Therealme doesn’t have it. Not anymore. My backless dress shows off every inch of skin, leaving no room for speculation.
Thanks to laser treatments this past year, it’s all but gone.
Not only that, but unlike the Fake Me posing with Trent, there’s a Thorolf Rafto quote tattooed in calligraphy on full display running down the length of my spine.
“Caged birds sing of freedom, free birds fly.”
And there’s no arguing that I just got it in the last day or two. I’ve had the tattoo for over five months, the skin long ago healed and not remotely red.
“I suppose I should be flattered that you’d go so far as to imitate me,” I croon. “Though, I’d suggest you be a little more thorough next time.”
Sienna just rolls her eyes. “What would make you think that’sme? Trent’s got a different girl for every day of the week. Thatcould be any one of them. Besides, even if that’s not you in this particular photo, we all saw you kissing him at the party.”
“Which brings me to Exhibit B.” I lift my hand and wiggle my fingers. “As you can see, I don’t wear false nails. And because you were all too happy to take that photo of Trent forcing himself on me at the party, you can also see for yourself that my nails were the same color then as they are now. Yet, if you look carefully—” I gesture to the bottom corner of the printout “—you can see the thumbnail on this girl looks nothing like mine.”
I don’t keep my nails all that short, but they certainly aren’t long enough to be mistaken for acrylic. Not to mention, they’re polished in nothing more than a simple nude coat. I’m far too harsh on my nails that the chips in the color would otherwise show too quickly.
Sienna may have changed the luxurious gold design since the dinner she spent at my house, but the new artwork is just as elaborate, the blue marble pattern a perfect blend of the colors she’s currently wearing. And wouldn’t you know it? There’s plenty of nudity on display in the picture I laid down in front of Sienna, but her fingernail certainly isn’t one of them. Nope, the color and unique design are an exact match to the girl’s nails seated in front of me.
The digital version of the image obviously offers better clarity, and it’s a little alarming how many people are able to pull up the image on their phones so quickly. The whispers around us grow even louder, inviting further snickering, but I know it’s not aimed at me this time. Not this time. Not when I can see the panic set into Sienna’s features as she slowly lowers her hands off the table, like there’s a way of hiding what everyone’s already seen.
“Oh, lighten up. It’s notthatbig of a deal.” I continue flashing her that saccharine sweet smile as I lower my mouth to her ear,making sure only she can make out my words. “Not compared to what’s about to come.”
Sienna jerks away from me like I burned her, and I just keep offering her that smile, patting her on the shoulder before making my way back through the crowd.
“Seeing as how you’re grinning like the Cheshire Cat, I take it things went well?” Jase asks, handing me my phone.
I don’t need to reply. All I have to do is enact the final step inmypart of the plan, a.k.a. restore a certain archived post onto my social media accounts.
When I initially got my tattoo done earlier in the year, Maggie took a picture, and I uploaded it, only to regret the decision about ten minutes later. I knew Blythe would find some issue with the tattoo if she found out, so I took down the post.
But instead of deleting it, I had simply placed the post in the archives. Now pinning it, I guarantee that image will be the first thing people see when they pull up my account, confirming once and for all with the timestamp that I amnotthe girl in the other photos from Maggie’s account.
Word will eventually spread through the populace of the university, so I won’t have to go back to an absolute shit show in the fall. Still, gossip travels infinitely faster in these parts it would seem, because the atmosphere of the banquet hall changes within minutes. Yes, people are still pointing and whispering, but everyone’s far more keen on looking at my back rather than sneering at my dress, or lack thereof.
Happily tucking my cell away, I take a gander with Jase around the banquet hall, watching in real-time as everyone else’s phones buzz, ring, and chime. Jase procures a couple of champagne flutes from a passing server and hands me one, consulting the imaginary watch on his wrist. “We’ve still got about a half hour until the ball drops. What do you want to do?Get a bite to eat, stick around here for the show, or go back to my place?”
His voice drops into a whisper for that last suggestion, and feeling his breath against my ear has a delicious shiver coursing down my spine. It turns into outright goosebumps as he draws me against the front of him with the help of his hand now positioned on the small of my back. The fabric of my dress sits low enough on my hips that it barely covers my ass, and his fingers take advantage of that fact, slipping just below the material.
Honestly, walking out on a high note like this is enough for me, and I really could go for a bite to eat—and I do meanactualfood. Not the plates of escargot currently circulating the room.
But for the first time in my life, Iwantto be here.
So, I suggest combining his last two options.
This just makes Jase chuckle, the sound low and throaty as he once again purrs into my ear. “The car ride back and forth would only give us fifteen minutes, and that’s not nearly enough time for me to do what I want with you.”
“Last I checked, your apartment isn’t the only place to havethatkind of fun. I’m sure there’s an empty room around here somewhere.” I dial up the theatrics to eleven, teasing the buttons of his dress shirt as I bat my lashes and bite my bottom lip. “I seem to remember a certain alcove by the river.”
Both of us discard our champagne flutes, and I don’t need Jase to verbalize his agreement to know the idea of finishing what we started the evening of our little reunion sounds as enticing to him as it does to me. The green and blue of his irises turn into barely more than a thin ring of color as his pupils expand.
I pull away and give a coy smile. “See you there in five?”
Just as I turn to go, a hand grabs my wrist, and I’m immediately hauled back up against Jase, his mouth findingmine. What he does with his lips and tongue ruins my other senses because, for a minute, everything else falls away. I’m not aware of the other guests, I don’t discern the music or the whispers, and, even better, I don’t care.
I try not to smile like an idiot, but it doesn’t work. Not when he’s grinning back.
Only, Jase’s expression is far more predatory. If it was anybody else, I would be scared to have someone look at me like I’m dinner, but coming from Jase? It has me throbbing at the memory of what else he can do with his tongue.
