Page 32 of Five Alarm Kiss

“You gave me a heart attack over Skye’s stupid list?” Ignoring her friend’s grin, Laurel squinted in concentration. “What’s number nine again?”

Britt made a circular motion in front of her crotch with her hand.

Oh, my heck!

“Waxing my hoo-ha?”Laurel squeaked. She sliced Britt with a sharp glare. “Are you kidding me right now? You screamed bloody murder over waxing my hoo-ha? I thought there was a zombie apocalypse or something!”

Britt rolled her eyes. “Don’t be dramatic.”

“I’mbeing dramatic?” Laurel sputtered.

“We should’ve done it for your date tonight.”

Britt was the one who’d added number nine to the list in the first place.“Men love a blank canvas,”she’d claimed.

Laurel had no clue if that was true or not, but regardless of what guys liked, it didn’t warrant torture. Besides, she hadn’t“painted” in a long time, and didn’t plan on picking up any brushes soon.

“Total missed opportunity,” Britt lamented.

“Aside frommajorow,why would I do…” Laurel made the same circular motion in front of herself. “…thatbefore my date?” She sat on the bed and crossed her legs protectively. “I probably wouldn’t even be able to walk.”

“Who said anything about walking?” Britt popped a brow.

Laurel’s eyes practically bugged out of her head when the proverbial lightbulb went on. “No way in bells! I’mnotgoing to sleep with him!”

“You should! I bet that man knows how to butter a woman’s bread, and like Saint Paula says…” She crossed herself. “‘When in doubt, add more butter.’”

“Britt!”

“Fine.” The blonde dismissed her with a flick of her wrist, before flashing an impish grin. “Now, back to the red dress.”

“Nice try.” Laurel defiantly folded her arms over her chest. “But I’m not wearing that dress.”

Britt stuck out her bottom lip and batted her lashes.

“Save it,” Laurel ordered. “That only works on men. Besides, we’re going to Peckamoo, so the dress is too fancy anyway.”

Peckamoo was a local restaurant that served amazing chicken and burgers. Jake actually couldn’t have picked a more perfect place to take her. It was casual and nonthreatening. If he’d picked someplace fancy, she would’ve been even more nervous than she already was. Thank goodness Officer Bennett and his girlfriend were coming, or she’d probably back out.

Maybe I should back out.

“Then wear your leggings and that cute blue sweater if it’ll make you feel more comfortable. And these.” Britt pulled some brown, ankle-high boots with four-inch heels out of her bag.Even though Britt was five inches taller, they wore the same size shoes.

“I can’t wear those! You know I can’t walk in heels.” Despite being height-challenged, Laurel had never mastered the art of balancing on her toes while moving at the same time.

Britt looked at the boots. “The heels are an inch wide,” she said, like that solved everything.

“So?”

“So, they’re easy to walk in.”

“Says the person who can strut across a stage in five-inch stilettos.” Laurel had seen videos of the Miss Louisiana competition Britt had won three years back. How she’d managed to stand in those things, let alone walk on polished hardwood and turn without falling and breaking her neck, was unfathomable.

“That’s why I brought the low ones,” Britt rationalized.

“Those aren’t low.”

“Stop arguing. You know I’m going to win,” Britt said with a smug smile. Problem was, she was right. She wouldn’t stop hounding Laurel until she caved. “Besides, this’ll make it easier for him to give you a goodnight kiss.”

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