Did she expect him to follow up, to chase her down like he’d promised?
“What is wrong with you? You don’t want or need him in your life except to model your clothes.”
She marched into the living room, determined to change the channel. But her phone rang and she picked it up, smiling when she saw who it was.
“Stella. What’s up?”
“I’m downstairs. Are you busy?”
“Not at all. I just came home and threw on sweats. Long day.”
“I’m coming up. Buzz me in.”
Stella was Carolina’s best friend, and you just didn’t say no to her. Besides, she could use the pick-me-up, and since Stella was a fireball of energy, she couldn’t think of a more perfect time for a visit. She buzzed her up and went to the door to let her in.
“Hello, love,” Stella said as she breezed through the door and shrugged off her short leather jacket.
“Your style always kills me, Stell,” Carolina said.
Stella looked down at herself. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing now, oh fashion maven?”
“Not a damn thing. You’re stunning as always.” Carolina looked at Stella, always marveling at her friend’s fashion sense. Stella was tall, so the black leggings showcased her amazing dancer’s legs. She wore a gauzy top that rode to her hips, and finished the look with distressed combat boots. With her spiky short blonde hair and her sexy, killer blue eyes, the woman was a man magnet.
Stella waved her hand. “Stunning, my ass. And you look like shit. Have you slept yet this year?”
“And to think I wanted to see you so you could brighten up my day.”
“No you wanted to see me because you know I’ll bitch slap you with the truth. You’re working too many hours. And I brought beer.”
Carolina wrinkled her nose. “When have I ever liked beer? And you know I have to work a lot right now.”
“Whatever. I’m putting the beer in your fridge. And because I know you’re a beer hater, I also bought wine. The good kind—not even from a box.”
Carolina laughed. “You’re so sweet to think of me. Let’s get to drinking.”
Stella popped a beer, then fumbled through Carolina’s gadget drawer for the corkscrew and drew the cork out of the wine bottle while Carolina grabbed a glass from the cabinet.
“And you bought a cabernet. You remembered.”
Cocking a hip, Stella waved the corkscrew at her. “Of course I remembered. We’ve been friends for almost six years now.”
“I know. But you’d be surprised how many self-absorbed people I know.”
Stella handed Carolina the glass, then lifted her beer and clinked it against Carolina’s wineglass. “Honey, I work in the dancing world. I know all about self-absorbed.”
Carolina led her into the living room and they sat on the sofa. Stella’s gaze strayed to the television and she cocked a brow. “Hockey? You’re watching hockey?”
She knew she should have turned off the television before she let Stella in. “It’s . . . research.”
“I’ll say. Hot men, fast skates, all that adrenaline. Yum.” Stella propped her feet on the coffee table and took a sip of beer. “Which one’s your favorite?”
She should’ve just blown it off and made up someone. “Actually, I went to the same college as Drew Hogan. He’s going to do some modeling for the new line for me.”
Stella looked at the TV, then leaned forward. “No shit? You know him that well?”
“Remember that guy I told you about, the one I had the drunken interlude with during college?”
Dragging her gaze from the television, Stella looked at her. “Virginity guy?”
“Yeah.”
“That was Drew?”
“That was Drew.”
Stella laid her feet on the floor and put her beer down. “You have got to be kidding me. And you’re still speaking to him?”
“It was a long time ago, Stella.”
“Yes, and he was a big dick to you that night. Correction. He gave a big dick to you that night, and then he acted like a douche.”
Carolina shook her head. “We were both drunk.”
“And he took advantage of you. Then dumped you. Asshole.”
Carolina loved that her friend was so fiercely protective of her. “It wasn’t exactly like that. Did I make it sound like that?”
“You didn’t need to make it sound like that. That’s how it was, wasn’t it?”
She shrugged. “Not really. I mean yes, I was a virgin, but God, I chased after him. Lusted after him. He just gave me what I’d wanted. What I asked him for. It wasn’t his fault that he couldn’t—didn’t love me like I wanted.”
Stella sighed. “And you’re still speaking to him. You’re way more forgiving than I would be.”
“Clearly, you’re a mean bitch. Who broke your heart so badly?”
“No one, because I won’t let a guy get within a mile of it. I’ve seen too many of my friends messed up by men. They’re all vicious heartbreakers. Best not to fall in love, that way you won’t get hurt.”
Carolina shifted on the sofa. “Seriously? But you date a lot. In fact, you’re always going out with guys.”
“Exactly. Different guys. They’re fun, and they have penises, and if they know what to do with them, they might get to hang around for a while. But keeping them, long term? No way. As soon as I think I might be developing feelings for one, he’s out the door.”
After all these years of knowing Stella, she had no idea her friend felt this way about men. And she could deny it all she wanted, but some guy had broken her heart. Why else would she protect it so fiercely?
She was so gorgeous. Tall and lithe, with a killer figure and a man’s attitude about sex and dating. She could quite possibly be every man’s dream.
“So who broke your heart, Stella? Seriously.”
Stella picked up her bottle of beer and took a long swallow. “I’d rather hear about the hot and studly hockey player who’s back in your life again. You should tease the hell out of him, then leave him high and dry.”
Carolina laughed. “You have a mean streak.”
Stella grinned. “I know. But that’s me. So tell me about you and—oh shit, he just scored. Goddamn, he’s good.”
Carolina jerked her attention to the screen and caught Drew’s score on the replay. He’d skated past the defender and caught a pass from a teammate, shooting the puck past the goalie and into the net.
It had been a magnificent shot, so filled with power she had felt it zing all the way through her television.
“Hello? Did you just orgasm watching the replay?”
She rolled her eyes at Stella’s comment. “Not funny. It was a good shot, though.”
“So how much are you seeing this Drew Hogan guy?”
“I’m not seeing him at all. We did spend Thanksgiving together, but only because I stayed here to work, and my mother and brother conned him into dragging me out of the house. So I worked the homeless shelter with him. Then he took me ice skating. And we went out to eat later that day.”
“So, you spent the entire day with him. Did you get him naked? Did he get you naked?”
“He most definitely did not get me naked that day.”
Stella laughed. “So he got you naked another day.”
“I had to get his measurements.”
“Ohhh, so you did get him naked.”
“Not naked. He had his boxer briefs on.”
Stella glanced at the television again, then pulled her attention back to Carolina. “I’ll bet he has a killer body.”
“He’s ripped, for sure. Even more so now than he was in college.”
“And you want to fuck him again?”
“Honestly, Stella. You’re so . . . blunt.”
“So? What’s wrong with women loving sex? When was the last time you got laid?”
She had a point. “Too long.”