BURN CRASH • LRH

3. strip tease

STRIP TEASE

Luke Hemmings was never one to be nervous.

He went through life without a care in his mind to trouble him while he lies awake at night, Luke thought it was easier that way.

Just don't care too much and you'll never be disappointed, but, as he hangs up the phone with the girl he just can't seem to get off his mind, he can feel his heart pounding in his chest at the thought of seeing her again tomorrow.

Just seeing her dark brown hair, olive skin, and a million-dollar smile had him weak in his fucking knees, feeling his stomach plummeting in circles, twisting in hideous knots that Luke just couldn't seem to untangle.

The teasing words Aurora said in the most sultry voice she could muster, ring in his mind like the way someone's fingers dance along the strings of a guitar.

Luke doesn't know whether he regrets ever asking Aurora in the first place or thinks it's the best thing in the whole goddamn world.

Because how is he supposed to have the most beautiful thing he's ever laid eyes on in front of him every day and not fall into the burning pit of desire.

. . .

"Michael, I swear to god. If you don't move I will kick you in the balls."

Aurora huffs as Michael blocks the doorway for her to go back inside, he overheard a bit of her and Luke's talk on the phone and is now very intrigued about what's going on with his best friend, wanting desperately to know who she was talking all sultry with on the other line.

"Hey, no need for that, I was just wondering." Michael holds his hands up in defeat, stepping away from the door frame to let her past, he has a gut feeling about who Aurora was on the phone with but is not wanting to completely pry into her business.

"You know I actually wouldn't, Mike." Aurora makes her way back to the kitchen, pouring herself a cup of the hot chocolate Michael made into a cream-colored ceramic mug she found at the local thrift store back home.

It was one of the little pieces Aurora decided to bring with her to New York from San Francisco.

"Surprised you haven't done it yet." Michael's eyes dart to the small clock she has sat in the kitchen, realizing just how late it has slowly gotten, he apologizes for what seems like a million times for leaving on such short notice.

"Stay out of trouble, Rora, I don't have the cash to be bailing you out of jail," Michael says, peeking his head around her open front door, but catches her with a flushed face as she thinks back to her and Luke's talk on the phone.

"You know me, Mike. I stay ten feet away from trouble."

When in reality, Aurora hit trouble head on the night she went home with Luke Hemmings.

Watching her best friend walk out the door with a subtle grin on his lips, Aurora can't wait to go rummage through her closet to try and find her best outfit to wear tomorrow.

Aurora practically runs to her room, she can feel the mix of excitement and nerves coursing through her body.

She's not entirely sure how her mind is even going to be clear enough to do any type of work, but, Aurora is willing to go the extra mile to make sure everything goes perfectly.

. . .

The next morning, she's slipping on a baby blue silk dress, pairing it with a cream sweater on top to make it look like she's wearing a tiny skirt but still trying to keep the bitter chill off her body.

Aurora's skin-colored tights have the smallest rip in them at the tops of her thighs, but figuring that no one would ever see it, she decides to leave it be.