Romancing the Fashionista by K. M. Jackson

they were back in the hotel room getting ready for the last night in Timber Falls.
    Her last night with Nolan.

Chapter Nine
    “I tell you, I almost peed my pants when I saw you two kissing. It was like out of a movie or something.” Lexi beamed as she fluttered around the room in her panties and bra.
    Mel turned from the mirror where she was applying her makeup and looked at her friend. “Okay, fairy glam-mama, simmer down a bit. This is not some fairy tale, and we’re not running off together. It was a nice afternoon and a nice kiss.”
    Lexi stopped and looked at Mel deadpanned for a moment. “Yeah, a nice kiss that will probably tonight turn nice and nasty and end with your legs in the air, or better yet, you ass up, screaming, ‘Harder, Nolan, harder!’” She punctuated each harder with a solid thrust of her hips and had Mel throwing her coveted #10 blush brush at her.
    “Would you hush your big mouth before he hears you?”
    Lexi covered her mouth to stop a fit of laughter and came over and gave Mel a hug. “I’m so glad you came with me,” she said, now more serious. “I just wanted you to have a little fun and see you’re more than your work and Bailey’s mom. You’re Mel. Just you. Perfect and fabulous and my best friend.”
    Mel felt her heart grow two Grinch-like sizes. Lexi was silly as all get out but she was sincere. Mel knew that despite her meddling, Lexi loved her. No matter what, she had her back and her best interests at heart. “Thank you. I am having fun, and it’s been a long time since I could say that. Though I’m still not promising any sort of relationship with Nolan.”
    Lexi gave her a look.
    “Fine,” Mel conceded. “Ass up wouldn’t be the worst thing that happened tonight. Maybe it could be his ass though.”
    Lexi shook her head. “Look at you always having to be in control.”
    But when they arrived at the formal, this time in the designated Placid room, all thoughts of legs and asses in the air were washed away as Mel saw Nolan dancing literally cheek to cheek with Ramona Spencer now Patterson. They were pressed up against each other like teens at a basement party as Ramona said something in his ear and swayed to a song that made all sorts of promises about what one night with the singer could do to a woman.
    “Well, shit, what the hell is this?” Lexi said, bringing voice to Mel’s thoughts.
    “I guess I should have gotten here earlier. Seems his dance card is filled.”
    They stared at the two a little more as they looked uncomfortably right in each other’s arms, grinding to the heavy bass music.
    “Fucking Ramona Spencer,” they said in unison, once again bringing up their old mantra.
    Finally Lexi let off a sigh. “Drink?”
    “Please.”
    Mel watched as Lexi made her way to the bar, ogled by no less than five men who she knew had wives somewhere in this shindig. She shook her head as she grabbed a seat at an empty table and started the countdown clock on when she could get out of there. One drink and she was done.
    “They look cozy, don’t they?”
    Mel turned towards the male voice and saw it was the man she knew to be Ramona’s husband, Jim. She looked back at Ramona and Nolan and felt sorry for the guy. At least she had no real stake in this game. “No, not really. It’s just a dance.”
    Jim shrugged. He was a good enough looking man, around fortyish with sandy blond hair, in good shape, and if he went lighter on the drink he’d be fine for a long while yet. Ramona did all right for herself, so why was she taunting him by grinding with Nolan on the dance floor? “Nah, Ramona always gets what she wants.” Mel noticed the slight edge of anger in his voice as Jim licked his lips in a way that had her longing to get out of there and heading for the nearest shower.
    “I doubt that,” she said, leaning away from him.
    Jim leaned back, obviously noticing her discomfort. “No, it’s true. It’s what I like about my girl. She takes charge. Goes