“I’ve been too presumptuous,” he said, contrition in his tone. “And I respect you for saying that. And of course I remain a committed supporter.” Then he fixed on a cheery smile. “And I look forward to meeting this man at the event.”
Oh shoot. There was that little matter. Now she had to deliver Ryan in the flesh to back up her thanks, but no thanks. To prove she was an honest woman.
“You will definitely meet him then,” she said, her businesslike bravado hiding her worry that she’d been too bold to think Ryan would be her arm candy.
She was going to need to ask Ryan to be her date. The possibility thrilled her, but he seemed to be playing it day by day. Would he even want to plan that far ahead?
As she drove to her next meeting, she ran through the best ways to invite Ryan to the event. What was happening between them was new and tender, and she didn’t want to ruin it by asking for too much. Would this type of date imply they were more than merely lovers? Was she ready to state that so boldly?
She shut off the questions momentarily when she arrived at the community center, parking behind a brown Buick. She rushed inside for a quick visit with Elle, who ran the center, updating her on the status of the fundraising.
“So glad it’s going well. We are lucky to have you behind this,” Elle said, gesturing broadly to the broken-down building and the basketball court with its cracked concrete surface, badly in need of the repair and revamp that they hoped would soon be possible.
“It thrills me to help,” Sophie said, as the dark-haired and insanely gorgeous Elle walked her back to her car, passing the basketball courts on the way, where teenage boys played hoops. A few of them stopped to stare at Sophie, and one even catcalled.
“Sweet blonde ass,” the guy said with a whistle. She couldn’t tell if it was the guy with ink all over his arms or someone else, and it didn’t bother her terribly.
But it bothered Elle.
Elle called the guy’s name then admonished him. “Watch it. Show a little respect, like we’ve talked about,” she said in a strong voice, and he muttered a low “Sorry.”
Elle turned to Sophie. “They’re works in progress.”
Sophie smiled. “Aren’t we all works in progress?”
Elle laughed lightly. “That we are. Lord knows I certainly am.” Then she turned more serious. “Thank you again for everything. I know we can do so much more for these kids when this comes together.”
“We have great donors behind this. It’ll happen.”
As she said goodbye, backing away from the Buick then heading in the direction of the Strip, her damn brain went haywire again, trying to figure out what was happening with Ryan. She muttered a curse as she turned onto the highway, dropping her shades over her eyes to shield them from the sun. She gripped the wheel tighter, trying to focus solely on driving. But still her mind whirred and raced as she played out scenarios and cycled through relationship permutations, just as she had with computers.
The questions rattled her brain and drove the tension in her body sky-high.
When she returned to her building, she felt like a radio station tuned in badly—all warped, fuzzy, and off-kilter. She’d been frazzled by what she needed to do next—push Ryan into something that might feel more serious, when he hardly seemed the type.
But then she shoved all those feelings aside once the front desk attendant told her there was a delivery for her. He handed her a silvery gift bag with slim handles, and instantly she was sure it was from the man she had a third date with. Desperate to open it, she clutched it tightly as the elevator shot her up to her floor.
The second she opened her door, she tore in and found a small white box, tied with a white bow, resting inside the red tissue paper. She pulled off the bow and removed the lid.
Wow. She lifted the satiny fabric. The panties were dark pink with sheer lace in front. But it was the back that knocked the breath out of her. The rear was comprised solely of crisscross satin pieces of fabric that would leave most of her bottom exposed. A cage-open panel, it was called, according to the tag.
She called it a prelude to multiple orgasms.
Sophie owned many pairs of pretty panties, but this was by far the most alluring. This took sexy to new heights. Moments later, her phone pinged with the notification that a message had arrived.
from: [email protected]
date: July 16, 3:48 PM
subject: Delivery
I hope you’ll forgive me that they aren’t pale pink.
from: [email protected]
date: July 16, 3:54 PM
subject: Forgiveness granted
I do forgive you. I forgive you so much I promise to be wearing these next time I see you.
from: [email protected]
date: July 16, 3:57 PM
subject: Don’t test me like that
See you in five minutes then.
from: [email protected]
date: July 16, 4:04 PM
subject: Don’t tease me like that
Good things come to those who wait…
from: [email protected]
date: July 16, 4:07 PM
subject: Not teasing…
How’s 7:00 tonight? If that’s presumptuous, I can wait ’til 7:30. But no later.
from: [email protected]
date: July 16, 4:12 PM
subject: Presume…
You can take me for that drive in my car that you wanted. I’ll be out front at seven-thirty.
Looked like that third date would be happening sooner than expected.
Chapter Thirteen
It didn’t matter where they were going tonight or what they were doing.
She was wearing a dress. She was not toying with him today because she wanted what he wanted.
Access.
She adjusted the slim orange shoulder straps as they curved into a tight white bodice that was practically fused to her breasts. Just enough cleavage ensured his eyes would pop out of his head, and then the skirt itself would pretty much blast all his brain cells away. Full and gathered, the white skirt with oranges printed on it swished as she walked. The waist cinched with a slim belt, and she wore matching orange pumps with a strap over her instep. The cotton sateen fabric of the dress wasn’t see-through, so she could wear the pink panties he’d sent, no problem.
As if she’d wear anything else right now.
This was a sex date, wasn’t it? Sophie’s lips twitched up as she answered the question herself. It was. Oh yes, it was, and she wanted it, needed it, and was damn eager to have it.
Ryan was an enticing mix of enigmatic and open, of caveman and gentleman. The combinations she saw inside him intrigued her, body and heart. His quickness with words and the ease of his flirty banter ignited her mind. There was something else in him, too, that simply gripped her—the man had a magnetic intensity. It drew her to him, lured her under his spell.
That was where she wanted to be tonight.
She grabbed a small white handbag, swapped her wallet, lipstick, and phone into it, then realized she didn’t have a condom. She laughed when she couldn’t even remember how long it had been—not only since she’d needed one, but also since she’d bought one.
It would be up to Ryan, and he sure seemed like the kind of man who came prepared.
One more check of her reflection told her everything was neatly in place, including the soft curls she’d styled into her hair after she showered. She ran a shimmery red lip gloss wand over her lips, then tucked that into her purse, too.
She tapped her chin, cycling through her mental to-do list. She’d been to the office, she’d seen Clyde, she’d visited Elle, she’d confirmed some items for the concert, and then made a number of phone calls for other fundraisers she was working on. There was so much in motion, but right now her plate was clear. Her list was emptied. Time to have fun.