Like the time Sara, brokenhearted over his cheating, had wanted revenge on her boyfriend. The women had made a video from all of the Skype sessions hed had with Sara, pasting his words together into a confession of his sins, and posted it on YouTube. Itd gone viral in two days.
Or when Jessa had wished for the perfect wedding but hadnt want her wealthy husband-to-be paying for it. The four of them might not have had a lot of money or major connections, but when she walked down that aisle, theyd made sure she had the fairy-tale princess wedding shed always wanted.
Gia wondered if it was too late to run.
Ready? Jessa asked, her face glowing clean and her auburn-streaked blond hair loose again. She stopped in the kitchen to help Caryn with the tray of martinis; then both settled around the coffee table. The three women lifted their glasses, toasted the gettin it game, then gave Gia a lets go look.
Gia bit her lip.
She wanted this.
Didnt she?
A wild sexual fantasy might not change the world. But itd sure as hell change her love life from average to awesome. And maybe make her feel as if she was a fully qualified member of the Girlz, instead of the tagalong buddy.
Okay, questions. Ill start, Caryn said, to nobodys surprise. First off, whats the fantasy? Remember, the more details, the better.
Again, feel free to draw pictures, Sara suggested with a grin, holding out her pen and paper.
Gia pulled a face. Then, pretending the idea of sharing her sexual fantasy wasnt weirdeven with her best friendsshe leaned her head back on the chair, closed her eyes and let her imagination soar.
When inhibitions she didnt even realize she had tried to drag her back down to earth, she mentally kicked them aside and blurted out the words before nerves won.
I want a weekend of totally uninhibited, totally fabulous sex. The kind you have with a guy you dont ever plan to see again. The selfish kind, where youre doing all the things you like and not worrying about swallowing just to keep him happy.
She didnt have to open her eyes to know the snort of laughter came from Caryn, whose biggest pet peeve was guys with lousy aim and a penchant for women on their knees.
Question two, Sara said over the sound of her pen scratching across the paper as she transcribed Gias fantasy in her handy-dandy notebook. Whos the guy?
Gia hesitated. It wasnt as if there were anything to be embarrassed about. But she and Caryn both worked at the same company, although Gia was in tech and Caryn worked in publicity. Where, as it happened, Luke was currently spending most of his time as the systems liaison.
Which meant Caryn would probably have a lot more insider info on him than Gia had gathered in her Facebook and watercooler stalking.
A shiver danced down her back.
This could really happen. And that was scary.
Luke was the perfect guy to help turn her fantasies into reality. She just wasnt sure she was the perfect girl. Still There was something naughty, something freeing about the idea of anonymous, wild, once-in-a-lifetime sex.
And if she wanted it to happen, she had to put it out there. She had to put herself out there.
Cmon, Gia, Caryn prompted impatiently. Who is it that flips your switch? Whats his name?
Gia took a deep breath, then confessed, Luke Monroe.
Oh, baby, Caryn moaned, her eyes wide with admiration.
Is he hot? Sara asked.
Hes hot enough to melt chocolate, Gia said, imagining just that, then wishing she could lick it off his naked body afterward. Hes gorgeous, has a body to die for, and hes got that sophisticated sexy vibe going. Like he takes his sex cues from books and indie films instead of watching porn with the guys from the gym.
If the rumor mill is to be believed, and I hope it is, hes got stamina thatd put a horse to shame, Caryn said, licking the edge of her martini glass and wriggling her brows. Ive heard hes got a few other things in common with a stallion, too.
Well, Jessa said, fanning her fingers in front of her face. I was going to ask what made him the perfect guy for your fantasy. But I think you just answered that.
Okay, then heres another question. Sara set her pen down long enough to take a drink, then picked it back up to aim it at Gia. Hes hot, youre horny. What the hells keeping you from hitting on him?
Gias mind easily reeled off a dozen reasons. She couldnt voice any of them, though. Not even to her best friends.
She didnt have any more self-confidence issues than the next woman. Sure, shed rather her stomach were flatter, and shed yet to find a pair of jeans that flattered her ass. But she was smart and cute, had a fun personality and had a lot going for her.
She was pretty damned great.
But pretty damned great wasnt pretty damned wild.
Every one of the other women in this room had a wild side. They had each had at least one sexual encounter like the ones in those erotica books.
According to gossip, Luke Monroes sex life was wilder than all three of her friends. Combined. He wouldnt go for boring.
Gia? Jessa prompted from her perch on the huge lime-green pillow chair. Why havent you gone for it?
Tri-Solutions familiarity policy, probably, Caryn guessed. They have rules against intercompany dating. They figure it causes too much drama in the workplace.
Gia nodded, adding, Sure, almost everyone ignores it. But even if management doesnt crack down, gossip does major damage. You know how that goes.
Nobody could deny it. They all knew women whod been fired or been made so miserable over work affairs that theyd quit.
What about the rumor that Lukes being courted by that financial company as a permanent system consultant? The new position starts in two weeks. If he takes that job, hes moving to the East Coast.
Gia grimaced. That reason, more than anything else, was probably the core of why shed finally confessed her fantasy. Her crush was about to slip right out of her reach.
Great, you answered my question before I could ask, again, Jessa said with a frown, as though they were cheating her. Then her face brightened. But, really, its not the company policy thats the issueits timing. Once he leaves town, he takes the chances of your fantasy coming true with him. So you need to make this happen in the next two weeks.
Which brings us to the final question, Sara said, setting aside her glass and leaning forward in preparation for getting to the down and dirty. Whats it going to take to make this happen for you? What do you need to go for it?
A miracle?
Hiring a street gangster to kidnap Luke and leave him tied to her bed?
A hell of a lot more vodka.
Las Vegas, Caryn yelled out, clapping her hands together as if shed just won a prize.
Gia exchanged baffled looks with the other women before arching a questioning brow. What about Vegas?
Lukes attending the CES convention in Vegas next weekend to work the Tri-Solutions booth and schmooze with potential clients.
You want me to go to Vegas and seduce him? Gia asked faintly. Shed rather crawl under her couch and hide. Talk about double intimidation. Vegas was the land of strippers, showgirls and pay-by-the-hour kink. Oh, yeah, shed really stand out there.
Its perfect, Caryn insisted. You can have your fantasy, with your fantasy guy, and not jeopardize your job. Or your ego if anything goes wrong.
Are you throwing in fat-free chocolate and calorie-less whipped cream?
I dont have to. All you need is a makeover.
Two sets of jaws dropped right along with her own. Gia was glad to see the other women were just as baffled as she was.
Since when did makeover and orgasms go hand in hand?
How will a facial and haircut get her fantasy sex?
I dont look good enough to get a guy like Luke Monroe?
Dont be silly. Youre gorgeous. But those silly rules mean you cant haul the guy into the company supply closet and ride him like a wild stallion. So you need a cover. A fake persona. You can make yourself into the woman you are in your fantasies, and he wont have a clue the woman blowing his, um, mind is someone he works with.
Oh, I like this, Sara said, all but rubbing her hands together. Its easier to get into the role if youre in costume. The makeover not only protects your identity, it lets you shed your inhibitions. You can do anything you want, because youll be someone else.
Anything?
Excitement flamed in Gias belly. Suddenly it seemed as if blurting out her secret had been a good thing.
Nerves warred with the excitement, and doubts screamed warnings in her head. But the vision of being tied to a bed and having whipped cream licked off her body by a very naked, very aroused, very worshipful Luke Monroe made those easy to ignore.
Well, that vision and the second chocolatini.
I could do it. I really could, she said, pressing her fingers to her lips to try and hold back her excitement. And, really, where better than Sin City to go wild.
Other than right here, in her mind, where she couldnt be rejected or make an idiot of herself. Or worse, find out she wasnt fantasy-sex material.
Theres no way we can pull all of this off before next weekend, though. Can we? She didnt know if she wanted them to say no way or that it was a slam dunk.
But when the women started tossing around makeover ideas, everything from temporary hair color to extensions to wardrobe options, Gia couldnt stop grinning.
This was like her birthday, Christmas and a naughty-toy party all rolled into one. But she was going to be blowing something a lot bigger than a candle.
Chapter Two
Girlz Guide Words of Wisdom
Anyone worth doing is worth doing in sexy shoes.
Thinking and plotting while surrounded by supportive friends was a hell of a lot more fun than standing alone, ready to launch the plan.
And while passing out at a guys feet could get a girl some welcome attention, Gia was pretty sure throwing up was nowhere to be found in the Girlz Guide to Seducing a Hottie. She pressed one hand against her churning stomach, wondering how long she had before she was the first of her friends to inspire a new dont list.
Curling her toes into her sexy red leather Giuseppe Zanotti peeptoes, she forced her feet to stay still instead of hightailing it out of the nightclub.
Maybe this was a crazy idea. She wasnt seductive like Jessa or wild like Sara and didnt even have a fraction of Caryns confidence. Yet here she was, trying to pretend she was all that and a cherry on top.
A couple deep breaths got her past the hostess desk and to the entrance of The Bank Nightclub.
The rockin vibe of the place actually took the edge off her nerves. The idea of getting out there, moving to the beat, just losing herself in the lights and crowd, held tremendous appeal. Music pounded a hard, fast invitation. Lights flashed to the beat. Even filled with people, the nightclub was so well laid out it didnt seem crowded. Instead it was inviting, fun and the perfect setting for her fantasy seduction.
She wanted to dance. She really did. But she couldnt make her feet move.
Hello, gorgeous, drawled a friendly voice at her shoulder.
Well, that made her move. Gia damn near jumped out of her shoes. With a deep breath, she turned to brush the guy off, then pressed her lips together to keep from groaning aloud.
Holy crap. Mark Lane from Marketing.
Seriously?
Shed been here less than five minutes, and she was already busted.
Then she caught sight of her reflection in the mirrored wall behind Mark and blinked. That really was her?
Thanks to extensions and Feria, her hair was a flowing mass of titian waves instead of her usual chestnut swing. Brown contacts, a painful squeeze of her credit card at the MAC counter and the removal of her lip ring ensured she didnt look anything like her usual techie self.
Her body, poured into a little black dress, the glittery fabric hugging curves made all the curvier by her Bombshell bra, had never looked this way at the Monday-morning meetings.
But was it a good enough disguise?
Did Mark recognize her? Other than a few casual comments at the lunch counter, they werent pals. But still
If she could fool him, she promised herself, shed be able to nail this fantasy. And then, she hoped, shed get to nail Luke Monroe, too.
Hi, she greeted with a smile that was more a twitch of her lips than her usual full-on grin. She watched him carefully, as if he were a time bomb that could explode all over her life at any second.
Her fingers itched for the phone that wasnt in her purse, wishing she could warn Caryn to be ready to spin some damage control. If Mark outed her, within minutes everyone at Tri-Solutions would be tweeting, texting and posting on Facebook. Soon the sad, humiliating tale of that time Gia Renyard pretended she had what it took to be a bombshell in Vegas would go viral. Shed be mocked and laughed at for years.
Panic slid down her throat with greasy fingers and fear crawled through her belly. Tiny white dots spun in front of her eyes until Gia realized she was holding her breath. She let it out in a huff, then forced her lips into a stiff, slightly painful smile. It wasnt as though hed caught her using Luke as a strippers pole.
Im Mark. He offered his hand.
Her body almost hit the floor as tension poured away.
He didnt know who she was.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
Are you local? he asked. Or are you just visiting?
Like every other guy shed ever known, instead of waiting for a response, he launched into a soliloquy about himself. Where he was from, why he was here, how cool the CES show had been.
Gia was too excited to care.
He really didnt know who she was.
He didnt recognize her.
She would have jumped up and down in delight, but there was a serious danger that her boobs would fly right out of their Bombshell bra. Which would probably make it harder to get rid of the guy.
Not that he was a creep. And he was good-looking. A little more metro than masculine, he gave a smile that was pure flirtation, and the interest in his eyes was genuine. But he wasnt Luke.
And it was Luke she was here to do.
Looking for a dance partner? Mark said, tilting his head toward the dance floor, then after a second tilting it the other way toward the exit and giving his brows a wiggle.
Oh, cool. Because girls just loved tacky euphemisms. His smile was suggestive as he gave her another once-over. He ended the inspection with a wink, as if his approval were something shed been standing there waiting to get.