Page 7 of The Trouble with Sexy (Rock Canyon, Idaho 0.50)

Once they hit the mall, Gracie dragged her into Victoria Secret, where Ryan bought several sets of uncomfortable, overpriced panties and bras, one slinky nightie in black with a matching robe, and a white bustier with little red hearts on it. The corset was too tight, but when she’d said so, Gracie demanded that Ryan let her see. She’d protested from the safe side of the dressing room door, and Gracie merely scolded, “Dude, it’s not like I’m checking you out in a sexual way. I just think you don’t know what you’re talking about because you’ve never worn one.”

Ryan reluctantly opened the door a crack, placing her hands over her overflowing chest. Gracie pushed the door open wider, grabbed her hands and gave her a once over. “Nope, it’s perfect,” she said. “Your boobs look awesome, and it’s super sexy. You’re buying it.” Ryan had been too astounded to argue.

They’d hit several more stores afterward, and finally finished up at Macy’s, where Megan, the girl at the makeup counter, used a mineral type of makeup on her. She tried not to squirm or twitch when Megan brought the eyeliner and mascara toward her eyes. When she finished, Megan turned the mirror around to face her and asked, “What do you think?”

Ryan had stared at the girl in the mirror. The darkly shadowed eyes seemed brighter than usual, and the line of freckles was nonexistent. Her lashes were long and full, her lips plump and glossy. “Wow.”

Megan had put everything she’d used on the counter, and Ryan hardly blanched at the price. She never bought anything she didn’t absolutely need for herself and had built up quite a nest egg, so whatever she spent could just be replaced later. She’d smiled as she handed over her credit card, and when she left, fairly danced out the door.

She was brought back to the present when Gracie stopped her from slamming the trunk closed. “There’s no sense in wasting that hair or face. Here.” She rifled through the bags, pulling out the midnight blue bra and panty set, telling Ryan, “Sexy starts from the skin out. There’s no way you’re giving off a sexy vibe in granny panties.”

Ryan blushed and muttered, “They’re briefs and they’re comfortable.”

Gracie snorted, “Yeah, and so is a muumuu, but guys don’t get turned on by those either.” She rifled some more and pulled out a clingy blue top with a low neckline, Ryan’s new boot-cut jeans, and the black ankle boots she had fallen in love with. Gracie shoved the clothes into her arms and said, “There.”

Ryan took the bounty and asked, “Where do you want me to change?”

Gracie rolled her eyes. “In the car, silly. Come on, it’s almost nine-thirty. I think we should head over to Buck’s Shot Bar for a little fun.”

Ryan shook her head. “Gracie, I can’t change in the car. Someone might see me.”

Gracie reached in and pulled out the slinky pinky dress she’d bought. “I’ll do it with you. Here, we’ll pull over to the dark part of the parking lot. No one will see.”

Ryan didn’t protest again. She’d learned over the

last few hours that Gracie was pretty much used to getting her way and didn’t take well to the word no. She crawled into the backseat and started to change. Gracie climbed into the front and lifted up her sweater dress, tossing it into the back just as a truck drove by, honking. She continued to pull the pink number over her head and fluffed her hair, unfazed by the fact that someone had seen her nearly naked. Ryan shook her head at the woman’s confidence.

When Ryan finally finished changing, she stepped out of the car, wiggling about. How did women find the scratchy lace and wedgie-causing boy shorts comfortable?

“How do I look?”

Gracie eyed her from the driver’s seat. “Damn girl, I think you went way past sexy.”

Ryan’s face hurt all the way to Buck’s from smiling so hard. Gracie kept jabbering on and on, and Ryan turned to her in the seat. “Thank you, Gracie. For today. I . . . don’t have a lot of girlfriends. I’m a little awkward around other women especially . . .”

Gracie gave her a look out of the corner of her eye, “Dumb ones?”

Ryan gasped. “No. Popular types. Pretty ones.”

Gracie burst out laughing. “Oh honey, I wasn’t ever popular. I was a drama girl in high school and I tended to say whatever I was thinking whenever I wanted. That doesn’t exactly endear you to people. I just love the spotlight so much that it just keeps following me.” She paused for a minute. “As for not feeling like you belong, I don’t think you’ll have a problem with that tonight. You’ll be the belle of the ball.”

GREGG WAS GETTING a beer with his friend Michael Stevens, discussing the latest romantic setback with Mike’s friend Gemma, when Mike’s eyes caught something at the door. “Damn.”

Gregg swiveled his head around to see what had caught Mike’s attention and his mouth dropped. He barely glanced at Gracie standing in the doorway in her bright pink clingy dress. His eyes devoured the curvy redhead in the tight jeans and low-cut blue top next to her. “Holy hell.”

Mike recovered enough to joke. “I think I covered it with ‘Damn.’”

Gracie and Ryan walked toward the bar, and Gregg’s eyes were drawn to the shy smile on Ryan’s made-up face. Why was she dressed like that? And why was she wearing all that makeup? Gracie was waving to get Eric Henderson’s attention, and when Eric approached them, Mike elbowed Gregg in the ribs. “You want to go over and say hi?”

What Gregg wanted was to live in a universe that did not leave him feeling like all the air had been sucked out of the atmosphere. When had Ryan started hanging with Gracie? There was only one way he was going to get any answers, and that was to talk to her. He sucked down the rest of his beer and walked toward Ryan and Gracie, Mike close on his heels. Before the two men rounded the bar, though, a tall guy with spiky hair and earrings approached the two women. It was immediately apparent that Ryan was his object of interest. Gregg’s eyebrows slashed in irritation as he watched the guy put money on the bar, obviously paying for Ryan and Gracie’s drinks. “Do you know that guy?” Gregg didn’t even recognize his own voice, it sounded so dark and gravelly.

Mike shook his head and said, “Nope. He’s probably just in town for the night, slumming it with us hicks.”

Gregg scowled as Ryan’s cheeks flushed with color and she smiled sweetly at the stranger. He watched her glossy lips as she took a sip of her drink, and he wondered if the gloss was flavored.

Mike pushed him forward and asked, “So are we going to go over and talk to them or can I get another beer?”

Gregg moved again, oblivious to everyone he brushed past except the alluring redheaded angel currently inhabiting Ryan’s body.

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