Free Just For Tonight by Virginia Cavanaugh Page A

of a burger and fries kinda chick. He drinks bottled water, I drink jumbo sodas. How much more opposite can we be?”
    “You know what they say about opposites.”
    “Yeah, they’re different.”
    “You know what I meant, smart-ass. And damn, you must have it worse than I thought if you’re remembering his lunch preferences. Go talk to him.”
    Kelly ground her teeth. She’d feel a lot more confident going up to him if she looked like Gina, tall, blonde and fair. Instead, she was a short, curvy redhead with too many freckles. “And just what am I supposed to say? How am I going to make that look casual?”
    Gina snatched the dark bottle from Kelly’s hand and downed the contents. “Now you need another drink, so you have a reason to be over there.”
    Kelly ground her teeth as she took in her friend’s witty smile. “I’ll get you back for this.”
    “I’m sure you’ll be thanking me later and not plotting my demise.”
    Kelly started forward, not as sure of her friend’s premonition. Halfway to the cooler, Thomas turned his head and that blue stare fixed on her. His lips quirked up, in that mirth-filled way that never failed to make her heart skip a beat. He ran a hand through his dirty-blond hair as she approached. She nodded in his direction as she plastered a smile on her face, too scared to speak for fear of her voice cracking or shaking.
    What the hell? She talked to him four out of seven days in a week. There shouldn’t be any reason to feel different about it now. But things were different. For one, she didn’t have her ugly red smock to hide behind. Tonight she wore a green dress, one that her mother had repeatedly told her made her bright emerald eyes shine. The front crisscrossed over her chest, tying behind her neck halter style. The design left an expanse of skin exposed, which made her a little self-conscious as it displayed the line of freckles that ran across her back and shoulders.
    He ran a hand over the soft material as her tummy tightened inside. Maybe she should have gone with jeans and a t-shirt. Suddenly she felt overdressed, while showing entirely too much flesh.
    “Hey, Kelly. You look amazing,” Thomas said
    Butterflies fluttered in her belly. She didn’t remember him ever complimenting her before. Well, not her looks at least. He’d made a comment last week about how well she’d handled a distraught customer who’d argued over the price of hotdogs. But she was pretty sure she’d remember if he’d said something about her looks. Maybe he’d had more to drink than she’d thought. “Thanks,” Kelly replied quietly.
    “Well, Drew. I hope your wife feels better. Sorry y’all have to cut out so soon.” Thomas let his hand fall on the other guy’s shoulder in a good-natured pat before the other man nodded, turned and then walked away, issuing his own farewell.
    Kelly stepped around the pair and reached into the cooler, swishing her hand through the icy water mix but never encountering a bottle. She pulled back, flicking her fingers to rid them of some of the cold moisture that dripped from them. With a sigh, she stood up straight and felt a warm, solid presence at her back. Her breathing hitched as a low baritone voice she was so familiar with sounded in her ear.
    “I took the last one. But I don’t mind sharing.”
    Kelly turned her head and the skin of her cheek brushed against his. Heat spread across her flesh, radiating from the point of contact. “Th-that’s okay. I really don’t like the stuff anyway.”
    His head moved and her gaze went to his mouth as he raised the bottle to his lips, taking a long drink as he sidestepped, coming around to face her. Her heart hammered as she struggled to find something to say. He’d caught her off guard standing so close to her. Never had he entered what she’d call her personal space.
    “Nice party.” She wanted to cringe as the words left her mouth. Why couldn’t she have come up with something sexy to say?
    His hand