Damon [The Texas Senator's Sons 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) (5 page)

Regan walked to the cooler and pulled out a variety of bright flowers in various fun colors. Hot-pink Gerbera daisies, purple carnations, yellow tulips, and lime-green asters. With her arm full of flowers, she headed back to her work table and placed them in water. While she thought of how she would arrange the flowers, she pulled down organizer boxes from her shelving and sat them close. Although she had made many of these particular bouquets, she liked them all to be a little different. This one would be great because the customer asked for bright, fun colors.

She began her meticulous arranging of flowers in a bright-pink glazed pot with a rhinestone tiara decoration and on the side that stated “For Naughty Bride to Be!” Inside, she poked in her floral foam and then began adding the flowers. Color sprang up here and there in various shades. When she was happy with the flowers, she opened one of her organizer bins and pulled out clear stakes and poked them in haphazardly. Inside the fork at the tops, she put colorful condoms into them. Each condom package was different. Some were ribbed for her pleasure, while others joked they were ribbed for his pleasure. Some claimed to be flavored, and one said it was “Orgasmic.” There was an interesting condom package that had a cowboy riding a bronco on the front and said it was for “Rough Riders.”
What will they think of next?

Regan giggled. She was having fun just reading the condom packages. Ah, I’m goofy, she thought as she put in a glow-in-the-dark condom for extra fun. When all the condoms were placed, she turned the arrangement slowly around and looked it over to ensure uniform placement and to see if she was happy so far. An additional flower was placed here and one there until she was satisfied. Opening another bin, Regan pulled out penis-shaped lollipops. To push it a little over-the–top, she added a light-up cock ring and nipple clips. Last, but not least, she put in penis party blowers. The customer did ask for extremely naughty.

Once she was content, Regan stored the arrangement in the cooler for pickup later. It was fun to make, but messing around with all the condoms and penis shapes did nothing for her overly anxious libido. She had to calm that down and soon. She was definitely not one to run out for a one-night stand as a way to handle this issue. No, she was the person that found any way under the sun to keep her mind off it.

This was Damon’s fault, she decided. If he hadn’t come into her shop looking all sorts of hot, she wouldn’t be in this predicament right now. She stomped back to the front of the store and looked around for anything to do. The door opened, and a courier stood with a box and an envelope in his hand.

“I have a delivery for Regan O’Connor,” he said as he read from his paperwork.

“That’s me.” Regan smiled, and he handed the box and envelope to her.

When the courier left, she laid the box on the counter and opened the envelope. Inside was a note and cash.

Regan, I really need your help. This should cover your expenses. Please meet me for dinner at Charlie Palmer’s. Seven o’clock. Damon.

Regan counted the money, and her eyes grew wide. “Holy Toledo! Five thousand dollars to help him for one week?”

Quickly she shoved the money back into the envelope. This was wild. He must really need help if he was willing to dish out that kind of cash, she guessed. It was too much, though. She would have helped for free just to get to see him again. She opened the box and rifled through the tissue paper on top to see a bright ivory-sequined cocktail dress. Confused, she pulled it out of the box. It was beautiful, but where did he expect her to wear this? She dug into the box again, pulling out more of the tissue, and found a pair of strappy, sequined ivory high heels to match.

Her heart thudded. Just the thought of him sending her this extravagant dress and shoes was exciting. The shoes, much to her surprise, were her size. “How did he know my shoe size?” she whispered and turned the dress skirt inside out and looked at the size. “Weird, size eight, how did he know?”

Well, outside of being extraordinarily gorgeous, the man knew dress and shoe sizes. Hmm. She reached in again and found a simple folded piece of paper. She opened it, and all it said was
Please.

Now he had her mind reeling, not to mention excited. Regan picked up her phone and called Bree, of course. She needed advice or an extra shove because now, all of a sudden, her stomach felt queasy. She thought she could do this, but now she wasn’t so sure.

After telling Bree about the note and package from Damon and having her eardrums blown out from Bree’s squealing enthusiasm, Regan became quiet.

“What’s wrong, Regan? I thought you said you were happy about this?” Bree prodded.

Regan paced through her shop, looking around with the phone against her ear. “I know, I’m just…damn…I don’t think I can do it. I mean, I
really
don’t think I—”

Bree interrupted, “Stop. Just stop, Regan. You are psyching yourself out. I know you well enough to know that you wanted him to ask again. I could tell by your mood today.”

“You’re right. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t interested in him, but that’s a pretty wild stunt to pull because I’m attracted to him, don’t you think?”

“I think it sounds fun!” Bree rambled over the phone.

“You would,” Regan replied dryly as she looked again at the dress in the box. She didn’t care about the money. She had a business that was successful. Right now she just wanted to live and, for once, be crazy and wild if only for a week.

“You have to do this. Do it for me!” Bree pleaded. “One of these days you’ll be able to look back and laugh at this, and it will be so fun to reminisce about. Make fun memories, girl!”

Regan laughed. “You sound like Doc Holliday in
Tombstone
telling Wyatt to live…live for me, Wyatt! Except there isn’t a darn thing wrong with you!”

That statement caused Bree to erupt in laughter. “I loved that movie! But seriously, if I was asked by that cowboy, I would have already said yes.”

“I know all too well you would have. Here’s what I’ll do. I’ll go to dinner tonight and decide then.” Regan tried to suppress her enthusiasm about seeing Damon again. “If I do decide to help him then I need a disguise. I would hate it if anyone recognized me.”

“Oh, girl, you’re in good hands. I’m already planning!” Bree admitted.

“I’ll call you back later, bye!” Regan disconnected the phone.

She looked at Damon’s note again and smiled. Nice penmanship for someone with such large hands.
Hmmm…capable, expert hands.

* * * *

Damon drove across the ranch checking in on his herd of cattle. He was sure Regan had received his package by now, and he was sure hoping to see her tonight. If yesterday was any indication of her answer then he was doomed. His idea was off-the-wall, but it was spur-of-the-moment when he realized just how hot she would look all dolled up. And really, the plan just might work.

At this point he didn’t care whether she agreed to help or not. He really just wanted to see her again, but, oh, how they would have fun if she went along with the plan. The truth was he
did
need help. His private detective was unable to find anything out about the woman his younger brother intended to marry. His brother needed his head checked and his ass kicked for this. It really wasn’t like Drew to go off half-cocked and not thinking. Damon was sure that Luscious Cherry had other intentions. How else did one explain Drew proposing in six months?

Women would be the death of both of them, Damon surmised. He himself thought he had fallen in love at one time and got burned. That was a lesson he’d likely not forget anytime soon. He smiled when he thought about Regan, though she wasn’t in the same class as his ex, his shallow and selfish ex who wanted nothing more than to marry and be pampered for life. Regan had been the first woman he had taken any interest in since he broke off his relationship with Suzy Selfish a year ago. There was no comparing the two. Regan had Suzy beat hands down.

Regan was the type to work for what she wanted in life. That was obvious from reading about her in the
Dallas Business Journal
. Looking over the financials for her business, she had increased sales every year and was now wildly popular. She definitely had a niche market and a well-known reputation for outrageous creations that wowed people. That was impressive to him. He loved to see a woman roll up her sleeves and work.

He looked down at his watch and hoped his trip back into the city wouldn’t be for him to sit at a table alone. He really looked forward to getting to know more about her. If she decided to help him then he might need to back off the charm, at least for the week. He really didn’t want her to feel obligated to jump into his bed. That was a nice thought, but since he was paying for her help, he didn’t want her to get the wrong idea. Now if she wanted in his bed, well…he’d welcome her. His cock ached as he pulled up in front of the barn. Thinking about Regan in his bed was too much for him right now since he had willingly lived like a monk for the better part of a year.

* * * *

Regan looked into her full-length mirror and frowned. She was accustomed to khakis or jeans, and now she stood here in a fabulous cocktail dress and felt odd. A glimpse of herself from the side and one of her behind yielded the same results. She had never been a girly girl, although she loved flowers and the thought of romance. Really, she was more like a tomboy. That was why her mother enrolled her in years of dance classes and gymnastics. She wanted the princess dress-up daughter and, instead, got the daughter that asked for a dump truck for her birthday.

A knock at the door startled Regan. She peered through the looking hole and smiled. “Hi Bree,” she said as she opened the door.

“Ooh, honey, is that the dress?” Bree glided through the door, looking Regan up and down.

“Yeah, I just don’t feel like it looks good on me. I mean, it’s pretty and all,” Regan said as she looked back into the mirror and frowned.

“You’re just not accustomed to being feminine, that’s all. When I’m done with you, you won’t recognize yourself. I brought supplies!” Bree squealed, holding up a bag of cosmetics and hair supplies.

When Regan looked in the mirror she hardly recognized herself, just like Bree had said. She hadn’t overdone her makeup or hair, but she looked softer, prettier, and more feminine. “Wow, I don’t know what to say, Bree.”

“Girl, you look great!” Bree beamed as she fluffed Regan’s loose, flowing curls. “I just enhanced your natural beauty, that’s all.”

Regan looked back into the mirror and for once liked what looked back at her. She had never thought of herself as ugly or anything but definitely not pretty. “Thank you, Bree, really,” she said and hugged her.

“It’s after six. You better get a move on, girl.” Bree handed Regan a small ivory purse.

“You brought a purse to match? You’re an angel!”

* * * *

Damon arrived at the restaurant and was seated fifteen minutes early. He didn’t want to admit he was eager to see Regan, but he was. Of course he didn’t like to be late anywhere, and he was hoping she was wearing the dress he’d bought for her. His cock twitched in his slacks just thinking about her long legs being shown off by that daringly short hemline. Ouch.

God, he hoped she showed up. He glanced around the room and looked at his watch. He was nervous but didn’t want to admit that fact. If Regan didn’t show, he had plans for the rest of the night, though. Those plans were at a small dive of a club on the way out of the city where Hank Williams Jr. was still played in the jukebox. He never could get into the whole nightclub scene, preferring the simplicity of a run-down bar with a couple of pool tables in the corner and, of course, a jukebox.

From where he was seated, he could watch people enter the restaurant. Regan entered in the outfit he purchased.
Wow
.

The hostess led Regan to his table. He watched her wobble a time or two in the heels, looking nervous and absolutely ravishing.

Damon stood as Regan walked up and smiled. “Hi.”

“Hello,” Damon drawled, and pulled out her chair.

When they sat down, Damon said a quick prayer of thanks for his good fortune. Now he was glad to be seated because seeing Regan in that dress caused an enormous erection instantly.
Have mercy, the woman is hot and doesn’t even know it.
He supposed that was why he was so attracted to her.

“I’m glad you came. Wow, you look great,” Damon said, trying not to sound like a drooling teenager in the process.

“Thank you.” Regan smiled. “You didn’t need to send the dress, I...”

“I know you have probably have a closetful, but I thought of you when I saw it.” Among other things he thought about her.

Regan blushed. “It’s too much, and the money—” she whispered, “that’s too much, way too much.”

Damon smiled thoughtfully as he looked at her. “No, if you’ll help me, you will have expenses and, of course, you’ll have to pay someone to work at your shop for the week unless you plan on doing both, and please don’t tell me that’s your plan.”

“Well, I don’t know. I have staff that can work, so that isn’t a problem.”