Her hands halted, but she didn’t look at me. Approaching her from behind, I laid my hand on her bare shoulder. Though she had to have heard me coming, she still jumped at the contact.
“Where are you going?” I asked as gently as I was capable of.
She turned to the side, giving me only her profile. “I’m going out to dinner.”
“With who?”
“Someone you don’t know.”
My hand was still on her shoulder. “I don’t know most of your friends. Are their names a secret?”
That got her to flash her eyes to me. “His name is Simon. I’m wearing this hot dress on my third date with Simon. I think I look really good. I have a feeling Simon will agree. I have no idea what your problem is, but I don’t have time to figure you out right now.”
I’d never heard of Simon. As far as I knew, she hadn’t been out with a guy since she’d dumped that ear-digging, cheesy suit. But I didn’t know everything she did, just like she wasn’t privy to everything I got up to in my private time. Still, If Baddie was going out with a guy, I should've known. For safety reasons.
“What’s Simon’s last name?” I demanded.
“Why? So you can cyberstalk him?”
“So I can know what to tell the police when they find you murdered in a ditch.”
Adelaide’s eyes flared. Her shiny lips parted. I’d gone too far, as always. Instead of slapping the hell out of me, she started laughing. Curls tossed back, she raised her face to the ceiling and giggled.
“You’re bananas, do you know that?”
As contagious as her little giggle snorts were, I wasn’t finding myself amused.
“Tell me his last name, Adelaide.”
Her laughter died off. “His name is Simon Feldstein. He’s twenty-four and works for Goldman Sachs. He’s not as nerdy as his name implies. He actually plays drums and writes music. It’s just a hobby, but we like the same music, so I don’t know.” She shrugged. “He’s cool. I like him. So, I wore this dress for him.”
“Why didn’t you tell me you were dating this guy?”
She sighed and reached for her phone. “He’s not my boyfriend, Adam. If it became a thing, of course I would have told you.” Her sharp gaze flicked to mine. “Are you mad about the dress or about me not telling you?”
Why the hellwasI mad? I didn’t police Iris’s clothes, nor did I hover over her dating life. That wasn’t the kind of friendship we had. She’d kick my ass if I tried.
“I don’t know.” I shoved my fingers through my hair. “I guess both.” I squeezed her shoulder, turning her to face me fully. “I’m protective of you, like a little sister. Simon’s going to take one look at you in that dress and know you wore it for him. Then he’s going to wonder what the hell’s under it, which I’m guessing is nothing much.”
“Don’t think about my underwear please.” She placed her hand on my chest. “And I’m not your little sister. If I were, I’d bring up the time you were checking out Mom’s ass.”
I sputtered a laugh. “Okay, not a little sister. I’ll never say that again, so long as you march into your bedroom and change. That’s a fuck-me dress—not a nice-girl dress.”
Her inhale was sharp, then she pressed on my chest hard enough to make me move back a step. “Maybe I don’t always want to be a nice girl, Adam. Did that ever occur to you?”
“Not with a guy named Simon.” My fists clenched at my sides. “Where’s the pink poofy dress? Wear that.”
Adelaide ignored my suggestion. Snatching up her phone and tiny purse, she marched to the door, ripped it open, and raised a brow at me.
“I need to leave—which meansyouneed to leave.”
Grabbing her black jacket off the back of a dining chair, I went to her, holding it out. She turned around slowly, allowed me to slip it on her, then whipped back around to face me, like she didn’t trust me at her back.
I leaned in, pushing her curls away from her ear. “You’re stunning, Baddie. I really hope Simon is worthy of the effort you made. If he’s not, don’t waste your time. Come back home and order pizza with me. Just…” I stood back, meeting her wide eyes. “Be good, all right?”
She nodded, her bottom lip caught between her teeth. “Okay.”
I walked her to the elevator, then went back to my place. Alone. I had people I could call, places I could go. Nothing was tempting me, though. I’d be on the road over the summer, so it was kind of nice to do absolutely nothing in my own home.