Authors: Lynn LaFleur
Chapter Two
“Where are you, Mom?”
“I’m in the bedroom,” Jade called out to Breanna.
Jade looked up from the pile of towels she was folding to watch her daughter walk into the room. She couldn’t help but notice the large sack her daughter carried from Breanna’s favorite bookstore.
“Didn’t you buy two books yesterday when we went shopping?”
“
I
don’t have a date tonight, so I need
something
to do.”
“I told you it isn’t a
date
, it’s part of my job.”
“Pfftt. Details. You’re still going out with a hunky man.”
“You don’t know for sure he’s hunky.”
“Trust me, Mom. If he works for Coopers’ Companions, he’s hunky.”
“And how do you know that for sure?”
“I told you about Roxanne’s date with one of the escorts. She said he was charming and gracious to her, and totally hot.”
“I like the charming and gracious part. The totally hot part makes me nervous.”
“Why? Are you afraid you won’t be able to resist him?”
Jade wiggled her mouth back and forth. “Hardly.”
“Don’t be logical, Mom. If he’s a stud—and I have no doubt he will be—then go for it. Jump his bones and have a good time.”
“I thought we finished this conversation yesterday.”
“Is that a polite way to tell me to change the subject?”
“I knew I’d raised a smart girl.”
“I never get to have any fun.” She sat near the end of the bed and opened her bag. “While you’re with the hunk, I’ll read these erotic romances.”
Pushing aside the unfolded towels, Jade crawled up to the middle of the bed and sat facing her daughter. “Some I don’t have?”
“Three brand-new ones. I’ll let you borrow them after I’m through. You can buy the next ones.” A wicked sparkle lit up her eyes. “I did get something for you, though.”
Jade wasn’t sure if she liked that look in her daughter’s eyes. “Should I be afraid?”
“Nah. It’s good, I promise.”
Reaching into the open bag, Breanna pulled out a smaller, dark maroon sack. Jade recognized the logo on the sack immediately. It came from the lingerie shop where she and Breanna had looked at the bra and thong yesterday. “You didn’t.”
“I did. I knew you wouldn’t buy that gorgeous underwear, so I did it for you.”
“Bre…”
“Don’t ‘Bre’ me, Mom.” She passed the sack to her mother. “Try them on. I want to see how sexy you are in them.”
“I take back what I said about raising a smart girl. I raised a brat instead.”
Breanna grinned. “You’re so lucky.” She waved a hand toward her mother. “No stalling. I want to be sure they fit.”
Jade opened the sack and removed the emerald bra and thong. They felt as light as air in her hands. Her heart beat a bit faster at the thought of wearing something so sexy. She liked pretty lingerie, but never wore anything as skimpy as these.
“Mom? Aren’t you going to try them on?”
Sighing heavily, Jade let the underwear drop to her lap. “I can’t wear these, Bre.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’m not…” She gestured at the silky lingerie. “I’m not the type of woman who wears this kind of…stuff.”
“Again I ask, why not? And don’t give me that bullshit about you being forty in two weeks.”
“I
will
be forty in two weeks.”
“So does that mean you stop being a woman, or feeling desire? You love reading erotic romances. Don’t they affect you? Don’t the love scenes turn you on?”
“Well, yes, sometimes—”
“Don’t you fantasize about making love with a man, having him touch you?”
Warmth crept into Jade’s face. Breanna would probably be mortified to know how many times her mother fantasized about being intimate with a man, and all the different
ways
of being intimate…especially the anal sex fantasies. Jade cleared her throat. “Breanna, I think we’re getting a bit too personal.”
“Why?” Breanna moved closer and laid her hand over Jade’s. “You’ve always told me I could talk to you about anything. That goes both ways. I’m not simply being a daughter who loves her mother when I tell you how special and lovely you are. You’re surrounded by men because of your job. There’s no reason why you can’t find a man who will
adore
you. Why won’t you give anyone a chance?”
Jade pushed her hair behind her right ear. “When your husband leaves you for a younger woman, it doesn’t exactly boost up your self-esteem.”
Breanna remained silent for several seconds before softly saying, “No, I guess it doesn’t. But that was two years ago, Mom. Let it go.”
“I’ve tried, Bre. I really have tried to let it go.” Lowering her gaze to the lingerie in her lap, Jade fingered the silky material. “I thought we had a good marriage. I thought I’d made your father happy, in every way. That included the bedroom.”
Breanna squeezed Jade’s hand, but didn’t speak.
“We had a good sex life. Let me rephrase that—
I
had a good sex life. Apparently your father didn’t.”
“It wasn’t just sex, Mom. I think it was more of an ego thing for Dad. He’s very dominant. I don’t mean in a sexual way. At least, I don’t think you two had that kind of relationship, and I certainly don’t want you to tell me. That would be way too much information. But you aren’t a fawner and Melody was. He needed someone to hang on his every word and jump at his slightest command.”
Jade looked back at her daughter. “You’re using past tense phrases, Bre.”
“I know. Dad and Melody broke up three weeks ago.”
Perhaps the news should’ve been more of a shock to Jade, but it wasn’t. She’d never believed Carl and Melody would last forever. The fact that they never married proved that. “I didn’t know.”
Breanna shrugged. “I didn’t think it would make any difference to you. It’s not as if you and Dad will ever get back together.” Her eyes widened and a look of panic filled them. “You won’t, will you?”
Jade couldn’t help laughing at her daughter’s stricken expression. “I thought all children wanted their divorced parents to get back together.”
“Not me. I’ve watched you grow into your own person since you and Dad split. He’s too domineering for you, Mom. You need an equal, someone who will love you for the person you are, not the person he wants you to be. You need a guy who will appreciate you and love you so much, he’d never consider even
looking
at another woman, much less take her to bed.”
“Men like that don’t exist in my age bracket.”
“Who says he has to be in your age bracket? How about someone younger than you, someone handsome with a great body and a huge cock who’ll make you come three times a night?”
Jade’s mouth dropped open at her daughter’s language. “Breanna!”
She grinned. “Nice fantasy, isn’t it?”
Jade returned her daughter’s grin. “It certainly is.”
Breanna giggled. “Well, I don’t want a guy younger than me, but the rest of it would work.” She pointed to the lingerie in her mother’s lap. “And speaking of a younger man, you have a date in a few hours. Try on your new undies.”
“You’re determined for me to wear these, aren’t you?”
“Absolutely. So up! Try them on.”
Arguing would be useless, Jade knew that. She could humor her daughter by trying on the underwear. That didn’t mean she had to wear it tonight.
“And don’t think you can get away with trying them on now and not wearing them tonight. I’ll be back to check on you later.”
“I hate it when you read my mind.” With a sigh of defeat, Jade climbed off the bed. “I can’t believe I’m doing this.”
“It’s a day for firsts. Believe me, it was a first for me to buy a bra with a double D cup.”
Modesty had never been a problem for Jade with her daughter. She had taught Breanna that the human body was beautiful, not something “dirty”, no matter the shape or size. Peeling off her T-shirt, jeans, and underwear, she let them fall to the floor.
“God, Mom, you have a better body than some of my girlfriends. You don’t have one tiny bit of cellulite anywhere. I think I hate you.” Breanna stretched out on the bed and rested on one elbow. “I don’t know why you think you need to lose thirty pounds.”
“My scale makes me think that.”
“You should throw away that stupid scale and simply use your mirror.”
Jade slipped on the bra first. It didn’t have any padding, but the style pushed her breasts together and upward, creating a deep cleavage. She eyed the thong as if it would morph into a rattlesnake at any moment before taking a breath and stepping into it. After arranging the elastic so it was comfortable, she faced her daughter, hands on hips.
“Well?”
Breanna grinned. “You’re a total babe. Go look at yourself in the mirror.”
Jade crossed the floor and stopped in front of the three-way mirror. She turned left, then right, examining her body from every angle. A frown formed on her lips. This wasn’t her. She liked nice lingerie, yes, but not a bra that made her breasts look even larger, and definitely not a thong that barely covered her pubic hair.
“Don’t look at
you
, Mom. Look at the woman in the mirror. See how sexy she is.”
Jade met her daughter’s gaze in the glass before shifting her attention back to her own image. She turned from side to side again so she could see her entire body. The woman in the mirror looked…voluptuous, sexy, confident of her appeal to men.
Totally different from the chubby divorcee she usually saw in the mirror.
“If that was a friend of yours, would you think she looked good? Be honest.”
Honestly, yes, she looked good. A tiny smile played across her lips. She looked
damned
good.
“You’ll have that escort drooling all over you.”
“He’s paid to drool over me.” She met Breanna’s gaze in the mirror again. “By the way, how much
did
you pay him?”
“That’s none of your business.”
“
That
much? Breanna, the trust fund from your grandfather wasn’t meant to be blown on foolish things.”
“I’m not blowing my trust fund, Mom, I promise. You don’t worry about the cost. The only thing you have to worry about tonight is having a good time.”
“And making sure everything runs smoothly.”
“It will. You’re incredible at your job and everything always runs exactly the way it’s supposed to.”
Jade smiled. “Thanks, honey. You’re good for my ego.” She turned and walked back to the bed. “I have an idea.”
“What?”
“I’ll get dressed and we’ll go out for an early lunch. I’ll buy.”
“You bet you will. I’m tapped out after paying for your rent-a-stud.”
Chapter Three
Breanna sighed heavily when Jade tried again to pull up the bodice of her gown. “Mom, stop that. You’re going to tear it.”
“Are you sure this isn’t too low?”
“No, it isn’t too low.” Breanna pushed away Jade’s hands and tugged the bodice back down to where it should be. “You have beautiful breasts. Don’t be afraid to show them off. I’d show mine off every opportunity I got if they were as big as yours.”
“Are you sure my nipples are covered?”
“Yes, Mom, they’re covered.” She grinned. “Barely.”
Ignoring her mother’s glare, Breanna straightened the sweetheart neckline, then took a step back to look at Jade. She looked absolutely stunning. The long-sleeved emerald gown had definitely been the right choice. It made her mother’s eyes appear an even deeper green, her hair a richer shade of auburn. While not tight, the silky material clung to Jade’s curves, emphasizing her breasts and hips.
That sexy escort wouldn’t be able to breathe when he saw Jade. And that’s exactly what Breanna wanted. She wanted her mother to have a good time tonight, both at the gala and later in the bedroom.