Afterglow ❃ l.m.j

• chapter fifty three •

warning: maybe it's smut, maybe it's maybelline

♡

For once, we were getting ready at Normani's house. Well, she was. I was just lounging on her couch and eating pita chips in the meantime. They were sea salt and cracked pepper flavored, and I don't know where she got them, but I'm asking for a bag next time she goes.

"Lauren, can you help me really quick?" She voiced from the back of the house.

I nearly jumped out of my skin, pushing the chips aside and demolishing the one in my hand. I wiped my hands, swiping any crumbs away from my ankle length velvet green dress I wore. Leave it me to have little to no care for my outfit seconds before a date.

I scurried my bare feet across her home until I was knocking on the bedroom door that was slightly ajar. She peeked her head out of the bathroom.

"You can come in."

She walked into her bedroom, her full body now facing me, and her outfit on full display. I shamelessly looked her from head to toe, my eyes stopping at the loose tie around her neck.

"What's the occasion?" I asked, making little to no moves towards her. She smirked, fixing one of her cuff links.

"What, you're the only one allowed to look good on our dates?" She stepped backwards towards her closet, causing me to follow her forwards. "No problem, I'll just go change."

I reached out to touch her shirt, the fabric smooth under my hands. The matching smirk on my own face was sultry.

"I never said that." I stood directly in front of her, my face a few inches from hers as I tugged at the tie playfully. "Is this what you needed help with?"

Her brown eyes glanced at my lips. "I'd really appreciate it."

Mine never left hers. I brought my hands forward to assemble the tie, trying to keep my mind out of the gutter all the while. If I didn't know any better, she'd seem like she was dressed for work with her black button up and slacks. Until she reached for a blazer.

I felt dizzy.

"So you just," I gestured to the material, a mix of black and green as well. "You just have this lying around...? Waiting for some poor woman to sweep her off her feet?"

Normani chuckled. "I've had this for a while, actually." She looked at me from head to toe now. "It coincidentally isn't too far off from your dress. Figured I'd wear it."

The brunette turned to me, now fully dressed. "How do I look?"

A churning in my lower region was answer enough. I gulped, pressing my thighs together. The skin on skin didn't help. I plastered a smile on my face. I had to be good. One more date to go. And it was thoroughly upsetting how hard my own rules were to follow in this moment. I mean, fuck, the things she could do to me with that tie—

"Lauren?"

"Hm?" I looked up. Fuck, I got stuck in my head. I have to focus. "I'm sorry. You look beautiful. Are you, uh, are you ready?"

Normani moved to spray her perfume on, something I finally learned was called Turkish Rose? I think I seen it in Sephora one time.