Wrangling the Redhead - By Sherryl Woods Page 0,32
the two and not assume that just because she and Wade had all this delicious chemistry between them, they were suited to making a lifetime commitment.
“Well, hell,” she muttered as she tried to make sense of it and couldn’t.
She tied the ends of her blouse together in a knot that would at least give the illusion it was meant to be worn without buttons. As long as she didn’t make any sudden movements or quick turns, it should get her past any inquisitive gazes.
En route to the house, Lauren went back over her quandary. If she wasn’t any good at casual sex and was no better at marriage, what was left? She had a feeling she’d better figure that out in a hurry, since the heat between her and Wade wasn’t something she could ignore forever. They were going to land in bed together. The only question left was on what terms? It was one thing to have a relationship end messily in Hollywood, quite another to stir up talk in Winding River.
As she neared the house, she could hear Grady and Karen in the kitchen, so she slipped around to the front door and fled up the steps. Once she’d washed her face, put on a light dusting of fresh makeup and brushed her hair, she felt marginally better. Clean clothes accomplished the rest. By the time she went downstairs, she was prepared to make a quick dash right back out the front door.
She’d almost made it, too, when Karen planted herself squarely in her path.
“Going somewhere, Lauren?” her friend inquired cheerfully, a glint in her eyes. “Don’t think for a second that I didn’t see you sneaking around the house and creeping upstairs hoping that we wouldn’t see you. Now, here you go again, trying to slip out the front door undetected.” She glanced toward Grady, who was watching the entire scene with amusement. “I think she’s trying to keep something from us, don’t you?”
“Looks that way,” he agreed.
“If I had to guess, I’d say she has a hot date,” Karen noted, surveying Lauren intently.
“I’m wearing old jeans and a T-shirt. Why would you think that?” Lauren demanded, totally perplexed by the assumption. “There is nothing remotely ‘hot’ about this outfit.”
“Maybe not on the average woman, but on you?” Grady said. “I’ve got to go with Karen on this one.”
Lauren frowned at him. “Oh, for Pete’s sake, I’m running over to grab a quick bite with Wade. That’s it. No mystery. No big romance. Just dinner.”
Grady’s eyebrows rose. “At his place?”
“Yes, why not? Is that some sort of big deal?”
Karen grinned and rolled her eyes. “She’s going to a man’s place and he’s cooking, and she wants to know if it’s a big deal? Girl, you have been out of circulation too long. It is a very big deal.”
“He’s fixing an omelette, not serving caviar and champagne,” Lauren retorted irritably.
Grady suddenly looked worried. “Lauren, is that what it’s going to take to impress you? Caviar and champagne? I don’t think Wade’s that kind of guy.”
“He’s not, thank heavens,” she agreed fervently. “Now if you two will stop hovering, I can go over there before dinner’s ruined.”
“Seems anxious,” Karen teased.
“Very anxious,” Grady agreed.
“You know, as two people who spend every spare second sneaking off to their bedroom, you may not have the best qualifications to act like a couple of nosy chaperons,” Lauren pointed out. “If you’re not careful, Wade and I might decide to keep you company every single evening from here on out.”
Grady wrapped his arms around Karen’s waist from behind. “Let her go,” he said at once.
Karen laughed. “By all means.”
Lauren darted out the front door, pretending that she didn’t hear the hoots of laughter that followed her. That was the trouble with two people knowing her as well as Grady and Karen did—they thought they could get away with anything. After all, she had popped up repeatedly during their courtship. One of these days, though, Lauren was going to get even with them for tonight. She just had to come up with a plan diabolical enough. Maybe the rest of the Calamity Janes would help—although more than likely they’d be on Karen and Grady’s side. They were all born meddlers. Heck, she’d been one herself up till now.
As Lauren neared Wade’s house, her footsteps slowed. Memories of the heat she and Wade had generated earlier in the barn flushed her skin. Was she expecting a repeat of that tonight? Hoping for it?
“Dinner’s going to be