Try Me On for Size

by Stephanie Haefner

She shook her head. “No clue.”

  Against his body’s wishes, he stood and went to the kitchen. Yep, nice and chilled on the shelf next to a half gallon of orange juice. He picked it up. Four missed calls and five texts, most of which were from Alexiana.

  Call me Ollie.

  I need you. Please call.

  Where are you? Call me asap.

  You have to help me.

  You owe me.

  What the hell did she want? Whatever it was, he had no interest in helping her. He owed her nothing.

  But one call and voicemail were from his secretary. After skipping over Alexiana’s whiney voice, he listened.

  “Mr. Christensen, sir, you were supposed to be in over an hour ago. Mr. Goldman has already been by once, asking for you. I told him you had some private things to tend to. Are you coming in? What should I tell him if he comes back?”

  Poor Paula. She hated dealing with the big boss. He called her and told her he was sick and wouldn’t be coming in.

  By the time he’d hung up, Mia was off the couch and stretching, the hem of her fitted tee rising to show a bit of her stomach. He salivated, a tingle in his groin, wishing he could run his tongue across her skin.

  “I’m gonna jump in the shower quick, okay?” she said.

  Only if I can come, too. “Sure.”

  “Then will you drive me to the shop? My car’s there, remember?”

  “Oh, yeah. Definitely.”

  “Give me five minutes. There’s bagels in the freezer if you wanna eat something.”

  “Thanks. Not sure if I should test my luck.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Lightweight.”

  He watched her behind sway as she left he room, cotton yoga pants hugging every curve. Damn he wanted her, so bad. If only he hadn’t fucked it all up. That’s what he got for trying to make everyone but himself happy.

  As the shower started, Oliver walked back to the living room, catching his reflection in a decorative mirror on the wall. Holy shit. His hair was poking in ten directions. He ran his hands under the kitchen faucet and tried to smooth it out. Did he even want to know what his breath smelled like? He looked around and found a small bag with sour hard candies on the counter. They weren’t his favorite, but at least it would help.

  Under the bag of candy was a note:

  I know these are sour, but you are sweet. Kyle.

  Oliver’s chest tightened once again and the urge to vomit returned. The drinking hadn’t made him feel like puking, but the vision of Mia and that kid sure did.

  It had taken everything in him the night before not to act like a jealous ass while she’d talked with Kyle. The “booty call” comment had been a joke, but the “just a friend” reply felt off. She didn’t admit to having sex with him, but she didn’t deny it, either. And he wasn’t sure which was worse.

  But after what he’d done to her, he had no right to be jealous. He’d had a secret fiancée, for God’s sake. Every nasty thing she’d said to him had been completely justified. He so desperately needed to change that opinion of him. Maybe the night before had been a start.

  And she did kick her boy toy to the curb. To be with him. Even if only as friends. That had to mean something, right?

  The shower turned off and a few moments later, Mia trotted to her bedroom in only a towel. Damn. His pants suddenly felt extremely snug in the crotch.

  “Gimme like two minutes,” she yelled as she closed the door behind her.

  Better wipe that vision from his mind, and fast. He had two minutes to eradicate his hard on and the typical options were out of the question. So he pictured Kyle and Mia together. That did it. The nauseous feeling returned, but at least that wouldn’t be noticeable to Mia.

  “Okay, let’s go,” she said as she appeared in the room, black skirt and a fitted royal blue button-down. The fabric gapped just a little bit in the bust.

  Damn, that was hot.

  Her wet hair had been pulled up into a bun sort of thing—total sexy librarian fantasy. All she needed was a pair of cat-eye glasses.

  Mia and Kyle having sex. Mia and Kyle having sex. Mia and Kyle having sex.

  They left and got in the car, Oliver keeping his gaze forward. Only a few more minutes and he could drop her at the shop and head for home to alleviate some of his pent-up sexual frustration. But when they pulled into the lot, it was so packed he couldn’t even park.

  “Oh, no,” Mia sighed. “I thought yesterday was bad. If we have to give more refunds today, we’re going to be out of money and closing the shop immediately.”

  Oliver found a spot on the street and they headed toward the back door of the shop. He saw Mia take a deep breath before pulling the handle and all he wanted to do was whisk her away so she wouldn’t face more animosity.

  But when they walked in, dance music blared from the showroom. Mia turned to him, brows furrowed.

  The shop was filled with people. Bryn was on the register and Penny ran around handing out model postcards. As Oliver took in the scene, he realized there was something very different about these customers. They were all men.

  “It’s Oliver!” one exclaimed and trotted over. “I so need your Jane Hancock on my postcard!”

  “Um.” He turned to Mia.

  “You’re here!” Bryn said, noticing their arrival. “Oliver, get over there with Logan. And lose the jacket and shirt. The jeans can stay . . . for now.”

  “What’s going on?” he asked Mia, catching Logan over in the corner wearing his Classy ’n’ Sassy briefs, posing with a couple of men, their hands on his abs.

  “I have no idea.” Her smile was bigger than he’d ever seen it. “But I think you should listen to Bryn.”

  No way would he wipe that smile away. He stepped forward and slid his jacket off.

  “Work it, boy!” another customer shouted.

  This was going to be interesting.

  MIA JOINED Bryn behind the front counter as Oliver took his place, not looking nearly as comfortable as Logan being adored by men.

  “What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know. We got here this morning and there was already a line waiting. Guys. All guys.”

  Penny came over. “I just handed out the last of the postcards. Think I should run and get something printed, even if its just photos on card stock?”

  “Definitely,” Bryn answered. “And while you’re out, get some food and drinks, too. Anything. I don’t care what.” She turned back to her customer and handed him his credit card and the bag filled with what looked like a couple of boxes of dildos. “Thanks! Come again.”

  “Oh, I will, honey, over and over!”

  Mia turned to Bryn. “I don’t really get all this . . . attention,” she said.

  “Me neither, but I’m not complaining.”

  “Didn’t you see the magazine article?” a customer said.

  Bryn and Mia shook their heads.

  “Here,” he said and pulled something from his bag. “Page ten. Take a look.”

  The cover of the magazine showed a group of naked men artfully and erotically arranged. The magazine’s title read Iris, and underneath, the caption read, “Celebrating the Rainbow of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Beauty.”

  Mia opened to the page, the entire left-hand side a photo of Logan from the launch party.

  “That article, plus all those steamy photos online yesterday. Hot!” the customer gushed. “It was all anyone could talk about last night at Club Paradise. I just had to get down here and buy a Logan. And then I saw the Oliver, and oh my. Had to have him, too. So excited he’s here. Gotta go get him to sign my toy’s box.”

  Well, these weren’t the customers they’d originally intended on marketing to, but sales were sales. After the hell they’d gone through the day before, Mia was incredibly thankful. Looks like they’d need to stock a whol
e bunch of different items for their new clientele.

  Bryn turned to Mia after handing the man his bag and winked. “Guess maybe we shoulda increased our dildo order after all.”

  CHAPTER Twenty-Seven

  Finally, the last customer left, and after Bryn locked the door behind him, she rested against it. “Can you guys believe this day?”

  “No. Not one second of it,” Penny answered. “My feet are so sore. I didn’t sit once.”

  “I think I only ate three bites of pizza,” Bryn added and walked toward Mia and Penny at the front desk. “I am so ready for a bubble bath and a glass of wine. So, everyone go home. And be prepared for tomorrow. Who knows what it will bring?”

  “You don’t have to tell me twice.” Penny grabbed her purse and waved good-bye.

  Logan and Oliver, back in their clothes, came over to the women.

  “Thanks, guys. You were brilliant,” Bryn said, then turned her attention just to Logan. “Looks like you’ve made up for those racy photos.”

  “I wish I’d thought of marketing to the gay community sooner. Mighta been able to prevent all that bad press yesterday.”

  “Even still, I think it’s all going to work out. We have the VIP red carpet party in less than two weeks and that Cinco de Mayo event, too. I gotta find something sexy for you guys to wear with sombreros.” Bryn grabbed for her sweater and purse. “But right now, I’m going home.”

  “I’ll walk you out,” Logan said.

  “Mia, you going home, too?”

  “I think I’ll stay and clean up a bit. I feel bad for getting here so late this morning.”

  Bryn’s gaze moved from Mia to Oliver, then back again. “Okay. See ya tomorrow.”

  Mia knew that twinkle. But Bryn was wrong. She and Oliver were just friends, if that. She started collecting plates and napkins and filled a garbage bag. Oliver grabbed some plastic cups from a nearby table and added them to the bag.

  “So, that was kinda wild today, huh? Never expected to walk into that.”

  “Yeah. I’m still in shock. The last few days have been a crazy roller coaster. I’m not sure I can fully comprehend what happened.”

  “Whatever it was, it was good for the shop.”

  “Are you ready to be a gay man’s idol now, not just adored by women?”

  “Uh, well. Today was definitely a first for me. I used to play football, so pats on the ass were the norm. But today . . .” He shook his head, but wore a full grin. “I don’t even know how many different men’s hands were on my ass.”

  “I’m sorry. That had to be weird.”

  “Surprisingly, not as awkward as I thought. Don’t get me wrong, it was weird as hell, but I guess I’m getting used to being a hired piece of beefcake.”

  That brought a giggle to Mia’s throat. “Thinking of switching teams?”

  “Um, no. I’ll stick with women.”

  The hunger in his eyes woke the butterflies in her stomach, the ones she had somehow managed to squelch that morning after waking next to Oliver, only a few feet away on her floor.

  As he picked up the rest of the garbage around the shop, Mia needed to distance herself from him. She walked to the dildo shelf and straightened the boxes. It was a complete mess.

  Keeping her back to him, she spit out what she’d wanted to say all day. “Thank you, for doing that. Without even flinching.”

  “I’d do anything to help you.”

  He was closer to her, right behind. Every hair on her body stood erect and she froze in place.

  “You mean to help the shop.”

  “No. You. The first time I saw you, you mesmerized me. Even in that neon pink sweatshirt. But after that, when I got to know you, I couldn’t stay away.”

  She felt the warmth of his hand on hers and she closed her eyes, breathing deep. He turned her body to face him and she let him.

  “I had to be the guy you were looking for that night. All the crap I had going on in my life seemed to fade away whenever I was with you. I . . . need you.”

  Oliver’s hand moved to her cheek, her gaze locked on his. She knew what was coming next, but her body would not allow her to stop it from happening. Her brain wasn’t real sure it wanted him to stop, either.

  Mia closed her eyes as his lips met hers, melting into him as she’d wanted to so many times the night before. It would be so easy to forget the past and run through a flowery field hand in hand like a sappy made-for-TV movie.

  But her brain finally made up its mind and forced her to pull away. “Too much has happened. We need to just stay friends.”

  “That kiss was nowhere near friendly, and you know it. Why can’t you give in? I know you want this, too.”

  “Because you lied to me. How can I ever trust you again?”

  “You can,” he pleaded with her. “I’m not that guy who lied. I got lost for a while and did some things I regret. But it wasn’t the real me.”

  “That’s all I know. I’ve been with liars and cheats before. I don’t need another jerk. I need a man who will be up front and honest with me from day one. And you’re just not him.”

  “Please. Let me show you who I really am. I’m a man you can trust.”

  “I want to believe you.” She really really did. “But I just can’t.”

  OLIVER SAT in his car, wanting to scream and punch out the windows. Instead, he watched Mia leave the shop and drive away. He’d been so sure, after the night they’d had, busting Grant and having fun getting drunk, that she’d started to trust him again, let down her guard. But no. Right back where they were. Maybe she would never be able to trust him.

  He drove home, wanting nothing but a hot shower and his bed. But when he stepped into his apartment, Alexiana was there.

  “What the hell are you doing here?”

  “We need to talk, and since you’ve blatantly ignored all my phone calls, I had to find some way to make you hear me.”

  “I’m exhausted and have no desire to argue with you. Just leave.” He walked past her toward the bedroom.

  “I’m pregnant.”

  Well, that was one way to get his attention. He turned back to her. “For real this time?”

  “Five positive home tests and a blood test.”

  “Huh.” Well, didn’t that serve her right. Karma is a bitch. “We haven’t had sex in months, so I know it isn’t mine. Why should I care?”

  “I have a proposition for you.”

  “Whatever it is, I’m not interested.” He continued toward his room, determined to keep walking no matter what her next words were.

  “You owe me for all the hell you put me through.”

  “You? I asked to end this before it got out of hand and you refused.”

  “Well, you’re not the one who’s had to deal with the embarrassment of canceling a very prestigious social event with over five hundred guests, and having to explain to people exactly why the engagement was broken. You try being the woman whose fiancé decided to become a sex toy model.”

  He tried not to laugh out loud. The old biddies were probably having a field day with the scandal. And when they find out she’s now pregnant by another man? They’ll have gossip for weeks.

  But she did have his curiosity piqued. He walked back to her. “I’ll hear you out under one condition.”

  “What?” She crossed her arms and bumped out her hip.

  “Tell me who the father is.”

  “No.”

  “Okay, have a nice life.”

  He spun back around, but she grabbed his arm, digging in her fake nails.

  “Fine. My yoga instructor. We’ve been fooling around for like two months.”

  “That guy?”

  “Yeah. He’s hot and he’s bendy.”

  “Enough.” Oliver shook his head and sat on the couch.

  Alexiana sat n
ext to him. “So this is my plan. We stay broken up, but I tell everyone you’re the baby’s father. I’ll hire a nanny or something to take care of the kid. You won’t have to do anything.”

  “Absolutely not. They already see me as the villain in all of this. No way am I volunteering to be a fake deadbeat dad, too.”

  “Fine. Then you can be its real dad.”

  “How about the biological dad takes care of it?”

  She rolled her eyes. “As if. He makes like a couple thou a month. And he’s a yoga instructor. I’m not going to openly admit I had sex with that, even if it was the best orgasm I’ve ever had.”

  “We’re done with this conversation.” Oliver stood.

  “Wait. I can give your mother her dream. You can lay a baby in her arms before she dies. Who cares if it’s not actually her blood grandchild?”

  “I do. It’s a lie. I won’t lie to anyone anymore about any damn thing in my life. I reconciled with my mother, so you can take your little plan and your yoga instructor and go fuck yourself, or fuck him. I don’t give a shit.” Oliver stalked off down the hall.

  “You can’t stop me from telling people the baby is yours.”

  He didn’t even justify her threat by looking back. “Try it and see what happens.”

  MIA COULDN’T think about Oliver right now. Or his eyes. Or those sugar-sweet lips. Things had turned around at the shop and she needed to keep her thoughts on the business. It’s all that mattered. But first, she needed to make one quick stop. Flipping her blinker, she slowed and pulled into the Applebee’s parking lot.

  “What are you doing here?” Kyle asked when he approached her at the bar.

  “I need to apologize.”

  “Not necessary. I’m just some stupid kid. Don’t waste your time.” He looked away and grabbed a towel, drying off the bar.

  “You know I don’t think that. I had fun with you. And I’m very thankful for what you did for me. You were there when I needed someone. You helped me relax.”

  “But now it’s over. You have your guy back. That was him last night, wasn’t it? The guy you couldn’t stop thinking about.”

  Mia sighed. “Yes. But there’s nothing between us.”