Read Online Girl Gear 4: Striptease by Alison Kent - Free Book Online Page B

Coffee tonight would be perfect.”
     

    “L ISTEN , M EL ,” Chloe began, dragging Melanie away from the table of food to the far side of the backyard and shoving a beer bottle into her hand. “You and Jess are nothing but friends, right? So lose the long face already. He had to work. It can’t be helped.”
    “Right. You aren’t the only one here without a date.” Melanie felt like a fifth or sixth or even seventeenth wheel, standing here, whining about Jess—who was only a friend—leaving her in the lurch. Puhleez! So far, today’s only bright spot was that she hadn’t paid an ungodly sum of money to a therapist to point out the obvious.
    Knowing Chloe had invited him to the cookout, Melanie had retreated to the safety of Jess, who she’d known for ages, at the first sign of danger from Jacob.
    That damn tape had seemed like such a good idea at the time. But now? All she wanted to know was what in the hell she’d been thinking. And why she hadn’t yet thought of a plausible story explaining the loss of her mind.
    “Don’t give me that without-a-date crap.” Chloe waved away a fly buzzing over her bowl of potato salad. “You’ve never hated being alone. Besides, Aiden’s here alone. Kinsey’s here alone.”
    “Kinsey’s with Doug,” Melanie countered, watching the couple dunk one another in the pool, splashinganyone who hadn’t left the deck earlier when they’d dived in.
    Chloe shrugged. “Now, maybe. But they didn’t arrive together. Patrick’s here alone.”
    “Patrick’s always alone.”
    “His choice. I know about fifty women ready, willing but doubtfully able to soothe his weary soul.” Chloe glanced this way and that, canvassing the crowded backyard. “Poe’s alone. Renata’s alone. Well, sort of alone. Aiden’s sticking pretty close. Anyway, just quit your bitching.”
    “I’m not bitching. I’m just…bitchy.” A mood unlikely to dissipate until she’d settled on an action plan. One thing was certain. She’d have to play it cool.
    Giving Jacob a hint, an inkling even, of her second thoughts regarding the tape would not bode well for their professional future. She had to make as though she’d been in total control. The decision totally disciplined.
    Right. Like she’d been able to convince him of that so far.
    “Hmm.”
    Melanie grimaced at Chloe’s suspicious-sounding tone. “Hmm what?”
    Her pointed gaze shifted suddenly back to Melanie. “This isn’t about Jess at all, is it? You’re nervous. Something’s happened.”
    “Nothing’s happened,” Melanie answered, yet again being probed and in not a good way.
    “You can’t even look me straight in the eye. And you keep watching the gate like you’re waiting for someone.”
    Uh-oh.
    “Hmm. There’s only one no-show unaccounted for…” Chloe mused.
    Melanie took a studiously casual sip of beer.
    “Are you waiting for Jacob?”
    “Don’t be ridiculous.”
    Her friend sucked in a delighted breath. “You’re blushing.”
    “It’s the heat.”
    “Didn’t I tell you the man was hot? What happened between you two? Tell me everything!” Chloe licked a chunk of potato from the back of her clear plastic spoon and leaned forward avidly.
    Melanie winced. “There’s nothing to tell.”
    “Don’t give me that,” Chloe began, wagging her spoon, obviously on a roll. “I’m not buying it. When I walked into your office the other day, I had to wave my hand to clear the steam. Good thing I wear contacts.”
    Melanie felt her shields go up. “Don’t tell me you’re matchmaking here.”
    “Me? Match-make? Not a chance.” The other woman shook her head vehemently. Almost too vehemently. “I’ve learned way too much about chemistry, friends and lovers from Eric to think my opinion on how you should run your love life amounts to anything.”
    Love life, ha! “I have no love life.”
    “Exactly. Or at least, you didn’t used to.” Chloe scooped out one last bite of salad from her bowl and waited