The night Lily had been in the fire at the clubhouse, she had unconsciously revealed her past to everyone living there. Her nightmarish childhood had roused Bliss’s sympathy. It had helped her hold back her jealousy toward her until Lily had been threatening to leave Shade because of his past. Bliss remembered thinking, Doesn’t the woman understand loyalty?
Bliss took another sip of her hot coffee, punishing herself with the burn because it turned out Lily had understood loyalty. She had been trying to protect Shade. By then, though, Bliss had made a fool of herself in front of him and the other club members, calling Lily a bitch and telling her she would be in a psych ward if it weren’t for her husband.
“I appreciate the courtesy. I have a friend who will let me crash on her couch for the night.” Ginny didn’t seem too angry. In fact, the woman didn’t have a temper at all as far as Bliss could tell.
Bliss had lived her life with numerous women, and Ginny was different from them all. If the woman hadn’t told her that she didn’t have sisters, Bliss would have thought she had lived with several. She was easygoing, never a picky bitch, wasn’t nosy, and didn’t mind if Bliss helped herself to her spare T-shirts when she was running behind on laundry. She was the perfect roommate for her.
“Thanks.”
Bliss began planning what she would cook for dinner. It had to be something easy; she was a lousy cook and didn’t want the night ruined by something burned.
She decided she would call King’s restaurant later that afternoon and order two steaks and salads. She would also buy dessert at Willa’s bakery.
“No problem. I don’t mind this once.” Ginny was letting her know she wasn’t going to make a habit of leaving her home every time Bliss wanted to get laid.
Bliss smiled. “I think I’m beginning to like you.”
Ginny smiled back. “Let me know when you make up your mind. I’ll put you on my Christmas list.”
“I love presents! Green is my favorite color. Red is my least.”
“Okay … I’ll tell Santa if he asks.”
Bliss turned away, setting down her coffee cup. “He won’t. I’ve been on Santa’s naughty list so long they’ve taken my name off. Now, I need to get busy if I’m going to be ready for Drake to come.”
“It’s only eight in the morning.”
“I know, but I have a lot to do.”
Bliss escaped upstairs, where she straightened her room then vacuumed the whole floor. Ginny was always neat; Bliss was the messy one. When she dressed in the morning, even if she wasn’t going out, she would try numerous outfits on until she was satisfied, leaving clothes strewn around the room. She hadn’t vacuumed her room in a month, and the dust balls were peeking out from under the bed. She had been enjoying not having to clean.
When she lived at the clubhouse, it seemed like she was pulling that punishment or chore every week. It was strange, but she didn’t mind the housework so much that morning.
Heading downstairs to start a load of laundry, she saw Ginny had cleaned the kitchen before going to work. The dirty coffee cups had disappeared, and the counters had been wiped down. So had the kitchen table that had become a catch-all for their mail and coupons, which Ginny painstakingly clipped every week, despite Bliss offering grocery money for food she didn’t eat. Ginny had refused, saying throwing coupons away was like throwing money away. Bliss hadn’t disagreed when she had handed over two coupons for her mac and cheese.
Starting the laundry, she went to the fridge to get a bottled water, finding a note on the refrigerator door Ginny had placed there.
All girls are on the good list.
Tell Santa that, Bliss thought to herself.
After the house was cleaned and the laundry done, she glanced at the time. Realizing it was already after four, she called in her food order then went back upstairs to get herself ready. She picked out a leather skirt and vest, thinking, Drake won’t be turning me down again. They had been out on four dates, and if he didn’t fuck her that night, she was done.
The man made her so horny she was tempted to take care of the problem herself. The only reason she hadn’t, although she hated to admit it, was because of the anticipation.
If he told her one more time that he wanted to get to know her better, she was going to shock the shit out of him by ripping her clothes off. When she was done with him, he would know her in every possible way, including a few positions he had probably never thought of.
Staring at herself in the mirror, she adjusted her skirt until it was a little higher. Once she ran her hand through her gelled hair to spike it up farther, she was ready.