Page 24 of Taking Chances

My heart pumps wildly inside my chest, mostly from the shock.

Is this what she reads? Is this what interests sweet little Anne?

My dick starts stiffening inside my underwear. Fuck, I feel like a creep, getting hard and reading porn while she’s sleeping next door.

I close the book but place it safely in the inside pocket of my jacket. I’ll need to read it in a more appropriate setting, for research purposes.

11

ANNE

The morning after is much less awkward than the previous night. I guess the drinking game helped us make progress, and I think I can say we became friends.

Though, a part of me has veryunfriendlythoughts. The same part that entered the living room while he was still sleeping and saw him in his full glory.

Well, almost full glory.

Still, the blanket I gave him rode low on his hips, giving me the front row seat to his sculpted chest and torso.

His hand was behind his head, making his biceps flex. My gaze traced his tattoos all the way from his arms to the ink-covered pecs. His cut abs were the only ones without tattoos which only made them more visible. Even his ribs were full of artwork, covered in quotes I was dying to read.

My nipples tighten in an instant, reminding me I’m not wearing a bra. And I’m staring at a sleeping person. Like a sleazeball.

I quickly retreat to the kitchen to make some coffee. He enters the kitchen not long after, wearing a shirt and pants. Unfortunately.

“Have any plans for today?” he asks, probably just being polite.

“I do, actually. I usually volunteer at the domestic violence shelter on Saturdays.”

His eyes grow large as he draws a quick breath in. “Really?” He clears his throat.

“Mhm. We had a client at BYC in need of some help that surpassed our abilities.” I take a sip of my coffee. “We helped her find and contact the shelter. And I’ve been volunteering there ever since.”

“What do you do there?”

“I help out however I can, but mostly I help them sort through donations or organize some classes.”

He nods his head, though still a bit slack-jawed, so we drink the coffee in silence. He then excuses himself because he has stuff to do at home. I blame the sudden mood change on the headache he’s probably sporting since my head is killing me.

Rina and Nataliejoin me on a mission to find a dress for the wedding. We just started and I already hate it. It’s hard for me to find something that doesn’t make me look stocky, so the whole process is another hit to my self-esteem.

“What about this one?” Rina says, showing me a dress that looks way too short for my taste.

“Tsss,” I wince. “I think that’s too short. Just a bit.” By a bit, I mean probably ten inches too short.

“This is not a time to be modest, hon. You need to show off them goods. We want Bryce to drop dead,” Natalie states, dead serious. “Here, take this one.” She puts a dress in my hands.

“Come on, this one has a corset.” I groan.

“Just try it.” Sighing, I accept trying it on, if only to show her how ridiculous I’m going to look in it.

I pick a few more appropriate dresses and head to the dressing room. Rina and Natalie make themselves comfortable on the royal blue chaise lounge and I get to work. I hope to find a good dress from the ones I picked out so it won’t be necessary for me to try on Natalie’s pick, but there’s no such luck.

The first dress fits me like a potato sack. I want it to hide my flaws, but it would be preferable if I weren’t just a head floating above the dress.

The second dress is not too bad, at least that’s what I think, but Rina and Natalie both say ‘nope’ as soon as I exit the dressing room.

One of the dresses fits me well, but it’s peach colored making me look like a ghost.

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