Page 6 of A Treasure To Keep
“Hi, Luci, it’s nice to meet you. Please call me El. Eleanora is what my parents call me when they want to be dramatic. I know I brought a lot with me, but this asshat wouldn’t tell me your style. I can see you prefer the basics.” She’s wary of me, and I can tell she assumes I have ulterior motives. Something tells me there’s more to that locked door than anyone is telling me.
“Um, yeah I guess. I usually grab what’s in decent enough shape and flatters me. I never put a ton of thought into my fashion.” Her lack of eye contact makes me wonder if she’s hadsomeone in her life say negative things about her body. I’ve been there. Dealt with that. There’s no point in calling her out on it. I’m excited about the blank canvas in front of me, ready to dress her up like I did my dolls growing up.
“That’s great! We have a ton here and can go through any and all of it. Some items may be out of your comfort zone, but thrill me, and try it on. If you hate it, we’ll move on. You ready?” I’m shuffling through everything before she answers, pulling what I think she’d be comfortable with while scattering a couple of items to expand her taste.
“Perfect! First, we’ll get an idea for your personal style. After that, we can focus on shoes, makeup, and my favorite: lingerie. Don’t worry, I’ll kick out the caveman for that part.”
Marco takes the chance to speak up because, of course, he has something to say. “Hey! I’m offended. I’m here for supervision and to give opinions from the male point of view.”
He’s ridiculous. “Oh please, you’re here because you love shopping and want to avoid your responsibilities. Now behave or I will shove my stiletto far enough up your ass, you’ll need a general surgeon to get it out.”
Marco eyes me up and down like he’s ready to devour me. Fuck, that’s sexy. “Tesoro, I know Andrea is your boyfriend, but if you threaten me with a good time, I’ll have to ask him for a repeat of New Year’s Eve.” I know Luci notices I’m turning red out of embarrassment. Most of the embarrassment comes from the wetness between my legs. I can’t deny it’s all me and not leftovers from the dressing room shenanigan earlier.
Thankfully, Luci interrupts Marco’s uncomfortable flirting. “El, this is extremely kind, but I don’t think you understand what’s going on.”
Needing to change the subject, I shove what I picked out at her and push her into the bathroom. “Start with the green A-line dress while I find some shoes to go with it. It’ll accentuate yourhot as fuck waist, and the green will bring out your eyes. Now shoo.”
The tension between Marco and me is intense, yet neither of us says anything. Just when I can sense one of us almost crack, Luci comes rushing out of the bathroom wearing the dress I handed her. Flames practically burst from her hazel eyes. “Why did Alessandro send you? You’re great, but if this is some ruse to get me to like him, it’s not going to happen. Alessandro and Marco kidnapped me and stuck me in here while forcing me to marry Alessandro. Can you honestly say you’re okay with that?”
My jaw drops when she bursts out of the bathroom. Who knew something that basic could look that fabulous? That dress was seriously made for her. “Luci! Babe! You’re fucking hot! Spin for me.”
Instantly, I dig through the copious amount of crap that’s piled on these clothing racks. Where are those shoes I brought for her? It’s official; I brought too much. “Got it! Luci put these on. These will bring a dressy-ish vibe to that dress, making it perfect for brunch or a more casual event. Wait!”
My brain finally processes certain words from when I was hunting for the shoes. Did Luci seriously say what I thought she said? Fucking. Marco.
I pivot in Marco’s direction, throwing the shoes in my hands at his big head. Unfortunately for me, Marco intersects both heels. Is he fucking serious? I push on Marco’s chest in an attempt to push him back, but he might as well be nailed to the floor. Has his chest always been this muscular? Not the right time, El! “You never told me you had to kidnap her. What the fuck is wrong with you?”
He tilts his head down, and with my heels, it wouldn’t take much for our lips to connect. How can I be this angry and tempted to jump his bones at the same time?
“I’m following orders. If you have issues with this, take it up with Alessandro or Geno.” Oh, I will. He doesn’t have to tell me twice.
I turn to where the heels landed, picking them up as I walk over to Luci. Marco makes slight sputtering sounds, confirming that my hair hit him in the chin. Good. He deserves it. “Honey, I promise I had no idea. All dumbass Marco told me is that you were payment for a debt. If I could do something to change this, I would, but all I could do is bitch about it to annoy Alessandro. What I can do is make you look fabulous, which hello, you do. Tell me I’m wrong. I dare you.”
A small gasp leaves Luci’s mouth when I grab her shoulders, turning her to face the cracked mirror. I wonder what happened to it. Whatever, that doesn’t matter. Other than the gasp, no one speaks until I break the silence in a sing-song type of way. “I know you see it as much as I do.”
Without processing more of Luci’s reaction, I turn toward Marco, excited to get him the fuck out of this room. “Ok, ass. Don’t get comfortable. I’m kicking you out. You can go back to chasing tail like a homeless man asking for money.”
Of course, the only thing he brings is a smart-ass answer when I shove him out of the room. “El, I’m heartbroken. I need to make sure—you know, as Alessandro’s best friend—that everything is good for him. While I’m here, you can try on some of the same things too. I’ll fill in for Andrea then tell him the favorites. Call it research for all intents and purposes.” Fuckin. Marco.
I know Luci picks up on the silence that’s a hair too long before I snap myself back into reality. “Whatever. No one asked for your opinion.”
I pound on the door, hoping to get Marco out of the room ASAP. “Enzo! Come get Marco out of here, per favore e grazie.Bye-bye!” Enzo scans his finger to unlock the door, finally opening it to let Marco out.
Marco raises his arms in surrender as he walks out of the door. “Alright! Alright! I’ll leave. If Alessandro doesn’t approve of the clothes you’ve picked out for Luci, I’m blaming you.” Thankfully, he disappears down the hallway seconds before Enzo gently shuts the door, making sure it doesn’t close on me. What a gentleman.
I swear I’ve rolled my eyes more in the last couple of hours than I have in my entire life. I will say I’m excited to have Luci by myself, hoping it makes her more comfortable with me. “Alright, babe, let’s get this show on the road. I know these guys are intense, and I definitely don’t approve of their dumbass actions, but my job is to take you from cute to smoking hot. Also, I’ve decided we’re going to be best friends. You’re adorable and I can see the spunk behind your eyes begging to be released. I can help you bring that spunk out. In the meantime, let’s have fun draining Alessandro’s money!”
She’s silent, only my voice filling the air as I teach her how to put on makeup. We keep everything fairly simple, but I know she’s secretly having fun when she tries to hide her smile.
I swear I can see a blue spark in her hazel eyes when she notices how naturally beautiful she is. Potentially for the first time.
“Yes! Perfect! Now, the fun part. What do you normally wear for lingerie? I don’t want to shock you and throw you into something you wouldn’t wear. Unless you give me creative freedom, of course.” Please give me creative freedom!
That sparkle in her eyes dissipates into insecurity when I mention sexy clothes. I’m convinced someone in her life mentioned her body, not only from a ‘don’t have sex until marriage’ point but also from a ‘be skinnier’ standpoint. If she only knew how much I understood.
“Normally I wear a regular bra and underwear. I’ve never worn lingerie. I’ve never had anyone to wear it for.” Of course, that’s how she thinks.
I know exactly what I need to find for her. Something to give her confidence while keeping her comfortable. “First off, you do not need to be wearing it for anyone except yourself, and two, that’s fine. Here, we’ll do a few basic bra and panty sets and maybe one or two fun things. Ok, let’s do a black unlined lace bra and underwear set. Black is simple and men love lace. Don’t ask me why. It’s hardwired into their brain or something. The unlined bra will give a slight peek at your nipples and the tease is the hot part about it. Then, for fun, we can do this purple bodysuit. Purple will also bring out your eyes, the deep v will show off your awesome tits, and since it’s high-cut, it’ll accentuate these fabulous hips we both have. Trust me, babe, when my boyfriend saw me in this he came in his pants right then right there. Men are simple creatures. You just have to know how to use that to your advantage. Now here. Take them.”