Almost instantly, your phone buzzes. She must be super excited.
Corrine:Tonight!!!
Oh.
You’re actually a little disappointed. For a second there, you’d started to get excited about the fantasy of seeing Ziros’ face if you actually wore the bikini as intended. You know.Withoutyour leggings and tank top underneath.
But before you can reply and let your best friend know the bad news, your phone buzzes again. Only this time, it’s not her.
It’s your boss.
Boss Lady:Hey I’m really sorry, but a pipe burst in the cafetoday and it doesn’t look like we’ll be able to open again until tomorrow. I can try to move your shift to another day if you want the hours. So sorry!!!!
You stare down at your phone.
What the heck?
What are the chances?
Maybe it’s a sign from the universe or something. After all, you did just decide you’d leave this up to fate.
Guess it’s decided, then.
You glance in the mirror at the metallic gold scraps of fabric and string masquerading as actual clothing.
Honestly, it’s nottooterrible. Until you turn around, that is. You’ve probably worn equally revealing swim tops before. But the bottoms are a little…uh.
Well, there seems to be a trend in women’s swimwear lately that involves the backside of said bottoms becoming a lot narrower than they used to make them. And it’s a rather, uh,cheekylook.
And although you’d look hot, you’ve never dressed this daring before. Are you really going to wear such tiny bottoms in public? As in, where other people with eyes and phones with cameras can see?
Yes. Yes you are.
Before you can change your mind, you text your friend and your boss back, then you get back into your clothes and meet Ziros outside the dressing room.
He’s leaning against the wall, looking bored but somehow also hot. Maybe it’s the lean. Why are dudes leaning on walls so hot? For a second, you just stare at him before you can help yourself, and he shoots you a grin.
“Checking me out again?” He asks, making you blush.
Before he can tease you more, you blurt, “How would you like to go to a pool party?”
“A what?” He pushes off from the wall, looking surprisingly interested. And also still hot. It’s probably the chiseled jaw and smoldering, steel blue eyes. So maybe it wasn’t just the wall-lean after all.
Although you’re pretty sure that casual confident lean pose adds about ten hotness points on any given scale.
“A pool party. You know, that thing where there’s a pool, and people, and probably drinks. And hopefully snacks.” You stop mid-thought to wonder if you’re supposed to bring your own beer to a penthouse pool party. Hopefully not. “My friend Corrine invited us. Well—me. Technically. She doesn’t know you exist. But I’m sure she won’t mind.”
Yeah, Corrine would definitely not mind the addition of a hot dude for company.
Ziros just shrugs.
“Sure,” he says. “Why not?”
And just like that, you’re going to a pool party.
On your way to the register, you grab a pair of black board shorts from the men’s rack for Ziros. Happily, they’re also on extreme clearance!
It must be your lucky day or something.
