Entice - By Ella Frank Page 0,86

tapping her foot when she heard a pair of heels clicking behind her. When they stopped, she glanced over her shoulder and felt her heart skid to an abrupt halt.

Standing behind her, looking as gorgeous as she remembered him, was Josh—and beside him was a small woman in a yellow sundress and strappy white heels. The lady had honey brown hair, and as she smiled at Shelly, all she could focus on was Josh’s hand on the woman’s back. Lifting her eyes to his, she thought she detected a moment of discomfort before he made himself smile.

“Shelly. It’s been a while.”

Shelly was trying to remember how to talk.

Open mouth. Project sound. Nope, it’s not working.

Luckily, the elevator pinged, and the doors swooshed open. Shelly almost ran in and pressed herself in the back corner.

The little woman next to Josh looked up at him and smiled, probably at Shelly’s odd behavior, and then stepped in, standing on the other side of the elevator. Josh moved inside, pushed the button, and then leaned back between the two of them. As the car lurched and started to rise, he turned to look at Shelly.

“This is Jenny.”

Shelly looked up at him and knew her eyes must have been screaming something—maybe, What the hell are you trying to do to me?

But, really, she had no recourse. This is what she had done to him.

Telling herself to act like an adult, Shelly looked past him and smiled at the lady holding his hand.

“Hi. I’m Shelly. I work with Lena.”

Jenny’s face lit up as she nodded. “Oh, yes, I’ve heard Lena and Mason talk about you. I’m so happy to finally meet you.”

What the hell? Shelly thought as the car came to a jolty stop. They have been double-dating with Lena and Mason?

Oh god. She felt ill. All of a sudden she wanted to throw up.

As the doors opened, Jenny got out first, and Josh turned to look at her where she was plastered up against the wall.

“It’s good to see you, Georgia. You look great,” he told her.

Then, he got out and walked over to Mason’s front door, leaving Shelly and her emotions shot to shit.

***

When Mason opened the door, Josh could tell he was shocked to see all three of them waiting in the hall.

His friend looked at him, and Josh knew his face must have looked strained. He was trying really hard not to let it show because he didn’t want Jenny to be uncomfortable, but standing so close to Shelly after all this time had him all kinds of wound tight.

“Hi, guys!” Mason exclaimed with a big grin, letting them all in.

As Josh moved past him, Mason whispered, “What the hell, man?”

“Don’t ask,” Josh mumbled back and moved forward, following his date.

That was when he heard Mason say softly, “It’s so good to see you, Shelly. You look beautiful.”

Oh and she does, Josh thought as he walked into the kitchen to grab a beer.

His eyes found hers as she moved over to Lena.

Tonight, she looked absolutely stunning, wearing a white gauzy dress that seemed to float over her body as she moved. It was a halter dress that dipped down into a low V-shape between those beautiful breasts with the waist cinched by a taupe satin ribbon.

However, that wasn’t the kicker—that was the back of the dress, or should he say, the lack of one. The whole creamy expanse of her back was on display, and the material started up again at her waist, extending to the flowy skirt.

She had a frown on her face, and he noticed her eyes kept darting over to Jenny.

Great. Josh had really thought she would bring somebody. What a fucking mess.

That wasn’t the biggest part of this mess though. The biggest part was he wanted to touch her.

***

Shelly stood in front of Lena and thought it was pretty spectacular for her to have even walked into the condo.

“You didn’t tell me he was dating someone,” Shelly accused softly.

“Well, you never asked,” Lena pointed out gently. “You have hardly talked to me for me to tell you.”

Well, she had a point, Shelly thought, silently hating her for it. “I hate that you’re right.” Okay, maybe not so silent.

Lena leaned over and told her softly, “Would it help if I told you that you look beautiful, and he hasn’t taken his eyes off you?”

Shelly looked over to the kitchen and locked eyes with the man she had said she wouldn’t and couldn’t love. She tried desperately to think of