“Let’s dance,” Allie shouted close to Bri’s ear, grasping her hand at the same time.

“Here?”

“Why not?” Allie moved her hand to Bri’s waist, hooked her thumb inside Bri’s jeans where they rested on the crest of her hip, and ran her fingers back and forth on Bri’s side under her T-shirt. Leaning so close that their thighs brushed, she said, “Do you think they might get the wrong idea?”

Bri could smell her perfume, the same scent she’d noticed that day in Allie’s apartment. Even more distractingly, she could feel the light press of Allie’s breasts against her chest. They were both wearing Tshirts, and neither had anything on underneath. Allie’s nipples were hard, and Bri’s tightened instantly in response. Totally involuntarily, her stomach clenched and a thrum of pleasure shot down her spine. When the jolt of excitement hit home, she got stiff in the space between one heartbeat and the next. “What…idea would that be?”

She didn’t recognize the low, husky timber of her own voice. Or she did, and she didn’t want to think about what it meant. Christ, I’m getting so hot.

“Well, if any of them are half the hotshot investigators they think they are,” Allie murmured, stepping even closer now, edging one thigh slightly between Bri’s legs, “they’ll figure out that I’m trying to get you to kiss me.”

“I don’t…think…”

“Good. Don’t then.” Allie nudged harder with the leg resting against Bri’s crotch, smiling when the unexpected pressure on Bri’s rampantly hard clitoris drew a soft groan from Bri. “And after you kiss me for a long, long time, I’d really like it if you’d make me come.”

“Jesus.” Bri blinked to clear her suddenly hazy vision. Then she found herself staring into the most beautiful eyes she’d ever seen. Eyes so warm, so deep, that just looking into them was like the tenderest of embraces. Her voice was a mere whisper. “Carre.”

Bri had never believed it when people used the expression time stood still , but for that brief instant when her eyes met Carre’s, before Carre turned with a small cry and pushed hurriedly away through the crowd, everything simply stopped. The blood ceased to rush from her heart, the air halted its journey through her lungs, and every thought just…vanished. There was nothing left in her world. Nothing at all.

“Oh my God.”

“What?” Allie asked in confusion as Bri suddenly took her by the shoulders and pushed her aside.

By the time Bri managed to force her way through the crowd on the deck, into the bar where another roiling mass of people awaited, and, finally, to the front door, Caroline was nowhere in sight.

Fuck, where is she?

Bri turned around and sprinted, or rather tried to sprint, toward the parking lot. She was a little unsteady and realized that she’d inadvertently had more to drink than she intended. Plus, it was hard for her muscles to work when there was no blood flowing through her veins. Everything was frozen inside. She’d never been so damn terrified in her life.

Then the cough of an engine turning over caught her attention, and, turning in the direction of the sound, she saw taillights flicker. She raced toward the car as it backed out from between two trucks, and without even giving it a second thought, slammed both palms down on the trunk. “Carre! Wait!”

The car came to a jerking halt, the force of the bumper as it rocked against her legs bouncing Bri back a step. It hurt but she didn’t care. The door flew open and Caroline jumped from the car. Quicker than Bri would have thought possible, Caroline was in front of her, her hands fisted in Bri’s T-shirt, shaking her violently. “Are you crazy? Are you completely nuts? I could have killed you. God damn you, what is wrong with you?”

“Carre, listen…” Bri began desperately.

“No, you listen. I’m sick of it. I’m sick of you pushing me away, and I’m sick of you running away.”

Bri stood with her hands loose at her sides and allowed Caroline to manhandle her. “I’m sorry.”

“I don’t care. That’s not good enough. What were you doing in there?” Finally, Caroline stepped back, staring at Bri with wounded eyes and fury in her face. “Is she why you moved out? Didn’t you even have the guts to tell me?”

“No! God, no.”

“I know what you look like when you’re hot, Bri.” Caroline ran a trembling hand through her hair. “You want to tell me that she wasn’t making you…” her voice broke and she turned away.

Bereft, bleeding at the sound of tears in Carre’s voice, Bri took one tentative stepped forward. She raised her hand but for the first time in their lives together, she was afraid to touch her. “Babe…she’s just a friend.”

“You’re such an idiot, Bri. She was all over you, and you looked like that was just fine with you.” Taking a deep breath, Caroline turned back and studied Bri’s face as if she were a stranger. “I thought you left Manhattan because of this job. Because you needed something for yourself—something that would make you feel better about yourself. Maybe I was wrong. Maybe it was her…or someone like her.”

“No. Jesus, no. You’re wrong.”

“Maybe I’m not wrong, and you just haven’t figured that out yet.” Caroline shook her head unhappily. “I’m going ho…back to Manhattan. Don’t call me for a while, okay?”

“Carre, please,” Bri begged. It felt like her legs were going to go. In another second, she’d be kneeling. She didn’t even care. She’d do anything… “Please, I love you.”

“You know what the worst part is?” Caroline said as she slipped back into the car. “I believe you.”

Bri thought she might die as she watched Carre carefully back the car the rest of the way out and drive slowly away. Carre didn’t look back, not even once.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Bri opened her eyes, blinked in the bright sunlight, and immediately closed them. She lay very still, aware that she was in a strange bed and that she was not alone. The crisp cotton sheets felt oddly rough against her bare nipples. Her shirt was off. Her jeans were on. Her fly was open.

Fuck.

She hadn’t been too drunk to remember what had happened.

“Come in with me, Bri,” Allie whispered as the car carrying the two of them and several of their friends pulled to a stop in the lane in front of Allie’s rented bungalow. “You can stay here tonight.”

She couldn’t ride back to Reese and Tory’s. And the prospect of being alone with her pain was more than she could handle. Allie’s hand on her thigh was soft and reassuring. “Yeah, okay.”

They said nothing as they walked down the path to the front door, but Allie had her arm around Bri’s waist again. It felt strange. Good, though. Solid. Firm. Alive.

“This way,” Allie said softly after she closed the door behind them. She held onto Bri’s hand and led her through the dark living room.

Bri followed, because it seemed the thing to do. She let Allie draw her down onto the bed, saying nothing as Allie lay beside her, facing her in the dark. A hand came to her cheek and stroked her tenderly, then moved around to the back of her neck and pulled her head close for a kiss.

She wasn’t thinking of anything. The tongue running lightly over her lips was supple and warm. When it moved inside her mouth, it was the only thing she could feel. There were no thoughts of the past or the future, only that moment and the firm anchor of hot flesh filling her mouth. She sucked it, breathed in the heat, clung to the taste of passion.

Dimly, she was aware of Allie’s rapid breathing and soft moans. When fingers tugged at the bottom of her T-shirt, Bri shifted and, in the next minute, another barrier was gone. A hand drew her fingers to a full breast and again she heard a small cry in the darkness. Her fingers were closed around a tight nipple, and when she squeezed, Allie whimpered. Bri was sure her heart was beating quickly, but she still couldn’t feel it.

Fingernails rasped down the center of her belly. Her thighs tightened and didn’t relax. She was panting. They both were. She jerked, then lifted her hips when fingers worked loose the snap on her jeans. The sound of her zipper sliding open was so loud in the still room. Soft breasts pressed against her chest, a slender leg slid over her thigh. Fingers pressed inside her jeans. The intoxicating aroma of desire was everywhere.

“Touch me, Bri,” the honey-smooth voice pleaded. Nearly breathless now. “Please. Oh, make me come.”

She knew the words, but the voice was wrong. Make me come, baby. Carre’s voice. But not.

A hand cupped her inside her jeans, fingers closed around her clitoris. The first gripping spasm shot a warning down her legs.

“Oh fuck,” Bri gasped, rolling away. “Jesus. Jesus.”

“What?” Allie’s voice was a choked cry, thin and desperate. “Oh, don’t stop now.”

“I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Carre, god, I am so sorry.

Fists clenched to her center, Bri turned onto her side. She kept her back to the woman beside her and curled in on herself, closing her eyes tightly. Maybe she slept. Maybe she just disappeared for a while.

“I can’t decide whether I’m mad at you or not,” Allie said quietly.

“You should be.” Bri turned her head on the pillow and opened her eyes. Allie was sitting up against the headboard, inches away, nude. Her breasts, full and firm and rosy-tipped, were beautiful. Bri lifted her gaze to Allie’s eyes. “I never should have come here with you last night. I sure shouldn’t have gotten into bed with you.”

“You were turned on at the bar. Here, too.” Allie smiled softly, her expression dreamlike. “You were so wet when I touched you. You got hard between my fingers. You would have come in another second.”

“Yeah.” Bri’s voice was a whisper. She was wet now. But that wasn’t the point. She couldn’t help what her body did. Only what she did about it.