I slowly twisted the lock, and then the knob to the changing room door before stepping out.
Jessi’s swift intake of air was all I needed to hear to know she also thought the dress was perfect for me. “Kelsey … you HAVE to buy that dress for tonight! And I have a pair of silver heels that will go perfect with it!”
I took a look at myself in the large three-sided mirror they had set up outside the changing rooms. She was right. I had to buy this dress. It hugged my body in all the right places without looking sleazy.
“I think I’m gonna do. I’m gonna buy it.” I smiled.
“Great! You can wear it tonight when we meet Landon and Kane at Shot’s!”—she paused—“Oh mah God! I can’t wait to see Kane’s face when you walk in wearing it! Eeep! He’s going to die! Or get a serious stiffy.” She winked.
Kane and I were just friends. I doubted he would be interested in what I was wearing—let alone have that other problem. The guy had probably seen girls in skin tight, lacey red lingerie. There was no way he would get turned on by plain little me in a dress. It was official. My best friend had lost it. But now I was feeling a little self-conscious in this dress that five minutes ago, I had been in love with.
But a small tremor of excitement worked its way through my body when I stopped to think about Kane’s reaction to seeing me in this dress tonight. He had never seen me dolled up before so this would be a big surprise for him. Will he like it?
Hold it right there! Will he like it? Did I seriously just ask myself that question? Since when did I worry about what I was wearing before meeting Kane? I could feel a shift in the way I viewed Kane, and I wasn’t sure how I felt about it. If these feelings for him continued to grow, I could possibly mess up the closest friendship I have had since Jessi. I needed to lock this down, now.
Jessi insisted she do my makeup when we were back in the dorms and getting ready. She’d wanted to give me a smokey eye to bring out the bright honey color; and when she was done and I looked at myself in the mirror, I found myself staring at a girl I didn’t recognize at first, but in a good way.
Jessi had really done a number on my eyes. They were dramatic and seductive looking, and I loved it. If it hadn’t taken so long to get all glammed up like this, I would even consider doing it on a regular basis. But seeing as how my butt hurt from sitting in my desk chair for so long while Jessi worked her magic, I would have to pass.
Once I was back in my beloved pink dress, Jessi handed me her silver heels and I immediately began shaking my head.
“No way, Jessi! You know how big of a klutz I am. I will kill myself in those before the night is over with.”
“You have to wear them, Kelsey. The go perfect with your dress, and, besides, heels make your legs look all toned and hot and stuff. They may hurt like a bitch when the night is over but at least you look fucking incredible while you have them on.”—She thrust the shoes at me again—“Now. Put. Them. On.”
I yanked the shoes from her grasp and slipped them on my feet. Already I could feel the pinch in my toes, and when I stood, my ankles started to wobble. Yeah, this was not going to end well. I just knew it.
We had taken another cab to Shot’s, and when the driver pulled up there was no mistaking the tall, tattooed man standing outside laughing with the doorman. Kane was wearing a dark pair of blue jeans and a dark blue button-up shirt that had the sleeves rolled up mid forearm. The shirt fit him nicely, hugging his chest and arms in all the right places. His lip ring glinted in the lights and made me go warm all over. Who would have ever thought I would be so attracted to a lip piercing? Not me, that’s for sure.
Jessi opened the door to the cab and climbed out, but I had to take my time sliding across the seat and shimmying my way out of the car so that I didn’t flash my coocah at everyone. I mean I was wearing panties, but still, how trashy.
My dress had ridden up a good inch or so on my thighs by the time I’d finally emerged from the car, so I quickly tugged it back into place before looking around to make sure no one had noticed. Kane was staring at me with a look on his face I had never seen him use before. I had seen that look before but it had been never directed toward me. It was a look of hunger. He was looking at me like I was the last piece of triple chocolate cake and he had deprived himself of sweets for years. I felt a tremor run though my body just from the intensity of his stare.
I took my sweet time making my way toward him in one of those slow-motion effects you see in movies … and also because I still wasn’t used to the death traps on my feet; and eating it right now would ruin the vibe I had going for me at the moment.
Jessi and Landon were standing next to Kane by the time I’d reached him, and everyone just stood there gawking at me for a second. I was beginning to feel a little insecure at the way they were all staring until Landon let out a long whistle, looking me up and down.
“Damn girl. You look good!” he howled—earning him a soft punch to the gut from Jessi.
“What about me, jerk?” She glared up at him.
“Baby, you’re so beautiful all the time that you knock the words right out of me.”
Jessi rolled her eyes and muttered—“Kiss ass”—Making us all laugh, but when I looked at Kane, he wasn’t laughing. He was still starting at me.
“All right, kids. You ready to get in there?” Jessi said and looped her arm around Landon’s waist.
We all nodded and made our way into the building. The boys offered to get our drinks after we found a table, and other than asking what I wanted to drink, Kane didn’t say a word to me. Nothing about how I looked, or even a quick hello when I first walked up.
Maybe he doesn’t like the change in my appearance like I thought he would.
Jessi laid a hand on mine and leaned in close when she noticed my quietness. “What’s wrong chick?”
“Nothing.” I shrugged.
She gave me her ‘spill it’ look and I sighed before leaning in close to her ear so she would hear me over the music.
“It’s so stupid, really, but I don’t know—I kinda hoped that maybe Kane would like getting to see a different side of me or something.”
Jessi looked at me for a while before busting out laughing.
“What, Jess?! I know it’s stupid to want him to notice me, but do you really have to laugh at me right now about this?”
“Kelsey, honey, I’m not laughing about him not wanting you. I’m laughing because you don’t realize that he does.”