Page 52 of Whatever Lola Wants

“Oh, but no,” Anna complained. “I want it here, where I can stare at it a thousand times a day.”

“You want to risk getting something on it? Tearing it?”

Anna blanched. “God, no.”

“Or having Grant see it?”

Anna paused, looking at her reflection in the mirror as she considered. “I don’t know. I didn’t think I’d have a problem with him seeing the dress before the ceremony, but now…” She grinned. “I kind of want him to see me in it for the first time when I’m walking down the aisle. I bet he swallows his tongue.”

“If he doesn’t, then his taste is in his mouth,” Lola declared. “I’ll keep it at my place to keep it safe. And you can always show him later if you change your mind . But you know if it’s here in the house, he’s going to see it somehow. Even if it’s by accident.”

“You’re right.” Anna brushed her fingertips dreamily over the bodice. “Okay, let’s take it off before I change my mind.”

Lola held the dress while Anna wiggled out of it, and between them they got it back on the hanger and tucked into the bag. And just in the nick of time; Lola was zipping it up when she heard the front door open and Henry’s welcoming bark.

Anna shot her a look and unhooked the bag from the top of the closet. “You called it.”

Lola shook her head. “Men. Go get dressed. I got this.”

She draped the heavy bag over her arm and started down the stairs as Anna darted across the hall. She was unsurprised to meet Grant halfway down.

He eyed the garment bag. “How’d it go?”

“Fine,” Lola said and continued down the stairs without pause.

“Wait a minute,” Grant said, coming after her. “I want to see the dress.”

“No.”

“No?”

Lola smothered a smirk at the incredulous tone. “No. You cannot see the dress.”

She risked a quick look over her shoulder. His face was like a granite thundercloud. “Why not?”

“Because it’s not yours,” she replied and headed for the front door. Her steps faltered when she saw Simon in the foyer, then continued on. “Do something with him, will you?”

Simon shot her an amused glance. “What, like he’s a puppy?”

She rolled her eyes to where Grant was trailing after her. “Now that you mention it.”

“He just wants to see the dress. What’s the big deal?”

Honestly. Men. “The big deal is it’s not his fucking dress, and he can’t see it. Not unless Anna says he can, and she hasn’t.”

She stopped dead in her tracks and spun around. Grant, who had been hot on her heels, had to skid to a stop. “And I see that look in your eye, oh Dominant one. Don’t you dare make this about D/s. If she wants you to see it, she’ll show you. But it has to be her choice, not because you Dommed her into it.”

The flash of guilt in his pale eyes was followed by a heavy sigh. “All right.”

“Good.” She softened enough to smile at him. “You’re a good man, Grant. I’m trusting you to keep your word.”

She turned to the front door, knowing he’d stew over that one, and nearly ran smack into a grinning Simon. “What’re you smiling at?”

“Not a thing,” he assured her, still grinning.

She rolled her eyes. “Right. Well, if you gentlemen will excuse me, I have a dress to sequester.”

Simon opened the front door for her with a chuckle. “Need a ride?”

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