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I grab the steaming cup and take a big sip. “What do you need?”
“Can I borrow your red pantsuit this weekend?” I’m the clothes hound in the family, and both of my sisters love to raid my closet when they need outfits.
“Of course.” I roll my eyes. Like she even has to ask. “Stop by the house and pick it up.” Both my sisters still have keys to the house.
Jazzy comes strolling in, drops her purse on the desk, and turns to frown at Letty. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to bribe Skye into letting me borrow the red pantsuit for the charity gala this weekend.” Letty sits back and grins.
“I can’t believe you got here before me,” Jazzy groans, looking back and forth between us. “I was planning to wear the red jumpsuit.”
“The early bird gets the worm,” Letty taunts, causing Jazzy to throw a paperclip at her. It’s hilarious to watch my two sisters, who are both married to very wealthy men, fight over my clothes.
“I was up early.” Now, it’s about to get a little too personal. “But my husband kept me too occupied to worry about clothes.”
I stick my fingers in my ears and sing, “La-la-la. I don’t need all the dirty details.”
“Okay.” Jazzy winces and holds up her hand. “I’ll keep the details to myself if you stop singing.”
“Please,” Letty cuts in, groaning. “I think my ears are bleeding.”
“Bite me, both of you.” I roll my eyes as a thought occurs to me. Maybe I can help myself forget all about Slade if I get rid ofthe dress. “I broke down and bought the black dress,” I tell Jazzy and watch as she claps her hands together.
“Can I borrow it?” She’s practically vibrating with excitement as she sticks her tongue out at Letty.
“Walk across the street and pick it up.” Jazzy met Will when he moved in across the street from us. After she moved in with him, Roger stayed with me, and we now share custody of the ornery cat. I miss having both of my sisters in the house with me, but at least one of them is still close by. On the flip side, it’s hard to have any kind of privacy with your oldest sister and her overprotective, caveman husband living feet away.
While my sisters argue like teenagers over who’s going to look the best, I head out to open up the boutique.
My heart drops when the bell rings and Eve comes rushing in the door. “I’m so sorry. I heard you had problems last night at The Sterling Rope.”
“It’s no biggie.” I attempt to shush her before my nosy sisters find out all about my escapades last night. “I just didn’t understand what kind of club it was.”
“It’s my fault.” Eve won’t let it drop.
“What’s your fault?” Jazzy and Letty walk up.
“I accidentally invited Skye to an open party at The Sterling Rope last night.” Well, freaking hell. I prepare myself for the fallout.
“The Sterling Rope.” Jazzy spins around and stares at me. “You went to a BDSM club?” I guess I’m the only person in town who didn’t know about the club.
“I did.” No use lying. They’ll keep harping until I admit all the embarrassing details. “And it was no big deal.” Maybe I can hide some of the more embarrassing specifics from them.
“I heard Slade Stark had to come and rescue you.” Eve really isn’t helping.
I look over my shoulder and glare at my former friend. “He came and escorted me home,” I grit out through clenched teeth.
“Doesn’t he own the tattoo shop on Main Street?” Letty steps into the middle of the discussion. “How do you know him? Don’t tell me you finally got a tattoo and you didn’t show us?” Hurt flashes through her eyes.
Freaking great. I feel more like a teenager than a twenty-two-year-old woman as I explain, “I went to his shop to get a Wickersham Brothers tattoo.” Both of my sisters glare at me as I rush to finish explaining. “But he refused to do it until I think about it and make sure it’s what I want.”
“Well, at least one of you has a lick of sense.” As Jazzy goes into motherly mode, Eve quietly slips out the front door, conveniently avoiding the mess she made.
When the bell rings again, I ignore whoever is coming in until Jazzy suddenly falls silent.
Glancing over my shoulder, I realize the universe has it in for me. First, my sisters found out about my unfortunate evening at The Sterling Rope, then the cause of my restless night comes strolling in the door looking all gorgeous and rested. “What are you doing here?” I grumble as Slade struts over to the counter like he owns the place.
“I wanted to bring your ID to you, Little Who.” He stops next to the counter and places a soft kiss on my cheek, and his self-assured, take-control attitude really does something to my lady parts. I’m pretty sure my ovaries simultaneously explode as he turns to smile at my two sisters. “I’m Slade Stark.”
