I try on the dress, and the silk feels soft against my skin. The dress really does make me feel like a princess.
I twirl down the hall to the bathroom. It’s where the guys and I first sang together, our voices echoing beautifully across the small room. I start to sing our song—their song, now; their audition song with Silas—and abruptly stop. The blender whirs in the background, reminding me that JJ is making breakfast and that the guys are waiting.
I hurry up and finish getting ready. As soon as I’m done, I rush into the kitchen, only to stop short. Instead of three handsome princes, I’m met by the purple zombie apocalypse. Not really, but close.
Tate and JJ are in the middle of a conversation, but all I see are purple lips and blue teeth. Charles has his ereader out, but when he looks up at the sound of my footsteps, he’s got splotches of purple on his black beard and equally purple lips peeking out from underneath.
“Good morning?” I say tentatively, hoping the scene in front of me will somehow start making sense.
All three guys stare at me, like I’m the one who looks strange.
“Good morning, Roonie,” Charles says slowly, and I catch a hint of beastly blue teeth. He’s wearing all silk again, black pants and a black button-up shirt—the upscale version of pajamas—and his huge feet are bare.
While I take him in, the handsome mixed with the bizarre, his dark eyes travel over the dress he bought me in a slow inspection.
I shiver under the Beast’s intent gaze. For a second, I worry that he might hate the way the dress looks on me, but his purple lips curve up slightly under the beard in a smile that I interpret as approval.
“Would you like some coffee?” Tate asks, flashing his own set of blue teeth. He grabs a mug from the coffeemaker and hands it to me. “You look tired.”
Actually, I probably look confused. Tate’s the one who looks tired. He’s in LUV Academy PJs—a flannel pants and t-shirt set. My cozy Prince Charming’s eyelids are drooping over gorgeous light brown eyes, and when he smiles at me, my heart melts.
He hands me a coffee mug, and as our fingers graze, tingles travel up my fingertips like electricity. Tate doesn’t seem to notice. He turns, grabs a matching mug from the counter, and takes a large gulp of coffee. It seems to do nothing for his purple lips or blue teeth, which makes me wonder if they’re using waterproof makeup for tonight’s audition. If their goal is to stand out, it’s doing the trick.
“Do you want to go back to bed?” JJ winks at me. His tone implies that he’d like to join me, but it’s hard to take him seriously when his lips and teeth are purple and blue.
I just shake my head and take a sip of the delicious, and probably expensive, coffee Tate made for me. It’s got hints of hazelnut in it, and I give a contented sigh. Followed by a yawn.
“I didn’t mean to wake you.” JJ looks guilty. “I really thought you were already up.”
“I was, and you didn’t wake me. I’m a little tired because I’m not used to sleeping in.”
“You’re not?” Charles asks curiously.
I shake my head. “Usually, I wake up at the crack of dawn to...” I trail off before I can add ‘make Father breakfast before he has to be at practice.’ I realize the guys are waiting for me to finish my sentence, and my cheeks flush. “To... um... watch the sunrise.”
“You like watching the sunrise?” Charles asks, watching me.
I’m usually too busy in the kitchen, and I can’t see the sunrise from there... but watching it rise sounds like such a princessy thing to do that I nod.
“Tomorrow.” Charles says resolutely and then turns back to his book.
“Um...” I say back as I try to figure out if he’s suggesting we watch the sunrise together. Or if he’s telling me I can always get up early tomorrow without him.
“Here.” JJ thrusts a glass of dark purple something toward me before I can decide.
“What is it?” I examine the thick straw sticking upright in the viscous liquid. At least it explains the state of the guys’ lips and teeth.
Upon further inspection, I see gloppy purple chunks piled along the liquid’s surface. It doesn’t look like something I would want to drink, but its stormy purple color is alluring and it smells of fresh fruit.
“Blueberry kale smoothie with protein powder,” JJ says proudly. “Ultimate audition day breakfast.”
I look at it again. It’s kind of chunky.
“Try it,” JJ urges. “If you hate it, I won’t be offended.”
“Okay.” I take the straw. Nothing comes up. Tate breaks into a smile. His dark blue teeth are fully on display. I giggle and try drinking again. Nothing. The thick liquid doesn’t budge.
JJ leans in close and whispers in my ear. “My recipe is really thick, so you have to suck really hard.”
My eyes widen, my cheeks flush, and I quickly set the drink down. Chuckling, JJ takes the smoothie from me, stirs in additional almond milk, and invites me to try again.
I blush as I take another sip with all three guys watching me, but this time I taste blueberry. It’s certainly chewier than anything I’ve ever drank before, but it is delicious. You wouldn’t think a smoothie could fill you up, but after drinking half I find myself too stuffed to finish the rest.
“You’ve got purple lipstick on.” JJ chuckles once I’ve set the glass down. I catch my reflection in the window of the microwave. My mouth is an awful, deep blueberry purple, but no worse than the guys’.
“I’m not the only one,” I reply. It’s true.
And, now that I’m focusing on their mouths, I notice how incredibly sexy they look. It’s not a thought that should cross my mind when we’re all so purple, but I can’t help it. The lurid color draws attention to each guy’s kissable mouth. Tate’s lips spread in a broad smile when he catches me staring, and my pulse is racing too hard to do much more than sneak peeks at Charles.
Thinking he’s the safest choice, I look at JJ and realize my mistake. I can’t tear myself away. Like an exotic flower, the purple calls to me. I can’t help but notice the deep cracks and intricate wrinkles in his juicy lips. Now that the blueberry smoothie has highlighted everything, it’s like his mouth is an atlas on how to kiss him. Every tempting corner has been mapped out, and I feel myself pulling closer until I force myself to stop.
I need to get a hold of myself. It’s just a smoothie.
Charles clears his throat. “Let’s not be late for class,” he says, tucking his Kindle away.
He steps towards me, suddenly crowding me. Even though both Tate and JJ are right there, my heart leaps. My breath catches in my throat, and I watch Charles, wide eyed, as he leans closer and places a slightly sticky blueberry kiss on my forehead.
“Wha...?” I trail off and stare after him as he heads off toward the bathroom. Then a flush creeps across my cheeks and travels down to my chest.
Tate smirks and JJ gives me an assessing look, but neither says a word.
I’m still blushing a few minutes later when Tate stands and leans over to place a blueberry kiss on my cheek. Then he heads to the bathroom Charles just vacated, leaving me alone with JJ.
He leans forward and kisses my other cheek. “Just makes it even.”