Priceless (Forbidden Men #8)(62)

“Sorry,” Ten told me, even though he didn’t appear to be very apologetic, especially when he leaned closer and whispered, “I’d go with that red and black set if I were you.” Then he flashed me the okay sign and grinned. “Total winner.”

I laughed, even though my face was scorching hot.

Behind me, the door came open, and thankfully Caroline rushed to shove my underwear back into the sack and out of sight. But when she saw who’d entered, she relaxed. “Oh. It’s just you.”

“Quinn!” Zoey gasped and hurried for the entrance.

I turned in time to watch her step up onto her toes to hug her husband hard. “You’re home early today.”

“The last surgery I was going to assist with was canceled.” He glanced at the rest of us over his wife’s shoulder. “What’s going on?”

“We’re practicing fancying Sarah up so she can seduce Brandt,” Caroline answered bluntly before taking her attention from my face to glance his way. Then she let out a loud whistle. “Damn, Dr. Hamilton. You look good in scrubs.”

Ten choked on his surprise. “Excuse me?”

“What?” Caroline shrugged. “I’m just saying...damn. He looks good in scrubs.”

A confused Quinn looked at his wife, raising his eyebrows. She blushed. “Did you check in on Eva and Pick before coming home?”

“Yeah,” he murmured. “Her contractions are still three minutes apart, and she’s only four centimeters dilated. It’ll be a couple more hours yet.” After taking me in, then Caroline and Ten, he turned back to Zoey. “Does Mason know about this seduction thing?”

“Oh, sure,” Ten answered. “We consulted him before the girls took her panty shopping. No, he doesn’t know about it. Are you insane? We actually value our lives.”

“Um...okay, then.” Quinn scanned the room. “Where are the kids?”

Before anyone could answer, a cacophony of sound entered the hall. Then two boys followed by a giggling towheaded girl raced into the room as Teagan tried to catch up with Luke and JB.

“Aww,” Caroline called, watching her eighteen-month-old daughter. “She’s chasing the boys already.”

“What?!” Looking suddenly panicked, Ten snatched Teagan off the floor and into his arms as she passed. “Not until she’s thirty-f*cking-five.”

“Dada,” Teagan cheered, patting his face with her chubby little fingers.

Ten kissed her on the nose. “Yes, baby, I love you too. And I’m the only man you’ll ever love.”

“Okay, now that’s sexier than any pair of scrubs,” Caroline decided, abandoning me so she could wrap her arms around her husband and daughter together and give them both kisses.

Across the room, I swear Zoey murmured, “Not hardly,” as she cuddled against Quinn’s arm before he bent down to greet his two sons, who seemed happy he was home.

I sat there, watching the two families and feeling really kind of pathetic and embarrassed for even remotely thinking I should try anything with Brandt.

He’d been right. It would’ve totally ruined our friendship, but not just that. Our families were so entwined together as friends; it might’ve even caused a rift in our entire group.

Not wanting to do that, I started for the door, ready to go and needing to hide out in my room until my shame dissipated.

But Caroline called after me. “Sarah? Wait! What’re you...where are you going?”

I paused, feeling crappy for just taking off. But no one here needed me. And I really felt the urge to slink off in shame. “I’m going to head home,” I said, barely looking her way.

“Um...okay. Here. Don’t forget this.” She made certain to hand me my bag, adding a conspiratorial wink as she did. Then she whispered, “Good luck.”

I didn’t answer. I just left, waving to the others before blowing out the door and hurrying as fast as I could to my car.

I was tempted to throw the entire sack in the trash as soon as I rolled into my room. But after I tossed it on the bed, I paused and eyed it curiously. I hadn’t bothered to try anything on at the boutique. After the sales clerk measured me, and it matched my usual sizes, we all figured that would be close enough.

They had made sure to find me a front-clasp bra, something I could manage on my own. And the red silk and black lace set really had been—okay, so I was tempted to try them on once. I had to at least know how I looked in that pair...or maybe in all the pairs.

Feeling giddily naughty, I closed the blinds and then stripped out of my clothes. I tried on the pale blue one first, then the pink set. Finally, I tried on the red, fringed-in-black ensemble. After inspecting myself in my full-length mirror, I decided the wheelchair kind of threw off some of the sexiness, so I climbed out and sat on the bed, posing and then laughing because I looked ridiculous.

Well...kind of ridiculous, anyway. Caroline had prettied up my face and my hair looked good. And okay, the bra made my breasts really push up and seem almost full and rounded. And with the cut of the panties, the way they emphasized the curve of my hip and dip in my waist, I might actually consider myself half-decent-looking.

Actually...I was amazed how nice I did look. Hesitantly, I reached out to slide my finger down my ribcage and over the dips and curves until I reached my hip. Someone somewhere could possibly even think I looked beautiful.