Page 71 of Wanted You More

Her eyes go to my outfit again. “So, you chose this costume because…?”

I give her a little smile. “I didn’t have anything in mind when I started looking for costumes. But when I saw this, it made me think of Noah.”

A knowing smile melts away the seriousness plastered on her face. “You want him to see you in it.”

I shrug. “I wouldn’t mind seeing his reaction. It probably won’t be a good one.”

“Why not? You look hot.”

I laugh, plumping my boobs. “Exactly.”

She stands up and studies my hair. “I think you should leave your hair down and wave it like you did for that one party.”

The last party we went to ended up going a lot smoother than the first. We dressed up, did each other’s hair, and danced the night away. Nobody got drunk, threw up, or woke up with bad hangovers the next day. Kennedy said she wanted to go to another one soon.

I play with a few strands of my hair. “I was thinking about pulling it up and doing a dramatic makeup look.” Then again, Noah does seem to love it down. “Maybe I’ll take one from your book and skip the makeup tonight. Can you help me with my hair?”

She smiles, peers at my shoulder one last time, and then takes my hand to guide me to where her hair supplies are. “Noah isn’t going to know what hit him tonight.”

I stare at myself in the mirror as she sections off my hair. The only thing I can focus on in the reflection is that one tiny, hideous spot on my arm. Not many people notice it, which I’m grateful for. But I always know it’s there.

It takes a little over thirty minutes to get my hair styled, sprayed, and set before I put on the finishing touches to my outfit. The black boots have a decent heel that make me look taller than I am and go perfectly with the light blue crop top and mini navy skirt that hugs my hips and butt. It’s an outfit I won’t be able to bend over in, but it’s one that makes me feel a dangerous kind of sexy.

“Stand in front of the door and angle yourself toward the mirror,” Kennedy directs, picking up her phone and pointing it at me. “It’ll show everything. I’m a little jealous of your butt right now, by the way. That’s what everyone is going to be looking at tonight.”

I strike a pose. “You’re wearing a skintight cat suit, Kenny. Trust me, you’ll get plenty of attention.”

She glances down at the tight black one-piece she’s in that hugs every inch of her skin. All she has to do is put on the cat ears and let me help with the makeup for her whiskers and nose, but her hourglass shape is definitely going to earn her a few numbers tonight. “I’m a little uncomfortable,” she admits. “I don’t normally wear stuff like this.”

My mind takes me back to Noah’s comment on corrupting her. Even if she looks amazing, I don’t want her to be uncomfortable all night. “We can find you something else if you want. It’s not too late. I’m sure there’s something in our closets we could turn into something.”

Instantly, she shakes her head. “No, this is fine. It’s probably good that I get out of my comfort zone. Right?”

I nod, though I can still see the hesitation on her face. “Are you sure?”

Her tongue dips out of her mouth before she sighs. “Yes. I’m totally sure. Plus, there’s someone I wouldn’t mind seeing tonight.”

The way her cheeks pinken makes me a lot more interested in her outfit. “Who is it?”

She nibbles her bottom lip before lowering her phone. “I don’t want you to get upset.”

I blink. “Why would I—” Realization hits. “Do you have a thing for Lincoln?”

They spend a lot of time together, mostly talking about documentaries, anime, and places they want to travel. It doesn’t typically go beyond that. He’ll go to parties with us, dance, and keep our drinks safe. Then when we’re tired and want to go home, he’ll walk us there and get us food. It’s become a tradition.

“Maybe a little,” she admits.

I walk over and laugh when she tenses up as I lift my arms to hug her. “I’m not mad, so don’t look like I’m about to hit you.”

She lets out a breath of relief and hugs me back. “It’s just that he’s clearly interested in you, so I didn’t want to step on any toes.”

It’s sweet of her. “No worries.” I pull back and squeeze her arms. “You have my blessing to blow Lincoln’s mind. Between us, I’m pretty sure he’s into you.”

Hope blossoms on her face. “You really think he might be?”

I nod, not seeing how he couldn’t be. She’s pretty, smart, and easy to get along with. “I do. And if you make a move tonight, there’s no doubt he’ll be happy you did.”

Nervousness has her fiddling with her hands. “You don’t think he’ll be the one to make a move? Because I’m not very good at the whole being bold thing.”

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