Sex, Lies, and Beauty Aides (5 page)

“What do I do? I haven’t got a foggy freaking idea on those topics.”

“That’s hysterical,” Jill clucked.

Sabrina scooped a piece of ice out of her water glass water and threw it at her friend. It dropped down the front of Jill’s top.

Jill squealed and dug it out of her ample cleavage.

“Serves you right,” Sabrina smiled triumphantly.

Jill dropped the ice back in Sabrina’s glass. She leaned on the table. “And you’re wrong. He is an all-day sucker. And don’t tell me you’d turn down chance for a lick. I’ll flat out call you a liar.” Jill stuck the tip of her middle finger to her mouth and wrapped her tongue around her finger. “Later.”

Sabrina dipped her fingers in her ice water and flicked Jill’s face before she sashayed to the dance floor. He was an all-day sucker, and she wished he was hers.

Jill whispered in Kat’s ear. Both reared back crowing before switching places. Sabrina hated being the butt of their jokes.

Kat joined Sabrina, barely able to contain herself, shaking her head. As she danced beside the table, her Superior Preference LB02 Ultra Light Natural Blonde locks swished over her shoulders.

“Go ahead and laugh, little Miss Bombshell.” She’d given Kat the nickname because she reminded Sabrina of Jean Harlow. Hot enough to have her image stenciled on a B52. “I’m in serious trouble. Travis expects me to take over for the bimbette.”

“Sounds like a real problem unless you’re finally ready to lose your virginity to a good squatchy.” Laughter bubbled out of her.

“Good grief, you and your slang for sex.” Kat constantly came up with unique words that cracked her up or made her cringe.

Kat’s baby blues shimmered, her pearly whites sparkled. She panted then picked up Sabrina’s glass and drained the tainted water.

Sabrina didn’t stop her. Served her right for laughing at her. “It’s not for lack of trying. Find me the right guy and I’ll consider it. It’s the same old thing. Guys don’t take me seriously. How am I supposed to do this?”

“What do I look like, Ask Annie?”

“No, but you’d make a fabulous ghostwriter.”

“Forget it.”

“I’ll get the situations and you can answer the problems. We’d make one heck of a team.”

“Not going to happen.”

“Why not?”

“Wouldn’t it be a bit like falsifying documents? What happens if Tr—Travis asks where you got the information, because I don’t kiss and tell. You might consider doing your own research ya know.” Kat winked.

“Crap, you’re right. What am I going to do?

“Well for starters, Pollyanna, stop glaring at me.”

Cute nickname. Not. “What’s wrong with believing the best of people?”

“Not a damn thing. But not everyone deserves it.”

“I know.”

“Stop by the grocery store and buy a variety of magazines to see how they handle the subject. Grab some romance novels.”

“Magazines, check. Romance novels, no point.”

“Why not? Do you have a problem with them?”

“I guess not.”

Kat never sat at the club. She insisted on blowing off steam, but her constant motion made her voice shake. “They’ll give you an idea what men and women want from one another and how to go for it, regardless of the fact it’s fiction.”

“Doubtful, but I’ll try.” Right now, she’d try anything short of popping her cherry to gather intel. “Titles? Authors? Suggestions?”

“Jude Deveraux. Her Montgomery men are fun, gorgeous, and irresistible.” Amazing how Kat never dropped the beat or the conversation.

“And not real, fictional.”

Kat despised exercise, hated anything to do with it and refused to allow anyone to call dancing exercise. “I defy you not to fall in love with them. Women love those books. You can interpret your answers based on the questions asked. Who said you needed to have experience?”

“No one, I guess. Only, I wish I had more. It will be like a nun offering advice in
Playboy
. I mean, can you see me offering advice to the lovelorn?”

“Quit over-thinking it.”

“You and Jill will have to help me with the sex questions.”

“I guess we can, as long as it doesn’t cut into my dance time.” Kat executed an exaggerated step and spin, her statuesque body flowing in perfect time with the music.

Dang it, she needed Kat’s help. She needed her to focus. Kat and Jill were the only two people in the world she trusted enough to ask, no matter how much it embarrassed her to admit.

“Dancing is the only thing that relaxes me at the end of the day. I’ll be glad when I’m finally done with school.” The navy blue knit dress hugged her figure accentuating a healthy bust, tiny waist and slim hips.

“Speaking of school, what the heck is going on?” She’d earned an explanation from Kat and she planned to get it.

Kat shared her strategy to get her degree in finance then go to work for her uncle in the stocks and bonds arena.

Travis returned with Jill. “I’m ready to go as soon as you are. Early day tomorrow.” Something was eating him. He seemed to have lost his annoying attitude. Was it because of Kat chewed him out or Jill flirting?

She grabbed her purse. No way was she sticking around to watch Jill slobber all over him.

* * * *

Trent sat silent on the way home. Between the woman beside him and the dressing down he’d received courtesy of Kat, he was drained. She’d caught onto his charade when he showed up at the club with Sabrina. Travis hated clubs. Damn he should have remembered how much. He’d been able to explain the switch to Kat once he’d made her swear on her life to keep it to herself. He’d continue to be Travis until Travis returned. In return, he’d had to promise to leave Sabrina alone.

Even though he’d intended to get to know Sabrina better, he was completely taken aback when her friend Jill admitted Sabrina had a hard-core, massive crush on Trent. Sure, he was happy about that little crumb, but with it confirmed, how would he handle her at work?

He’d listened to Sabrina defend him to his brother. It made him want to get to know her all the more. Did he really want to take his emotions seriously, regardless of the dangerous game? With Sabrina?

Damned straight.

He had to say something.

“Ah—thanks for a nice evening.”

“You’re welcome.”

Guilt plagued him for continuing his lousy sham. Parked outside his place, he gazed in her lovely green eyes. He wanted to taste her deliciously kissable mouth. He leaned closer. Their hands accidently brushed sending a jolt through him head to toe. Why did she make him so nervous? He’d never been like this before.

Sabrina edged away from him.

He swallowed a groan when she stepped from of the car.

She walked him to the sidewalk in front of his place making him feel foolish. He started to reach out to her, but she shook his hand.

“Thanks for dinner.”

He stood there staring at his hand.

She climbed into her car and drove away.

He shook her hand for Christ’s sake. How lame. He turned from the disappearing taillights and took the steps two at a time. He needed a good swift kick in the ass for not trying to kiss her when he had the chance. The memory of her swollen lips earlier in the day drove him crazy. If only he’d had the ability to think straight the evening might not have ended in a total loss and he’d have something to hang on to.

During his nightly crunches one part of him argued Sabrina was exactly what he wanted in a woman. Someone who gave as good as she got, and did so with spirit and the ability to laugh at herself. The other half of him questioned the wisdom of the game.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t a game. This was real life.

He was supposed to help his brother and save the family from a huge financial loss. He slugged the punching bag hanging in the corner of his room, and sent it ricocheting. But what about him, damn it?

Wasn’t he entitled to a life as well?

Wasn’t he allowed to be happy?

That’s where the problem started and stalled.

He couldn’t let it end like this. He grabbed his cell phone and dialed Kat.

“What do you want?”

“Geez, I love you too. What’s the matter—is your thong too tight?” He punched the bag again.

“Look smartass, you called me.”

“Sorry. I need to talk to you.” He moved and sat on the edge of his bed and ran his fingers through his hair.

“About—”

“I thought we straightened this out when you went on the rampage at the club.”

“Look Trent, the only reason you’re even walking the face of the planet tonight is because you’re helping Travis out. That’s it. You hurt Sabrina and I swear you will die the world’s most painful death.”

“Are we in the same family? Did you listen to what you said? I’m helping Travis. And you’re yelling at me.”

“I’m sorry. I’m just pissed. How could Travis think the family wouldn’t be behind him? Why the deception? I just don’t get it.”

“How the hell do you think I feel?” He laid back on the bed and kicked off his shoes.

“What do you mean?”

“I wasn’t sure we’d be able to pull of this caper to start with. It’s been awhile since Travis and I swapped places.”

“I didn’t catch on until you showed up at the club. Travis doesn’t go to them. It had to be you.”

“When the family took Travis and me to the airport, we’d already been in our new roles. Mom and Dad bought it.”

“Probably because Travis was out to save the day and you were off to play.”

“Yeah, I know, the usual.” He couldn’t keep the sarcasm out of his voice and didn’t bother to try.

“We managed a few minutes alone when the folks went to get coffee. Travis admitted how much fun he’d had showing the family what a selfish, self-centered asshole he was as me. And I said I had a perverted sense of joy in acting like an uptight, arrogant prick as him. It was the first time in years Travis and I laughed together.”

“That’s pathetic.”

“Don’t blame me. He’s the one who thinks he God’s gift to the family.”

“You two need to get over this sibling rivalry.”

“Are you kidding me? You were there when I offered to come run the magazine. Did you not hear Travis say no then proceed to convince the family that he’s the only one who could do it? Only to turn around and decide I was suddenly good enough when he decided to check himself into that clinic. What changed?”

“He needed you, pure and simple.”

“What about me?”

“What about you?”

“Do you know what it’s like to have your family think you’re not worthy of them? It sucks.”

“Do something about it.”

“What do you think I’m doing? And the bitch of it is they’ll never know it was me because I’m too busy covering for Travis the Perfect. So once again I’m screwed.”

“It’s not that bad and you know it.”

“Oh really, care to make a wager on it? For your information after Travis’ plane left, Mom asked me to keep my eyes open for an easy job Trent could do. Then Dad chimed in saying anything at all. Grandpa said there had to be something. Only Grandma said to stop picking on the boy and give him a chance. Funny, Grandma is the only one who doesn’t consider me a playboy.”

“That’s because you’re so much like Uncle Max. He was always Gram’s favorite.”

“How come if I’m her favorite, no one listens to her?”

“Get over it Trent.”

“I don’t want to get over it, I want to understand it.”

“Fine, I think your dad and Travis are jealous. Your dad busted his ass all his life and never did as well for himself as Max. Your dad always accused Grandma of coddling Max.”

“That’s bull shit, Max was just better with money and investments.”

“You don’t have to tell me about it, I helped him set up the Foundation.”