Playing with Fire

Chapter 32 - Adrianna

"I guess," Brooks says while joining us at the table. Right as he takes his seat, one of the maids come out with a hot cup of coffee. The steam slowly emits upwards. Talk about quality and fast service.

"So, where you off to," he asks after getting half way through his beverage.

"Shopping, gotta find a dress for next week."

"How fun," he sarcastically inputs. "Want me to come with you?"

"Sure, maybe I'll find you a matching dress to wear." Images of Brooks in a dress cross my mind and I can't help from letting out a small snicker. I can't decide whether he would look most suitable in light pink or rose gold.

"I was serious about accompanying you. Hopefully with me there we could accomplish getting you something more tailored to you."

Tailored to me? What the hell is that supposed to mean? I don't think I dress bad; in fact I dress my myself fairly proper. Dressing to perfection is in my blood. He must be losing brain cells if he thinks I need to alter my attire.

"Fuck, actually I can't go. Almost forgot that I had to meet with the US embassy today, but why don't you take my sister?"

"What about me?" Coincidently, Sophia enters the dining room with a glass of water and some pills. She must have a hangover from last night. Lord knows when that girl came home.

"Go with Adrianna to pick out a dress for the Cinco de Mayo party. She is in need of some assistance. You know what I mean."

Sophia's eyes widen and she quickly downs her pills. "Finally, someone gets to help her!"

What the fuck does any of this mean? Before I have time to protest, I'm being pulled out and shoved into a red ferrari.

---

"You see it's not that you have bad taste, if fact you have such an angelic taste that's it revolting. Especially with your consistency of pastel colors and lack skin being shown. But what I am concluding is that your style is fucking boring and repetitive. Always the same. Yes proper and fitting for your image but so fucking bland. It's so vanilla ice cream, you know?"

Blinking my eyes rapidly, I find myself beyond baffled. Sophia has already picked out tons of dresses for me; none of which I would ever want to be seen dead in. She chooses from a variety of black, blue, and green dresses. Each time she picks one, I can't help but eye it was bewilderment.

"Adrianna don't lose your shit over some stupid dress. Your in good hands."

My lips try and form a reassuring smile.

"Now, go try these on," she declares while shoving me into a fitting room. I should have never mentioned going shopping today.

Each dress that Sophia has chosen is either skin tight, encases too much cleavage, or both. They don't look bad, but it's just not my style. I'd much prefer to go back to my "angelic taste."

"How long did you and Brooks stay up last night, because when I came home the two of you were still chatting up a storm."

Trying to come up with a time, becomes pointless. "I'm actually not sure. What time did you get back?"

"3."

Three! Holy shit. Time does fly by fast.

"What were you guys even talking about? Wait, wait, wait, let me guess, ummmm sex?"

"Lord, I'm not sleeping with your brother," I say while trying to squeeze into a dress that's a size too small. I think sophia forgot that she wasn't shopping for herself.

"Sophia, is there any other dresses? None of these are working."

"Let me check."

Hopefully she finds something, I do not want to come back. Time is money. While waiting I fix all the dresses that I tried on and then sit in my bra and underwear.

"Here," Sophia says while throwing a dress over. When I catch the thin dress, I actually find it appealing. It's definitely something I would never pick, but I have some hope about this one.

"So, if you aren't sleeping with another, what was so important that the two of you had to stay up all night talking about?"

The dress is on now and when I look in the mirror, I find myself feeling very confident and sexy. Stepping out to show Sophia, I begin to feel self conscious. Maybe, me looking sexy was all in my head?

"Brooks was just telling me about your mother; she seemed like such an exquisite woman. I'm sorry about what happened." I finally answer her question.

Sophia looks at me in surprise. Do I look that bad? "He told you about mom?"

"Yea... is that a bad thing?" I check myself out in the full body mirror and then eye Sophia for an answer on both my question and the dress.

"No, no it's just startling. Is that all you guys discussed?"

Quickly, I think back to last night or this morning. I shake my head, "No, me mentioned Amelia."

Sophia comes closer to me and finishes buttoning the back of my dress. She bites on her lip and steps back. "Don't worry you look amazing, you'll for sure leave people stunned."

I nod. Having forgotten how I looked, I find myself becoming consumed about why she is so concerned.

"Is there something wrong?" Her face has a smile as she looks me up and down.

"Shit, I should explain... Umm it's just that, well you know Brooks isn't secretive and he could care less about what people know. But... he doesn't really talk about about mom or Amelia and when he does he's very vague about them. He just openly told you?"

"Yea, he even brought me to your mother's garden." Remembering all the flora and fauna I saw warms my insides. They were all so breathtaking, too bad I couldn't enjoy it for as long as I would have wanted.

"You may not be fucking my brother, but one thing is for certain," she draws out, "You have some how become a signifcance factor to my playboy brother. And regardless of your guys 'business relationship' I'm glad. Everyone needs someone to talk too."

"Well, I'm happy to be there for him," I say. Going back into my fitting room, I find that Sophia's words linger heavily. Maybe Brooks and I are becoming closer friends than I anticipated. Obviously, he is being benefited, but I don't feel the exact same. I feel some sort or remorse and just assure myself that maybe eventually I can open up the same way.