Page 81 of Return of the Bad Girl (Rock Canyon, Idaho 4)

“Shit, I’m just trying to class the place up,” he said.

“Right,” Caroline said, wrapping her arms around his waist. “So, does that mean you’ll go with me?”

“Yeah, I guess. It’s like you said; I helped make the cake,” he said, leaning down to kiss her softly. “I should enjoy all the benefits.”

“Hmm, so what do I have to bake to get you to take me to the airport on Thursday?” she asked against his lips.

“You can’t bake.”

“Okay, what can you teach me to bake, so you’ll drive me to the airport?”

“I don’t know. That sounds like a lot of work, with very little re—”

Her mouth dipped to take his nipple, T-shirt and all, into her mouth, stopping whatever he was going to say. Her hand slipped down and between them, cupping him through his pants, and he groaned, “Yeah, sure, I can drive you.”

“Good,” she said, pulling away and wrinkling her nose. “Now, how about you just go shower, so I don’t show up with Stinky McGee?”

“You gonna join me?” he asked, stepping away to pull his T-shirt over his head.

“I already showered,” she said.

Sniffing her playfully, he said, “I think you missed a spot.”

When she smacked out at him, he grabbed her arm, dipped his shoulder to hoist her up, and carried her like a sack of potatoes. She laughed as she screamed, “Gabe, no! It takes forever to dry my hair!”

“I never said anything about your hair. I said you missed a spot. I’m sure there are other places besides your head that need washing.”

CAROLINE LED GABE up the walkway to the front door of Valerie’s house. Val had bought the little house on a few acres last year, when she’d moved from Boise, and although other houses were close enough to see, there was still space between them for privacy.

“Lots of cars,” Caroline said when they reached the top of the porch.

“Yeah, looks like the party is in full swing,” Gabe said, holding the cake in his hands.

Caroline rang the doorbell before she said, “I apologize in advance.”

“For what?” he asked.

The door swung open, and Valerie squealed. “Gabe, I’m so glad you could make it.”

“That,” Caroline said as Valerie came out and gave her a hug.

“Come on in, you guys,” Val said, leading them into the house. “We’ve got the fire pit going out back, and Justin’s at the barbeque, although I saw his hot dogs, so I’d go with a hamburger.”

“Who is this?” Ellie said from the couch.

“Umm . . .” Caroline said, unsure how to introduce him.

“I’m Gabe.”

“Oh, you’re Gabe,” Ellie said, getting up from the couch and walking over to them slowly.

Caroline noticed her sister’s wrist was wrapped with a nude nylon bandage and anger burned through her. “What happened to your wrist?”

“Oh, I just sprained it trying to change my tire.”

“Yeah? Well, that sucks,” Caroline said, blown away that her super-confident and sexy sister would let someone abuse her.

Why not? You did the same thing, letting Kyle get away with what he did.