[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
encounter out loud would be more or less painful than the gazelle thing, when a knock sounded at the
door.
Someone in there? a high-pitched voice called.
The relief must have been evident on her face because Cat slashed her hand across her own throat
in warning before calling back, Yes. And sorry, it s going to be a while. Bad Thai food. She added
a long, loud groan for good measure. There s another single-stall bathroom behind the dance floor.
Her declaration was met with silence and then the retreating clickety-click of heels on hardwood.
After a few seconds, she beckoned Courtney with a hand before propping her chin on her fists like a
child waiting for a bedtime story. Continue.
Courtney sank into the tiny vanity chair in the corner with a resigned sigh. There had been a time,
before she d moved to New England last year and met Shane and his friends, that a conversation like
this would have been impossible. A time where she didn t have one friend left to go out for drinks or
gossip about guys with. Because of Wes.
Her stomach churned as she remembered those days, and she shoved the dark thoughts aside. She
was here now, and she had four great friends and one& whatever the hell Rafe was. The point was,
she wanted to share the good stuff with Cat. Maybe talking it through would give her some previously
unattainable clarity.
Okay, so what did I already tell you?
Nothing, Cat said with a snort of disgust. You said you had an uncomfortable conversation,
and then things got weird and you stopped coming around like a butt-face.
She deserved that jab. She d skipped last Friday s happy hour and a day trip to the lake in an effort
to avoid Rafe, and Cat was rightfully irritated by the blow-offs. Hopefully, once she laid it all out for
her, she d understand. Act one of learning to trust again was starting now. She took a slug of her beer
and settled more deeply into her dainty seat. This was going to take a while.
It really started at the reception, she began slowly, trying not to give any credence to the bubbly
sensation rising in her chest as she told the story. So strange that she d expected being dominated
would remind her of what it was like to feel weak, because in those moments with Rafe, she d never
felt sexier or stronger.
By the time she got to the part where he tore off her underwear, she was grinning like a teenage girl
with her first major crush, and Cat was gaping at her, wide-eyed.
So. Hot, she whispered, her fingers fluttering at her throat.
You don t know the half of it. The things he said. Courtney fanned her heated face and shook her
head, at a loss as to how to put her feelings into words. The way he said them&
He made you feel like you were the sexiest, most desirable woman on earth, Cat whispered
reverently, a secret smile tugging at her lips. Shane does that too, although maybe not quite the same
way. But it s awesome.
Cat s drawing correlations between her relationship with her husband-to-be and Courtney s own
one-night not-quite fling with Rafe served as a much-needed slap back to reality.
Not the same thing, she said, clearing her throat and springing to her feet. Anyway, she chirped
brightly. You wanted to know why I ve been scarce. That s the reason. We parted ways, but not
before he issued a challenge of sorts. Next time I see him, I m supposed to tell him whether I want to
do a few scenes with him, or forget it ever happened. As if.
Cat nodded, but looked a little green around the gills. Wow. That s big.
Are you okay? You look nauseous.
Nope, I m good. So, um, have you thought about what you re going to do? You know, if you, like,
run into him?
The better question was, had she thought of anything else? She shrugged and led the way out the
door, back into the bar, and Cat followed. Of course. But I m trying to keep a clear head. It s sucked
not being able to come around, and if we hook up, I m nervous things will get weird between us after
it s over, and it will screw up the group dynamic more than it already has. And because I m scared
shitless of how he makes me feel, she stopped herself from adding. Trust was one thing; baring her
soul, even to her friend, would have to wait for another day.
There s always been tension between you. Probably won t be any weirder than before, Cat
hedged, slowing her pace until Courtney had to stop altogether to avoid yelling down the hall to
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]