he was going to keep this job on schedule. “What do you want me to do?”
“When will you see her again?”
He lifted a shoulder. “We usually meet at Luke’s place for drinks on Thursdays.”
“That will be perfect.” She pulled an envelope from her purse and handed it to him. “Give her this when you see her.”
He took it and raised a brow. This was what she’d interrupted him at work for? He turned the envelope over in his hand. “Listen, I appreciate you giving Reese a job, but I don’t want anything to do with this.”
Halie set her jaw. “Be honest. Reese is more than a friend to you.”
Ben flinched. “Excuse me?”
“It’s in your eyes when you talk about her.” She smiled. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of. You want her. Stop fighting it.”
“You’re mistaken.”
“Do you really think she’s on the path that is best for Reese?” Halie asked. He was about to suggest that Halie didn’t know shit about Reese and should quit making assumptions when Halie said, “She’s entering into a vulnerable time, a sexual awakening. Do you really want to see her fall into an affair with the wrong man?”
Hand extended to return her letter, he froze. Coffee churned in his stomach at the words—his deepest worry uttered aloud. He studied Halie and tucked the envelope into his pocket.
Halie was studying the house. “You’re renovating that place?”
“Yeah. We’re gutting it, giving it an open floor plan, a custom kitchen and some gorgeous built-ins.” It was a small place, but it was the caliber of job he wanted Hawk Construction to be known for.
“Ever do anything bigger?”
“In my former life.” He grinned. “I used to manage a crew for Whittingman Homes. I wanted the experience before I took Hawk Construction over from my father.”
Halie whistled. “Fancy. But has this company ever handled something bigger?”
Not even close. “What do you have in mind?”
“Ever hear of McCormack Manor? Just outside the city?”
Hell, who hadn’t? “Sure. That yours?”
“My grandpa left it to me when he passed, and I’m thinking of remodeling and moving in there after my fiancé and I marry. We’re interviewing contractors now. Maybe I’ll have you take a look.” Her eyes looked far-away when she spoke of it—not the hard edged man-eater she came off as when she talked about her program.
“I’d love to.” He did his best to keep his cool as he handed her a business card. This was exactly the opportunity his company needed.
“I’ll be in touch,” Halie said, turning toward her car.
“I’ll give her your letter,” he called after her. “I’ll help her if I can, but I’m not going to seduce my best friend just so she can complete your program.”
Halie turned and raised a brow. “Who said anything about seducing her, Mr. Hawk?”
***
“Reese! It’s so good to have you in the office!”
Reese looked up from a pile of HR forms to find her new boss wrapping her in a hug. “Thank you,” she said. “I’m glad to be here.” Glad and feeling a little guilty about all the benefits that came with working for Halie’s successful empire.
Halie looked around the office. “It’s not huge, but I hope this space has everything you need.”
“It does,” Reese said. This was the first time in her life that she’d had her own office, and she even had a window. “Hopefully I’ll be done with this paperwork by lunch and I can get started on our New Year’s Eve event.”
“Oh, about that.” Halie lowered herself into a chair on the other side of Reese’s desk and crossed her long legs. “I’d like something sooner. Let’s do a Halloween masquerade ball and something else for New Year’s. Don’t you think that would be fun?”
Fun? Sure. Impossible would also be an appropriate word choice. “Yeah, I can see why that would be fun, but we have to find a venue, find a caterer, market the event. Maybe next year—”
Halie pushed up from the chair. “No, this year. I need to see you work your magic.”
“By having so little lead time, we’re—”
“You can do it, Reese. Stop underestimating yourself.” She headed toward the door, then stopped. “Oh, and I want to start a Sex Goddess for Seniors program, so start looking into some promotional opportunities for that as well. We’ll meet tomorrow and discuss your ideas.”
Reese could only stare at Halie’s back as the woman swept out of the room. Suddenly, she felt no guilt about the perks that came with being an SGI employee. She was going to earn every penny.
CHAPTER SIX
“What are you writing?”
Reese slammed her notebook closed and bit her lip. The PitStop was picking up with the Thirsty Thursday crowd and Reese had been so engrossed in her SG 101 homework she hadn’t even noticed.
Ben looked down at her, his green eyes crinkled with concern. The man was masculinity personified with his thick five o’clock shadow and steel-toed boots.
Been there, rejected by that, she reminded herself.
He cocked his head to the side. “What’s different? Did you cut your hair?”
Her hand instinctively went to her hair. The no-ponytail rule seemed simple on Sunday, but the reality of her wavy hair in Chicago humidity made her wish Halie had cited more exceptions.
“It looks nice.” He reached for her notebook again, his work-roughened fingers brushing the backs of her hands. “Come on, what’s in the book?”
“Nothing, just...” Just writing down miscellaneous sexual fantasies.
At the beginning of the week, Reese had sent Halie an email with her description of Reese the Sex Goddess. She’d made it as far-fetched as possible so Halie would let her move to the next step. The sooner she could get through this, the better. Two minutes after she’d clicked send, Halie had burst into her office.
“You’re good with words.” She’d rubbed her hands together, eyes bright. “I think this is going to be key for you. I’d like you to keep a notebook and write down any and all stray fantasies you have.”
Reese should have known better than to laugh. Halie hadn’t scolded her but had said, “I can’t name names, but this worked for a former client—a certain actress who may or may not be known for her excellent lips and her many adopted children. I didn’t think she’d make it through the program. So insecure. So unaware of her sexual power. This exercise...well, most women fantasize more than they realize. Writing it down makes you slow down and enjoy it. It’s a perfect step two for you.”
So, Reese had started creating lame little fantasies and jotting them down in hopes of convincing Halie that she was the kind of woman who saw a copy machine and imagined a hot office romp and not an efficient way to duplicate expense reports.
She
was totally faking it. But who knew faking it could be so much fun?
Her last entry had been a rather elaborate fantasy about Mark Hawk and some creative use of his soundboard. And if she’d made herself write it only after having a graphic fantasy about the other brother? Well, there was no harm in correcting an errant thought. What counted was that she was correcting the thoughts to begin with. She wasn’t going to be the girl mooning over her best friend like she had been in those days before Lance.
Ben arched a brow. “What’s in there?”
“Forget it.” She bit her lip. “Sit down. I need to tell you something.”
He pulled out a chair. “Sounds serious,” he said, taking a seat.
“It kind of is.”
“More slut fantasies?”
“Sort of.”
He reached across the table again. She smacked his hand before he reached her book. “What the heck?”
“This is my private journal,” she said, clutching it to her chest.
Ben rolled his eyes. “Damn, what are you writing in there? Dirty stories?”
“What if I am?”
“Then I want to read them.”
She groaned.
Ben grinned.
“Do you remember what Lance said about our relationship?”
Ben’s smile fell away. “You’re not getting back together with him, are you?”
She shuddered. “No. Of course not.”
“Okay. Then why are we talking about him?”
She bit her lip. “Listen, I know he was a jerk, but he wasn’t an idiot.”
“We’re all entitled to our opinion,” Ben grumbled.
“He said the way you flirt with me was what kept him from asking me out for so long. He thought I was…yours.”
“In that case, I’m sorry I didn’t flirt with you more.”
Dropping her gaze to her beer, she took a breath. “He said our body language is inappropriate. It gives people the impression we’re a couple.”
