Stuff It

Chapter 16

Willing away the day in anxiety was not the product of a better judgment. It was a weekend and her goals to reduce weight remained.

Wincing as her tenderised skin brushed against the fabric of her clothing, she couldn't quite help the sudden burst of sensation that ripped straight down to her core, drenching in its effect. Just knowing Dash Arlington's lips had been on those parts of her person was tantalizing enough to send her spinning off into a passion induced delirium.

But she was built of stronger stuff. No man ruled her. No matter how wet he made her panties.

"I am off to the gym," she rose abruptly to her feet and declared vehemently to no one in particular. Nial merely grunted in response but Nancy took matters a lot further.

Dragging a suitcase behind her, she was just in time to catch Nina's words.

"About time. You should have gone there first thing in the morning. Lazing about in bed is not going to make it all happen. You won't even fit in the dress that way let alone resemble a goddess in it," she muttered practically, all the while tugging at her luggage even as she reminded Nina of her initial intent.

"That had been mere fantasy, and we both know it," disclaimed Nina, swiftly, already eager to give up on the unattainable. At that point the turmoil in her was such that she'd require every ounce of sustenance to survive. And by sustenance, she meant binge eating.

But Nancy was not having it.

"You know, I knew you would back track at the first opportunity. That was the only reason I had declined in moving out in the first place. I had intended on keeping an eye on you. Right up till my wedding but I won't be if any help here will I?" She demanded dissapointedly.

"What are you saying? And why are you hauling your bags about like that? Going for a trip?"

Nancy did tend to take off on trips but that was not it. "Jeff wants me to move in with him. He was insistent... last night. I can't tell him no again."

Nancy said pleadingly before rounding the sofa to stop in front of Nancy. "Can I trust you to do all you can to lose weight?"

Dumbly, Nina nodded her head.

"Great!" She beamed up at her. "You better get to the gym right away. The clock is ticking. And you have to be at Jeff's this evening to go over the wedding trousseau."

Nina waited for Nancy to dissappear back into her room at that before rounding on the bemused Nial.

"What is wrong with her? A trousseau? In this day and age?"

But Nial merely raised a brow at that leaving Nina to groan silently. Before then groaning loudly. She had to go to the gym. And that too on a full stomach.

It was twenty minutes later that Nina found herself chased out of the house and packed behind the wheels of her ancient Corolla Acsent and making her way to the nearest gym.

After which begun the longest afternoon of her life. She was bone weary hours later when she plopped back onto the sofa, back at her home.

"You're not ready," said Nial, as he stepped out of his room a moment later to confront a half-dead Nina. " You know we have to get to the Thompsons residence. Not Jeffs home but his dad's."

"The great Lloyd Thompson himself," muttered Nina tiredly.

But Nial only nodded before patting the front pocket of his tux," I have the flight tickets right here. You need to be ready in twenty minutes if we are to make it."

Nina groaned and fell off the couch before miserably crawling away to her room. Lloyd Thompson was a snob with a capital S. Nina hated going to their residence. The Thompsons mansion resided on the bay area in North Sydney. And the Thompsons tended to make an elaborate affair over everything. Since that unfortunate moment  Nancy decided to accept Jeff Lloyd Thompsons proposal, it had been hectic tooing and froing to Sydney and Gold Coast, as the Thompsons deemed it necessary to invite the Aurora's to each and every function they hosted. And they hosted plenty. Not all of which related to Nancy's engagement either.

Nina emerged from her room twenty minutes later, looking a little windblown for her efforts but otherwise suitable attired. The slinky black cocktail dress worked well with her recently work-out flattened tummy. Flatter than usual, that is, for her efforts.

She fluffed back her hair and slapped on a fake wide grin, to which Nial only grunted.

"We need to talk to Lloyds about this," grumbled Nial, clearly feeling the strain of being all suited up in a tux a lot more than Nina.

Nina nodded agreeably but was swift to clarify, "You talk."

Cursing openly Nial drove them in his ute for the airport.