Jessica's Fate

Chapter 97

I turned and studied my look in the mirror. I'd decided to go back to my usual hair color so bye bye pink and mermaid hair and hello dark brown with caramel highlights. Gabe had been thrilled to do my hair last night after dinner, because, well, he wasn't happy with me about all the 'wild' colors in the first place. It looked good. Like a long-lost friend.

I sighed because, as told to do it, I was wearing a thong and I worried that the already short skirt of the dress was going to flip up on the dance floor and embarrass me. But I had to admit, my ass looked great in this dress.

I turned around again, fastening my necklace around my neck and wrapping my belt around my waist before I fluffed up the curls, I'd worked extra time on. "Looks good." I mumbled, leaning in and using the edge of my finger to swipe under my eyes to make it a slightly less wide streak of eyeliner. I was precariously close to looking like Rocket Racoon from Guardians of the Galaxy.

"Jess... Josh is here." My mom called up the stairs. "And I'm opening the door."

"Thanks, Mom, I'll be right down." I said, tucking the necessities into my mini purse and bending enough to get a good center of balance while I slid my near impossible stilettos onto my feet. I took the stairs as quickly as I could in order to get downstairs, you know, to recue my boyfriend from my mom. I mean, to knock his socks off.

Josh paused, mid greeting to my mom. "Wow." He said, eyes sliding from the tips of my toes, up to meet my eyes as I descended the last few steps.

Mom's eyes widened. "I agree. Wow, baby girl, you look beautiful."

I smiled. "Thanks, Mom." I stepped over to her, kissing her cheek. "I'm not sure what the plans are after dancing so, no waiting up."

"Oh you." She laughed, handing me the tote bag I'd prepped earlier today. "You know, I'm working tonight. But I won't worry about you." She said, smiling at Josh. "You're with a cop tonight."

Josh smiled, resting a hand on the small of my back before taking the bag away from me. "I will make sure to protect her, Erica." He said. "But we should get going or we might miss our dinner reservation."

"You didn't say we had reservations." I said, letting him lace our fingers together as we headed out the front door and out to his car.

He gave my fingers a squeeze. "I may have just made them this afternoon."

"Ah, I'm not too over dressed or under dressed for dinner, am I?"

"You're stunning." He said, glancing at me. "Seriously, take my breath away stunning."

"Knock the socks off my hot stalker cop stunning?"

He laughed. "Yes, my beautiful, hot baker bird. You've knocked my socks off."

"Oh good. That's exactly what I was aiming for."

He dropped a kiss on my lips before he opened the car door for me. "Good. You've achieved it." He smiled before heading around the front of the car to get in.

"So where are we going?" I asked, settling into my seat as he stored my bag in the back.

He eyed me for a moment. "Should I be concerned about the tote bag?" He asked.

I laughed. "No, silly. I have dessert I need you to taste test." I said, shrugging. "Yes, that might be better done back at your place after dancing. And if I brought along something more comfortable than this dress and these shoes, then yes, I plan on changing into a sloppy pair of sweats, a tank top and my flip flops. Don't go making it dirty." I rolled my eyes at him.

He barked out a laugh. "Damn, girl. You sure know how to put me back into place."

"And you love it."