Dark as the Night

29

Tai led Odessa through the craft fair, giving her a tour of the regular stands. James followed behind, sullenly. He wasn't really listening to what they were saying, but occasionally a burst of their conversation would reach him. At the moment, she was fawning over a wooden chest being sold by one of Tai's competitors. "It's so pretty!" she exclaimed, an appreciative grin on her face.

James watched as Odessa's slender fingers caressed the soft wood. Her cheeks were rosy with happiness and her grey eyes shining with excitement. Her long, dark hair fell in waves around her face. She brushed it out of her eyes as she gushed over the chest. Does she even realize she's getting excited over Tai's rival's work? He thought with a snort. That idiot.

But Tai didn't seem to care. He was grinning down at her with amusement at her childish joy. Odessa continued, "I wouldn't get it though. I don't even have anything to put in it. But when I do, I'll commission you to make one for me," she said with a poke to his chest. "It would be much prettier anyway," she whispered conspiratorially and met his eyes with a playful wink.

Tai led her off to the next booth with a hand on her lower back. "You'd better save up. It won't be long before you have a lot of that racy lingerie to put in it, at the rate you're going." he said, his mouth twitching with a suppressed grin.

"It was one nightgown!" she cried, aghast.

An evil look of glee passed over Tai's face. "You didn't notice this fall out of the bag when James pulled out the nightgown, did you?" He discreetly took a lacy pair of panties from his pocket and held it out to her. She gasped and a deep blush crept up her neck and tinged her ears.

"Why do you have that???" she hissed. James chuckled. Now this was entertaining. She grabbed the panties and stuffed them in her jacket pocket, dismally trying to hide her face.

"I told you, it fell. I picked it up but you ran off with the bag and I didn't want to carry it around where everyone could see it. Sorry." His smug voice belied the fact that he was not, in fact, sorry. So did the huge, face-splitting smile.

James couldn't resist. "So you carried it around in your pocket? That's not creepy or anything." He turned to Odessa with his characteristic smirk. "So how does it feel knowing that two separate men have touched your underwear?" He couldn't keep the amusement out of his voice as she reddened further.

"Shut up, asshole," she grouched. "It's your fault he saw them in the first place."

"Just be glad we don't see you as a girl, or it would be really awkward." He chuckled and walked ahead, his mood seriously improved.

"I'm not sure if that's supposed to make me feel better or worse," Odessa grumbled. Then she let out a tentative sigh. At least it wasn't the ones she'd already worn. She didn't think she could bear that humiliation. Having been excited to finally have underwear that fit, she had swapped a pair with the ones she'd been wearing.

Tai took her hand and led her forward. "Don't listen to him. We see you as a girl, but you still don't have to worry about it. Until I wanted to tease you about the trunk, I really wasn't thinking about it." Sort of, he admitted silently. Sometimes it was just better to try to ignore the fact that his thoughts insisted on ambling down Teenager Lane. With a detour across Hormone Avenue.

Odessa nodded absently. Something else had already distracted her: a booth selling jewelry made from sandalwood. She stopped to look at their collection of carved pendants. She gently lifted one and sniffed it. The soft, sweet smell evoked a nostalgic feeling, similar to croissants but much more melancholy. She couldn't put her finger on a distinct memory, though.