Smoke and Wishes (Best Wishes #1)(68)
“This is it. No more shopping for me,” my proclamation rang throughout the boutique. Cursing under my breath, I realized I would need a thong and a strapless bra to make this dress work. “Maybe just some underthings,” I added a little more quietly.
“Don’t let me see it, we can surprise each other on the day of the dance! I booked us hair and nail appointments for that morning. I’m so excited! I’m kind of glad neither of us have dates so we can just go together,” I smiled as I slipped the dress off and hung it back up.
“I don’t get to see it? How rude!” Benji exclaimed, but his words were laced with laughter. “I’m sure you’ll both look amazing, I’m excited to see you two all done up since neither of you really wear makeup or get all fancy. It’s going to be weird to see Sadie dressed like an actual adult for once.” I smiled to myself in the dressing room as I pulled on my sweater.
Benji and Sadie’s friendship was always warm and accepting. They proved time and time again that they had my back. It was bad timing that Sadie had a family emergency last weekend when Char had come to campus. It had been precisely what I needed, I just wish Sadie could have been there, although I’m sure Benji would have fit in perfectly too, if he hadn’t spent it with Austin.
“I’m excited too, I couldn’t ask for a better date,” I smiled at her when we emerged from the dressing room. “Thank you guys, truly. For being there for me for this semester, I know it’s been kind of a shit show, but I really appreciate it.” I felt my eyes well up when I looked at my small, loud, eccentric, crazy colorful roommate who had quickly become one of my best friends before turning to the quiet, lanky boy who was slowly growing into a more confident shifter. His smile was sincere, eyes sparkling, as he jumped up and rushed to me, his lean muscles constricting around my shoulders before letting go.
“Girl, don’t you dare cry on me. You know I wouldn’t have it any other way. You’re my best friend, Lucie. I’ll always be here for you,” Sadie ambushed me as soon as Benji stepped back, causing me to stumble as she hugged me tightly. I threw my arms around her and squeezed back.
“I’ll try to contain my emotional outbursts from now on,” I laughed away the tears as we headed to the front of the store. Benji’s arm wrapped around the back of my neck as he snapped a quick selfie of us smiling brightly at the camera while Sadie stepped up to the counter. Waiting for her to pay, I quickly sent that photo I had taken to the twins. When she finished up, I handed the woman my card, signed the receipt, and took my bagged dress.
I hadn’t felt my phone vibrate with any notifications and with my nerves building from the lack of response from either of them, I just had to look. Oh my fucking shit, I felt my pulse jump painfully when I noticed it was sent to the group message thread I had just been texting on. The one with Hudson on the recipient list. Fuck, fuck, fuck. I shut off my phone and shoved it into my pocket, intent on ignoring the situation and hoping it went away. Because that always works, right?
Logan
The weight clanged loudly when it landed in the cradle. Sweat dripped down my face and back as I moved to sit and switched spots with Landon, spotting for him while he completed his last set. When he finished, I strode over towards my towel, water, and phone, chugging a few gulps from my water bottle. Snatching my phone up off the gym floor, ready to check for a response from Lucie.
“We good to head back?” Landon huffed, pulling my attention from my phone. His body just as sweat coated as mine, after all of the pent up aggression of the last few weeks we had been going to the gym a lot more often. Not that I would complain. While we weren’t as muscular as Dante, we had gained a massive amount of definition that I was personally proud of. My muscles burned from exertion as I followed him out into the quad from the fitness center.
The walk to our room was quick since it was directly next to our dorm building, and the cold of the late afternoon breeze helped to cool me down. I held off on checking my phone, on the off chance she had decided to send me something a little more risqué. Our relationship, if that’s what you could call hooking up in tandem with your brother once and hanging out in a group, hadn’t graduated into sexting territory, but I sure as hell wouldn’t be opposed. Quickly gathering a change of clothes from my room, I rushed to the bathroom, shoving Landon out of the doorway and onto his ass. He always got to shower first. Not today mother fucker. Slamming the door on his protests, I threw down my clothes and started the water, finally checking my phone.
Holy.
Fucking.
Hell.
Lucie was posing in a pair of lacy underwear, beautiful pale skin on display. Her belly button held a shiny glint, but I was too distracted by the swell of her breasts and the curve of her hips to pay it much attention. Even with the scarring on her torso, she looked absolutely edible. My mind flashed to her trapped between my twin and me, remembering the softness of her skin under my lips and fingers. I tossed my phone on the counter running my hands through my hair. I changed the water setting from hot to cold. Jumping in, I submitted myself to the dreaded ‘cold shower routine’.
Once my pulse regulated, I finished washing off and got out, forgoing boxers and merely stepping into a pair of sweatpants. Unlocking my phone, I caught another glimpse of Lucie’s creamy complexion, losing myself in my memories. A pounding on the door snapped my attention away from her photo. I yanked the door open, Landon’s heated eyes met mine.