What Are Friends For? (2 page)

“That’s because you won’t let me replace it. Your unit has to be close to twenty years old.”

Erin frowned. “Luke, I don’t have an extra ten grand in my checking account for a new central air unit.”

“It wouldn’t cost that much.”

“However much it costs, I can’t do it. I can barely afford for you to fix my old one. Even though you don’t charge me for your time, I still have to pay for parts.”

“At my cost, which is what you’ll pay for the new unit. And you can pay it out for as long as you need to. No interest. It’s August in Texas. You can’t be without A/C. I can check the schedule for an open spot and install the new unit next week.”

He’d decided a long time ago that owning a heating and air conditioning company gave him the right to help his family and friends as much as possible. He took enough of a wage to support himself and left the rest in the company. He’d rather pay out bonuses to his employees than have a huge chunk of money in his personal bank account.

She wiggled her mouth back and forth. Luke recognized that gesture as one Erin used when she was trying to make a decision. “I’ll think about it.”

“It’ll pay for itself over time with what you’ll save in electricity—“

“Okay, I said I’d think about it.” Erin rolled her eyes. “Sheesh, you can be so bossy sometimes.”

“It’s part of my charm.”

Erin laughed. “Yes, it is.” She grabbed a paper towel off the roll by the sink. “I’m going to take some cookies with me.”

He knew she would. Erin couldn’t resist his mother’s homemade cookies. “Help yourself. Just leave me a couple, okay?”

She flashed him an impish grin. “Maybe.”

Grinning too, he watched her wrap four cookies in the paper towel. “Come back when you get off work for a swim. I’ll grill some steaks for supper.”

“Sounds great. I’ll pick up a bottle of wine.” She waved at him over her shoulder as she walked away. “Later, dude.”

Chapter Two

Erin straightened the colorful travel brochures on her desk. She’d collected several of them to show the
Jeffersons
when they arrived. They’d mentioned they wanted to visit Europe, Asia and Australia. When she showed them all the information she had about African safaris, she knew they would want to go to that continent too.

Erin would love to take the same trip she planned to recommend to the
Jeffersons
. Maybe not to all those places, but at least to Europe. England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Germany, Austria—her list got a bit longer every year. She kept telling herself
someday
.

She also told herself someday she’d find a man who would love her. That hadn’t happened yet, nor did it appear it would happen any time soon.

It had to be her. She had to be doing something wrong in bed. Maybe she was too clingy, or not clingy enough. Maybe she was too passionate, or not passionate enough. She loved sex—a lot—and once was never enough for her. She liked multiple orgasms and always wanted a second round, even when her lover wasn’t quite “up” to it yet.

Whatever she was—or wasn’t—in bed, she rarely got past the first sex session before she never heard from the guy again.

A relationship couldn’t be built if the guy never called her.

Erin considered herself a modern woman. At twenty-nine, she had a job she adored that supported her, even if sometimes money was a little tight. She called herself a homeowner, although the bank owned a lot more of her house than she did. However, she believed some things should be done the old-fashioned way, such as the man asking the woman for a date.

Her girlfriends told her sometimes she had to be the aggressor, to go after the man she wanted. That didn’t work for Erin. Besides, she hadn’t dated anyone in the last few years who made her heart pound with just the sound of his voice. That’s what she wanted—that breathless, flushed, have-to-touch-him feeling she hadn’t experienced since her first love in college.

She wouldn’t settle for anything less.

The bell over the door snagged Erin’s attention. Her friend and co-worker Zoe walked in, carrying a small white bag. She walked over to Erin’s desk and held out the bag to her.

“I brought you a cheesecake brownie.”

Erin groaned. “I love those.”

“I know you do. And since you shared Luke’s mother’s cookies with me, I’m returning the favor. I know how you need your afternoon sugar fix.”

Erin could always depend on the cute redhead to take care of her. She pinched off a bite of the brownie and popped it in her mouth. She groaned again. “Oh, that’s so good. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” Zoe took the chair at her desk, placed her purse in the desk drawer. “Have the
Jeffersons
come and gone already?”

“No. He called while you were at lunch to say they were running about twenty minutes late. They’ll be here soon.”

“That won’t mess up your plans, will it?”

“What plans?”

“Don’t you have a date with Gary tonight?”

She and Zoe had been so busy this morning, she hadn’t had the chance to tell her friend about Gary’s lack of follow-up to their last date. “There is no more Gary.”

“Wow. He didn’t last long.”

“They never do.” Her stomach now churning too much to eat, Erin placed the rest of her brownie back in the bag and folded the top. “I’m giving up on men. They aren’t worth the hassle.”

Zoe gave her a sympathetic look. “Don’t be that way. Not all men are bad.”

“You can say that since you got the last good man out there. Peter is a prince.”

Zoe’s sympathetic look turned to one of a woman in the throes of newly wedded bliss. She sighed in pleasure. “Yes, he is.”

Envy stabbed Erin in the stomach. It pleased her to see her friend so happy, yet she couldn’t help being jealous that she couldn’t experience the same happiness herself.

“I’ve decided it has to be me,” Erin said. “Men give up on me after we’ve had sex. I have to be lousy in bed.”

“I doubt that, Erin.”

“Well, what other reason could there be? Gary and I really clicked. I enjoyed our first two dates. We had sex on the third one. That was last Saturday and I haven’t heard a word from him since.”

Zoe turned her chair toward Erin. “You called it sex instead of making love.”

Erin waved a hand in the air, irritated that Zoe picked up on something so trivial. “Semantics.”

“No, it isn’t. There’s a big difference between sex and lovemaking, Erin. Both have their place, depending on the mood. But it seems to me if you really clicked with Gary, you’d say you made love with him.”

“Why does it matter what I call it?”

“Because there’s a
difference
,” Zoe said slowly, as if to emphasize her point. “When’s the last time you
made love
with a guy?”

Erin had to think before she answered that question. Not that she’d had dozens of lovers since she discovered men were really nice to have around, but she had to think about the last time she’d felt really close to a guy. There’d only been one and he had trampled on her heart. “In college. I was ridiculously in love.”

“What happened?”

“I wasn’t the only girl in his bed.”

Zoe flinched. “Ouch.”

“That’s what he said when I kneed him in the balls. Plus a few other colorful phrases.”

Zoe’s eyes grew wide. “You didn’t!”

“I did. And I never regretted it.” Erin picked up the stack of travel brochures she had ready for the
Jeffersons
and rearranged their order. “It has to be me, Zoe. Since the same thing always happens, it has to be me. I just wish I knew what I’m doing wrong.”

“Why don’t you ask Luke to help you?”

Erin blinked, certain she hadn’t heard Zoe correctly. “Luke Duvall?”

“Yes, Luke Duvall. I don’t understand why you didn’t tie him to your bed years ago.”

That thought was so ludicrous, Erin burst into laughter. “No way!”

“Why not?”

“Luke is my
friend
. We aren’t interested in each other sexually.”

“Then you’re a fool. That man is the perfect example of prime male flesh. Not to mention that mane of dark hair and those gorgeous blue eyes.” Zoe closed her eyes and shivered. “Oh yes.”

Erin couldn’t believe her friend was going on and on about Luke. “Excuse me, but did you forget you got married two months ago?”

“I’m married, not blind. Luke is a major hunk, plus he’s considerate and charming and funny. I’ll bet if you asked him for help, he’d take you to bed in a heartbeat.”

“Zoe, that’s crazy! Luke isn’t the least bit interested in me.”

As soon as those words left her mouth, she remembered her conversation with Luke this morning when she’d asked him if he’d ever thought of her sexually. He hadn’t actually said yes, but had gone on to tell her she was beautiful with a killer body. She still didn’t know if he’d ever thought about having sex with her.

Not that it mattered. She never thought of having sex with Luke.

Okay, maybe she’d fantasized a bit about him. Maybe she’d admired those broad shoulders, that wide chest with the sprinkling of dark hair, his luscious mane of dark brown hair that curled around his ears and over his neck. And his eyes. A mesmerizing blue, surrounded by thick brown lashes. She had to use a lot of mascara to get her eyelashes to look that thick. Well-shaped lips, a flat stomach, and oodles of muscles from moving around those heavy HVAC units completed the package.

She didn’t want to think about what hung between his thighs. From the way he filled out a pair of jeans, or those denim shorts this morning, Luke didn’t lack in the cock department.

“Are you interested in him?” Zoe asked.

“No, of course not. I told you, Luke and I are friends. That’s all.”

“I’ll bet it could be more, if you gave it a chance. You should seduce him the next time y’all are together.”

“I’m going to his house after work to swim and for supper.”

“There you go!” Zoe said with a pleased smile. “Typical hot summer day in Texas plus skimpy bikini equals the perfect opportunity for seduction.”

“I don’t wear a bikini. I wear a one-piece.”

Zoe shook her head. “Girl, you are missing out on some wonderful opportunities. You should go shopping as soon as you leave here and buy the skimpiest bikini you can find. Preferable with a thong bottom. You have a great ass. Show it off.”

Erin wore thong underwear, but had never considered a thong swimsuit. She usually swam with Luke at his house. That’s why she’d bought a one-piece. It was cut low in front and high on her thighs, but was still a one-piece.

The bell over the door tore her thoughts away from Luke. The
Jeffersons
entered, full of apologies for being late. Erin stood and strode toward them in welcome. Time to forget Zoe’s suggestion and get back to work.

* * * * *

Erin couldn’t believe she stood in the active wear section of her favorite department store, looking at swimsuits. It was ridiculous for her to be here. She wasn’t going to buy a bikini, much less one with a thong bottom. Her one-piece worked perfectly for swimming at Luke’s. He’d think she was coming on to him if she wore something skimpy.

Maybe that wouldn’t be a bad idea.

If any man could help her understand her problem, it would be Luke. First, they were best friends and completely honest with each other. Second, he dated a lot. He never gave her specifics, but she suspected a big percentage of his dates ended up in bed. She couldn’t imagine why a woman wouldn’t want to have sex with him. Like Zoe said, he was the perfect example of prime male flesh. Especially when he walked around in those denim cutoffs that showed off his strong legs, cupped his ass, and emphasized the bulge at his crotch.

A delicious tingling in her clit made Erin push thoughts of Luke’s ass and bulge from her mind. Getting turned on in the middle of the store would not be a good idea.

Erin sighed. Coming here had been foolish. She took two steps away from the round of swimsuits before she looked up. She stopped. Another round occupied the space to her right. A headless, legless mannequin sat on the space atop the round, wearing the most gorgeous green bikini Erin had ever seen. A cross between emerald and jade, it had strands of gold woven through the material that made it shimmer in the light. If it looked this good beneath harsh fluorescents, Erin knew it would be magnificent in the sunlight.

She had to have it.

She walked to the other side of the mannequin and cringed when she saw the back of the bikini. Thong bottom, exactly what she didn’t want. She couldn’t wear such a skimpy suit in front of Luke.

Why not?
a tiny voice in her head asked.

Erin hesitated for several moments before she decided to go for it. All the sizes were mixed together, so it took her a few seconds to find hers. Grabbing it off the rack, she hurried to the dressing room to try it on.

It fit perfectly. With only two tiny scraps of fabric for her breasts and one for her mound, there wasn’t much there to worry about the fit. The top covered the center of her breasts, but left a lot still exposed. She turned to check out her back in the mirror. The thong left no part of her ass to the imagination. If she wore this suit in front of Luke, she’d be next to naked.