Two Times as Hot by Cat Johnson

last girls’ night out. The boys get to have a bachelor
     party, so you need a bachelorette party. Tit for tat.” When Becca didn’t look convinced,
     Emma added, “Besides, it’s pretty selfish of you to deny me the opportunity to go
     out and see some hot Oklahoma cowboy scenery while I’m here, just because you’ve already
     found your perfect man. You owe me for that, you know. Need I remind you who’s responsible
     for your meeting Tucker?”
    “I know. You are.” Becca rolled her eyes. “You’re going to remind me of that until
     the day we die, aren’t you?”
    “Maybe. Or maybe if you’ll just agree to let me take you out on the town tonight,
     I could be convinced to never mention it again.” Emma dangled that hint of a promise
     like a carrot.
    “Fine, go and talk to Tara about a bar. Though I don’t know why you’re looking for
     a cowboy or any other man. You agreed to go to the reception as Jace’s date. A fact
     you seem to keep forgetting.”
    Emma dismissed Becca’s criticism with a wave of one hand. “I only agreed to that so
     I could show him what he can’t have.”
    “I’ll never understand you.” Becca shook her head.
    “As it should be. My brilliance shall remain a mystery. So we’re going out then?”
     Emma asked just to confirm she’d won this battle.
    “Yes. But we’re not staying out too late. I don’t want to have bags under my eyes
     for the pictures, either.”
    “That, dear sister, is what makeup is for.” Emma grinned and saw through the kitchen
     doorway that the men had begun to gather in the front foyer. “Looks like the herd
     is forming for the stag party exodus. You go kiss your man good-bye and then grab
     your bar purse.”
    “I didn’t pack a special purse for barhopping. I’ll have to use my regular one.”
    That figured. Becca never thought ahead about fashion necessities the way Emma did.
     She, of course, had packed not one but two small purses for going out. They were just
     big enough for her ID, lipstick, some cash, and a cell phone.
    “I’ll loan you one of mine. Now, go. Say good-bye to Tucker. I’m going to talk to
     Tara about the local hotspots.” Emma headed toward Tara. The girl had finally released
     her hold on Logan so he could join the rest of the guys.
    Emma donned what she hoped was a smile that appeared sincere and prepared to make
     nice, satisfied this evening was going to go her way.
     
    An hour later, it was obvious the night was not going at all as Emma had planned.
    “Logan looked great tonight, didn’t he?”
    Emma couldn’t stifle her sigh at Tara’s dreamy-eyed question. “I don’t know. Did he?”
    “He totally did. I was away at school all year. I haven’t seen him in what feels like
     forever.” Across the tiny cocktail table in the dark corner of the bar, Tara sighed.
     “He looks so good out of uniform. I wish he’d just retire. Then he could move back
     home again and work at his pa’s shop.” Tara looked to Emma for a comment.
    Emma had to scramble to come up with something to say. “Sorry. I only met him tonight
     so I don’t have a basis of comparison on how good he looks, in or out of uniform.”
     Though she wouldn’t mind seeing him out of his uniform, and she didn’t mean in his
     civilian clothes either.
    Tara nodded. “Jeans look so much better on him. Even the khaki dress pants he had
     on tonight are an improvement over those camouflage pants he and Tuck wear.”
    “Well, that’s the uniform. It’s my understanding they have to wear it. It’s, you know,
     kind of the rules.” Emma had tried to temper her answer, but it still came out sounding
     snarky. Luckily, Tara didn’t seem to notice.
    Damn, had Emma ever been this young and naïve? Maybe a million years ago. She willed
     Becca to hurry back from the ladies room before she lost patience with the college
     coed with the stars—or rather Logan—in her eyes.
    “I know it’s their uniform, but I’m used to Logan from