Sex, Lies, and Beauty Aides (32 page)

Sabrina set the baking sheet on hot pad then turned to the other side of the kitchen and started a blender. She placed goblets filled with some pale pink fruity smelling drink in front of him. “Give it a try, my own concoction.” She winked as she turned back to the stove.

“I taste passion fruit and something else.” Then it dawned on him, she’d made him a sex on the beach. But it was more than that. He looked around and saw a decorative bottle of Kinky vodka. Duh, kinky sex on the beach. Score another one for Sabrina. He chuckled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” he mumbled. “Is that risotto I see?”

“Sure is—salmon and risotto for your main course.”

“Wow, this is terrific. I’m almost afraid to ask what’s for dessert.”

“What else, chocolate.”

“Chocolate what?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see.”

He’d seen the second web page opened to a recipe for something called
Sex in a Pan
.

By the time she served her decadent dessert, chocolate pudding, whipped cream thing in a pan, he almost couldn’t finish it. But he did because he didn’t to hurt her feelings. It was the best dessert he’d ever eaten. He’d ask her to make it again sometime only next time he’d slather it all over her.

Sabrina had a look on her face when he finally pushed his dessert plate away. Something between a cross of frustration and anticipation. She’d barely touched her meal.

If she thought her meal of nothing but aphrodisiacs would have an effect on him, she was wrong. He loved everything she’d served. But he’d be hot for her body if she served him hot dogs.

They retreated to the couch, she casually unplugged her laptop, moved it to the desk in the corner and popped in a movie on.

She acted angry when he fell asleep five minutes after it started. First of all, she’d fed him a heavy meal. Secondly, it was a porn flick. He detested porn. Why watch porn when the real thing was better? Sabrina was worth the wait.

When he left that night, Sabrina was silent. He kissed her good night. “See you at work tomorrow.” He’d have liked to spend the night again, but if he did that, his plans for New Year would be screwed and he wouldn’t do that to Sabrina.

* * * *

Step nine. Addle him with aphrodisiacs. Check, sort of.

Step ten. Pickle him with porn. Dismal failure.

Step eleven. Lure him with sex. Aborted when he fell asleep.

Sabrina was beyond disappointed with the result the previous evening. Dinner had been perfect. Well, except for the raw oysters. She’d never make them again. Disgusting. She’d served a meal of aphrodisiacs only to have Trent fall asleep on the couch. And of course the battery in her remote had died. She was stuck watching the stupidest porn flick ever, something called
Titillation
. The ridiculously warped version of
Cinderella
, about some John trying to find the hooker who fit the enormous bra. She laughed at a few scenes even though it did nothing to insight any passion in her whatsoever. Instead she felt like an idiot watching it with Trent asleep on her lap.

She’d try again today during lunch. She was taking him to the G-Spot. It wasn’t as bad as the Satin Slipper. She shivered at the memory of that place.

She wasn’t sure if she’d be able to handle it herself, but she really wanted to get an over the top, outrageous reaction out of Trent.

Her self-esteem was at an all-time low. Other than some heavy necking, and while it was great necking, it never went any further with them. She needed to know she could incite some passion, in herself and in Trent.

If this idea failed, she was in serious trouble.

The intent was to gauge his reaction to a variety of sexual situations. Would they embarrass him, excite him, or turn him off.

She had a good idea of some of the items she wanted to look at, and force him to comment on. Her biggest fears were about whether or not she’d have a voice to get the words out. Would her extremely limited and untested sexual side be able to speak? She had serious reservations. What was driving her was the need to know she had some kind of sexual power over Trent.

She purposely didn’t tell Trent where they were going just that they needed to make a stop on the way to lunch for the sake of an article. He’d never deny her that.

The G-Stop was a several blocks over from the office and a few doors down from the Indian restaurant Trent made lunchtime reservations for.

She was on the verge of canceling when Trent came up and put his hand at her waist.

“You ready to go?”

“Ah. Yeah. Give me a minute. I need to use the restroom.” She grabbed her purse and they headed for the lobby. Once there Trent took a seat on a bench while she entered the bathroom.

She stood in front of the mirror, hell-bent on giving herself a stern talking to. She checked her make-up until the only other person in the room left.

She applied her lipstick then rubbed her lips together. “Come on, Sabrina, you can do this. You have two choices. You either pull up your big girl undies or go buy some granny panties and forget ever having a love life. What’s it gonna be?”

Did she really want this with Trent? Was she over-thinking the entire thing because of her new job or did she really want the happily ever after with Trent?

She didn’t have to think about it for a second. Trent is what she wanted. Pure and simple. She loved him. She’d forgiven him the hurts he and Travis inflicted on her.

With that answer, she dropped her lipstick into her purse and left the restroom.

She was on a mission.

* * * *

Trent couldn’t wait for lunch. He’d been craving Indian food since he’d got to Sacramento. The Katmandu was supposed to be the best. It might not be as fun as the meal Sabrina served him the night before but he wanted some good curry.

Sabrina said she had a stop to make on the way for an article, so hopefully it wouldn’t take long. Their reservation was for twelve o’clock and they had roughly thirty-five minutes to get there.

Sabrina came out of the bathroom with such a look of determination on her face. What happened in there?

“Let’s go.” She grabbed his hand and led him out of the building. With focus and purpose, she pulled him along, almost as if they were heading to a fire.

“Sabrina, is something wrong?” The last time she acted strange, she’d been leading him to the slaughter with those crazy blue-haired broads.

Sabrina didn’t say a word.

There was nothing else he could do but wait to see what she had in store for him. But when her pace grew frantic, he couldn’t stand it any longer. “Sabrina, come on, what’s wrong?

Several blocks later, she slowed and they rounded the corner. He was glad to see the façade of the restaurant they’d be eating at. Maybe she’d changed her mind.

Then she stopped, three doors shy of the place. He looked up at the blinking sign and his heart stopped.

“No. I’m not going in there.”

Sabrina grabbed his hand and pushed her way through the door dragging him with her.

“Damn.”

He saw Sabrina’s lips moving but nothing came out. She appeared to be talking to herself. Aw shit that couldn’t be good. Not if she has to talk herself into something.

She strolled up one aisle and down another as if in search for a specific product, looking high and low.

When she dropped his hand to reach for a product, he walked away. He needed some perspective. He needed insight. Screw that, he needed to get the hell out of there. He made it to the far wall, pretending to scan the corkboard want ads, only to realize that it was a who’s who of prostitutes and services. He moved away quickly. “This place should be shut down by the cops.”

“Screw you asshole. If you can’t handle it leave.” A male customer shoulder slammed him as he passed.

He forced himself to breathe then looked for Sabrina. She stood in the aisle where he’d left her, shoulders shaking. Damn, he’d made her cry. What was so damned important that she had to get him here?

He turned back to Sabrina and gave in. He couldn’t leave her here. It didn’t matter what was wrong. He wasn’t leaving her like this. She needed him. She needed him now. He walked up to her, took her by the shoulders, spun her around, put his finger under her chin and kissed her. It was a kiss designed to remove her fears. Whatever it was she felt she’d find here, he was bound and determined to help her find it.

“I’m so sorry. I don’t know why I dragged you in here. I guess it’s because I need to see for myself that I can handle it.”

“I understand. I mean we’ve had enough conversations that I know what intimidates you, but how did you expect this to work? You said it was for an article. What article?

“Don’t you understand Trent? I’m uncomfortable enough at the thought of all this stuff.” She pointed at the products before her. “I thought if I came in here with you, for you, for us, maybe I’d find a way past all my angst and find a way to force myself to woman up. I’m sorry I used you this way. I’d convinced myself that if I couldn’t do it for you I’d never be able to find a way. But I failed. Can we just go to lunch? Please.”

“Nope, sorry, we’re here and we aren’t leaving until you have your answers. Whatever they are. Whatever it takes. Talk to me, Sabrina.”

“I just wanted to get comfortable about this stuff.”

“Here—” He looked around. “In this dump? Seriously? Wouldn’t it have been easier to go to Angel’s? You seemed comfortable and in control there. They have many of the same things.”

“Angel’s was about payback. I didn’t take it seriously, except to make you uncomfortable and embarrass you. That was fun. “This is more explicit. I need a crash course.”

“Why? What’s the rush?”

“I don’t know, I really don’t but I felt like if I could do it for you I could ignore my discomfort zone. Guess I was wrong.”

“Fine, pick a product, any product.” He felt like a circus barker.

Sabrina blindly reached out and grabbed the item nearest her hand. He took it from her.

All at once, Trent had his answer. He did what he’d have done to any of his buddies for a laugh. He read the direction label, improvising loudly. “Apply to penis and rub until it turns purple and blows like Mount Vesuvius.”

At the word purple, Sabrina grabbed the bottle to read for herself then slapped him on the arm. “It doesn’t say that.” Sabrina blushed and grinned at him. She covered her mouth and laughed, tears sparkling at the corners of her eyes. “I’m so sorry Trent, this was a bad idea.”

Not to be deterred, he grabbed another bottle and spoke even louder. “Apply to vaginal area then lick said area until female begins to scream your name.”

Sabrina snorted.

He removed a third product.

Sabrina was laughing hysterically and walked away.

The counter guy yelled, “You have to pay for that.”

Sabrina was laughing so hard she didn’t hear the guy. She was two steps from the door when the guy yelled, “Stop, thief.”

As he continued to read at on, the guy picked up the phone and called the police.

Sabrina realized what she had in her hands, raced to the counter, slapped a twenty down, joined Trent who put the bottle back, and shoved him out the door.

They laughed their way to the restaurant. It had been embarrassing but it was exactly what Sabrina needed to take some of her fear out of the intimacy of the products.

He had his own theory of her problem. She wasn’t embarrassed, uncomfortable or even fearful of her sexuality, just clueless and naïve and needed a delicate hand at the tutorial.

Good thing he was up for the job.

“By the way New Year’s is almost here. I have plans.

“Oh really, what did you have in mind?”

“Can you be ready at eleven a.m. on New Year’s Eve?”

“Sure. What do I need?”

“Nothing. Leave it all to me.”

Thank God she didn’t argue or ask questions.

18

Step twelve. Taunt him with toys. It was a draw.