Page 16 of Desperate Haste
“She’s not a slut, she just likes to have a good time,” she says with a half laugh, coming to my defense even though I don’t need it.
“Oh no, I totally am,” I corrected my friend proudly. “Just not in the archaic, misogynistic way. I like to have fun, sex is one of my favorite past times, and I’ve been with more men than most. So yes, I am a slut. But a modern day slut who isn’t going to let some four letter word shame me for who I am and what I enjoy.” I don’t care if people know I like to have sex. Men can openly talk about their sex lives so why can’t women?
“No, I wasn’t thinking that at all.” Margaret waves a hand in front of herself as if to dispel any assumptions. “I was actually thinking about how badass it is to be so forthcoming. I wish I could be like that.”
I loop my arm into hers and give her a sultry smile. “Stick with me, darling, and I’ll happily show you my ways.” Margaret almost looks afraid but she doesn’t tell me no.
“Alright, are we ready? Kolbi is texting me that the guys are there and wondering where we are.” Magnolia looks up from her phone and we all glance at one another to check to see if we’re all good to leave.
“Let’s go make some men drool over how hot we look, shall we?” I tease and everyone smiles.
As we all walk down the hallway of my building, arms linked, I feel an immense sense of gratitude for the growing group of girls I call my friends.
11
MALCOLM
I’m standing behind the bar of an overcrowded Butcher and Block and talking to a girl dressed as a cat who sat down forty-five minutes ago and hasn’t left. She has blonde hair, freckles across her nose, and cat ears placed on her head to match the whiskers that have clearly been drawn on her cheeks with some sort of makeup pencil. The way she leans over the bar and squeezes her arms together, subsequently lifting her breasts higher into my line of view, tells me everything I need to know.
That I’ve done my job and have her under my spell.
I smile at her and lean closer to her face. “You know, you make a really cute cat. Probably the cutest cat I’ve ever seen.”
This causes her to giggle and cover her mouth with her hand. “You aren’t too bad yourself.”
At the same time, my eyes catch the sight of a group of guys walking in who look familiar and within seconds the rowdy noise of my friends descending on the bar consumes the space. All of them are dressed up. Hank as a character from a movie I recognize but don’t remember the name, Kolbi as some sort of spy, and Conrad as…something I can’t really put my finger on.
“Malcolm,” Kolbi’s voice booms as he leans over and slaps my hand. “Happy Halloween, brother.” His eyes fall to the girl sitting across from me and when he brings his eyes back to me, he shakes his head slowly.
“Happy Halloween. Don’t you all look like a bunch of idiots,” I joke. I might rag on my friends more than most but I love them and appreciate how they show up for me no matter what. The fact that they all dressed up to participate in the fundraiser means a lot to me. I feel my brows meet in the center of my face when I realize they’re alone and the girls aren’t with them. “Where are the Powder Puff Girls?”
“They’re on the way, we just spoke with them,” Hank explains, standing next to Kolbi.
“Bailey and Magnolia are coming with Ophelia and Margaret.” My ears perk up at her name and I try not to show my hand.
“Ophelia’s coming?” The girl sitting at the bar looks between me and my friends and frowns at the sound of another girl’s name. She smiles wide at me trying to get me to pay attention to her.
“Malcolm, what time are you off?” she asks almost desperately.
“Huh? I close. I’ll be here till at least one in the morning.” I don’t look at her as I say it, my eyes are too preoccupied with watching the door.
“Let’s get drinks for everyone while we wait,” Kolbi comments.
I take their orders and start to serve them while also managing the rest of the patrons at the bar. Every so often, the girl wearing cat ears tries to vie for my attention but between the crowd and watching the door, I’m no longer interested in what she has to offer. As I’m passing the drinks out to my friends, I see the door of the bar open and my eyes find her without issue.
The crowd of people standing around part like the Red Sea when the four of them walk in. Walking hand in hand, Bailey, Magnolia, Margaret, and Ophelia all walk in looking like Charlie’s Angels. Standing tall, confident, and sexy as hell. The only one I notice though is Ophelia. The way her fishnet tights stretch over her opulent thighs and carry your eyes up and around her supple waist and ass. She’s wearing some sort of bodysuit and corset and a mask that tells me she’s taking on the persona of Catwoman tonight.Muchsexier than the standard cat staring at me from across the bar. My eyes glance to my friends and notice that they, too, have spotted the girls. Hank has a stupid fucking smile on his face and Kolbi’s jaw is nearly on the floor. I chuckle at their faces and don’t miss how Conrad almost looks annoyed by all the attention they’re bringing to themselves.
“Hey there, Danny,” Bailey coos as she steps up and wraps an arm around Hank.
“You look breathtaking, blondie,” he replies, pressing a kiss to her temple.
“Tell me about it, stud,” she says with a wink, quoting the classic movie and planting a kiss on his cheek. Magnolia wiggles her way in next to Kolbi who leans down to kiss her, their height difference still something that makes me laugh.
“Don’t you all look…festive,” Conrad says slightly louder than normal so they can hear him over the music.
“If by ‘festive’ you mean ‘hot as fuck,’ then yes, I would say we look quiet festive,” Ophelia quips, oozing with confidence.Hot as fuck is putting it lightly, you look like straight sin wrapped in faux leather.Her lustrous brown eyes flash to me for a second before looking back at Bailey.
“I’m going to do a round. Don’t wait up for me if I don’t come back.” She smiles and scrunches her nose at her friend before giving us all a small wave and walking into the crowd. I watch her hips sway and wish nothing more than to be able to reach over and grab her ass with my hand.
