Inside Out by Ashley Ladd Read Free Book Online Page A

“It’s Trey. I know you’re home. Let me in. I have something for you.”
    Erica’s heart did several funny little skips. She was sorely tempted to tell him again to get lost. In particular, she didn’t want Trey hanging around, playing havoc with her heart. In general, she didn’t even want a bi man around, someone who would eventually want someone with a cock in his bed.
    However, her curiosity wouldn’t let her turn him away so she recapped the polish, turned down the music and sauntered to the door. With her left hand, she opened it. Then, bristling, she struck a defensive pose and glared. “What do you have?”
    As usual, he stood tall and proud but the normal devilish twinkle was gone from his eyes. He glanced at the neighbours, who were unabashedly ogling them, and grimaced. “In private.”
    She didn’t trust him any more than he seemed to trust her. Her racing heart couldn’t take much more. “So? You can give me whatever it is right here.”
    “Please. I’d like to apologise, too.” From behind his back, he pulled out a bouquet of multi-coloured daisies and a flat, brightly wrapped box and held them out to her. In a hushed voice he said, “I’m sorry if I behaved like an ass. Can we be friends again?”
    While she was considering his apology and took the gifts, his gaze dropped to her hands. Then he cocked his brow. “Pink polish? Flowery nails?”
    Erica tried to quell her rising annoyance. She fluttered her fingers before his eyes. “You like? It’s called ‘passion pink’. And what if I’d been in the shower?”
    Too late, she realised her poor choice of words. She seared under Trey’s roving gaze as she opened the door.
    Her thighs quivered and she tried to hide behind the daisies as she stole a glance at his groin. When she saw it was swollen, straining against his jeans, her pussy tingled.
    She marvelled how the sexual feelings differed from those Eric used to have. Instead of her cock growing hot and her balls tightening, her pussy clenched and her nipples beaded.
    The sexual tension was more than she could stand. She wedged the box under her arm then fluttered her hand before Trey’s face. “I like my nails. I didn’t get my fill like other little girls so I have a lot of catching up to do.”
    Trey stared at her nails then cleared his throat. “Aren’t you going to open your gift? I assure you it’s something you’ll like.”
    Erica’s brows tented. The box felt thin and flimsy and was too large for most jewellery. It was too light to be a book or piece of clothing unless maybe it was a scarf. She thrust the bouquet into his arms then ripped the ribbon and shiny silver wrap from the present.
    When a few pieces of paper fluttered out, she frowned. Seconds later when she scooped them up from the floor and read them, her heart jumped. There were a few hundred names.
    Visions of playing baseball again filled her and her heart leapt. She was so excited she closed the gap between him and hugged him. “Thank you! I didn’t think you’d come through.”
    Trey disentangled himself and glowered down at her. “I always come through. By the way, this is a copy. I gave the originals to the board.”
    Chastised, she veiled her eyes with a sweep of her lashes. Thinking back over the years, she realised the truth of his words. He had always come through. She’d been the one to royally screw things up.
    She held the petitions to her heart, crossed her fingers they would work as she hoped and nodded. “So you do. I owe you now. Is your computer still on the fritz?”
    A rueful expression crossed his face as he handed the flowers back to her. “Big time. The firm I hired to fix it last week charged me a mint and they screwed it up worse.”
    “Bring it over and I’ll have a look at it.”
    Trey held up his forefinger and glanced at the door. “I’ll be right back.”
    Before she could spit out a reply, he’d sprinted out the door and to his car. Since he hadn’t shut the door