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Lexi appeared and laughed. “Well, you could wear it that way, but it might get you tossed out for public indecency. Besides, we don’t want you showing off the goods until you have your guy.”
“Haha,” I responded, softening my sarcasm with a smile.
With deft fingers, Lexi tied the three ribbons and grinned. One near my throat, the second at the curviest part of my chest, and the other where my natural waist sat. I was hesitant to see what I looked like. This dress showed off more skin than I was used to, but when I re-entered the living room and saw the dreamy looks on Jenn’s face I had to see what they did.
I closed my eyes and faced the mirror.
“You look amazing,” Jenn whispered. “Doesn’t she?” She grabbed onto Lexi’s arms.
I opened my eyes to see the dress and gasped. “I love it.” I pulled out the sides of the skirt and gave a little twirl.
“Wow. This dress was made for you,” Lexi said with a smile.
I nodded. This dress was definitely a winner and would be the first outfit I wore when I went out with Killian to practice dating.
It would be good for my confidence.
As we dove back into the sea of outfits and returned the ones I didn’t want to the racks, I couldn’t shake the feeling that perhaps I was chasing the wrong dream.
Until now, I’d been so focused on Peter falling in love with me that I’d neglected everything else.Everyoneelse. Myself included. I thought again about Killian’s words about me being beautiful just as I was.
What if …No.
I wasn’t going there.. I had a plan and everything would fall into place.
Chapter Eighteen
KILLIAN
I’d had to get out of there.
One single moment was all it took for me to almost blow our plan out of the water.
Not knowing what else to do with my nervous energy, I hurried down the hall to my home recording studio.
Inside, I strummed my guitar, losing myself in the words and melody that ran through my head. The soft, gentle lighting gave the space a feeling of calm. With each note and word I scratched into my old notebook, I recognized its potential to be a hit. I couldn’t believe I was finally able to write. The song was coming to me all at once and I was doing my best to capture it.
Not being able to create new music had left a gaping hole inside me. Music was a part of me in a way that my heart and my soul were. It was as natural as breathing. I hated how I felt less than when I couldn’t get past it. I hadn’t told anyone how worried I’d been that I may have completely lost my mojo. And while I wasn’t sure what had jump-started this creative kick, I wasn’t going to let it go to waste.
“That’s beautiful, Killian.”
I jerked my head at the sound of Trissa’s voice and almost choked on my spit.
Holy shit.She looked stunning.
Damn, did that dress show off every curve and make me want to unwrap her like a present, then run my tongue down her body until she begged for more. And as sexy as she was in that dress, it was the newfound confidence that hit me the hardest. “You’rebeautiful, Tink.”
She grinned, and I’d bet my penthouse she was blushing under all that makeup. “New song?”
The moment she spoke, it hit me. She was the only thing to change in my life lately.
Trissabelle Byrd was the reason I’d started writing songs again.
Tris was my muse.
“Yeah, we’ll be in the recording studio next week. Wicked Ways needs new material for the upcoming album.” A weird uncomfortable feeling settled over me and tied my insides in knots. If Tris was my muse, what would happen when she walked away once I helped her find someone to start her life with?
I studied her as she leaned awkwardly against the doorframe, adjusting and readjusting a burgundy dress that only the devil could have designed. “I can already tell it’ll be a hit. I can’t wait to hear it when you’re done.”