The Closer You Get (9 page)

“So talk to me,” Franny said, once they got settled in with their drinks. “What’s with all these changes?”

Cora frowned. “What changes?”

“To your look? You’ve been dabbling with makeup lately. Dressing more consciously. And now, here you are with a drop-dead sexy haircut and a super hot dress. Spill.”

For whatever reason meeting Rye had sparked this awareness in her, Cora didn’t want to credit him with it. This awakening was deeper than any desire to impress a man. “I guess…I just…wanna do something with myself,” she said.

Franny and Lyssa frowned and nodded, gesturing for her to elaborate.

“I don’t know,” Cora said. “I’ve just recently started thinking about my looks. Honestly, I wrote myself off at an early age. I was clearly nothing compared to my sisters, and I didn’t really want romance or love or anything. But for some reason, now…”
 

“Now you do,” Franny finished.

Cora shrugged. “It’s like something just kicked in and I thought, you know, I’m not ugly. I mean, I’m not a goddess like my sisters, but…there’s a little here to work with. I just want to put out more of an effort.”

“And you’re interested in attracting men?” Lyssa asked.

“She’s interested in attracting a man,” Franny said nodding toward the pool table where Rye was playing.

Cora didn’t look over her shoulder. She knew who Franny was looking at.

Lyssa sighed. “Bad choice.”

Cora didn’t disagree, unfortunately. “I’m not going to lie about being attracted to him, but I think the attraction was just the catalyst. What I feel like in this dress…it’s invigorating. I feel a little wild and adventurous. I want this for myself. If it gets me a man, that’s great. If it doesn’t, at least I won’t be living my life ashamed of my body, you know?”

“Absolutely,” Franny said. “I mean, I know exactly what you’re feeling. When I’m dressing hot, it’s like I turn myself on, you know? I don’t even need a man at that point; I can just get off on the power of knowing how good I look in that dress.”

Cora laughed. Franny’s conversations always eventually turned to sex. “I don’t know that I’m quite that excited about it, but yes…it’s thrilling.”

“You mind if I ask you something?” Franny asked, leaning in and lowering her voice.

“Sure,” Cora replied.

“Are you still…a virgin?”

Cora’s blush was likely answer enough, but she nodded anyway.

Franny didn’t react or judge. “Okay. I thought so. Now this next question I’m only asking because I know your upbringing, and I know you, so please don’t take offense. But do you, you know, take care of yourself?”

“Of course I take care of myself. I’m a grown woman.”

Franny sighed and pressed her lips together, clearly searching for another way to ask the question. “I mean, do you take care of yourself sexually? Do you masturbate?”

“Franny, for God’s sake,” Lyssa exclaimed. “First of all, how is that any of your business? And second, how does that have any relevance in this conversation?”

Franny shot her a look. “You babes are my best friends, so everything’s my business. And it’s relevant because I want Cora to know how much power she has. So…can you answer me, Cora?”

Cora bit her bottom lip and glanced around, making sure no one was listening in. “I never have,” she said. “Honestly, I didn’t know women could.”

“You need to start reading romance novels, honey,” Franny said. “Listen, you can totally do it. And you should. Once you take control of that aspect of your sexuality, you’ll be shocked at how much more confident you are. Is it better with a man? Sure. But you don’t need a man, and that’s the key.”

Cora listened with rapt attention, thoroughly interested in owning these secrets to confident womanhood. Franny was always confident and independent. “So…how do you do it?”

Franny sat back, “Oh, honey, I have this amazing vibrator. I’ll give you a link to the website. But you can do whatever feels good. Just practice with it. How do you do it, Lyssa?”

“I can’t believe we’re discussing this,” Lyssa muttered. “I just use my hand, okay? I read a little erotica and use my hand.”

“I’ve never read any erotica. Or romance,” Cora said.

“I will hook you up,” Franny said. “You should start with Twilight. There’s no sex in it, but it’s still so hot.”

“Is that the vampire one?” Cora asked.

“Yeah. It’s so romantic.”

“It’s stupid,” Lyssa said. “Don’t read it. Skip to the BDSM stuff, now that’s hot.”

“Twilight is not stupid,” Franny said. “And she should ease into this, you don’t want to scare her off.”

“You’re the one giving her lessons on vibrators and porn!”

A throat cleared and the three women looked up. Rye’s approach had been silent. He leaned on the table, eyes only for Cora. Apparently the dress was doing its job. “You wanna play with me?” he asked, his voice low and raspy. At first, she understood his question in a completely inappropriate way. But then he nodded over his shoulder to where two guys were standing at a pool table watching.
 

Cora glanced at Franny and Lyssa, who were gaping. “She can’t play pool in that dress,” Lyssa said.

Rye’s lips quirked up in a half-grin.
 

“I’ll play,” Cora said, not understanding what the dress had to do with anything. She excused herself and preceded him to the table, watching the eyebrows rise on the two men she was approaching.

“That’s Kent. That’s Lucas. This is Cora,” he said. She nodded politely to them. She knew them only in passing. Lucas racked. “You ever played Scotch Doubles?” Rye asked her.

“Sure,” she said.
 

“You break,” he said, standing back. The other guys stood back to watch. Cora realized the problem as soon as she leaned over the table and took aim. She was giving these guys an eyeful. Silly as it seemed, it hadn’t even occurred to her that this might happen. And with Rye standing behind her, she became very aware of how the skirt of her dress rode up the backs of her thighs. She hit the cue ball. It cracked against the others and sent them scattering, pocketing two balls. She stepped back for Rye, who moved past her without looking.
 

“If you don’t mind my saying, boss,” he said, “the view’s improved considerably since last time we played.”

She blushed to her hairline and tried desperately to think of something witty to say. He pocketed two balls in one shot and she took another turn. She missed, which could only be due to nerves. “That one’s your fault,” she said, as she backed up next to him so the other guys could shoot. Rye chuckled and gave the back of her head a stroke.
 

“Worth it.”

She looked up at him, but he was watching the game. His little hair stroke had just sent her heart ramming against her chest. She wondered if he knew what he was doing to her. By all accounts, he hadn’t even turned on the charm yet. She’d seen him with women, both at work and at the bar. This was nothing compared to what he did with other women. This wasn’t even flirting.
 

She forced herself to dial down her excitement. And then she got the bright idea to whistle at him when he bent over to take his shot. His cue slipped, and he fouled. She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing. He turned to face her, grinning and walking toward her. “You’re not supposed to sabotage your teammate.” He jabbed her gently in the belly with the handle of his cue.
 

She giggled. God help her, she giggled. And backed up. But he kept coming until her back hit the wall. “You just lost this game for us, boss lady.”

She was still snickering. “Worth it,” she said, repeating his words.
 

He put one hand on the wall near her head and stared down at her for a moment. Then he looked back at the game. Lucas and Kent were cleaning up. Then Lucas scratched, and Cora had a chance to redeem herself. This time she got cat calls from Lucas and Kent. She just shot them a look and pocketed two balls. She and Rye ended up winning that round, losing the next two, and winning two more after that.

Franny and Lyssa came over with their drinks to watch and flirt with Lucas and Kent. But Lucas turned out to be married, so Kent wound up with double attention. Cora appreciated that Rye didn’t join in the flirtation. She had a nightmare moment when Franny spilled her drink, and Rye rushed to her side to help…Cora figured she’d lost him, then; that he would drop her like a hot potato. But he returned his attention to the game and to her.
 

At last Lucas stepped back and placed his cue in the rack on the wall. “I gotta get home,” he said. “The wife’ll be wantin’ some Friday night lovin’.”
 

Kent and Rye teased him using phrases like “tight leash” and “ball and chain.” But he left anyway.
 

“Can’t understand why he’s always running home,” Kent lamented to Rye.

Cora took up her cue and finished pocketing the balls on the table. “Because, unlike the two of you, he has a high probability of getting laid in the near future.” The last ball went in, and she looked up to see Rye across the table, his arms folded over his chest, and his eyes narrowed, as though he’d been issued a challenge. Lyssa and Franny were giggling.

“There’s three single women here,” Kent said. “My odds can’t be too bad.”

Cora forced her eyes away from Rye. “Two. I’m out.”

“I’m out, too,” Lyssa said.

“Hey,” Kent whined.

“I’m out, too,” Franny said. “I’m on my period.”

“I have a headache,” Lyssa said.

“I have to wash my hair,” Cora said, giggling and enjoying the fun.

Kent made like he was highly disappointed. “I bought you drinks, all of you! What is this world coming to?”

But Franny and Lyssa eased his bruised ego with kisses on the cheek and took him to the bar so he could buy them another drink. She looked to Rye, but he was busying himself racking the balls—an aimless gesture since they weren’t playing another game.
 

“I think I’ll go home,” Cora said. Then she wrung her hands at her waist and waited.

He glanced up at her and back down at the table. “You wanna go do something?”

She hitched a shoulder, and he looked at her and smiled. “I like when you do that,” he said.
 

She swallowed and looked up at him wide-eyed.

He came toward her and towered over her. “So…what do you wanna do?”

She started to hitch her shoulder again but put a hand on it to stop herself.
 

Rye’s gaze traveled to her shoulder. He took her hand and pulled it away, keeping hold of it. His knuckles brushed the tops of her breasts as he moved her hand to her side. Cora felt slightly dizzy. She swallowed. Tried to think of something to say.

Rye frowned, his eyes piercing hers. “Can I talk to you about something work related?”

Oh. Work related. “Uh. Sure. Go ahead.”

Rye leaned in and lowered his voice, some. “I think Daniel has a crush on Chrissy.”

She shook her head, startled at the direction the conversation was suddenly taking. “I find that unlikely since Daniel’s gay.”

Rye shook his head. “He definitely has a crush on her. I think he’s wondering what your policy is on inter-office dating.”

“Um…I don’t really have a problem with it. I think he’s mature enough to deal with any potential fallout and not let it affect his job.”

Rye’s gaze dropped to her lips, and she was suddenly so aware of how close he was. How he towered nearly a foot taller than her. How the scent of him seeped into her very soul. “I think he wonders how you’d feel about him kissing her in public.”

She was pressing herself hard into the wall, as though she could slowly disappear into the rough, wood panels.

“I think he’s worried,” Rye continued, still gazing at her mouth like a hungry lion about to pounce, “that it might undermine her position in the company. He knows how much you value respect. Would it be disrespectful of him to kiss her?”

“I think…” she had to pause and get her voice pitched down to a normal level. “I think I would prefer it if he would kiss her in private. Especially in the early stages of their relationship.”

Rye’s jaw muscles flexed. She watched his Adam’s apple bob, the only sign of any nervousness on his part.
 

She took a deep breath. Her conscience, sounding something like Adam, told her to back away. But she ignored it. It was time to take some risks. “Do you want to come to my house and watch a movie or something?” She hoped she didn’t sound like she was thirteen because that was certainly how she felt.
 

But then he smiled, and relief washed over her. “Yes,” he said. “That sounds perfect.”

“Okay,” she said, nodding. “Okay, great. Um…you can follow me. Or do you need a ride?”
 

“I’ll follow you.” He started toward the bar.

She grabbed his arm to stop him. Jerking her hand back, she said, “Don’t pay for my drinks.”

“I’m going to, so—”

“I’m not…I’m not going to sleep with you tonight. I’m not. So…don’t pay for my drinks.”

He laughed. “Good to know your opinion of me. I’ve got nowhere to go but up from here.” He went and paid for her drinks.

As she drove home, with his headlights in her rearview mirror, she wondered what the hell she was going to do. She’d never had a man in her house. At least she’d drawn the line for him. Now if he tried something with her, she’d know that Adam was right, that Rye didn’t respect her. But if he didn’t try anything with her, she was going to be constantly wondering if she wasn’t attractive enough for him.

They arrived at her house way too soon. Rye was out of his truck and at her side by the time she got to the front door. “All this just for you?” he asked, looking around at the house.

“Yeah, I just bought it last year. I don’t need all this space, but I can afford it, and it sort of makes me feel like a grown-up. The apartments around here aren’t so good.”

She unlocked the door and let him in. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked around. “Nice. You’re a neat freak. About what I expected.”

“I’m not a neat freak. I just don’t have a lot of stuff.”