Basically, I Hate You

TWENTY-SEVEN

My jaw went slack.

Anya, Little Miss Sunshine, Peppy-McPep-Pants-Cheerleader, Good Girl Extraordinaire, brought me to a sex shop. Lingerie greeted us, proudly lining the walls and being displayed on half-mannequins set upon round entry tables. Against the back wall I could see a plethora of sex toys and handcuffs. Yet, with a pink and cream color palette it managed to be sensual and not sketchy.

"Come on. I need your help." Anya said from halfway in the store.

It dawned on me that Anya was expecting me to help her pick out lingerie so she could seduce my best friend. The reminder that Rhett was anything other than an android with no sexual appeal or reproductive organs made my stomach roil.

Eww, for the love of all things holy, kill the visual of them in the sack. PLEASE!

I groaned loudly and dragged my feet over to the rack of teddies that Anya was eyeballing.

"Please don't do this to me. Don't make me help you have sex with my best friend. I beg of you." I desperately pulled on her arm attempting to drag her back out of the store. She rolled her eyes and giggled, pulling away from me easily.

"Oh come on, don't think about it like that. Think of it as helping me-your friend-pick out an outfit. Don't worry, you're also buying something from here." She said noncommittally.

"Absolutely not! Why would I need any of this stuff? Are you trying to rope me into some kinky threeway fantasy you have?"

Anya laughed loudly, like I'd just said the most absurd thing she'd ever heard.

"Don't be ridiculous, Lux. I have no intentions on sharing that male model I call a mate...ever." The fierce and possessive tone had me sagging with relief. If I'd learned anything about Anya recently it was to expect the unexpected, so while mostly I'd been joking deep down I was kind of worried.

"It's for you. You're gonna need it." She continued, never looking up from the clothes she was browsing through.

I blushed furiously.

"Now stop standing there like a statue and help me look!"

I sighed loudly and spun to look around the store. There was no worker in sight which helped, at least no one would bear witness to such a humiliating experience. A girl like me looked extremely out of place in a store like that. The interior was so light and airy it looked like a more exclusive Victoria's Secret rather than the Spencer's I'd be the perfect model for. I perused the items hung in cubbies against the wall. They were so beautifully made that it became less and less surprising that Anya brought me here. As I inspected the pieces that caught my eye I realized how right my assessment was. The few times I'd been in PINK the prices nearly scared me away. But these prices put those to shame.

"Hard pass on buying any of this shit. It's expensive and I didn't bring money." I said loud enough for Anya to hear me wherever she was as I held up one of the price tags.

59 Dollars for one thong? No thanks. Hanes here I come, baby.

She laughed from right behind me. "Lux, it's a wolf owned boutique. Most of the stores here are."

My mouth hung open. I wondered how many stores growing up had been werewolf owned and guessed a lot.

"You're the Luna, you can buy literally as much as you want here. So get shopping!" She slapped my butt playfully making me yelp and glare at her as she tinkered away.

"I'm thinking something white. Or maybe baby blue?" Rhett must've mentioned his favorite color then.

I perused the racks for something in those colors and came across a little black number. Something about it spoke to me. I didn't really have anyone to go home and model it for but I'd feel super sexy just knowing I was wearing it. It was a fully lace one piece with a mock neck and a plunging cut out down to the stomach. The sides were fully covered armpit to waist with scalloping over the hips. Turning it over it was backless with a tulle bow attached to the waistband as a tie to accentuate your curves. Black was the only color I wore really so it was in my comfort zone yet still daring enough to make me feel like I was dressing up.