“You got them?” I ask her. She lets out a throaty laugh, holding up a pair of heels in each hand.
“I got them.” She lets them hang by the straps and wiggles her eyebrows.
“I’m going to hurt myself.”
I look at the heels, certain I’ll never make it two steps in them. I want to wear them so badly because she always looks sexy in heels and I want tonight to be perfect. I need to look like a woman, not a young girl. I want to blow Bear’s socks off.
“They should work.” She drops a pair on my sofa along with a bag. “They have a chunky heel, so it won’t be so bad.” I take them from her and inspect them. They are simple black heels, functional but super cute. The strap over the top makes them look like grown-up shoes. “I know you want me to do you up, but I don’t think we should go crazy. I think he likes you just as you are. I’m going to give you a little splash, though.” She says it with a wicked grin, and we head back into my bedroom where she gets to work on me.
It doesn’t take long for her to work her magic, and when she’s done, I walk over to the long mirror I have hung on the back of my closet. I stand there for a moment before I turn around, taking it all in. I have on a cream-colored dress that falls to mid-thigh. It’s shorter than I’m used to, but I absolutely love it. It has a cute pink belt and the cut makes me look like I have curves. The short sleeves give it a classy and conservative look, which makes me feel like a woman. The heels add some nice height, so maybe I won’t look so small now next to Bear. I doubt it, but I can dream. Tasha left my hair in a braid, saying she knows Bear likes it that way. She did what she said and kept my makeup soft, and though it doesn’t look like I’m wearing a lot, my skin is dewy and fresh. She even managed to make my eyes and lips appear bigger.
“I feel so pretty,” I admit as I do another small spin.
“I know you might think it’s cute, it is, but Bear is going to find it sexy as fuck.” She winks at me.
“I’m going on a date.” Saying it out loud makes it seem real. “But I don’t date fighters.”
“Looks like you do now.” She smiles at me and cocks her head to the side. “Out of curiosity, though, who did you date before?”
I turn to look at Tasha. “Well, I’ve never dated anyone,” I admit. I was leery of fighters because of the way my aunt talked about my father and his anger, but Bear doesn’t seem angry. Not once has he made me feel anything less than comfortable and safe. I understood his and Rico’s banter. He’s sweet and caring and almost as frazzled as I am about our flirting. “I’m going to be terrible at this. I know what kind of women these guys date, and I’m not it.”
I walk over and plop down onto my small bed—a bed I know Bear would never fit in. I can’t believe I just had that thought, but it’s indicative of where my mind’s been lately.
Tasha rolls her eyes and comes over to sit down next to me. “Don’t think like that. I’m telling you that man wants to hit it seven days a week and twice on Sunday.
“Yeah, but I don’t look anything like those ring girls.”
She sighs. “I told you to stay off the internet.”
“I have no self-control.”
I fall back onto the bed and stare up at the ceiling. I’ve never seen him with anyone, not even in my searches online. I’m pretty sure my aunt said my mom was one of those ring bunnies or whatever you call them, but there’s no way I’m going to ask her.
Tasha laughs, falling back with me. “You got this, Pep. You could stand there and not speak all night and he’s still going to want you. It’s kind of adorable. And that’s a word I never thought I’d use about the Cannon.”
I turn my head to look at her. “He’s really sweet. Nothing like I thought he’d be. He makes my heart flutter.”
“You’ve got it bad.” She smiles.
“Is that a good thing?”
“Yes,” she says and lets out a dreamy sigh.
“What if it’s terrible and then I have to live across the hall from him?”
“Stop making up excuses.” She turns to her side to face me. “Let’s say you cancel and now you’re not going on a date with him. How does that make you feel?”
“Sad.” I feel an ache form in my chest.