Maybe a nice soak in the adjoined bathroom tub would settle her down.
She wished now she’d accepted the fake vodka offer.
After a straight beeline to the guest bath, Lindsey stripped out of her sexy, body-hugging dress, thinking what a shame it was her black lacy bra and panties had gone completely to waste tonight. Not that she’d intended to have sex with Alex on the official first date, but a girl never left the house unprepared. Minds were meant to be changed.
Heck, before they’d come to Kara’s place, she’d been halfway toward tossing her moral compass to the sidewalk outside the restaurant.
The faucet squeaked as she twisted it to hot, steam quickly filling the room while she finished stripping and stared at her reflection in the mirror. The soft ringlets of curls Jessica had painstakingly helped her arrange immediately collapsed in the steamy room like a video in fast forward of a wilting flower. The simile was perfect. She felt like a wilting flower. Her ego hurt, damn it. Two sexy men had ogled over her and then dismissed her to fight with each other about God only knew what.
Had they met before? Perhaps fought over a woman?
Lindsey turned away from her pity party and stuck one toe into the water to test it before stepping into the soothing hot water. “Ahh, perfect. Just fucking perfect.” She chuckled. When all else failed in life, at least a person should maintain their sense of humor.
Her brain wouldn’t shut down.
What the hell? She had gone through the last half hour over and over in her mind while the two jackasses “took it outside.” Took what outside? It didn’t seem they’d ever met on the one hand. If she didn’t know better she’d think they were fighting over her like a couple of teenagers. Except that was ridiculous since neither one of them owned her. And why did she wish they did?
They didn’t even know her well enough to care. Hell, she’d met Justin’s brother not two minutes before everything in her world had gone topsy-turvy.
Why did it hurt so bad to walk out of that room and leave those two specimens of personified sex appeal standing in the kitchen?
Maybe they’re gay? Hmmm, that’s a possibility.
A horrible one.
A shame to females everywhere.
She rejected the idea when she remembered her evening with Alejandro. That man was not homosexual.
Maybe Ryan was? And he had the hots for Alejandro. And he was pissed to find out that Alex was on a date with a woman.
Hmmm, that was feasible. Not.
“Lindsey?” Kara’s soft voice trailed into the bathroom from the other side of the door. “Can I come in?”
“Sure,” she muttered. Why not? Sarcasm was her specialty today.
With timid steps she slid inside, closing the door behind her, a peace offering in her hand. “You didn’t lock the door. Thought you might appreciate a glass of merlot. Probably not as good as the Spanish vino you drank earlier, but it’s all I have.” She handed Lindsey the glass and then produced the rest of the bottle from under her arm and set it on the counter. “I’m really sorry about tonight.” She sat on the commode. “You’re my best friend. Believe me, I don’t take it lightly that I can’t explain better.”
“Did they leave?”
“Yes.”
Lindsey looked down at the bubbles popping around her. They suddenly seemed so loud. “Why?”
“They had to figure some things out.”
“No, I mean why can’t you tell me what this is all about? I can’t figure why your loyalty doesn’t lie with me.” She nibbled her bottom lip between her teeth, fighting back tears. She was suddenly so tired.
“I hate making you feel this way. I promise you will understand. It just isn’t my place to explain. Does that make any sense?”
“No.” Tears escaped, probably dragging whatever mascara was left in streaks across her face. She swiped at her cheek.
“Get some sleep, okay? I’ll leave you be.” Kara padded from the room as silently as she’d entered, leaving Lindsey with nothing more than she’d had two minutes ago. No … that wasn’t entirely true. She smiled. Now I have a bottle of wine.
Chapter 3
It was late. Lindsey’s only means of determining the hour without moving her head was by judging the sun’s rays high in the sky outside her window. Probably almost noon. Hopefully, Kara had called Jessica, or else her remaining roommate would be freaking out by now worrying about what had become of the woman who’d left twenty-some odd hours ago with a virtual stranger.
A moan escaped her lips, and she rolled to her back and threw her arm over her eyes to block out the blinding streaks of light coming through the window. Why hadn’t she closed the blinds last night? She couldn’t decide if it was better that she’d drunk enough of that bottle of merlot to lull herself to sleep and forget her problems, or worse for causing the hangover she’d be dealing with for the next several hours.