Amanda had a point, and although
she couldn’t believe it, later that afternoon, Clarissa found herself carefully
planning what she would wear for the dinner date. She intended to turn things
around and end the evening by romancing him with her case, enticing him with
her ideas and sealing the deal with his agreement to join the clinic she was
setting up.
After all, she was a successful
businesswoman, and she’d closed many business deals in harsher environments, so
how hard would it be to convince him to join her cause?
What
would Ryan Norman like? She found herself selecting and discarding outfit
after outfit. Too plain. Too dressy. Too
casual. Too uptight. She pushed aside a bagged outfit, but then stopped.
She unzipped the clothing bag and slipped the outfit from the hanger. Holding
it in her hands brought back a rush of memories.
She’d purchased this outfit two
years ago, back when she thought she and Jack were a forever thing. She
couldn’t resist it when she was shopping on Rodeo Drive, so she blew a couple
grand on the dress she was sure she’d wear to her engagement party.
It was just right for a formal
party, a deep blue that accentuated her eyes, making them seem a huge part of
her pale complexion. She knew the silky material promised to hug every curve
just right. Well, what curves I have.
It played up her svelte body with a plunging neckline that promised everything
but revealed nothing. The back was covered in sheer lace, covering just enough
to leave the imagination running wild.
It was sexy without being too
tacky, and Clarissa knew it was perfect. She wanted to knock Ryan Norman’s
socks off, although she wasn’t entirely sure why. And it was time to wear the
dress, because although she knew Jack and Amanda were made for each other,
wearing the dress today was a symbol to herself, a symbol that she’d finally
let go. Fitting, since she’d seen the gorgeous two-carat solitaire flashing on
her friend’s hand only hours ago.
She slipped into the silky
concoction, finding it still fit her like a glove, emphasizing her petite
figure while promising there were some delightful secrets hidden under the
garment. It was unlike anything she’d ever worn before, and she knew Jack would
be surprised.
But
Jack won’t even see me in this dress. I’m wearing it for another man. True,
she had no designs on this man, and couldn’t stand him as a general rule, but
she always thought she’d be wearing it for Jackson Brennan, and it was a dress
that was designed to shock, surprise and promise him there was more to her than
an uptight businesswoman.
Well, she was going through with
it. She wanted Ryan Norman, and nothing was going to stop her. The skirt was
narrow, short and very fitted, but still quite a bit longer than the ridiculous
excuse for a skirt she’d worn a few months ago to save Amanda’s friend.
Although uncomfortable with the length, she reminded herself it was silly, and
she was always buttoned up so demurely that this was just different.
Sliding into the suede pumps and
twisting and turning in front of her 360 mirror, Clarissa decided it would work
just fine. The skirt was slit to mid-thigh in the front, and she planned to use
all of the ammo at her disposal in her pitch to Ryan tonight. He won’t know what hit him.
