Tripping (Iced #2) - Kristine Allen Page 0,33

I wouldn’t say I know him, but I met him at Alex’s wedding,” I said with a shrug.

“Hold up. Girl, you have been holding out on me. How did I not know you went to Alex’s wedding? And it was only close friends and family—how did you get there?”

“Well, that was technically my first date with Cameron,” I admitted as I pulled my shoulders up to my ears.

“What?” she shrieked. “You have been holding out on us!”

Footsteps rushed down the hall, then Alesha and Kristi plowed into the room. “Is everything okay? We heard Gwen yell. Is it the baby?” Kristi demanded.

“No! Bleu has been holding out on us! She has been dating Cameron McGregor!” Gwen loudly announced. I winced at the cacophony that ensued when all three of my friends started grilling me at once.

Before I could get a word in edgewise to reply to them, Sean came in hauling his saxophone case. “Saved by the bell!” I said with an overly bright smile. “Off you go! Nice chatting! We’ll catch up later,” I ushered them out as they fiercely whispered at me about explanations and me not getting off the hook that easy.

Nervous didn’t begin to explain how I was feeling as I waited for Cameron to arrive.

“Girl, if you don’t stop pacing, you’re gonna wear a hole in the floor! You’re making me nervous!” Sergio huffed as he stood, arms akimbo.

“And you’re going to sweat off all my hard work,” Crimson added. She and Sergio had come over to help me get ready since they knew I wouldn’t have a lot of time.

“I can’t help it. He didn’t tell me where we were going. He would only say it was a surprise and to dress nice,” I whined as I twisted my hands. Catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror over my fireplace, I paused. It surprised me when I saw what they’d done with my makeup and my mess of wild red hair.

My curls were tamed and swept up off my neck with tendrils artfully arranged around my face and a cascade of curls coming over one shoulder. Sergio had chosen a white silk blouse with a pair of high-waisted, loose-legged black trousers and my Jimmy Choos I’d bought gently used. The shirt was unbuttoned to reveal a lacy camisole that teased with a touch of cleavage thanks to a phenomenal push-up bra.

“Well, regardless of where he takes you, it’s going to be a great time,” Sergio assured me. “How could it not? He’s sexy as hell and mmm! You’ve seen the man play hockey. It doesn’t get any hotter than that. If you don’t ride the Bony Express tonight, I’m really gonna have to reconsider our friendship.”

Crimson choked as she was taking a drink of her soda, and it shot out of her nose. It was impossible not to giggle. Sergio cocked a hip and tipped his head in a sassy manner. “And that is why you don’t have a boyfriend, Scarlett. No class.”

Crimson had gone to get a paper towel as she held a hand over her face. “I have plenty of dates!” she hollered from the kitchen. Sergio loved to tease her and call her Scarlett because of her name.

“Dates ain’t boyfriends, honey!” Sergio called to her.

“Bite me!” she yelled back. Their banter made me laugh and succeeded in calming my nerves a bit. Well, at least until the doorbell rang.

“Oh shit! He’s here!” I glanced around nervously.

Sergio snorted. “Well, no shit, Cinderella. You knew he was coming. How you gonna act like it’s a surprise,” he muttered as he went to answer my door for me because I was rooted to the spot in my small living room.

“Hey, man, good to see you again,” Cameron said to Sergio. Then his gaze drifted to me, and his mouth hung agape. Sergio snickered.

Crimson came up behind me and slipped her ridiculously expensive faux fur coat on me, handed me my bag, and pushed me toward the door.

“Hi,” Cameron finally said in a low, needy tone that set my lady bits on fire.

“Hi,” I replied in a ridiculously breathy voice.

“Oh good Lord, will you two get going?” Sergio asked with an eye roll before he placed my hand in Cameron’s and pushed us out the door.

“Is he always this pushy?” Cameron murmured with a smirk. I laughed.

“No. He’s usually worse,” I said.

“I heard that!” Sergio said from behind us. “Now you two go have fun. Do everything I would do and bring her home