Ignite On Contact (Brotherhood by Fire #2) -Jaci Burton Page 0,17

admit that to Tess. “Besides, it’s too late to do anything about it, anyway. And if by some chance I get undressed in front of Rafe—which isn’t going to happen—he’s just going to have to deal with my raggedy underwear.”

Tess shrugged. “If you say so.”

Carmen didn’t plan to have sex with Rafe tonight. Just dinner.

She tried on the dresses. She and Tess were roughly the same size, though Carmen had bigger breasts, which meant that her cleavage spilled out of all of them.

“You look amazing in that red one,” Tess said.

Carmen stared down at the dress. “It is super cute and fits me well, but I don’t know.” She smoothed her hands over her breasts. “It’s cut a little low.”

“I know,” Tess said, waggling her brows. “It makes you look hot as hell.”

She lifted her gaze to Tess. “I don’t know that I want to look hot as hell.”

“Really. What do you want to look like?”

“I—” She didn’t have an answer off the top of her head. “I don’t know, Tess. Just, normal me, I guess.”

“You are normal you. Just in a dress. What do you want, Carmen? To wear scrubs to dinner?”

“No. Maybe, you know, capris or a sundress or something.”

She pointed. “Then try on the sundress that I brought.”

“Okay.”

She grabbed the brightly colored sundress and slipped that on next. It was just as low-cut but not as fancy as the red dress. She could wear her beige sandals with the turquoise beads and a bracelet and grab a wrap and the look would be more casual. She already felt much more at ease, more herself.

“Dynamite!”

She lifted her gaze to Tess. “It’s so pretty. How come you’ve never worn this?”

Tess shrugged. “It doesn’t look as flattering on me as it does on you. It doesn’t fit me the same. I think it’s your rack. You fill it out better than I do.”

Carmen looked at herself in her closet door mirror. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t quite as low-cut as the red dress. The sundress hit just above her knees, and it had a nice silky flow to it. She could already imagine herself walking, or even dancing in it. Or strolling along the beach. Whatever they did, she’d feel good. Not self-conscious. And that was what was important.

She smiled, then turned to Tess. “Thanks for letting me borrow it.”

“You can have it. I bought it at an end-of-season sale for practically nothing, and I’ll likely never wear it.”

“Then I’ll pay you for it.”

Tess sighed. “It was twelve bucks, Carmen.”

“Then I’ll pay you twelve bucks for it.”

“Fine. As long as you’re happy wearing it.”

“I am happy. Thanks for letting me play dress-up.”

“You’re welcome. Now I need to get back home, because George tossed ribs in the smoker this morning, and they should be falling off the bone by now.”

Talking about the ribs made her stomach grumble. All she’d had for lunch today was a package of cheese and crackers and a chocolate milk. “That sounds delicious.”

“Doesn’t it?” Tess gave her a hug. “I want all the details tomorrow.”

They walked to the front door. “I don’t know if there will be any details other than dinner details, but whatever they are, you’ll get them.”

“My guess is you might be surprised just how much dirt you’ll have to spill to me tomorrow.”

Tess was so off base about her dinner with Rafe.

“We’ll see. Thanks again.”

Tess gave her a quick wave and headed out to her car.

Carmen noticed lightning off in the distance and smelled rain in the air.

Great. She should have just opted for her capris and maybe a baseball cap. But if she did that, Tess would never forgive her. Not that her friend would ever know.

But she was committed to the sundress, so she decided to go for it.

She closed the door, then went back into the bedroom to finish getting ready. She’d already taken a quick shower after work. So after she did her hair and makeup, she got dressed, put on a pair of chandelier earrings, then headed into the kitchen, debating whether she wanted to pour herself a glass of wine to calm her nerves.

Why was she nervous, anyway? It wasn’t like this was a big deal. It was just dinner with her friendly next-door neighbor.

Oh, right, Carmen. Your hot-as-hell, abtastic, sexy next-door neighbor who you’ve fantasized about for years.

Then again, for all she knew, Rafe really was just interested in dinner, and nothing more.

Wouldn’t that be the most ironic thing of all? Here she was, obsessing over