Change With Me (With Me in Seattle 17.5)

“I know. It is. So, you can minimize it to three things. A good cleanser, a serum, and some moisturizer. And because you’re so young, you probably don’t need the serum yet, but you can’t start too early.”

“I like the minimal idea,” I confess. “I’d just get confused if I had a seven-step regimen.”

She laughs, and for the next thirty minutes, I sit still while she concentrates on my makeup.

Am I going to look like a drag queen when she’s done?

I hope not.

“Oh, do the gold,” Jules says when Amelia stares at her palate for a long minute. “With those amazing eyes, it’ll be perfect.”

“I think you’re right,” Amelia says with a nod. Before long, a small group stands around us, eating cupcakes and watching.

I’ve never been the center of attention like this in my life.

“Oh, I never thought of doing the eyeliner like that,” Nic says. “I like it.”

“Okay, we’re finished,” Amelia says after applying one last coat of mascara. She passes me the mirror, and I stare, transfixed.

“I still look like me.”

“Of course, you do,” Amelia says. “It’s you, enhanced.”

My eyes look a little bigger, and the eyeshadow is subtle. I felt her use all kinds of things on my face, but I can’t tell. I just look a little more angular. You can’t even tell that my nose is super crooked.

“You have great lips,” Natalie says and takes a bite of cupcake. “You look fabulous. Here, give me your phone.”

I pass it to her, and she snaps a picture of me, taps the screen a few times, and then hands it back.

“I just sent that to Zane. He’ll swallow his tongue.”

Before I can tuck my phone away, it rings.

“It’s Zane.” Everyone laughs around me as I answer and put him on speaker. “Hey there.”

“I’m coming back to get you.”

“What? Why? I’m not ready to go home.”

“You’re fucking gorgeous,” he says, his voice intense. “I want to see you.”

“Too bad,” Jules says. “She’s ours. You can have her later. It’ll be good for you to pine after her a little.”

“Sorry, I have to stay for a bit longer,” I tell him but feel all warm and glowy inside, knowing that he’s hot after me right now. It’s even better knowing that he’s attracted to me without all of the makeup. “But I’ll make it up to you.”

“Hell yes, girl,” Maggie says with a wink. “Make it up to him.”

I laugh and accept another lemon drop. “I’ll see you soon.”

I end the call and raise my glass. “To making hot men crazy.”

“Amen,” Brynna says, and we all drink. “Now, tell us about sex with Zane Cooper.”

“And use all the dirty words,” Alecia adds.

“And don’t forget to tell us about the orgasms,” Natalie puts in.

Oh, yeah. I like these girls. I like them a lot.

Chapter Eight

~Zane~

“What do you want to do this weekend?” I ask her. Aubrey’s lying in bed, reading something on her iPad. We’ve been doing this, living together, sleeping together, for two weeks.

And the more I’m with her, the more I can’t see myself living without her.

“I thought we were going to have dinner with Sabrina and Ben?” she asks with a frown.

“We are, but that’s tomorrow evening. What should we do tonight?”

She sits up and, with the sheet tucked under her arms, faces me. “Clearly, there’s something you want to do.”

I shrug. Yeah, I have a plan, but if she already has her heart set on something, I can reschedule.

I just want to surprise her.

“I was thinking about just staying in tonight,” she admits. “It was another busy workweek, and I’m tired. Maybe we could watch a movie or something.”

She’s on the right track with the movie idea.

“Will you let me surprise you with something?”

She raises an eyebrow. “Will I have to pack a bag? Put on workout clothes? Or do anything that requires brain function?”

I laugh and lean in to kiss her nose. “No to all of the above.”

“Okay, then. Yes, you can surprise me.”

I tug the sheet down and cup her breast. I never seem to tire of her. I can’t get enough.

“Is this part of the surprise?”

“No, this is a bonus.”

* * * *

“What should I wear?” she asks. She’s wrapped in a towel, her hair and makeup done. Ever since she had her night out with Natalie and the others, she’s worn makeup the way Anastasia showed her to.

I think she looks just as great without it, but this seems to give her more confidence.

“We’re going casual this evening,” I reply and gesture at my jeans and T-shirt.

“Okay, good.” She disappears back into the closet. Less than five minutes later, she reemerges wearing jeans and a green sweater that makes her eyes look golden.

“You look amazing.”

Her face lights up the way it always does when I compliment her, and I take her hand, leading her out to my car.