Sex, Lies, and Beauty Aides (31 page)

Mitzi added, “Can’t you just see Jasper’s face with me in this number?”

“Are you sure you dare? I mean after the bathtub incident, didn’t you say he had palpitations?

“I was just trying to help him save face. What he had was a horrendous boner that wouldn’t go away. I told him with those bath salts he didn’t need his little blue pill, but the dope seriously believed he’d be able to go two rounds.”

“I guess he learned his lesson the hard way.” Mitzi chuckled at her pun at poor Jasper’s expense.

Oh God, what the hell was happening?

“Now this young stud muffin, I bet he’d easily go at least three rounds, no problem. Lucky you.” She patted Sabrina’s arm.

Trent stared at the octogenarians. Unbelievable. When the hell had he entered this crazy parallel universe where little old ladies shopped at adult toy stores?

“Vera, I think you’ve upset this young man. Look, he’s blushing.”

“Nah, he’s imagining taking the pink cotton candy number off her. I mean look, you can’t hide that kind of attraction.”

Dear God in heaven did she have to point at his crotch as if it was fucking flag to salute?

“You’ll have to forgive Vera. Sometimes she forgets we’re not twenty years old anymore and still dancing with the Rockettes in New York.”

“That’s okay. I understand,” he lied. If they’d been Rockettes, they must have been the first ones, ever. “I’m sure you were great dancers.”

Then their alternate worlds collided. Mitzi and Vera started to do a can-can number for him. What he wanted at this moment was to get the hell out of there with his manhood still intact and reasonable amount of his rapidly shrinking dignity. Unfortunately for him, they had other plans.

Before he managed to do a thing, like leave, they attempted to pull Angel into their act, high kicking as they sang a horribly off-key rendition of New York, New York.

Maybe if he slipped off and appeared disinterested they’d leave him alone.

During their first turn, he scrambled away and ducked down the nearest aisle. Their number ended and he gasped for air hoping the floorshow was over. He squatted down to hide.

Two sets of feet loomed in front of him. He tilted his head up. “Ah—hi, ladies,”

“What are you looking for? Maybe we can help,” Mitzi said.

Trent grabbed the first product in his reach and pretended to read the label.

“Not that brand, honey. If you need more lubrication, I highly recommend the new brand of KY’s on the market. Any one of them works great. I personally adore the Climax Enhancer.”

Not to be left out, Vera added, “I love the Tingling Jelly.” She had the audacity to lean in and whisper, “Jasper likes the warming jelly, helps keep his pecker up longer.”

“Uh—that’s nice. I’m sure. Sabrina,” he yelled. “Are you about done?” He pretended to look at his watch. “I’m going to be late for my meeting.”

“Trent, if you have to leave don’t worry about me. I’ll catch a cab when I’m done. I still have a few things I want to shop for. I’ll call you when I get back to my apartment.”

He raced to the exit in a flash and damned if the four women didn’t roared with laughter before the door swung shut to the tinkle of the bell.

So that was her game. He had to give her credit. He bowed to her superiority. She was definitely the queen of revenge.

Just when he was sure her revenge was over she got more devious and proved him wrong. No doubt about it. Those two ladies embarrassed him worse than Sabrina’s fashion show. And yet, nowhere near what she’d gone through in jail. He sure hoped Sabrina truly loved him.

She was going through an awful lot of trouble if she didn’t.

He had two phone calls to make when he got back to the office. One regarding Sabrina and one regarding Angel.

Depending on the results of the first call, he’d know how to proceed with his own brand of revenge.

Love. Wellington style.

* * * *

“Ladies, on behalf of woman everywhere, I’d like to thank you for your delightful contribution to my moment of revenge. That was the most fun I’ve ever had.” Sabrina hugged them.

“That makes two of us,” Angel added.

“Better make that four of us,” Mitzi added, and Vera nodded agreement.

“Good thing George wasn’t here. I’d catch all sorts of hell for sharing his secrets.”

“Tell me about it. Jasper would have been mortified if anyone knew he had KY preferences. He’d cut me off and I’d be back to vibrators.”

Sabrina laughed until tears streamed down her cheeks. “Ladies, I’d like to invite you to lunch, my treat. I have a feeling you two could teach Angel and I a few things about men. At this stage of the game I’ll take all the help I can get.”

Sabrina took them to Joe’s Crab shack on the riverfront in Old Town Sacramento. It’d cost a small fortune, but she owed them, big time.

Once they were seated and their orders placed, she regaled them with her story about Trent and Travis. She explained how she was out to make Trent suffer a bit before she allowed him to get serious. If he stood up to her test, she’d reconsider his so-called offer. She wanted to believe he was serious. She needed to know for sure.

Any man who to put up with the crap she put him through she considered worthy potential husband material.

She left nothing out, even her mortification at the strip search. Mitzi, Vera, and Angel agreed they hadn’t been nearly hard enough on Trent. In the end it was agreed what she had done was well worth the effort.

The ladies congratulated Sabrina on finding a man like Trent. She proudly agreed.

But where did she go from here?

She tossed out some ideas inviting their responses. Mitzi, Vera, and Angel each added a few of their own.

When lunch ended and they’d made their way back at Angel’s shop. “Ladies, please select a naughty nightie, on me. Take them home and put them to good use on your husbands, with my compliments.”

Once the ladies left and promised to return the following week, Angel got serious.

“Sabrina, are you sure he’s the one? How do you know this is it? That he’s your Mr. Right. Not that I don’t wish you well. I’m worried he might still be conning you.”

“I’ve pondered it myself, for about two seconds. It’s how he makes me feel when I’m in his arms. I feel treasured. It may not be love yet on his part. It is on mine. I love him. In fact it was love at first sight.”

“I don’t believe in it.”

“I didn’t either but with Trent, that’s what it was.”

“Never, must have been hormones.” Angel crossed her arms.

Angel could posture all she wanted. The expression on her face was strange. As if she wanted to be happy for her, but didn’t believe in love. At all.

“Sorry to dampen your excitement,” Angel said. “I’ll never believe it.”

“Never say never. Karma is a strange bitch. Any time I’ve said that, I’ve had to eat my words.

“As long as you’re sure, I’m happy for you. Good luck and don’t forget to send me an invitation to the wedding.” Angel turned away, as if to say the discussion was over. “The honeymoon nightgown will be on me. I’ll start the design today. I’ve got several ideas from the gowns you tried on today. Trent is one lucky man.” Angle moved behind the counter and grabbed her sketchpad and began to draw.

“I’m the lucky one. I fell in love with him almost four years ago. I figured he’d never be anything more than a good fantasy. Except now, he’s my reality and I couldn’t be happier. I don’t know where we’ll go from here. All I know is I plan to enjoy the ride.”

“I wish you well.”

“Whoever said fantasies were underrated obviously hadn’t had one come true.”

Step six. Make him feel pain. Check.

Step seven. Seduce him with scent. Check.

Step eight. Entice him with Lingerie. Check.

She was on a roll and having the time of her life.

17

Tuesday, Trent spent the day setting things in motion. He made plans for New Years and Sabrina. Sabrina had plans of her own. She’d invited him over for dinner and movies that evening.

He arrived with a single long stemmed red rose. If the bouquet of flowers he’d given her as Travis was an indication, she was sure to bawl over this gesture. He knocked on her door. Rapid steps made him smile. He couldn’t wait to hold her in his arms.

She opened the door but immediately spun away running back to the kitchen spatula in one hand, oven mitt in the other. “Come in, Trent, I’m in the kitchen. Dinner’s almost done.”

“Hello to you, too.” He puckered his lips and kissed the air. Not exactly the welcome he’d hoped for.

Amazing aromas assailed him as he stepped in the apartment. He moved toward the kitchen and watched the frenzied paces Sabrina put herself through.

On the counter was a platter of stuffed jalapeno’s oozing with melting cheese. His mouth started to water.

“Help yourself.” She pointed toward the hors d’oeurvres.

“They look delicious.” He reached for one, popped it in his mouth. It was.

“What do you think?

“Great. I could eat these all night.” He reached for another.

“Don’t fill up. I have a full meal planned. The next round of appetizers is about to come out of the oven.”

Right on cue the timer dinged. Sabrina smiled a funny smile as if she had a secret.

She opened the door and pulled out a baking sheet with Oysters Rockefeller.

“I’ll let them cool a minute and then you can try a sample. I also have oysters in a half shell chilling.” She turned to the refrigerator and pulled out a chilled plate.

He was immediately suspicious. “So what’s on the rest of the menu for tonight? By the way, I brought you a rose. You’re busy, but do you have a vase somewhere so I can put it in water?”

Sabrina barely gave the perfect flower a glance, went back to the fridge, pulled a platter of fresh fruit out and set it on the counter. She added a bowl of dip to the center, a bowl of nuts on the side and added it to the growing feast on the counter. The plate was filled with chocolate dipped banana slices, wedges of oranges, watermelon, and pomegranate pieces. The bowl of fresh nuts looked out of place. This wasn’t exactly the kind of dinner he expected.

He scanned the kitchen for a cookbook, but nothing gave it away. Her laptop sat open on the coffee table. He grabbed another popper, worked his way to the couch, and casually tapped the cursor out of sleep mode as he stuffed the snack in his mouth. By the time he sat down the screen came up and he almost choked and sprayed the food across the room. The browser was open to a page about aphrodisiacs.

Really? She was still pushing her agenda. Too bad it wasn’t going to work. Well, not like she thought. He had a few ideas of his own now. He went to the kitchen, came up behind her and nuzzled her neck.

“Behave, I’m cooking.” She swatted his hand with her gloved one.

“You didn’t have to go to this much trouble for me. A peanut butter sandwich would have been fine or I could have even ordered a pizza.”

“What and cheat me out of playing in the kitchen? I can cook you know. Besides it’s no trouble.”

“So I see. Here, you’re got your hands full, let me feed you something.” He picked up a raw oyster and put it to her mouth.

There was a tentative look in her eyes. He doubted she’d ever eaten one before. The second she swallowed, she raced for the kitchen sink and spat it out.

“I had a late lunch, I’m must still be full.” She patted her stomach.

She was full all right, full of it. He nibbled through her snacks and asked, “What else you got?”

“Let me know when you’re ready for your salad. It’s chilling.”

“Say no more, I’m ready.” He rubbed his hands together. “This is great. You’re spoiling me.”

She had no more set the asparagus, tomato, avocado, mozzarella salad topped with a delightful raspberry vinaigrette in front of him than she pulled a baking sheet from the broiler with the most gorgeous slab of salmon. Scents of molasses, ginger, garlic and onions wafted over him. Salmon was one of his favorites.