JOINED (The Joined Series)

             
             
             
 
         
By Alexia Stone

Copyright © 2012 by
Alexia Stone
.

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and you did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Cover Design by Melody Simmons at
http://ebookindiecovers.com/
.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any
resemblance to actual events, locales or persons living or dead is entirely coincidental.

I would like to thank my
parents,
my
sister
,
Andy
and
my
best friend, Mayara for support
ing
me
.
This book is dedicated to my loved ones who are no longer here with me: J. Chen, L. P
ellicier, J. Supreme, and Dora. M
y deepest thanks to
my
readers.
Your support is invaluable and I hope you’ve fallen in love with these characters as much as I have.
             

I looked forward to seeing Sarah, my best friend and my brother, Brayden’s girlfriend. As soon as she met up with me in Penn Station, she informed me that we were going shopping, a task that I dreaded. No hugs after two years of not seeing each other. No opportunity to settle down and catch up. And she didn’t offer to help with my luggage either. Usually, when we hung out, we went to a café, or took a stroll in
a park
. Then, I reminded myself that we
hadn’t had
recent face-to-face contact. Video cam chatting and e-mailing each other wasn’t the same.

According to her, my sweater and loose fitting pants were unacceptable; I should look more pulled together during my leisure time, even when I travelled. Gaining the freshmen fifteen was easy for me. After the passing of my sister, I easily gained more weight and I began to feel comfortable. Perhaps too comfortable.

Most of the weight was in my breast, my thighs, and my rear. To my surprise, the weight gain made me feel more attractive, more alluring. I wanted to maintain my figure, not change it either way. I suppose that it made me feel less
off the mark
about my libido being basically non-existent, only experiencing fleeting seconds of arousal.

“I am Rachel. How may I assist you?” A petite sales associate asked me.

I forgot that I didn’t have much of a wardrobe.
Most of my attire was
too snug
on
me.
My former roommate
, Trish
took most of my clothes. Admittedly, they looked better on her and she was a
great cook
, a convenient and cost-effective trade-off.

We were in one of the booming clothing stores in the east village, which expanded to
two
entire blocks, right next to the leading designers that have been well established in the area for years.

“Just
looking for some
so
me shirts, light sweaters, and
pants, a casual look,” I answered, tucking my lips between my teeth.
Most people
in the store dressed casually, while still managing to look
polished

Sarah moved between us, swinging back her tightly coiled
red
curls and swaying her enviable Shakira-like hips. “Hmmm…
that
sounds good but you’ll need some blouses, skirts, and heels. Oh! And two or three suits for your interviews
to start off with
.”

Rachel looked at me and I g
ave her a non-committal shrug.
Tilting her head to the side, Sarah’s eyes darted over me from top to bottom. She set her arm around on Rachel’s shoulder
like they were friends
, much to my amu
sement. “We’ll take care of the clothes
.” Snapping her head back to me, she added, “How about you go to the intimate wear section. I see someone has grown some tetas! They keep bouncing out at me!” She eyed my breasts like she was playing with juggling balls, trying her best not to drop one. She spoke loudly enough for other customers to look at us, reprimanding her without addressing her directly. “What?! It’s true,” she told them, and they walked away. 

Aft
er clearing her throat, Rachel
ligh
tly
said
, “Yes, that’s a good idea.
Do you know your pant size?” she
refocused the conversation
.

Softly sighing, I thought about it. “Sorry. I don’t. I’ve-ah-packed on a few since I last shopped.”

Sarah brought my shirt behind me. “Becca shares the same size hips as me.
She’ll be wearing
low-rise
jeans and slacks.
Her waist is
a
little
narrower
than mine
, as you can see. I have an idea,” she told Rachel.

She nodded once in polite acquiescence. “I was thinking
that
you’re about Sarah’s side too,
”
Rachel told me.

“Now, I’ll see if I can get any undergarments.”

Sarah stopped me in my tracks. Reluctantly, I turned to face her, knowing if I didn’t quickly regard her, everyone in the store would look at us
again
. I dryly swallowed the small lump in my throat. “Spell it out: bras, panties, thongs,
G-string
s
, maybe even a
garter
. Those are the items you’ll need.”

Without missing a beat, I gladly started to the intimate wear section, remembering how much Sarah disliked my ignorance of all things fashion and for being reluctant to update my attire.

“Hi,” another associate said, “
Need help
?” Approaching me with a
friendly and pretty
smile, she motioned me to follow her.
I looked at her
nametag
: Consuela.

“Yes. I need some bras and underwear,” I practically whispered.

“I’ll measure you first. Let’s get the ha
rdest part out of the way first.
You wouldn’t believe how many women don’t know their correct size.” She measured me.
 

“You have a very narrow back.”

All of a sudden, I felt uncomfortable and more aware of myself. And it wasn’t because of Consuela. A smile ghosted over her lips. “What kind of bra are you looking for?”

“Something comfortable. I think I’d like to try wire bras, for some extra support.”

Subtly, she nodded in agreement. “Good idea because you need maximum support to prevent anymore stress on your back. The bra you’re wearing now isn’t so supportive.”

“Yeah, my friend brought it to my
attention.
” I grinned.

“This is our best selling. All of our women love them.”

Consuela handed me the lingerie set, a nice bright red
lacey material. Inside the cup
there was a smooth
thin cotton lining.

“You know what? I love it.” Consuela piqued my interest. Honestly, I aimed to get ten basic bras, a ton of underwear, and select the cheapest clothes from what Sarah and Rachel found for me and then leave.

“Good. I am going to get your size. We don’t have it out here.” She gesticulated her hands to the long array of
undergarments
. “Look around and if there’s anything you like, I’ll get it for you.
W
e have a deal: buy three luxury bras, get the third for fifty percent off.”

She went to the back and I browsed the almost never-ending options. My uneasiness increased. I wondered how long it would take
her
to find me something in my size. I only had ginger tea
that
Trish prepared for our last breakfast together before she
brought
me to
the
Greensburg
station. I was getting hungry.

Dropping my cell phone in my linen tote
after I saw that I didn’t have any new messages
, I looked at the floor and saw a tall wide shadow, near me.

“The forest green silk bra and matching bottom would look perfect against your lush curves.” I turned around, and the man before me said it as if it was the most natural statement to make to a complete stranger. My breath dipped anxiously, vibrating with anticipatory energy. Sounding completely unyielding and unapologetic,
he made
every cell in my body respond
to him. The undeniably masculine scent, coupled with his
light
aftershave,
rendered
me speechless.

The small hairs on my neck and arms raised, as his eyes no doubt still bore into mine. And I already hated him for it. A man never addressed me so bluntly before, never demanded by his presence alone that I acknowledge him. The electric pull to him was the kind of attraction I always wanted, couldn’t contemplate having before, the kind of response I thought
people
exaggerated
about
.
Something else about him that I couldn’t identify made me want to be in his company.
Scolding myself for my response to him, I remembered that I had other matters that I needed to focus on,
such as preparing to live with Brayden.

He stood eight feet away from me, not invading my personal space, compensating for what appeared to be a great distance, by scrambling my thoughts, triggering the onset of a lust that I’d never felt before. There I was, imagining what such nice lingerie could do for my self-esteem and my lack of sexual identity. With one look, he conjured up graphic images of him and I in my mind that I didn’t know I’d feel for a long time. So, I looked away
from him
as if
the lingerie fascinated me
more than him. As a result, his posture relaxed, tittering at me, which made me want to take my linen tote and hit him over the head with it. Why? No matter how much I tried to deny it to myself, he wasn’t just obviously beddable, he was insightful, and could read my posturing better than my loved ones.

His grin widened. “Also, the black nylon silk bra and boy shorts would be,” Unable to help myself, I met his gaze. Prominent dark brown eyes compelled my attention. “delightful against your skin.”

I dryly swallowed, thinking that any second I would wake up from this situation. Placing my shaking hands to my mouth, I tried to appear deep in thought, mentally occupied with anyone but him.