Page 33 of Mess With Me
Ally didn’t want to hear it. Her own sex life sucked. “You think friends with benefits ever works out? Like you just stay friends with that person even if you stop the benefits part?”
“Ooh, boy. I think it would get real complicated real fast. It’s not easy to separate sex from emotion, especially for us. You’re a lot like me, happiest with a long monogamous relationship.”
She sighed. “You’re right.”
“Who’s the guy?”
“I don’t want to say because then you’ll look at him funny.”
“Ethan?”
“How did you know?”
Carrie giggled. “I saw you guys at Garner’s after book club. You had a brief chat and his eyes followed you everywhere. He’s a great guy. Zach considers him a brother since they grew up in the same foster home. If you married him, then we’d be even more like sisters.”
Ally’s jaw clenched. It was like Carrie completely missed the whole point of tonight’s ceremony. “I’m on this new empowerment path,” she said patiently. “I’m trying to find my own happiness.”
“Hey, you’re talking to the queen of empowerment. Remember my crazy plan to meet a bad boy and get sexually liberated? New clothes, new contacts, new attitude, even new career path. But guess what? With the right guy, you can still be empowered. Hell, I feel even more empowered now that I’m with Zach. He’s so supportive. A true partner.”
“Not every guy is Zach,” she said, trying to keep the twinge of jealousy from her voice.
Carrie yawned. “Sometimes it’s worth the risk of finding out.”
Ally fake yawned. “Mmm…goodnight.”
“Night, roomie.”
Ally’s throat tightened. They used to be roommates and had been very close. Ally was still getting used to living alone since Carrie had moved in with Zach. “Night, roomie.”
8
Ally woke early Sunday morning back in her own bed, completely rejuvenated from a weekend with friends and a decadent day at the spa. Of course they loved Claire for herself, not her gobs of money, but sometimes it was nice to enjoy it with her. None of them could ever have afforded a spa like that on their own. Before they’d headed home last night, Claire assured Ally the assistant job would be hers if she wanted it, but she wanted Ally to first talk to her assistant, Arianna, to get an understanding of exactly what it was like because, as Claire said, “It’s not always glam. Sometimes it’s like wrestling an octopus trying to keep on top of everything.” Ally promised to talk to Arianna and think it over before moving forward. Claire wasn’t in a rush since Arianna wasn’t leaving for a couple of months whenFierce Lovingwrapped just before Thanksgiving. Claire was taking off for the holidays. After the New Year was soon enough and would give Ally’s boss plenty of time to find a substitute.
Ally was giddy at the idea of working in Hollywood. It certainly wouldn’t be boring. And she’d probably get to travel. Claire was always moving with the location of her current movie.
She smiled to herself, loving this newfound contentment in knowingshewas enough. She didn’t have to hope and wish that a prince would show up and give her some fantasy happy-ever-after. She had the happy-ever-after already, mostly. Great things were happening. She sat up and snagged her phone from the nightstand, eager to text her friends congratulations messages on their newly solo married status.
As soon as the phone powered on, she found a text from Ethan.Hike today at one. You up for it? There’s a cave. Intermediate level.
A cave? Who could resist a cave? Even though it had been a tough haul on the last hike, she’d been proud of herself for finishing it. After two weeks of doing the daily exercises Charlotte had given her, she was already feeling stronger and more fit. It was the first weekend of October, her absolute favorite time of year, crisp and cool, the leaves bursting with color. And a group hike felt safe. No chance she’d climb his incredible body surrounded by other hikers. She quickly texted back.Yes.
He responded immediately.You want to get a bite to eat before?
Super casual lunch between friends? No prob.Sure.
I’ll pick you up at 11:45.
She texted a smiley emoticon that he didn’t respond to and quickly switched over to a group text congratulating her friends. Tons of confetti, champagne, and dancing emoticons texted back to her. She let out a small happy laugh.
She hopped in the shower and found her mind wandering to shirtless Ethan on their last hike.No, you are not obsessing over a guy.She worked the shampoo into her hair and made herself focus on the wonderful weekend she’d had with her friends.
He’d given her the shirt off his back.
That meant something to her. It spoke to his nature—protective, chivalrous, generous. She’d have to be made of stone not to notice his masculine beauty, bronzed skin and sculpted muscle. No scars or tattoos either, just smooth skin that she longed to touch and kiss and taste. She sighed dreamily and then groaned. She wouldnotbe falling head over ass in lust again. She always spent too much time thinking about guys. Thinking, not doing.
She quickly finished up in the shower. She wouldn’t try to look nice for him. She pulled on another tick-repellant outfit—an old thin white sweater, khakis, and tube socks on top of her pants. She stared at the socks and quickly tucked them back under her pants. No makeup, and she tied her hair back in a simple ponytail at the nape of her neck. She stared at herself in the mirror. Her skin glowed from the rejuvenating facial at the spa, but that couldn’t be helped. She pulled out the hair band and shook her hair out.
Nerves skittered through her, and she took off the entire outfit. It was too early. She’d do her workout routine, relax with a book, and then get dressed at the last minute because this was just a casual outing between friends. This wasn’t a date. She’d gotten off track for a minute there. Now she was back.
