come here to break free.
“Women come to me for advice, motivation, tips. Sometimes it’s an older woman trying to get the spark back in her marriage. Sometimes it’s a cancer survivor who, after chemo and radiation, just doesn’t feel like a woman anymore.” Harper tapped her finger on the rim of her glass. “I firmly believe that sexy is a state of mind. It doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside. If you feel sexy inside, it will come across in everything you do.”
Harper was certainly drinking the Kool-Aid she was selling, but there were some things that even confidence couldn’t overcome. Like scars from a fatal car accident that took the perfect life you were supposed to live—and the subsequent guilt for being slightly relieved it had.
“And you want Charlotte to find her sexy?” Violet prompted.
Although it made sense. She was shy and uptight.
As if you’re one to talk.
“Part of my service includes boudoir photos and I’ve been dying to get his little minx in front of the camera. I know there is a sex kitten hidden under this sweater set.” She pulled at Charlotte’s collar, bypassing the pearls on her way. “Somewhere.”
“I’m nowhere near a minx.” Charlotte frowned. “I’m the least minxish woman ever created.”
She said it with a frown. She didn’t like not being a minx.
“It’s in there somewhere.” Harper cocked her head to the side. “You just have to be willing to look for it.”
Violet hated to say it, but Charlotte was…unmemorable. She’d even forgotten she was in the room within three minutes of meeting her. She didn’t command a room. She didn’t turn heads. But maybe there was something to be said about being demure, and Charlotte was exactly right in choosing to fly under the radar.
No.
Being meek wasn’t going to get her project approved nor was it going to make a room full of men confident in her decisions.
Violet just needed a little nudge.
And maybe Harper could help her with that.
“Here’s my card.” Harper slid a white-and-pink rectangle across the plywood. Her business name, Body & Soul Wellness for Women, beautifully lettered across the front in calligraphy. “If you know anyone who might be interested I’d appreciate the shout-out.” She stilled, eyeing Violet with the most curious look. As if she was contemplating every moment of their interaction so far. “I practice discretion, of course.”
Was that for her benefit? Was it an invite?
Violet knew it was stupid. She knew she was being unreasonable. But she’d lived her entire life to an almost impossible standard of perfection. Pretending to be pretty damn close to perfect. But now her outsides matched her insides. And although it was her body that was scarred, it affected every part of her. Because of these scars, she lacked confidence not only in her appearance but as a businessperson.
She’d shown up tonight thinking maybe she could finally break through her self-imposed barrier and possibly have sex with a hot guy. But surprisingly, Noah had given her something she hadn’t been expecting. Something she hadn’t even known she needed.
A place to relax and be herself.
These people were casual. No pretensions. They didn’t care about the latest model of Mercedes or the best real-estate purchase. They ate chips out of a plastic bowl that was probably purchased at a dollar store. They were real. Safe with one another.
Noah was a bad decision wrapped in tattoos and facial hair. But a decision that was free of consequences. Free of judgment.
Maybe one more bad decision was exactly what she needed to get focused. To get back on track, just as her father had asked, before she went back to the place where every decision came with the weight of the world. There were so many strings she was bound to get tangled up.
What would it be like to shed her clothing? To channel Harper even for just one evening?
Watching Noah, sweaty and delicious, she knew he was exactly the
“Women come to me for advice, motivation, tips. Sometimes it’s an older woman trying to get the spark back in her marriage. Sometimes it’s a cancer survivor who, after chemo and radiation, just doesn’t feel like a woman anymore.” Harper tapped her finger on the rim of her glass. “I firmly believe that sexy is a state of mind. It doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside. If you feel sexy inside, it will come across in everything you do.”
Harper was certainly drinking the Kool-Aid she was selling, but there were some things that even confidence couldn’t overcome. Like scars from a fatal car accident that took the perfect life you were supposed to live—and the subsequent guilt for being slightly relieved it had.
“And you want Charlotte to find her sexy?” Violet prompted.
Although it made sense. She was shy and uptight.
As if you’re one to talk.
“Part of my service includes boudoir photos and I’ve been dying to get his little minx in front of the camera. I know there is a sex kitten hidden under this sweater set.” She pulled at Charlotte’s collar, bypassing the pearls on her way. “Somewhere.”
“I’m nowhere near a minx.” Charlotte frowned. “I’m the least minxish woman ever created.”
She said it with a frown. She didn’t like not being a minx.
“It’s in there somewhere.” Harper cocked her head to the side. “You just have to be willing to look for it.”
Violet hated to say it, but Charlotte was…unmemorable. She’d even forgotten she was in the room within three minutes of meeting her. She didn’t command a room. She didn’t turn heads. But maybe there was something to be said about being demure, and Charlotte was exactly right in choosing to fly under the radar.
No.
Being meek wasn’t going to get her project approved nor was it going to make a room full of men confident in her decisions.
Violet just needed a little nudge.
And maybe Harper could help her with that.
“Here’s my card.” Harper slid a white-and-pink rectangle across the plywood. Her business name, Body & Soul Wellness for Women, beautifully lettered across the front in calligraphy. “If you know anyone who might be interested I’d appreciate the shout-out.” She stilled, eyeing Violet with the most curious look. As if she was contemplating every moment of their interaction so far. “I practice discretion, of course.”
Was that for her benefit? Was it an invite?
Violet knew it was stupid. She knew she was being unreasonable. But she’d lived her entire life to an almost impossible standard of perfection. Pretending to be pretty damn close to perfect. But now her outsides matched her insides. And although it was her body that was scarred, it affected every part of her. Because of these scars, she lacked confidence not only in her appearance but as a businessperson.
She’d shown up tonight thinking maybe she could finally break through her self-imposed barrier and possibly have sex with a hot guy. But surprisingly, Noah had given her something she hadn’t been expecting. Something she hadn’t even known she needed.
A place to relax and be herself.
These people were casual. No pretensions. They didn’t care about the latest model of Mercedes or the best real-estate purchase. They ate chips out of a plastic bowl that was probably purchased at a dollar store. They were real. Safe with one another.
Noah was a bad decision wrapped in tattoos and facial hair. But a decision that was free of consequences. Free of judgment.
Maybe one more bad decision was exactly what she needed to get focused. To get back on track, just as her father had asked, before she went back to the place where every decision came with the weight of the world. There were so many strings she was bound to get tangled up.
What would it be like to shed her clothing? To channel Harper even for just one evening?
Watching Noah, sweaty and delicious, she knew he was exactly the
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