"It's no big deal. If I'm being honest, when I saw it in the mirror this morning, it made me hot remembering last night." He winks and uses my hands to pull me to my feet. "I had a lot of fun Jess, so I don't want to hear any apologies out of that sexy little mouth of yours."
"You were really mad at Caleb out there. I know I told you I'd point out when he returned, and that was definitely an appearance from the angry ogre." I try to change the topic, still slightly embarrassed by his dirty compliment.
"I promised you last night that I would never laugh at you. I'll be damned if I'm going to stand by and listen to anyone else ever do it either. You’re already too skittish around me. I want you to feel comfortable and safe with me, gorgeous. If Caleb said or did anything to make you feel otherwise, I would be more than happy to remind him to watch his manners.”
"You threatened to punch him in the face. That is hardly a friendly reminder."
"If he made fun of you again, I would have done it, too."
"Um, please don't punch him in the face because he picks on me."
"No promises, but I'll try to restrain myself for you." He gives a small chuckle before pulling me tight into a hug. "So, where do you want to go tonight?" he asks after a few minutes of holding me in silence.
"Oh, I don't care. Anything is fine."
"As I recall, you don't like pizza?"
"No, I don't."
"Then don't tell me anything is fine," he half scolds while pulling me even tighter into his arms.
"I'm okay with pizza...if that's what you want," I stutter out.
"What time is it?" he asks randomly.
"9:20, why?"
"Shit, it's too early to get you drunk." I rear my head back shocked at his statement.
"It seems the only time you actually speak your mind with me, is when you're drunk."
"That's not true!" I scream at a decibel only a howler monkey could match.
"Really? Do you like pizza, Jess?"
"No."
"Well, thank Christ, at least you're honest."
"You're a jerk."
"And you're hiding," he states meaning it in more ways than one. "Don't hide from me, ever. Last night you didn't take my crap. You were this tiny drunk woman who I had no doubt could conquer the world. You gave me a hickey!" he says, firmly as if that one sentence was the answer to all the world’s problems. "You made bets, which you lost and still have not paid up on by the way. I didn't forget about that. You still owe me the truth about where you learned to bowl. Don't worry, I'm a patient man."
"I said I was sorry about the hickey." It was my generic answer. I have no idea how to react to the rest of his comments. He just said he wanted to get me drunk at nine A.M.! Regardless, if I'm sober or drunk, I can't conquer the world. No matter what he thought he saw in me last night, I'm just little Jesse Addison, I go with the flow and try not to make any waves. But I'm no one’s door mat. I might not be a fighter, but I have no problems walking away.
"What do you say you come back out front, and I'll try to figure out a pizza-free restaurant for us tonight?" He folds his hands together pretending to beg. "Please don't make me go back out there alone. I'm a little afraid of Kara."
"You should be more than a little afraid of Kara,” I say, pecking him on the lips and heading back out front.
Jesse
"HOLY SMOKES!" I gasp as Kara turns me around to face the mirror.
I told Brett that I wouldn't let her dress me, but she wore me down after begging for three hours straight. She was relentless. I mainly gave in because I didn't have anything to wear anyway. I'm a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl. Nothing about a date with sex-on-legs Brett Sharp says jeans and t-shirt. He didn't tell me where we were going, so I had to straddle that fine line between dressy and casual. If he takes me to a sports bar, I don’t want to look like the prom queen. But if he takes me to a nice place, I don’t want to look like a homeless woman either. So I allowed Kara to dress me again.
This time, she picked a simple black strapless dress that accentuates my best attributes, my boobs, and red sling back wedge heels. All of the real drama was in my eye makeup. She gave me the most brilliant smoky eyes I have ever seen. My usual unruly long brown hair has been flat ironed into submission, leaving shiny flowing locks in its place. Despite my best efforts, she forced me into a red lace strapless bra and matching thong that she found pushed to the very back of my panty drawer. Even I'm willing to admit I look kind of amazing tonight.
"I know! Right? You look hot! When are you going to learn to trust my expertise?" Kara says beside me.
"From now on, I vow to wear anything you put in front of me."
"Score! If you think I'm going to forget that, you are sadly mistaken. I have some dirty lingerie you can use next time."
"Eww, I'm not wearing your lingerie."
"Okay, fine, but promise I get to go shopping with you when Hottie McHottersen turns you into a sex fiend."
"Since that is never going to happen, I promise. Cross my heart and hope to die."