Make Me Bad (Page 23)

I groan and fling the door open.

“Come in—quick.”

His eyes are wide. I glance down in embarrassment. Please tell me my boobs are put away. Thankfully, I’m mostly covered up. The top of my chest and shoulders are bare in the traditional style of dresses like this, but I’m not so indecent that he has to look at me like that.

Women go to clubs in less clothing than this.

I spin around and explain what I need him to do.

“Just lace it up and tighten the corset,” I say, like we do this sort of thing together every day.

He steps forward, brows furrowed, and then pushes my long hair over my shoulder.

“This dress is ridiculous. There’s so much material you won’t be able to walk.”

I blush. Not quite the reaction I was hoping for. Usually in my historical novels, when the handsome duke stumbles upon the fair lady in her evening gown, he’s so beside himself, he feels an all-consuming urge to seduce her that instant. We should be tumbling against the shelves, knockings things off, ferociously kissing like we’re two animals in heat.

In reality, Ben grumbles under his breath as he tightens the laces. I can feel the heat of his touch through the chemise. He cinches the garment too much. I can hardly breathe.

“Are you almost done?” I ask. My voice sounds like it came out of a mouse.

“Not if you don’t stand still.”

His hands grip my waist and he squeezes.

Apparently, I’m fidgeting. Hot. Bothered.

He ties the laces together at the bottom and steps back.

I turn around and hold out my arms. “What do you think?”

He clears his throat, glances away, and when he looks back, his gaze is narrowed. “I think it’s a little much for a toddler story time.”

I glance down and laughter erupts out of me. “Oh jeez.”

My breasts have been pushed up and forced together to form a tantalizing amount of cleavage. Even I’m slightly turned on by the sight. I look like a serving wench. I yank the chemise higher, covering my décolletage and transforming the look into something a bit more modest.

“How about now?” I ask, peering up at him from beneath my lashes.

He grunts and rolls his neck. He’s truly annoyed with me. “It’s fine.”

I smile then and reach out to poke him in the chest. “Relax, will you? This is supposed to be fun.”

“Fun? Try torture.”

I bristle at his remark. Fine. If he wants to turn this day into something sour, I won’t stop him. I am, however, in a kickass gown, and I intend to enjoy every minute of it. I roll my eyes then make a move to walk around him and leave the storage room.

His hand juts out to stop me. His fingers wrap around my arm.

“You look…” He clears his throat and looks away. “The dress is fine.”

THE DRESS IS FINE?!

“Wow, you have such a way with words.”

He smirks then, finally letting go of his annoyance.

“The dress is very…blue.”

I throw my hands up and walk out. He trails after me, calling down the hall.

“I’ve got it now—it’s poofy! How’s that? Better?”

As retribution, I force him into a more prominent role during story time. He has to read a children’s version of Sense and Sensibility aloud in the front of the kids while I stand to the side. Every mom in attendance sends me a silent thank you. I’ve never seen them quite so riveted to a children’s book before. It is a cute book, but that’s definitely not what they care about. When he’s done, a few of them linger, asking Ben about the book and where they can get it. Then the questions turn a tad more personal.

“…is that your costume…”

“…oh, it’s just a rental?”

“…how long do you have it for…”

I titter as I clean up, appreciating every minute of his torture.

He gets the last laugh, though, because I was very excited to go out to lunch with him just like we did last Saturday. Unfortunately, he already made plans with his dad. Through a Herculean effort, I make it seem like that’s totally fine. Cool.

I have other stuff to do too!

I don’t, of course. I never do. But, it’s Saturday afternoon, and I have a plan. It’s not a good plan, and it entails a little bit of lying, but I’ll be sure to atone for it later in life just in case the big man upstairs has any issues with my methods. Oh, I know what I’ll do: if I see a turtle trying to cross the street, I’ll stop and help it, no questions asked. Sins begone.

The first part of my evil genius plan is confirming that Eli and Kevin are both free for the night. Eli says they have plans to stay in and binge the TV show YOU on Netflix, but I spoil the ending for him so he’s forced to do my bidding.

Eli: Are you kidding me?!

Whatever, I’ll save two turtles now.

Madison: This will be fun, I swear!

Then, I send Ben a text. I start out by making a little small talk, nothing too intense.

Madison: How was lunch with your dad?

Ben: Good. I told him about the costumes and showed him the picture you forced me to take…

Madison: Ha! What’d he say?

Ben: He said he wants to meet the woman who convinced me to wear that.

My heart flutters and I press my phone to my chest before I realize what I’m doing and jerk it away. Keep it together, Hart!

Madison: Sounds like a fun afternoon. Listen…I need a favor. Please tell me you don’t have any plans tonight.

Ben: I was going to watch the Astros game at Andy’s with some friends.

Madison: Oh…all right. It’s just that Eli and Kevin invited me to go bowling with them, but they want to play as teams and I can’t find a plus-one this last minute.

LIE. LIE. LIE. I could have an entire month and still wouldn’t be able to find a guy to accompany me to the bowling alley. I’d be better off looking there. Hey, you, crusty old man with a smoker’s cough—be my partner?

Ben: That sounds fun, but Andy will be annoyed if I cancel.

Madison: Invite him! Tell him to bring that girl he likes. Arianna?

Do I sound desperate?

I wish I could erase that exclamation mark.

Ben: Okay. What time are you guys headed to the bowling alley?

Madison: 8ish.

Though the bowling alley is public enough that I could run into Colten, I know he’s working tonight. Plus, I don’t think he and his friends go bowling all that often. It’s the perfect place to hide in plain sight.

Now begins part two of my master plan. I have to come up with some way to transform myself into someone irresistible, someone Ben will trip over himself to talk to, someone he can’t help but fall for. It should be easy, and I have a few hours. How long can a total makeover really take?

I ask Eli when he and Kevin arrive to pick me up at 5:00 PM.

“I thought we were going bowling,” Eli says, confused.

“We are, just later. Right now, I’d like to do something I’ve only ever seen in movies, something I’ve desperately wanted to do since I grew boobs.”

I give him the short version and when I’m done, he frowns.

“Oh, so you’re just assuming that because I prefer to sleep with men that I also happen to know a thing or two about fashion? That for the last three years I’ve been dying to strip you out of those hideous jeans and burn them on the spot? That I have several outfits saved to a secret Pinterest board entitled ‘Sexy Madison’ in the event that you ever wanted me to dress you? Well friend, you are in luck. Let’s go. The mall is still open for another few hours.”

At 7:55 PM, we pull up in front of the bowling alley. Eli and Kevin unbuckle their seatbelts and reach for their door handles, but I jump forward and grab their shoulders.

“Wait! Don’t get out yet!”

“Why?” Kevin asks, glancing at me over his shoulder.

“Because…”

Oh right, I haven’t exactly filled them in on the rest of my plan. Eli assumed I wanted this makeover for myself, just to feel good and update my look. I didn’t correct him, but now I have to.

“We have to wait a few minutes, just to be sure Ben and his friends are here already. They’ll be bowling with us.”

Eli jerks around. “Are you serious? Is that why we did all this?” He waves his hand over my getup. “For Ben?”

I puff out air like that’s a crazy idea. “No, it’s for me. I wanted some new clothes.” And sleek hair and killer makeup.

“Maddie…”

I dart my gaze out the window, trying to fend off his pity. I don’t want it. I don’t want Eli to think Ben is out of my league. Because he’s right.

He sighs. “I just think this is a bad idea—”

“No. Listen,” I say, turning to him with my chin raised and conviction in my words. “You think he’s going to break my heart and maybe he is, but you have to let me experience this on my own. I know what I’m doing, I swear.”

Kevin reaches out to touch Eli’s shoulder. “She’s right. I was way out of your league and look, we’re madly in love.”

Eli’s frown softens. “Oh, ha ha, very funny. I just don’t want her to get hurt.”

“Well ‘her’ knows what she’s doing,” I quip just as Ben’s black SUV pulls into a parking space in the row in front of us.