I wear a dopey grin. “For me?”
“Who else would they be for?” Rose snaps.
I try to shoot her a withering glare, but hers kills mine in an instant. Oh well. I’m too happy anyway.
Daisy tosses me the panties. “Will Lo like them?”
I nod repeatedly, already imagining his surprise when he sees his name on my ass. “I’m wearing these to the party.”
Rose rolls her eyes again. “You’re not having sex at the charity event.”
“But I just like the idea of having him near my butt.” I realize that came out kind of wrong. “Not like that,” I add quickly and then frown. “Okay, kind of like that…I’m confused.”
Rose sighs and ushers Daisy to keep opening the package. Rose likes presents, so maybe she’s expecting a bedazzled fan shirt for herself.
Not too shy about changing in front of my sisters, I switch panties, and the new ones fit perfectly. Daisy bounces on the bed a little as she displays the next article of clothing. “I bought some too.” She shows off I LOVE RYKE MEADOWS! panties, only with a sun instead of a heart.
“So cute,” I say with a bigger smile. “You should wear them tonight too.”
She nods. “Definitely.”
“Please tell me there is not a matching Connor Cobalt one,” Rose says with narrowed eyes. She is drilling holes into our littlest sister.
“These are cute,” I remind Rose.
She raises her hand at my face, and then Daisy chucks a pair of black cotton panties at Rose. I sidle next to her as she inspects them.
Rose lets out an unamused laugh. “No.”
They say: I LOVE CONNOR COBALT!
A lipstick kiss included.
“He’d love it,” I tell Rose. I can see his million-dollar grin at the mere thought of this saying on Rose’s ass.
“Exactly,” she says. “I don’t need to pad his ego.”
Daisy laughs. “It doesn’t say Connor Cobalt is the smartest guy ever. It just says that you love him.”
I interject, “Exactly. Ha!”
“Ha nothing,” Rose retorts, though the panties are still in her hands. And she still scrutinizes them more closely.
Daisy springs off the bed, landing on her feet. While she changes panties, she tells Rose, “You’re not losing a game or anything. You’re winning it.”
I nod repeatedly. “Daisy is right. You’re in a power position. You can tease him.” I touch my chest. “Trust me, I know. I’m a sexpert.” I never thought I’d be able to say that without blushing or feeling ashamed. I bite my gums to keep from smiling. I’m proud of myself, and it’s a weird thing to be. I revel in this triumph. I’m nearing the last stretch of a long bumpy road, bruised from falling, but still running. It feels good.
“I’ll never live it down if I wear these,” Rose tells us, folding them neatly. She pauses, hesitates. And then begins unfolding. “Fuck it.” She takes off her panties beneath her black robe.
Daisy and I hop together, cheering Rose on. “Put them on! Put them on!” we chant.
She hisses at us to be quiet, her eyes on the door like someone is going to walk in any minute. They aren’t going to. It’s locked—
The door swings open. I thought I locked it. Lo shuts it behind him, but thankfully Rose has already finished switching out her panties.
“Loren!” Rose shouts, about to claw his face to shreds.
He shields his eyes with his hand. “Jesus Christ. You’re not even dressed yet?” He checks his watch. “The event starts in an hour.” Daisy disappears into Rose’s closet for an outfit, and I slip the lilac dress over my head.
“We were having wardrobe malfunctions,” Rose lies.
Even with his eyes covered, he produces a signature half-smile that’s drop-dead-gorgeous. “That’s not what Twitter said.”
Rose glowers at me, one that should belong in the depths of hell.
I recoil and my phone slips out of my hand, clattering to the floor. Rose follows Daisy to the closet, and I bend down to retrieve my cell.
The minute I stand back up, I spin around and lock eyes with Lo. He wears a full-on smile, no longer bitter or sarcastic. This one dimples his cheeks. I scan him from head-to-toe. His black tailored suit, black button-down, and red pocket square fits his personality. His longer hair on top is pushed back, the sides short in this stylish, cool way. Loren Hale is edgy. Always has been. And even if he has to please a board of fourteen people, he hasn’t changed.