Page 2 of Unzoned

He wanted to tell her, to show her, but if he brought up sex, she clammed up and changed the subject. He would consider her a prude; except he'd borrowed her lap top a few times to check his email while hanging at her apartment. The woman didn't know the first thing about hiding her history, or at least closing the browsers before offering someone the computer.

Of course, he'd never tell her what he saw. Although it took more power than he would have guessed he had to keep from tearing the thing in half when he saw her half filled out profile on collar-me. No fucking way that was going to happen. If she was going to become active in the community, start actually searching out what she wanted, she wasn't going to start meeting up with random guys from the Internet.

"She here yet?" Jamison slid a beer onto the table and took a seat.

Garrick shook his head. "Nope. And according to her, she and Carissa are just hanging out tonight. No special plans." He growled with his annoyance. He'd known her since before her first acne break out, had nursed her through her parents’ divorce, her father’s remarriage and her own broken hearts, but she couldn't confess to this part of her. The truth of her.

"I don't know why you don't just call her on it. What if she doesn't show?"

Garrick laughed. "Oh, she'll show. Her membership was accepted, and Carissa was here snooping around on Thursday. No way Carissa doesn’t drag her here even if she gets cold feet."

"Carissa's the friend?" Jamison took a pull of his beer.

"Yeah."

"She didn't see you?" Jamison asked.

"No, I was working the disciplinary room that night. She only poked her head in, saw Susan getting a tanning she won't ever forget, and jumped right back out."

"Right. Susan. Yeah, I heard about that one. Thomas is making her come tonight. I'd feel sorry for her, but then I envision that beautiful Porsche of his wrapped around a tree." He shook his head. "Shame, really."

Garrick eyed him for a long moment. "And the fact Susan almost got herself killed?"

"Well that, too, of course." Jamison shrugged and took another sip of his beer. "You working tonight?"

"No. All the rooms are covered for the Mistletoe Madness. Really, they should have come up with a better name, it sounds like a sorority party or a swap meet or something."

"Well, maybe you could get on the board and help make decisions like that."

Garrick rolled his eyes. Jamison and he both put in a good chunk of money into the club. One of the soundest investments he'd made in a long time but being on the board of anything was too formal. It made it feel more like a job than a fun place to play.

A shimmer caught his eye from the main entrance, and Garrick watched as a small group poured through the door. The overhead lights caught the sequins on Carissa's skirt just right to signal their arrival. When she took another step into the lounge, she gave way for him to settle his eyes on Jade.

"Fuck, is that her?" Jamison whispered.

"Yeah, and if that dress clung any tighter it would be inside her." Jade didn't own anything like the painted on green outfit she wore. Her ample breasts were practically spilling out of the top, and if she didn't keep holding down the hem, her ass would pop out the bottom.

"Tight? It's not tight...a bit shiny though."

"No. That's Carissa, Jade’s next to her." He pointed through the crowd at the black-haired pixie standing with her jean jacket crumbled up in her hands. Zero temperature outside and she wore a jean jacket. He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"Oh. She's cute."

Cute? Was he even looking at the same woman? The casual wave to her hair gave her a windblown look, and the chilled air tinted her cheeks and nose to the point she practically glowed. Her olive skin contrasted the pink beautifully.

"You going to go over or what?" Jamison nudged him.

"No. Not yet. I want to see what she does."

"You really are getting a little stalker-like, you know, that, right?" The chair scraped across the flooring as he stood from the table.

"Where are you going?"

"You keep telling me I need to be more welcoming to the new members." Jamison winked and walked off into the now larger crowd. The main doors were open, and the members were arriving for the evening festivities.

Garrick watched Jamison as he pushed his way through the people until he managed to get in front of Carissa.

Dammit.

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