Naughty Little Wishes (Birthday Dare) by Nina Crespo Page B

and dumped them on the floor. Done purging, she reached into the boutique bag. Cool silk slipped through her fingers and she shivered with delight. Geometric patterns, colorful stripes, fashionable solids, how could he not like these?
    “Covered, huh? Sure you do. That’s the same thing you said when you pierced your hoo-haa.”
    “Really Jasmine? How can you expect me to take you seriously when you use words like hoo-haa? It was a clit piercing, and you dared me to do it.”
    “I dared you to get a piercing. I didn’t specify where, and it doesn’t matter what word I use. It was a bad idea, like now, which was why you removed it.”
    “No, it had to go because Cousin Lacey called me out, and Daddy threatened to cut off my college tuition. Do you know she still doesn’t get why no one tells her anything? I swear, just because she’s naturally horizontal ninety-four percent of the time doesn’t mean the rest of us are.”
    “Ninety-four? Don’t you mean ninety-nine?”
    “Nope, but the other six percent you don’t want to hear about unless you’re heavily medicated, trust me.”
    “You’re so bad.” Jasmine laughed. “But we’re not changing the subject. Why are you so adamant about this? You said you wanted to help Drew close the deal. Making over his closet was a benefit you threw in. You also just started kinda-sorta sleeping with him. Maybe this time you shouldn’t push so hard. There could be a good reason why he’s not on board with making changes. Stop trying to fix him. He’s not broken.”
    Tab bit back her argument. Drew battled the past through his obsessions, being over-controlling and rigid, and not showing his feelings. It was as if wearing the same clothes provided armor for him. Why? She didn’t know yet, but she’d find out. Her clients usually started opening up once the transformation began.
    Drew’s not your client.
    Tab tucked the last tie in place. He needed to know people cared about him, she cared about him. Not backing down in this was her way of showing it. Curiosity pulled her to the drawers built into the wall. As she opened and closed each one, the smell of cedar and laundry soap mixed in with the lingering scent of Drew’s cologne drifted into the air. She opened the third one. Oh, yeah. Those could stay. Smiling, she closed the drawer and went back to the ties.
    “You’re not listening to me, are you?” Jasmine said. “I’m the last person to tell you not to mix business with sex, but if you think playing naked fairy-godmother-with-benefits will gain points with him, you’ve inhaled too much magic sexy dust.” Murmurs from a deep masculine voice came through the phone. Jasmine giggled. “In a minute, Ethan. What did I tell you about ear hustling my conversation?” Loud smacking kisses came through clearly over the phone.
    She sounds so happy. A wistful pang of longing tugged in her chest. She wanted Drew to come back so they could pick up where they left off—getting to know each other without arguments getting in the way. She wanted to look in his eyes and know thoughts of Shana hadn’t consumed headspace he could use for something else. Like planning to have a life not locked down by restrictions. Doing this without him might make him a little upset when he came home, but she’d come up with something over the weekend. A smile pushed away the sadness. Maybe the tie-kini had other uses.
    “Sorry, Tab. So, have I gotten through to you at all about this?”
    The colorful ties stood out, bold, beautiful, meant to be paired with new things. “I vote for inhaling more sexy dust and twerkin’ and swervin’ my ass down the road of forgiveness.”
    “No you didn’t just use swerve and twerk in the same sentence.” Jasmine’s laughter fueled hers.
    “Oh yes, I did. In fact, I’m swervin’ and twerkin’ right now.” She danced to the imaginary beat and added in a booty shake. “And if I have to use what I got to put a spell on him…” A strange