Page 26 of The Pursuit of Happiness

Duncan hasn’t texted me again and I know it’s because Iblocked his number. I haven’t tried to unblock him and read any messages I may have missed. Instead, I ignore the situation completely and suppress the way it makes me feel, which is totally unhealthy and will surely come back to bite me in the ass later, but that is a problem for later.

“Okay, I’m putting my outfit on,” Brody announces before ducking out of my bathroom and into my bedroom to get her outfit from her bag.

Ivory’s bag is right behind her and she starts slowly packing her makeup away, most likely to appease Brody, before she reaches inside and fishes out a skin tight soft pink latex dress that is bound to showcase her full breasts and petite figure. “That is so cute,” I compliment.

She grins, “Thanks. I haven’t worn it yet but I’ve been dying to. What are you wearing?”

“I’ll show you. It’s still in my closet,” I explain before exiting the bathroom and making my way towards my closet. I catch sight of Brody as she ties laces on her all-black outfit. It’s a two piece set with a tube top and a mini skirt, all suede with laces showing off the sides of her thighs and her cleavage. I whistle, “Harvey is going to drag you out of the club if he sees you wearing that without him around.”

She smirks, “No, he’ll just gouge out the eyes of anyone who looks at me.”

That is a very probable statement. Harvey gets very irrational and territorial over my friend. “You look hot,” I wink before ducking into my closet.

“Thanks,” she shouts.

I find my outfit and instantly admire it. I’ve never been a huge fan of skirts and dresses so when I go out I usually like to wear pants if possible. Hence why I have the most stunning pair of silver pants and a matching bustier bra top. I change quickly and admire my tall figure in the full sized mirror. For a briefmoment, I wonder if Slater will like my outfit and I find that I hope he does.

The truth? I’m admittedly attracted to him and it scares the shit out of me. His physical state is stunning from his thick, dark lashes that give his eyes a note of danger and desire to his full lips and the way that they smirk innocently. And the sleeves of tattoos that meet at his neck are an added bonus. The man is pure perfection physically. Add in his kind and warm personality and it’s like I custom made him in a lab.

I exit my closet a moment later and Brody and Ivory are in my bedroom petting Kiko and Taz. Their heads turn to find me and their jaws drop. “Shit R, if I saw you in that at the club I’d wanna make a sex tape with you,” Ivory grins, impressed.

Brody nods, “Agreed. You look amazing.”

I feel my cheeks warm under the sudden attention, “Thanks, guys.”

They nod and in a matter of minutes, there’s a knock on my door. I know right away it’s Slater here to pick us up. Selene arranged for a driver to take us all to and from the club together, but Slater is definitely the one knocking on the door. I feel an instant swarm of butterflies in my stomach.

We make our way downstairs and I hesitate to open the door, worried that I may not look my best. I want to look my best for him, which freaks me out but also excites me in a way. When I open the door, he’s standing there in a tight black t-shirt and black ripped jeans. He has chains hanging on his jeans from his belt loops and I immediately squeeze my thighs together. The sight of him is so arousing. I’ve never been turned on like this just from looking at someone.

As if sensing my thoughts he smirks, “Hello, Aria.”

“Hi.” My voice comes out weak, shaky. I instantly feel embarrassment color my cheeks red. Fuck! I do not want him to see how the mere sight of him affects me.

His eyes drop to my feet and slowly take in every inch of me until his eyes meet mine, “You look absolutely stunning,” he compliments, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

The butterflies in my stomach must be throwing a rave because they are going so crazy right now I feel like I might throw up with nerves. “Thank you. You don’t look bad yourself,” I return the compliment, trying my best not to make my ogling obvious.

Brody and Ivory choose the perfect moment to appear, Ivory offering Sly a gentle wave and smile. “Hi,” she greets politely.

He smiles at her warmly, “Hi, Ivory. You look very beautiful.”

She preens, tossing her perfectly curled hair over her shoulder, “I know.” There’s the sassy side of her. I laugh at her switch up and so does Sly as Ivory makes her way out the door and onto the porch with him.

Brody follows after her and nods, “Hi.” Her greeting is one that you would give a distant relative at a family function. A relative that you never talk to and don’t want to talk to because actually having a conversation with them makes you uncomfortable and anxious.

“Hi. Nice outfit,” Sly tests the waters with Brody with a compliment. I can tell for him it isn’t a lie just to get on her good side. Everything he says is genuine. If he doesn’t mean it, he doesn’t say it.

She gives him a polite smile, but not one of warmth, “Thanks.” She looks away a moment later and Sly takes that as his cue to make his way to the limo, opening the door for Ivory and Brody to enter, ever the gentlemen.

“Don’t take her coldness to heart. She’s still not over the fact that she’s only doing vocals in our album,” I whisper to Sly before it’s my turn to get in.

He frowns, “I really am sorry.”

I nod, “I know. Just give her some time and she’ll warm up toyou the way I did.”

He leans in so that our mouths are only a few inches a part as his eyes hold mine hostage, “I wish you would warm up to me in another way,” he has a devious smile on his face, one that makes me just about ready to drop my panties.

As soon as the arousal hits me, the reminder of what Duncan said about me being a slut returns to mind along with the millions of comments making me out to be a cheap hooker of some kind from online. I look down and put distance between Sly and myself before ducking into the car and sitting as close to the window as possible so as to avoid being close to him.

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