Callum & Harper (Sleepless 1)

“You’re going to put my underwear on me?” I asked.

“Yes, unless you want to do it but you’ll have to remove your towel and I can’t have you move yet or you’ll see yourself. Expose yourself or have me slip them on. Your choice.”

“Fine,” I sighed as she slipped them up my legs.

“Lotion,” Marty said, handing a big bottle to Cherry. They both lathered their hands and started applying it to my legs.

“I can’t believe I’m not embarrassed by this,” I said, laughing.

“Meh, we’re girls. Who cares,” Marty said, finishing up my right leg.

Kelly left to the closet and pulled out a garment bag hanging on the door.

“The dress,” she said dramatically, smiling from ear to ear.

“We’ll have to tape her first,” Marty said.

“Tape?” I screeched.

“Yes, you can’t wear a bra with this dress. It’s backless,” she said like I was goofy in the head. I’d tried the dress on once and it fit perfectly but didn’t even think about undergarments. I blushed slightly as I applied the nude colored tape to my breasts awkwardly under my towel.

Then they slipped the velvety soft silk garment over my extended arms and it cascaded over my figure and toppled to the floor. The only thing Kelly could find in my size in Costumes that wouldn’t clash with my dress were a pair of white Dupioni silk ballet slippers with a satin ribbon that laced up my calf. They were comfortable and elegant and so unbelievably beautiful.

When the look was complete, the girls stood back a bit and admired their handiwork. All three started tear up, smiling at one another. Cherry did a little jump.

“Turn around, Harper,” she said.

I turned slowly, a little afraid of what I’d see but was stunned to see that I actually looked beautiful. I couldn’t believe how well they had thrown me together like this. The dress was white silk, a nineteen-twenties inspired floor length slip dress with a slight train. The sleeves gathered at the shoulders and twisted like pieces of rope that criss-crossed in the back. It was form fitting and hugged my hips and chest perfectly. I lifted my dress slightly to expose the lace that ribboned up my calves.

“You’re stunning, Harper,” Cherry said, a hiccup in throat.

All the girls came to stand beside me and we admired my slippers, gown, head piece, hair and makeup.

“Let’s see,” Marty said. “We have something old in the gown, something new in the underwear.” We all laughed. “We have something borrowed in the shoes. What’s her something blue?” She asked.

“The underwear!” Cherry laughed making us all giggle yet again. “It’s working double-time. I thought of everything.”

We stood still for a few minutes before a knock at the door startled us.

“That better not be Callum,” Kelly teased.

Cherry skipped to the door, giddy no doubt at her workmanship. She peeked through the peephole. “It’s Tom!” She squealed and threw open the door.

Tom had anticipated we’d all be right there because no matter where you stood in the studio you could see the door so he had posed like 007. His right hand at the top of the door jamb, his left at his chin, a hilarious smolder on his face. As goofy as he was, he looked incredibly debonair in a black suit and thin tie.

Cherry whistled and Kelly, grabbed my hand like she had just really noticed him for the first time and needed assistance standing. Hmm.

“Tom!” I said. “You look like a million bucks, man!”

He winked but when he noticed me he stopped and clutched at his chest.

“Callum is one incredibly lucky man, Harper. You look like a cross between a Shakespearean fairy and a character from The Great Gatsby. You’re stunning,” he said, but I noticed he briefly drunk Kelly in. He quickly brought his right hand behind his back and stepped my direction. He stood a few feet in front of me, before presenting a bouquet of light pink ranunculus with a simple white Dupioni silk band around the stems. I gasped.

“Oh, Tom!” I said and hugged him fiercely. I caught a hitch in my throat. “I do not know how I could ever repay you for this! For any of this,” I said to everyone around me.

“Just be good to Callum,” Tom said. “That’s all we could ever want.”

I nodded, smiling.