Change of Heart - By S.E. Edwards Page 0,56

were you this morning? Amanda didn’t know anything other than that you had to go run some ‘errands.’” I make air-quotes with my fingers. “Anything to do with what happened to us?”

“Yeah,” Rich nods. “But let me change out of these wet clothes before I tell you.”

He starts down the hall to our room. Before he shuts the door, he calls out over one shoulder, “Oh, and you’ll be happy to know that I got stitched up by a doctor.” He pauses. “Mom.”

***

I decide to shower while Rich is changing. When I get back to my room, a towel wrapped around my chest, I find my old clothes gone from the bed where I’d left them. Instead, there’s an unmarked brown paper bag in their place.

Curious, I open it—and find an entire set of new clothing inside. There’s a pair of dark jeans, a few plain blouses, and two t-shirts. There’s a black sweater a lot like the one I own, and—at the very bottom—a very skimpy set of blue-lace lingerie.

I pick up the bra and inspect the tag. He got me a 34B. I smile. It looks like a perfect fit.

“Rich?” I call out. “What did you do with my old clothes?”

“I got you new ones!” he yells from somewhere far away. “What do you think?”

“I haven’t tried them on yet!”

“I figured you needed something to change into other than what you had on when you met me!” Silence. Then, without warning, the door creaks open and his head pops in.

“Richard!” I spin around, clutching the towel to my chest. Blood rushes to my cheeks. He’d seen me naked, yes, but things have changed since then. “Get out!”

“I want to see what you look like in your new clothes,” he says casually. I peek over my shoulder. He makes no indication of moving. It doesn’t help that the blush on my face is accentuated by a growing warmth between my legs.

“Out,” I order him.

He doesn’t move. He has a wolfish grin on his face. “I’m particularly proud of the lingerie I picked out. I got your size right, didn’t I?”

“Out!” I scream, throwing a pillow at him. It smacks him right in the face. “Out, out, out!”

“All right, all right. Jeez.” He grins one last time before closing the door, not an ounce of remorse on his face.

***

A few minutes later, I emerge wearing the jeans and sweater Rich got me. Everything’s a perfect fit. I find him leaning against one wall, arms crossed, eyes contemplative. When he sees me, the look fades. He flashes an easy grin.

“So?” I ask, spinning to show off my new jeans and sweater. “What do you think?”

“Spin around again,” he suggests.

I offer a wry smile and do another little twirl. He laughs.

“They fit you, all right,” Rich says. “Though dark colors aren’t really your style. They make you look kind of Goth.”

I slap him on the arm. “You’re the one who got them for me!” Then I consider what he said. “And this isn’t even remotely close to Goth. I’d have to bust out so much eyeliner and shadow for that you wouldn’t even recognize me.”

“Sounds like you’ve got some experience with it,” Rich teases.

“I may have dressed up like a certain rock star one Halloween not very long ago,” I admit.

“Really?” Rich’s eyebrows go up in curiosity. “Which one?”

“Oh no,” I shake my head, “that is one secret I’m taking to the grave.”

Rich laughs. “Fair enough. Why didn’t you put on one of the blouses, though? They’re brighter.”

“In this weather?” I nod to the window. “There are so many clouds out there you can barely tell it’s day. Yuck.”

“Good point.” Rich steps up to me, close enough that I can feel the warmth of his body through our clothes. “And what about the lingerie?”

I blush and turn away. “It’s still in the bag,” I lie.

“Pity,” Rich says. “I’d imagine you’d make it look sexy as fuck.” His voice becomes a notch lower. “I was looking forward to seeing it.”

“You’re going to have to try a bit harder than that to get me undressed,” I say playfully, pushing him away. He gives a bashful grin.

“So!” I announce, changing the subject before things become awkward, “What did you do in town? Aside from undercover shopping and seeing a doc, that is.”

In an instant, his expression turns serious. “Come to the living room,” he says. “I’ll explain things there.”

More secrets? I wonder as I follow Rich through the halls. We sit down across from each