by Alicia Rae
“Thank you for the dresses, but it’s only the end of the discussion for now. In the future, I can buy my own things,” I said, taking a deep breath.
Kyle stiffened minimally, but otherwise, he let my comment go. I had a feeling it would come up again.
In the shoe store, I found a great pair of black heels. My heels slipped in with ease, and they felt more like slippers. I figured I could never have too many pairs of black heels, and these were perfect to add to my collection.
At the register, Kyle again paid and pushed my card away. He was a bit more irritated by my protest this time. He still would not budge.
I exhaled, exasperated, but I decided not to make a scene.
I valued my independence. It was my rock. I needed that security and consistency. I could not let Kyle take that away from me. We would have to be equals in our relationship.
I kept silent until we were out of the store, but then I turned to face him, needing to get it off my chest. “Kyle, I appreciate you buying me the dresses and shoes today, but it really wasn’t necessary. I can afford them myself, and I don’t want you to buy me things.”
His jaw clenched as he stopped and looked at me. Luckily, we were off to the side by the restrooms, so we did not have an audience.
“Lily, you are going to have to get used to me buying you things. If I want to buy you something, I will,” he said, his tone final. My eyes flared, and he sighed at first, but then he took a gentler approach. “In my family, the man is the provider. That’s how I was raised, Lily.”
I sighed back. “I’m just not used to it. I’ve taken care of myself for a while now, and that’s the way I like it. Change is difficult for me.”
He tipped my chin up to meet his gaze. “There’s going to be lots of change coming your way. Me buying you a few dresses will be the least of it.”
He smiled cheekily as my mouth opened to speak.
“I—”
I was silenced by his kiss.
“Enough. Let’s head out. Do you want some ice cream before we leave?”
“Yes, that sounds…crap! I don’t have a strapless bra with me. I need to get a bra.”
His smile broadened, and his strides doubled. “Now, you’re talking.”
With that, we were on our way in the direction of my favorite store.
I shook my head and quickened my pace to keep up with him, giggling at his forwardness. “You are such a guy.”
Men go into Victoria’s Secret all the time, right? How bad could it be?
I walked in with Kyle and went to the Very Sexy Collection. It was my favorite because they were so soft yet sexy and comfortable. I quickly found the one I needed and rummaged the drawer for my size.
In that short amount of time, Kyle had wandered off, so I went in search for him. I found him standing next to a mannequin with a sexy red bra and matching panties. He gave me a boyish grin as I walked closer to him.
“This one…” Kyle pointed to the mannequin. “This one will look great on your toned ass,” he complimented, totally off in his own thoughts.
I gaped at him in pure shock and embarrassment. Right about now, I was betting that my cheeks and neck were flushed in a vibrant shade of bright red. I glanced around quickly, making sure no one was within earshot.
“Shh! You realize you just said that out loud, don’t you?” I hissed, seriously trying my hardest to keep a straight face. It was embarrassing…but quite funny, too.
On a laugh, he turned to face me. As he looked down at my feet and slowly made his way back up to my eyes, I could tell he was now picturing me in the red bra and panties set.
“We are definitely getting this, too,” he said, his tone husky.
“You are insatiable.” I snorted. “Besides, I have the black garter set that you insisted I bring from home, remember?” I looked into his dark eyes.
He kissed my lower lip, slowly drawing it into his mouth. As he stepped back, I held in a moan.
“Oh, yes. I definitely remember the black one, and I look forward to seeing it on you.” He reached down to open the drawers. “But we are still getting this one, too.”
In pure defeat, I told him my sizes.
Back at the house, I quickly showered, realizing it was later than I’d thought. When I got out, my cell phone beeped with a text from an unknown number.
Looking forward to meeting you in person. When will you be back home?
I glanced at the unknown number again, thinking of whom it could be, before I began applying my makeup. I only had fifteen minutes to get ready, so the text was quickly forgotten.
I ripped off the tags from my new strapless bra and the black dress I had picked out for tonight, and I quickly slipped them on. I had not curled my hair in a long time, so I decided it would be perfect for tonight. Even curled, my hair still reached past my bra strap. I slipped my feet into my heels and headed out to the living room. I could hear Abbey’s voice laughing as she teased her brother.
Kyle instantly looked in my direction as I entered the room. He walked up to me, his expression turning warm and affectionate. A warm buzz stirred low in my belly as he kissed my cheek.
“You look beautiful, Lily.”
“Wow, Lily. You are going to have a crowd tonight!” Abbey said as Kyle glared at her. “Are you ready?”
“Yep, I think so,” I replied nervously, shifting on my feet, with my hands at my sides.
“Behave, ladies,” Kyle added before giving me another kiss. “Call me if you need a ride.” He turned to face Abbey. “And I mean it. You, too.”
Abbey waved off her brother. “Oh, we’ll be fine. No worries.”
The local bar was much busier than I had expected. We picked a table along the sidewall and sat down. Abbey ordered mozzarella sticks right away as we waited for the others to arrive.
Abbey introduced me to Kristen, who was sitting closest to the wall. She was very tall and lean with golden locks. Her eyes were the brightest shade of green I had ever seen. She was absolutely stunning. As I observed Kristen, I noticed she was the shyer and quieter one of the two.
Gail arrived next. She was very petite with short brown hair that was cut to accentuate her defined cheekbones. Her dress brought out her big brown eyes. She was very outgoing, and she seemed like she was ready to rock.
We all sat at our booth, munching on mozzarella sticks, while we exchanged greetings and smiles. This bunch looked like they knew how to have a good time. Abbey ordered the first round of drinks.
“Are you from around here, Lily?” Gail asked, turning to look at me.
“I live in Florida.” I smiled kindly at her.
The waitress returned with our drinks. “Will that be all, folks?” she asked, her voice ringing with a Southern accent. She smiled sweetly at us.
Abbey turned her attention to the waitress. “Oh, could you have another round ready? We have every intention of blowing off some steam tonight.” She gave the waitress a saucy grin.
I laughed and turned my attention back to Gail.
“I have family in Florida. Where do you live?” Gail asked, making polite conversation.
“I live in Sanibel Island. Whereabouts do your folks live?” I asked while dipping my mozzarella stick into the sauce.
Hearing deep male laughs, I turned my head to see a table full of men, joking and causing a racket among themselves.
Abbey shook her head and cut in. “Rowdy fuckers. We’ll just have to be louder.”
My eyebrows lifted at Abbey. This was a new side of her. She looked sweet and innocent in her feminine dress, but I rapidly rationalized that I was about to see a whole other side of her since she was away from her family. In that moment, I promised to let myself go, just have fun, and get to know Abbey.
“They’re fine. They just want to let loose like the rest of us,” I said to Abbey before turning back to Gail, giving her my attention once again. Feeling bad that our conversation kept getting interrupted, I sent her an apologetic smile.
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��My family lives about ten minutes just outside of Orlando. I try to visit once a year to dip my toes in that warm ocean.” Gail chuckled and took a long sip of her drink. “So, how do you know Abbey?”
“She’s dating my brother, Kyle,” Abbey said nonchalantly.
Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed that Kristen had perked up at the mention of Kyle. Hmm…must be a story there.
Gail also looked surprised as her eyes glancing between Abbey and me. “You’re dating Kyle?” she asked, making sure she’d heard correctly.
“Yes,” I said, my voice reserved. I shifted uncomfortably, not sure where this conversation was leading.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to sound rude…but Kyle doesn’t usually date.” Gail turned and quickly looked at Kristen before turning back at me. “Kristen has been trying to get Kyle to go on a date with her for years.”
Kristen glared at Gail as Abbey busted out laughing.
“Oh jeez, Gail. Don’t go there. We all know Kristen has had a major crush on Kyle for forever.” Abbey shrugged as if it were common knowledge.
“It was a long time ago,” Kristen stated in a matter-of-fact tone, her voice begging to drop it.
“Uh-huh.” Abbey rolled her eyes. “So, anyway…Gail, how is that hot job of yours going?”
“Great! My boss just gave me a raise to work with gorgeous football players all day so the next round is on me, ladies.” Gail beamed.
On the car ride over, Abbey had filled me in on what Kristen and Gail did for a living. Kristen was a local broker, and Gail had a much more intriguing job as a sports therapist. Gail basically worked with all team players to help them maintain their topmost performance which lowered the risk of injuries. She would also treat any that did occur.
Abbey drooled over the fact that Gail got to work with men all day. Abbey threatened Kyle all the time, saying if he didn’t spoil her more, she’d go work with hot men all day instead. Considering how protective Kyle was, I was sure that wouldn’t go over smoothly.
“That’s great news, Gail! I’m very happy for you!” Abbey shouted with excitement.
The waitress walked by just then, and Abbey ordered a round of shots and refills on our drinks.
“That’s amazing, Gail!” Kristen said.
“Congratulations, Gail!” I added.
“Thanks, guys! I’m very excited as well. I’ve worked my ass off for this job, and I’m glad it’s finally paying off,” Gail gushed.
The waitress returned quickly with our order.
“To Gail, who got an awesome pay raise! And the lucky bitch gets to work with hot, sweaty, bulging muscles all day, every day!” Abbey cheered with admiration for her friend.
We all lifted our shots and tipped them back. The sting of hard liquor burned the back of my throat, and I sipped on my cocktail to soothe it.
“So, what’s new with you, Abbey? You haven’t called us lately. I was beginning to think you traded your friends in for a man,” Gail said.
“I’ve just been working a lot.” Abbey shrugged. “With Kyle out of town, I’ve had my hands full. But I love to be busy, and I’m the boss when he’s gone. You know I’m not one to just sit around.” Abbey winked and took a drink of her green apple martini. “Kristen, how is your apartment hunting going?”
“It’s going great!” Kristen said. “I found one with a spectacular view about ten minutes from where I live now. I put in my application yesterday.” She looked excited and hopeful.
“That definitely calls for another round.” Gail signaled the waitress.
The waitress dispensed round two. Although the shot went down smoother than the first, I again chased it with my martini.
Before I knew it, we were on our next round as we congratulated Kristen on closing a large deal she had been working on. This time, the third shot went down like water.
I decided to text Kyle before all the letters on my phone blended together. We definitely weren’t headed down the sober road anytime soon.
Might want to pick us up later. Already on third round of shots.
“Sooo, Lily, what do you dooo for a living?” Kristen asked as I finished texting Kyle. Her eyes looked me over as if I were up on the chopping block.
I wasn’t sure if she’d slurred on purpose because of the alcohol or as an insult. She definitely had a hang-up on Kyle.
“I’m a writer.” I smiled genuinely, thinking that maybe we could still be friends.
Kristen’s eyes lifted in amazement. “A writer? What do you write?”
“Novels,” was all I got out because Abbey chimed in.
“She writes romance novels. You should read her first book, The Unexpected. It was remarkable. I’m patiently awaiting the sequel myself.” Abbey turned to face me. “When does it come out again?”
My brain was still stuck on the fact that she had read my book. “December. Wait, you read my book? When?” I asked, my mind reeling.
Abbey rolled her eyes. “Of course, I read your book. You’re dating my brother, and I was curious,” she answered to her satisfaction.
“But I use a pen name,” I countered.
Abbey rolled her eyes. “Like that will protect your privacy nowadays?” she joked.
My eyes widened in panic, knowing it was true.
Abbey nudged my shoulder playfully. “Relax, Lily. Everyone is vulnerable these days. Heck, anyone can go online and find a satellite picture of my house. I just wanted to see if your book would tell me what kind of person you are.” She smiled repentantly. “Curiosity got the best of me. It’s not every day my brother brings a girl home, let alone flies her across the United States.”
I could feel the heat rushing to my cheeks.
“Do you only write romance?” Kristen asked, wanting to defer the subject of Kyle.
“I only write romance as of now. I hope to branch out to more genres in the future, but we’ll see.”
“Can you write my love story?” Gail joked. “I’d really like to meet a man and settle down any day now. I’m tired of playing the field.”
“I hear ya, sister,” Abbey added as she clinked her glass with Gail’s.
By the time Kyle texted back, we were on our fifth shot and round three of cocktails.
Ready when you are. Are you girls behaving?
I smiled at his text, wishing I were with him even though I was having a really great time with the girls.
Of course. ;)
We chatted and laughed as we each talked about anything and everything that came to mind—our lives, work, and men. It had been so long since I had done this. Other than Brooke, the girlfriends department had been pretty sparse since college. I missed just hanging out with girlfriends. When I lost my family, I’d closed myself off from everyone. Maybe this was my sign to try again.
We finished our shots, and I decided it was my last one for the evening.
Gail stood and gestured to the dance floor with a wicked, wicked grin. “Time to shake what your mama gave you, ladies!” she yelled over her shoulder while heading straight for the dance floor.
I took a large sip of water before following Abbey and Kristen to the dance floor. We danced like no one was watching. Without a single care in the world, we were just a bunch of free spirits, letting loose on the dance floor. I smiled, reveling at the feeling of just letting go. It felt great.
I turned, getting ready to head back to the table, and then I paused. Kyle was sitting in a booth with a beer in hand, his eyes absorbing my every move. I smiled as I looked at him. He had changed into a dark pair of washed denim. His fitted T-shirt was white with black jagged swirls on one side that curved up onto the shoulder. It gave him a dark and dangerous look. Walking in his direction, I licked my lips and closed the final distance between us.
“Hi. Perfect timing if I must say.” My voice sounded breathy in my ears. Damn it! I wanted the upper hand, but the alcohol was making me jump right into his lap.
“Yes, I’m glad I decided to head out.” He let loose a gorgeous smi
le. “I wouldn’t have wanted to miss getting to see you dance…or that smile that came along with it.”
“It was fun and easy to enjoy myself,” I admitted. I sat down in the booth across from Kyle, and I quickly reached for the water sitting next to his beer.
“I’m glad. I like to see you smile,” Kyle added in a gentle voice as I continued to gulp down his water. He raised his eyebrows. “Thirsty?”
I nodded. “That was exhausting…but a lot of fun.” I noticed that Kristen, Abbey, and Gail were still on the dance floor, and I smiled over at them.
“Did you have a good time?” Kyle asked as the waitress brought over slices of bread with spinach and artichoke dip. “I thought you might be hungry.”
I was starving, so I grabbed a piece of bread and spread the dip along it. It looked delicious. “I had a wonderful time. Your sister is great,” I replied before taking a bite. “Mmm, this is to die for.” I licked my fingers, not wanting to waste any of the creamy dip.
“She is. Sometimes, she can get carried away. That’s why I decided to come out.”
I glanced back at the dance floor to see Abbey, Kristen, and Gail all dancing with men now.
“And it looks like I arrived just in time before all the men in heat attacked,” he added.
I gave him the look. “They are all just looking for their special someone. No harm intended.”
“Special someone?”
He took a bite of the bread, and my eyes wandered to his mouth.
“You know, trying to find ‘the one’? Never mind…it’s a girl thing.” I waved my hand. “Speaking of, I heard Kristen has a crush on you. Why didn’t you go out with her?” My mind was curious.