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Carrie sucked in a breath through her teeth. “Do you have any idea how much that nickname embarrassed me?”
Amanda’s eyes widened, all innocent disbelief. “It was just a joke. No harm meant. You always were sensitive, weren’t you?”
She patted her hair one last time, then walked out, leaving behind a cloud of hairspray and thoughtless self-absorption.
But Carrie couldn’t condemn Amanda for being stuck in old patterns, without acknowledging her own stagnation. She’d been burdened by the expectations of others, tortured by the mistakes in her past, haunted by secrets that weren’t hers to tell and it was easier to let everyone believe that she was still the girl she’d always been, rather than risk showing her true self.
“No more,” she murmured, straightening her shoulders.
It was time to find Ethan.
*
“There you are.”
Carrie approached him with a glass of white wine in one hand and a beer in the other.
“Gentleman’s choice,” she said, holding up the drinks.
He took the beer from her, trying not to stare. Thank God, he thought, looking at the bare limbs. The girl had backbone, no doubt about it. Being out in public like this had to be difficult for her, with the cloud of scandal still thick around her. But look at her, straight-backed, chin up, facing the room like she had nothing but fun on her mind.
And boy, did she look like fun. Her cheeks were bright, nearly matching the amazing dress she had on. The skirt twitched with every step she took and those legs looked about a mile long, especially in the heels she had on.
He wondered what she had on underneath that short skirt. If she twirled on the dance floor, maybe he’d find out.
No, he cautioned himself. It hurt like hell to pretend he didn’t want to touch her, hold her, kiss her, but that’s the way it had to be. Maybe one day, if things died down… if her life was settled, and his life was settled…
Like that would ever happen.
He’d always have Vincent to worry about and as long as that was the case, well. He’d lost one woman over it already, hadn’t he?
And it’s not like he had something with Carrie to lose, he quickly reminded himself.
It’s just that, he wouldn’t have minded, if he had.
The room was rapidly filling up with people, the sound of conversations buzzing around them. He swallowed hard, his throat dry, hoping his being here with her wasn’t a mistake. He’d tried so hard to stay away from her, to shut down whatever had been building between them.
But she wasn’t having it. And if she kept looking at him the way she was looking at him, especially in that little skirt, there’d be no doubt in anyone’s mind what, exactly, he felt for her.
“Aren’t you glad you took me up on my offer?” she said, tucking her hand in his elbow. She pressed her breast lightly against his arm and his knees nearly buckled.
He angled away from her, then dipped his head down to her ear. “Careful, Carrie. People will get the wrong idea.”
“This is the idea.” She tightened her grip on his arm. “You’re my date. Can you at least pretend to enjoy my company?”
She sounded hurt. He thought of her laughter as she played with the growing puppies, how she’d helped him clean up after them, how she’d coaxed Gun back to life.
What she looked like on the grass, when she’d kissed him.
The girl with the blue vase, who’d been so free and wild and whole, who kept giving and giving, even when it got tossed back in her face.
“I’ve always enjoyed your company,” he said. “I’ve never had to pretend.”
Was it his imagination, or did he see a flicker of hurt in her eyes? No, he must have been wrong.
She cocked her head. “Good. Then, kiss me.”
He looked around them.
“Right now? Here?”
In answer, she lifted her face and pursed her lips. With Carrie in heels, he was only a few inches taller than her and it was delightful to see her standing so close to him. She smelled fresh and sweet and utterly irresistible. He lowered his mouth then and tasted her.
In one electric touch, he was flooded with sensations. Familiar but new. Being seen, after too much hiding. Being found, after wandering lost. Coming home, after a long day. Being known, and wanted, trusted, despite the knowledge.
