Free Down on Her Knees by Christine Bell Page B

everyone.
    “Fried food, balloon animals, and rickety-ass roller coaster? Where else would I be?”
    She ran a hand through her mussed hair. “Okay, I guess I’ll see you there, then.”
    The response made him way happier than it should have. He stalked back to his car, more determined than ever to focus on their next scene. In fact, it wasn’t like a date, so maybe he’d skip the carnival altogether.
    The little voice he was determined to ignore spoke again, a single word this time.
    Liar.

Chapter Six
    Courtney stared in the mirror, filled with the sort of loathing usually reserved for family holidays and orifice-doctor visits. After five outfits, three hairstyles, and six shoe changes, she was no closer to being ready for the carnival than she’d been when she started.
    There was no reason for things to be so complicated. None. This wasn’t even a date. It was like old times, nobody to impress, same as ever. The group hanging out.
    No big deal.
    Mostly.
    No matter how hard she tried to convince herself otherwise, everything was different, and no matter how many outfits she tried on, there was no way around the fact that she felt completely naked.
    She grabbed for her cell phone and shot a quick message to Cat, letting her know she’d be running late. The carnival on the far side of town was only twenty minutes away, but at this rate, she wouldn’t be ready until it came around next year.
    With a long-suffering sigh, she pulled on her favorite capri-length skinny jeans, a kitschy off-the-shoulder shirt with a graphic of Marilyn Monroe on it, and a pair of strappy sandals that weren’t as high as she liked, but were plenty high enough for walking around the carnival grounds all night. Staring at herself in the mirror, she fluffed out her hair. It didn’t look too “try hard,” but she didn’t look like something the cat dragged in either. Not bad.
    Before she had time to rethink her outfit yet again, she snatched her phone and bag and dashed out the door, refusing to give the mirror one more glance as she passed it. She climbed into her car and sped down the road, repeating over and over to herself what a good idea it would be to get out of the house. And to see her friends.
    One of whom is Rafe.
    Which reminded her, Lacey had called yesterday the second she’d gotten in from the airport. She’d wanted to tell Courtney in person, but couldn’t wait. She and Galen were adopting a baby girl. They’d gotten word while they were away, and Lacey was ecstatic. She’d known for over a year now that conception would be near impossible, and after some rough patches, things had finally fallen into place.
    Because she and Galen were busy painting the nursery and baby-proofing the house, they weren’t going to make it tonight. It was a bummer, but at least Cat and Shane would be there. Not only did she want to see them both, she also needed a buffer from the Costco-sized vat of awkwardness that was sure to accompany her and Rafe’s first post-sex encounter.
    No big deal, she reminded herself . Mostly.
    She parked in the grassy field outside the fairgrounds and walked toward the entry gate where Cat and Shane had told her to meet them. She searched high and low for her friend’s trademark fiery red hair, but there was no sign of her.
    What she did recognize was the towering wall of muscle topped off with a beautiful face, featuring dark eyes that seemed to look right through her.
    Rafe.
    She plucked at her shirt and took a deep breath. If she kept touching her clothes, maybe it would help her remember that even though he was looking at her like she was naked, she wasn’t actually nude.
    Maybe.
    It’d be fine. The others would be here in five minutes tops and then it would all go back to normal.
    “Hey, Courtney.”
    Why did he insist on saying her name like that? Like he was even giving the syllables oral or something.
    “Nice shirt,” he said, his gaze skimming over her figure and leaving a trail of fire in its