“Perfect.” Sarah clasped her hands together, beaming. “International woman of mystery. I’m practically hot for you myself.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t bother with that.”
“Go look.” She pointed toward the bathroom they shared.
Addie floated in and peered at herself in the old mirror hanging over the white sink. She did look really good. Her cheeks were flushed, which kept the black material from washing out her complexion. But the dark color made a wonderful sexy contrast to the pale skin of her neck and chest, and plunged dangerously between her breasts.
Her courage rose. She looked like a seductress. No, she was a seductress. Not a woman staring at thirty from the bottom of her rut.
She emerged triumphant from the bathroom. “I’m ready.”
“Not quite.” Sarah brandished a kid’s glow stick and bent it to mix the chemicals. The plastic began to glow eerie green.
“Where did you get that?”
“My parents keep a supply in case someone needs a night-light. It’s going to be pitch-black in his room since there’s no moon tonight. You don’t want to trip over anything.”
Addie cringed at the thought. Nothing would ruin a seduction faster than falling on your face. “You are brilliant, have I ever told you that?”
“Not nearly often enough.” Sarah handed over the glow stick. “And it doubles as a great light saber if you want to do battle with random Jedi. You remember where his bedroom is? First on the right?”
“Absolutely.”
“Good luck, Addie Baddie.” Sarah hugged her tightly. “This is the start of something really wonderful for you. I can just feel it.”
A lump rose in Addie’s throat. Sarah suspected, but couldn’t know how important this was. A chance to change her life. A chance to redeem her mistake with Kevin that night so long ago. A chance to find romance that might really count.
“Thanks, Sarah. I hope so.” She kissed her friend’s cheek and turned to walk up the stairs, leaving Sarah to sleep alone in the downstairs bedroom they shared.
Kevin Ames.
The wooden stairs creaked sharply a few times; her feet padded across the bare pine boards on the upstairs landing. First bedroom on the right.
She stopped outside the door, closed with an iron latch like all the bedrooms.
Eleven years later, she’d feel that wonderful mouth on hers again, would feel those strong arms around her, would feel his hand on her breast. And so much more.
Another surge of that odd panic. She closed her eyes, fiercely ordering fear to stop ruining her life. Addie Sewell was going to do this. She deserved this. No matter what happened. Just walking through his door represented a victory—for her and for her future.
Addie reached for the iron handle, pulled the door toward her so the latch would lift silently and walked into the room.
Done!
She closed the door carefully behind her, listening for any sign that Kevin had heard her.
He was still, his breathing slow and even.
She was in.
For a few seconds Addie stood quietly, amazed that she’d actually done this, that she, Princess Rut, had snuck mostly naked into a man’s room in order to seduce him, when for years she’d been too scared to say hi to a guy in her elevator.
A sudden calm came over her. This was right.
She took the time to breathe deeply, inhaling Kevin’s masculine scent, surprisingly free of beer fumes. He’d had quite a few more than his share. But then this was a celebration weekend. She’d had one glass too many of punch herself.
As silently as possible, she walked toward the bed, glow stick held behind her so it wouldn’t be bright enough to wake him. In the dim light she could see a swathe of naked back, his head bent, partly hidden by the pillow.
A rush of tenderness. Kevin Ames.
She gently laid the glow stick on the floor, let the sweater, yes, Sarah, pool at her feet, where it covered the stick and reduced the light to the barest glimmer. Addie left it like that. She knew what Kevin looked like. She wanted to feel her way around him, get to know him by touch.
Totally naked now, heart pounding, she climbed onto the edge of the bed then slid down to spoon behind him. His body was warm against hers, his skin soft, his torso much broader than she’d expected. They fit together perfectly.