Ganache

"Can we use your bathroom?" Seth asked.

I shook my head and held a hand up; effectively cutting off anything else he had to say. "I have to help Megan with inventory, Seth."

Megan scoffed. "Nonsense. I'll do it."

Frowning, I turned towards her, placing a hand on my hip as I stared at her skeptically. "I thought you wanted to be out of here before twelve?"

She shrugged. "It's not like I have far to go. Besides, Mason texted me and our plans fell through. So please, go be young and have fun. You can use my shower if you want as well."

Megan didn't have far to go because she lived on top of the two-story building that housed The Coffee Barn.

"I just need a sink and a mirror," Seth said. "Don't have time for a shower, Cass."

"Why not? If it's a fancy place I'd better take one."

"The last movie playing is at twelve. We have an hour and a half to eat and it takes at least half that to get the food out."

"We're going to a movie too? What is this, a date?" I asked, frowning as I started re-counting the drawer. "Five-hundred over, Megan... I'm counting it again."

She pushed a hand over and covered the drawer. "It's fine. We were busy and it was just you and me for most of the day. Go get ready!"

I scowled at her. I knew Megan and Mason felt uneasy about having extra cash on hand. The Coffee Barn wasn't in the best neighborhood and they'd put signs in the window claiming to not have cash in the safe after hours. While the building was attached to her very large apartment, she still had to go outside to get to the door and elevator that led to her place, which meant she'd be hauling over a thousand dollars with her as she went out.

"Mason's coming down," she said as if reading my thoughts.

I pursed my lips together and placed the money back in the drawer. "If you're sure..."

"Yes, yes. Now hurry, I wanna see you work that dress!"

"I don't know if I have the cleavage to work it," I said, scowling at the top of the dress. The darker, golden design on the bodice curled around the breast cups that plunged a little lower than I would've liked. I did like the train of the dress. It had a poof that made me feel giddy, and for once I found myself a little excited. The closest I'd ever gotten to something like that was The Coffee Barn skirt. Other than that it was usually shorts, jeans, and leggings... the cheap, easy stuff.

Seth rolled his eyes and waited for me to walk out past the counter before pulling gently at my arm.

"What's that bag?" I asked, pointing to the black and purple pouch tucked under Seth's arm.

"A make-up bag," Seth said, pushing me towards the bathroom and following me in.

"I don't do make-up. That last time I tried putting in on I almost lost an eye."

Seth scowled at me. "You're hopeless. I'll do it. I happen to be an expert at putting this stuff on."

I leaned in close to Seth, eyeing his face, "Doesn't look like you have it on."

"Not on myself! I had a sister, thanks very much."

"You do? I thought you only had mean-ass brothers you don't talk to anymore because they're like in the mafia or something."

Seth shrugged; the happy expression on his face falling as he carefully placed the bag on the porcelain sink countertop. "I had a sister. She died when I was fifteen."

My mouth fell open and I just managed to catch a glimpse of myself looking like a fish blowing bubbles in water as I tried to think of something to say. "Seth, I didn't know. How old was she?"

"She was only nineteen."

I wanted to hug him, but I could see in his eyes that he wanted to drop the subject like a bad habit. "I'm sorry," I whispered.

Seth shrugged his shoulders again and offered half a smile. "Let's get you fixed up."

My heart hurt for him, but I nodded. As I walked closer to him, and more into the light, I quickly wrapped my arms around his neck, giving in to my initial impulse. He stiffened as I hugged him tightly, smashing the side of my cheek into his. Seth seemed cautious as he loosely wrapped his arms around my waist and squeezed. It was like he expected me to morph into a snake and bite him. If he only knew... there's not much I wouldn't do for him. Hell, I would bring his sister back to life if I could, just to make him happy.

"I really am sorry about your sister, Seth," I whispered into his ear. "It hurts so much losing family, but it hurts worse when you get a chance to know them." Seth knew about my biological parents, so I knew he understood what I was saying. He also knew about the untimely death of my adoptive parents too. If anyone understood where he was coming from, it was me.

He placed a light kiss against the curve of my jaw and pulled away to cup the side of my face. He brushed his thumb over my cheek. "Let's get you ready."

I frowned and gave an uneasy look as he unzipped the make-up bag. "You know how to put it on?"

This time his smile reached his eyes as he nodded.

"B-but you're a guy."

"I was always watching her put it on," he whispered. "The sweep of the blush brush, the way the color of the lipstick spread on her lips... I wanted to be a cosmetologist for the longest time."

"That is the furthest thing from a law degree. What changed your mind?"

Seth reached out and turned my face as he applied something wet and skin-colored to my face. "I wanted nothing to do with the family business. After my mom was shot in a drive-by, well that was it and lucky for me school came easy."

"And you got your full-ride scholarship," I finished for him.

"Yes, but not for makeup school—I applied for any scholarship I could, anything that would get me out of there. I decided I needed the money to get out of it permanently, and I wanted to help the victims in that type of lifestyle. Not everyone chooses it; most of my brothers were forced into it because they had no other choice."

He turned my face again, briefly smiled at me when he finished with the liquid, and then grabbed another container. When he was finished with the multiple shades of powder, he set the brush down and took a step back, examining his work.

"I'm not even finished and already you look like art. Not that you needed make-up anyway," he said, mumbling the last part. His arm darted forward and his large hand cupped the back of my neck, pulling me in for a quick, yet deep kiss that stole my breath. He stepped back quicker than I would have liked, but not before whispering against my lips how beautiful he thought I was.

I felt my face flush with pleasure. I wasn't a compliment seeker. Not usually anyway, but I had to admit it was nice. The 'free-reign' Seth now had on me seemed to have already changed the way he acted around me. He was touchy before, but he was all hands now.

He lined my lips with a gold shimmering lipstick and then reached over for the thing I was dreading the most. I exhaled slowly, and bent my neck, lifting my face but unable to help the rapid blinking.

"I won't poke you in the eye," he said, his peanut butter and banana smelling breath fanned my face.

"You ate a cupcake? What about 'not until we eat dinner'?" The envious tone was clear as I pouted up at him.

He gave a warm, gut-deep chuckle and tapped the tip of my nose with his finger. "That rule doesn't apply to the adults."

"Pft. Adult smult, I want one of those muffins when I get into the car."

"Are they muffins or cupcakes? It doesn't really taste super cakey as a cupcake does."

"They're a crossbreed Mason made. It's a cupcake muffin."

He chuckled again. "Okay."

Seth put the mascara down once he was finished and his hands reached up to carefully pull at the tie holding my hair in a messy ponytail. I moaned in pleasure as he massaged my scalp, leaning into him so he would apply a little more pressure, but he pulled away too soon. He gave one last fluff and then reached over for the dress he'd hung on the door hook.

"Go get dressed. No bra."

I gawked at him. "What's gonna hold these babies up then?"

"Do what I say."

I stuck my tongue out at him and went into the largest bathroom stall. The dress was surprisingly easy to slip on, but as I reached for the zipper in the back unsuccessfully the clichéd romance scene in all movies entered my mind. I bit my lip as I stepped out, the bodice loose around my chest. I gave Seth a nervous grin as his head tilted and the corner of his mouth lifted.

"Zip me up?" I asked and turned to him, presenting my bare back to him.

He didn't dawdle or touch my back slowly. He didn't kiss me either. It was relatively romance-less as he pulled the zipper up. When he was finished he even quickly turned me around to examine the front.

"Ethan was right," Seth mumbled.

"What was he right about?"

"We should've gone a size smaller."

"Smaller? Pft, this is tight enough," I said, patting my belly. And it was tight, at least around my hips and stomach.

"Easy solution," he said, gesturing towards my chest. He turned around and rummaged in the make-up bag, pulling out a small roll of what looked like duct-tape.

I gasped and shook my head. "Oh no! I'm not doing that."

"It'll make the dress fit you better in your chest area."

"Why do you want to torture me?"

"I don't want to torture you. I want to torture Ethan."

I frowned. "Huh?"

"I told you, Cassie. We both told you. He's sexually attracted to you and he doesn't know how to handle it because he's liked men since he could remember. I can't wait for him to see how gorgeous you look, but those delightfully small breasts need a cleavage boost."

Seth quickly turned me around and unzipped the dress, pushing the top half of it down so quickly that I gasped. I turned back towards him and crossed my arms over my bare breasts.

"It's going to hurt, Seth," I complained.

He nodded. "It'll hurt taking it off, but I'll kiss it better. I promise. I'll put that chocolate frosting all over you and lick it better if you'd like."

I swallowed and held my arms up as he wrapped the tape around my chest. What else could I do? The idea of begging him to start with the licking now crossed my mind, but how inappropriate would that be here?

When he was finished and the top of the dress was zipped back up, Seth patted the now rising globes of my breast happily. "Perfect. Absolutely perfect..."

I wiggled uncomfortably. "At least one of us is happy," I grumbled.

"Two will be, once Ethan sees you. Here." He pulled off his tuxedo jacket and wrapped it around me. "I don't want him to get the full effect until after we're in the restaurant."

"I don't think it'll be that big of a reaction."

"He jerked off in my face calling out your name that first night."

The burn-in my face quickly spread to my chest. "What?"

"You heard me. He wants you, Cassie," Seth said, taking a step closer to me, so close that when he looked down his nose brushed mine. "I want you too," he finished with a whisper as his tongue darted out and licked at my lips. He pulled away and held out his arm. "Ready?"