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Something about that last word triggered something, but she couldn’t hold onto it. A feeling of being cherished and safe floated through her memory. But it came with a slight pounding again.
Hangover from hell. “Remind me to not drink like that again.”
“I will.” The sincerity in his voice calmed her. He was a good guy.
She glanced up at Jonah and felt that whirlwind whip through her. He held so still, but his eyes almost burned her with heat. He stood there with no shirt on and his athletic pants hanging low on his hips. He had carried her to bed. He had held her to keep her from falling. He’d kept her safe after she’d drank too much. He’d taken care of her when she’d gotten sick. Something pinched in her chest as a thought occurred to her.
“Do you see me as a little sister?” She lifted her eyes to his and mentally chastised herself. She didn’t want to know. It would hurt if he did, but what did it mean if he didn’t. “Never mind, that’s stupid.”
“No.”
His word made her freeze.
She searched his blue eyes hoping for something to tell her what she should do. What she could do with what he stirred up in her. Because it made her frightened. Not of him. Never of him. But the cravings he sparked. The desire to press a little further than she normally would and that would lead to trouble for her.
Just like with Chet.
Except she wasn’t a virgin teenager now.
“Good.” She broke the eye contact because her heart pounded so loud she swore he could hear it. “We’re meeting them out tonight?”
He nodded and turned to rinse his cup. The muscles in his back rippled with his movement. Lacy swallowed at the prickling down her spine and reminded herself to focus on Logan.
Somehow, she needed Logan to see she wasn’t a little sister. She wished Sophie was here or Beth. They always had great clothes to wear out and loved to give her makeovers. Even Brenda would do in a pinch, and she definitely knew what guys liked. As his friend, maybe Brenda knew what Jonah liked. Not Jonah, ugh. Lacy shook that thought out of her head.
She didn’t have her friends to help her this time.
Plan B.
“You’re a guy.” Surely he could help. He knew what guys liked women to wear. What Logan would like.
It was like Jonah turned to stone at the sink. “What?”
“Beth and Sophie are gone and they usually would help me become better than cute for a night out, but you’re a guy and know what looks sexy on women, right?”
He made a non-committal grunt.
“You could help me get ready for tonight.” She bounced on her toes. “I need something new and I suck at shopping. Please say you’ll come shopping with me. I want tonight to change things with Logan and they won’t if plain Lacy shows up.”
His shoulders tensed and she worried he would say no. If he said no, she’d need a female of some sorts. Asking Claire would be beyond embarrassing. Emily left for the weekend. She didn’t feel close enough to ask Phoebe or Morgan. Candy’s outfit had been awesome last weekend. . . .
“I mean. I guess I could just ask you for Candy’s number. She seemed nice and would probably help me find an outfit to make the boys drool. So there you go. You are off the hook. Do you think she’d be available? Just give me Candy’s number and you’ll be free to do whatever you like and won’t have to be burdened with taking me shopping.” She smiled up at him, satisfied to find a good answer to her problem. Sure, she didn’t know Candy, but that could be beneficial. Because Candy wouldn’t put Lacy into the same box everyone else did.
He still didn’t move or look at her. Maybe he’d stopped listening to her. She did have a tendency to ramble around him.
“Jonah?”
“I’ll do it.” The tension in his back released.
“What? Candy’s number?” Lacy stepped away not sure what she’d gotten herself into.
He turned and his eyes pinned her in place. “You and me. Shopping. In an hour.”
* * *
With his armscrossed over his chest, Jonah stood inside the boutique next to the door, while Lacy wandered through the rows of clothing. Her fingers trailed over everything, but she didn’t pick anything to try on. He didn’t tell her earlier that she didn’t need to try to be sexy, but apparently that was only obvious to him. And Candy was an okay person, but she didn’t need to fill Lacy’s head with more doubt. Or tart up Lacy too much, until she was uncomfortable the whole night. Lacy had to be Lacy to be sexy.
She lifted her gaze to him and then it skittered away again. The jeans she had on fit over her curves and showcased those long legs of hers. Her shirt was one of those fluttery numbers that just hinted at the curves underneath. He wanted to slide his hand under it and absorb the heat of her skin as he pressed her against him.
