Basic Attraction (17 page)

“Please,” he begged. No shame whatsoever. “For your brother. Come on. Just head her off at the door and distract her.”

Dixie slammed her fist on the counter. “No, you idiot! Don’t do it.”

Eddie glared at her. “There’s no reason to be name calling.” He nodded once. “I’ll do it. But if she’s a train wreck, you owe me big time.”

“Thanks, man.” He sagged with relief as Eddie steeled his shoulders and headed for the door.

“You’re an idiot too.” Dixie glared at him, flipping her blond hair over her shoulder.

He said nothing, afraid that he would jump over the counter and strangle her. He didn’t know which was worse. That she had set him up with someone without asking or that she had run her fingers through his hair in public.

After purposely turning his back to her, he straightened a row of shot glasses and started to sing the song playing on the bar’s overhead speakers.

Despite the clinking of glass and his own bad singing, he still heard quite clearly Eddie’s shocked voice sailing over across the bar.

“What are you doing here?”

Startled, he whirled around.

And nearly swallowed his tongue.

Sheri stood outside the bar, sweating in her tight shirt. What there was of it anyway. It was actually a one-shoulder clingy top, leaving her feeling lopsided and very conspicuous.

This was a bad idea. She couldn’t pull it off. Maybe Dixie and Hannah knew how to walk around in skintight white Lycra tube tops, but she didn’t. And she hadn’t gone braless since fourth grade.

“Hannah, I can’t do this.”

Hannah waved her hand in the air casually. “Sure you can.” She was wearing a loose-fitting sundress and flat sandals, her hair pulled back into a twist. She looked sophisticated and urbane.

Sheri looked like she belonged on the street corner. In addition to the boob top—er, tube top—she was wearing a very short skirt with a silver chain belt. And she really couldn’t see the value in having put her in spiky high-heel sandals. She was going to tower over everyone by six inches.

In fact, she was looking down at Hannah now. Way down. “I feel like Olivia Newton John at the end of Grease.”

Hannah grinned wryly. “As long as you don’t call Luke a stud or break into song, we should be okay. Besides, Sandy got her man, didn’t she?”

That was completely irrelevant. She must have been nuts to do this. She had driven the entire day before, spent the night at Angel’s father’s house, where Hannah and Dixie were spending the summer, and had spent all day at the mercy of the girls’ beauty techniques.

Per their instructions, she had buffed, waxed, rinsed, and softened every inch of herself. They had put makeup on her and painted her nails in a French manicure. With her skin slick from scented lotions and creams, she couldn’t believe that the slinky clothes were even staying on her. She had a vision of her top just sliding down until it served as a belt instead.

That would certainly get Luke’s attention. Not to mention get her arrested.

She was afraid to walk. Afraid to breathe. Afraid that something was going to fall out or she was going to fall down. She needed to go home. Her plants needed her.

“I’m leaving.”

“No you don’t.” Hannah grabbed her arm. “Look, what is the problem? You’re like Miss Tough Chick all the time. You can run more miles in one day than I can in a year. You lift weights and wrestle bears to the ground at work, and one guy is going to scare you away?”

She had never wrestled a bear. But Hannah did have a point. She hedged. “It’s not the guy, it’s my outfit. I don’t do sexy. I’ve spent half my life trying to blend so that people wouldn’t notice how tall I am.”

A very undignified snort came from Hannah as she paced back and forth on the sidewalk, hands on hips. “That’s the problem. You try to hide your height by erasing your sex appeal. But that doesn’t make you shorter. It’s just makes you boring.”

Well, that was nice. The wind blew a piece of hair in her mouth, and she spluttered, pulling it out. “Boring?”

“Yes. I would love to be as tall as you. Do you have any idea how many clothes are designed with tall women in mind? Try every single evening gown ever made.” Hannah shook her head. “I should be paid for all this good advice, I swear. First, I had to talk sense into Angel. Now you. Look, what I’m saying is stand proud, girl. You are who you are, and you’re gorgeous. Stop hiding it.”

Maybe Hannah had a point. She did try and hide her femininity. Being athletic didn’t mean she couldn’t put on a skirt once in a while. She had been claiming for years that she was comfortable with herself, but if she truly were, why did it bother her to put on high heels?

“Okay, point taken.” It was about time she found her personal sense of style. This wasn’t quite it, but maybe after today she could put a more serious effort into discovering it. Starting by tossing the church dress.

Hannah looked taken aback that she’d agreed so quickly. “So are you ready to go after what you want?”

“Yes.” She nodded emphatically, hoping to convince herself. She could do this. Even though she’d rather swim five miles in forty-degree water.

“Let’s go.” Hannah pulled open the door. “After you.”

Sheri stepped into the bar and immediately saw Eddie. She gave him a tentative smile, trying to see around him. Where was Luke?

Eddie asked in surprise, “What are you doing here?”

Every eye within fifteen feet swung in their direction. Her knees started to buckle nervously, but she forced herself to stand straight and give a casual smile. “Hi, Eddie. Is Luke here?”

Eddie stepped to the side. “Yeah, he’s at the—”

“Sheri?” Luke’s shocked voice came floating over to her.

She was so glad to hear his voice. She smiled in relief, turning towards the bar so she could see him. A startled squeak came out of her mouth. Luke was charging towards her, a thunderous, wild-eyed look on his face.

Inching to the side, she wondered if putting a table between them would help. He looked capable of murder. The young guys at the first table were leering at her, and she stepped towards them. Surely they would protect her.

Luke cut her off by stepping in front of the table. “What are you doing here? And what the hell are you wearing?”

So much for seduction. He was staring at her like she was a sideshow freak.

“Hi, Luke.” She gave a thin smile and tried to move around him.

His hand shot out and grabbed her arm. “Get in the kitchen.”

“What?” He was herding her, pushing her from behind, his hand still gripping her firmly. She stumbled a little in her high heels.

“I said, get in the kitchen. Every guy in this place has his eyes on your chest.” Hauling her to a stop, he moved around in front of her. “On second thought, I’m walking in front of you.”

Understanding slowly came. He was jealous. He was afraid men were looking at her. Score one for Hannah’s outfit. She couldn’t help but grin.

She caught Hannah’s and Dixie’s eyes. Dixie grinned and Hannah nodded in satisfaction.

“Slow down,” she said as she came to the conclusion that rushing in these shoes with toothpick heels would guarantee a broken neck.

“No.”

This had potential. He was not showing her the door. Here was her chance to fix their relationship or screw it up for good. She crossed her fingers and sent up a silent prayer that she would say the right thing.

In the kitchen, Luke came to a grinding halt. Bumping into him, she peered around him, rather enjoying the feel of her chest against his broad back. On the stainless-steel counter was a woman, legs wrapped around Jake, her red dress pushed up to reveal things Sheri didn’t want to see, now or ever, on any woman.

“Jake!” Luke wasted no time in interrupting, his voice impatient.

“Huh?” Jake looked up in confusion, his eyes half closed, the woman whimpering at his retreat.

She didn’t know about Luke, but she was embarrassed to the tips of her cramped toes. Flashbacks of her parents on the kitchen table came back to haunt her.

Luke jerked his thumb towards the bar. “Get out there. I need you to cover the bar.”

“Where’s Eddie?”

“He’s there, but he’ll need another hand. I’ve got something important to take care of.”

If it had been her brother, he would have told her to forget it, get herself another sucker. But Jake peeled his companion off of him and nodded. “Give me a sec.” He noticed Sheri and said with incredible casualness for a man caught doing the Humpty Hump, “Oh, hey, Sheri. What are you doing here?”

That was the million-dollar question. Luke turned and glared at her as if realizing for the first time that he didn’t know why she was there.

“I wanted to talk to Luke.”

“Oh.” Jake buttoned his shirt back up. Much to her relief, his pants appeared to be intact. In fact, he didn’t look all that upset to have his tender little moment broken up. His friend, on the other hand, looked ready to hurl a plate from the stack next to her at their heads.

“That’s cool,” Jake said. “Come on.” He looked at the woman. “What’s your name, by the way?”

Was that the sound of her jaw hitting the floor? She stepped behind Luke again so no one would notice her gaping trout mouth. She would never again question sleeping with Luke after one dance, two dinners, and a trip to the pound.

“My name’s Chastity.”

The three of them all gasped as one.

Jake raised an eyebrow. “Are you serious? Come on. You have to be making that up.”

Chastity hopped off the counter and straightened her skirt. She frowned. “Of course I’m serious. I know it’s an unusual name, but I don’t see why you’d think I was making it up.”

Jake coughed in a vain attempt to cover his laughter. “Sorry.” He pulled Chastity out of the room and back into the bar.

The room seemed very empty. She was alone with Luke. Just what she’d wanted. Too bad she couldn’t think of a single thing to say.

He raked his fingers through his hair. She noticed he was wearing a shirt that announced, “Life’s a Bitch…And Then You Marry One.”

If she could love him wearing that sexist rag, then she could love him through anything. For richer, for poorer, in sickness, and in health had nothing on being seen next to a man wearing bumper sticker shirts.

He took a deep breath then exhaled. “What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like…that?”

“Like what?” The goal had been for him to be blown away by her sexiness, not repulsed.

“Like a supermodel. Like a Playboy Bunny. It’s dangerous.”

“Dangerous? To who?”

“To any man who looks at you.” His fists clenched. “Do you know how close I was to knocking every guy at that table’s teeth down his throat? I don’t want a broken hand before the night is over.”

The scary thing was that she believed him. Shivering for a second, she smiled, pleased despite his threats of violence. “I was trying to get your attention.”

He snorted. “Done.”

“Good. I wanted to talk to you.”

Wary, he said, “About what?”

“Us.” She closed the gap between them and put her hands on his chest. “I’m miserable without you.” Trying to flip her hair seductively, she only managed to whack him in the eye with her split ends. He blinked. Her voice quivered as she tried a seductive tone again. She really had no experience being a coy flirt. “I can’t stop thinking about you.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah.” Leaning forward, she teetered on her heels, stumbled, and came down on his foot with the spike of her shoe. He grunted. She winced.

Dropping her hands, she clenched her fists and stepped back. It was time to do this her way. It might have worked for Sandy in Grease, but shouldn’t Danny have loved her exactly the way she was? Bouncing ponytail and no makeup?

She loved Luke just the way he was. She didn’t want him to change one bit. And nothing was going to change her. She could hike a mountain with ease, but managing high heels was beyond her expertise.

She was also competitive, aggressive. It was her nature to go after what she wanted, and if that scared him, then so be it. There was nothing wrong with chasing after what she wanted, and what she wanted was him.

Taking a deep breath, she said, “What I mean is…I’m rubber, you’re glue.”

“Uh…” He shook his head. “Now you’ve really lost me.”

Frustrated, she tried to explain. “You know, I’m rubber, you’re glue. Whatever you say bounces off me and sticks on you.”

“And that means what exactly? Since I didn’t call you a bad name, I don’t get it.” Luke wondered if his hearing was damaged, as well as his eyesight.

When Sheri had walked in wearing this skintight top hugging every inch of her luscious breasts, he could have sworn he’d momentarily gone blind. Either that or his eyes had rolled back in his head.

If he had passed out cold without knowing it, the lack of oxygen might explain the sluggishness with which his brain was functioning. The words coming out of her mouth meant nothing. He couldn’t think about anything but how lonely he had been and how gorgeous Sheri looked standing in front of him.

He didn’t care why she was here. He wanted to forget that the last three weeks had ever happened and sweep her up into his arms. Yet part of him couldn’t forget that she had rejected him. She had hesitated to take him exactly as he was. But he hadn’t given her a chance to explain. He had freaked out like a complete wimp and run away. That had been bugging him ever since he’d gotten home.