Page 4 of Alluring

Alexis had just about given up on the sale rack, when a black, jersey-knit dress with long sleeves, a low, scooped neck and a tight skirt caught her eye. Alexis looked at the price tag, saw it was fifty percent off, took it off the rack, and went in search of a dressing room.

She had just put the dress on, and turned to look at herself in the mirror, when she heard Steph yelling for her. She opened the dressing-room door and poked her head out. "I'm over here. Quit yelling."

Steph walked in, took one look at Alexis, and declared, "You are buying that dress."

Alexis turned to look at her behind. "It doesn't make my butt look big?"

"Girl, your ass looks perfect. That dress is sexy as hell."

Alexis took one more look at herself in the dress. "Okay, I'll get it. "

After a successful shopping trip (in which Steph did buy the red dress), they stopped for lunch before heading back to Alexis's to get ready for the party. She had a small one-bedroom/one-bath apartment that was about ten minutes from the strip. Everything in the apartment was from her old house. From the light brown, beat up, but comfortable couch to the dishes in the kitchen cabinets. Memories of her mom were everywhere.

Alexis was anxious. She didn't do well in large crowds, and she had a feeling tonight was going to be a very large crowd. She attributed her social awkwardness to the way she grew up.

At fifteen, when she was about to discover boys and participate in school activities, her mom got sick. At the first sign of her illness, her dad left, and she'd never heard from him since. Not one visit. Not one phone call. Nothing. She got a part time job after school to help pay the bills. Because she would get so tired, her mom could only manage to work part time and with her dad's paycheck gone, they needed the money. Alexis spent her nights cleaning the house, looking after her sister, and caring for her mother. She lived on virtually no sleep. Looking back, it was a wonder she survived it.

As the years went by and the cancer spread, her mom became bedridden. After high school, Alexis turned her part-time waitressing job into a full-time waitressing job to pay the bills and keep a roof over their heads. Her mom held on for three more years. Just long enough to see her youngest daughter graduate from high school.

With the sale of their house, Alexis paid part of her mother's medical bills. The amount left over was still staggering and with the addition of her sister's collage tuition, she felt she would be in debt for the rest of her life.

Steph collected their bags, walked to the bedroom, and threw them on the bed. The bedroom was small with her king-sized bed and dresser filling most of the space, but her bathroom was a decent size. Steph took her make-up tote into the bathroom, and by the time Alexis walked in to get ready, it looked like a beauty supply store had thrown-up on her bathroom vanity. Make-up and hair products littered the counter top and Steph still pulled things from her bag.

"I'll do your hair and make-up," Steph said, waving to the toilet. "You sit there."

"What you don't trust me to do it?" Alexis asked, with an exaggerated pout.

"I want you to be drop-dead gorgeous. I want all the men to fall at your feet as you walk by. I want them to salivate and beg for your attention. And as God as my witness, I will get you laid!" Steph ended her tirade with her left arm up in the air, curling iron held high, and her right hand over her heart.

Alexis giggled at Steph's impassioned speech. Steph cracked a smile that caused Alexis's giggles to turn into laughter. Steph's laughter soon followed.

Alexis gawked at the crowd waiting to get into the nightclub. Fortunately, they didn't have to wait in that ridiculously long line. Steph's romp with Brad from accounting had produced VIP tickets, enabling them to jump to the front of the line, causing dirty looks from the women and leering from the men, as they walked by.

Alexis had to admit, Steph did a great job on her hair and make-up. They looked fabulous. The red dress and gold platform heels made Steph look tall and slim but still very curvy. Her blond hair fell in waves down her back, and her make-up screamed,drama.

Alexis loved her new dress. The skirt fell to mid-thigh, was super tight (but stretchy), and hugged her hips and ass. The top was blousy with a low cowl-neck and skin-tight sleeves. Stephanie had tamed her wild curls, so they fell softly down her back with just the front pulled back away from her face and held in place with a red rhinestone clip. Steph gave hersmokyeyes with her signature red lips. Red high-heeled sandals that tied at the back of her ankle with a black satin ribbon adorned her feet.

Pulled was a treat for the senses. The music was loud but not so loud that you couldn't hear the person beside you talking. The lighting was muted with certain sections (like the bar, the dance floor, and the VIP sections) spotlighted. Everything in the place was either black, red or gold.

Alexis started giggling. When Steph turned to her with a questioning frown marring her brow, she explained, "We match the decor."

Steph looked around, then laughed, "Wow, we really do."

They made their way to the VIP section and found a booth to sit at. Alexis put her small clutch (that held her phone, lipstick, credit card, and ID) on the table. As soon as they sat, a waiter appeared.

"What can I get you ladies?" The very cute waiter asked, with a smile and a wink.

Steph giggled (giggled!). "I'll have a Cosmo and your phone number."

Alexis rolled her eyes and ordered a white wine. After the waiter walked away she hissed, "He's way to young for you."

"I want to sleep with him, not marry him."

Alexis wished she had the same casual regard about sex that Steph had. If she were more laid back, she could have gone home with Jack.

Just thinking about him made her stomach flutter. What would it be like to have his lips and hands all over her body? What would the stubble on his cheeks feel like scraping across her skin? How soft would his hair feel, running through her fingers? Alexis squirmed in her seat. Thoughts of Jack were making certain private places tingle.

"You okay over there?" Steph asked, with a lift of her brow.

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