Page 66 of Little Gray Dress

She bursts out a laugh then quickly stifles it away. “No! No. No cameras; that would make the news, dear. No, go, try and model.”

I walk into the dressing room, glad there is a locking door as opposed to a curtain, and glance through the few things hanging on a rack. This lady has really high hopes for a girl to get laid. Even just looking at the skimpy, lacy, crotchless selections she’s made make me feel dirty. There is only one set that I will try on, and that’s only because it has the most material. It’s see-through, but it counts, I think.

“Yeah… I don’t think these will work,” I say, struggling to pull the panties of the lavender baby doll set past my hips.

“Why?” Lily calls back.

“Because I don’t wear a size 2 and I’m not trying out for a porn movie.” I grab the robe and the… I dunno… outfits, and open the door. “Can’t I pick something? I feel like these all say I’m trying too hard. Jack is gonna know something is up.”

“Something is up… You’re losing your Jackinity.” Lily and Esther both laugh at Lily’s joke.

“Stop. I’m serious, don’t you have anything like… just normal but sexy?” I glance over at Esther who is sitting at a desk with a hot pink fluorescent light around the top.

“Normal?” She hops off her stool and heads to a far section of the store out of sight for a moment, and returns with a few hangers in her hands. “Like these?”

When she holds them out I know I’ve found my normal. Light gray, lace, girly bra and matching panties. “YES!”

“Ems… Those are so… boring.”

“I like boring.” I pull my actual double-digit size from her hand and head back into the dressing room. “Jack likes boring, too!” I yell through the door. Finally, I look like a normal, twenty-something girl who is having sex and not trying to look like she’s the lead in Emi Does Malibu.

“Let’s see it,” Lily yells back at me.

I hesitantly walk out into the store, checking first for eyes of people that weren’t here earlier and flashing red lights of hidden cameras that Esther insists don’t exist.

“Well?” I ask, but both Lily and Esther have poker faces. “Not good?”

“It looks lovely, dear, but for your first time don’t you want to wow him?” She holds up a bright red negligée and swings it back and forth.

“No. If he’s not wowed by me being me, then he’s not the guy I want.”

“Oh…” Esther lays the red nightie on her desk. “You’re a sweet girl. I have this set in a couple other colors if you’d like more than one?”

“Load me up.” I glance at Lily whose face is not so approving.

“This, is it?”

“Yup… I’m not as flashy as you. Or as easy.” I smile before disappearing into the dressing room before she can throw something at me.

“I’m not easy, I just want to test-drive my men to see if I should go on a cross-country trip with them.”

“Whatever.” I laugh at her ridiculous comparison. I like to play it safe. That’s just me, though. From me, there will be no sleeping with a guy on the first date to see if I’d like there to be a second. That’s Lily’s game and she is good at it.

I’ll admit, though, Josh is the first one for a while to pass the cross-country test.

Today is the day, the day I go to Malibu with Jack. I’ve never been on an overnight trip with a boyfriend before and now I’m exiting a plane in southern California.

“You get to meet my sister, Hannah. She’s really excited to meet the girl who’s stolen my heart.”

“Aw… I stole your heart?” Mine races in my chest as we walk through the airport. “Wait, your sister will be there?”

“Yeah, my whole family, they’re really excited to meet you.”

“Jack! Oh my, God, you didn’t tell me I was meeting your family. I’m not ready.”

I stop walking and try to stop myself from hyperventilating. Why would he surprise me with this? Meeting a guy’s parents for the first time is a big deal. Meeting them when you’ve prepared for a weekend of no clothes is an even bigger deal.

“Don’t be nervous, babe. They’re gonna love you.” He runs his hand down my arm before squeezing my hand reassuringly.

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