Chapter 5: The Surprise Package
The apartment smelled like salt and sunscreen, the windows thrown wide to catch the late afternoon breeze off the Pacific. Joanna dropped her golf bag by the door with a heavy thunk, kicked off her shoes, and let herself fall backward onto the couch. Her muscles ached in that satisfying, worn-out way that only a long practice could produce. She closed her eyes, listening to the distant crash of waves, the creak of the old building settling.
She heard Katie's sharp intake of breath.
"Jo. Jo, get up."
Joanna groaned, not moving. "Five more minutes."
"Seriously, get up. You need to see this."
The urgency in Katie's voice made Joanna crack one eye open. Katie was standing by the door, holding a package. A large, elegant box wrapped in cream-colored paper with a silk ribbon tied around it. Joanna sat up slowly, her curiosity overriding her exhaustion.
"What is that?"
"That's what I'm trying to find out." Katie carried it over, setting it on the coffee table between them. The box was substantial, maybe two feet long and a foot wide, and it had a small card tucked into the ribbon. Katie picked up the envelope, flipping it over. "It's addressed to you. Handwritten."
Joanna took the envelope, her fingers brushing the thick, textured paper. She opened it carefully, pulling out a card with elegant, looping script.
Dear Joanna,
Welcome to the program. I wanted to send you a few things to help you feel comfortable and prepared for our next session. I look forward to seeing you again soon.
—Rachel
Joanna read it twice, her heart doing a strange little flutter. She set the card down and looked at the box, suddenly aware of Katie's manic grin out of the corner of her eye.
"Well?" Katie practically bounced on her heels. "Are you going to open it or are we going to stare at it until the sun sets?"
Joanna pulled the ribbon, watching it slip loose. She lifted the lid and set it aside. The first thing she saw was tissue paper, soft and white, and beneath it, a rainbow of silk and lace.
She pushed the tissue aside. On top lay a set of matching underwear in a deep, rich emerald green. The bra was delicate, lacy, with a subtle sheen that caught the light. The panties were high-waisted, with a tiny bow at the center. Joanna picked them up, the fabric impossibly soft against her fingers.
"Oh my God," Katie breathed. "That's from her?"
"Shut up." But Joanna was already reaching for the next layer.
A pair of bikinis. One in a classic black triangle style, the fabric so thin it was almost translucent. The other a vibrant coral, with a high-cut bottom and a top that tied at the neck and back—barely a scrap of fabric. Joanna held them up, feeling the weight of them, the impossible lightness.
"Jesus, Jo." Katie had moved closer, peering over her shoulder. "She's trying to kill you."
"There's more."
There was. A silk robe in a dusty rose color, so long it puddled on the floor when Joanna lifted it. A pair of plush slippers in matching rose. A bottle of scented lotion that smelled like vanilla and sandalwood, a scent that made Joanna think of warm skin and early mornings. A collection of small bottles and jars—body oils, massage oil, something labeled as "warming" and something else labeled as "tingling." A box of flavored lubricants in flavors like strawberry, champagne, and mint chocolate chip.
And at the very bottom, a gift card. Joanna picked it up, looking at the logo. Adam and Eve. She turned it over. Two hundred and fifty dollars.
"Holy shit," Katie said, her voice hushed. "That's the full package. She went all out."
Joanna sat back, her lap full of silk and lace and things she had never in her life owned. She felt a strange mix of embarrassment and something else—something warm and low in her belly that she didn't want to name.
"This is a lot," she said quietly. "Like, a lot a lot."
"It's a welcome kit, Jo. It's supposed to be a lot." Katie grabbed the emerald bra, holding it up against her chest. "Oh, this is gorgeous. How does she know your size?"
"She probably saw my file. They have all that information." Joanna's voice was flat, but her fingers kept stroking the silk of the robe.
"Stop being weird about it. It's thoughtful." Katie had already stripped off her t-shirt, and she was behind her—no, she was whipping off her sports bra, replacing it with the emerald one. She turned to face Joanna, striking a pose. "How do I look?"
The bra fit her perfectly. The deep green contrasted beautifully with her blonde hair and fair skin, making her tattoos stand out even more. Joanna opened her mouth, then closed it. Something about seeing Katie in that bra, in her apartment, in the golden light of the evening, made her throat feel tight.
"It looks good," she managed.
"Just good?" Katie looked down at herself, adjusting the cups. "I feel like a million bucks. Rachel's got taste, I'll give her that." She paraded over to the mirror by the door, checking herself out from every angle. "I might have to schedule an appointment with her after my program ends. You got lucky with your assignment."
Joanna laughed, the tension breaking. "You're terrible."
"I'm practical." Katie turned back to her, hands on her hips. "Now come on, try yours on. I want to see the bikini."
"Katie, no—"
"Joanna, yes." Katie grabbed the coral bikini and tossed it at her. "You're not leaving this apartment until you try it on. I'm on a mission."
Joanna caught the scrap of fabric, her hesitation clear. But Katie's face was so earnest, so genuinely excited, that she found herself standing, walking to her room, closing the door behind her.
The bikini was even smaller than she'd thought. She held it up, examining the tiny triangles of fabric, the thin strings. There was no way this was going to cover anything. She glanced at the mirror on her closet door, then back at the bikini.
She took a deep breath and started undressing.
The fabric felt cool against her skin. The top tied behind her neck and back, the bottoms sat high on her hips, leaving little to the imagination. She turned to the mirror, bracing herself for embarrassment.
And then she paused.
She looked... good. Really good. The coral brightened her skin, made her look sun-kissed and alive. The cut lengthened her legs, emphasized the athletic curve of her hips. She turned sideways, watching the way the fabric caught the light.
"Jo! I'm dying out here!"
Joanna took one last look in the mirror, then opened the door and stepped out, arms crossed over her chest.
Katie's face split into a massive grin. "Oh, hell yes. Turn around. Spin."
Joanna rolled her eyes but complied, doing a slow turn.
"Okay," Katie said, circling her like a predator. "Okay. I've got to give it to her. That woman knows how to pick what makes a body look incredible." She paused, tilting her head. "You don't look like you're being punished by the government anymore."
"I never said I was being punished."
"You didn't have to." Katie sat down on the couch, crossing her legs. "You had this look every time you talked about your appointment. All tight shoulders and furrowed brow. Now you look..." She gestured vaguely. "Loose."
"I don't—" Joanna started, then stopped. She thought about Rachel's hands on her back, the way the massage had unraveled something deep inside her. She thought about the way her hips still felt sensitive, like the skin was remembering something.
"Exactly," Katie said, reading her expression. "Now, I'm thinking we hit the beach tomorrow. It's supposed to be like eighty degrees. And you're going to wear this."
"Where am I going to wear it?" Joanna raised an eyebrow. "The beach? In front of the whole team?"
"Yes. And you're going to own it." Katie leaned forward, her eyes bright. "That's what this whole program is about, Jo. It's not just about the orgasms—though those are pretty great too. It's about feeling good in your own skin. About not being afraid to be seen."
Joanna looked down at herself, at the tiny bikini, at her own body. She thought about all the years she'd spent trying to be small, trying to disappear, trying to take up as little space as possible. On the golf course, she'd always felt powerful, in control. But outside of that? She'd always been hiding.
"I'll think about it," she said.
"No, you won't." Katie stood up, grabbing the silk robe from the pile and draping it over her shoulders. "We're going. I'll pack us a cooler, we'll make a day of it. You can even bring that lotion—it's perfect for the beach."
Joanna shook her head, but she couldn't stop the smile that was creeping onto her face. Katie had that effect on her. Always pushing, always pulling, always dragging her into things she didn't think she wanted but always ended up needing.
"Fine," she said. "We'll go to the beach. But you're wearing the black bikini."
"Yes!" Katie pumped her fist. Then she grabbed the bottle of scented lotion, unscrewing the cap and dabbing a bit on her wrist. She sniffed it, then held it out to Joanna. "Smell this. This is going to be your signature scent now."
Joanna leaned in, inhaling the warm, sweet scent. It was vanilla, yes, but there was something else underneath. Something smoky and deep. She felt a flush roll through her, settling in her chest.
"Rachel picked that out for me," she said, more to herself than to Katie.
"Yep." Katie capped the bottle, setting it on the coffee table. "And she probably imagined you wearing it while she touches you again." She grinned, wicked and delighted. "Now, should we order pizza or make pasta? Because we've got a big day tomorrow, and I want to carbo-load."
Joanna was still looking at the lotion, at the silk robe, at the gift card on the table. Her body was buzzing, a low hum of anticipation that had started the moment she opened the box.
"Pasta," she said finally. "And wine."
Katie laughed, heading toward the kitchen. "That's my girl."
Joanna stood in the middle of the living room, wearing a bikini that was too small and a blush that was too pink. She felt ridiculous and beautiful and terrified and excited, all at once.
She picked up the card again, reading Rachel's words.
I look forward to seeing you again soon.
Her fingers traced the elegant script, and she could almost feel Rachel's hands on her skin, her mouth on her spine.
Tomorrow couldn't come fast enough.