Diva

HOLY HELL! WHAT in God's name happened?

Cotton mouth and nausea had me instantly regretting the previous night as I swung my leg over the side of the bed with an audible grumble. My poor bladder ached with the need to empty, so I stood on shaky legs, my temples throbbing the instant my feet hit the plush carpet.

Carefully maneuvering around my bedroom, I ventured into the short hallway and slowly made my way toward the bathroom,my eyes adjusting to the darkness with every step. After I'd taken care of business, I washed my hands and headed back, still a little groggy and a lot hung over.

As I reentered the space, I saw the bright green light of the alarm clock. 4:22 a.m. Needing to climb back under the covers, praying with a bit more sleep I'd start to feel better, I choose to crawl across the bed to where my pillow was still bunched how I liked. As I placed my hands on mattress, my knee following me as I clumsily climbed on top, something stopped me. Hell, someone stopped me.

A hard body.

A deep groan escaped as my knee came down on what I assumed to be a very sensitive area .

Scrambling for my footing, shock ripped through me as I stumbled backward and fell flat on my ***. Thud! My head caught the edge of the wall, instantly bringing tears to my eyes.

So much for my headache going away.

As the pain invaded, I clutched the back of my skull, cursing out loud as if I was myself.

But I wasn't by myself.

Someone was in my room with me.

In my bed.

"Jesus Christ!" a gruff voice exclaimed. "Are you all right?" Before I could answer, I heard the rustle of the blanket before the light flicked on, blinding me instantly. It took me a minute to adjust to the blaring intrusion, my eyes opening and closing so often I looked like I had some sort of nervous twitch.

The mystery man, someone I'd not even looked at yet, reached down and gripped my arms, pulling me to my feet and holding me steady as I collected myself. Once my eyes finally adjusted,I shrugged off his hold and took a step back.

I took another step back, clueless as to what on earth I'd drunk last night to find myself in this position . This wasn't me. I didn't bring randoms home. Ever. I finally looked at the guy, my gaze landing on the small smile on his face. My mouth dropped open in shock.

"Erm, hi?" I said awkwardly while I slowly scanned him from head to toe . I'd felt his warmth enclose me when he helped me to my feet, but what I hadn't realised was that the heat was radiating from his nakedness. Well, to be more accurate, he wore black boxer briefs...but nothing else.

"Solomon," he offered.

" I remember." I was slightly offended he thought I'd forgotten his name, as if I'd make out with a man whose name I didn't know.

The fine lines of his torso pulled back my attention. All too clearly , I imagined gripping his broad shoulders as he pinned me to the wall. His thighs were thick and muscular , his *** no doubt perfection, as well. The visual was all too clear, and I couldn't help but wonder if rather than my imagination, if he'd actually done that to me last night. Just the thought had my heart picking up speed.

Plopping back down on the bed, he nestled in and crossed his arms over his chest. I had no doubt he was settling in for the long haul. My eyes were so busy studying him, I missed what he said. I heard a faint sound, but my brain couldn't compute actual words.

"What did you say?"

The corners of his lips turned up, revealing a perfect , white set of teeth. His dark hair was a tad unruly but in a run-my-hands-through-it type of way. Light stubble covered his jawline, his need to shave every day most likely quite a hassle.

"I said you were very drunk last night, and I needed to make sure you got home safely." Awkward moment passed before either one of us spoke, and because I was still lost in having my fill of him, and trying to remember what had happened the night before, he was the one to break the silence.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" He arched a brow. "You're making me think things. Bad things."

My eyes widened in surprise at his playful tone. Everything about this situation took me way out of my comfort zone.

"I'm not staring at you," I lied. Bringing my fingers to my forehead, I started to rub. "I just don't understand. What happened last night?" Admittedly, I was embarrassed I'd let things get out of hands, a large part of prior evening a haze. I made a promise to myself long ago to never let anything interfere with my well-being, to always be aware of my surroundings. I guess I really messed up.

As I moved around the other side of the bed, I realised my state of undress ,with only a white T-shirt and cotton panties covering the most intimate of places. Snatching the comforter to cover up, embarrassment stole over my skin, a reaction he found rather amusing.

My awkwardness was quickly replaced with irritation. "Are you going to tell me what happened, or are you going to just sit there and laugh at me?" I quipped, the tone of my voice a little more than harsh.

"Sorry," he mumbled before beginning the tale of the previous evening. "Considering how drunk you were, I'm not surprised you don't remember anything. Although,"he continued as he put his hand over his heart, "I'm a little upset you don't remember what happened between us."

Taking a deep breath and preparing for the worst, I slowly opened my mouth to speak. " What do you mean?" Regret slowly weaved its way through me. "Please don't tell me we had sex."

"Why, would that be so awful if we did?" Amusement lit his startling beautiful green eyes.

Sometimes my mouth didn't filter what my brain was thinking. My response was one such example, "Yes, it would. I'd like to remember my first time." I brought the blanket up to cover my mouth as though the simple gesture would erase what I'd said.

I was a twenty-eight-year-old ******.

Even if I didn't have a history or a "reason" for holding back and deciding not to screw around, the decision was mine. I didn't have to justify or explain myself to anyone. The fact was,my choices were my own.

I wished at times virtue and innocence were reasons behind my decision, but life wasn't always kind. Instead, I had a past which killed my trust in the opposite sex.

And didn't that make my current situation even crazier, all the more difficult to grasp!

My brain was in danger of malfunctioning, and my heart threatened to burst out of my chest with how damn hard it was pounding. The only thing keeping me routed was,despite him being a stranger —sort of— I felt weirdly safe. I didn't have time to process that , but the two times I'd previously met him, there was an ease and familiarity I felt with him.

When I heard him suck in a breath, I turned towards him, my eyes lingered a little too long on his mouth. " That's what your comment meant," he said, the look on his face one of comprehension.

I swallowed hard, biting back my mortification. "What comment?" Oh, God, what the hell did I say!!

"Last night. When we were in the hallway , you told me you wanted me to be your first. I thought you were talking about a one-night stand." My breath hitched. "I have to admit ,while the thought of you picking me for your first one-nighter was flattering, it was also upsetting." When I knitted my brows, he explained. "Going home with some random stranger is dangerous , Diva." He shook his head in disapproval, and I found myself mesmerized by the action. " You really need to be more careful. Actually ,scratch that as you don't have to worry about ever doing it again."

"Why?"Curiosity gripped me tightly.

" Because ."

" Because why?" Yes, any moment now,

my head was surely going to explode. This situation, this conversation, his nearness...it was all too much. And hell if my traitorous body wasn't reacting.

A rush of air escaped his lips, his frustration beyond obvious. "Because I'll keep a better eye on you. Make sure you never drink that much again. That's why." Seeming satisfied he'd had his say, he looked away and stared straight ahead as if he was carefully choosing his next words.

Meanwhile, I was mimicking a gaping fish quite spectacularly. My pulse quickened ,my heart picking up its pace and ramming against my chest. My face heated. Both incredulous and confused, I struggled to form words. I hated he was right about picking up a random guy, but still...who did he think he was?

There was nothing like a dose of reality to make my body behave at least. Finally, I found my words. "What makes you think you have any say over what I do?" I scoffed. "Truly, I'm confused." I considered diving into a speech of being a grown women who could make her own decisions. Good or bad. But that was not a conversation i was willing to have. Instead, I changed direction. "Thank you

for getting me home last night. But I think it's best if you go."

He stared at me a beat."Never again, Diva. I mean it."

Before I could think of a retort to his statement, he jumped out of bed and pulled on his jeans first before throwing his shirt over his head. Sitting back down on the edge of the mattress, he leaned over and reached for his shoes. After he'd finished, he stood to his full height and locked eyes on me.

"Wait," My tone sounded desperate, but I needed to know. "What happened last night?"

His expression became less guarded."What do you remember?"

"I remember going out with my friends and having a few drinks, seeing you at some point, then kissing you in the hallway. Other than that...nothing." I turned my head, embarrassed I couldn't recall any other details, especially after returning home.

" I helped you carry drinks back to your table before you casually dismissed me." His eyes narrowed a little, and if I read him correctly, he seemed offended. "And yes, we did share a moment." He fell silent, the arch of his brow telling me he enjoyed drawing out our conversation. I wanted to scream but kept my temper in check instead.

"And once we got here?" I crossed my arms over my chest, remembering to keep the cover pulled high.

He walked the five steps towards the door, pulled it open and glanced back at me, an indiscernible expression appearing our of nowhere. Trying to decipher the look on his gorgeous face was too much, especially with my cloud head.

So I just gave up.

"I'd never take advantage of you , especially while you were drunk." Breathing a sigh of relief, I parted my lips to respond but he disappeared before I could utter a word.

DIVA~ONE WEEK EARLIER

SNEAKING A PEEK at the clock, I only had a small window of time to make my appointment on time with my bank. An appointment which could very well mean the start of my life turning out how I'd always dreamed. Far away from the life I'd escaped . It wasn't until the doorknob was firmly in my grasp that I realised I didn't have my keys.

"Julia!" I yelled, running from room to room, flipping over magazines and searching through drawers.

"What the hell are you hollering for so early in the morning?" she shouted back. I wouldn't consider ten early in the morning , but then again, Julia wasn't an early riser.

"Sorry, but I'm going to be late for my appointment, and I can't find my keys."

"They're on the kitchen table, you loon. I can see them from here." She leaned against her bedroom door frame and pointed straight ahead.

"Thanks. I owe you one."

"You can pick up some lunch on your way home. I'd like some Chinese food, please. You

know what I like." After she barked out her order, she closed her door and most likely went back to sleep . I didn't have the heart to tell her I was going to the shop right after the bank.

A little over a year before, I'd moved to Izmir with my best friend , Julia. I'd lucked out and landed a job at a small but popular florist shop close to our apartment. I was thankful for the short commute because, out of the two of us, Julia was the one who owned a car. She'd let me borrow it whenever necessary but otherwise, I walked whenever else I needed to go.

Every day that passed, I was grateful to have her in my life. Julia Silverstein was the kind of person you definitely wanted in your corner. Two years my senior , we'd meet in high school and remained friends. When I'd told her that I wanted a fresh start and to move somewhere I wasn't constantly reminded of my past, she followed me with out question, packing her bags and never looking back.

"How did it go at the bank, honey?" Lost in thoughts ,I hadn't seen Irene approach as I walked through the front door of the shop, the bell above the door alerting her to my presence. I'd become close to the old woman over the past year, her nurturing ways something I'd most definitely needed during the huge transition in my life.

She was a stout women with a friendly face, her hair short and mostly white .

"I think it went well. Mr. Goldschmidt took my proposal and said they'd let me know for sure in a week if I was approved to take over this gem of a place." Irene had told me she was ready to retire, offering me the chance to buy Full bloom.

"I'm sure everything will work out for you, honey. For both of us ." She patted my shoulder before disappearing into the back of th shop.

I loved working for Irene ,but nothing would compare to actually owning the place. She had an excellent customer base, having been in business for over forty years. We'd seen it all, from women coming in to buy an arrangement for a special occasion to the men who'd messed up with their significant other, some coming in almost monthly to try and smooth things over.

Hello! Stop messing up!

Then again, that would hurt business, so...

Since I was scheduled for a shift, I walked toward the counter and placed my purse underneath, preparing for a hectic Saturday.

Grabbing a stack of invoices, I settled in and got busy.

Normally, I'd pitch in and make deliveries whenever we were shorthanded, but both Moses and Karman were there. We also had a few part-timers coming in later to assist as well.

Karman was Irene's cousin. He loved helping out when he could, but he was also considering retiring. Being the nice guy he was, he said he'd wait until the sale was final, giving me enough time to find someone else.

Moses was closer to my age and had been working for Irene for close to four years. He'd once explained that flowers reminded him of his mother, of the times he'd helped her in their garden when he was younger, a memory which brought a smile to his face every time.

We'd gone out a few times to eat, catch a movie, or grab the occasional drink. Sometimes, Julia would come with us.

Initially, I had a small crush on Moses. Not only was he a sweetheart but he was very easy on the eyes. At six foot one, he towered over my five-foot-six-inch frame. He wasn't gigantic by any means, but I did have to look up when I was standing next to him, specially without any heels on. His naturally wavy, dark blonde hair and brilliant Blue eyes drew attention, but it was his genuine and endearing smile that cinched the deal.

I was aware of the reaction he obtained from women when we went out together, but I had a hunch that he was gay. I never asked, though. If he wanted to tell me, then he would, in his own time.

Lost to my work, my fingers typed away on the keyboard when Irene's voice startled me. "Thank goodness you're good with that computer," she said over my shoulder, passing by with a huge display of beautiful white and pink lilies. Even though the particular display was more on the simple side, she really was an artist. A customer could point to a variety of different flowers, and she would somehow know the right way to arrange them. What to put where, plucking out anything which didn't belong. Every single arrangement she made was a masterpiece, which explained why she did very well for herself. I only hoped I could do my part and continue the legacy she'd spent forty-eight years building.

Continuing my work, I nearly jumped out of my skin when the phone rang, my brain wrapped up in the future. "Hello, thank you for calling Full Bloom. How may I help you today?" I went on autopilot taking all of the information for the order, from the date and time of delivery to the type of arrangement needed. "Do you want the card to say anything in particular?" I asked the man on the other end of the phone. "Okay, let me read that back to you. 'Sorry for missing our anniversary last week. I love you. Tom."'

I shook my head and grinned, rolling my eyes. Once the order was complete, I put it in a pile for the following day's deliveries, first giving Irene a heads-up I needed a mixed dozen of red and white roses. Thankfully, it wasn't for that day, because I didn't think we'd able to accommodate on such short notice. Roses were a very popular go-to flower, and I thought I'd seen the last of them in the back room being wrapped up for one of the current orders.

For the next couple hours, I answered the phone, entered invoices and double-checked Irene had all of the order slips so she could make sure she had the flowers to make up each and every presentation. We didn't typically get a ton of walk-ins. I deduced people preferred to look on our website, pick out what they wanted, and simply call in it.

I found it odd most people didn't want to write out their own cards, especially the really personal ones. Some of them were pretty deplorable. One time, a customer wanted me to write, Sorry I slept with your sister. I purposely made him repeat himself to ensure I'd heard him correctly. Suffice it to say, he didn't spend any unnecessary time on the phone with me.

Knowing most customers who did venture into the shop browsed the ready-made displays, I kept my head down and continued working when the bell sounded. It wasn't long before I sensed a presence across the counter, instantly making me bristle with awareness.

Then I heard a deep and gravelly voice. "Excuse me, miss. Can you help me?" There was something about the rasp of his tone that caused the hairs on the back of my neck to stand at attention, while goose bumps covered my skin. Slowly raising my head, I prepared myself as best I could, especially considering my odd reaction. As soon as my eyes landed on the customer, I grabbed onto the edge of the counter to steady myself, my knees suddenly weak. In the most literal way possible.

The man before me was stunning. He was almost too much, like looking directly at the sun. His features was perfectly sculpted, almost as if the gods used him as a blank canvas, gifting him the best attributes imaginable. But the one feature which really garnered my attention was his eyes. The most beautiful shade of dark green I'd ever seen. They seemed to hold power to captivate with a simple glance. Fearing he would think me rude or just plain weird, I tried not to stare for too long. Too bad my brain wasn't communicating with the rest of me.

His hair was a dark, chocolate brown yet almost black shade of color, the freshly tousled style a tad longer all around than I typically saw on someone dressed like him. He wore what looked to be a very expensive dark gray suit, the red tie giving it a small pop of color. I could tell he had broad shoulders, but because the suit covered everything else, I had to use my imagination as to what else was underneath.

Th man looked like he had money and didn't make any apologies for it. But he also appeared as someone who wasn't conceited or purposefully showy; rather, he just knew what we had. How I could tell all that by looking at him, I had no idea.

I spoke only when I regained some of my composure, which in reality was only a few seconds from when I first saw him." What can I do to you?" Uh, for you? What can I do for you?"

His mouth quirked in amusement. "I'd like to purchase some flowers and have them delivered tomorrow. At one o'clock precisely."

"In the doghouse with your wife?" I asked before I could stop myself.

What is wrong with me?

He smirked, cocked his head and explained,

"They're for my friend. She recently had surgery, and I thought it would be a nice gesture to help cheer her up."

"Isn't that a little misleading ?" Seriously what is wrong with me? It was obvious I lacked restraint because I couldn't filter my thoughts before they flew out of my stupid mouth.

He laughed "How so?"

"Never mind. I don't know why I asked you that. It's none of my business. I'm sorry ." My face was three shades of red, my embarrassment taking a fierce hold.

"Don't apologize. It's nice to have a conversation with someone so...forward." Taking a step back, his gaze never left my face. "I have to tell you... I find you intriguing."

My eyes widened in surprise. Apparently, I wasn't the only one so forward. Me? Intriguing? I didn't know about that, but I was sure my bluntness was a rarity for him. Something told me people "yes'd" him to death, telling him only what they thought he wanted to hear.

"Hey, Diva, did you see the order slip for the Canter Road delivery today?" I've looked everywhere and can't find it." Moses came around the corner, looking like a madman searching for a lost treasure. He appeared panicked until I handed him the slip over my shoulder, winking at him when we made eye contact.

"You're a lifesaver. What would I ever do without you?" He flashed me with his thousand-watt smile and headed back toward the prep room, but not before giving me a big smooch on the cheek. Normally, I wouldn't have given his actions a second thought, but considering I had an audience, I become flustered by the extra attention being thrown my way.

"Is he your boyfriend?" the gorgeous stranger asked, a blend of emotions swirling through his tone. Curiosity mixed with annoyance? His question made me anxious, although I couldn't fully understand why.

"What?"

With a cocked brow, he repeated more sternly, "Is he your boyfriend?" He leaned forward on the counter, his hands practically touching my own. His tone surprised me, his face the picture of composure, throwing me off because the two didn't match up.

I wasn't going to respond but something urged me to assure him Moses and I were not an item. "No, Moses 's just a good friend of mine."

"Uh-huh," he mumbled, his bottom lip disappearing between his teeth. Normally, I would've rushed to get this cocky man out of the store, but I couldn't force myself to want to part with his domineering presence.

After composing myself yet again, I attempted to to continue with my normal line of questioning, making sure this time they were of the appropriate nature. "What kind of flowers would you like to send to this friend of yours?" I couldn't help myself. "And what's the delivery address?"

"Why don't you surprised me and put together something of your liking?"

Why would he want me to put together something out of the blue without any input from him whatsoever? "I don't know if that's such a good idea. I mean, I have no inkling as to what kind of flower she likes, what colour she prefers or anything like that."

"I'm sure whatever you come up with will be perfect. I trust you." A pregnant pause followed his words. My pulse thrummed in my ears, the air becoming thick, ripe with tension as our eyes drank each other in. Never in my life had someone affected me like he had. I'd been attracted to other guys before, but there was something different about him. I'd go crazy trying to understand or explain it, though, so I didn't try.

" I'll do my best." A small breath left my lungs while I waited for him to say something else. Anything. I din't want our encounter to end, but with the silent soon come awkwardness. Until he opened his mouth and stretched his hand towards me.

"I'm Solomon." I offered him my hand and return, the warmth of his palm soothing my frenzied state. Although, thankfully, I outwardly appeared calm.

"Diva"

"I know."

"You do?" My head tilted in confusion.

He pointed toward the back room. "Your friend said your name."

"Oh...right." While I attempted to compose myself, he wrote down the address and slid the paper toward me.

"This should cover it." He placed a wad of bills on the counter before taking a step back.

"Are you sure you don't want any input on the arrangement?" I tried to prolong his departure, but it didn't work.

" Like I said, I trust you." On his last word, he turned and walked out of the door, leaving me to wonder if I'd ever see him again.

DIVA

THE REST OF THE WEEK flew by, and I couldn't wait to hang out with two of my favourite people. Since the shop was closed on Sundays, I always tried to take full advantage, and this weekend would be no different.

"Are you up for some fun tonight?" I bumped Moses 's shoulder with my own, wiggling my brows, which made him smile. Not only did I want to hang out but I needed a distraction, something to make me stop reminiscing about my encounter with Solomon from earlier in the week.

"I'm free. Whatcha thinking?"he asked, cleaning up the remaining orders scattered on the counter.

"I'd like to hit up that new nightclub, Throttle. Have you ever been there? I hear good things." Opening the drawer underneath the counter, I retrived my purse and slung it over my shoulder.

"Sounds all right to me. Is Julia going? Do you want me to pick you up?" Initially, I'd thought Moses was interested in Julia, but that Idea was quickly squashed once I realised he might be into guys.

" I already texted her, and she's in. But you don't have to pick us up. We can just meet you there at nine o'clock. You know it's gonna take us a while to get ready," I teased. I felt bad because every time he swung by our apartment, he always ended up waiting at least forty-five minutes for us to finish primping ourselves.

"I'll finish up this last order and head on home. I'll see you guys later tonight then," he yelled over his shoulder as he headed towards the back of the store.

Once outside, I inhaled the fresh air. It smelled like rain, which was the norm; this was Izmir, after all. But I wasn't going to let some precipitation put a damper on what was surely going to be a great night out with friends.

It was almost six-thirty when I finally arrived home. Unlocking the front door, I breathed a sign of relief when I entered my solace. The apartment I shared with Julia was cozy, but I loves it nonetheless.

Rich browns, creams, and reds decorated are living room. Only a few pieces of furniture adorned the space, the comfy leather recliner the object of many a bet as to who was going to enjoy it on any given night. While our kitchen was small, it has come with up-to-date appliances, a cost-saving benefit for sure. The kitchen island gave way to four stools which slid underneath.

For as small as living room and kitchen were, we lucked out with the size of bedrooms and the one bathroom we shared. The much larger spaces are allowed us to fit all of our other furniture and belongings. Overall, the place wasn't cheap, but it wasn't as pricey as some of the the other place we'd looked at. Splitting the bills right down the middle left us both with a little extra cash to splurge on whatever else we liked. One of those splurges was going to be the night's fun at Throttle.

"Hey, Diva!" Julia shouted. "I didn't even hear you come in. Can you come back here? I need your fashion opinion." Julia had more clothes then she knew what to do with, and she regularly had piles of outfits strewn all over her room. I had no idea how she ever found anything.

I found her holding a short, navy-blue dress as I walked into her room. Other options were laid out on top of her bed, in case that one didn't pan out.

"It's nice, but it's kind of short. Even for you, "I jested. "Aren't you worried you'll be showing off your goodies ?"

"If I'm lucky, yes!" she exclaimed, a big grin on her beautiful face.

"If you like it, then I'm sure you'll look great." I had no idea why she asked my opinion, especially since she often made a face at my outfits, forever trying to convince me to dress more like her.

"What are you wearing? And please don't say jeans and a T-shirt."

"Well... yeah. I don't have anything else." I really did need to go shopping for some new clothes. What I had was nice, but I didn't have "club" clothes. So a piece here and there couldn't hurt, as long as it was to my taste.

"Here, I have the perfect dress for you." She went into the packed closet of hers and almost fell over something trying to reach to the left to pull an item out. It was a beautiful, hunter-green dress with a plunging neckline the main focus. The back of it was no more modest, a large opening scooping down to pretty much show off the top of my ***. As if that wasn't enough, the length would barely cover my lady bits.

"You're kidding, right? I'd never aware that out in public. First of all, it's way too short. I'm a good 3 inches taller than you so it would be that much shorter on me. And second of all, I couldn't possibly wear a bra because of how open the back is."

"So then don't wear bra."

"Are you out of your mind? Do you know what I would look like with no bra?" I was too well endowed to never wear support. I wasn't gargantuan, but I had too much to ever go without bra, in public at least.

"You have a great rack, Diva. You don't take enough advantage of luck gifts." She was already laughing because she knew I found it that funny when she referred to my breasts as gifts. I shook my head and smiled.

"I'm not wearing that dress, so if you don't have anything else, I'm going to find my jeans and t-shirt." I turned on my heel but didn't make it far.

"They probably have a dress code." Slumping my shoulders, I knew she was probably right. "Wait, I think I have something else that'll meet your approval." She reentered her closet and rummaged around.

"Maybe this is a sign I should stay home,"I quipped, the feeling of going out quickly waning.

"Nonsense," she said right before she shoved something into my hands. It was a sparkly red tank top accompanied by a white skirt.

"Why haven't I ever seen you wear this before,?" I pointed to the piece of clothing. "Is it new?"

"No, it's just too long on me." I rolled my eyes in amusement. "Will you at least try it on? See how great you look?"

"All right, I'll try it on only to shut you up." I threw her another smile over my shoulder as I walked out of her room and towards mine.

"I think I have the perfect shoes to go with that," she shouted after me.

I checked the size before I did anything. Even though we were different heights, we sometimes fit into same size pants and shirts. Not that I wore a lot of her clothes. The top was bigger than she usually brought so I was wondering if she didn't buy this for me, secretly hoping to push me out of my more conservative wear. I wouldn't put it past her. "Why did you buy the wrong size shirt?" I asked when she entered my room.

" I grabbed it by accident and didn't feel like taking it back to the store."

After I'd quickly thrown on the clothes, I stood in front of the mirror and smoothed everything out. Surprisingly, everything fit the way I want it to. The skirt hit me mid-thigh, a length I could definitely work with. The top, while tight to my chest, looked decent.

" What do you think?" I asked as I twirled around in front of her.

"Holy ****, girl! You look gorgeous! You have to know how good you look right now." Her grin was genuine, and excitement lit her eyes.

Even though I was a little uncomfortable with the tightness of the top, it didn't dip low, displaying my cleavage. Julia knew me so well and understood exactly how far she could push me. "Thank you." I smiled at her with gratitude. I felt pretty and thought I looked nice. "You sure you're not just saying I' look okay to hurry me up?" I hated when doubt filled me, but it was rare I stepped out of my comfort zone, specially with how I displayed my body.

"Not at all. I think you look fantastic. Here are the shoes." She handed me a pair of nude wedges. Thankfully we wore the same size. I had to admit with the shoes, I really did like the outfit. It accentuated all of my curves and made me look.... sexy. My brows lifted at the thought. I took a calming breath, pushing my trepidation aside.

"Thanks, Julia."

" I knew you'd come over to my side one day."

" Just for tonight," I chuckled.

Before we knew it, the clock read a little after seven, which meant I only had little over an hour to get ready, alloting at least twenty minutes to drive to the club.

I dried my long chestnut-colour hair as quickly as possible, running a big curly iron through it to smooth it out and give me some bouncy, loose curls. I wore minimal makeup, thinking the outfit was enough already, I didn't want to add to the dramatics with an overdone face.

Officially done with 15 minutes to spare, I headed into Julia's room to see how she was coming along. She was almost ready as well, putting the finishing touches on her own makeup. She really did look beautiful, with her shoulder-length, dark blonde hair, dancing with sun-kissed highlights. It was her natural colour, and everyone complimented her on it. Her pale blue eyes and Olive complexion were a great contrast to her tresses.

"You look really stunning."

Her eyes lifted to mine and she grinned. "You look fantastic, too. We're going to have a great time." She laughed as she did little dance. "Thankfully Moses will be there to get rid of anyone we don't want bothering us." Sometimes we had Moses act as a boyfriend, warding off guys who couldn't take the hint.

One more quick glance in the mirror and we were off to enjoy our evening.