Irreplaceable (Harmony)

  “One date.” My pointer finger jabbed his chest. “My house, my rules. Tomorrow night. Deal?”

  The excitement in his eyes could rarely be matched. He held out his hand for me to shake.

  “Deal.”

  He didn’t shake my hand when I held it out; instead, he brought it to his lips and placed a lingering, open-mouth kiss on my palm.

  My eyelids closed on a sigh that stung my very center as his lips moved ever so slightly. I yanked my hand free, goose bumps flaring over every inch of my heated skin.

  “Six sharp. If you’re late, don’t bother knocking.”

  With a devilishly triumphant grin firmly in place over his lips, he stepped out of the way for me to walk past him, heading back to meet Hilary. If only he knew I had the same smile on my face.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Preparation

  I'd hardly slept that night, imagining what it would be like to finally feel Logan inside me—giving in to our deepest hunger.

  I awoke early, went for my morning jog with no sign of Logan, and returned home for a shower. I was anxious to get the day going, and as I stood in my kitchen, staring out to the backyard, sipping some orange juice, I caught sight of Oliver in his backyard.

  He wasn’t alone. Natasha was at his side, helping him pack snow onto the front of a melting snowman. The smile on his face was hard to miss, and I had to admit Natasha looked equally happy.

  Was there a chance she really just wanted her family back—to bond with her son and reconnect with Logan through sex, the only way most women did? The thought of her living in his backyard and bonding with their son left me conflicted, and only added to mission of the day—the day Logan and I would take the plunge and prove, once and for all, that we were better off friends.

  With a thoughtful smile, happy for Oliver to have both his parents in his life, I set out to get dressed and start my day.

  Hilary and I had spent the previous day shopping, and now there we were again. However, shopping for the perfect date accessories that would guarantee me the best sex of my life had me worried. Luckily, Hilary had it down to an art, and took the lead.

  When we stepped inside the small boutique, I instantly surrendered the dress-searching part to Hilary and sauntered toward the lingerie section sheepishly.

  Yes, lingerie. I hadn’t worn it more than a total of two times in my life, but I felt tonight it was needed in the whole package Hilary was helping me prepare. And to ensure the night lived up to the pressure behind it, I felt lingerie was called for.

  Tonight was going to be more than just a simple dinner date—it would be the end of the chase for Logan. After I was through with giving him everything he’d wanted the past few months, now on my terms, the sexual tension brewing between us would be sated and give us the closure we both needed to move on.

  I found a black lace corset with garters attached to hold up the black sheer stockings. Perfect. It was everything I wasn’t, which was exactly what I was going for. I wanted to have sex with Logan—to give my body and his everything they’d been craving, the release that was desperately needed at the other’s hand.

  It was my choice, my desires, and in my control. I plucked the hanger holding the corset from the rack and, with a smile on my face, headed over to find Hilary. Tonight was about letting go of my inhibitions and feeding the sexual need I’d been starving far too long. It had nothing to do with anything other than that, so Logan wasn’t going to get the other side of me tonight.

  No, he was getting the sexual, aroused, just-a-one-night-tryst Cassandra. The real, sweet, carefree me was getting locked up, sealed in with my emotions, tucked away from his alluring charm.

  I had to admit it excited me, holding the fine lace in my hands, envisioning his expression when he saw me in it. Yes, it was definitely the right choice.

  The smooth red dress Hilary found was not one I’d have chosen. I wouldn’t have called it slutty or even sexy enough to accompany such vulgar lingerie, but she insisted it was exactly what I needed. It was very short, but that was the extent of sex appeal it exuded. In spite of the extra-tight fit and low cut (but not so low cleavage would show), the buttons running up the front gave it the look of a lab coat.

  “I was thinking something more like this.” I held up a tiny hot-pink dress that would barely cover a Barbie.

  “Logan’s been after you all this time for a reason. You’re hard to get, and if you go at him too eagerly, he’ll see through it. This,” she held up the red number, “is what you need. Something with grace and,” the corner of her lips curled up, “buttons.”

  “Buttons? Since when are buttons sexy?”

  I wasn’t feeling it until she stepped to the side, revealing a mannequin wearing said red dress and flicking her fingers over the top button, releasing it. She slid her hand down in a slow, caressing trail and flicked the next one open.

  Oh yeah, we need buttons.

  “Logan’s going to want to take his time after chasing you so long. Let him slowly unwrap his present, and then you can greet him with the wonder of lace underneath. By then, he’ll be drooling too much to stop, and he’ll be putty in your hands.”

  I did like that, but it was hard to image Logan being putty in anyone’s hands. He was always so cool and confident. The mission was to bring the man to his knees and give him all the sex he could handle until he was completely satisfied and ready to move on to the next girl.

  A pang struck through my heart. Damn it, why it did hurt so much thinking about him moving on? We weren’t good for each other, so I only hoped after that night we’d be nothing more than neighbors with a past who could say hi while getting the mail and experience no weirdness or enormous gravitational pull toward one another.

  “Up next? Hair, nails, makeup, and…waxing.”

  I swallowed. Waxing? “Is that really necessary?”

  “Yeah, you’re right, your nails look great au natural. He’d know you were trying too hard if we did them up.” She walked to the counter, handed over the dress, and took the lingerie from my hands.

  “Oh, and I have the perfect heels you can borrow.”

  That was good, since I was officially draining my savings with the three hundred dollars’ worth of clothing I’d never wear again, but it was worth it. It’d probably be the best three hundred dollars I ever spent.

  With an anxious and excited smile, I handed over my debit card and watched the cashier wrap the items in tissue paper.

  I leaned over to Hilary while waiting and whispered, “I’m not getting waxed.”

  With a bright smile, she grabbed the bag from the woman and gave me a we’ll-see-about-that grin before strolling toward the door.

  I took the receipt, blood draining from my face, and gave a quick thanks to the cashier before following.

  The salon was one I’d frequented before with both Hilary and my mother, but that was for hairstyling, never makeup, and the only waxing I’d ever experienced was on my brows once. I couldn’t imagine it being the same thing.

  What was Hilary thinking? Just my legs, or..? I blanched.

  “Hey, Maya!” Hilary greeted the receptionist. “I called last night for an appointment. Cassandra needs the full got-a-hot-date package!” Maya was a girl we’d grown up with, but still, Hilary didn’t need to announce it to the entire salon.

  “Good for you, girl! About time. So who’s the guy?” Maya asked, stepping out from behind the desk.

  My mouth remained shut. I wasn’t planning on dating Logan, so I wasn’t sure what to tell her.

  “Nobody from around here. Just a guy she met a while ago who’s coming to visit her for the night,” Hilary piped in, saving me. I gave her a grateful yet subtle smile.

  “Oh really? Got to tell you, I was hoping to hear it was Logan West. That man is…mmm, dangerously hot. Not enough words to describe a guy that good looking. I’d give him a date he’d never forget if he asked, but from what I hear, he went from screwing around with most of the easy girls in town to
not even buying a girl a drink. Figured it had to do with you.”

  Something about that brightened my mood.

  “Nope, not me,” I said softly.

  I began to relax until she told me to follow her as she began walking through the rows of hairdressers toward a door in the back. Hilary shooed me away as she sat on the sofa in the front and opened a magazine.

  I was on my own and had no clue what I was in for, so I just followed along, leaping in and hoping it was worth it.

  “Everyone’s been gossiping about how much you and Logan were hanging out in the fall,” Maya continued as I stepped into the small quarters that held a long counter and massage-style table with a terrycloth towel covering it that reminded me more of the one at my OBGYN than the spa.

  I sat with my hands shaking, fingers nervously kneading together while Maya took a seat on a stool, preparing materials and checking the temperature on a vat of wax as she rambled.

  “And that sexy show you guys put on, on the dance floor at Haven on New Year’s Eve? Damn girl, you had me hot and envious just watching! Hope you didn’t think that went unnoticed.”

  I flushed, embarrassed. “Well, nothing’s happening anymore with Logan. So where exactly did Hilary tell you to wax me?” I gulped way too loudly, a cold sweat breaking out over my forehead.

  Her stool swirled around, a bemused smile covering her small, freckled face.

  “Oh God, you look like you’re about to pass out! Are you all right?”

  “I’m not really into pain.”

  “Pain!” She burst out laughing. “Beauty comes with pain, but my goal is to keep you as relaxed and distracted as possible. Now get those jeans and panties off and cover yourself with this. I’ll be back in a couple.”

  “Panties?”

  “Mm-hmm. Part of the hot-date package, but no worries, I’ll take care of you.”

  She walked out and shut the door behind her. Holy hell, was I really going to get fully waxed? Would she remove all the hair, or leave a little something? It was February, after all—too cold to go bare, right? Or was I just being crazy? I pulled off my jeans and looked down at my purple panties.

  Yeah, definitely crazy. I needed Logan to have my body at its best, and a man like him would want all smooth sailing—quite literally.

  I shimmied out of my panties and lay back down, covering myself with the towel she’d left.

  “Knock knock, you ready?” Maya opened the door and stepped inside. She must’ve seen the apprehension on my face, or perhaps it was my wide eyes and hands clutching the side of the table that did it, but she blew out a breath and smiled.

  “So tell me about this guy of yours. Hottie? He must be if he caught your attention, especially after Mark. God, I’m sorry, but your ex is a dumbass.”

  My hands clutched the table harder—not because of the fear of having my skin torn off, but from thinking about Mark.

  “Yeah, he is,” I grumbled through gritted teeth.

  “You’re going to show him, though. I don’t remember you ever coming in here to get all prettied up for him.” She giggled, and I relaxed instantly.

  “All right, what you thinkin’? Brazilian, or—”

  “Take it all! Just do it quick before I change my mind,” I spit out, and she laughed louder.

  “You got it.” The heat of the wax being spread over a place few had seen left me uneasy, but Maya was a friend from elementary school and had been working at the salon since her aunt opened it when she was thirteen. If anyone was good for the job, it was her.

  “So, this mystery man…you hoping to screw him at your place or his?”

  “What—AHHH!” I bit my lip hard. “Damn! That hurt!”

  “Yes, but you didn’t see it coming. Mind over matter.”

  I closed my eyes, breathing steadily, ready for the next one.

  “Wow, you look amazing!” Hilary jumped from the spot she’d occupied for over three long hours and rushed toward me.

  I was both sore and excited. Full Brazilian? Check. Smooth legs and underarms, and brows primped to the perfect arch? Check. Hair full of curls and sprayed with enough chemicals to outlast a tsunami? Check. And last but not least, makeup that screamed sexy, including a dark, smoky eye? Check.

  I was all ready to go for the next phase, which included a grocery trip.

  “Come on, I still have to get some food to cook for dinner, and then I gotta get dressed.”

  It was already pressing four o’clock, and he’d be there at six on the dot. I had no doubt about that—especially since I’d made it clear he didn’t want to be late.

  “Already done,” Hilary replied, holding open the salon door for me.

  What? When? I stared at her, waiting for her to explain.

  “You didn’t really think I could sit there and look at magazines that long, did you?” She smiled. “Go home. Everything you need is there.”

  Grinning, I gave her a big hug, relieved I was able to go home. “Thanks.”

  “No problem, but I expect to see you at my door tomorrow with full details!”

  “Making no promises,” I shot back, still smiling as I headed to my car.

  Hilary’s idea of dinner differed greatly from mine. The groceries she’d piled into my fridge included oysters, a cooked rotisserie chicken, strawberries, chocolate sauce, and four cans of whipped cream. On the counter was another bag, which included a box of biscuits and can of corn.

  I shook my head, irritated but amused. I should’ve known better—or at least asked her before I’d driven all the way home. There was no time to go back out, so I’d just have to go with it.

  After preparing everything in the kitchen, I headed for the bedroom with my new bag of clothes. Slipping my toes into the pantyhose, I began to feel it—the awakening of the relentless beast that lived deep in my gut and seemed to answer to only Logan. The garters were snapped in place, corset sewn up my front with a ribbon.

  Standing in front of the mirror, I could no longer see the girl who was worried about heartbreak or love. I was a woman—a fierce woman about to have sex with a man who’d fulfill some piece of me that would give me my independence back. Give me back my empowering will to live my life without the need for a man…at least, until the right man came along.

  I buttoned the dress, slowly covering the treat underneath, and let my imagination run wild with thoughts about how he’d unwrap me. A slow, seductive play of undoing each button at a time, or a quick rip down the front, buttons flying in the air as he laid his eyes upon the naughty side of me, dressed in black lace just for him?

  There I stood, fully dressed, including a pair of black six-inch pumps Hilary had left in front of my closet. The image reflected from my full-length mirror was overwhelming, powerful, and beautiful. I was a real woman, and ready for Logan to hear me roar.

  I turned to my side, bending over to see exactly how much of a show Logan would be getting before the main event. The dress tugged up to show just a hint of the garters underneath. Logan was in for one hell of a surprise tonight.

  The alarm clock on my bedside table glowed ten to six, and the butterflies were fully aware of it. As I turned to leave the room, my phone went off in my purse sitting on the bed.

  I answered to Hilary’s bubbly voice.

  “Nice grocery shopping!” I complained instead of saying hello.

  “What? It’s exactly what I’d want.” She giggled.

  “I’m sure it is.” I rolled my eyes, smiling. “I can’t talk, he’ll be here any minute.”

  “I know, but first look beside your bed, between the side table and your mattress.”

  Curious, I walked around the bed to find a hot-pink gift bag poking out. I picked it up and sat on the bed holding it. Tissue paper covered the contents.

  “Should I be afraid to look inside?” I asked.

  “It’s five fifty four, hurry up and open it!”

  “All right.” Jeez, she was more nervous than I was.

  I pulled out the tissue pa
per and gasped.

  “Seriously, Hilary!?”

  Her laughter filled my head as I dumped the rest of the bag onto the bed. There was the biggest box of multi-size condoms I’d ever seen. Judging by the girth pressed to my backside the night we slept together, there was only one size that man was going to need.

  “Two minutes left! Have fun! And Cassandra, whatever happens, it’s okay to let yourself feel everything you do for him.” With that, she hung up.

  I knew she was hoping tonight would help me see how much Logan meant to me and be less one-night-stand, closure sex. She wouldn’t say it straight out, but I knew she wanted me to forgive him.

  I shook my head and pulled my attention down to the pump-style bottle of lube (which I was positive we wouldn’t be needing), rhinestone-encrusted nipple clamps, blindfold, and pair of fuzzy handcuffs that were scatted over my comforter.

  Yeah, aside from the condoms—the box of which I’d already ripped open and begun to pick through for the large and jumbo to go in my side drawer—the rest was not necessary.

  I picked up the items just as the doorbell rang. My head shot to the side, staring at the six on my clock. I hurried, stuffing the items into the bag and dropping it back between the nightstand and mattress.

  After one more peek in the mirror and a smack of my lips to redistribute my crimson lipstick, I was at the door, ready for the night to begin.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Seduction 101

  There are some moments in life you just know you’ll always remember: the warmth of your lips after your first kiss, the tingle on your skin after your first sexual embrace. And then there’s the moment you open the door to the man who has dug a hole so far into your heart you wonder if he was always meant to be there.

  Logan stood on my doorstep, reminding me to seal my heart away for the night as he appraised me with a thunderstruck eye, taking me all in. His grip tightened around the neck of the wine bottle in his hand, and it was then that I noticed the single lily in the other. His eyes feasted upon my hair, teased up and heavy with thick curls, down to my smoky eyes, until he reached the heels I wore with pride.