Party Girl (West Coast Girlz: Book Three) by Sandra Edwards Read Free Book Online Page B

be a true party girl , and no one would be the wiser.
    The ten-minute ride to Leslie’s moved by in silence with Casey mindlessly watching the light traffic and the neon signs flickering off as merchants closed up shop for the evening.
    Finally arriving, the limo rolled to a stop at the red carpeted entryway. Promptly, an attendant rushed over to open the car door. After securing her mask in place with the elastic band, she stepped out of the car, then straightened her skirt and smoothed her sweater.
    The attendant smiled. “Well, Ms Parker. It’s nice of you to join us.”
    “Huh?” she said, as he shut the car door. Then it hit her. “Oh yeah…” I’m Bonnie Parker . She giggled and moved toward the open double doors.
    “Invitation, please?” the doorman requested. Casey fished the card out of her handbag and offered it to him with a smile. He looked at it, and said, “Thank you,” stepping aside.
    Casey strolled through the doors, almost wishing she’d brought the toy gun. But ultimately, she was glad she’d had the forethought to nix that costume ornament. She wanted to have fun—not get arrested.
    “Oh. My. God.” Veronica, dressed in a pirate’s costume and a glittering gold and black mask, approached Casey.
    Casey struck a pose. “What do you think?”
    Rosanna strolled in from the opposite side that Veronica had come from. “Holy crap!” Rosanna flowed across the room in her long, graceful gown. The half-face Venetian butterfly mask didn’t hide her smile, which made her recognizable to her friends.
    “You look like you just stepped straight out of Bonnie and Clyde.” Veronica paused, giving Casey’s costume a good inspection. Casey could easily guess she was running off a mental checklist in her head, ticking off each piece of Faye Dunnaway’s famous costume from the movie. “Wait until Niko sees this. He’s going to freak.”
    “You’re not going to believe this.” Rosanna grabbed Casey’s arm. “Come on.” She dragged Casey into the ballroom, with Veronica trailing close behind.
    “What? Where’s the fire?” Casey almost stumbled but latched onto Veronica, catching her fall.
    Rosanna trudged on. “You are not going to believe this.” She stopped at the edge of the dance floor and, from the back, tapped a tall, well-built man on the shoulder.
    Dressed in an old-fashioned pin-striped suit and a 1920s Fedora, he turned around and Casey was hoping to see a nice smile. Instead, she was greeted with a full-faced Venetian mask. Whatever was going on behind it, she could only fathom a guess.
    “Bonnie Parker.” Rosanna introduced them. “Meet Clyde Barrow.”
    White-hot terror flashed inside Casey’s head and quickly found its way out in her voice. “There’s another Bonnie Parker here besides me?”
    “It’s just you, honey,” Rosanna said.
    Holy ... “What are the odds...?” Casey wished she could see behind Clyde’s mask.
    “Tell me about it.” Rosanna pushed them together. “You guys have to dance.”
    “Definitely.” Veronica giggled. “And I want pictures.”
    Clyde’s dark eyes—the only part of his face Casey could see behind the mask—looked her over with a flirtatious gleam. In her carefully planned attire, she felt practically naked. She was about ready to wilt when he gave a grand gesture. “Shall we?”
    Casey moved to the edge of the dance floor with Clyde right behind her. They’d only danced a few bars when the fast-paced music ended, morphing into a slow number.
    “Guess I should’ve asked for the next two dances.” His laughter was as mysterious as his voice. Anonymity was a powerful charm.
    Casey shrugged, tilting her head to one side. “I’m game if you are.”
    Clyde wrapped her in a traditional hold for slow dancing and guided her effortlessly around the dance floor. “So why did you choose this costume?”
    “I guess I chose Bonnie because she’s my polar opposite.”
    “You’re a cop?”
    “No.” Casey shook her head. “I