“It’s nothing,” I insisted. “We’re lab partners. I was hungry. He offered to pay. What sane student passes up a free off-campus meal?”
“If that’s the way you want to play it.” Sasha rolled her eyes.
“Let’s talk about what we’re gonna wear,” Ellie interjected. I shot her a grateful glance, which she acknowledged with a wink. Sasha rolled her eyes again at our obvious ploy.
“I’m doing the bra and panty look this time,” Sasha told us. “I got a new set at Agent Provocateur the last time I was in Chicago. It’s a black widow getup with a spiderweb detailing in the butt area.”
“I’m going corset,” Ellie announced.
I shrugged. “I only have the one set that’s acceptable to wear without clothes.”
“I’m sure it will be hot, babe,” Sasha said. She finished her drink and set the mug on the coffee table. Standing up, she waved the invitations at us. “Shall we cab it down around ten?”
Ellie and I nodded our agreement, and Sasha left.
“So this is a good thing, right?” Ellie looked at me.
I nodded. “Very good. We get to trick ourselves out, ogle some man flesh, and dirty dance with some gay guys and hot lesbians until our feet bleed and there isn’t a brain cell functioning in our bodies.”
“Bo is that much of a temptation?” Ellie said knowingly.
I fell back against the sofa. “You have no idea,” I admitted with relief.
“Oh I do,” Ellie said ruefully. “Ryan sat next to me in class yesterday and again in lab today. He smelled delicious, like baked apples. I wanted to lick his neck.”
“Did you?”
“No, but I fantasized about him last night. A lot.”
“Did that help? Because I dreamt about Bo, and when I woke up, I was more frustrated than before,” I whined.
Ellie shook her head. “Do we need to watch Magic Mike?”
“No,” I groaned. “That would only make it worse.”
“You know we’ve got it bad when a naked and gyrating Channing Tatum can’t solve our problems.”
I rolled my head against the back of the sofa to smile at Ellie. “Take two CTs and call me in the morning.”
“If only.” Ellie slapped me on the knee and said, “Let’s go make ourselves irresistible.”
MY ONE RESPECTABLE SET OF underwear was from Agent Provocateur, too. Ellie and I had both bought a set when we were in the city. I’m pretty sure my mom would have died if she’d known that I spent some of my graduation money on this, but it seemed naughty and adult and fun. The bra was white with embroidered lace flowers with scalloped edges along the top of the cups. The straps were made of pink satin and were sewn to my exact size. It was a service that the store offered for free. Custom tailoring for underwear. I could hardly believe it when I bought the set.
The panties were made of the matching lace with the scallops dancing across my butt and along the v of my thighs. Pink satin laced up the sides and tied at each hip. I wore my hair down, curled, and hairsprayed. At the Garden, everyone seemed to wear makeup, from the gay boys to the cross-dressers and the lesbians. No amount of eyeliner was too much, and no color of lipstick was too red.
I shuffled out into the hallway with a pair of spike-heeled sandals unbuckled on my feet and a pair of wedges in my hand. Ellie was fluffing her hair and pulling at her corset. I held up the wedges with a query in my eyes. “Wedges are more comfortable,” I said, knowing what Ellie’s response would be.
“But the stilettos are sexier,” Ellie pointed out.
“Stilettos it is.” I dropped the wedges to the floor. Ellie turned and lifted her hair. She needed help fastening the corset. I hooked the laces and pulled a bit, finishing it off with a bow at the base of her spine.
We posed in front of our hallway mirror. “We look good,” Ellie said, drawing out good so that it sounded like three words.
“Let’s go, ladies,” Sasha called from the hallway. Ellie pulled on her long puffer coat and I wore my trench. It wasn’t even close to warm enough but it was the longest coat I had. I grabbed my clutch and double-checked that I had the invitations. Sasha pounded on the door. “COME ON.”
“Hold your panties,” I yelled. In the hallway, Sasha was standing with a hand on her hip, tapping her foot. The placement of her hand drew back the jacket so we could see the red and black webbing that made up her ensemble.
“Girl,” Ellie whistled, “you look amazing.”
Sasha winked at us. “So do you. Let’s get down to the Garden and dance our bows off.”