PaintedPassion by Tamara Hunter Read Free Book Online Page A

date?”
    “No, and thank goodness.” Her friend wiped her mouth with a
napkin. “I mentioned his actions to another coworker. She confirmed dude has
hit on five other nurses.”
    Selina grimaced. “Ew. Glad you found out before he wore you
down with his persistence.”
    Melissa placed a hand on Trella’s arm. “How is it, staying
in the house?”
    “A bit rough. Miguel had the day off yesterday.”
    Melissa frowned. “Why didn’t you call one of us to come over
last night?”
    Trella sipped on her latte, hesitant to divulge the fact
Carlos spent the night. Why should she be, though? They were two adults who
slept in the house and did nothing wrong. “I wasn’t alone.”
    Selina quirked a brow. “Who stayed with you?”
    Trella leaned forward as if sharing top-secret information.
“Carlos Diaz.”
    Melissa lowered her cup. “Louis’ former partner, right?”
    “I remember papi .” Selina nodded. “Fine with a
capital F.”
    Trella sipped her drink. “He drove in from Vegas. Cooked
dinner for me. It was late when we finished eating, so I invited him to stay.”
    “Why was he in town?” Melissa asked.
    She didn’t want to keep info from her friends, but Carlos
wanted to keep Louis’ suspicions of the IWP between the two of them for the
moment. “Visiting friends.”
    Selina tapped her nails on the table. “Admirable. Especially
when a phone call would suffice.”
    When her friend pursed her lips as if deep in thought,
Trella knew she had to act fast. The woman would keep chipping away at last
night’s events until she was satisfied.
    “I saw him naked,” Trella blurted.
    “Geez.” Melissa rubbed a hand down her face. “How’d it
happen?”
    “He was coming out of the shower.”
    Selina laughed. “Totally tacky, but was I right about him
being fine?”
    An image of a naked Carlos flashed in Trella’s mind. “Hell,
yeah.”
    “What’d he say?” Melissa asked, eyes alight with curiosity.
    “He brushed it off.”
    Melissa nodded. “Obviously, you didn’t.”
    She shrugged. “He’s leaving today, so it doesn’t matter.”
    Selina wiped her lips with a napkin. “We did suggest easing
back into the dating pool.”
    “Wading. Not dunking in body first.” Melissa agreed.
    Trella laughed. “You don’t have to worry. I’d never date
him.”
    Her friends exchanged glances.
    “Why not?” Melissa asked.
    “It’d be too weird. He’d remind me of Louis.” Plus, Carlos
already had her feeling out of sorts, and all she’d done was see him nude.
    “I always thought…never mind.” Melissa glanced away.
    “What ‘never mind’?” Selina asked.
    “Remember the night we met Louis and Carlos?”
    Trella nodded. “Yeah, so?”
    Melissa blew out a breath. “I noticed Carlos’ face when he
saw you. I always believed he was interested in you.”
    Selina nodded. “I thought I was the only one who picked up
on his expression.” She shrugged. “But then, Louis was the one who approached
our table first.”
    Trella cradled her mug between her hands. “I don’t remember
it that way at all. Didn’t Carlos have like two or three women hanging on his
arms?”
    Melissa nodded. “Yeah, when he finally joined us at the
table he did, but I still thought—”
    Trella shook her head. “I’m not his type. All his women are
tall and slim. Have you ever seen him with someone who doesn’t fit the mold?”
    “Hmm. You’re right. All his women do tend to look the same.”
Selina glanced around the crowded room before leaning closer. “What did his
body remind you of?”
    Hot, sweaty sex . Trella finished her drink. “A work
of art. What else?”
    * * * * *
    As Miguel drove, Trella struggled to ignore images of a nude
Carlos floating through her mind.
    “How far?” he asked.
    With a start, she realized he’d driven through the entrance
to South Mountain Park and ascended the mountain. “I’ll let you know when I see
the right spot.”
    He drove slowly, allowing her time to observe the