Guilty Pleasures: A Collection (6 page)

A slow smile curved the corners of his mouth as an idea formed in his mind. What better way to attract Alyssa’s attention than to enlist her help in turning him into the kind of sophisticated, executive type who normally caught her eye and make her see that
he
was everything she was looking for in a mate.

As a personal shopper, making him over was right up her alley. Granted, he’d always been a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy, and while he preferred his casual no-nonsense attire and finger-combed hair, he wasn’t opposed to changing his image if it meant showing Alyssa that he was the one for her—from his outward appearance to the deep, emotional bond they’d always shared.

And that’s when his resolution came to him. He was finally going after the girl of his dreams. And by midnight on New Year’s Eve at the party they’d both be attending, there would be no doubt in Alyssa’s mind exactly how he felt about her.

#

Sitting in front of the computer in the small office she’d made of her spare bedroom in her apartment, Alyssa ate the last bite of the cheesecake that Shane had sent home with her then returned her attention to finishing up the final billing statement that wrapped up the Christmas season.

December had been a great month profit-wise, and her business as a personal shopper was definitely prospering beyond her initial expectations. Her clients ranged from large corporations who needed holiday gifts for their employees and exclusive clientele list, to busy executives who didn’t have time to purchase presents for their high-end accounts and colleagues, to some of Southern California’s wealthier social set who were looking for that special something for friends and family members.

In the past year she’d expanded her business to include shopping for charity events, weddings and elaborate parties, and preparing gift bags for special events such as award banquets and conferences. Between perusing the internet and hitting the local malls for specifically requested items, she was constantly busy and always challenged.

She’d long ago decided that the best part about her job was shopping until she dropped while spending someone else’s money. Especially since she was frugal and very practical with her own cash. Having grown up without her father, and with her mother only bringing in a very modest income as a secretary, there hadn’t been much left over for anything frivolous. Alyssa had become thrifty by nature—which accounted for the nice nest egg she’d accumulated over the past few years.

But just as she’d confided in Shane earlier that evening, despite her success with her own business there was something lacking in her life. She was gradually coming to recognize the longing to give herself over to one special person, to be able to come home to a husband, and a family of her own. And for as much as she feared letting any man get too close emotionally because she’d witnessed her own mother’s pain and heartache when her father had died, at the age of twenty-six Alyssa knew it was time for her to get past insecurities and finally take a chance with her heart and see where it led her. Hence her New Year’s resolution to open herself up to the possibility of a committed relationship with the right guy.

The right guy
. That thought made her think of her best friend Shane. She smiled, because he exemplified everything she was looking for in a lifelong companion. Not only did he possess gorgeous good looks, a devastatingly charming grin and sometimes flirtatious personality, but he was level-headed, insightful, always dependable, and she absolutely loved being with him. He was also the standard in which she’d judged all the men she’d dated over the years, which was most likely why they’d all fallen short.

Leaning back in her chair, Alyssa closed her eyes and Shane’s sexy image was already there in her mind—from his roguishly long brown hair, to those rich, seductive brown eyes of his, to that lean, athletically toned body that made him all male. Her pulse quickened and she immediately snapped her eyes back open before her sensual thoughts could drift into more forbidden territory where Shane was concerned.

She pressed a hand to her rapidly beating heart, wishing that other men had the same breath-taking affect on her as Shane did. She’d been attracted to him for years, wanted him with a secret lust and soul-deep yearning that seemed to only grow stronger as the years passed—and she’d done her best to keep her desire for him to herself. Ultimately she was afraid of giving into those romantic feelings for her
best friend
and taking the risk of things not working out between them and ruining their strong, lifelong friendship.

Shane was the only stable person in her life, the one she turned to whenever she needed someone to talk to or lean on. He was her rock, the one she trusted implicitly, and she’d be completely devastated if anything ever came between them. Like an intimate relationship she screwed up because of her own personal hang-ups. He was too important to her to ever take that chance, but that rationale didn’t stop her from fantasizing about what could have been.

A soft ping sounded from her computer, and she glanced at the screen to find that a new Instant Message had appeared for her.

TheOne4You
: Hi.

She didn’t recognize the user name and was fairly certain that the other person had contacted her by mistake. Then again, she used her Instant Messaging for business to keep in quick contact with clients, and she supposed it was possible someone had changed their user name. She typed out a response to find out.

IshopForYou
: Hi, yourself. Who is this?

TheOne4You
: Someone you’ve known for a while now.

She frowned, curious as to why the person was being so secretive, and how he’d been able to contact her.

IshopForYou
: How did you get my IM address?

TheOne4You
: A mutual friend of ours. And before you ask who, I swore I wouldn’t tell the name of the person who gave me your user ID. It’s a good friend of yours, and I can assure you they wouldn’t have given it to me if I wasn’t a nice, trust-worthy kind of guy.

She smiled, undeniably intrigued.

IshopForYou
: Do I know you?

TheOne4You
: Yes.

IshopForYou
: So, we’ve met before?

TheOne4You
: Yes. But I’m not quite ready to reveal who I am. For now, let’s just say that I’m your secret admirer.

Alyssa had never had a secret admirer before, and she found the prospect of being courted by a mysterious man very sexy and exciting. She read his user name again,
TheOne4You
, and felt giddy deep inside.

TheOne4You
: I want you to know that I’m very attracted to you and have been for some time now. I thought we could get to know one another through Instant Messaging before we meet in person . . . if that’s alright with you.

She grinned, her fingers automatically flying over the keyboard with a reply.

IshopForYou
: Sort of like a blind date over the internet?

TheOne4You
: Yes. But I don’t want to make you feel uncomfortable in any way.

She appreciated his concern and sincerity, which said a lot for his personality and gave her a bit of assurance that he wasn’t some deranged on-line stalker. His posts so far had been amicable, and he’d given her no reason to feel threatened in any way. With her new resolution in place, she decided she was going to enjoy a bit of flirtatious fun with her anonymous admirer.

IshopForYou
: I’m fine with this, and you don’t make me feel uncomfortable at all.

TheOne4You
: Good. I heard you’ll be going to Drew and Cynthia’s New Year’s Eve party. I’ll be there, too. If things work out on our on-line blind date, maybe we can meet in person there?

Alyssa absently chewed on her bottom lip. Even though that gave her four days to get to know him through emails, she wasn’t quite ready to agree to anything that personal just yet. So, instead, she gave him a non-committal reply.

IshopForYou
: Maybe.

TheOne4You
: Maybe is good enough for me. BTW, you have beautiful blue eyes.

Her stomach dipped at the compliment, along with the knowledge that he truly did know what she looked like. She felt at such a disadvantage.

IshopForYou
: Thank you. I wish I knew what color your eyes are.

TheOne4You
: Brown eyes and brown hair, just in case you were wondering.

She laughed out loud, but in her mind it was Shane’s image that appeared—brown eyes and hair and a charismatic smile just for her.

IshopForYou
: Yes, I was wondering what your hair color was. You’re a mind reader, too.

TheOne4You
: It’s a gift. It’s late and I should let you go. Shall we meet the same time tomorrow night?

IshopForYou
: Sure. I’d like that.

TheOne4You
: Me, too. Good night and sleep well, Alyssa.

A shiver rippled through her, as if he’d whispered those words directly into her ear in low, masculine tones. She typed out her final words to him for the evening.

IshopForYou
: Good night.

He signed off first, and with a soft sigh she shut down her business accounts, then her computer. After taking her plate down to the kitchen, she returned to her bedroom, changed into the comfy pajama’s Shane had bought her for Christmas and climbed into bed. She was physically exhausted, but still pumped with exhilaration after her conversation with the guy who called himself
TheOne4You
.

She rolled restlessly to her side and closed her eyes, wondering who he was, how she knew him, and what he looked like. He’d only given her two of his traits, and her imagination tried to fill in the blanks from there. She envisioned someone hot and sexy who had the ability to make her heart race with one glance and her body come alive with a well placed caress.

Someone like Shane.

She moaned softly in frustration and clenched her thighs tightly together. It had been a long time since any man had been able to stir any real, deep desire from her. How ironic was it that mere fantasies of Shane had the ability to give her that kind of pleasure and sense of anticipation, without him even realizing the power he had over her body and senses. And, unfortunately, he never would.

Shane was well aware that Alyssa was a late sleeper. Neither was she a morning person, but that didn’t stop him from arriving on her doorstep the following morning at a quarter past eight. When he didn’t get a response the first time he knocked, he tried a second time, more insistently than before, and rang the door bell a few times for good measure, as well.

Finally, he heard stumbling coming from the other side of the door and knew she was looking out the peep hole to see who the offender was. He grinned real big and held up the bribe he’d brought along to ensure that she wouldn’t turn him away. The woman was a sucker for a hot Starbucks Caffé Mocha and cream cheese Danish.

The door opened, and she narrowed her sleepy-eyed gaze at him. “You’re cruel, you know that?” she grumbled good-naturedly.

He gave her a look of mock offense. “I come bearing some of your favorite foods and you have the audacity to call me cruel?”

“It’s barely eight in the morning,” she complained, and relieved him of one of the large coffee cups he was carrying in his hands. With a grumpy frown, she shuffled into the adjoining living room, knowing he’d follow her into the apartment and shut the door behind him, which he did. “You could have at least called and given me some time to wake up before you got here.”

He rolled his eyes at that. “You would have ignored the phone.”

“Okay, you’re right.” She sat down on the couch and pushed her unruly, disheveled hair away from her face with her free hand. She wasn’t wearing an ounce of make-up, and still she looked beautiful, her complexion smooth and still flushed from slumber. “I tried to ignore the door, but you were making my head pound with all that banging.”

A huge exaggeration he didn’t bother to dispute. “Late night?” He settled in beside her and took a drink of his coffee—straight up black and strong, without anything frou-frou in it like hers.

“No, not really. Just a busy one getting all of December’s billings and statements done. But I’m pretty much caught up for the month, so I’m happy.”

And that news worked well into his plans, since he’d be spending a lot of time with her over the next few days if she agreed to help make him over into a metro-male.

Tucking her legs beneath her on the couch, she wrapped her hands around the paper cup, took a sip of her warm drink, and moaned her appreciation. Then a smile slowly curved the corners of her mouth, revealing that she was gradually waking up—at least enough to enjoy her sweetened coffee.

“Okay, I’m close to forgiving you for getting me up so damn early. This Caffé Mocha is delicious.”

“And what do I get for this cream cheese Danish?” Waggling his brows temptingly, he dangled the pastry bag just within her reach.

“How about a sincere thank you?” she asked hopefully, and licked her lips in anticipation.

He contemplated that for a moment as a dozen other arousing payments came to mind. “I guess that’s good enough for now.” He gave her the breakfast roll, and while she took a big bite of the flaky confection, he leaned back against the sofa cushions and took in her morning attire.

“By the way, nice P.J.’s.” Nicer still was the way the top clung to her full, bare breasts, which was a bonus he hadn’t counted on when he’d bought her the pajamas.

“Yeah, my best friend has pretty good taste and knows exactly what I like.” Grinning at him, she set the Danish on the paper bag she’d smoothed out on her lap, to use as a make-shift plate so she could pull the pastry apart to eat in bites. “Nice comfy cotton.”

Oh, yeah, he’d learned long ago what her preferences were when it came to sleep wear, and when he’d walked into a department store to buy her Christmas presents a few weeks ago, he’d foregone all the racy, sheer, silk and lace night gowns and teddy’s in favor of utilitarian, full-coverage pajama’s—but not before he’d spent a few decadent moments imagining her in a couple of those wispy, barely there outfits that she insisted were more for seducing a man than any real sleeping comfort.