Free Impulsive by Catherine Hart Page A

disgust.
    "Or maybe they just used Miracle Grow," Ty suggested,
winking at Jess, as if they shared a private joke.
    Jess was not amused at his comment, particularly since she wasn't
sure his jest wasn't aimed at her. She was sure he'd noticed her improved
figure, and wondered if he wasn't poking fun at her. Anger and embarrassment
combined to render her pink-faced and momentarily speechless.
    At the same time, Bambi, ignoring Jess entirely, approached Ty and
wantonly pressed her chest against his. "Now, honey," she purred
silkily, batting her long lashes at him, "you know these are the genuine
article. Every single morsel. Heaven knows you inspected them thoroughly
enough, and I've still got the love bites to prove it!"
    Despite himself, Ty felt a blush creeping up his neck. The damned
brazen hussy! So he did get into a hot and heavy petting session with her the
one night they had gone out! Did she have to announce it to the whole world?
Right here in front of Jess, to boot?
    He stared down at Bambi, his gaze stony and unblinking, as he took
her arm and put her away from him. A humorless smirk slanted his lips as he
said softly, but audibly, "Trouble is, Bambi, a man might suffocate in all
that surplus flesh. I wouldn't care to risk it again. I'm just thankful we
stopped at the preliminary stages, or you might have smothered me. Besides,
I've been saving myself for Jess."
    Sporadic chuckles broke out, tentative at first, then heartier as
Ty's friends overcame their initial discomfort and rallied around him.
    "Saving yourself for Jess? That's a good one, T.D."
    "Can I get that on tape?" someone else hooted.
    As Bambi stalked off in a huff, Gabe walked up, slapped his pal on
the back, and teased, "Yeah, Ty. I always did suspect you were as pure as
a lily. That must be why you're so uptight most of the time. Jess, you ought to
help him loosen up a little. Maybe it'll improve his timing."
    Corey took pity on her new friend, who now looked as if she'd been
dipped in poppy red paint. "Cool it, guys. Especially you, Gabe. You're
embarrassing Jess. She's not used to your ribald humor the way I am."
    She looped an arm across Jess's shoulders. "Come on, gal.
Let's go rustle up some chips and dip and other goodies while these yahoos fire
up the barbecue grill."
    Corey then turned and surveyed her guests, her lilac-gray eyes
glittering. Her perfectly sculpted face, with its flawless café-au-lait
complexion, took on a regal expression, one that had
graced the covers of magazines the world over. "Ladies, feel free to join
us. You'll note I used the word ladies. Those of you who must behave
like ho-bags, feel free to leave or shape up, whichever suits you, but in my
home I reserve the right to set high standards of decorum. Abide by them, or
don't bother to darken my door until you can."
    Jess and several other women followed their hostess into the
kitchen. "You didn't have to say that on my account," Jess told her.
    "I didn't do it for your sake alone," Corey assured her.
"I simply won't abide bad behavior in my own house. That goes for the guys
as well as the women, and everyone might just as well learn the guidelines from
the start."
    "Then maybe you'd better post a list of no-no's,"
Shannon Baxter suggested wryly. "I'm sure there are people here who
wouldn't know proper manners if they stumbled over them."
    Corey merely laughed and fluttered her brightly manicured fingers
in a nonchalant manner. "They'll learn fairly quickly what I will tolerate
and what I won't. Believe me, Gabe and I have been through this before, with
other teams in other cities. I'm an old hand at reforming the irreformable, and
at politely booting the rest out."
    The party went smoothly from that point on. Bambi and a couple of
her cohorts had opted to depart the premises, but most of the guests had
remained and were on their best behavior.
    Jess actually enjoyed herself, despite the fact that she was
totally miffed at Ty. Not only had he put her on the defensive