Free Craved by Stephanie Nelson Page B

was over Micah and interested in Aiden, but I was
doing a lousy job of showing it.
    “Just for a short time and then we can
spend the rest of the night dancing,” I told him, hoping that would
be enough to entice him.
    “Only if you promise me some really
good dancing, maybe a lap dance?” I could hear the amusement in his
voice. I cringed at the thought of grinding on top of Aiden in a
room full of people.
    “Possibly, I wouldn’t risk not coming
if I were you!” I could play games just as well as he
could.
    “Consider me intrigued,” he said, his
voice low and sexy. A flashback to our intimacy the previous night
invaded my mind and sent chills racing through my entire body. He
had that effect over me.
    “I’m pulling into the apartment
complex right now. We’re leaving within the hour,” I told him and
then I flipped my phone shut. Grinning like an adolescent girl. I
grabbed Fiona’s dress and headed up the concrete stairs.
    She had the stereo blaring, so when I
opened the door, I was hit with the thumping bass line to some kind
of techno song. I threw my purse and jacket on the kitchen table
and made my way back to Fiona’s bedroom. She was in the process of
standing in front of her full-length mirror and trying on different
outfits. One minute she was wearing a skimpy red dress and then it
was instantly replaced with a sparkly white one. Magic was a sure
way to save a girl time when it came to choosing an
outfit.
    “Who’s the best friend in the whole
world?” I said as I held out the heavy garment bag. She gave her
reflection one last glance and then shifted it to me. “Thanks,” she
said, grabbing the bag out of my hands.
    “You’re still pissed at
me?”
    “Why on earth would I be pissed at
you? I mean, I planned for tonight to be a girls’ night out and
then I learn that not only is it not going to be just the girls,
but you invited your ex-boyfriend as well as your new
boyfriend.”
    I knew she was really pissed because
she flung her custom made dress from Andy onto her bed. Under
normal circumstances, she would have taken it out and admired it
before carefully placing it back in the bag and hanging it
up.
    Fiona and I used to go out all the
time when we were younger and liked to party. But since breaking up
with Micah and opening my shop I hadn’t gone to a club in almost
two years. She wasn’t so upset that guys were going with us; it was
the fact that she wouldn’t have my attention all night. We wouldn’t
be able to dance together or hit on cute guys together, she’d be
the odd man out.
    “Look I’m really sorry. I told Micah
that I couldn’t go with him to Hemlock because I had plans with you
tonight but he planned on going at night anyway, so he invited
himself. The interview shouldn’t take that long and then we’ll have
the whole night free to have fun, I promise. The only reason Aiden
is going is because I want you to be safe. Amy Harper was from
Hemlock, so whoever killed her could be from there too and we could
be targeted,” I explained, hoping this would be the end of it.
Fiona had a hard time seeing the big picture because she lived in
the now. She wouldn’t worry about being caught by the murderer,
until she was caught.
    “Yeah, okay. I’m sorry; I don’t mean
to be so bitchy. I guess when my father told me that I was too old
to still be single, it got to me. I wanted to have a fun night like
we used to, so I still felt young,” she said, her words winding
down to only a whisper.
    “We’re only twenty-six. If we’re still
single when we’re forty, then you can worry. You should know not to
let anything your father says bother you.” I threw an arm around
her shoulder and pulled her into a hug. I could feel her tightened
muscles instantly relax and she leaned her head on my
shoulder.
    “I’d go with the red dress,” I told
her.
    Ten minutes later, after scarfing down
a turkey sandwich, it was my turn to try on outfits. I couldn’t
really go all out club