Page 16 of Outnumbered
“Formal? Like, one of my ballgowns, a club dress, or a summer dresses?” Clarification was important.
“Club dress,” all three said simultaneously.
“What about Riddick?” I asked. He hadn’t come with them to my apartment.
“He’s finishing up some work for Mom, but he should be done in the next thirty minutes. He’ll be joining us as well.”
“Okay, you all need to leave right now so I can start getting ready,” I ordered.
Their smiles, the excitement that they all permeated, was so worth it.
“Meet in the foyer in two hours,” Caleb ordered me and all three hurried out of my apartment.
Running to the shower, I quickly scrubbed my hair and body, using the new non-scented items that Caleb had ordered me. Apparently, the ones I’d been using had messed with my scent and he didn’t like them. Shifters were very particular about scents.
Once clean, I used the heated lamp over the shower to dry my body and a hair dryer with my body bent over and head upside down to dry my hair and make it fluffy simultaneously.
Once dry, I applied my makeup, then styled my hair better. Opening my closet, I pulled out the emerald green dress that Caleb had purchased when we were at the mall. He’d seen the dress on a mannequin when I’d been changing out of the red ballgown for the first event we’d gone to together and had purchased it secretly for me. He swore that one he saw it there was no way he could resist buying it so that one day I could wear it.
Since I hadn’t had a chance to wear it yet, tonight seemed like the perfect opportunity. Plus, most of my other dresses weren’t really suited for the club.
This emerald green dress was thigh length, had a halter top with a low cut front to show off my cleavage, and a low back so that my entire back was bare. I slipped on my black ballet shoes since it sounded like I might be on my feet a lot and I wasn’t yet comfortable in heels, no matter how pretty they were.
My jewelry collection had grown exponentially since I met Jolie, but I was not complaining. Digging through it, I found something to match the dress, a set of large diamond earrings and a necklace, secured them, then ran to the elevator to meet the guys.
I was the last one to arrive to the foyer, so all four turned around when the elevator doors opened.
Triston whistled. Caleb smiled wide. Branson’s eyes roved from head to toes and back again. Riddick’s eyes darkened and he took a step forward, but stopped himself.
“Is this outfit okay?” I asked and spun in a circle in the middle of the foyer.
All four nodded simultaneously.
Branson wore a pair of black slacks that looked like they were about to split from his muscular legs. His shirt was a black with silver pinstripe long-sleeved button-up shirt.
Caleb wore tan slacks and a black short-sleeved button-up shirt with the top two buttons open, giving him more of a casual look.
Triston’s outfit was similar to Branson’s, but his shirt was black with a red stitched tiger on the back.
Riddick had grey pants and a long-sleeved white button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, showing off his muscular forearms.
“You all look handsome,” I breathed, trying to rein in my desire. Turning, I headed towards the door.
“Wait,” Caleb said, grabbed my wrist, and pulled me back a step. “We got you something.”
I turned, frowning. “You got me something?”
“A gift,” Triston clarified.
Branson held out a small black rectangular box with a red bow on it. “We picked it out together.”
“Aw, that’s so sweet,” I said, my smile wide as I took it and opened it. Inside of the black velvet box on crème-colored padding was a silver tennis bracelet with four little rubies hanging from the clasp, and a puffed silver heart. “Oh my gosh,” I breathed, tears building in my eyes as I traced the four rubies. “This is … gorgeous. I love it. Thank you.”
Branson took it out and clipped it on my wrist. “We thought you might like a gift with something to indicate the three of us.”
“And the heart has a tracking device inside of it,” Caleb said proudly.
“If we didn’t already have a connection that allowed you to track me, that would be a little creepy, Caleb.” I shook my head as I laughed.