Bender (The Core Four #1)(41)

I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, Mace. I’m not comfortable at all. Can’t I change into something that’s a little less revealing? I’m sure I have an adult onesie that I can put on. It even has a flap in the back. I could let it hang open and put a sign on the open part that says ‘no entrance’ or something.”

She shook her head and giggled at me. “No way lady. This outfit is smokin’! I don’t get why you’re so worried. I told you that you looked great, so what’s the problem?”

“The problem is my cooter is feeling far too drafty, my boobs are about to pop out, and all this makeup makes me look like a two dollar whore.”

She tips her head to the side and deadpans, “I’d totally pay a solid twenty to see your meat curtains.”

I cracked a smile. “Really?”

“Absolutely. I bet you have a better roast beef sandwich than any Arby’s.”

I let a giggle slip out. “This conversation is ridiculous, you know that right?”

“Yep, but if it convinces you to go downstairs and do some Lemon Drops with me, then mission accomplished. Now let’s go, or I’m sending Dodger up here to get you.”

I paled a little. There was a vast difference between standing in front of your best friend looking like a high-class hooker, thank God, than standing in front of a super-hot guy and letting him judge you. She must have seen the indecision on my face because she yelled, “Dodger?”

“What?” he called from downstairs.

I leaned in and grabbed her arm. “Wait, wait, wait…I’ll go, just let me get my purse.”

“Never mind.” She gave me a devilish smile. Little brat always got her way.

As we descended the steps, Macie was walking in front of me looking crazy beautiful, as always. She was wearing a shorts one-piece set that was supposed to look like a fighter pilot. Her long brown hair swayed with each movement she made. A pair of aviators sat atop her head, and she had on tan boots that stopped above her knee. They laced up and looked like combat boots. Where she found those, I didn’t know. I admired her confidence. She owned every room she walked into, and people took notice of her. Not because she was the fat girl who looked like she stuffed herself into a sausage tube, but because she has always been this way; gorgeous, stunning, poised.

I was looking down, watching where my feet were and hoping like hell I didn’t fall in these killer heels. As my foot hit the bottom step I heard a, “Holy shit,” come from Dodger’s mouth, and what sounded like an animal growl from Camden. When I was safely off the stairs I looked up. Macie was already in the kitchen pouring the liquid courage, and the two brothers were staring at me open mouthed.

“Jesus Christ, Keegan, have you been hiding that under all those clothes this whole time?” Dodger wondrously asked.

As I came toward the both of them, Camden’s eyes were following me. The intensity of them lit my insides on fire. I shook my head at Dodger. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Your body is fucking banging!” he said appreciatively, but soon after was rubbing the back of his head where Camden had just smacked him.

“Shut your mouth douchebag,” he told his brother.

I shyly looked down at the floor and back up through my eyelashes. Camden and I made eye contact and all the air was sucked out of the room. His tongue came out and licked his bottom lip, and I felt my knees go weak. I took a few purposeful steps in his direction and saw his nostrils flare. I felt desire pooling at my core. He was holding me captive with his piercing brown eyes. I was a few feet away from him when Macie broke the trance I was in.

“Get over here Nurse Sexy, it’s time to make a toast.”

Clearing my throat I went to the counter and picked up a shot glass.

“To new experiences, dancing our asses off, getting laid, and making every cock on campus stand at attention,” Mace announced with a raised glass, throwing back her shot. I tipped my head back and swallowed the murky yellow liquid, its bitterness burning my throat. I noticed that Dodger was glaring at her. She leveled a stare at him. I took note of it and would have to remember to ask her what that was all about later. The two of them had been hanging out a lot, and I knew Macie liked him. They’d gone out on a few dates, but apparently Dodger wouldn’t give in to Mace and sleep with her. I could tell she was getting upset about it.

I felt someone behind me, and a subtle brush of air across my ear. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” Camden rumbled.

I looked over my shoulder and gave a slight nod. I didn’t think Dodger and Macie would even notice my absence. They seemed to be locked in a battle of wills at the moment. Camden put his hand on my lower back, leading me into our small laundry room. When he shut the door behind him, I suddenly felt claustrophobic. Facing him, Camden took up majority of the space. His wide shoulders and tall stance dwarfed me.

“You can’t wear that,” he said flatly.

My brows drew together. “What? Of course I can.”

“Don’t test me on this.”

“I’m not testing you, but you’re not making any sense.”

He roughly reached up and yanked on his hair. “Seriously Blue, you can’t walk into a frat house where everybody has been drinking looking like that. Every guy in there will get the wrong impression.”

“Camden, I’m not wearing anything that’s more revealing than Macie, what’s the big deal?”