Free No Place Like Home: The Coming Home Series, Book 1 by Jennifer Kacey

and her pussy pulsed. She wanted a next time. Admitting it made her want it that much more.
    He squeezed her tight and then relaxed. “Need.”
    Giggling one last time, she snuggled against him. “Sleep awesome, Agent Johnson.”
    “And don’t let the bed bugs bite.” He kissed her one more time and that’s all she remembered.
    * * * * *
    Sometime later she halfway remembered him creeping out of bed. The toilet flushing and then a kiss on her cheek. It was tender. He might have said something but she just couldn’t be sure.
    The next morning, her alarm went off at eight.
    A note sat atop her phone that she had to move to silence her alarm.
    She turned on the light and kept her eyes tightly shut as she flopped back in bed, clutching the note.
    His addictive scent rose up and enveloped her. “Mmm…” She inhaled, taking as much of it as she could into her lungs, and then finally looked at his note. It had her name scrawled across a piece of the hotel’s stationary.
    Carnival tonight. You game?
    Pun-ily Yours, Cole
    She squealed and grabbed her phone to text him. A message popped up as soon as she entered her password. It was from Cole.
    I know I’m supposed to play it cool and all that, but I couldn’t keep from texting you. Had an amazing time last night. Amazing.
    She bit her lip and started typing.
    Amazing. I’d love to see you at the carnival tonight. I hear you’re going to get wet.
    Didn’t take him long to respond.
    I want to introduce you to someone after we’re both done helping. See you around 8?
    Squealing was probably something she should have outgrown, but she just couldn’t stop herself.
    It’s a date! J
    She hopped out of bed to take a shower, and couldn’t wait until that night.

Chapter Five
    Nothing like running into all the people she envied in school and have them not recognize her. Not at all.
    It was amazing and surreal and she was completely content leaving it that way.
    She’d changed so much since her high school years. Yes, on the outside, but on the inside too. Bibi no longer existed. She truly was Charlie now and it made her so happy she was nothing but smiles.
    Might have had something to do with seeing Cole again.
    Possibly.
    Coming home had worried her because she was afraid that wallflower girl would creep in again. The girl with no self-confidence.
    But that’s not what happened.
    The new her shined through and she felt pretty good about herself standing under the lights of the carnival.
    “Step right up, ladies and gentlemen. Dunk-a-hunk is open for business!” Kia yelled to get everyone’s attention in their makeshift midway.
    Four tanks were lined up and each of them had a local hunk sitting on the platform inside. Shirtless with swim trunks looked good on all four. But the sly smile Cole sent her way as he put some ridiculous goggles on was a sight to see.
    “Five bucks for five balls, ladies. If your aim’s good you could sink them all and go back for seconds.” A line had formed as soon as the guys had stripped off their shirts and money was already exchanging hands. “Remember, it’s all for a good cause so please, please, please open those wallets and empty those purses. Food and crafts are already up and running, the rides are too. Something for everyone so if you don’t have a good time then there’s no one to blame but yourself.”
    Didn’t take long for balls to fly and the good-natured ribbing started up not too much later.
    “Come on, Bertie, you can do it. Get him wet!” an older woman called to her friend who was taking aim.
    One, two, three, four, five balls later.
    “Get another five dollars and try again.” Ricky, a local policeman, stretched inside one of the tanks, showing off his muscles. He earned each of them, being one of the city’s finest. “I’ll just take a nap and wait for someone to try again.”
    Pretty soon multiple ladies were throwing balls at the same time. One after another the guys went in the water. All but