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“Be honest: is this dress too tight?” Brit asked, opening her arms so Nikki and Lara could get a full view of her black number. Granted, the V-neck enhanced her already big breasts and a slit on the front showed more of her legs than she felt comfortable showing. But damn, when she’d gone to a trendy consignment shop after work, she hadn’t counted on falling in love with the gown. One size smaller than what she usually wore, yes, but the fabric was so rich and silky, and the perfect cut made her feel like a poor man’s mermaid when she walked.
“You look sexy,” Lara said, caressing Brit’s cat in her bedroom. Socks, the tabby cat, lazily meowed. “Wear it.”
Nikki shifted in the chair. “Yes, but isn’t this a business type meeting?” Hesitation laced her voice.
“Well, yes, kinda. The guy who invited me is a potential business partner of Damian’s. But I’ll also have the chance to meet some VIPs, and who knows? Maybe one of those ladies will like my makeup and I can show them the makeup line I’m working on. Or do their makeup on the side to gain exposure.”
“Girl, how many sides do you have?” Lara asked. “You’re always on the grind.”
“I need connections. Working for Damian gives me the cash to afford a super convention I want to attend. But if I start establishing rapport with the rich folk, then after I go to that convention and learn new tricks to open my store in the future, I’ll have some people to hopefully want to invest in my business too.”
“Smart,” Nikki said. “Wear this dress then.”
“It doesn’t scream slutty, does it?”
“It doesn’t scream slutty,” Lara said. “It whispers in a very husky voice that will give every man and possibly woman in that place some goose bumps.”
She shivered. Would Damian feel the same way? Don’t, she warned herself.
“Shit, I even have goose bumps now after what you said,” Nikki said, throwing a scarf from the bed at her Lara, who dodged it and chuckled.
“So I will wear it,” Brit said. “Who knows, I may even meet a good-looking guy at that party,” she said, injecting some enthusiasm at the end. Doubtful she’d meet a datable man. Most of them would either be high-powered business types who wanted trophy wife looking girls, or perhaps already married.
“Atta girl,” said Lara. “Hey, have you seen Damian date anyone?”
“No.” Nikki waved her off. “He’s got his hands full. The worst thing he can do right now is bring a stranger to his house.”
Lara tried on a headband she found on the dresser, fluffing her pretty long brown hair. “He doesn’t need to bring her home. But he’s been on his own for a while, and he’s hot.”
Nikki shrugged. “That’s true. Women at school mention that all the time at functions. I’m surprised one of them hasn’t snatched him yet.”
“His focus is on the kids,” Brit said. “He’s got no time,” she said with the severity of a Catholic school nun. What did she know exactly about his personal life? Maybe he dated women when Mrs. Smith watched the kids. A strange, foreign sensation stabbed at her, as if her cells were little balloons and the idea popped one of them at the time, slowly deflating her inside.
“He’s got enough time to take you out.” Lara picked a lipstick from her makeup box and opened it, rolling out the baton until she frowned at the pop orange color.
Brit threaded her fingers together. “He’s not taking me out. He’s helping me climb the professional ladder. This isn’t a date.”
Lara stopped fumbling through her belongings and glanced at her, lifting her hands in surrender. “I’m sorry. I was just kidding.”
Brit’s gaze darted from Lara to Nikki, who adjusted the pillows on the bed. They’d already lost Noelle, and Violet hadn’t returned yet. Damn it, Brit. Don’t push away the last friends you have left. “Nah, it’s okay… sorry. It feels weird without Violet.” More than those two would ever imagine.
Brit nipped the tip of her tongue to keep from spilling the beans. Telling them about the weird moment she shared with Damian, the scorching attraction she felt toward him would open a can of worms impossible to ever close.
Nikki flashed her an encouraging glance. “You’re going as friends. There’s nothing weird about it.”
“Yeah,” Lara said, the expression on her face softening. “Just have a good time.”
Have a good time. Easier said than done.
* * *
Brit tooka last glance at the mirror. She sucked in her breath. For the past two days, she’d followed a juice diet she found online, and the dress fit her a tad better. Or maybe she was imagining things, given her hunger hallucination. Yes. The real goal of the diet was to starve the victim enough so that, besides the dots on her vision, she’d see herself slimmer.
Well, it worked.
Today she had worked at the mall for a few hours then hurried home to start her beautifying process. She might not have the designer dress labels and overpriced purses, but she could give herself the best facial and skin treatment with the samples she’d taken from work.
