Hidden Desires (43 page)

Jodie looked offended. "They were in once, you know."

Cayden laughed louder. "Culottes? My grandma used to wear those... navy blue with big white dots!" she sputtered. "Oh god, I just pictured Brooke in those..." The tall woman was hysterical.

Jodie too pictured Brooke in navy blue culottes with big white dots and she couldn't control her laughter either.

"Oh Jo... that was good." Cayden slowed her laughter. "I needed that." She wiped her eyes.

"My pleasure." Jo snickered. "Anyway, back to the real question, what will
you
wear?"

Cayden scrunched up her face. "I don't know. Maybe my blue culottes." she broke into another fit of laughter.

"Okay, I get the hint. I'll pick out your outfit." Jodie said with a smile.

Cayden's eyes widened. "Oh no you don't! I can choose my own clothes thank you. I'll wear jeans and a T shirt."

"The faded 501's and your black tank top please."

Cayden lifted her eyebrow. "That tank top is too tight to be worn in mixed company." she reminded Jo.

"Exactly. Hey, it wouldn't kill you to look hot."

"Why? She already wants me and she seen me throw up."

"Jeez Cayd, give her a better image than that to fantasize about."

Cayden became flustered and tried not to choke on her own saliva. "She doesn't fantasize about me, Jo."

"Oh no? I disagree. She dreams about you, and she says your name in her sleep. She told you that much. What makes you think she doesn't do it when she's conscious?"

This talk about dreaming and fantasizing brought Cayden's own dream into mind and she blushed darkly.

Jodie wiggled her eyebrows. "Hot isn’t it? To think someone wants you so bad that they..."

Cayden hurriedly covered Jodie's mouth. "No! Don't go there."

"Since when are you so shy about sex?" At the shopkeepers embarrassed shrug Jodie gasped. "Cayd! You do it too!" Jo got so excited at her revelation she jumped up and down and clapped.

Cayden cleared her throat and her ears turned beet red.

"You do! You fantasize about Brooke!" The waitress shouted the information, then did some sort of crazy victory dance.

"JO!"

"God you two are pathetic." Jodie snickered. "Hey, I know, why don't you do it together? That'll cut right through the awkward stage."

"JO!" Cayden stomped her foot and shook her head violently, trying to dispel the images that Jodie's suggestion brought to mind.

"Don't poo poo the idea Cayd. You don't want to have sex with the woman, yet you do it to yourself with her in mind. This way, you won't have to actually touch each other.. ooo, think of the future fantasy material you can get from that!"

"Okay! That's it! Just how did we get from culottes to joint wanking? Enough of the subject." Cayden demanded, although the thought would haunt her long after the subject was closed.

Jodie held up her hands. "Alright, suit yourself, but the seed has been planted. My work is done."

Cayden groaned.
Indeed.

 
*  *  *

Brooke dialed half the numbers into the phone, then shut it off. She stared at the business card, turned on the phone and repeated the same process. Finally, taking a deep breath, she punched in all 10 numbers and closed her eyes.

"Fuzzy Belly Deli."

Brooke was flustered. "Who's this?"

"I don't know, I can't see you." Jodie responded with a snicker.

"Jodie?" Brooke asked hesitantly.

"Brooke?"

"Yeah," the blonde sighed in relief. "You totally confused me, I was all psyched up for Cayden."

"Couldn't wait for Wednesday?" Jo asked with a knowing smile.

"No." the blonde confessed. "Do you think she'll mind?"

"Not at all! She'll be thrilled, but she's not here." Jodie sighed.

"She's gone for the day?" Brooke wondered.

"She'll be back, she said she needed new underwear for Wednesday night."

Brooke's eyes widened. "Really?"

Jodie snickered. "Nah, I'm just teasing. Actually she's a little nervous. How about you?"

"More than I expected. I wonder why that is?"

"Hmm. Sorry, I can't help you there." The waitress shrugged. "So, what are you planning on wearing?"

" I dunno. Jeans and a t-shirt I guess. What's Cayden wearing?"

"I'm trying to get her to dress in something flattering, ya know, give you a little eye candy." Jodie said with an audible grin.

"God Jo, don't kill me! I saw her once in cut-off shorts, pulling down the gates and I haven't been the same since." Brooke said, the picture coming in loud and clear as she spoke..

"No denying she's one hot piece of woman flesh, that's for sure. She hates to flaunt it though, it's got her in trouble in the past. You know, superficial women and all that. Cayden is much more than the sum of her parts."

"I can sympathize. Since I started roller blading again, I've been hit on in seven different languages including ASL." Brooke recalled.

"Brooke, I can't say I blame them. You
are
fine."

The blonde blushed. "Thank you. So she's really nervous?"

"Not terrible, but yeah. I think she feels safe knowing you two won't be alone. She's really looking forward to seeing you, but she's also afraid of you hon." Jo confessed for Cayden.

"She needs to get over that. I don't know what ever happened to her, but she needs to be convinced I'm not an asshole." Brooke said with a little irritation.

"Oh no! She doesn't think you're an asshole, she's just had a really bad time of dating. You'll have to go easy on her, that's all."

"Hey, am I right to assume she's got sexual hang-ups?" Brooke wondered.

Jodie laughed. "It would seem like that huh, but no, she's got no skeletons in her underwear. Its you Brooke, your tits have hypnotic qualities. You have the power, use it wisely Grasshopper."

Brooke laughed. "She does have a thing for them. Hmmm."

"Yes." Jodie replied.

"Yes? I never asked a question." Brooke chuckled.

"I know what you were thinking, and yes, wear the bra."

"You think it will be ok? I mean with the
power
and everything. She won't go pie-eyed and bark every time someone rings a bell?" Brooke joked.

Jo laughed, picturing Cayden barking. "I'd give anything to see that!"

Brooke giggled too. "Alright then, I'll wear the Wonderbra. What else, jeans are ok right?"

"Anything will be fine, except culottes."

"Culottes? Jodie! Where would you even get the idea that I would have culottes?" Brooke asked with surprised laughter.

"Just ruling them out is all." She replied with her own laugh.

"You're nuts."

"I've been told. I can't wait for tomorrow night! Want me to tell Cayden you called?"

"Better not, she'll think we talked about her. Thanks for the talk Jo, you're the best." Brooke smiled.

"My pleasure hon. See ya tomorrow!

 
*  *  *

Cayden returned to the shop to find Jo in an animated conversation with Butch. Anna Nicole, his overweight Shih-Tzu waddled around the shop untethered, in danger of roaming over to the cookies and eating away profit.

"Hey Butch, ya know I prefer leashes." Cayden reminded him.

"Hi Cayden, bad mood today?" He asked, running around to chase after Anna Nicole.

"Don't mind her, she has a big date tomorrow." Jodie said, rolling her eyes at Cayden's glare.

"Oh really?" Butch finally caught his fat dog and made an unattractive noise lifting her. "God I think I pulled a testicle."

Jodie snickered and Cayden grimaced.

"Soooo, tall, mean and scary, is she cute? Where did you meet her? Is she rich?"

The shop keeper narrowed her eyes at Jodie and sighed heavily. "Yes, here, and I have no clue about her financial status."

Butch and Jodie shook their heads.

"She a fount of knowledge huh?" Butch complained.

"Ooo, her name is Brooke, she's totally hot and has a body to die for. I don't know if she's rich, but she lives with her parents and they live right around here so that says something."

"Oh, a babe with family money!" Butch squealed. "Does she have a brother?"

"Ya know, I don't know." Jodie said with a frown, then looked to Cayden.

"I don't know either." She said, turning on the television.

"Don't you care?" Jodie asked with an incredulous look.

Cayden shrugged. "I like Brooke, not her money or her siblings."

Butch's mouth fell open. "Oh honey, I know everything there is to know before anything happens. What if they have a serial killer in the family? What if they're drunks? What if her sister is cuter than she is?"

Cayden rolled her eyes, and continued to watch TV, having no interest in the conversation.

"Jodie, teach her the rules." Butch said, hefting Anna Nicole to the other arm with another sound of pain. "Well, thanks for the food, I hope she likes it. Cayden, you have a great time on the date and remember, safety first!"

The shopkeeper grunted and waved.

"She's a wonderful conversationalist when she's in a mood." Butch commented. "Ok Jo, thanks for the food, I hope she eats it."

"She should, she really needs to lose weight." She watched as he left the shop and laughed once he did. His florescent green shorts riding deeply into his butt. "Did you see that?"

"I try hard not to look. You now it wouldn't kill him to wear drawers, what if he has a wet fart?" Cayden wondered.

Jodie scrunched up her face in disgust. "Oh Cayden, that's pure grossicity."

"But what if? He should have a big ole wet greenie, that would teach him a lesson."

"Cayden, you're grossing me out!" she squirmed around with the willies.

The shop keeper laughed. "Good, its payback for telling Butch all about my date.

"Oh please, who's he gonna tell? By the next time he comes in here, Anna Nicole will have done something brilliant and he'll forget all about the date."

"You better hope so. While I was out, I saw this really cool sale on navy blue culottes. You may want to run out and get several pair."

"Dry up." Jodie said, smacking Cayden on the shoulder. "Am I ever sorry I brought
that
up." She chuckled. "So, speaking of, are you going to wear the tank top?"

"Nope, I was thinking about wearing shorts though. If I wear that tank I'll feel naked. Probably a plain old T shirt."