Hidden Desires (57 page)

"Honey, you need to get that thing under control, cuz when you do finally nail Brooke, it will be over too quick."

"I'm not going to
nail
Brooke. Geez Jo!"

"You're not?" Jodie said hiding her smile. "What are you going to do then?"

"Make love, you asshole."

Jodie broke into a brilliant smile. "WOOHOO! I was hoping you'd say that. Cayd, you're in this all the way aren't you! This is so cool! So when do you think it will happen? Any plans?"

"I don't know. I'm not going to push her, I suppose I'll let her make the first move?" she asked more than said.

"You could do that, or you can just ask her if she's ready. She's new at this."

"Oh, you don't know Brooke, She's not the least bit shy about making the first move. Hmm, though I could ask her, that's a thought. Then again, what if she says no, that'll suck. And, if I make the first move, and she's not ready, she'll think I'm over eager or something."

"Cayden, you're a horny mess for crying out loud."

"She doesn't have to know that."

"Why the hell not? She'd be thrilled to know how hot she makes you, she's not going to do something she isn't ready for. Shit, I'd be so freaking smug if I knew I was making my woman wet her jeans."

"Jo! But what if she feels obligated or something... ya know, because I'm
wetting my jeans
."

"Brooke is a big girl, she'll do what she wants, I think you know that by now. She won't do anything just to please you, especially something this important. She wants it to be special."

"That’s the whole thing, how can I make it special?"

Jodie smiled sincerely. "You'll know when it is."

"Sure, leave it all up to me. I'll know when it's special, I'll know how to act, I'll know what the little things are. Shit this is hard."

"Tell me about it." Jodie grinned.

 
*  *  *

Cayden had to close the shop early in order to make it to Brooke's on time, and make a special stop along the way. She had been looking forward to this date all day, and now as she closed the store gates, her stomach filled with butterflies. "Get a grip," she scolded herself, "Jodie said you'd be fine... just remember the little things."

The shopkeeper went just two stores down to the florist and stopped dead in front of the big refrigerator.
Crap! Look at all of them!
She made her way slowly through the shop, amazed at just how many colors flowers came in.

"May I help you?"

Cayden turned to the saleswoman and grinned shyly. "Yeah, well, I wanted a flower, but.... there's way too many."

"Is it a special occasion?" The woman asked.

"I guess so. It's a date."

The woman walked Cayden over to the roses and waved her hand. "Is it a first date, or just because?"

"Technically, it's not really a first date, but..." The tall woman squirmed uncomfortably. "What's the difference what date it is, I just want a flower."

The sales woman opened the glass door and picked out a red rose. "How cute. I hardly ever get women buying roses for men. Here, a red rose means you love him."

Cayden rolled her eyes. "It's not for a man, its for a woman, and I don't think I want red. Can I see that really cool purple one?"

The saleswoman blushed in embarrassment. "Oh.. yes... well I...." she sputtered. "Purple is nice." She handed Cayden the nicest purple one there was to make up for her indiscretion. "Would you like me to wrap it up with some greenery?"

Cayden smelled the rose and smiled. "Sure, yeah."

After leaving the florist, the shop keeper stopped at an ATM. Once she was sure she had everything she hurried home.

 
*  *  *

Brooke was out of breath when she got home, and hoped she could bypass her parents. Of course it was impossible, her mother was waiting by the door when she opened it.

"Sweetheart! I don't like this skating in such heat at all! You're all flushed, go right inside and drink something this instant!"

"Ma," Brooke whined, "I don't have time for this right now. I'm going to take a shower."

"Bert, make her drink something!"

Mr. Hewitt glanced at his wife boredly. "Harriet, if she's thirsty, she'll drink."

Mrs, Hewitt ignored her husband with a verbalized huff, got a glass of iced tea and chased Brooke into her bedroom. "Here." she put it on the dresser and sat on the bed watching Brooke dig frantically through her closet. "Wear the light blue dress honey." she suggested, as the garment in question flew past her to the floor.

"No, I don't like that one," Brooke replied, voice muffled. "I know what I'm looking for."

"What then?"

The sun dress with the little flowers. I want that one." Brooke tossed more items of clothing across the room. "Aha!" she emerged from the closet triumphant, holding the dress in the air.

"I'll take that before you throw it on the floor. It could use a good ironing."

"Oh ma, thank you!" Brooke ran over, kissed her mother on the cheek and ran to he bathroom."

Mrs. Hewitt eyed the dress skeptically. She still thought the blue one would look better and fished it out of the pile on the floor.

When Brooke came out of the shower there were three crisply ironed dressed laid out on the bed. She shook her head and covered her eyes. She thought she wanted the flowery one, but now with all these choices she stared doubting her selection. She held all of them up to herself in the mirror and sighed. They all had their merits. The blue one looked great with her eyes and hair, the yellow one showed off her newly acquired dark tan, and the flowery one was the smallest, showing off the most skin. "Tan, vs. hair, vs. cleavage." She muttered, eyeing all the dresses. She grinned suddenly and picked the original one. "Cleavage always wins out."

 
*  *  *

Cayden was nervous, so nervous she was standing in the middle of her room in her underwear, talking to herself. "Maybe I should pretend I'm late. Maybe I should just call her and tell her to meet me at the restaurant."

"Not a good idea, missy." Wade replied.

Cayden jumped. "I was talking to myself... and when did you get here?"

"Did you think I'd let you go this alone? I left work early." He said walking directly to her closet. "You'll wear this and this. " he ordered, holding up clothes.

Cayden looked at the outfit with pursed lips. "I'll have to iron the chinos Wade and I do not iron,."

"Silly, that's what I'm here for. Put on that shirt and you'll look edible... and roll up the sleeves to your elbows, your forearms are to die for."

Cayden narrowed her eyes. "Isn't a white button down shirt too boring?"

"Sweetie, you just can't go wrong with an Oxford. It's classy, tasteful and understated. Oh, and wear a T-shirt underneath in case Brooke gets cold in the restaurant and you need to give her your top."

"She's not going to get cold."

"How do you know she won't?" Wade asked.

"How do you know she will?" Cayden argued.

"Listen woman, I know you're nervous but fighting me will get you nowhere. You'll do as I say. Now, get dressed."

"Can I wear my red T-shirt?"

"Cayden! No! White, and not a yellow one you
think
is white, or a white one with yellow pits. On second thought..." He dug around in her dresser drawers. "This one, this one is perfect."

Cayden frowned, stuck out her tongue and grabbed the shirt. "Yes, dear."

"That's more like it, now give me those wrinkled things and start getting dressed." He left the room with the pants and hummed all the way.

Cayden dressed and looked around her room. "Oh no I have to clan this up! What if she comes back here tonight?" She panicked and began cleaning up frantically.

"Here," Wade came back with the pants to find Cayden's butt sticking out from under the bed. "Woman, get off the floor, you're wearing white for goodness sakes! And you
can't
be serious about those underwear."

"There's dust bunnies under there and ... what the hell's wrong with my underwear?" She asked defensively, looking down at her skivvies.

"Orange? Cayden please. Wear the Calvin Klein boxer briefs I got you for Christmas."

"There's nothing at all wrong with my underwear..." She paused and sighed heavily as Wade handed her the boxer briefs. "Did you see my bra? Is it up to your standards?" she asked sarcastically.

"Cayden, what if Brooke were to see those underwear, she'd drop dead laughing. The bra was fine, now change those drawers, put these pants on and lets go!"

La La trotted into the room and Cayden stood up and pointed. "Oh no you don't! It's your tumbleweeds under my bed! Out you hair factory!"

The cat turned around, raised his tail and farted.

"Wade!"

"Oh alright." Wade picked up the cat with much effort and they both left the room. "Like you never fart."

Cayden slammed the door behind them. put on the requested clothes and rolled up her shirt sleeves. She looked in the mirror and raised both eyebrows. "Hey, not bad at all." She turned sideways and put her hands in her pockets, posing. She nodded, liking what she saw and then glanced down at her feet. "Shoes!" she thought nervously. "What shoes.... WADE!"

The door opened and Wade's voice drifted in. "The black lace-ups or the brown loafers."

"Thanks, hey, where's that vanilla candle from the other night?"

"Still in the kitchen, why?"

"I want it."

"Now?"

"For later! In case Brooke comes home with me..."

"OOOOOO!" Wade screamed in delight.

"Don't bust a nut there Wade. If her parents don't like me I'm screwed." Her heart suddenly beat frantically. "Oh no maybe I should cancel. I don't want to meet her parents after all."

Wade snickered. "Don't you worry, you'll be fine. Pretend that they're customers and be pleasant. I've seen you be pleasant to the worst dreck."

"That’s just it. I don’t want them to think I'm a phony. What if I don't like them? Or worse! What if they hate me?"

"Impossible. They can't hate you."

"You're biased. If they don't like me, or I manage to make an ass of myself, which is entirely too possible, Brooke has to live there and hear about it every day."

"Well, it
is
entirely possible you make an ass out of yourself, but man is it a cute ass. An ass like that can be forgiven very easily for its misgivings." Cayden just glared at him. "Oh Cayd, I don't think it matters at all to Brooke if they like you or not."

"Yeah but it wouldn't hurt if they did." She put on her shoes and stood back.

"True. I'm sure you'll be fine. They have to love you, look at you for cripes sake! You look fabulous, you're impressing the hell out of me."

Cayden smiled. "Thanks, you really do try."