Free Elicit by Rachel van Dyken Page B

patient. He shot first, asked questions later—if he remembered to ask questions at all. So he was like a mini-me version of Tex.
    “This is nice.” Trace took a sip of coffee and threw on her sunglasses. “I haven’t gone shopping since Nixon bought me that Prada backpack.”
    “Ah…” I nodded. “The day of reckoning also known as the day the college kids tried to rough up my brother’s love interest.”
    “You make us sound like a movie.” Trace rolled her eyes. “Star-crossed lovers or something like that.”
    “Admit it,” Mil piped up. “After everything that’s gone down in the last year—we’d be like prime time.”
    “Like Scandal.” I nodded. “Only better.”
    “Bite your tongue!” Trace scolded and then laughed. She had a serious addiction to nighttime television.
    “So, you guys wanna stop anywhere else?” I asked while we walked by Victoria’s Secret. The guys were a few feet behind us.
    Trace looked up at the sign above the door. “Let’s go in here. You did just get married.”
    “By force.” I held up my hand. “So it’s not like Tex is going to be touching me or anything.” I said the last part in a grumbling tone because honestly, I would do anything, short of ending up in prison, for the guy to kiss me again. To kiss me like he wanted me.
    Mil and Trace shared a look before Mil pushed me towards the door. “He’s still a guy, Mo, believe me–” She tilted her head. “—all you need are a few… temptations. Besides, what could it hurt?”
    “Oh I don’t know.” I sang as they dragged me in. “My pride, my heart, my unborn child, my—”
    Mil held up her hand and rolled her eyes. “I get it. Now stop being a baby and let us whore you up.”
    “Oh goody.” I clapped my hands together in fake excitement. “That’s just what I need to do, look like one of Tex’s whores.”
    Trace pinched me in the arm.
    “Ouch!” I rubbed the spot. “What was that for?”
    Trace glared.
    Mil answered for her. “Your head’s in your ass, but that’s okay. If there’s anything I’m good at, it’s pulling heads out of asses and setting things to right again. Take Chase for example…”
    “Chase?” I repeated, as we walked further into the store, past the PINK section and into the lacy section that I had no business being in. “And just how did you help him?”
    “Easy.” Mil shrugged and gave us a sly smile. “I offered my temple of a body, and now he’s too exhausted to be a jackass. Problem solved.” She laughed and then shrugged as if to say what else can ya do?
    Trace threw her head back and laughed, giving Mil a high five.
    I fought a smile and turned away from them.
    Vinnie and Lou made their way into the store. Vinnie shook his head in disgust while Lou thumbed a nightgown with strings. It was meant to be sexy. He looked horrified; clearly complicated clothing messed with his head.
    “This.” Mil tapped me on the shoulder and shoved a few hangers of lingerie into my arms. “Go try on.”
    “How did you even—?”
    “Go!” Mil stomped her foot. “And when he can’t keep his hands off of you, I expect a ‘thank you, Mil.’”
    “You fit in too well.” Trace nodded. “I’m glad you’re keeping Chase and not giving up on him.”
    “Takes work.” Mil winked and rubbed her hands together. “But who am I to shy away from work?”
    “Just call it sex,” I grumbled stomping past them. “No more code words!”
    I slammed the door behind me and stared at my reflection in the mirror. Every moment I’d spent with Tex… it had always been simple. We slept together, we talked, we laughed. I’d never actually tried seducing him. If he said no? Or if he made fun of me, or worse yet, was disgusted, I wasn’t sure my already fragile heart could handle it.
    “Hurry up!” Mil banged on the door.
    Cursing, I tossed my purse onto the floor and fumbled with the first lacy thing I saw. It was a black, completely see-through and had a halter top that