Heavy Issues Read Free

want out of life. It’s just a matter of attitude and positive affirmations.” Without thinking too much, she clambered up, shakily climbed onto the empty stone flowerpot sitting at the edge of the deck, and raised her hands to the sky, spilling half her tequila in the process.
    Holly chucked. “Get down from there. You’ll break your neck, and no one here is in any condition to take you to the ER.”
    “What on earth are you doing?” Annie asked with wide eyes.
    “Pledging myself to this new course.”
    “Your stud won’t come from the skies, Chris,” Sophie answered. “You are a techie. You should know the Internet is a better option. Let’s just Google it.”
    Christy ignored them. Extreme situations called for extreme measures. “My neighbor said the night of June twenty-fourth is magic, and she also said my backyard is strategically located. ‘Cosmically speaking, very powerful’ were her exact words.”
    “Your neighbor’s loony tunes, and it’s the twenty-eighth, almost a week later, honey.”
    “So? Some power must be lingering,” she said, refusing to be derailed, and her back to her friends, she proceeded to scream to the night, “I, Christine Sheridan, vow that I’m done. No more searching for husband material. Or for love. No more meaningful long-term relationships. Just give me orgasms! Big, mind-blowing ones!” she added, flashing a look at her girlfriends, who were dissolving into giggles. Christy fought to keep her face straight and continued, “I’m getting on with my sex life and I…will…get…my…stud!”
    It took her some moments to realize that her friends’ laughter had suddenly died out and someone was clearing his throat.
    “Holy tamoli. It works,” she heard Annie mumbling.
    With her arms still up to the sky, Christy turned her head, and her gaze strayed to the left, where Cole Bowen was standing with his bulging arms crossed over that rock-hard chest, his left eyebrow raised. Her footing gave out.
    “Careful there,” Cole said as he caught Christy on her way down, that raspy, low voice of his sending her pulse skyrocketing and giving her goose bumps even under her nails.
    She landed in his arms, and less than a second later, the booze landed over his chest.
    “Oops, sorry,” she whispered, trying to clean the liquid from his shirt, which did nothing but spread it out and give her a chance to totally and shamelessly feel him up. “When…? How…? Where did you come from?” she asked, equal parts awed and embarrassed.
    “Mr. Spock, the quantum hyperparticles time-space disturbance has been spotted hiding in the stone flowerpot. The Federation is saved,” Holly joked as Sophie dissolved into laughter.
    Christy threw both a hard glance.
    “Hello, ladies,” Cole answered, his gaze never straying from Christy’s as he steadied her on her feet but didn’t let go. “I was on my way home when this landed on my head.” He showed her the ring.
    “Oh.” Fantastic. Time and space were definitely conspiring against her. The ring was back. Not acceptable. She tried to straighten herself and appear less drunk. If not less drunk, then at least less slurred. “Thanks, but I meant to throw it away,” she managed to say, those deep green eyes of his holding her spellbound. Jesus, he was handsome. Rough and masculine, with dirty-blond hair framing harsh, angular features and a glint of golden stubble marring his jaw. And not only was the sight of him mesmerizing, but his scent…wow. So male, so sexy. Mouthwatering. As a matter of fact, this close, if she swayed a bit his way, she bet she could taste him. Flick her tongue over his gorgeously tanned skin without him noticing. Before her fuzzy brain could process the thought, her body leaned toward him, mouth already open. Oh God, what the hell was she doing? She jumped away. She had to put some distance between them before she convinced herself that giving him a big lick was the thing to do.
    She cleared her throat. “I