I giggled. “Let me see it.”
She opened the bag and laid out a little black dress. The neck had to be unbuttoned to fasten around my neck, the thin black fabric would cling to my waist, and it looked like it would fall to the middle of my thighs. It almost looked elegantly modest until I turned it around. There was an open back that looked like it would dip all the way to my lower spine.
“I can’t wear this!” I exclaimed.
“Why not?” she asked, her face falling.
“One, I can’t wear a bra. And two, it’s entirely too cold to wear it outside.” I stated.
“I got you these,” she pulled out two bra-cup looking things. “You remove the adhesive and place them below your boobs and it helps lift the girls up. Where you’re going, you wouldn’t be cold for long, and that’s what coats are for.” She continued to pull out stiletto heels that had straps that would wrap up my calves in a crisscross pattern, a long black coat that would fall to my knees, and some silver bracelets. “Now let’s get your hair done, I know the perfect style.”
In true Jemmy fashion, she steamed rolled me into giving in.
As I looked at the floor length mirror, I didn’t recognize the girl staring back at me. I looked elegant. I looked mature. I looked sensual. I looked beautiful. The dress was a perfect combination of modest, yet suggestive.
Jemmy had helped straightened my hair and then twisted the lengths individually, creating a loose bun-like effect in the back. She left some tresses out to fall around my face, so it didn’t look severe, but fun and flirty. With my hair up, it drew attention to my bare back and the upper swell of my hips.
I applied my makeup a little heavier, making sure to put emphasis on my eyes (my best features), and I even applied a pink lip gloss, so my lips looked plumper and fuller.
“Troy is going to be salivating and the boys are going to be so jelly!” Jemmy clapped her hands gleefully. “Maybe another connection can be made tonight, I wonder what gift you will get next?”
I groaned. “Please, like I told the guys, it’s embarrassing enough that everyone knows I must be intimate with them for our connection, but I don’t need my every move with each of the guys shared with the group as well.”
She frowned. “I could see where that can get old fast. Wanting to have a special connection with one of them, but everyone finding out. Trying to be spontaneous and live in the moment, but not being able to truly enjoy the moment. Now, time for a picture.”
Leave it up to Jemmy to be insightful one moment and buzzing off the next.
“Strike a pose.” Jemmy insisted. My first pose must have not been good enough for her, because she started arranging me in front of the mirror. She moved me somewhat sideways and asked me to look over my shoulder.
I laughed at her, “You’re not a photographer, and why must I take a picture?”
She grasped her chest over her heart, “Why must you wound me?!” Then, she frowned. “You had four pictures in your trunk. And only one of them had you in it.”
I gasped. “You went snooping in my trunk!?”
She gave me a look of disbelief. “Umm, I am your sister and BFF, of course I did! It’s sister/BFF girl code.”
I snorted, slightly annoyed. “I’m sorry I must not have received my manual.”
She waved her hand at me. “It’s in the mail, now, stop being all mad at me and crap and take a few pictures for me. Take your right hand and put it on your neck and look back at me. Lift your left leg a little. Good, good. I got it!”
“Let me see!” I said reaching for her phone.
She gave me her Cheshire Cat grin. “Not yet! But I promise you, you’re going to love it.”
I went downstairs, and I was glad that I didn’t run into anyone yet. I was hoping to be seated and ready in the music room by the time they came in there. I stretched my fingers and did a quick warm up, making sure my fingers were nimble and strong.
“Are you ready?” Jemmy asked.
I looked up, my smile dying on my face as I saw Stacey’s sour expression. I sighed. After finding out this afternoon that some people had higher sex drives after using their gifts I could somewhat understand why he was keeping her around. He probably used his gift the most often. I didn’t like her, but he must see something in her. Plus, I wasn’t sure I was even close to ready to be one hundred percent intimate with any one of them. I mean, sure, they were all attractive and I really did like each and every one of them, but in the true sense of the word, I was still a virgin and my emotional baggage still made me fearful of the actual act.
I nodded and everyone else filed into the room, finding seats on the couch, the arm chairs, and window sills. I was too nervous to look at them; I heard them more than I saw them. When the shuffling stopped, I saw Will place a recording device on the piano as he nodded and smiled at me reassuringly.
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and poured out my soul. In the back of my mind, I wished Noah had asked me if I minded if Stacey was here, because this piece felt more intimate, more personal. I would have wished just for my ‘family’ to have been here.
I found my focus slipping and chastised myself. With renewed focus, I poured myself out until I felt empty, bare, and vulnerable.
Silence hung in the room and I immediately hung my head, they hated it. I turned, and my eyes met Drake’s first, a sheen of tears were in his eyes. Jemmy was openly bawling as Will patted her back and hugged her close. Will had a look of approval and admiration in his eyes. Jax was beaming from ear to ear and he began to clap. Everyone followed suit, well almost everyone. Noah sat there transfixed, and Troy had a crooked grin on his face and his eyes were full of pride.