Page 273 of The Trouble With Bad Boys

When the call went dead, I stared at my cell phone in disbelief. The man on the other end had been much different than the one I’d been talking to for weeks. There was a coldness in his voice, and I chalked up the whole body shiver of mine to it. I then sighed and looked over at my cousin. Carley and I were actually getting along for the first time in a very long time, and the two of us had made plans to go to dinner and a movie. Hating to even suggest it, I was about to just send Easton a text message, but his final words came rushing back.

“What’s the matter, Shelbs?” she asked me.

I looked over at her, then offered her a wry smile. “Would you be terribly mad if I asked for a raincheck tonight?”

“No, of course not.” She studied me for a few seconds, then wrinkled her brow. “Is there something wrong?”

“Wrong?” I asked, and not wanting her to worry, I quickly added. “No. Something has come up at work, and I need to meet one of my employees is all.”

“Go,” she urged as she stood up and walked over to me.

“I am, but I just wanted to make sure we are okay.”

“Why wouldn’t we be?” she asked.

I shrugged. “I know you’ve been bored just sitting around this place.”

“I had been looking forward to getting out of here, but shit happens.”

“Still...” I was about to let it go, but then I thought of something. “You could go ahead without me.”

“Are you sure? I’d need to use your car again, and you weren’t happy with me after the other day.”

I remembered how she had emptied the gas tank and not refueled my car which had set me back about ten extra minutes on a morning I had already been running late. “It was an honest mistake.”

It had been, so I didn’t want to dwell on it. Besides, I would be too satiated to care about much of anything. Easton always left me in that state and knowing he was so hot for me tonight, I could only imagine how many orgasms he would lead me to. The very thought made my knees buckle slightly, but I managed to hold myself up.

“It really was. I promise to do better this time.”

“I know,” I assured her.

“Where do you need to go? I could drop you off along the way.”

I was about to blurt out Syn, but the last thing I wanted was for Carley to know about the club. It would not only open me up to questions I didn’t want to answer, but it would also threaten the privacy of other clubgoers. I only had one car though and Easton wanted me at Syn right away. Hating that I had opened my big mouth and offered up my car, I had to think quickly on my feet.

As I thought about the businesses close enough to Syn to walk, there were not very many. Most of the buildings housed office space and they were closed at this hour. I was about to give up and just take a cab when I remembered a coffee shop a block and a half away.

I spat out the name of the place, then rushed to my room to get myself ready. I made sure to change into some sexier lingerie, and not having been given any specific colors or instructions, I chose something in white. I then debated whether or not to throw on a dress or pair of leather pants, but ultimately decided to just keep the jeans I had on. I did have a silk camisole top that I could pair with it to make myself appear sexier.

I quickly slipped it on, then put on the Carson High School hoodie hanging over the chair. I did switch out my sneakers for a pair of heels. After, I went back to meet my cousin who was already dressed and ready. She turned and noticing my shoes, she arched her brow.

“What?” I asked.

She shook her head. “Nothing. If you’re ready, we can go ahead and go. I’d like to make the movie and you know me and this city.”

“You’ll learn the ins and outs of Denver before too long,” I promised her.

“I suppose you’re right. Until then, the trusty GPS it is.”

We left my condo and I saved her from having to plug the coffee shop into the GPS by giving her directions. Once we made it to the quaint café, I quickly rattled off some directions for her, but she began inputting them into Google Maps anyway. I shook my head.

“Do you need me to come and pick you up?” Carley asked me.

“Ahh, no. I’ll have my friend drop me–”

“Friend? I thought she was your employee.”

“Can’t I be friends with those that I manage?”

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