Free Heat by Jamie K. Schmidt Page B

maxi-dress.
    “I wouldn’t go that far.”
    “You’re Colleen’s friend.” Mallory smacked herself in the forehead.
    “You know Colleen?”
    “She’s my sister. But we’re keeping it hush-hush.”
    “My lips are sealed.” Anya twisted her fingers by her mouth as if she were turning a key. “I don’t remember you from the wedding.”
    “Colleen’s wedding to Alfie? You were there?”
    “I caught the bouquet. Not that it’s done me any good.”
    “I couldn’t get the time off. It happened so fast. Was it a nice wedding?” Mallory’s guilt swamped her. Her only sister’s wedding and she didn’t go. Maybe David was right: she was a workaholic.
    “Did Colleen design these?” Mallory asked, running her hand down the fabric.
    “No, there would be holes cut out of the booty if she had.” Anya rolled her eyes.
    “So assless chaps aren’t hot this year?”
    Anya shook her head. “Although, if Colleen set her mind to it, they could be.”
    Mallory shivered. “She would rule the world.”
    They laughed together. Mallory made a mental note to spend some time with Colleen. It would be part of her life rebooted.
    “I bought jeans from this place because of you.” Mallory handed Anya back the catalog.
    Anya put it with the others. “Thanks.” She smiled sheepishly.
    “I’ve never met a real model before.”
    “Well, if you talk to some people, they’ll say you still haven’t.” Anya said it with a smile, but Mallory was familiar with the pain behind it. Didn’t she used to put on a similar face when asked how things were with her and David? And just like that, Mallory’s mood crashed. For a moment she had forgotten. All yesterday did was postpone the inevitable. Why was she still here? She should go confront David and get her life back. But her knees buckled and she quickly sat down.
    “Then they’re idiots,” Mallory said, hoping Anya didn’t notice her momentary lapse. She unscrewed the lid off her water and took a deep gulp.
    “Yeah, they are. There’s a great Thai place on the third floor called Lotus. Want to meet there around noon?”
    “Sounds good.” Mallory forced herself up so she could twirl once more in the mirror. It really was a cute outfit. “Now, I just have to face Max.”
    “You’ll do fine.”

    Mallory was trying to figure out whether the emotion she felt most strongly when she walked into his classroom was mortification or depression. Mortification was winning out. Especially when Max gave her a big smile when she walked into class.
    “Nice outfit,” he said with a smirk.
    “
I
like it,” she said a little defensively.
    “The color looks great on you,” he said. Then he moved on to greet the other women inthe class. She was a little surprised there weren’t any men. Then she remembered he had been walking around last night without his shirt on. Of course, the women would have flocked to him.
    Depression was a close second. She couldn’t even go wild without screwing it up. Would Max have stayed if she were sober? Would he have even gone back to her room? She looked around at the other women. They seemed more interested in watching Max perform the moves with Clint than actually learning the pressure points. Not that she could blame them. Clint was hot stuff too. His hair was cut in a military style and he was built like he lifted weights for a living. Max was more lean muscle and faster. It was very entertaining watching the two men.
    “You all know the hit to the groin area, right?” Max said, walking around. “But you’ve got several others that aren’t so well known or as well protected. Does anyone know why pressure points work?”
    Mallory raised a reluctant hand.
    “Yes, Mallory.”
    “Because there are clusters of nerves in a small amount of space. Making the sensations there more intense.”
    “Exactly,” he purred into her ear, and she startled at the warmth that spread down her body. There was another cluster of nerves in her body that wanted