I had just finished pouring myself a glass of rose champagne when the front desk man rang in from the intercom announcing that Veronica was here. I sat my glass down on the coffee table in front of the couch and walked over to the front waiting room for her.

When the door opened, I was brought face to face with a platinum blonde grinning like she just found the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. She waved slightly, her gold bangles shinning in the light, and then squealed before wrapping her long, tan arms around my neck. I smiled politely and waited for her to let go.
When she did about five hours later, I was able to gain my breath and led her into the front living room.

Her eyes were huge as she examined the place. There was a small 'O' forming on her lips as she realized just how rich Killian was. I mean, even thought I was preoccupied with the wine when I first got here, didn't mean I didn't appreciate the place. I admit, the slut of Chicago does have a nice pad.

"Dear lord, this man is classy."

"You should see his wine collection..."

"You mean you haven't drank it all yet?" She smirked, placing her black purse next to my glass.

"What's with all you people thinking I'm an alcoholic?"

"You said it not me. By the way? Do you own any nice clothes?" She asked as she eyed my black and white baggy sweat pants and loose long sleeved black belly shirt. I shrugged and eyed hers back. Okay, the tight, beige dress with black going down the sides did look nice. Of course, on her end, it helped that all of her curves were in the right place, giving her that hour glass figure every woman in the world died for, well except for me, I liked my toned body, not to mention I've worked hard for it.

"Yes I do...I just feel like being lazy today."

"Well you should change cause you and I have some shopping to do!"

"What happened to Chinese food and talking?" I walked passed her and grabbed my champagne. One sip and I was in love.

"That comes later, you and I have dresses to buy!"

"Why? Plus, you know I hate dresses."

"Well I was doing my hair before I came over when I eyed an invitation that I had taped to my mirror so I would remember when it was going to happen. There is this charity event Saturday I'm going to with some of my friends, and-"

"The one Killian is supposed to give a speech at?" I interrupted after another sip of my drink, "Already going."

"With him?"

"No, Marc invited me. Killian is going with some whore named Brooklyn."

"Brooklyn!?" She laughed. "Oh dear lord, how did she manage that one?"

"Know her?"

"Got with Killian twice, Marc three times, Luke once and Derek three. God, I hate her, she is the most stuck up rich person ever. I want to smash her face into a wall, oh yeah she also slept with my ex while we were together."

"I'm so sorry."

"Nah its cool, I wouldn't be with Aaron if she hadn't opened her legs." I remembered Aaron. He was a nice guy, invested in the security business like my uncle, though he worked for higher power. What I liked about him most though was the way he looked and treated Veronica. She was his queen, and anyone could see how much he adored her.

"That man loves you; you seriously got lucky with that one."

"I know...that reminds me...we moved in together!"

"What!?"

"Well I mean whenever he is in town we will be together but yeah. I'm talking to my dad now about moving to DC to be with him permanently. It's still up in the air."

"Awe!"

"I know! But that is a topic for another time! Back to the subject at hand, you can't go with Marc or Killian."

"Why?" It's not like either of them are getting close to my pants.

"Any girl who hangs with them gets a bad rep. Sorry to say but when you go places with sluts you become one. You can go with me, Amber, Chelsea, and Zoey."

"Veronica, you know how I am with more than two girls. I don't like it!"

"Oh you'll be fine! I'll keep you sane and your fists at your side!"

"I'll be fine with that part Veronica...it's just that I don't like the stuff they talk about! It's nothing but drama and I had to deal with enough of that crap on my ship."

"Yet you are living with Killian Cross?"

"That's different, he's like family, I have to deal with his drama!"

"Like family?" She questioned, "Tell me exactly how that is?" And so, I did. I explained it to her all. My uncle and Lucian growing up together. My father passing away and my uncle taking me on, and finally the fact that Killian had always been there since his father and my uncle were never apart. Those two were like girls that braided their hair together. "Damn, so he really is like family..."

"Short of...we've become distant. I joined the navy and he took over his company. Two different directions and now...I don't know, it's like I don't even know him anymore...I hate it..." I missed him, the old him, the one that use to tease me to the point that I would tackle him to the ground and start playfully slapping his cheeks. Now, he was just so angry-

"You like him!" My drink lodged itself into my throat the moment she spoke. I coughed continuously until I was heaving for air. She smacked my back with a grin and waited patiently for me to recover. When I did, my voice came out weak and pitiful.

"What makes...you think that?"

"Mia, the moment you got done saying that you hate how he has turned out, your eyes went all distant and lonely. You like him and aren't happy with the way he is...that's so cute!"

"I do not like him! That man and I have nothing in common. He is a slut and I am a respectable young woman! Sure, I've slept with my fair share of men, but I only did it because I thought they really did like me and that they were going to stay, not because I was bored and horny! I'm sorry Veronica but you are dead wrong on that one."

"Okay," she smiled, "Whatever you say..."

"I don't like him!"

"Okay..."

"Stop it Veronica! I do NOT like him. End of the story."

"Okay, I believe you." She didn't. The smirk on her face told me otherwise.

Rolling my eyes, I downed my drink and started heading towards my room to change. The outfit I picked wasn't classy or fancy but I always thought I looked good in a pair of dark jeggings, dark leather boots and a long sleeved, burgundy plaid shirt. Veronica saw the choice of clothing as I walked back into the living room and mumbled something under her breath.

"I don't think I heard you correctly...did you say I look amazing?"

"You are going to be the death of me woman!"

"You know the guys on my ship use to tell me that all the time...I never really understood why." Well okay I did. I mean, I never paid attention to what I was doing, I almost always accidently walked out into the middle of a dangerous evolution and when I had a gun in my hand, I might have waved it around a few times, but hey there were no rounds in the chamber and the clip was not seated. It was safe, they just didn't like a gun pointed at them even if it was for less than a second. I knew what I was doing, even if they didn't think I did.

"Oh I wonder why Ms. Blue-on-blue?"

"How the hell-- who told you about that?"

"Please, you know exactly who told me." She huffed, and as I thought about it, a very particular first lieutenant popped into my head.

"God I'm going to kill that man when I see him again!"

"Hey now! He's still my brother..."

"He's still an ass hole..." I mumbled loud enough for her to hear. She simply rolled her eyes and followed me into the elevator. We were in there for only a short time, and moved directly into her car once we were out the doors. She gave her driver a mall name and with a nod, he slid into the streets.

***

"How about this one?" Veronica held up a long strapless silver dress. I looked it over, taking in the missing back and silk fabric and shook my head.

"I don't know...something about it throws me off."

"You've said that about all of them so far!"

"I think it's the fact that you know...it's a dress!"

"What are you going to do then Mia? Wear a suit?" I went to answer, but when she saw the look on my face, she started intensively shaking her head, "Don't even think about it. You have to look amazing."

"Why? Don't want me to make you guys look bad?"

"Mia...you and I both know it's not like that," she said taking in the seriousness of my tone, "You're a beautiful girl Mia, trust me on that. And it's because of that, that you should let it shine. You're in the military, there's no room for you to be girly, especially with your rate. It's one day Mia. Be a girl for once, maybe you'll even make a good impression on a man or two." Her words slightly hurt but I brushed it off like they didn't hurt at all.

"I've been told I look good in gold." I whispered. She grinned instantly and dove back into the pool of dresses. My freedom went by before I knew it. One minute I was reading a portion if the newest book I'd just bought for my Kindle and the next I was covered in dresses, and when I say covered, I mean the can't-see-anything-but-gold covered.

"Start trying them on woman!"

"I do believe this counts as a form of torture!"

"Nice try Mia, but you're still trying them on! We've got to go until we find the perfect dress!"

"Why perfect? I have no one to impress!"

"That's not true-"

"I told you I don't like him!" I hissed as she pushed me into the largest dressing room the store had. She immediately snickered and I realized then that she had never told me specifically who I would be impressing. "Shut up you fiend! You and I both know that is who you were thinking about!"

"You said it...not me..."

"I'm going to kill you with all these dresses!"

"Death by expensive fabric? Yes, please?" She swooned pretending to feint. I rolled my eyes and stepped out into the opening. Her eyes rolled over every inch of the solid, silk, gold, strapless dress and she shook her head. "Too much gold...next one!"

"Oh come on!"

"Go!" With a low growl, I marched back into the dressing room and tried the next dress on. The moment I stepped out she shook her again. And again for the third, and the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth. By the seventh one I was completely irritated. I stomped my way back into the dressing room, ripped off the dress careful not to tear anything and threw on the right and in my opinion, last one. When I stepped out she gave me her usual look over and to my surprise grinned. "That's the one!"

"Really?" I asked with joy, though it was more due to the fact, that I just wanted the shopping to be over with.

"Look at yourself!" She squealed as she shoved me in front of a long mirror. "You look so pretty!"

"It's a little showy, don't you think?" I asked as I took in the large split of clear mesh down the chest. The sides of my chest covered only by gold like vines.

"Who said showy is a bad thing? Besides it is cute...the shimmery light silver and gold vine like design makes you look even more tan, and makes those gorgeous blue eyes of yours really... pop. And look," she pointed to the front of my thighs, "The vines look like little dragons. Cute!"

"Veronica-"

"I've seen some more that I like-"

"You're right!" I laughed loudly as I rushed back into the dressing room, "This one is perfect! I'll be out in a second! And I can borrow those gold heels of yours!"

"Hey, wait! I never agreed to that!"

"But you love me and dragged me here so...I mean it's only fair!"

"Woman!"

"Lady!"

"Fine!" She huffed. I grinned and pulled my shirt back on before heading out into the waiting area with the dress flung over my shoulder.

"So let's go!" Reluctantly, she grabbed her purse and followed me to the counter where I pulled out the card I swiped from Killian's wallet the night before and paid for the dress. Before I knew it, we were back in the car and heading to get food.

"What's with you and food?"

"What's with you and shoes?"

"I'm a girl, what girl doesn't like shoes?"

"Me?"

"You don't count."

"How, my boobs are bigger than yours!"

"Hey," she said as she quickly covered her chest, "Don't make fun of the girls! They can't help it their small! And yours are too, you just have stupid muscle under yours!"

"Still bigger." I grinned.

"You're so mean!"

"Don't tell me I'm not a woman then. Just because I like to work out and get dirty and be lazy doesn't mean I'm not a girl, I'm simply not a prissy girl!"

"I'm not prissy...okay maybe just a little..."

"See." The car slowed to a stop and the door opened. Veronica slid out with me in tow and together we walked into the large Chinese restaurant she had picked out on our way to the mall. With reservations already made we were seated in seconds.

"Drink?" A man asked with a heavy accent.

"Water."

"Same." She answered. He nodded politely and left us alone.

"So how has life been for you?"

"I mean besides Aaron and that whole ordeal life hasn't been to shabby. Business is going good for my sister and I, and dad's business is booming. Clearly my brother is happy, though it sucks because we rarely talk to him. I'm sure you know how that is..." Oh I did, "But I mean rather than that, life isn't bad. I'm just praying that my decision to move to DC doesn't end up badly."

"How could it," I asked as the waiter placed our drinks down. We quickly ordered, myself going with the usual chicken teriyaki and her with a sushi platter, "You two love each other. You guys get along well and I've never seen or heard about any fight, I honestly don't see how it could go wrong."

"But we don't see eachother every day or every other, in fact it's more like once a week and most of the time it's by skype. How do I know that once we are actually living together that it won't go up in flames?"

"You just answered yourself. You barely see each other yet you stay faithful. Knowing that you two don't need to be together but still stay in love, that should be your proof that you two will work out."

"I don't know Mia...it's just a bad feeling in my gut."

'Trust me."

"Trust the girl who has only been in two relationships, both of which lasted less than 8 months?"

"Shut up, I'm still waiting for the perfect guy! Besides both of those men told me I scared them away with my tomboyness. Said they wanted a more dependent girl...I can't help it that I do shit on my own! I don't need a man!"

"What about your pleasure?"

"I can go without Veronica."

"You poor thing! I can hook you up at the charity event."

"You're as bad as Killian! I don't need to get laid!"

"Do not," she growled, "Compare me to that slut!"

"Do not," I mocked, "Tell me I need to get laid. I am perfectly happy the way my life is." She mumbled something in response I couldn't quite make out, but the moment I caught sight of the food heading towards us, all my thoughts went out the door. Oh, sweet Jesus that looks delicious!

*🍷*
Another update!!! Yey!!! *everyone cheers loudly and claps their hands* I'm back on land and glad to be back!!!

So for the readers who haven't read the original version of this book (I know hardly anything has changed yet, but it will) what do you think is going to happen at the charity event?

And...

Do you think Mia likes Killian or is Veronica wrong?

Finally I want to know: what's your favorite kind of wine? I feel like expanding my own taste of wine and I would love you opinions...I might even make a video of me tasting these options and follows up with a dedication... maybe a shout out on the video...who knows....🙃

Stay tuned for the next update!!