Borrowed Time

Chapter 193

Watching Esme perform was akin to watching art be created right before her very eyes. They were a master of their craft, always had been, making it look effortless as they played... Plus, it didn't hurt that they were staring into her eyes, communicating every last thing that they wanted wordlessly... Or at least trying to.

It was making Juliette's focus laser specific to them, that was for sure... A focus that was only broken by Shelby's laugh.

Why laughter? Why laugh?

"Hey." Juliette said, seeing Shelby raise an eyebrow as she grinned down at her now, like she knew that she'd been caught but she didn't really care, which actually sounded annoyingly correct for her best friend - Shelby would double down on laughter.

But why?

"Hm?" She asked, making Juliette cross her arms as she looked at her... There was no way that she was questioning what she was referring to right now, that was shockingly obvious and Shelby was pretty far from stupid last time that she checked... There was no reason to act like she was an idiot right now, it just didn't suit her.

"Are you laughing at me right now?" Her question was met with a shake of Shelby's head, but Juliette could see it happening - if she could see it happening, what was the point of pretending like it wasn't happening?

I am not a fool, Hart.  I will remove every third stitch from all of your clothing so that it falls off when you put it on, don't test me.

"Oh, I'm not laughing at you, I'm just astonished that Esme can manage to eye-fuck you while somehow still being onstage and playing as if there was nothing going on... Seriously, they want you so bad that I feel like an unwilling participant in this." Shelby sighed, making Juliette grimace... She didn't want Shelby to feel uncomfortable, but she also couldn't stop Esme from looking at her like they were ready to get off the stage and drop to the ground right there in the crowd... Their eyes said it all, even from up there.

They were practically begging for her without saying a goddamn word, it was impressive...

And very sexy.

"Okay, well..." She shook herself out of her stupor, looking at Shelby as she gestured to herself with a smirk.  She looked fucking hot tonight, that had been decided by everyone who had seen her in their friend group and had told her so, so was it really her fault that Esme was having such a hard time with this?  "I mean, can you blame them?" She asked, hearing Shelby snort as she slung her arm around her, pressing a kiss to the top of her head.

"Fuck no, the second that Penny told me about the outfit that you two had picked up I knew that they would practically be on their knees the entire time they were onstage... But you know? Sometimes I wish they'd keep it in their pants." She sighed, which wasn't fair because Esme's pants were on.

Unfortunately.

"Technically... They're still in their pants." She pointed out, earning herself a look from Shelby... Honestly, she would've thought that someone as smart as her would love to get lost in a battle of semantics, but it wasn't looking like it... What a shame.

"Right, but they really want to be out of them." Shelby smirked then, leaning down to speak into her ear.  "Specifically they want you to be taking them off." Juliette gasped at this, shoving her away as she looked at her in shock.

There was no way that she had just said that and instead of apologizing profusely she was cackling.

Who cackled after something like that?