~ Tempting Trouble ~
by Snap


See chapter one for disclaimers

Feedback to: snap_0101@hotmail.com - Dedicated to my precious Gem, you know you hold the other half of my heart in your hands and my love for you will outlast the sands of time. Your love has granted me a glimpse of pure heaven. I'm forever yours.

- Thanks to...( drum roll please! ) Magical Merlin, Jamie the Joker ( the parsnip rules! ), Cute Courtie, Lovely Lena, the ever helpful Jaden and wonderful Louie. Thank you for helping me with your marvelous feedback. You're all the greatest! And thank you to all the other readers who give me such wonderful feedback. I truly appreciate it!
Chapter 12

"Ohhh, God Nicky!" Stacey exclaimed, flapping her hands up and down so vigorously that she was in danger of taking flight. Her engaging doe eyes lit up in thrilled excitement as she spotted a dreamy red satin gown that simply begged to be bought. "Oh! Oh! Ohhhh! I've just GOT to try it on! Yay! Hmmmm, dreamy!!!"

Nicky laughed as she listened to her friend's comical exuberance, wondering how anyone could express such neurotic intensity over a simple dress. Standing behind the changing stall's curtain, a self-deprecating smile touched her lips as she remembered her own emphatic inanity upon spying the perfect emerald ensemble she was now wearing. Pot calling the kettle black, huh Nicky?

Nicky twirled around in the emerald green dress that clung like a second skin to her shapely, curvaceous body. Nipping in at her slim waist, the hem of the silky garment ended just above the blonde's knees, offering a good glimpse of her slender legs and firm thighs. She tilted her head to the side, scooping up a handful of her strawberry blonde hair and pulling it up behind her head, leaving the nape of her graceful neck exposed so she could check the style of the dress thoroughly. The frilly pink curtains ruffled behind her and a giddy Stacey hopped into the changing room, bouncing around like a clown on Valium.

"Wow!" Stacey gasped, pushing her way further into the small changing room with exaggerated gusto, one pale hand covering her mouth as she gazed fondly at her best friend. "You look absolutely amazing Nicky!"

Nicky blushed slightly, her cheeks staining an attractive shade of pink, but she managed to grin and throw a wink at Stacey through the reflection of the tall, gold-tinted mirror that dominated the cramped space.

"Why thank 'ee kindly ma'am!" Nicky drawled, doffing an imaginary top-hat.

Stacey giggled and jumped up and down, her pretty face animated with excitement. "I can't wait for Friday night!"

Nicky turned around to face her friend and ran a hand over the smooth satin dress that Stacey was wearing. "That dress looks wonderful on you." Nicky said, honest green eyes sparkling at her friend in admiration."Carl will love it!"

Stacey snorted. "Hmm, don't you mean he'll love taking it off!" Nicky grinned as Stacey preened a little more in front of the mirror, clearly relishing the compliment."Don't you just love it when you see that glint of lust twinkling in their eyes and then it's like you have all the power?" Stacey shook her head and fiddled with the straps on her dress.

"Have all the power?" Nicky questioned, carefully shrugging out of her smooth dress and hanging it back up on the coat hanger. Aren't relationships supposed to be about equality?

"Yeah...power," Stacey repeated, blinking at her usually quick-witted friend's bemused reaction."We have what they want. Men will do anything to get a bit of action Nicky." Come on Nicky, surely you know this? Stacey paused in contemplation, her thoughts scrambling around her head, wrinkling her usually smooth brow. "I would've thought that YOU of all people would know that Nicky....I mean Brad worships you, so you must be bloody doing something right!"

Nicky inhaled sharply and ducked her head, reluctant to reply. She hated lying to her best friend, but the mockery that she would receive if she informed her fellow cheerleaders that she was still a virgin would not make her life worth living. Bloody hell, Nicky thought as she hastily grabbed her skirt and shimmied into it, it's a sad day when being a virgin is viewed as a bad thing....... Surely there's nothing wrong with waiting for the right person to come along and sweep you off your feet, is there? Nicky snapped her head up and glanced at her best friend. Which would mean that Brad isn't the right one for me???? Well then ,who is Nicky? The head cheerleader returned her gaze to the mirror, which seemed to encase the reflection of the stranger within her. Who is...?

"So are you going to get it then?" Stacey watched the dazed look on her best friend's face as the blonde nodded and grinned. She's probably thinking of Brad and what they'll be up to come Friday night! Withholding another bout of girlish giggles, Stacey hopped back out of the stall and went to change into her own clothes. Nicky grabbed her stuff and ambled over to the counter.

"I'll take this thanks......" Nicky informed the shop assistant, ignoring the young man's admiring glances and rakish grin as she searched for her purse to pay for her purchases.

"There you go," the shop assistant said, handing over a bag embossed with the store's bright logo. "Thanks for shopping at Mirages, if there's ever anything that you desire in the future, here's my card." The young man handed over a business card and Nicky paused to turn it over, regarding the bold-printed name. Mitchell Landley.

Nicky gazed curiously at the young man in front of her as Stacey came over and laid her red satin dress upon the counter. The assistant continued to regard Nicky with a little self-assured smirk, convinced that the cute blonde was still checking him out with those amazing jade eyes of hers. Could he be the one? Nicky though desperately. Here was an attractive, handsome man, dark hair and gorgeous smoky blue eyes....any woman would be a fool not to be attracted to him...right? So could he be the one? Nicky ponderedmomentarily, taking in the man's over confident attitude.....Nah!

"Here you go," Mitchell said, passing a bag to Stacey, who was batting her fair eyelashes at him. Turning his attention back to the blonde, he called out to her as she began to walk out of the store: " Remember that if you ever need anything, then I'll always be right here, ready to cater to your every whim....."

Stacey pouted as she realised that it was not her, but Nicky he was interested in. Her momentary pang of jealousy soon faded, though, and she began to giggle as Nicky simply turned back to him and waved in a friendly fashion, calling, "I'll be sure to let you know if I ever need my..erm, desires fulfilled!" Not bloody likely, creep!

With that the two young women left the shop in a flourish, one giggling at the thought of that gorgeous man flirting with her friend and the other chuckling merrily, thinking that men were soooo predictable in their hunt for another notch on their bed posts. If she'd heard one pick up line, she'd heard them all. Just as their fit of hysterics had begun to subside, both cheerleaders quickly glanced at each other and burst into frenzied laughter once more as they walked down a stair case.

"Oh god Stacey!" Nicky managed to gasp out loud, struggling to control the giggling fit that had besieged her. "How subtle was that?"

Stacey placed a hand over her stomach, trying to regain her breath. "I know what you mean....he was a bit full on! Desires to be fulfilled indeed! Ha! We all know what that was about!" The little red head stood up straight and smoothed her curly hair down. "How's about we go for something to eat before heading back home?"

"Eat?" Nicky perked up and grabbed hold of her shopping bags, ready for the go, her nose delicately sniffing the air for clues as to the direction of the nearest food joint.

"I'll take that as a yes!" Stacey grinned, grabbing hold of her friend's hand and skipping towards the nearest restaurant. Nicky nodded her head, her attention consumed with scanning the surrounding area, in search of a decent cafe or anything that sold edible food. She never even noticed that one of her hands had already screwed up the handsome Mitchell Landley's contact card. Absently throwing it in to the nearest trash can, she linked her arm through Stacey's and the bubbly duo embarked on a mission to fulfil one of their desires. A nearby, cosy little cafe provided an acceptable solution.

*************


"Fee Fi Fo Fum!" Phil growled, plodding alongside of an oblivious Raven, who was presently pretending to ignore him as though he didn't even exist. "Whoa! I see a sexy lady's bum!"

Raven snapped to attention, instinctively swivelling her head around, her hasty movements almost rendering her with whiplash. "Where?" She cocked her dark head to the side, intently searching for this mystery woman's luscious ass.

Phil laughed at Raven, slapping his thigh in amusement."Ha! Got you! I knew that would capture your attention!" Phil ignored the scowl that was aimed at him, sending Raven a merry little grin in return."You're worse than those horny teenage footballers Raven!"

Raven snorted in disgust, highly offended at being categorised with those inane bafoons. "Yeah right!" She flicked her head back, the momentum removing the dark bangs that continuously plagued her vision. "You don't see me running around the school, whooping and hollering that I've just screwed a cheerleader while wearing that same cheerleaders panties on my head, now do you?"

"Doesn't mean to say you wouldn't if given the chance, huh Rae?" Phil dodged out of the way as Raven swooped at him with a lightening fast hand, intent on knocking some sense into his dense head. Phil danced a short distance away, intending to stay out of Raven's reach and hopping from foot to foot as he side-stepped the passing mall-rats. "And I suppose that wasn't you that I caught checking out my special mags in my top draw at home, huh?"

Raven glared at Phil, deciding to be mature for once and ignore his taunts... a vow which lasted for all of 6 seconds. Turning back towards the lanky boy, Raven grinned evilly, her white teeth glinting impressively against her tanned face. "Hmmm, yeah. I suppose you're right as usual Phil...Personally I really liked Bambi featured on page 12, didn't you, Philly boy?" Raven watched with amusement as the boy blushed and his mouth dropped open in horror. Raven stalked over to the stunned geek, snickering as he watched her with stricken brown eyes. She wouldn't mention...that? Phil glanced back at the mischievous face looming over his, immense satisfaction settling on Raven's angular features. Oh yes...she would.

Circling her prey, Raven went in for the kill."I mean, what's not to appreciate, huh Philly boy?" Raven snickered as she planted her fingers in the loops of her blue jeans.

"Bambi enjoys pottery making, reading poetry and stroking small furry animals...." Raven watched with glee as Phil cringed at her recollection of the caption that had accompanied the very....stimulating pictures. "Seems as though you and her 'ave got a lot in common, huh Philly?" Raven laughed as Phil turned bright red within seconds. Ohhh, Rae, you're sooo cruel! "By the looks of the marks you...errr, left behind on that page, it seems as though you both enjoy stroking small furry animals quite regularly Phil...."

"Die!" Phil bellowed, covering his flaming face with a lanky hand. "Ground - open - swallow....let me die now!!!!" Raven was beside herself with laughter at Phil's antics, nonchalant to the fact that half of the shoppers were regarding them with suspicious looks.

"You do realise that you're gonna be the death of me before long, don't you?"

Raven smirked and graced Phil with a chirpy wink before simply strolling off amid the dense crowds. "Hey! Wait up Rae!" Phil bellowed, shaking himself out of his self imposed daze and trotting eagerly after the leggy brunette. He was grinning from ear to ear, even though he had just experienced possibly the most embarrassing situation of his life. Could have been worse, Phil thought as he doggedly followed his buddy, my Mom could have been the one to say all of that....
 

Continued in Part 13...



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