The Lustful Summer with my Bad Boy

Chapter Three- Dressed For Success

No matter how many times I scrubbed my skin with the star-shaped loofah that was otherwise abandoned over the shower head, I could not erase the feeling of his eyes from my skin. Although he hadn’t touched me with more than this undressing of his gaze, it was enough to make me feel dirtier than the floor of that automobile garage. If I was entirely honest with myself, I would have preferred to stand before Easton with that sultry gaze of his own than as a target to Cliff’s distant want. Even if I remained technically untouched by him with only mere grazes done to fill his insatiably odd and immoral appetite, I had felt more violated by his longing sight than the pressing of Easton’s body against mine. Perhaps that was why the famed thief didn’t frighten me as he should have; I was simply used to the way he taunted me with those lustful words.

I was quick to dress and even swifter to erase my presence from the house as I did not want to give Cliff another excuse to ‘punish me’. But as I ventured to this side of the tracks this time, the words of Billie Eilish’s “Happier than Ever” blasting through my speakers, I came upon an unexpected scene set before the garage. Because of this, I refrained from pulling into the driveway as I had done earlier in the morning, now, I just watched the moment unfold.

“I have had it with your s**t, Easton!”

“Come on...I’ll make good on it!”

“I have an honest job here...You roping me into things is putting everything I’ve worked for on the line! I’m not doing it anymore.”

“Which I completely understand...But I just need time and I can-”

“No. Okay...I’ve been your hotel long enough-” With Angelo speaking these words of aggression, Easton was thrown a single bag of belongings before the garage door was forced closed. For the first time, there wasn’t a hint of arrogance or humor within his expression, instead, I believe there was something that resembled fear. I watched as he walked a small distance from the garage and took a seat on a nearby bench, lifting a cigarette from a pack within his back pocket and taking his aggression on the burning paper, seemingly waiting for his next circumstances to fall in his lap. I didn’t move from my car immediately as I favored this expression of vulnerability upon his face as he seemed truly helpless and I happened to have a soft spot for things that fell under that category.

“Are you ready?”

“Yeah...what the hell…” He spoke, pulling his backpack over his shoulder and slipping into the passenger’s side of the car as we rode in silence back to the strip of shops located in the heart of the Hamptons. Although I was dying to question the details of the argument as I had only caught the tail end of it, I also did not want to anger him further as he spent the entire ride with his mouth hidden behind his knuckles as he stared out the window. For just a brief moment, my eyes caught onto him as I pitied the man at my side; not because of his current lack of a home but for the fact that he was truly distraught. But I also reminded myself that he was fully capable of getting a job if he wanted and therefore my pity faded into focus once again.

“You DO realize how people are going to look at us together?” He questioned as I made my way onto the sidewalk on the rival side of the car’s hood as he slipped from his own rest and joined me, acting as my shadow due to the half foot height difference.

“When you’re with me, you’re just going to have to get used to being stared at.” I retorted as I caught the sight of a smirk as he slipped past me and into the front of the store, where we had eyes upon us immediately. We were truly existing as lace and leather; one rough and one smooth, one kind and one jaded-but I would eventually rise from my silence and move to the back of the establishment where the dressing rooms were located.

“Go on.” I ordered as I had managed to collect at least twelve different jackets in the time it had taken him to adjust to his surroundings.

“Is this really necessary? Can’t you just pick out something and I’ll suffer in it when I have to?” He questioned, a look of dramatic pain forced over his expression as I forced the shirts against his chest that set him backwards in a single step before he looked back at me.

As the lock on the inside of the dressing room slipped in the divide, I became lost in the memory of my morning. My eyes froze on the chocolate carpet at my feet until the sound of my name was called from across the small space separating me from my ‘project’. For a moment, I felt as if I had been looking at a square peg meant for a hole as he seemed so out of place in clothes so lush. I hadn’t known him long, but I knew him long enough to know that fabrics such as these were not meant for the unison of his inked skin showcased by the short cut of his sleeves.

“Next one.” I directed as he rolled his eyes and I began to pull my focus around the folded cardigans arranged for the ‘seaside’ collection of this specific brand. I wondered if Easton would actually manage to appear as if he belonged in any of the chosen attire as the white shorts and blazer were already a rejection. The next outfit, a simple buttoned up shirt and dress pants; the shirt worn with thin lines of nearly invisible plaid and the bottoms catching the eye of a bright maroon, I was able to notice how he seemed rather uncomfortable while I believed we were getting closer to the inevitable find.

However, this would not be found in the third, fourth, or fifth outfit. Instead, it would be the sixth as he emerged entirely in white. The tan of his skin along with his accompanying dark features had forced this whimsical ivory to almost ‘pop’ against him as he also seemed to find a level of comfort within its rather tight fit. But as I observed him analyze himself within the mirror, I couldn’t help but miss the way his original clothes fit across his frame; not because they were ‘better’, but because they were ‘him’. I favored his rather eccentric taste of leather and oversized shirts over ripped jeans as I had been accustomed to the J Crew appearance since I could remember. I shook this thought from my mind immediately as I knew such conjurings would only lead to confusion and fumblings.

“Do you approve?” He asked as I only nodded, finding the luxurious attire to fit best with his persona as he now changed once again. Only now, it was back into his ‘normal’ clothes. I waited patiently for him to exit, unaware at that very second that the bell ringing over the door was the arrival of the absolute last person that I wanted to see.

“Are you f*cking kidding me?!” His words drew the eyes of fellow shoppers in our direction as he noticed the price tag on the arm as we stood in a short line leading to a marble counter. I forced my eyes to widen at him with embarrassment and frustration as he did not seem to care or notice before forcing the tag in my direction.

“Twenty five hundred dollars for a coat?! I could get like sixty for that! They would be more comfortable too!” He explained while scoffing as I attempted to ignore his outburst, but found it difficult as he continued.

“Do I even want to know about the pants?!” I brought him to face me, keeping my tone quiet, as I spoke through clenched teeth.

“We want you to look the part...You can’t do that hitting up thrift stores. Now calm down, it’s not like you’re paying for it.”

“Yeah ...that’s the problem. Doing a job is one thing...but being someone’s sugar baby without the actual sugar part...I’m not okay with.” His steps rushed from the scene with just enough time for me to notice Chip standing behind me.

“Addy-” As he spoke my name, I noticed how Easton stood in the doorway, looking back to both of us. “I don’t think we’ve been introduced…” He attempted to be kind as my shopping companion just looked at him as if he was the dirtiest scum on the bottom of one’s shoes. Perhaps it was because he saw behind the attempts to be civil in public that he saw my ex’s eyes blazing somewhere between curiosity and jealousy.

“I assure you, it’s intentional.” Easton explained as my face reddened as I was forced to follow him from the scene, setting the jacket on the edge of the counter to keep from shoplifting, before joining him outside.

“What are you doing?”

“I have to pretend with your stepdad, that’s fine for one night...But that guy-that isn’t who I am.”

“I know. But for that ‘one night’, I need you to be.”

“Why didn’t you just ask him...you two seem rather chummy…”

“He’s...He’s my ex.” I explained, the title tasting bitter on my tongue as his brows rose.

“Really?” Easton now suddenly seemed to shift gears from angry to curious as he looked into the glass of the shop to find Chip lookin back at us both, to which I turned my back as I was mortified with him learning we were discussing him. “And if I told you he was fuming right now?”

“What does it matter?”

“Well now THIS is something I can actually get behind…”

“What are you talking about?”

“Do you want to make him jealous?”

“What?! No!” I answered although my lust was kicking me in the butt for having not taken him up immediately on his offer as it would have been an excuse to learn the feeling of his fingers and the full effect of his lips, but I was wise enough to know that lies like those were always painful to live with and inevitable to bring heartbreak.

“You sure? Because it seems to me like it may just make things a bit more fun.”

I hesitated for a second as he looked at me with a gaze that informed me how true his statement would be. I wanted so desperately to agree to this as it would be easy to pretend with him, but once again, I knew all too well that those lines between pretending and reality would become blurred and eventually painful.

“No.” I finally answered as he rolled his eyes.

“Well I’m not wearing a shirt that’s more expensive than my phone...You’re just going to have to trust me on this one…”

“What does that mean?”

“I’ll see you tonight...I’m guessing you’ll be at the ‘club’.”

“How are you going to get in?” I questioned, looking at his current attire and certain if he were to cross the threshold of the members-only club, he would be tossed out if not arrested for crimes against fashion.

But instead of being snarky or crude, he simply clasped his hands together until only his two pointed fingers were set in my direction. “In order for this to work, you need to have a little faith in me....” His eyes would fall beyond my shoulder just enough for him to review the current status of Chip’s interest in us before he gave his lips a lift on one side.

“And you should reconsider my offer to make HIM jealous…”

“I can’t afford it.” I teased, hoping my humor would be taken as having taken the whole idea as a joke, but once again, he would lean closer to me as I did not distance and instead remained in place anxious for whatever was to come.

“Are you kidding? To be the reason that someone like him is mad...I would do that for free…” Flashing a wink, he moved back into my car, pulling his bag from the backseat, and disappearing after taking a corner in the direction of the park. For a moment, I had to recuperate as he managed to distract me so easily-too easily. But I couldn’t deny the feeling of pride that washed over me as I looked to Chip and noticed that look of dismay spread over his expression; the same one I held when he embarrassed me as he had...the look that made me consider that maybe there was a reason to agree to his new terms that he claimed would be met ‘pro bono".