Pretty In Pink Read Online Free PDF

but
Kimber backpedaled fast with a shrill laugh.
    “It’s really okay! Fine. No worries.
Thanks for bailing me out. Seriously. I mean I am so indebted. That never would
have occurred to me. I’d have ended up calling a plumber. Or the police.” She
laughed again, but her face was unconvincing. “But I guess I did, then, didn’t
I?”
    “Hey, we’re neighbors. And friends, I
hope…or can be. I’m not the cops. I’m your back-up.” He wanted to touch her, but
he refused to get caught up in the peachy scent of her long, brown hair or the
flush and sparkle on her pale cheeks from the cold. He would not focus on how
goddamn pretty she was. “Thanks,” Kimber said softly. She backed up again and
Charlie felt his heart shrivel.
    Damn. He had upset her. He was an ass.
All he could do was save a tiny bit of face. “No worries. You’re all set.” He
shut the window and moved past her, giving her a wide berth so he wouldn’t
upset her further. “I’ll get Clarice. She still needs to do her homework and
Janette will be here soon. Plus, little girl wants to redress the flamingo.”
    “The flamingo?”
    “On the lawn. Apparently there is a
Rudolph flamingo outfit that is to. Die. For.” He laughed feeling even more
like a turd.
    “I’m sure it is,” Kimber said, but her
smile fled.
    Charlie headed down the hall. If
only you knew to keep your lips and hands to yourself, you clod…
    * * * *
    My partner wants to come back…I’m sorry
I even kissed you.
    Kimber fixed two glasses of wine and
handed one to Sarah. “My wires are completely crossed. And so are yours! He
kissed me, then said his partner wants to come back. Then he says he regrets
that he ever kissed me.”
    “He kissed you? Well, Christ! Don’t
just sit there, tell me how it was.” Sarah taped the long block of butchers
paper to the wall above the dining set.
    Even with all the chaos, the silly
winter scene lightened her mood.
    “It was hot. And irrelevant. I don’t
know why he even kissed me. Holy Christmas, am I mannish?” she squealed.
    “Don’t be insane,” Sarah sighed. “You
are as far from mannish as a person can humanly get. And he’s not gay. I’m
telling you. I'll buy bi,” she said and snorted at her own word play. “But not
gay. So, go for it. He’s attracted. Maybe his ex won’t come back. Maybe he’ll
get past it. Maybe your feminine wiles and gorgeous face will win out over any
kind of hot steamy sex he’s had with another woman or man. Another big,
strapping, handsome man. I’m thinking with dark hair and big blue eyes and a
taut chest and rippling ab—”
    “Hello! Please save your pornographic
guy on guy fantasies for later. Not that I’m not down with that,” Kimber
sighed, “but I’m still smarting from the whole I’m sorry I even kissed you thing.”
    “Whatever. Listen, sister, I was
watching when he looked at you in his house—even here—and there was nothing
about that look that screamed gay. He might like Sam, Sam the Barber Man too,
or the guy who changes his tires, but he definitely liked you, Kimber, as well.
And does it matter, really? I thought you were off men?”
    “I am,” Kimber said. But even she saw
through the lie.
    * * * *
    Snow had fallen hard through the
evening and by night that horrible sound had invaded her house…again. Kimber
had had no choice but to call Charlie. He’d rushed right over. It wasn’t her
fault he hadn’t put on a shirt, only bothering to toss on a gray, zipper
hoodie. He still wore dark navy and green plaid pajama bottoms like he’d
crawled out of bed. His boots squeaked across her hardwood floor when he
followed her in. The snow in his hair made him look like something ethereal. An
angel fallen from Heaven. Or possibly just fallen.
    “I appreciate this so much. I really do.
I didn't know…I don’t trust myself to hang out a window. I’m a bit on the
skittish side. Okay, so not really skittish, more like clumsy.”
    Charlie grinned. In that grin