Page 45 of The Fool

“Please, let me go in,” I whisper to Callie when we hear Bea’s desperate pleas coming from the changing cubicle. I had finished a little earlier than expected so arranged with Callie to meet the them here. I couldn’t have organized a more perfect situation if I’d tried; to rescue the damsel in distress who is currently wrestling to get out of her clothing in the changing room?Perfection.

“What? No, perv!” she whisper shouts. “Every time I meet this poor girl, she ends up being accosted by you!”

“Please, Callie, I’ll pay for a spa day for you,” I bargain, “for you, Lily, and Bea.”

She pretends to think for a moment, but I already know I have her; it’s not that she couldn’t afford it herself, nor Lily for that matter, but who doesn’t like a treat on somebody else’s credit card?

“Fine, but if you end up being sued for sexual harassment, don’t come crying to me. I’ll see you guys outside, hopefully together and without any black eyes. Behave, Nathaniel!”

Bea

“Callie?” I shout again. “Where the heck are you? I’m well and truly stuck in this hideous dress that you chose.”

I no longer care if the sales assistants can hear me, I need to get out of this ridiculous dress. I don’t want to die in a skintight leopard print dress wrapped around my neck, my life has been sad enough as it is.

“Now there’s a sight for sore eyes,” a familiar, deep, and masculine voice says, making me freeze in my jiggling on the spot.

“Nathaniel?” I ask, hoping I’m wrong and the once-upon-a-time object of every teenage girl’s fantasy from Western High, isn’t standing before me whilst I’m in this thoroughly compromising and humiliating position.

“This is Nate,” he confirms, “do you need some help, Miss Summers?”

“Where’s Callie?” I gasp with horror.

“I told her I could handle whatever situation you were in,” he says. “Would you like me to free you from your restraints or…not?”

“Nathaniel, please help me get this off,” I practically beg, “I don’t want to have to ask for scissors and spend what little cash I have left on the remains of this hideous dress.”

“Are you sure? The view is very tempting,” he whispers with dark intent. Jesus, I can feel his breath on my right arm, which is currently being restrained by leopard print Lycra. I take a deep, albeit shaky breath as he runs the tip of his finger along my naked spine.

“Nathaniel…” I gasp, trying to sound like a warning, though not being entirely successful in that feat.

“Imagine giving in, Beatrice,” he whispers with temptation dripping from his lips.

I breathe in deeply if only to try and get some much-needed oxygen to my brain so I can stop myself from giving into him completely, right here in this changing room. It doesn’t work that well, and I even open my mouth to give him the green light, but then I feel him pull the fabric away as he releases me from my ugly dress prison. With my hair flying back into place, static from the horrendous fabric of the dress, I take in my boss, who is wearing a three-piece charcoal suit, white shirt, and silk tie. His intimidating muscular frame is doing unspeakable things to my insides, especially with him staring at me with a ghost of a smile. After taking much too long to come to my senses, I grab my dress and hold it in front of me, even though he’s already seen my underwear.

“Thank you, Nathaniel,” I breathe out awkwardly.

“Believe me, Bea,” he begins with a beaming smile, “the pleasure was all mine. And I have to say, I do love a woman who wears matching underwear, even if it’s just for herself.”

“All of my underwear is black,” I say for some unknown, stupid reason. It wasn’t to be sexy; I don’t even know how to be sexy.

“Duly noted. I’ll meet you out front.”

He then looks at me one more time before turning to leave.

When I finally get outside, Nathaniel is on the phone, so I take the opportunity to glare at Callie, who simply giggles over my flushed cheeks.

“How could you do that? That was so embarrassing!” I whisper angrily to her.

“Oh, come on, you so like him,” she teases, “you just need to live a little dangerously and that’s where I come in. You do know I set Cam and Lils up, don’t you? Just call me Cupid!”

All the while Nathaniel has his back to us, she performs a little rendition of Cupid flitting his wings while dancing on tiptoes. She looks ridiculous but couldn’t care less what anyone thinks of her, not even the group of teenage girls who laugh and whisper as they walk past. I shake my head at her but with a huge smile on my face.

“You girls ready?” Nathaniel asks, now turning to face us with a star-studded smile and a pair of sunglasses that only add to how sexy he looks in that exquisite suit he’s wearing.

“Lead the way, Sir,” Callie says in an appalling British accent, “let us tame the teenage girl who goeth by the name of Jessica!”

Oh, my Lord! But thank God she is with us tonight. Nothing too bad can happen if someone is there to be a third wheel, can it?

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