“Go inside, Chloe,” Knox said, giving her a gentle push.“Lock your door.”
“Right.Inside.”With the care of the very drunk or very befuddled, she turned, planting a hand on the knob.It turned smoothly, the door opening with a soft creak.She stepped inside and turned to close the door.They stood there, bathed in the glow of the security light.“Night,” she said, and with a little wave that made her feel ridiculous, closed the door.
She flipped the deadbolt, then stood on her toes to peer through the peep hole.Knox had turned and started down the stairs, but Jesse stood there for a moment, watching her door with a look on his face that made her knees wobble.Then he too turned and walked down the stairs, and out of sight.
“Well, it’s about time,” Bailey said from behind her, and Chloe muffled a shriek of surprise.“I heard the lock open like, five minutes ago.What were you doing out there so long?”
Bailey stood in the yoga pants and oversized sweatshirt that Chloe knew made up the emergency outfit Bailey kept in her car, her hair scooped up in a messy ponytail.She had a bag of potato chips in one hand, the television remote in the other, and now that her ears weren’t ringing, Chloe could hear the muffled sounds of the television in the living room.
“Oh,” Bailey said, her eyes going wide.“That’swhat you were doing.”
“Where’s Gwen?”Chloe asked in a weak attempt at evasion.
“She went home to sleep, and don’t change the subject.Nice beard burn.”
“I do not have beard burn.”Oh crap, do I?
“Do, too,” Bailey said gleefully, all but dancing in her yoga pants.“I’m so glad I decided to stay over.How was it?”
Chloe toed off her boots and unbuttoned her coat.“I need a shower.”
“Hot damn.”Bailey trailed after Chloe into the living room.“Tell me everything, and don’t skimp on the details.”
Chloe walked through the living room and into the bathroom.“Knox made spaghetti.”
“You can skip those details,” Bailey amended, following Chloe into the bathroom and perching on the toilet lid.“Get to the things like why you’re not wearing the bra you had on when you left?”
“I didn’t want to wrestle it back on,” Chleo admitted with a sigh.
Bailey grinned.“I’m so proud.”
Chloe stripped off her leggings, and the panties she was glad she’d put back on under them.“I’m happy to live up to your expectations.”
“That has not yet been determined,” Bailey gestured with a chip.“Start at the beginning.”
Naked, Chloe climbed into the tub, jerked the curtain closed, and turned on the water.Ice cold, it would take a second to warm up, so she tugged back the curtain to look at Bailey.“I guess that would be when I just flat out asked them if Sawyer had told them about the threesome thing.”
Bailey laughed so hard she almost dropped her chips.“Oh, shit.”
“I know.”Chloe grimaced, remembering.“Talk about humiliating.”
“Had he?Told them, I mean?”
“No, which is why it was humiliating.Then Jesse kissed me.”
Bailey wiggled with delight.“Yes, baby, yes.Then what happened?”
“Knox kissed me,” Chloe remembered.
“Which one was better?”Bailey wanted to know.
“I’m not answering that.”
“Spoilsport.”
Chloe ducked back to check the water.It was hot now, so she tugged the curtain closed again and turned the knob to direct the water to the showerhead.Stepping back to avoid the initial icy blast, she lifted her voice to be heard over the spray.“Where was I?”
“Knox kissed you,” Bailey answered helpfully.
