Out Bad Read Online Free PDF Page B

hallway with a man
she’d only met once, she was not so sure.
    “I didn’t mean to startle you.”  His voice was just as
deep and smooth as she remembered.  She could imagine the way it would
sound as it rumbled through his chest.  If he’d spoken two seconds ago,
she wouldn’t have to imagine.
    “I was headed back to change.”  She forced her mouth
shut, stopping the never ending line of things she wanted to say before they
had a chance to come flying out.
    His dark eyes gave her a quick once over, not even
hesitating on any of her finer attributes.  “You are a little
overdressed.”
    “I came from work.”  Good.  Keep the answers
short. 
    She needed to move past him, but her feet stubbornly stayed
planted right where they were, as if he had a gravitational pull keeping her
close, trying to pull her closer.
    “Gwen!  You made it.”  She turned at Gabbi’s voice
behind her. 
    Her sister stopped dead in her tracks when she caught site
of Joe.  Her eyes darted back and forth between the two of them nervously.
    “Um.”  She looked Gwen up and down.  Her eyes
landed on the giant bag she had slung over her shoulder.  “Did you need to
change?”
    “Yes.  I was on my way when I ran into Joe.”  The
front of her body tingled at the memory of being pressed against him. 
    Her sister was beside her almost immediately with a firm
grip on her arm, leading her back to the girls’ room.  “You need to
change.  We are getting ready to eat.”  She turned back to Joe. 
    “Heath needs help laying all the food out.” 
    Joe nodded before giving Gwen one last look, but turned away
before she could read the change that had suddenly come across his face. 
Disappointment?  She couldn’t tell, or maybe it was just wishful thinking,
but something about her sister showing up seemed to take his mood in a very
different direction.
    Gabbi was stronger than Gwen remembered, her fingers biting
into the inside of Gwen's elbow as she all but shoved her down the hall and
into the girls’ bedroom, quickly closing the door behind them. 
    Gwen tossed her bag on the pink fluff covered bed and
unzipped it, digging out her change of clothes.  “What in the heck was
that about?”
    Gabbi stood like a deer in the headlights, her back pressed
against the closed door.  “What?”
     “You just drug me down a hall and locked me in a
room.”  She reached behind her, unzipping her skirt as she kicked off her
shoes.  “Then you basically yelled at that poor man.”  She stepped
out of her skirt and pulled on her jean shorts then skimmed her silky work
shirt over her head and tugged on a soft grey t-shirt in its place.  “Why
are you being weird?”
    “I was just surprised to see you.”
    Gwen slid one foot into her braided sandal, hooking the back
over her heel with the flip of a finger.  “You invited me.  I told
you I would come.” 
    “I know.  I was just surprised to see you right
then.”  Gabbi was still plastered to the door, but seemed to be relaxing
just a bit.  Maybe the stress of getting everything together had her on
edge.
    “I know.  I’m sorry was a little late.  Work was
crazy and traffic was worse.”  Gwen folded her clothes and packed them in
her bag, but left her shoes on the floor.  The girls loved trying to
teeter around in her high-heels and they’d be thrilled if they found
them. 
    She zipped the bag and turned to Gabbi.  “I’m ready.”
    Her sister stayed put, the odd look from earlier creeping
back onto her face.  “Could you just…”
    Gwen waited for her to finish her sentence.  After a
few seconds of silence, she raised her eyebrows.  “Could I what?”
    Gabbi blew out a breath she must have been holding. 
“Never mind.  I forgot what I was going to say.” 
    “Okay then.  Let’s go.”  Gwen didn’t feel like
arguing with her.  She had skipped lunch to be sure she would get here
tonight and she was beyond starving.
    “All right.”  Gabbi