Page 47 of Mess With Me
“You can still get laid, you know,” Missy said. “Sex can also be empowering.”
“She’s right,” Lexi put in.
“I’m fine,” Ally said through her teeth. If fine meant insane with lust and terrified of falling head over ass again.
Sabrina rubbed Ally’s back in her comforting relationship-counselor way. “Of course you’re fine, sweetie. Women can go much longer without sex than men.”
That didn’t make her feel any better. She scowled at Sabrina, who smiled back, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“How long’s it been for you?” Ally asked.
“Never you mind,” Sabrina replied primly, still smiling a little as she took a sip of wine. “Come on, let’s get ourselves a hot dog.”
The women looked at each other and cracked up.
“You guys have dirty minds!” Ally exclaimed.
“Oh, like you didn’t know!” Missy said, bumping her shoulder. “You were right there in the gutter with us.”
She laughed and headed toward the fire. Josh gestured them to the extra skewers and then held up the hot dog pack. They all chose one, slid it on the skewer, and gathered around the fire, cooking their dinner. Hailey lingered near the lake, gazing out at the setting sun, chatting with Mad.
Josh cooked a hot dog for himself and called over to Mad and Hailey. “You ladies want a hot dog? They’re going fast.”
“Sure,” Mad said, heading over.
Hailey followed and crinkled her nose. “I don’t eat hot dogs.”
“But you’ve never had mine,” Josh said. “I cook them the right way.” He offered his skewer to her. “Here, give my hot dog a try.”
Someone snickered. Frenemy explosion in three, two, one…
“It’s junk,” Hailey replied, closing the distance between them.
“Just taste it,” Josh coaxed.
The guys laughed out loud. Someone hollered, “Yeah, give Josh’s hot dog a taste.”
Hailey’s eyes flashed and she glared in the direction of the guys.
Josh rolled his eyes. “I didn’t mean that dirty.” He held up the hot dog. “Try it.”
Hailey crossed her arms and eyed him suspiciously.
Josh bit back a smile. “You’d know if I was talking dirty, princess, trust me.”
“And exactly how would I know?”
He gave her a smoldering look, his voice silky. “You’d be feeling it.”
Hailey gasped and shooed the hot dog away. “Get that thing away from me. It’s bits and pieces of meat no one wanted.”
A petite woman appeared in the clearing, drawing everyone’s attention except Hailey, who had her back to her. The last rays of the sun illuminated the woman’s white off-the-shoulder peasant blouse with white jeans and Birkenstock sandals. Her dark brown hair hung in long neat braids halfway down her back. Her smile gleamed white against her light brown skin. “I brought vegan hot dogs if you’d rather have that.” She held up a canvas bag.
Hailey whirled, her eyes nearly bugging out of her head. “Who’re you?”
Josh’s face lit up. “Hey, you made it.” He crossed to the woman, took the bag, and gave her a kiss. “This is Clarissa. Clarissa, this is everyone.”
“Hi, everyone,” Clarissa said with a small wave.
