Free Blue Horizons (A Horizons Novel Book 1) by Kathryn Andrews Page A

haven’t been close to any guy that we know of in years, and your relationship with him immediately starts out with you and his junk.” Emma leans back in her chair, smiling from ear to ear.
    Years . . . it has been years. Seven to be exact. Maybe that’s why in spite of the panic attack, my memory of last night has me smiling and tips toward the memorable side.
    Covering my face with my hand, I pinch my eyes shut. “Oh my God, can we please stop talking about his junk? And I don’t have a relationship with him. I don’t even know him.” In another lifetime though, I think I might like to.
    “Did he kiss you goodnight?” I peek through my fingers at Cora.
    “Be serious.” My mind drifts to an image of his perfect face, those full lips, and I can’t help but wonder, what would it be like to kiss him? I was so worried last night that he would in some way be deceitful with ill intentions, that kissing him never even crossed my mind. But now that it has, I’m disappointed. I think I might like to kiss him.
    “I am. I got a good look at him last night on the porch without his hat on and you were given the perfect opportunity.” She would see it as an opportunity. Cora loves kissing guys. She’s always said she should have been an actress, because then she could kiss lots of handsome guys with no strings attached. That it would be the perfect job for her.
    “It wasn’t like that.” Not even close. However, there’s no forgetting what it felt like to be pressed up against him. My head slid right under his chin, his warmth had immediately surrounded me, and all of our points lined up perfectly. His fingers as they ran across my head and under my hair felt so good. I can only imagine what they would feel like everywhere else.
    “Well, at least you’ll get your chance today!” Emma chimes in.
    “What do you mean?” I squeeze the coffee cup, not wanting to alert them to the fact I just got nervous.
    “We invited them back over to barbeque this afternoon,” she says so nonchalantly, like having guys over is just an everyday thing.
    “You did what?!” Oh no, my heart starts racing. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to see him again, I just never thought that I would. What do I say? He must think I’m a complete nutcase after the way I behaved last night.
    “Relax. We’re just going to cook some food and hang out down by the lake. I really didn’t think it would be a big deal. Besides, it’s been a really long time since we’ve had guys around and you didn’t mind being with him last night.” I hear what Emma is saying, but now is not last night.
    The two of them are watching me and Cora smiles. Oh no, Cora. She thinks he’s hot and guys are so easy for her. Nothing happened between him and I, what if he comes here, and he and Cora hit it off? I might be no good for him, but I know for a fact I wouldn’t like to see them together.
    “Besides, it’s Mancake’s birthday,” she says.
    “Why are you calling him ‘Mancake,’ and how do you know?” It irks me that they seem to know more about him than I do.
    “Clay told us.” Clay. I wish I knew what his friend’s name is. I feel awful for asking him for a ride home and then not even asking him his name. “And we call him Mancake because he’s delicious and you like cupcakes over candy. Mancake fits him better for you than Mancandy.”
    “Fits me?”
    “Don’t be dense. Even if you don’t realize yet that you like him, you do. Or you never would’ve asked him for that ride home. Even Clay said it was out of character for him to offer you the ride. It seems your boy is a little bit of a loner too, and no, he doesn’t have a girlfriend. We asked,” Emma says smugly.
    No girlfriend!
    How can he be a loner too? He’s so sexy girls must flock to him, and he must think I’m no different than any other girl throwing herself at him. I’m still shocked at my behavior last night. I mean, who is this guy? In the last seven years, I