Everything You Need: Everything For You Trilogy Book 1 (28 page)

I decide on a light rub-on tan and buff, the Red Carpet Facial, threading to make my eyebrows sweep sexily and a hot evening make up. I walk up to the desk again and outline what I want. The receptionist assures me they can fit in a manicure and pedicure too in the time we have if they work with a girl at each side while they do some of the other stuff. She’s a good saleswoman who never batted an eyelid when I ordered the Bollywood. I could do with can-do young staff like her at CaidCo to help me and Libby set the right tone for the future.

My nightmare management team looms up in my mind again but I sweep all thoughts away. I’ll face that problem on Monday. Nothing is going to spoil this moment. I feel like a movie star and a very naughty one at that.

They recommend doing the Bollywood first but I’m nervous. I explain to the technician, Sally, I’ve never waxed down there before although I’ve waxed my armpits and legs plenty of times, so I have some idea how painful it will be.

“It takes a little while for the dust to settle and the redness to disappear,” Sally informs me as I remove my clothes and get into a salon gown.

I’m amazed I don’t feel shyer undressing in front of a stranger. Perhaps it’s the location and the matter-of-fact manner of the staff but I’m beginning to think life around Jack has taken the edge off my prim reserve. Am I changing that much already? I consider the vajazzle and blush a little. I certainly never would have done that before today. It’s my dirty little secret.

The warm wax spread on with a spatula is quite soothing. It’s strange to have a woman touch me so intimately and I imagine Jack standing in the doorway watching us. He’s running his hand over one very stiff erection, in my mind’s eye. I picture his impatience. It’s all he can do to wait until we’re finished and I’m smooth and silky before he asks Sally to leave us, closes the door behind her, explores my naked flesh and thrusts himself to the depths in my hot desire.

“Oww!”

“Sorry.” Sally laughs “It hurts.”

No shit. The initial blast of agony dulls to a burning sensation as Sally presses firmly against my skin with her gloved hands, to dull the painful nerve response.

“Better?” she enquires.

“I’m okay.” I breathe through the moment.

“Ready to go again?”

I twist my lips ruefully and sigh. “And waiting.”

Sally repeats the process over and over, moving one thigh this way and the other that way, until my skin is burning below but smooth as silk. She runs her hand over me to test for stragglers which ought to shock me but by now I’m past caring. I lift up on my elbows to check it out and have a thorough grope at myself, remembering Jack’s earlier promise.

My flesh is bright pink but already dulling to a deeper, rosy shade. It looks quite nice, actually and my face probably matches.

“Once, you get your tan and buff, it won’t look any different to the rest of your skin colour. The redness fades quite quickly.

I can’t believe we’re discussing my baldness, looking at it and touch-testing it with as much nonchalance as if it were a newly-groomed pet poodle.

“Now I’ll thread your eyebrows to shape them, so that’s all the hair removal over and done with.” She’s a girl of many talents.

Threading doesn’t hurt half as much as what has gone before but even that little bit of shaping gives a whole new presence to my face, I think, observing myself in the mirror. My eyes seem larger and sexier, my cheekbones higher. I felt prettier somehow.

Sally walks me to another treatment room for my Red Carpet facial and hands me over. “I’ll do the gems for you after your tan so have a think about your design.”

Design? Of course. I’ll need to decide what I want on my body. It isn’t like sprinkling sugar over a dough-nut. I really have no idea.

The facial is so relaxing, all the trauma of the waxing fades as expert fingers knead and smooth my face, neck and shoulders. I feel like purring with pleasure. My feet are soaked in a warm bath ready for my pedicure at the same time. By the end my skin looks plump and moist with my full lips tingling ready for when Jack kisses me properly. I recall the all too brief embrace outside the salon.

I think I must have drifted off in my super-relaxed state when a dusky-skinned woman shakes me gently by the shoulder. I’m grateful I’m not having bad dreams at that moment. Slapping Jack’s face snaps suddenly to mind.

“Sorry. What did you say?”

The woman smiles. “I’m Jasmine. I’ll be taking you for your tan and buff now, if you want to follow me.”

I almost feel sorry to be leaving the quiet comfort of the facial recliner but time is of the essence. I push my feet into slippers, noting how fabulous my French polished toenails look.

In the tanning room I choose to forgo the paper panties as I don’t want a bronzed body with a giveaway white patch.

“Not having a spray today?” Jasmine asks.

“No time. I’m under strict instructions to be bronze and beautiful before sunset.”

Jasmine begins rubbing the dry tanning glove over my arms and shoulders. “Going anywhere nice?”

I have to think about that one. “The Commerce Ball.” Nice? I’m certain many people thoroughly enjoy it. Even look forward to it on their annual calendar. I’m not one of them. It’s really out of my comfort zone. I know exactly the type of people who will be there. Powerful, influential, so far up their own backsides that they can’t see daylight. People like the team from Advance who protested my intrusion into Zee-Com’s boardroom. They’ll love seeing me on Jack’s arm, knowing I scuppered their deal.

Jasmine’s firm, no nonsense hands following the contours of my entire body bring me back to the present. Jack would enjoy watching this too, I think, biting back a grin.

“Now for the back.” Jasmine manhandles me gently around to face the opposite direction.

I glance down my tanned body. My skin is pale golden, like sun-ripened wheat. Not too over-the-top. I don’t want to look like I’ve idled the summer away in the South of France. I just want the confidence that a sun-kissed glow can give me.

“Is the shade okay for you, Miss Caid?”

“Call me Tabitha. You’ve got it spot-on, Jasmine. Just what I wanted. Thanks.”

“It’s better to start lighter. You can always go darker if you want to.” Jasmine’s hands work themselves over my buttocks. “Separate your legs a bit. A bit wider. That’s it.” When the glove disappears between my thighs I jump. “Sorry. We don’t want to leave a bare patch.”

“It’s fine.”

“Let’s just get the front too.” Her hand sweeps everywhere. “You’re getting gems?” Jasmine keeps up the conversation to divert my attention.

“I’ve never had done it before,” I confess. “I thought it would be a surprise.”

“For Mr Keogh?” She continues working down my thighs.

God, do they all know about Jack? I twist round and smile coyly rather than come right out and say I’m getting a vajazzle to shock him.

“That’ll be a conversation stopper.”

We both laugh out loud. How can you not be friendly with a woman who’s running her hands all over your naked body and sharing your secret surprise for Jack?

“Exactly the effect I’m going for.”

“Have you thought about what you’re having?”

I still have no idea. It’s completely outside my realm of experience. Up until a few months ago I was a student. I studied. I worked. I’ve been thrown into a whole new world of experience and I’m slowly feeling my way.

“Any suggestions?”

She’s working on my calf and lifting my bent leg up behind me to cover my instep and between my toes. I brace my hands against the back wall to steady myself. Frustration and embarrassment drift off me in waves.

“There’s the usual hearts and flowers stuff. Shooting stars. Rockets to the moon.”

Innuendo and euphemism, I realise. “Trains in tunnels?”

“Oh, most of them aren’t that subtle, sweetie.”

“What do you mean?” I’m aghast. Intrigued.

She leans closer and lowers her voice. “Try a rampant cock for size. Pardon my French.”

I snigger. I’ve been trying for one of those all day. It might prove a none-too-subtle hint. No mixed messages there. Blush central goes action stations once more. I somehow don’t think he’d see the funny side. “A bit racy. For my first time.”

“Fair enough. How about some words, then?”

“Words? They can do words?”

“Anything you like. Until you run out of room, that is.” Jasmine snorts. “Sorry.”

I really like that girl. “Like names and things?”

“People have names of their lovers. Celebrities. Messages to that certain someone.”

Now she’s talking. I feel I’m finally getting somewhere. I’m doing this whole dread deed as a message to Jack and love-hearts and teddies just aren’t what I have in mind. What do I really want to say to Jack, right this minute?

“I’ll just go over your face – we want you matching – and then you’re done.” Jasmine swaps dry tan mitts. “Subtle. Caressed by the sun. It’ll be a good foundation for your make-up. You’re having an evening face, aren’t you?”

“Mmm.” My mind is still focused on my dilemma. Come on, girl, I tell myself. You’re in advertising. What do you really want to say to Jack Keogh right this very minute?

Jasmine buffs the skin of my face gently. She stands back as I look at the final effect in the mirror. I glow. I look really radiant. The buffing has brought the blood to the surface and left a faint hint of warmth beneath the golden tones. It looks healthy and natural. For the first time in my life, as I stand there, even with my hair shoved up under a shower cap, I feel I might possibly turn a few heads. Appearances count? Well so it would seem.

Jasmine holds out my wrap before returning me to Sally. “Enjoy your special night.” She winks at me before leaving.

“Wow. Stunning. A bit of colour makes you look fantastic. Have you thought about your gem design at all?” Sally enquires.

Oh I have. I really have. Suddenly I know exactly what I want to say to Jack. With bells on.

Chapter Fourteen

Sally stares wide-eyed when I tell her what I want. She looks a little shocked if I’m honest. “Are you sure about that?”

Dimly I wonder if she knows Jack Keogh better than I do. I have a fleeting moment of doubt before I remember it’s Jack himself who’s been at great pains to point out I have to make my own decisions and stick by them.

“I’m sure.” I’m not. Not for a single minute but I give myself a talking to. If I don’t have the courage of my convictions, then why the hell should Zee-Com? This is advertising, pure and simple. I’m sending Jack a message. And I know how to say it the way I want. With impact. “I’m dead sure.” I haven’t gone through the screaming tortures of the damned removing all that hair just to act like a plucked chicken now. “Let’s do it.” I lie on the bench.

Sally laughs. “You’re paying.”

“Actually, I’m not,” I confess, feeling a little sheepish. “He is.” I glance up at her.

Laughter explodes from her slight frame. “That makes it even funnier.”

It does. It really does. Imagine paying to be told that? Taking a deep breath, I settle back like a living, breathing advertising display board.

“All clear sparkling crystals. The light will catch them and break them into prisms of colour,” Sally says, holding up a carton of gems, twisting them this way and that under the lights. “That way the message will really stand out against your golden skin.”

“May the medium improve the message.” My stomach heaves with laughter.

She settles the carton on the table holding tweezers and glue aloft. “Now don’t move. If you want to make a statement, it has to be perfect. No wobbles.”

I nod. I’m so ready for this.

Sally has a steady hand. Just as well as it’s ticklish. She freehand draws the words to guide her. Each tiny gem is glued and placed in exactly the right spot on my skin until the job is done. She presses over the whole thing with a soft cloth to firm them into place.

“Now be careful putting your knickers back on. You don’t want to flip them off.”

Definitely. I’m much more inclined to flip Jack off when he sees the finished article. I’ll treat them like they’re real diamonds. “I’ll be careful.”

“They’re pretty firmly stuck but carry some of the skin glue with you, just in case.” Sally helps me up from the bench and stands back as I look in the mirror.

Although my reflection shows the writing back to front, it looks fabulous. Everything I’d hoped for. “Thank you, Sally. They’re sensational.”

The three little words form a graceful, glittering curve following the natural lines of my body. I’ve never seen anything quite so amazing. Never done anything quite so daring. Even I fancy my chances tonight.

A sudden shot of nerves drives through me. How will Jack react? Even if he can only stare in disbelief he’ll get a front row advertising campaign.

“Come back soon. I’m dying to know how you got on.”

“I will.” I grin. “I most definitely will.”

“Right.” Sally consults her computer. “Better get you to make up. And we’ve still got your manicure to do.”