Right. Of course. They were all girls. Since her brother was due back soon, she shut the door, then held up the first article of clothing. “These pants look tiny. How is my big ass supposed to fit in them?”
Kristy looked at the ceiling. “Oh, you poor, sheltered dear. You need me in your life more than I realized.” Abandoning Emmie, she strode over and put an arm around Mak’s bare shoulders. “Okay, think of me as your fairy godmother. First of all, you do not have a big ass. You have the kind of ass that guys go nuts for. Trust me. A little bit of plump to your peach is a damn good thing. These are faux leather leggings,” she said as she pulled the leggings off the store hanger. “They’re the Spanx ones. They’ll make that ass look like a million bucks, trust me. Put the damn things on.”
Spanx? What the hell were Spanx? And did she want guys going nuts over her ass? After eyeing the leggings once again, Mak sighed and said, “Yes, ma’am.”
“These first,” Kristy said as she tossed something from the bag.
Mak caught the flying scrap of fabric with a frown. “Wait, is this underwear? You got me underwear? Why?”
Hands on her hips, Kristy said, “Because I guessed you didn’t have a thong or a good push up bra. Shut up and put them on. You’ll thank me. What’s worse than panty lines?”
Uh…being twenty-three years old and trying to raise five siblings?
“Oookay. I’ll shut up now and put it all on.” As she listened to Emmie and Kristy chattering and giggling, she slipped into the closet and shut the door enough to keep Kristy from seeing her. There wasn’t enough room or much light but she wasn’t about to get totally naked in front of the other woman. Especially considering she’d never worn a thong. She lifted the tiny red thing to eye level. Seriously?
Here goes nothing.
She shimmied the minuscule panties up her legs. Next went the leggings, which did fit after all.
She stepped out of the closet. Huh, not only did they fit, they were comfortable, and made her ass look—
“Holy sh—wow!” Mak yelled as she checked her butt out in the mirror. “What kinda dark magic is in these things?”
“Told ya!” Kristy said, not even trying to hide the smug tone. “Sexy as hell, sister.”
Now for the top. She held up the shirt, which was also black with a very subtle shimmer. It was cute but looked kinda small…
“Yes,” Kristy said from behind her, smirking at her scrunched forehead. “It’s a crop top. But it’s not crazy short.”
When Mak opened her mouth to protest, Kristy held up a hand.
“Honey, you’re twenty-three, not eighty-three. I can’t imagine how difficult it was for you to lose your parents in a car accident like you did. I get you have stuff you’re still working through and responsibilities coming out that hot ass of yours, but you’re young. It’s okay to have fun and look good even while you’re working. And it’s okay to do it to catch the attention of a few sexy bikers in the process. If nothing else, it’ll put a smile on your face for the night.”
She’d given Kristy the standard cover story of having taken over guardianship of her siblings when their parents died in a tragic motor vehicle accident two years ago. As had been happening since she’d moved to Tennessee, guilt nearly had her cringing. Lying about her family had never been an issue—just a necessary evil to keep them safe. But lately, she’d begun to feel slimy about all the untruths she was forced to tell. But it couldn’t be helped, so she’d have to learn to live with it because she refused to put her siblings or good people like Kristy and her coworkers at risk.
As she stared at herself in the mirror, Mak worked the top over her head. Huh, it was actually…cute. Sleeveless, with wide straps she wouldn’t have to worry would slip down her shoulders all night; the shirt was surprisingly conservative. A high-cut neckline assured her boobs wouldn’t be popping out at some point. A wide band around the bottom trailed off into two long sashes Kristy tied in a bow at Mak’s back. Yes, it was a crop top, but it only showed off an inch or so of skin in reality. When combined with the leather pants, the outfit made her look hot. Young, stylish, and dare she even say, sexy.
“Wow, Kris,” she said as her throat thickened. “I look pretty good.” Dressed this way, men might stare at her and want her. Desire her. Not because she’d make a good breed mule, but because she was just a woman they found attractive. Living in the community, women were forbidden from wearing anything that could be construed as enticing to men. Since she’d run, she’d been so focused on surviving and working, she’d never bothered to explore a more feminine or seductive side of herself. Who had time for that when there were so many kids counting on her? T-shirts and secondhand jeans had become her uniform, and while comfortable, she didn’t exactly look like a sex kitten in them. She wasn’t completely comfortable with the idea of attracting male attention all night, but she wanted to fit in and had to admit she was curious to find out if men could be drawn to her.