The reply came back almost instantaneously.
Matty: I squeezed them and imagined it was you. And yes, I'd love to see you.
Sloan closed her eyes and imagined lunch: lingering touches, a brush of fingers under the table, Sloan's mouth close to her ear, soft and precise, promising what might come later if she could make it through lunch without combusting.
Sloan: I'll have to bring Mum. Can you hold it together?
Matty: Yes—of course. I can do lunch with Gloria. I'll behave. Just…don't make me wait too long, yeah? I've been on edge all morning, thinking about your hands on me, and it's taking everything I've got not to touch myself.
Sloan clutched the phone to her chest and stood very still until the urge eased.
Sloan: Banjo's. One hour. Sit beside me. Opposite Mum. Do you wear dresses?
The typing bubble appeared, then stopped.
Matty:Yes, I do.
Sloan: Good. Do that. No tights. One hour.
She set the phone down and went to her underwear drawer. Reaching in, she took out her favourite set and started pulling it on. The rich petrol-blue lace against her skin always made her feel worth wanting, and today, she wanted to feel desirable, and fully aware of her body and the effect Matty had on it.
***
Matty placed down her phone and opened her wardrobe door. Yes, she had dresses, and yes, she liked to wear them, but she didn’t have many and definitely didn’t have anything she’d have picked for lunch with Sloan.
She glanced at herself in the mirror—black jeans, white T-shirt. Neutral. Not sexy.
Hangers slid left, then right, as she considered every item. In the end, she settled on an off-the-shoulder summer dress that fell just below the knee, no bra required. It was bright yellow, dotted with tiny blue forget-me-nots.
The material brushed her nipples every time she moved—a constant reminder not to touch.
She groaned, then grinned to herself. She wanted Sloan’s eyes on her—quick, hungry glances she’d feel like heat—while Gloria sat opposite, none the wiser.
She paired the dress with comfortable slingbacks and a small bag and checked herself in the mirror again. At the last minute, she untied the hairband and let her curls fall free, running her hands through them until they tickled her bare shoulders.
“Not bad,” she said to herself, giving a twirl. “This should definitely give Sloan something to think about.”
On her way out, Sarah wolf-whistled, adding, “Go get her, tiger.”
“That’s the plan. I’ll see you later when I pop back and get changed for work.”
Sarah laughed. “You should pull a sickie. Spend the night with Sloan.”
Matty couldn’t deny she’d thought about it, but then…wasn’t that half the fun?
Chapter forty-one
As Matty approached the restaurant, she caught sight of Sloan and Gloria. Something had shifted between them, but she couldn’t work out what.
Sloan held the door and Gloria shuffled in with her cane. No comment, no complaint, she just kept going. Sloan didn’t roll her eyes. She just patiently waited, then followed Gloria inside.
Catching up, Matty was about to push the door open when it disappeared from reach and a man held it for her. Smiling, he said, “After you.”
“Thanks.” Matty smiled back and stepped inside. She scanned the room and found Sloan looking at her from a table to the right. Gloria was already holding the menu and reading through it.
“Hey.”
“Hello,” Sloan answered, standing as she approached. Relief flickered across Sloan’s face—gone almost instantly, but Matty caught it.
