DirtyInterludes Read Online Free Page A

it that. He likes to tell
me how lacking I am in the…sex department.”
    Cathy’s lips stiffened and the cup hit the table with a
clunk. “He made advances on you?”
    Bridget waved a hand, worry spiking over her friend’s sudden
defense. “No, never. More like giving me the brush-off. Enlightening me that
I’d never have a chance with him. As if I would want to.”
    “Oh.”
    That one word, a deflated breath, pretty much summed up her
day. Deflated. “Enough about me, I want to hear about you. How are you and
Mitch?”
    A grimace flitted over her friend’s face before it cleared.
“We’re doing good. Good.”
    Something about her tone made Bridget think things weren’t
completely true. “Are you sure?”
    Cathy stiffened. “Yes. I said we were, didn’t I?”
    Sensing the door to that conversation sealed tight, Bridget
moved on to other things. Still she couldn’t shake her friend’s words. She’d
moved here, as far as she knew, with her boyfriend for a fresh start. Finishing
her coffee, Bridget yawned.
    “I’m tired. I think I might go home.”
    Cathy grabbed her hand, her brows drawn low with concern.
“Hey, I’m sorry for snapping at you.”
    Bridget smiled. “It’s okay. I think we could all do with
some sleep and maybe pampering.”
    Cathy eased back with a sigh. “Yeah.”
    After making her goodbyes, Bridget returned to her car and
drove home, all the while her thoughts wandering back to the mistakes she made
during practice. Each missed note, each unsteady key change made her cringe.
    As she pulled into her driveway she noticed several crates
on her front porch. She retrieved her cello from the back of her car and placed
it by the stairs. Carefully she studied the wooden boxes. They weren’t big and
reminded her of specially delivered boxes of wine she’d ordered several years
ago for her housewarming. Frowning, she tried to remember if she’d purchased
wine of late, but her sluggish mind refused to cooperate.
    She stood over a crate and checked the address. No, it was
right and even had her name on it. Curious, she opened the door and placed her
cello inside and went in search of a pry bar. Lugging one of the boxes inside,
she marveled at the weight. It wasn’t too heavy, which made her think it was
perhaps wine. Kneeling in the entryway, she loosened the lid. It came apart
with a subtle squeak and her mouth dropped open as she recognized the pointed
little hats that belonged to garden gnomes. Hand pressed to her chest, she
released a sound of joy. She didn’t remember ordering gnomes, but to have
more…she certainly wasn’t about to wonder about the sender. Paper rustled as
she grasped on to one and pulled it out.
    Then immediately dropped it.
    The thing fell with a dull thunk by her foot and
rocked to and fro as though to shake its head at her and leer. A naked gnome.
Stomach churning, she tore at the packaging and pulled out one naked gnome
after another. No, it wasn’t a mistake. Each box had various types of
statuettes, each naked in some form or fashion. Some cheekily flashed their
backsides, while others stood fully exposed with nothing but a daisy to conceal
their genitals. Some had no coverage at all.
    An angry sob burst from her mouth and she flipped the lids
over, trying to find who sent her such a crude “gift”. An envelope was
sticky-taped to the back of one and she pulled out the note.
    To replace the one you threw through my window. Enjoy.
    Snatching up a gnome, she marched across the lawn and
pounded on the door. He’d better be home or she was going to break all his
windows with every single gnome he sent her. The house remained dark and she
pounded on the door until her hand hurt.
    Light in the entranceway flicked on and she stepped back,
breathing hard, her anger climbing by the second. The door opened and for a
moment she lost all thought process. Shaggy black locks framed his face, black
fuzz on his cheeks made him look deliciously rumpled. He wore nothing