Page 67 of Tangled Up

“Who’s this?” His voice is controlled, but I’m feeling good about this.

He’s noticed her tits, and I’ll bet money my friend is wishing he could adjust his fly right now.

“Henry, I’d like you to meet Libby…”Shit. I don’t know her last name, but I push through the oversight. “She works at the Salty Brewnette and also at the Flower Booth.”

“Just started today.” Libby smiles and extends a hand.

“You’re shitting me.” I start to laugh. “Today was your first day? That bouquet was really nice.”

“Did your girlfriend like it?” Libby’s eyes shine with pride as she looks up at me, placing her hand on my forearm.

“She loved it.”

“I’m so glad!”

She gives my arm a squeeze right as a voice cuts through the noise of the midway. “Beck?”

I turn to see Jessica glaring at me with Carly right beside her blinking fast from Libby’s hand on my arm to my face.

“What’s going on here?” Jessica’s voice is sharp.

Carly doesn’t say a word. She steps back and turns as if she’ll bolt up the midway.Oh, hell no.

I shake my arm away and rush forward to catch my girl, pulling her hand into the crook of my arm before she can even try to get the wrong idea.

“Hey, Jessica, Carls, I was just introducing Libby to Henry here.” I motion between the two of them. “Libby made your bouquet for me today. I told her how pansies are your favorite flower. I was just thanking her for helping me.”

Carly’s jaw drops. “You made my bouquet…”

“Come on.” I’m holding Carly close to my side. “We’ve got to get our place in line for the Ferris wheel. Henry, aren’t you looking for a permanent receptionist? Libby’s a fast learner. Libby, he’s the veterinarian in town, and I bet he’ll pay better than both your current jobs.”

Henry gives me a smug grin, and Libby looks back and forth between me and my friend. He’ll thank me later—if he doesn’t blow his chance.

Jessica shakes her head and grabs the two of them. “Have you guys had the elephant ears? They’re really perfect. Deep-fried dough. It’s like a donut, but not too greasy.”

With that out of the way, I lead Carly to the line boarding the big wheel. It’s moving fast, filling the cars as they glide down and pause for a few seconds. We watch the people ahead of us sit down, and the attendant latch the guardrail in front of them, giving it a jerk before they shoot up into the sky.

“Did you have a good day today?” Looking down, I want to thread my fingers with hers and pull her in for a hug, kiss her temple, but I hold back.

“It was quiet. I visited with my aunt, checked in with the chief.”

“Any word on your missing suspect?”

She shakes her head. “It’s like Alize disappeared or something.”

I don’t like the sound of that, but at the moment, I’m focused on keeping our momentum moving forward. She’s here with me, safe at my side.

“I’m glad you decided to come tonight.”

“Jessica was really determined. Almost like someone had put her up to it.” She looks up at me, and I raise my eyebrows like I don’t know what she could mean.

The next car glides down, and it’s our turn to step forward and take our seats. The guard rail is quickly latched and checked, and we rise higher, looking down on the final cars filling.

The breeze is stronger, and the faintest pinpoints of stars emerge in the royal-blue twilight sky. A gust of air lifts the hem of her skirt, and again, I imagine slipping my hand between her smooth thighs, sliding my fingers higher…

“You’re really something, you know?” She interrupts my fantasy.

Clearing my throat, I shift to meet her gaze. “What do you mean?”

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