Seeming oblivious, Beck and Patrick had been talking to Seth about designing a matching tattoo for the three of them.
The concerts were in full swing at different ends of the expansive Expo Center grounds and she could tell by the dust cloud lit by the bright lights that the parade loop was already moving. The center of the loop was filled with RVs and rally-goers having a good time. The one-way lane would be lined with bikers, motorcycle enthusiasts, and their friends. Music would be blasting and everyone would be partying. Knowing that Patrick and Beck wouldn’t be happy about her being down there quelled her enthusiasm for the spectacle. Being on the outs with her men wasn’t worth it.
Realizing she might not see the girls for a while, if they took a ride with their men after getting painted, Lucy went over to Charity to speak with her briefly. Charity turned to Lucy with a smile as she brushed her long, wavy blonde hair out and then pinned it up with a clip. She stood there confidently, her breasts bare and Lucy was a little awed. “Are you coming, too, Lucy?”
Lucy smiled and played with the front laces on her corset as she said, “No. I don’t want to tempt fate, and…well…I’m not in the mood anymore. We may leave in a little while and I just wanted to thank you for having Ransome and Val watch over us today.”
“They’re nice guys. I knew they’d treat you with respect and make you feel safe. You and Jayne were drawing lots of attention—”
“Oh hell no!” Beck suddenly hollered from a few feet away as he stormed toward her. Lucy was filled with shock at his obvious fury and darted a look around thinking a fight had started somewhere. Her jaw dropped in shock when he got in her face.
Pointing at Lucy’s leather halter corset, he growled, “You’re out of your damned mind if you think that’s coming off. You are not getting body paint.”
“Beck, I’m—”
Charity’s shocked expression embarrassed her further.
Beck slashed a hand through the air. “No. It’s bad enough that you’ve been walking around flashing your cleavage and showing off your legs in that outfit. You’re not flashing your bare tits, too. There are limits, Lucy, and you are pissing me off!”
Over Beck’s shoulder, Lucy saw it when Patrick rolled his eyes and then buried his face in his palms. At least she didn’t have to worry about him getting his panties in a twist. He looked at her and shook his head in disgust and sympathy.
Charity licked her lips, put her hand on her hip and looked at Beck like he was one spurt shy of a cum-shot. “Beck, she was thanking me for doing something for her. She wasn’t planning to go topless, you dickhead.” Standing there completely bare from the waist up, feminine power radiated from Charity as she stuck up for her friend.
Beck frowned and the moment it dawned on him what he’d just done, Lucy yanked at the string on the front of her corset.
Lucy’s voice trembled as she spoke. “You know what they say, Beck. It’s better to be pissed off than pissed on.”
The entire group went silent until all she could hear was the painful throbbing of her heart and the snick of the laces as she yanked them through the grommets until the corset came loose.
The humid air felt cool on her suddenly bare flesh and she hid her gasp as her nipples tightened into diamond-hard points, knowing everyone could see her.
Lucy handed the corset to Jayne and asked her to keep it safe for her. “I won’t be long, I promise.”
“Are you kidding?” Jayne asked. “I may not want to get painted but I’m coming with you!”
Jayne ran to Seth who was talking with someone, while Beck, Patrick, and all the other men still stood there looking dumbfounded, and whispered to her husband.
Seth looked at his wife, saw Lucy over her shoulder and hollered, “Shit! Oh my god!” and clapped his hand over his eyes and nodded at Jayne when she explained she was going with Lucy. He took the garment from her, waved blindly, and in a pained voice, he said, “Okay. Love you, baby.”
Jayne returned, giggling, and said, “I think you traumatized your brother.”
Charity, Rachel, Jayne, and Lucy turned toward the exit leading out to the maze of tents where the body-painting artist was located. Justin, Eli, and Ransome were right behind them.
At the last second, Lucy turned back, fighting the sting of tears in her eyes and glared at Beck, who looked stricken. “Any other incisive opinions you’d like to share with me?” It was on the tip of her tongue to call him a dickhead, too, but she didn’t feel right about it. Doing this was enough to get her point across.
The muscles in his jaw bunched as though he was grinding his molars into powder and she turned without another word and walked out of the glass doors with her friends. Bare-skinned, they strutted out into the crowd and made their way to the body painting tent. Shoulders back, Lucy walked proudly and kept her eyes on her destination, praying like hell that in her upset state she didn’t miss a step in her high heels and wind up on her ass. She shook like a leaf in the wind on the inside.