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“No. But maybe?” Lauren countered.

She loved the sound of Lauren’s ragged, hot-and-botheredbreathing. “Because I want to take these boots off you and then these adorablycute jeans, and then slide your underwear down your legs until you’re mine totake.”

Lauren rolled her hips in response to the potent words. “Okay, maybeno waiting.”

A loud knock sounded behind them. They froze midkiss. Carly pulledher mouth back and they listened. Another loud knock.

“Yes?” Lauren called, though her voice didn’t sound like itgenerally did. Carly smothered a proud smile.

“Lala?” Trip said. “I don’t know if you’re naked or what, butwe’re going for pizza tonight at Crazy Crust. You in? Listen, the crust iscrazy. It’s hard to say no.”

“Yeah, um, sure,” Lauren said, then winced, probably realizing shenow had to go out for pizza.

“Carly, too. But I can’t find her. Gee, I wonder where she couldbe.”

“I think she ran to her car,” Lauren fibbed, as she ran herfingernails up and down Carly’s back. “I’ll let her know, though.”

“Cool. See you in five for notes onstage with Ethan? Tell Carly whenshe gets back from her car.”

“We’ll—I’ll be there.”

“Thanks, boss.”

“I’m not your boss right now,” she called back.

“You’re always my boss.”

Carly heard Trip’s footsteps retreating and grinned. “I think youjust told a lie. Lauren Prescott has a dark side? This is getting good.”

“I’m an awful liar,” Lauren said with a tiny wince. “I should workon it.”

“No, you shouldn’t. I like you the way you are.” Carly held hertighter. “Please remain an awful liar, and always stay a little bit uptight,and don’t you dare lose your cute little organizational skills that make mystomach tighten.”

“You think my color-coded sticky notes are cute?”

“And hot. Those sticky notes get me going. It’s embarrassing toadmit that, but entirely true.”

Lauren grinned and pointed at Carly. “Use that onstage. In fact,we could use all of this onstage.”

Carly closed her eyes and dropped her head back like a child onthe verge of tantrum. “You’re thinking we should wait until we’re throughopening, aren’t you. Just say it.”

Lauren lifted a shoulder. “Well, if Ethan thinks our chemistry issuddenly exponential, it’s something to consider. At least through the reviews.Then, maybe…we reward ourselves, but hang on to that muscle memory of what itfelt like. To…want.”

“And I do. Desperately.” Carly headed back to the couch, needingsome distance between herself and Lauren if she wanted any hope of clarity onthe topic. “I feel like I’m in high school all over again, trying to be good,when I just want to be really bad. Behind the gym. With you.”

Lauren mock-gasped. “There was a time when you tried to be good?”

Carly threw a pillow at Lauren who laughed and caught it. “I’m nota total screwup, you know.”

“Well, you are meeting people behind the gym.” Carly lobbedanother pillow, this time smacking Lauren on the shoulder. “But you do have agreat right arm.”

Carly stood. “Me, my arm, and my newfound teenage abstinence areheading to our notes session. Coming?”

“Apparently not until we open,” Lauren said with a sly grin.

Carly shook her head and paused. The comment alone had her turnedthe hell on. “Let’s get out of here before that whole plan flies quickly outthe window.”

“Right behind you. Just need to grab my sticky notes.”