Page 43 of The Off-Limits Rule: Extended Edition

“No…that,” I say, pointing to the bright-yellow dress, “is dramatic. Where did you even find something like this? And why does it go all the way down to the floor?” I reach out and run the scratchy-shiny fabric between my thumb and index finger. In the process, the backs of my knuckles brush against her thigh through the fabric. Heat rushes through me, and I look up to see Lucy staring down at me with her signature wide eyes.

“I—” She shakes her head lightly and steps out of reach. “It’s called a maxi dress, and I got it from one of those Instagram influencer ads. It looked cute on the model…but I’ll admit it’s a little bright on me with my auburn hair.” Her whole demeanor deflates. “You know what? This is ridiculous. I’m going to call Ethan andcancel. I can’t go to a fancy restaurant looking like the sun ate a carrot and sprouted hair.”

“Yeah, but a pretty sun who ate a carrot. And on the plus side, the restaurant will save money on electricity when you’re able to light it with the power of your dress.”

Lucy gives me a mocking smile, then sighs dramatically. She looks so downcast now, and my soppy-lovesick heart aches at the sight. Suddenly, I will do anything for her. Absolutely anything to make her smile. I will reenact every movie montage I’ve ever seen where the friend takes the heroine shopping, and we will max out my credit card until we find the perfect dress that makes the special music turn on and warm lighting appear.

Levi runs back into the room with super speed, looking like that little boy inThe Incredibles.He’s clutching the coveted dinosaur pants. “See!” he says, holding them up super close to my face with the biggest smile I’ve ever seen.

Lucy sits down beside me, and the mattress sinks with her weight. My arm presses against her, and I feel like a boy again. The smallest touches from Lucy feel monumental, like I’m touching a woman for the first time.

I take the pants from Levi and hold them up for inspection. “These. Are. The. Coolest.”

Levi beams. “I told you!!” He says it like we just confirmed a great conspiracy. “My mom can order you some too, if you want. Then we can all match.”

I freeze, dinosaur fabric clutched in my hand, and stare at Levi. Because when looking at his big round blue eyes that perfectly match his mother’s, I turn into ooey-gooey mush. I want this. I want a life like this. No, not a life like it—thisone, specifically.

Levi blinks up at me with those hopeful eyes, and my first thought is to sayHell yeah, I’ll match you, buddy.Then I rememberhe’s a child, and Lucy probably doesn’t want me cursing around her four-year-old, so I clamp down on that and nod. “I’d definitely be down for matching. Are you too young to watchJurassic Park?”

He scrunches up his face. “Yeah. It’s for big kids,” he says like a responsible adult, and I can’t help but reach out to ruffle the top of his hair. He’s cute—something I’ve never before in my life thought about a kid. He’s also very busy. Not even one second later, he’s taking his dino pants with him and running out of the room. Do all kids move this much?

“Okayyyyy, well, I’m glad you two have your fashion emergencies all sorted, because mine definitely isn’t important or anything.” Lucy shoots up off the bed and goes to her nightstand to pick up her phone. “I’m canceling. Clearly, it was too last minute. I shouldn’t have even said yes in the first place. I looked desperate. No one wants to look desperate…”

She keeps blabbering on like she does when she’s nervous, and as much as it hurts me to do it, I stand up and take the phone out of her hand. “You’re going on this date, Lucy.”Even if it kills me.She deserves to go out and have a good time.

I go to her closet next, taking matters into my own hands. Personally, I love that her whole wardrobe is made up of jeans and tees. She wears them better than anyone else I’ve ever seen, that’s for sure. But tonight, she needs something dressy that makes her feel more like a woman than a mom.

I push past almost all of her clothes, nearly losing hope, before I spot something red in the back. My body feels oddly tingly as I make contact with the soft fabric and remove it from the hanger, holding it up. Holy crap, this is hot. It’s a short cocktail dress in a deep red that makes my heart race.

“Thatone?!” Lucy asks, coming to stand beside me. “I didn’t get this one out because I haven’t worn it since I had Levi, and Idoubt it will even fit me anymore. And also, it’s a little…sultry for a first date, don’t you think?”

Okay, yes, it’s alittlesultry. But for the most part, it’s just a good-looking dress. I think it’s ridiculously sweet that Lucy considers this dress to be too much for a first date. For reasons I can’t even pinpoint, it makes me like her more. Lucy is real—what you see is what you get. Which is why it is full-on torture helping her pick out a dress that is going to catch another dude’s eye.

“I gotta see it on you before I can cast my official vote.”

She gives me a skeptical grin because she’s on to me. She knows I just want to see her in this dress. Snatching it out of my hand, she’s marching it with her into the bathroom. After shutting the door, I hear the sound of a zipper and resist groaning at the mental picture forming in my head.

I turn away from the door and busy myself with snooping around Lucy’s room. It’s messy but not gross. There are clothes on the floor and a few cups half full of water on the bedside table. I like it. It’s comfy. Livedin.

“Did you know this was my room before you moved in?” I yell to Lucy through the door.

“I guess that makes sense. I knew you were the old roommate, but before now I never thought about that this would have been your room.”

I pick up a picture of her and Levi with their faces smooshed together making silly expressions and smile. “Yeah. Does that bird still squawk every morning at seven?”

I’m just about to open the drawer of her bedside table and take a peek when I hear the door to the bathroom squeak open. When I turn around, I fist my hands at my sides just to keep from reaching out for her.Shit.I change my mind…that dressistoo sultry for a first date.

My eyes skim from her sparkling blue eyes and rosy cheeks, down the length (the short length) of her dress. The red fabric stretches across her body and hugs every one of her feminine curves before landing a few inches above her knees. It’s not risqué on its own, but wrapped tightly around Lucy, it’s downright intoxicating.

She clears her throat, and I force my eyes up to hers. She’s wearing an unsure smile that boggles my mind. How does she not see how gorgeous sheis?

Her nose scrunches, and she gives me a wobbly frown. “It’s too much, isn’t it?” Her hands run nervously along the fabric, and she looks down. “It’s too tight. My pre-baby body didn’t have the hips I do now.” She sayshipslike they’re a bad thing. Like it’s the worst thing in the world when women have tantalizing curves—perfect for someone to run their hands all over (me…that someone needs to be me). She does a little half turn, letting me catch a glimpse of her back, and I notice that the zipper is still down.

Lucy continues to rattle off reasons she thinks she looks like puke. “…and the hem is too short. Maybe all the added inches to my waist have sort of made the bottom hike up a little bit, you know? And I think the color clashes with my hair­wait­what­are­you­doing?” The last of her words all run together as I put my hands on her shoulders and spin her to face away fromme.

The back of her dress is open, revealing a tempting amount of skin and the black strap of her bra. I pick up her auburn hair and push it all to one shoulder, watch her take in a deep breath, not letting it out. Moving probably more slowly than is needed, I grab the delicate zipper and begin to lift it, skimming the back of my hand against her soft, warm skin as I go. Every slight touch feels so charged I’m afraid my fingers are leaving blisters in their wake.My pulse hammers out the wordsyou idiot you’ll never be the sameas my hand glides up the small dip in her lower back.

Lucy’s head tilts down and to the side, as if she’s trying to sneak a peek at my reaction. I get the feeling this is a vulnerable moment for her. She’s standing stock-still, as if every single one of her senses is laser focused on me and my reaction to her.

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