Page 65 of Matchmaking the Rival

I cleared my throat, but my smile betrayed me. "I'm seeing someone. I wouldn't call him my boyfriend."

"But you're meeting his family. I'm sensing you're getting your wires crossed."

I laughed nervously. "It's complicated, but we’re having a good time together, and I'd like to wear something nice to the dinner. But not fancy. It's just a dinner at home." Remembering the Whitleys, I knew they didn't make a fuss, although a lot of time had passed, and Cade seemed to live in suits. I assumed his brothers did as well. Maybe they were more formal now. "On second thought, let me check."

I texted Cade quickly.

Meredith: What's the dress code? Do you guys wear a suit at dinner?

He replied right away.

Cade: I'll only exchange that information if you promise to send me pictures.

Heat pulsed between my thighs. He was a master at negotiations. I didn’t want to give in, but I had to know.

Meredith: You've got a deal.

Cade: We wear casual clothes. Jeans, polo shirts, sweaters. That kind of thing.

I looked up. "Casual. I'm thinking a dress that looks Christmassy? But no, it's too early for that."

"Girl, it's already Thanksgiving. As soon as pumpkin season's over, Santa Claus is here."

I laughed. It was one of the reasons I loved her. She liked Christmas as much as I did.

"I’d love to see some sweaterdresses.” They were my go-to in the cold weather season.

"You got it. Why don't you go to the changing room, and I'll bring you some outfits to choose from."

"Thank you."

I went inside a dressing room and took off my clothes, leaving on my tights. I tried a few poses, but I looked ridiculous like this. Nothing spelled unsexy more than wool tights, but it was the weather for them. I couldn't go out wearing sheer ones or I'd freeze my legs off. I made exceptions, like when I went on dates and wore sexy lingerie paired with sheer hose that reached to my upper thighs, but that was about it.

I could take them off and snap a few sexy pictures, but one, the light inside changing rooms was always, always awful. I looked like I had 3,000 percent more cellulite than I did in normal lighting. I never understood why they chose to put harsh light from above in changing rooms. It was depressing.

And two, I did need the tights for when I tried on the dresses so I could make sure you couldn't make out the elastic waistband. Sometimes the sweaterdresses were so thin that you could see it.

Cindy gave me five to choose from.

"You're so bad. Now I want all of them," I said. They were all rather similar, cut tight over the waist, where I was smallest, and then coming down in an A-line that molded to my body.

"I'd planned to message you one of these days to tell you we got sweaterdresses because I know how much you love them."

I tried them all on, snapping pictures of them, but I didn't send them to Cade right away. I might have agreed to send him pictures, but I was going to do it on my terms—namely sending them all at once, after I was out of the changing room. Otherwise, I suspected he might try to convince me to send him naked pictures too.

"They're all very tempting, but I'm going to stick with only two of them: the pink and the black ones," I said loudly while I changed into my own clothes.

"Great choices. I can text you when the others go on sale. Fingers crossed that we'll still have your size."

"Thanks, Cindy. I really appreciate it."

I came out, handing her the dresses I planned to buy. I appreciated that they never tried to be pushy.

My phone vibrated.

Cade: Meredith, pictures.

My body tensed. I could almost hear him say it in that rough bedroom voice he used when we were alone. I'd waited long enough, and I was out of the changing room, so I sent them.

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