Intertwined

chapter three

"KAYLA!" I CALL out the second I step into her apartment, having used the key she gave me when I moved here to let myself in. I tighten my hold on Poe's leash and usher her in ahead of me, only unclipping from her collar when the door is shut and I know she's not running off. She turns to me with her nose up, eager to accept any kind of affection I'll offer as my bag drops to the floor from my shoulder.

"You almost ready to go?" I question, stepping into the hall leading to her bathroom where the door is open and I can see her curling her hair. I kneel next to Poe, scrunching up her flappy ears as Kayla turns, barrel still attached to her hair and gasps.

"What are you wearing?" she asks, clearly appalled by the baggie sweatshirt hanging from my body. I turn my head at the yelp that leaves her mouth when she tries to walk away from her sink with the curling iron still attached. She quickly lets the hair out, helping it down to lay with the rest of the loose curls before turning her attention back to me. "What is this?"

I follow her hands as they wave up and down, pointing out my outfit before her eyes land on my face. "A sweatshirt?"

"No." She shakes her head, pursing her lips as she mumbles to herself in Spanish and paces back towards her room. I eye Poe who's looking at me with pure curiosity before pressing my lips to her forehead and standing to follow.

I find her standing in her walk-in closet, digging through drawers as I fall back on the edge of her bed and watch the ceiling fan as it spins above me. Words I can't make out fall from her lips before she finally steps into the doorway, holding up a white shirt.

"What about this?"

I sit up at her question and eye the shirt, holding my hands out for it. She steps forward, allowing my fingers to curl into it, only to discover the thinnest fabric I've ever felt in my life. "What the hell is this?"

"A shirt," she says and grins at me. "It'd look great on you."

"Kayla, this is see through."

Her grin widens. "Exactly."

"No."

She rolls her eyes at the comment but doesn't fight me, instead tossing it onto the end of the bed next to the emerald green corset top I can only assume is her selection for tonight. It makes sense given the black leather pants she's already wearing as she continues to search for something for me in her closet.

"This?" she asks, holding up a lacy black tank top.

"Cute, but no," I say and push myself up to take a look myself. I knew I should have just picked something out of my own closet, but I had hoped me showing up in a sweatshirt would mean she'd give me a break and opt for the movie night instead, but just like in university, I should have known better. Kayla never says no to a night out.

I scan through her hangers before digging through her drawers, landing on a long sleeve black top, fitted to just below my breasts. The fabric is soft beneath my fingers as I turn toward Kayla and hold it up as my pick, watching her face for approval.

"Really?" She's surprised and she should be, it's not my normal pick. Not that I'm against showing skin, it's just never really been my kind of thing. It's the exact opposite of the subtle color palette I usually wear to work, but it's might just be what I need to step outside my comfort zone and shake this funk that's been stuck to me since arriving in California.

"You don't think so?"

"No, I'm all for it." She reaches for the button of her pants and starts to pull the zipper down, slipping her hands into the waistband to start sliding the pants down.

My eyebrow shoots up as I bring the shirt to my chest. "What are you doing?"

"Giving you my pants," she says, effortlessly sitting on the edge of her bed as she continues to kick the pants off. "If you're doing this, you're going to look hot as fuck."