Page 53 of Glitterland
“Nothing.”
She caught up the two ends of the scarf and wound them about my neck and shoulders, letting them fall loosely where they would. It should have been an ill-intentioned object, except the wool was incredibly soft. Maybe I was losing it in my old age, but I think I genuinely liked it.
Also, Chloe was right. The thought of Darian wearing nothing but this was pleasing in the extreme.
She smiled proudly at me. “See. It’s like a cardigan but like not a cardigan. Like sexy but snuggly.”
“Well I’m neither sexy nor snuggly.”
She giggled. “That’s not what Darian says.”
I blushed.
“You aren’t going to tell him, are you?” I said.
“Tell ’im what?”
“About my…about…” I gestured to my arms. “I just don’t want him to know.”
She gave one of her slow, contemplative blinks. “Do you fink just cos ’e’s ’appy ’e ain’t nevva ’ad summin bad ’appen to him?” Before I could I answer, she went on, “Now, honey, I know you said no to spray tan and I’m like totes respecting that, but ’ow do you feel about bronzer?”
About ten minutes later, I was bronzed, glossed, quiffed, lash-curled, and guy-linered. What the fuck had I done? I stared at a stranger’s reflection in the mirror. To be fair, it wasn’t awful. It just wasn’t me.
But then again, I haven’t really recognised myself for a very long time.
I drew in a few slow, steadying breaths. All I had to do was keep breathing, walk a few meters down a catwalk, and come back again.
Maybe I could do this. Maybe I could.
I nearly laughed aloud at how easy it seemed just then. The stranger’s eyes shone.
“Ohmigod, babes.” Darian’s reflection appeared next to mine and I spun quickly away. He was wearing ripped jeans, a white shirt split to the navel, and a slim-fitting blue velvet jacket. “You look well nice.” His eyes travelled up and down my body, making me hot and self-conscious and thrilled all at once. “Well nice. Like…like Sandy at the end ofGrease.”
My mouth fell open. “Did you really just compare me to Olivia Newton-John?”
“I just meant like going from, y’know, prim to all sexed up.”
“I feel…weird.”
“You look amazin’. Amazin’.”
He pulled me against him, hands snaking under the glamour cardigan to make the acquaintance of my arse.
Chloe gave a warning screech. “Don’t smudge ’im!”
He grinned, tilting his head because, in my heels, I was just a little bit taller than he was. “You’re giving me chills, babes.”
“Is that so? Are they multiplying?”
“Hunjed pahcent.”
“You’d better shape up, then.”
“You’re like totally the one that I want. Fank you for doing this, babes. You didn’t ’ave to, y’know.”
“I…know. I just. I don’t know. I just hope I don’t fuck it up.”
“What’s to fuck up, babes? It’s just walking down a room wif everybody finking they want to do you.”
