Satisfaction: The Collection

by Tori Scott

  He said it jokingly, striking a dramatic pose with his hand over his heart.

  Reggie could only wish he'd meant every word. She pasted a smile on her face and picked up her purse. "Let's go."

  It was still early, so the only places open for shopping were the large discount stores. She'd be willing to bet Sam had never set foot in one before. He confirmed it when he stepped inside and his eyes went wide.

  "Wow. This place is huge. How will we find anything?"

  Reggie took a shopping cart and headed toward the pharmacy. "We'll start on one side and make our way to the other. We can find a lot of what we'll need here. The rest we can get at the mall once it's open."

  They cruised up one aisle and down the next, picking up suntan lotions, toothpaste, and shampoo. Whenever she stopped to compare prices, Sam reminded her he was paying and price didn't matter. She gave up and picked the best brands, pretty sure they were still way below his usual standards. By the time they'd covered most of the store, the basket was nearly full.

  "We're going to need steamer trunks to hold all this stuff. And do you think I really need shorts? I never wear those things unless I'm playing tennis."

  "You've never been on vacation before, remember? People on vacation don't wear suits except maybe for dinner. At least not in my world. It will be hot, which means shorts and T-shirts."

  "In my world, we have air conditioning."

  "So do we, smart ass. But not outside. Now, go try these on."

  He looked around. "Where?"

  She pointed to the dressing rooms. "In there. And hurry. We've already been here over an hour."

  He came out a few minutes later, tugging at the bottom of the shorts in a vain attempt to make them longer. "These are too short."

  No, they weren't. They showed off his muscular legs to perfection. When did he find time to work out between work, the ballet, opera, and fund-raising dinners? "They look great. I think we're done here, so get dressed and we'll go to the mall."

  "Don't I get to see how you look in your shorts?" he asked, waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

  "Nope. You can admire the ones I'm already wearing."

  "I have been."

  "Pervert." She grinned when his eyebrows shot up.

  "Tease." He narrowed his gaze, checking out her legs.

  "Yeah, yeah. You know you love me anyway. Now get back in there and change. We don't have all day."

  CHAPTER THREE

  Reggie stood at the bottom of the gangplank, a sudden case of nerves making her stomach do flip flops. So much had happened in the last two weeks, she was still in shock. Sam had not only paid for her ticket, but he'd paid all her bills for the entire month and sent her a bonus that let her buy everything she needed for the trip with money to spare. And the roses. Oh my God, they were so beautiful.

  She wondered what he was up to.

  Well, she had two weeks to find out, and two weeks to make him realize she was the perfect woman for him. Yeah, right. Beebe, she wasn't. At least now she sported a new pair of acrylic nails to rival the bimbo's and no dirt in sight to mess them up. She would enjoy this while it lasted.

  Sam's hand at her back urged her up the gangplank, and sent shivers down her spine. Did he feel it? Did she affect him at all, or was she just good old Reggie, friend and play mate but never-to-be lover?

  She was nervous about spending two weeks with him. Their times together had been limited to group activities that spanned, at the most, a few hours. Would she find he really was the man he projected to the world, or was she right that there was more to him than he showed? If it turned out he really was Beebe's type, this would be a long two weeks.

  They weren't allowed in their rooms right away, so they lined up to sign up for excursions, then wandered the ship to familiarize themselves with where everything was located. They hadn't seen Cara and Gray since they'd left the airport in separate cabs. She hoped they were already on board.

  "This ship is amazing," Reggie said. "It's like a city, with everything you could want or need."

  "Yeah. It makes me wonder why I've never done this before. I never stopped long enough to think about it, I guess."

  "Sam, I want to thank you for everything. I'll pay you back as soon as I can…"

  He held his hand up. "No. I don't want you to pay me back. There are so many experiences I got to have as a kid because of you and Gray and Cara. I can't repay you for those, but I can do this. It's my treat."

  Reggie nodded. "Okay. But on one condition."

  "And that would be?"

  "That for the next two weeks, you'll put yourself in my hands. I want to teach you how to have fun again. Will you do that?"

  Sam thought for a minute. Reggie was afraid he was going to refuse when he said, "Okay. I think I can handle that."

  ***

  "Oh my goodness!"

  The awe on Reggie's face was worth every string he'd had to pull, every meeting he'd had to reschedule to make this trip happen. If he'd known how good something like this would make him feel, he would have done it years ago.

  Sam ushered her into the suite and crossed the room to open the balcony door. "Come look out here. It's beautiful."

  Reggie joined him outside and leaned so far over the balcony rail that Sam grabbed her waist to keep her from toppling over. She straightened, putting her backside in direct contact with his groin. He stifled a groan and the temptation to pull her in closer. Good Lord, this was Reggie. His best friend. And totally the wrong woman for him.

  He released her and took a quick step back. "Sorry. I thought you were about to fall."

  "I'm not that clumsy, Sam. I just wanted to see what was below me. This is so cool. I could sit out here all day long and just soak in the view." She went back inside to explore the room. "This is amazing. Nicer than any hotel room I've ever seen. I'm not ever going to want to go back to my apartment after this."

  Sam shrugged. "It's not the Ritz, but it's nice."

  "You're the only person I know who could make a statement like that and be totally serious about it. You have stayed at the Ritz, right?"

  "Of course."

  There was a knock at the door and Reggie went to answer it, still shaking her head. Sam couldn't quite figure out why she seemed amused by his answer. He had stayed at the Ritz. Several times, in fact.

  Gray and Cara entered the suite, arms around each others' waists and smiles on their faces. "Isn't this fabulous? We're going to have so much fun!" Cara hugged Reggie, then Sam.

  That was one thing he loved about his friends. They hugged, they laughed until they cried, they got excited over things the people he associated with took for granted. He couldn't imagine Beebe showing this amount of excitement over anything less than a diamond necklace that cost at least a hundred grand. And she would never, ever hug anyone beyond the obligatory air kiss in greeting. His social circle prided themselves on being emotionally detached and in control at all times.

  And now that he thought about it, these three were the only people he could actually call friends. It was a shame he couldn't hang out with them more often.

  Being rich was a bitch.

  ***

  "I have to look absolutely amazing," Reggie told the hairdresser. "I have a man to impress."

  The woman smiled and nodded. "We'll make sure you knock his socks off."

  Reggie grinned. "I'd rather knock his pants off."

  By the time the hairdresser finished, Reggie barely recognized herself. Her hair was soft and silky, piled on top of her head in an artfully designed mass of curls. A comb embedded with sparkling cubic zirconia held the curls in place. Her skin glowed from the facial she'd had earlier, and the makeup artist had worked a miracle on her sun-abused skin.

  Cara took pictures through out the transformation. She'd already been styled and made up and pampered. "You look amazing, Reggie. But you always do, with or without makeup. But the way you look right now? Beebe could only hope to look so good."

  "But will S
am like it? Maybe I went too far? I don't even look like myself right now."

  "Yes, you do," Cara assured her. "You've always been beautiful. This just enhances what you already had. He'll love it."

  Reggie tipped the hairdresser and they strolled back toward her suite. "I'm going to hide out in my room until dinner time," she said. "I don't want Sam to see me until I'm dressed."

  "That sounds like a plan. I think I'll do the same. I don't think Gray has ever seen me all done up like this. Would it be okay if I brought my clothes to your room?"

  "Of course. It will be fun. Just like prom night."

  "Gray and Sam should be finished with their massages soon. I can leave him a note to pick me up at your cabin."

  They stopped by Cara and Gray's suite and picked up her evening clothes, then hurried to Reggie's cabin.

  "I haven't seen your dress yet," Cara said as she hung her evening gown in the closet. "Oh, these are gorgeous! Which one are you wearing?" She pulled the two formals out and laid them on the bed. "Try them on. I want to see."

  Reggie wiggled out of her shorts and T-shirt and slipped into a teal off-the shoulder floor length gown that fit her like a second skin. When she moved, a slit up the side showed off one leg to mid-thigh. With the silver stilettoes she'd bought to wear with it, she'd be almost tall enough to look Sam in the eye.

  Cara sighed. "Oh, it's beautiful. Poor Sam doesn't stand a chance. Okay, let me see the other one, but I think this one has my vote for tonight."

  The other dress was Reggie's second choice, but she loved it almost as much. But it was strapless, and she worried a bit that it might not stay up. Better for later in the cruise, when a wardrobe failure might work as an enticement rather than an embarrassment. It was a white mermaid-style gown with black beading that gave it a dramatic flair.

  "Oh, man. You're going to make this difficult, aren't you? They both look gorgeous. But I still think the teal one for tonight, then the white one for the next formal night. What do you think?"

  Reggie turned from the floor length mirror. "I agree. Tonight I want to stand out. I think the teal one will do that for me." She wanted to be the only woman Sam noticed tonight. The teal color seemed to work especially well with her suntanned skin. And with the slit up the side, her long legs could show to their best advantage.

  She hung the dresses back in the closet and got dressed in her shorts and T-shirt once again. It was amazing what those dresses did for her self-confidence. Maybe that's why Beebe had seemed so self-assured, knowing she was dressed to kill and looking good. Or more likely she was born that way and Reggie could never hope to compete.

  "Am I kidding myself, Cara? Thinking I can overcome a lifetime of training and expectations to get Sam to fall in love with me instead of his idea of the ideal woman? I'm never going to be suave and sophisticated. I'm just me, a tomboy doing a man's job, driving a pickup, getting my hands dirty, with no hope of a trust fund or social standing. Even if I could get him to fall in love with me, I'll never be the kind of woman he thinks he needs. And I'd never be accepted by those people he hangs out with." Reggie felt tears welling in her eyes and blinked them back. She couldn't afford to cry and ruin the carefully applied makeup.

  "Ah, honey. Sam is just confused about his priorities. His mother drilled that perfect wife nonsense into his head from the time he was born. You'll have to show him the error of that type of thinking. It might have been important in her generation, but I think people are more open-minded these days. If any of those people care about Sam, they'd only want him to be happy. They won't care about your ancestry."

  "Maybe. I still think breeding is very important to Sam. Maybe more important than love and happiness. But all I can do is try, right?"

  Cara nodded. "Right." She glanced at her watch. "It's time to get dressed. Whatever the night brings, we'll have fun and feel beautiful."

  By the time Sam knocked on her door, Reggie was a nervous wreck.

  But the look on his face when he saw her was priceless.

  ***

  His mouth went dry, and Sam wasn't sure he hadn't swallowed his tongue. He was afraid to speak, certain he couldn't get an intelligent word past his lips.

  Then Reggie turned and walked away from him.

  The hard on was immediate and most likely obvious. He stepped back out of the doorway and bumped into Gray.

  "What's wrong with you, man?" Gray asked, looking at him like he'd lost his mind.

  Sam cleared his throat. "Uh, nothing. You go first."

  Gray shrugged and walked through the door, Sam close behind him. Reggie and Cara stood with their backs to the balcony door, the setting sun lighting Reggie's hair with a fiery halo. She and Cara had their heads close together, laughing at a private joke. Were they laughing at him? God, he hoped not. He hadn't had such an embarrassing moment since junior high. He just needed a few moments to get his body under control.

  He took a deep breath and looked around the room. The chair. If he stood behind it, they couldn't see his bulging fly. He tried to appear relaxed as he strolled to the chair and gripped the back. He finally felt a little calmer, calm enough to compliment the women on their beauty.

  "You both look lovely tonight." Okay, that came off as lame.

  Gray grinned. "I think you two have robbed Sam of coherent speech." He took Cara into his arms and kissed her. "Are you ready to go wow the peasants, my lady?"

  "Of course, my Prince." Cara picked up her clutch purse, winked at Reggie, and tucked her hand into the curve of Gray's elbow. He dropped a kiss on her forehead and led her from the room.

  Sam gulped. God, he hadn't felt this tongue tied in front of a woman in years. What should he say? The normal inane comments just didn't feel right. This was Reggie. His best friend. His childhood pal. And he was lusting to put his hand on that smooth, tanned back revealed by the dress that was open all the way to the curve of her ass. To feel that silky skin. To slip a finger beneath the material…

  Stop it! Reggie was like a sister to him. Well, okay, not a sister. But a buddy, a pal. You didn't lust after your pals.

  He stood there, not knowing what to say, until he realized she was no longer looking at him, she was glaring at him. Uh-oh. Now he'd pissed her off. He should have said something, lame or not. "Are you ready?" was the best he could come up with.

  Reggie nodded.

  He finally felt in control enough to leave the shelter of the chair. She arched one eyebrow.

  "Is there something wrong, Sam? Is it the dress? I have another one if you don't think this one is suitable."

  "Ah, no. The dress is beautiful. You're, um, you look beautiful. I'm just not used to seeing you like this."

  "Only because you never tried, Sam. I can clean up pretty well when I need to." Reggie picked up her evening bag and tossed a sparkly shawl around her shoulders, hiding that lovely expanse of skin.

  What did she mean by that? That he never tried?

  As they entered the dining room, Reggie slipped the shawl from her shoulders and a man seated at a nearby table choked on his drink. Sam knew exactly how the man felt. A waiter almost collided with a heavy set woman dressed all in black because he was looking at Reggie's ass instead of where he was going.

  Sam wanted to deck him, but he didn't understand why. It never bothered him when Beebe got admiring glances.

  He hurried to pull out Reggie's chair and get her seated so the men would stop staring. His hand brushed against her back as he helped her into her chair. Her skin was smooth and warm and silky. He wanted to touch her again.

  He settled into his own chair instead.

  Gray proposed a toast as soon as they were both seated. He lifted his glass of champagne and said, "To all of us, friends in life and love, may we never again let anything or anyone come between us."

  Reggie's amen was so quiet Sam almost missed it. Had she felt like he had these past couple of years, like his friends had drifted away? Or had he been the one who'd drifted? He'd gotten so caught up in work
and social obligations that he hadn't taken the time to keep in touch. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed them until Gray had asked for his help in getting Cara to spend the night with him on her birthday. Until he'd spent the evening with Reggie at the diner. Until he'd gone bowling with them instead of spending the evening with Beebe.

  Damn, he'd missed this. Missed them. And for some reason, he didn't miss Beebe at all.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Reggie wished she knew what was going through Sam's mind. He'd been acting weird since he first walked into her room. Now he was avoiding looking at her.

  Her self confidence was beginning to fade. She'd thought she looked amazing, had barely been able to tear herself away from the mirror, but Sam didn't seem to notice. Guess she still had too much tomboy in her/ despite the fancy hairdo and makeup, to ever live up to Beebe's standards.

  She didn't know what to do to get his attention. He spent most of dinner talking to Gray, and now they'd gone off together for a few minutes of man-to-man talk.

  Cara scooted over into the chair next to Reggie. "You've totally discombobulated Sam, you know. He doesn't know what to think."

  "What makes you think that? He won't even look at me."

  "Exactly. He's had this image of who you are, and you've blown it wide open. He's attracted to you, and it's freaking him out. Did you see how he looked at that waiter who was staring at your ass?"

  "What waiter?"

  "Never mind the waiter. But I thought Sam was going to go for his throat. You have him hooked, Reggie. Now you just have to reel him in." Cara laughed. "And as good as you are at fishing, I'm betting you can set that hook good and tight."

  Maybe, but Sam wasn't a fish, and Reggie had never been good at catching men. Hence her single state at thirty. Her drive to win any competition had a tendency to put men off. She tried to tone it down, but it never lasted long. Maybe it was a result of growing up with three brothers. As the baby of the family, she'd had to fight to gain her independence, otherwise her brothers would have smothered her with their protectiveness.