The wreight series box s.., p.3
The Wreight Series Box Set, page 3
part #1 of Wreight Series
After the game was over, they cleaned up the containers of food. Renee was standing in the kitchen when Mark made his move. He pulled her into his arms and kissed her gently on the lips. She did not pull away; she kissed him back. She liked kissing, but she just didn't feel any spark when kissing Mark.
He deepened the kiss, and she allowed him to thrust his tongue into her mouth. His hands moved to her breasts, and he rubbed his thumbs over her nipples. Renee sighed, her nipples didn't pucker and tighten. She brushed his hands aside and pulled away from him.
"Renee, come on. At some point you are going to be my wife, don't you think we should take the next step in our relationship?" Mark said leaning against the counter.
"Mark, I'm..." She started to say.
"Just not ready." Mark finished for her. "You know Renee; I'm starting to think that you need counseling. I know not every woman likes sex, but maybe there is some psychological reason you're not into it.”
Renee was shocked. Was he implying that she was frigid? "Mark there is nothing wrong with you or me, I'm just not ready for sex, Okay."
"We've been dating for a year, Renee. Most couples have sex by the third date. I mean, do you even get turned on when we're kissing?"
Renee wanted to tell him the truth, but this was an argument that they had been having for some time now. "You know I do, but you can't rush me into spreading my legs just to make you happy. Don't you want me so consumed with desire that I can't say no, that my body responds to you like it never has for any other man?"
"That won't ever happen if you keep closing yourself off from the opportunity to feel passion, now will it?" Mark said folding his arms across his chest. "What am I supposed to do. I can't keep waiting for you."
"So, what are you saying, Mark? That if I don't put out, you're dumping me for someone who will?" Renee asked incredulously. Renee raised her hand in the stop gesture. "Never mind, if you can't or don't want to wait until I'm ready, you do what you need to do." She walked to her door and opened it. "Good night."
Mark grabbed his things and stopped in front of her. "Renee, I love you, and I want to be with you. I've waited a year for you. I want to marry you, isn't that enough for you to allow me into your bed? Think about it. I'll call you in a few days." He kissed her briefly on the lips and left.
Chapter Four
Renee rolled over onto her back and opened her eyes reluctantly. Saturday had come quickly, and she wasn't ready to get up yet. The week went by in a blur for Renee. She finished the Wellington article on Monday, so she had the whole week to concentrate on the report for Perry's club. She finished it late last night, and as she looked at the bedside clock, she groaned. It was only eight-thirty and she wanted to sleep longer, but she knew that Celia and Rhonda would be at her house within an hour.
Since her thirtieth birthday fell in the middle of the week, they were going to the mall to shop for new outfits for the birthday party that Renee had begged them not to give her. Even though it was supposed to be a surprise, Renee knew what they were trying to do.
Her friends were meeting at Celia's house at seven and Rhonda was to make sure that Renee didn't get there until after seven-thirty. She didn't have the heart to tell them that her sister had let the cat out of the bag when she called Renee to tell her that she could not make it to the party.
They had told her that they wanted to have a girl’s night at Celia's house, but when they suggested shopping for something to wear Renee commented that there was no need if it was just going to be the three of them. She would much rather wear some jeans. Celia immediately piped in to say that she meant a dinner party for the three of them and that they should not dress so casually but get a little dressed up. Renee decided to go along with the plan pretending not to know anything.
She threw back the covers and trudged to the bathroom. The spray from the shower head felt like thousands of tiny fingers massaging her skin. Instantly she thought of Lance's hands and what it would feel like to have his hands touching her. She ducked her head under the nearly hot water. Why had she thought that?
Okay, she thought, let's just admit it. You can't stop thinking about Lance. He's gorgeous, successful and beautiful as hell. There, she had accepted it, and she could move on. She washed and conditioned her hair, soaped and rinsed her body and got out of the shower, trying not to think of Lance Wreight anymore.
She pulled out her favorite pair of blue jeans and one of her many Lucille Ball tee shirts. By the time she was finished moisturizing her skin and putting on her clothes, Rhonda was knocking on her door. Neither she nor Celia had called her anymore that week before Friday. They knew she was upset with them for telling Lance about her and they figured if they gave her enough time, she would forgive them. Renee opened the door and hugged Rhonda. "Hey, sweetie. I'm almost ready, I'm just going to put my hair in a clip," she said heading back to the bedroom.
Celia showed up shortly after Rhonda, complaining about her husband and what a jerk he was. He had wanted her to take their youngest with her when he had promised he would watch both children. They took Renee's Camry since Rhonda's sports car was made for two and Celia's car contained car seats and toys.
Renee lived in the north part of the city, so the drive to the mall was a short one. Renee hated shopping, but they loved to shop. They could wander from store to store repeatedly looking for the best deal on any one item, while Renee saw what she wanted and bought it as soon as she saw it. She would give them until noon and then they would have to get to the nail salon or lose the appointment and must wait until Kim and Terry were available for them.
They went to Dillard's first. Celia and Rhonda made Renee agree that she would let them pick out her outfit and that no matter what they picked within reason, that she would wear it. Renee couldn't wait to see what they chose.
Celia and Rhonda searched from rack to rack until they found what they thought was the perfect top for Renee. It was a low cut, pink, python print, tank type top. Something Renee would never have chosen for herself. Rhonda squealed and remembered a black skirt that she had passed a few racks back and disappeared for few minutes.
They shoved Renee into a dressing room with the top and skirt and yelled for her to hurry up when she didn't reappear quickly enough for them. Renee stood looking at her reflection in the full-length mirror. She had to admit that it was a good look for her, but she was self-conscious about not being covered because of the amount of cleavage showing. Her favorite was the skirt with its long split to mid-thigh on the right side. She loved the way it glided around her legs.
Celia and Rhonda gasped as she came through the entrance to the dressing room. "Damn, girl!" Rhonda exclaimed.
"You look, muy caliente," Celia commented shaking her right hand as if it burned. "We have to find some shoes," she said smiling a huge smile at Renee.
"Okay," Rhonda said, "Go put your clothes on and meet us in the shoe department."
Renee stood looking at herself in the mirror from all angles. This outfit did make her feel sexy, but what good would it do? Rhonda and Celia didn't like Mark and most certainly had not invited him to the party, and since it was supposed to be a surprise she couldn't ask him herself.
She quickly got undressed and tried to think of something funny to lift her spirits. Rhonda and Celia had gone through a lot of trouble to plan this surprise party, and she would not get depressed and ruin it.
She found them engrossed with a sales lady in the shoe department. "Okay you two, what did you find?" She could tell that they had seen something that they were sure she would fight them on.
Rhonda said, "We know how you feel about high heels, but you have to wear these." She pulled out a pair of black strappy stilettos from behind her back.
"Oh, hell no!" Renee exclaimed, looking at what she was sure was a form of torture somewhere in the world.
"At least try them on," Celia begged. Renee looked at the sales lady who was encouraging her with her eyes just to try them on.
Renee blew out a heavy breath between nearly closed lips as she conceded and took the pair of shoes from Rhonda and handed her the new clothes. She found a chair and sat down. Before she could get her tennis shoes and socks off the sales lady was down on bended knee helping her put the torture devices on her feet.
She looked down at her feet before standing. She had to admit with the right color polish on her toes, they would look great, but how would they feel on her feet when she stood? Would they be hard to walk in or did she weigh too much for the thin high heel? There would be nothing more embarrassing than to break the heel in front of everyone she knew. She was also concerned about how the straps would feel against her feet. Would they cut into her skin?
She stood and was surprised to find that the many tiny straps across the top of her foot, those across her instep. and around her ankles seemed to stretch with the pressure, without feeling too loose. The sole of the shoe cradled her foot and felt very comfortable as she walked to the little mirror on the floor to look at them.
Rhonda and Celia had their fingers crossed, saying a silent prayer that she would like them. The shoes looked fabulous on her feet. Renee walked back and forth testing the heels thoroughly. Then she blew out another breath of concession. "Okay, I like them." Rhonda began to bounce in joy, and Celia clapped her hands enthusiastically like Barney.
It didn't take them long to find outfits for Rhonda and Celia. Celia found a pair of lime green Capri pants with a matching shirt that had three quarter length sleeves and buttoned down the front, and lime green mules. Rhonda picked a black pair of pants, and a stretchy one-shouldered top in red to go with the red sandals she bought last week.
Rhonda and Renee got their nails done in colors to match their outfits, red and pink, while Celia got a French manicure. After having a light lunch at La Madeline's, they returned to Renee's house and made Renee promise to do something different with her hair before going their separate ways.
**
Lance stood in the front of the mirror in Celia's bathroom. What was he doing there? He ran his fingers through his blonde close-cropped curls as he thought the answer to himself. You wanted to see her. Why couldn't he just admit that he wanted to know more about her? Lance had never felt like this before. He felt awkward and unsure of himself. He had always known who he was and what he wanted, and until now nothing had been a challenge to him.
He had always had a woman in his life. A girlfriend or someone that he was dating, but they all seemed to be chasing him. He knew he was considered a good catch and that's what they all had been trying to do, catch him, but Renee wasn't trying to catch him. In fact, she seemed to want to avoid him at all costs.
He didn't consider himself a chauvinist, but he wanted to be the aggressor in the relationship. Maybe, that's what made Renee a turn on, the fact that he seemed to be chasing her and she seemed to be running from him. He heard Celia announce from the den that Rhonda and Renee had just pulled up out front. He fiddled with his belt and exited the bathroom.
Celia opened the door and told Renee to go into the den and make herself a drink. Renee acted surprised when everyone jumped out and shouted "Surprise!" There were about ten people there, and she didn't see him right away, but he saw her, and his breath caught in his throat. She looked incredible. Her hair fell in soft, large loose curls around her fantastically flawless face. He liked that she didn't wear a lot of makeup. The natural glow of her skin was beautiful, although he could tell that she wore some lip-gloss.
The pink and black snakeskin print, low cut tank drew his attention to the swell of her breasts, but as she turned, the sight of her bare thigh pulled his eyes downward. He wet his lips and enjoyed the way her skirt caressed her leg and played peek-a-boo with his eyes and his lower extremities.
When he realized that everyone was singing happy birthday, he joined in. Renee caught sight of him as she surveyed the room of singing people. Their eyes locked as she silently asked him what he was doing there? She was going to kill Rhonda and Celia. "Thank you, thank you and thank you." She said as they finished singing to her. Celia turned on some music, low in the background.
Everyone began to hug Renee, wishing her a happy birthday, but Lance couldn't hug her right away, not unless he wanted her to know how genuinely excited he was to see her. The bulge in his pants would be a dead giveaway once he held her. He sidestepped the hug line and went to the buffet Celia had set up in the dining room.
Renee was scared to death at what could happen tonight. Rhonda loved to play games. Games like Truth or dare, spin the bottle and twenty-one questions. Playing these games meant Renee would get too close to Lance. As soon as she got a chance she cornered Celia in the kitchen. "Whose idea was it to invite him?"
Celia wiped her hands on a towel by the sink, "Well, Rhonda mentioned the party when we met him at the club last week, and I asked him to come because I thought he liked you. Although, I also thought Rhonda liked him. I figured if you liked him then maybe you two would have a good time, and if you didn't like him maybe he and Rhonda would hook up." She finished just as Rhonda joined them in the corner by the sink.
"Look, since it's my birthday party I'm going to say this one thing and then I'm going to leave it alone and enjoy myself. Stop trying to fix me up. I am dating Mark and not looking for Mr. Right, " she paused as they all caught the double pun in her statement and giggled. "You know what I mean, Rhonda if you like him, go for it."
She hugged Rhonda and Celia, " Thanks for the party and I know Rhonda has some games planned. So, let's get this party started right."
Rhonda smiled and headed for the den to gather everyone together. Renee caught a glimpse of Lance in the dining room and decided to offer a truce for the night.
Lance could see her from where he stood as she glided into the dining room. "Hi." She said as she reached him.
"Hi." He answered.
Renee took a deep breath, "Thanks for coming to my party. I hope you can forgive my rudeness the other day at the club; I don't know what came over me."
Lance was a little shocked, but he didn't show it. "It's okay. I'm sure I deserved it." Rhonda's voice called out for everyone to come to the den for game time.
"Did you intend to send me roses all day on Monday?" She asked curiously.
"Yes," he said smiling softly. "My mother taught my brother and me that the best way to apologize to a woman was to send a dozen roses. Since you left without saying goodbye that night, I figured that I must have done something awful."
"Apology accepted. Well, just for the record I prefer lilies or carnations." Renee smiled the friendliest and most beautiful smile Lance had ever seen. "Someone should have warned you that Rhonda likes to play games and that her mind is forever stuck on sex. So, this could turn out to be a fascinating party for all." Renee turned to pass through the kitchen to the den.
"I like sex and games,” Lance said too low for her to hear, suggestively watching her hips as he followed her to the den.
Chapter Five
Renee knew that Rhonda's first intention was to get everyone buzzing from the Tequila. By the time she and Lance entered the den, Rhonda had shot glasses lined up on the coffee table. It was now in the corner of the room instead of sitting in front of the sofa. They played the memory game.
Rhonda started the game by saying, " I went to the store and bought a loaf of wheat bread…" then the next person, to her left, Eddie, Celia's brother added an item.
"I went to the store and bought a loaf of wheat bread and some Ivory liquid…" and they continued to build on this grocery list until someone missed an item then they had to take a shot of Tequila. Renee was the last person and had to have a drink in the first round, but what no one knew was, that the more alcohol she consumed, the better her memory got.
Celia's husband and Lance sat out of the drinking games, designating themselves as drivers for those who would not be able to drive home at the end of the party. By the fifth round, Renee was completely intoxicated, but she could remember every item on the imaginary grocery list. She was adding some not so everyday items to make it harder for everyone else to retain. Lance was amazed and amused because she seemed not even to be paying attention to the game, yet she remembered every item verbatim.
"I went to the grocery store and bought a loaf of wheat bread, some Ivory liquid, shampoo, tampons, Colombian coffee beans, Doritos, thousand island dressing, chitterlings, peas and carrots, ground beef, a ten pound bag of potatoes, granny smith apples, Kleenex tissues, dial soap, Oreo cookies, hog head cheese, condoms, pickle relish, a cheese log, sliced ham, mustard, ketchup, ice cream, 10/30 oil, rice, Macaroni and cheese, butter, eggs, corn, green beans, milk, rubber gloves, orange juice, lettuce, tomatoes, whipped cream, cereal, honey, flour, a money order."
They played one more round, in which everyone agreed that Renee was the winner. After that, they played twister, of which Celia was declared the winner since she was so limber and could twist her body in the strangest ways to reach the appropriate colors. Then Rhonda called her favorite game. Spin the bottle. Rhonda had a crush on Celia's brother as well as Lance. Renee knew that was the reason for playing spin the bottle.
"Here are the rules," Rhonda pronounced, "Renee gets to go first because it's her birthday party. And," she paused, "No matter who it lands on, you have to kiss them. It' doesn't have to be a passionate kiss, but you have to kiss them on the mouth if they are of the opposite sex. If they are of the same sex, you must kiss them on the cheek, and this means you men, too." Renee and Celia knew this was Rhonda's way of ensuring some fun play, if for no one else, for herself. Rhonda placed the bottle in the center of the circle formed by the guests.
Renee got on her hands and knees and gave the bottle a good spin and said a silent prayer. It slowed down as it got to Lance, but it stopped on Ricky. Renee leaned over and gave him a quick peck on the lips.
