Red Hot Rose Boxed Set by Kandi Kayne

away and looked me in the eye.   “If he were a bad guy I would be telling you to run, but from what I know, he’s okay.   I mean, as far as those kind of guys go.   So just talk to him at least.   Maybe he’ll make you an offer you can’t resist.”
    “That’s what he said.”
    Jessica frowned, distractedly.   Then she sniffed loudly.   “What’s that smell?”   She leaned in towards me and inhaled again through her nose.
    My face blanched and I moved quickly away from her.   “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
    She sniffed again, following me.   “Cologne.   It’s men’s cologne.”
    I breathed a sigh of relief.   Thank you for not letting her smell the sex I just had.   How humiliating!
    She tapped her finger in her chin.   “Hmmmm, you got near enough to him that you got his cologne on you.   Why … you little devil.”   She was grinning at me now, proud of herself that she’d succeeded at her detective work.
    “Fine.   I got close enough to get his cologne on me.   You’ve figured me out.”
    “What about his dick?   Did he get that on you too?”   She wiggled her eyebrows at me.
    I shoved her away.   “Get out of here, you perv.”
    “You totally just did it with Alex in our apartment, didn’t you?”
    My face burned bright red.   “Shut up.”
    “Oh.   My.   God.”   She fake sniffed and wiped away a faux tear from the corner of her eye.   “My little girl is growing up.”
    I walked out of the kitchen, shaking my head.   “I’m still not sure I’m going to meet him.   Even if we did have sex up against the front door a few minutes ago.”
    Jessica squealed and chased after me, all the way to our bedroom.  
    “You’re totally going to meet him, so let me help you get dressed,” she said, once we’d settled down again.
    I was sitting on the bed, watching her pace around the room.   “I don’t think I should go.   Every time I get near him, I lose control.   I’m   like possessed or something.   A possessed ho.”
    “Oooh, a possessed ho.   I like that.   And I’ll bet he likes it too.”   She threw open our closet doors.   “Where is he taking you again?”
    “He said The Breakwaters in Palm Beach.   I have no idea what that is.”
    “Oh, it’s nice.   Very fresh food, seasonal ingredients, fancy schmancy.   You need a cocktail dress.   A black one.”
    She pulled something out on a hanger.   “Perfect.”
    “Oh, no, Jess.   I could never wear your Chanel!”
    “Of course you can.   It’s the absolute perfect dress to negotiate your new and very high salary.   It will give you just the edge you need.   Now go get in the shower and make sure you shave.   Everywhere.”
    I stood up from the bed, eyeing the dress with trepidation.   “What if I stain it?”
    “With what?   Bleach?   Just keep his man-juices off it, and you’ll be fine.”
    I burst out laughing.   “Man-juices?   Jess, that’s just nasty.”
    “Go.   Shower.   We have hair and makeup in twenty minutes.”   She looked at her watch.   “What time did he say he’d be here?”
    “Six.”
    “Well, hurry up!   Time’s a-wastin’!”
    I smiled, moving to follow her orders.   I still wasn’t sure this was the smartest thing to do, but it sure wasn’t going to be boring.   And I’d had enough of boring to last me for a while.   Besides … what could possibly go wrong with dinner at The Breakwaters with a handsome, unattached politician?
    I stepped into the shower and began lathering my hair, taking extra time to make sure my skin was as smooth as it could possibly be.   Just in case he decides to touch me again.

CHAPTER THREE

    By the time Jessica was done with my hair and face, I looked like a Hollywood starlet.   Even I was impressed with what I saw in the mirror.   I turned from left to right, viewing myself from every angle possible.   Could this sophisticated woman actually be me?   I felt like I’d aged ten years and