Tease Me Page 7

  I briefly considered bringing in Cree or Sarah and walking through it with them, trying to get help on what the best way to talk Dallas out of it might be.

  But as quickly as I thought that I dismissed it.

  Dallas had trusted me with her confidences and I wouldn’t betray them.

  We’d been friends for a very long time and never once had either of us crossed that line.

  I wouldn’t be the one to change that and knew she would rip me a new one if I even tried.

  But I also knew there was no way I could talk her out of something, especially not when she had her heart and mind set on it.

  I couldn’t do nothing either.

  For the second night in a row I found myself trapped in a conundrum, one where I was left trying to figure out the best possible solution, when I suspected there might not be a best possible solution.

  I stayed at the restaurant, working for several more hours, my mind swirling, vacillating between thinking about the business and Dallas, Dallas and the business, until my brain was warped, confused.

  At around one, I finally gave in and headed back to my penthouse.

  The drive back passed in a blur, my thoughts a whirlwind.

  But when I stepped through the door, crossed the threshold into my home, it felt like everything had calmed.

  I looked over, saw a photograph that Dallas had taken of the very first day I opened my first restaurant and was reminded of how she had always been there for me and never strayed from my corner.

  I knew what I had to do.

  I reached in my pocket and grabbed my cell phone, dialing Dallas’s number with the push of a button.

  “Hey, Kristian. What’s up?” she said after she answered on the first ring.

  She sounded completely alert, almost chipper, but I wasn’t surprised. Even though the hour was late, both of us had a tendency to lose ourselves in work, and had long ago established a pattern that made one a.m. phone calls completely acceptable.

  “You told me not to work too hard, but you’re up,” I said.

  “As are you,” she responded.

  “Touché,” I said.

  I went quiet then, the line silent until Dallas spoke.

  “So everything is good, right?” she said, her voice hopeful, though I could hear she was on the lookout for any trouble.

  “Yeah. But…”

  I trailed off, swallowed, feeling like I was on a precipice.

  “But…” Dallas said, sounding even more suspicious now.

  “But I’ve given it some thought,” I said.

  “It?” she asked.

  We were on the phone, but I could easily conjure her expression, see how her brows would be dropped low as she tried to figure out where I was going.

  “You’re really going to go through with this? You’re insistent that you need to have sex before you can go out there and find your true love?” I said.

  “Yeah,” she answered nonchalantly.

  I knew she wasn’t nonchalant, but also knew that her mind was made up.

  “I’ll do it,” I said.

  It was so hard for me to push the words out, but I didn’t have any other choice.

  “You’ll do it?” she asked, sounding skeptical.

  “Yeah. I will. You want to lose your virginity, and I want to be the one to take it.”

  Six

  Dallas

  Nearly an hour after I had hung up the phone, I still couldn’t quite believe the conversation I’d just had.

  Kristian’s words reverberated through my ears, and though I had understood each of them, the meaning underneath them was still confounding me.

  I could go with the obvious interpretation, that Kristian had had some kind of change of heart, but I wasn’t certain about that. I also hadn’t had the foresight to ask him to explain.

  No, I had simply listened to his words, mumbled, “Okay,” and then hung up the phone.

  I regretted that now, but not nearly enough to call him back.

  Some part of me wondered why I was questioning his response. After all, this had been my idea in the first place.

  But despite that, I found myself confused. After our conversation at the restaurant, the way we had left things, I had been certain that the issue was forever squashed, and had even gotten over my embarrassment at having raised it in the first place.

  And sure, the last portion of that conversation, the one where Kristian had tried to convince me to forget my plan altogether had been a little bit fraught, but overall there had been nothing of any particular concern. It wasn’t like Kristian was ever shy about expressing his opinion about anything I did, and the same was true of me. So in the grand scheme of things, nothing about the tail end of that conversation was novel, or even eyebrow-raising.

  So why the change of heart?

  I looked at the phone, which I had laid on my easel, and debated calling him back.

  Decided against it.

  I also decided I was getting nowhere with work tonight.

  I’d been sketching my sculptures, but after that call from Kristian, my concentration was shot.

  I used a dust cloth to wipe the graphite off my fingers and then made my way to the living area of my studio.

  I headed toward the shower, physically tired, though I was emotionally wound up.

  Still, at nearly three o’clock in the morning, it was unlikely that I was going to get a resolution tonight, so instead of allowing myself to dwell, I prepared for bed and fell into a fitful sleep.

  The next morning, afternoon, more accurately, I was no closer to understanding what had happened, but at the very least had gotten some measure of rest. Fortunately I also had a diversion for the day.

  “You know one day I’m going to be the first one to show up at one of these things,” I said as I entered the small private area of the boutique where I was meeting my friends Cree and Sarah.

  “Sure,” Cree said, her smile telling me she believed no such thing. “We haven’t been here more than five minutes.”

  She stood, hugged me quickly, and Sarah did the same.

  “You look positively radiant,” I said, studying my friend.

  “Thank you,” she responded, the beam on her face enough to light the city.

  “I was telling her the same thing,” Sarah said. “Love looks good on you.”

  If it was possible, Cree beamed even brighter. “It feels good too,” she finally conceded.

  She and Kristian’s brother Aaron had worked through their differences and surprisingly found themselves falling in love.

  They were open about their relationship, yet the intricacies involved with Aaron being a prince made discretion important, but those of us who were close to them had watched, and knew it was simply a matter of time before they sealed the deal.

  In fact, that was what this get-together was about.

  Cree and Aaron were going to have a small party to formally announce their engagement, and she had asked Sarah and me to come and help her find the perfect dress.

  “You want a mimosa?” Cree asked, gesturing toward the small table set aside in the private dressing area.

  “I definitely want one, “ I said, moving toward the table.

  While I was there I grabbed a strawberry, but then went back and took a seat next to Sarah.

  “This is so exciting!” I said.

  “Or nerve-racking,” Cree responded, frowning.

  “No, it’s excitement, and I’m so happy you asked me to come with you,” I said.

  “Oh gosh, I couldn’t imagine you not being here,” Cree said.

  “Really? Why not?” I asked.

  “You have an excellent eye, Dallas. You are not going to lead me in the wrong direction, and you won’t let these people do it either,” Cree said.

  “She’s right,” Sarah added.

  I smiled, feeling warm, appreciated.

  “Thanks, Cree. Although, you know I mostly wear jeans and T-shirts and leggings,” I said.

/>   “I know, and people less thoughtful than me might find that surprising, but I know a good eye when I see one, and you have a good eye, and will keep me from making a fool of myself in front of everyone,” she whispered.

  I glanced at her, saw the faintest amount of worry on her round face.

  “What’s up?” Sarah asked, clearly having picked up on the change in Cree.

  “I—” Cree started but then trailed off, then shook her head. “It’s nothing.”

  I put down my glass of champagne, then tilted my head, looking at her expectantly. “Are we back to playing this game again?” I asked.

  “What game would that be?” Cree responded.

  “The game where something is bothering you, but you won’t tell us, so we have to pry it out of you. I mean I’m good at this game. I like it, so we can play if you want, or you can just tell us what’s going on,” I said. “Your choice.”

  I shrugged, then took another sip of the light, bubbly champagne.

  Sarah, usually so quiet, was smiling unabashedly, and soon Cree joined her.

  “I shouldn’t give in to these antics or let you push me around,” Cree said.

  “You’re not giving in to anything. But it’s clear something is bothering you, and we’re friends. Let us help you,” I said.

  “Oh my gosh. Dallas, the voice of reason. I don’t know how to handle this,” Cree said.

  Though her words were a little bit stinging, her smile took away any of the potential hurt.

  “You’ll manage,” I said.

  “It’s nothing. It’s just that— This is kind of a big deal,” she said.

  “What’s a big deal?” Sarah asked.

  “This. I mean I’m in a private boutique, about to pick out a dress for an engagement party. Because I’m engaged. To Aaron. Who is a prince,” she said.

  I could see the awe in her expression, and the worry, and though our circumstances were very different, I understood well what she was going through.

  “I mean, Sarah, you work with Leo every single day. Isn’t it trippy?” Cree asked.

  Sarah tilted her head, clearly considering Cree’s words. “The circumstances are different. I’m simply an employee. I think Dallas might have better information on this one,” she finally said.

  As one, both women turned to look at me, and I felt a brief moment of pressure before it faded.

  “Well, I don’t know how different the situation is from Sarah because Kristian is just my friend, but I understand where you’re coming from,” I said.

  “See?” Cree said, gesturing toward no one in particular though I could tell she was happy for at least some validation.

  I understood. It would be naive to say that she was stepping into something simple, but by that same token, there was no reason for her to be overwhelmed.

  “So yeah, Kristian and I are just friends, but I experienced a little bit of what you’re worried about,” I said.

  Over the years, people, more than one, had asked questions about Kristian’s and my friendship, insinuated that they didn’t understand how such a thing could be possible. Kristian had always shut that shit down instantly, but I knew Cree was stepping into an entirely different arena.

  “So yeah,” I said, finishing my thought, “being a friend is different than being a fiancée, and eventually a wife, but I think some of the principles are the same.”

  “Such as?” Cree asked, looking at me intently.

  She was a lawyer, and a damn good one, and when she looked at me, I could see she was assessing every element, every aspect, trying to see if there was any weakness, any hesitation in what I said. Some part of me worried as to what she would do if she found one, wondered how she would tackle that inconsistency, but as I so often did, I ignored that and simply spoke the truth.

  “But at the end of the day, the crap doesn’t matter. What matters is you and Aaron. Him loving you, you loving him, you guys being in it together. There will be gossip, cattiness, blogs that might drag you because of your dress, but who gives a fuck?”

  “Yeah,” Sarah interjected.

  I didn’t think I had ever heard the woman swear in the seven years I had known her, but her emphatic “yeah” was close to it.

  Even Cree smiled. “You’re right,” she said.

  “Of course I’m right,” I responded with a shrug of my shoulders. “So don’t let those bitches get space in your head rent-free. This is about you and Aaron and the hard-fought love you guys have. Nothing else, the dress, the party, the people, not even the kingdom, none of that shit matters.”

  Cree was quiet for a moment, and then I watched as a smile again spread across her face.

  “You should charge for that kind of advice,” she said.

  “If you insist. I’ll take three breakfasts,” I said, a smile playing on my face.

  “Deal,” she responded.

  A second later, there was a knock at the door, and the dress shopping officially began.

  Two hours later, we had selected two of the best of the lot, and Cree was again on cloud nine.

  “That was—intense and fun,” she said as we piled in the back of the SUV that had been waiting for her.

  After she gave the driver instructions as to where to go, she rolled up the partition, looking a little bit sheepish.

  “This is weird, right?” I asked.

  Both Sarah and Cree laughed, and then nodded their agreement.

  “It definitely takes some getting used to,” Cree said.

  “Yeah,” Sarah interjected. “I frequently ride in these with Leo, but I still haven’t quite gotten used to it.”

  “Me either. I don’t know if I ever will. Aaron doesn’t even have a detail, so I’m not sure why he insisted on one for me,” Cree said.

  “Probably just the regular Sarda overprotectiveness,” Sarah said. “After all, I’m just Leo’s assistant and he does the same.”

  “Yeah, and I can’t tell you how much Kristian tries to make sure that his guys chauffeur me around,” I said. “But just like everything else, it’s not important. Just part of the noise. It has nothing to do with you and Aaron.”

  Cree nodded, shifting a little bit as the SUV rolled over a bump.

  “Yeah, I know. Thank you for coming with me today. Without you guys, I think this would have turned into something I didn’t want it to be, but with you, it was absolutely amazing,” she said.

  Her sincerity was clear on her face, and both Sarah and I reached over and patted her hand.

  “Anytime. Just think, we’ll get to do this for wedding dresses,” I said.

  Cree blanched a little, and both Sarah and I began to smile.

  “Sorry. First things first. One step at a time,” I said.

  “Yeah,” she responded.

  “How’s Kristian doing?” Sarah asked.

  At the reference to him, I felt myself flinch, but tried to cover quickly. I shrugged, going for nonchalance, hoping like hell that they bought it.

  “Oh you know, he’s completely preoccupied with the second restaurant,” I said.

  “Yeah. He works too hard,” Sarah chimed in.

  “That he does,” I responded.

  “But when you love something as much as he loves being a chef, it makes sense,” Cree said, and after she finished she looked at me.

  “And it’s not like you are a bastion of self-care,” she added.

  I looked at Sarah for some backup, but there was none forthcoming.

  “I don’t work nearly as hard as Kristian,” I said.

  “Of course you don’t,” Sarah stated indulgently. “Your projects are going well too?”

  “As well as can be expected,” I said.

  The two women who both sat across from me in the SUV looked at each other and then looked at me.

  “What?” I asked, feeling suddenly conspicuous.

  “What’s going on?” Sarah asked.

  I had always prided myself on having at least some ability to keep my emotions in check, but
with them, I wasn’t surprised that I had given away something. In truth, some part of me wanted to. I needed to talk to someone, and though I knew it wasn’t possible to tell them everything, getting at least some perspective on the way things were now would be helpful.

  “Cree, you inspired me,” I said, starting off in a dramatic fashion.

  She smiled. “This is a story I have to hear,” she said.

  “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s one hundred percent true.”

  “So tell me all about it,” she said.

  “Well, seeing how things went with you and Aaron has given me something I haven’t had in a long time,” I said.

  “And what’s that?” Sarah asked.

  I looked from Sarah to Cree, back again. “Hope.”

  The women smiled, but I could see that they were a little bit confused.

  “I know this is going to blow your minds, but I, the crazy hippie in the group is a little bit of a cynic when it comes to love,” I said.

  I looked at them, waiting for a reaction, but didn’t get one. On second thought, I shouldn’t have expected it. They were clearly waiting for me to continue, so I decided not to belabor the point.

  “I mean love is beautiful and fun and great, but it was always something I thought was for other people,” I said.

  “Why?” Cree asked.

  I lowered my eyebrows, then said, “Explaining that would require way longer than this car ride, so let me give you a short version. When my dad divorced my mom, she almost didn’t recover.”

  I regretted the words immediately when I saw the flash of pain that crossed Sarah’s face. I knew she had gone through her own divorce, one that I suspected had been ugly, though she hadn’t let on.

  “Yeah, it’s tough,” she whispered.

  I reached over and patted her hand, but didn’t otherwise acknowledge what I knew. I figured if she wanted to talk about it she would. So instead of leaving the spotlight on her I went on.

  “I know a divorce is tough for everyone, but she was a wreck, broken. I was young, twelve, maybe thirteen, and I can remember swearing to myself that I would never, ever, let anyone hurt me as much as she was hurting,” I said.

  “An understandable reaction, I suppose, but didn’t you grow out of that?” Cree asked.