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Dressing down for the parade was always nice but the feeling of putting on a slinky, slutty outfit for the following night out, felt even better.

She stumbled inside, her legs weak from standing and dancing, near 6pm. Ari’s home was quiet and well air-conditioned, a welcome break from the bright, hot sun, and the noisy crowd.

She always tried to stay in the moment at the parade, enjoying seeing her community out and proud, but she couldn’t lie: she was flooded with relief as soon as she came back inside.

She stood in her kitchen, her feet against the cold stone floors as she grabbed a day old sandwich from the fridge. She scarfed it down, knowing if she wanted to sleep, she’d need to head to her bed quickly.

Once she was done with her food, she tossed the wrapper in her stainless steel trash bin, somehow completely devoid of fingerprints, and headed into her room. She tore off her sweaty shirt and slipped off her skirt, throwing them into her closet as she fell into bed.

As she lay on her pillowy, king sized mattress, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. She had gotten used to Cass’s touch throughout the day. As she drifted to sleep, she tried to imagine what it would feel like to have Cass’s arms wrapped around her as their breathing slowed and matched pace.

* * *

Before Ari knew it, her alarm was sounding from her phone. She startled awake, gulping down air as she opened her eyes.

She had passed out harder than she expected.

Maybe it was the sun exposure… or maybe it was dreaming of Cass’s touch.

She didn’t have time to think about it too deeply, instead launching herself out of bed and heading straight for the shower.

She needed at least an hour and half to fix her hair, put on her face, and get dressed. At this rate, she would definitely be late for the 9pm meet time. But, to be fair, she didn’t expect anyone else would be on time either.

She hopped into the shower, happy to wash off the sweat and sunscreen from the day. Her body tingled as the warm water dripped down her body, it felt like a sad replacement for the touch of another woman. But it would have to do.

Looking down her body, she realized she hadn’t shaved her entrance in months. After all, if no one was going to be down there, why would she bother?

She grabbed her razor, considering whether to take the time to clean herself up. But as she reached down, she considered whether she could trust herself to not sleep with Cass if she knew her body was groomed and ready.

As she considered it, she felt around her folds, somehow growing slick from the thought of Cass exploring them.

Better not, she decided, setting the razor back on its wire, black brass shelf.

Maybe it would encourage her to behave.

She hopped out of the shower and quickly blow-dried her hair, before pulling out her curling iron and getting to work.

Luckily, her intense schedule meant she had gotten pretty used to speeding through her routine. But, Pride was a special night and she wanted to look perfect. Maybe to tease Cass, and maybe to find someone else.

Once her makeup and hair were down, she headed to her closet in a loose pajama shirt. She started with lingerie, shoving her clothes hangers out of her way as she made her way to the very back where a collection of one-pieces were collecting dust.

She grabbed a red, lace teddy and held it up to her body. She had bought it after her last breakup, hoping to give her body a new life. But, she’d never felt sexy enough to wear it.

Pulling it off the hanger, she slid her body into it. It lifted her breasts, creating a subtle cleavage that would surely draw eyes to her chest.

Even if she couldn’t sleep with Cass, Ari wanted to tempt her. So she chose a lightweight, white blazer and a trouser that hugged her ass. She slipped them one, leaving the teddy visible for the night out.

It was bolder than she would normally go for, but she wanted to show out for Pride… and for Cass.

As she finished off her look, she looked at herself in the mirror. She let her hand drift down her body and rest on her hips.

With an approving nod, she headed to the kitchen where she grabbed a gilded whiskey glass and poured out a portion of tequila.

She typed out a text to Tommy and Cass separately:

On my way to G’s in a few.

She sent the message, put her phone down and shot the drink to the back of her throat.