Page 7 of Spring Fling

I blink. “Sorry?"

She hides her face with a napkin for a moment before peeking up at me. “The underwear I’m wearing. It’s…not exactly comfortable.”

Heat rushes through me, setting every nerve in my body on fire. God, she’s adorable. And sexy as hell.

Before I can second-guess myself, I lean in even closer, voice low.”Maybe, you should take them off.”

THREE

ANGELA

My jaw hits the table. Well, it might as well, it falls so far open.

“Did you say…” I gulp, “take them off?”

The reserved smirk on his lip spreads wider and he nods.

“There’s no point in you sitting there uncomfortable all night.” He arches an eyebrow. “So, why not take them off?”

I blink. “Here at the table?”

“If you like.” He chuckles low, a sound that seems to echo in my own chest and set my heart racing. “But you could also slip away for a moment and when you come back, we’ll be the only two people in the restaurant who know a little secret.”

I don’t know what it is. The hint of challenge. The forbidden nature of it all. Or, even just the temptation of no longer having lace chafing my bits.

But I stand. Why not? I’m already behaving so out-of-character for myself tonight. I might as well lean in.

I grab my purse and stand. “I’ll be right back.”

“I’ll be here waiting.”

I can practically feel his heated stare on me as I slip into the bathroom. I catch Heidi’s eye as I pass the bar. I jerk my head, silently encouraging her to follow me.

In the bathroom, I check to make sure both stalls are empty before I slip in one. I’m shimmying out of the panties when the door to the bathroom opens.

“Angela,” she whispers loudly. “Are you in here?”

“Yes,” I practically hiss back. “What the hell am I doing?”

“Right now? I’m guessing you’re peeing,” Heidi says. “Unless you’ve decided to take a?—”

“I’m not using the toilet.” I take a deep breath. “I mean, what am I doing pretending to be that hunky mountain man’s blind date?”

She chuckles. “I think the better question is how soon are you getting into that hunky mountain man’s pants?”

“I’m lying to him every second I don’t tell him the truth.” I glare at the barrier between us. “How could we possibly build anything real as long as he thinks I’m someone else?”

“Who says you have to make this into something more than it is: a one-night stand?”

I open my mind to object, but clamp it shut. I mean… she raises a reasonable question. This is Wade’s first date since his divorce. This is my first date since breaking up with my… situationship.

Neither of us is exactly looking for a happily ever after here, are we?

“So you’re saying…”

“I’m saying get back out there and live it up tonight,” Heidi says. “It’ll do you both good to have a little fun. Consider it a gift from the universe.”

As much as I’d like to argue, I can’t. Maybe it’s the shot of tequila I took at the bar. Maybe it’s the fact that Wade looks pretty damn hot in that button-up shirt of his.

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