11
EMILY
“Whatareyouwearing?”Sadie asked over the phone. I had her on speaker while I did my makeup.
“That little black dress and flats.”
“Why flats?” Sadie asked. “Tonight calls for heels. It makes your ass look fantastic. And I know it makes you feel sexy.”
I laughed. “I’m not trying to feel sexy. I told you this date is just business.”
“First of all, you can’t call it business with the worddatein the same sentence. And secondly, why the hell wouldn’t you want to feel sexy?”
“Because I’m not trying to sleep with him.”
Sadie sighed. “A terrible choice if you ask me.”
“I can’t sleep with him, Sades,” I said. “I can’t be that girl.”
I leaned into the mirror, mouth open, and focused on applying eyeliner.
“What girl?”
“The girl who took this contract for the money. I can’t sleep with him for it too.”
Sadie tutted. “What did I say about being too hard on yourself? He’s the one who asked for the contract, right?”
“Right.”
“Sounds to me like he’s the one asking for the sex too.”
I giggled, pausing with the eyeliner so I didn’t take my eye out.
“I’m not going to sleep with him. Our relationship is strictly professional.”
Sadie snorted. “Whatever you need to tell yourself. I have to go, but I want to knoweverything. You don’t get to leave details out like you did last time.”
I laughed, promised that I would give her a play-by-play as soon as I could, and ended the call.
I applied mascara before stepping back and studying myself in the mirror.
The black dress I’d chosen hit me mid-thigh, and it hugged my curves. I’d have preferred something a little longer, but the longer skirts I had were either summer dresses or cocktail dresses, neither of which worked.
And pants just seemed wrong for a date like tonight.
Maybe Iwastrying to be sexy for Parker.
I pushed the thought to the back of my mind. I had to stick to the rules. I had to keep things professional between me and Parker.
Going on a date wasn’t the best way to do that, I had to admit. Sadie was right—this would be looking for trouble. But I’d been desperate to get the job. Ineededthe contract.
And when he’d asked for a date, I’d figured I could do it. After all, why did sex have to make things awkward? It was just sex.
It didn’t have to mean anything.
Before I could tell myself that sexdidmean something, I packed my phone, lipstick, and perfume in my clutch and left the house to meet Parker.
It was better not to think too much about any of this.