Paradise Lost (Private 9)

"Mine!" Amberly squealed, raising her hand.

"You're going to have to fight me for it," Taylor called out.

"If Taylor wants it, it's hers," Kiran said.

"Why? That's not fair. I called it first!" Amberly cried.

Kiran leaned forward and arched her eyebrows. "Because it's my party and what I say, goes," she said firmly.

I snorted a laugh. Amberly's jaw dropped, and she sat back with a pout. Such a baby.

The next gown was bright yellow with thick straps that were attached at the center of a bandeau neckline and tied behind the neck. It was very different, like nothing I'd seen at any of the parties I'd been to.

I whistled quietly. "Wow. I really like that. Do you think--"

"No," Noelle said, laying her hand on my arm.

"What? I was just--"

"Do you want your skin to look like cat vomit? No," she said again, shaking her head sagely as the model turned around and sashayed back toward the curtain. "Just no."

An embarrassed blush crept up my neck. One of these days, I was going to have to figure out my colors. It always seemed like everyone knew what would look best on me except me. "Okay. If you say so."

The next model was sporting a sapphire blue one-shouldered

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dress with a layered chiffon skirt. It was so light and airy and elegant that it took my breath away.

"Now that is you," Noelle said, watching the model discerningly as she passed us by. "And I have the perfect necklace to go with it, which I will, in all my benevolence, lend to you if you want it."

My heart skipped a beat when the model struck a pose at the end of the runway. If I could look half that hot, Upton wouldn't be able to take his eyes off of me all night. Across the way, I saw Amberly eyeing the dress with interest.

"Mine!" I shouted, raising both hands. "That's the one I want."

Amberly groaned. "But I--"

"Sorry. She's got dibs," Noelle said.

"No fair!" Amberly wailed.

"You're just going to have to be faster next time," Tiffany said, trying to keep a straight face.

"But when I was fast, you guys overruled me anyway. I don't--"

At that moment, the curtain was flung open and out stepped a big, puffy light-pink princess dress that I wouldn't have been caught dead in even when I was four and obsessed with Sleeping Beauty.

"Mine!" Amberly shouted crazily. "Mine, mine, mine!"

The rest of us laughed as she sat back down, looking quite satisfied with herself. I was fairly certain that no one else wanted the dress.

"This was an amazing idea," Noelle said to me, taking a sip of her wine. "Kiran has totally outdone herself."

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"Seriously. I really am glad I know her now," I joked.

Noelle smiled in a satisfied way. "It gives a whole new meaning to the term 'friends with benefits.'"