this to be easy and fun. And I’m telling you, this will be a huge turn-on for Emma and Pete. They love meeting people for the first time. I think you’ll get a sexy vibe from them right away.”
Caroline licked the salt she’d sprinkled on the outside of her hand, downed the shot, then bit into the lime. She exhaled slowly and set the shot glass down on the counter.
“What kind of sexy vibe?” she asked, turning toward Piper. “Please don’t tell me they’re going to be obvious about it. If anyone realizes we’re out with them to interview them for sex, I’d die a million deaths. Do you think Bella is a bad choice? Too well-known? Maybe we should’ve gone to another city?” She wrung her hands.
Piper stood, putting her palms out in front of her. “Okay, I’m going to need you to step away from the freak-out. Bella is great. It’s local, but it’s huge and bustling with activity. No one—and I mean no one —is going to think you’re there for any kind of lewd activity. When I said sexy vibe, I didn’t mean they were going to manhandle each other at the table in front of you. I just meant you’re going to think they’re sexy together . They give off a very charming, raw appeal. Now take a deep breath. Jace is waiting. It’s seven forty-five, and you need to skedaddle.”
Caroline physically forced herself to calm down.
She was allowing herself to get too worked up. Piper was right. This was just dinner with another couple. Nothing was going to happen. No one was going to know. She and Jace had talked of nothing else for the last two and a half days. She knew all that, she just had to convince her brain to be on board.
There was a soft knock on the bathroom door. Jace edged it open with his hand. “You ready to go, Care?”
Caroline straightened and met her husband’s gaze. “I am. The alcohol is kicking in, and I feel a little…less insane.” She turned toward Piper. “Thank you so much for helping me get ready.” She gave her friend a quick embrace. “I couldn’t have done it without you. I’d be hunkered down in my PJs watching reruns of Lost if you weren’t here right now. Chickening out is my go-to in stressful times.”
Piper returned the hug. “Try not to worry so much, Caroline. This is going to be fantastic. And the best part? Nothing is going to happen tonight. Hopefully, you’ll come back from dinner with a definitive answer about whether you’re ready to jump into the wild world of group sex. And who knows? You might realize this is not what you want after all, and you’ll sleep like a baby tonight. But whatever you decide, I get a debriefing tomorrow! And I’m going to need you to remember all the little bits. Those are the best parts.” Piper giggled as she patted Caroline on the butt affectionately. “Go, have fun.”
“I’ll certainly try,” Caroline said. “If my neuroses don’t get in the way, I just might have fun.”
“That’s the spirit!” Piper smiled.
“This is going to be a piece of cake,” Jace said from the doorway. “We’ll just treat them like new friends and nothing more.”
She and Piper followed Jace out of the bedroom.
Caroline stopped to pick up her shoes, a beautiful pair of black high heels with a tiny row of rhinestones across the toe. She’d done her hair in a conservative chignon, and had added a simple pair of pearl earrings. They all headed downstairs.
Piper made a beeline for the back door, waving. “Have fun, you two!” Then she was gone.
Caroline picked up her purse and walked to her waiting husband. “You look beautiful,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “Are you ready for this?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
* * *
His wife was so nervous, he felt her vibrating. Jace was having second thoughts about going through with this as he held on to the crook of Caroline’s arm, steering her through the crowded restaurant as they followed the hostess to the table.
Even though they’d spent weeks debating if
Caroline licked the salt she’d sprinkled on the outside of her hand, downed the shot, then bit into the lime. She exhaled slowly and set the shot glass down on the counter.
“What kind of sexy vibe?” she asked, turning toward Piper. “Please don’t tell me they’re going to be obvious about it. If anyone realizes we’re out with them to interview them for sex, I’d die a million deaths. Do you think Bella is a bad choice? Too well-known? Maybe we should’ve gone to another city?” She wrung her hands.
Piper stood, putting her palms out in front of her. “Okay, I’m going to need you to step away from the freak-out. Bella is great. It’s local, but it’s huge and bustling with activity. No one—and I mean no one —is going to think you’re there for any kind of lewd activity. When I said sexy vibe, I didn’t mean they were going to manhandle each other at the table in front of you. I just meant you’re going to think they’re sexy together . They give off a very charming, raw appeal. Now take a deep breath. Jace is waiting. It’s seven forty-five, and you need to skedaddle.”
Caroline physically forced herself to calm down.
She was allowing herself to get too worked up. Piper was right. This was just dinner with another couple. Nothing was going to happen. No one was going to know. She and Jace had talked of nothing else for the last two and a half days. She knew all that, she just had to convince her brain to be on board.
There was a soft knock on the bathroom door. Jace edged it open with his hand. “You ready to go, Care?”
Caroline straightened and met her husband’s gaze. “I am. The alcohol is kicking in, and I feel a little…less insane.” She turned toward Piper. “Thank you so much for helping me get ready.” She gave her friend a quick embrace. “I couldn’t have done it without you. I’d be hunkered down in my PJs watching reruns of Lost if you weren’t here right now. Chickening out is my go-to in stressful times.”
Piper returned the hug. “Try not to worry so much, Caroline. This is going to be fantastic. And the best part? Nothing is going to happen tonight. Hopefully, you’ll come back from dinner with a definitive answer about whether you’re ready to jump into the wild world of group sex. And who knows? You might realize this is not what you want after all, and you’ll sleep like a baby tonight. But whatever you decide, I get a debriefing tomorrow! And I’m going to need you to remember all the little bits. Those are the best parts.” Piper giggled as she patted Caroline on the butt affectionately. “Go, have fun.”
“I’ll certainly try,” Caroline said. “If my neuroses don’t get in the way, I just might have fun.”
“That’s the spirit!” Piper smiled.
“This is going to be a piece of cake,” Jace said from the doorway. “We’ll just treat them like new friends and nothing more.”
She and Piper followed Jace out of the bedroom.
Caroline stopped to pick up her shoes, a beautiful pair of black high heels with a tiny row of rhinestones across the toe. She’d done her hair in a conservative chignon, and had added a simple pair of pearl earrings. They all headed downstairs.
Piper made a beeline for the back door, waving. “Have fun, you two!” Then she was gone.
Caroline picked up her purse and walked to her waiting husband. “You look beautiful,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “Are you ready for this?”
“Ready as I’ll ever be.”
* * *
His wife was so nervous, he felt her vibrating. Jace was having second thoughts about going through with this as he held on to the crook of Caroline’s arm, steering her through the crowded restaurant as they followed the hostess to the table.
Even though they’d spent weeks debating if
Similar Books
