He can't be serious. "You can't be serious."
"I am. You have a presence, a way about you I found captivating. Like you had a grand plan before you came in, and you went about executing it methodically. First, pants. Then a shirt. I saw you hesitate, and at first I thought it might be a price issue, but when you looked around for the dressing room, I pegged you as a buy then try guy. Is that accurate?"
"It is," I reply. "I buy most of my clothes on the internet. I'm not a huge shopper," I say with a dry mouth then grimace when I realize I just confessed that to the owner of a high-end fashion boutique.
"Sky may be very attractive," Kip says, unbothered by my faux paus, his booming voice carrying through the door, sinking into my skin like sunlight. "But he's got nothing on you."
I turn on my heel, watch myself helplessly in the mirror as my mouth opens and closes like a damn fish out of water, and spin to face the door again.
"Did I make you uncomfortable?" Kip asks when I say nothing because I'm incapable of saying anything.
"No. It's just…"
I turn to face the mirror again.
Maybe I'm not as unattractive as I think I am? Maybe comparing myself to my gorgeous best friend my whole life has eroded not only my self-confidence, but also my ability to see myself properly?
My hair is nice, although I do prefer it when I grow it out in the summer and it naturally lightens a bit.
My face is okay. I'm no model or actor, but my eyes are bomb, and I'm honestly not that bothered by my slightly too big nose. It's straight, at least. Grandma Elsie used to say that my freckles and moles add character, and maybe she was right and they do.
My body could benefit from seeing the gym from the inside as opposed to just walking past it every day, but I'm somehow in pretty decent shape regardless.
And my ass?
NowthatI know is fan-fucking-tastic. It's bubbly, peachy, and can take a pounding like it's nobody's business.
I turn back to face the door again. "It's just that I've never taken anyone's breath away, that's all."
"I'm sure you have," Kip replies, a firm conviction underpinning his deep voice. "You probably just don't know it."
9
Kip
It's wild to think Darby doesn't see how gorgeous he is. Then again, I know better than most that how you see yourself and how the world sees you can be two very different things.
I grip the massive dildo, curling my fingers around its intimidating girth. "Sky wanted you to use this thing on yourself?"
"Yep."
"It's awfully big."
"I know."
I suck in a breath. "You sure you could take it all?"
"That is one thing I am one hundred percent confident about," he fires back.
"Is that so?" I ask, and I hear that slapping sound again, like his brain might be catching up to what's going on here.
Is every single thing about this situation completely unexpected?
Absolutely.
Right now, I'm meant to be doing some last-minute shopping before heading back home to put the finishing touches on the Christmas decorations before everyone comes over tomorrow.
Do I want this to ever stop?
