her mouth with his. Pulling back slightly, he looked into her eyes. “As long as I can penetrate your heart...I’m satisfied.”
She blushed. “I don‘t have a problem with that.”
He chuckled. “I hope you don’t have a problem with this either. I want you to be my guest at a formal gala next Sunday evening.”
“Formal? Oh, Cabin. I don’t know…”
“It’s very important to me.”
“What’s the occasion?”
He looked at the stars. “Well...it’s a fundraising event, to help raise awareness for the pregnancy support center in Chickasha.”
“Sounds like a good cause.”
“It is. There’s also a silent auction. I’m hoping to raise a few dollars to help with clinic repairs. I want the place in good shape for the teen pregnancy clinic’s grand opening next month.” Cabin cut his eyes to her, waiting for a reaction.
“Cabin! You got the grant!” She knocked him back onto the shoreline, covering his body with hers. “I’m so happy for you!” She peppered kisses over his face.
“You never answered my question. Will you accompany me to the gala?” he asked, as they sat up.
“Of course I will! Scarlett has at least a dozen formal gowns.”
He cringed at her sister’s name.
“I’m sure she’ll loan one to me. It’s amazing how well we’ve been getting along lately. It’s like she’s a different person. She’s taking her medication, and she’s even seeing a therapist.”
He held his tongue, not willing to slash Darcy’s hopes, the way Scarlett had slashed his feet.
“You have your clinic for young mothers, and I have my sister. It seems both our dreams are coming true. And the sweetest dream-come-true of all is that we have each other.”
Cabin nodded, pulling her to him. He stroked her hair as she rested her head on his chest under a canopy of stars.
****
“That’s definitely the one.” Scarlett prodded Darcy’s thighs as she circled her. “It looks perfect on you.”
Darcy stared in her sister’s full-length mirror. “Don’t you think it’s a bit...revealing?”
“Of course I do, that’s why I bought it.” Scarlett tugged at the strapless black bodice, exposing even more cleavage. “It is a formal affair, this is a formal gown.” She knelt, adjusting the fitted skirt. “And, of course, you’ll need these shoes.” She rose, a pair of black patent peep-toes with spiked silver heels looped over her finger.
Darcy clutched her chest. The dress squeezed her ribs as she chuckled. “I’ll break my neck! Or puncture someone’s foot!”
“Nonsense. It just takes a little practice. I’ll show you.” Scarlett strapped the shoes to her ankles, then strutted around the room, as if on the catwalk. “Now you try.” She removed the shoes, handing them to Darcy.
“I can barely walk in this dress barefoot, let alone wearing these ankle-twisters!” She sat on the bed, wiggled her feet into the sleek stilettos and fumbled with the tiny silver buckles. She stood, steadied herself against the bed and squealed, nearly toppling over. “I can’t do this.”
“Of course you can.” Scarlett took her by the arm, guiding her around the room as her ankles wobbled threateningly. “See there, you’re doing fine.” They paused in front of the mirror. Darcy flinched, stricken by the reflection of herself in the strapless gown alongside Scarlett in her bathrobe, as if they’d reversed roles.
“You look younger than me,” Scarlett said, her voice strained.
“Yeah, right. Your face is perfect.”
“My face is plastic .” Scarlett jerked from the reflection, crossing the room. “And plasticizing myself hasn’t made me look younger. It’s merely made people aware that I’m aging.” She tossed her head. “So when did you say this...shindig is going to transpire?”
“Well, I wouldn’t really call it a ‘shindig,’” Darcy said. “The gala is scheduled for the thirteenth. Not this Sunday, but next.” She unbuckled the dangerous shoes from her
She blushed. “I don‘t have a problem with that.”
He chuckled. “I hope you don’t have a problem with this either. I want you to be my guest at a formal gala next Sunday evening.”
“Formal? Oh, Cabin. I don’t know…”
“It’s very important to me.”
“What’s the occasion?”
He looked at the stars. “Well...it’s a fundraising event, to help raise awareness for the pregnancy support center in Chickasha.”
“Sounds like a good cause.”
“It is. There’s also a silent auction. I’m hoping to raise a few dollars to help with clinic repairs. I want the place in good shape for the teen pregnancy clinic’s grand opening next month.” Cabin cut his eyes to her, waiting for a reaction.
“Cabin! You got the grant!” She knocked him back onto the shoreline, covering his body with hers. “I’m so happy for you!” She peppered kisses over his face.
“You never answered my question. Will you accompany me to the gala?” he asked, as they sat up.
“Of course I will! Scarlett has at least a dozen formal gowns.”
He cringed at her sister’s name.
“I’m sure she’ll loan one to me. It’s amazing how well we’ve been getting along lately. It’s like she’s a different person. She’s taking her medication, and she’s even seeing a therapist.”
He held his tongue, not willing to slash Darcy’s hopes, the way Scarlett had slashed his feet.
“You have your clinic for young mothers, and I have my sister. It seems both our dreams are coming true. And the sweetest dream-come-true of all is that we have each other.”
Cabin nodded, pulling her to him. He stroked her hair as she rested her head on his chest under a canopy of stars.
****
“That’s definitely the one.” Scarlett prodded Darcy’s thighs as she circled her. “It looks perfect on you.”
Darcy stared in her sister’s full-length mirror. “Don’t you think it’s a bit...revealing?”
“Of course I do, that’s why I bought it.” Scarlett tugged at the strapless black bodice, exposing even more cleavage. “It is a formal affair, this is a formal gown.” She knelt, adjusting the fitted skirt. “And, of course, you’ll need these shoes.” She rose, a pair of black patent peep-toes with spiked silver heels looped over her finger.
Darcy clutched her chest. The dress squeezed her ribs as she chuckled. “I’ll break my neck! Or puncture someone’s foot!”
“Nonsense. It just takes a little practice. I’ll show you.” Scarlett strapped the shoes to her ankles, then strutted around the room, as if on the catwalk. “Now you try.” She removed the shoes, handing them to Darcy.
“I can barely walk in this dress barefoot, let alone wearing these ankle-twisters!” She sat on the bed, wiggled her feet into the sleek stilettos and fumbled with the tiny silver buckles. She stood, steadied herself against the bed and squealed, nearly toppling over. “I can’t do this.”
“Of course you can.” Scarlett took her by the arm, guiding her around the room as her ankles wobbled threateningly. “See there, you’re doing fine.” They paused in front of the mirror. Darcy flinched, stricken by the reflection of herself in the strapless gown alongside Scarlett in her bathrobe, as if they’d reversed roles.
“You look younger than me,” Scarlett said, her voice strained.
“Yeah, right. Your face is perfect.”
“My face is plastic .” Scarlett jerked from the reflection, crossing the room. “And plasticizing myself hasn’t made me look younger. It’s merely made people aware that I’m aging.” She tossed her head. “So when did you say this...shindig is going to transpire?”
“Well, I wouldn’t really call it a ‘shindig,’” Darcy said. “The gala is scheduled for the thirteenth. Not this Sunday, but next.” She unbuckled the dangerous shoes from her
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