“You’re being weird,” I cut in.
“I need to look into the wardrobe,” she blurted out. I looked at her and her barely supressed excitement.
“Pardon?”
She came rushing over and grabbed my hands. “I need to look at the clothes. It’s been killing me, I was here the day all the deliveries came, it was like Christmas as designer bag after designer bag was taken in and I couldn’t look!”
I started giggling and couldn’t stop. I waved her to the wardrobe and with a squeal she was off. I watched her ‘ooh’ and ‘ahh’ over clothes. When she found the shoes and boots, I asked her if she needed me to leave the room. The fact that Corey didn’t reply made me laugh harder.
I had never seen someone so happy over clothes. Then I thought about it, I used to be like that for purses. I guess we all had our little things.
When Corey had exhausted herself and told me for the millionth time that Theo’s mum had amazing taste in clothes, she flopped down on the bed with me.
“You happy?” I asked.
She nodded and smiled at me happily.
“I miss this,” she admitted. I frowned in confusion. “I don’t have many girlfriends here,” she confessed. “The sorority house is fun but kinda lonely. That’s why I spend so much time here. It’ll be nice having you across the hall.” Corey smiled at me again.
I frowned. I sat up and looked at her. “I have an apartment, I don’t know if I am going to move in here,” she started to look sad. “But, I will spend more time here, I mean after all,” I nudged her. “I have all those clothes to wear,” Corey grinned.
Just then my phone beeped. Corey handed it to me and I lay back to read the message. I smiled and Corey questioned the reaction. I showed her the text from Jay.
Jay:Waiting outside the Dawson mansion but your blonde bodyguards are going to be hard to get past. Give a boy an assist?
I laughed and jumped off the bed. I ran to the door with Corey reminding me to put lip gloss on. I hesitated and then swiped some on and ran down the stairs.
I flung the front door open and laughed out loud when I saw Jay. His hair was tied back, his stubble was trimmed, he had on a black button-down shirt and a pair of dark jeans. He was holding a huge bunch of red roses.
His smile was slow and easy when he ran his eyes over me. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into his embrace. His lips found mine easily and he kissed me softly.
“Was worried about you darling,” I smiled at him.
“I’m ok now,” I answered. I took a step back and looked at him, he kept a loose hold on my hand. “Come in?” I offered.
“Dunno if I’m welcome. Your boy Colton was at the shop this morning and almost ripped my bro’s head off,” Jay admitted.
Ice washed over me. “What?” Jay shrugged.
“I mean when we got to the bottom of why, we understood his reaction. However, it took four guys to haul him off Aaron,” he shook his head in grudging respect. “God that guy can move. He seriously should consider going pro, know what I mean?”
“No. I don’t,” I said sharply. I closed the door behind me as I stepped out. I didn’t want Connor hearing. “What are you saying, he attacked your brother?”
Jay laughed and pulled me into him. “Relax. They are both fine. Aaron even found out who spiked you. I’m so sorry darling, he thought he was being funny. I don’t do that, I would never do that, I didn’t ask him to do it ether,” he looked down at me, “You know that don’t you?”
My head was still reeling from the information he had shared about Colton. Jay was looking at me as I chewed on my bottom lip. So much for the lip balm I thought abstractedly.
“Arielle?” Jay prompted.
“Hmmm yeah, I know,” I murmured. He looked so relieved. Just then the SUV to kill all other SUVs rolled up the drive. The one that had been modernised to look like a small village destroyer. Colton was wearing shades but there was no doubt in my mind that I was being eyeballed.
My face flushed in remembrance at the way he’d held me yesterday. I shot a guilty look at Jay, who’d tensed when he’d seen it was Colton.
I slipped my hand into his without thinking. He gave me a grateful squeeze. Colton jumped out of the SUV and approached us.
He slid his sunglasses off and I caught the quick assessment as he noted our joined hands.
There wasn’t a mark on him, he looked cool as a cucumber. He stopped just in front of us. His assessment of Jay was definitely frosty.