by Gary, Codi
Katie smiled nervously as his eyes moved slowly over her, and when they finally met hers, they were so hot she nearly stumbled. He met her at the edge of the bar and said, “I thought you were pissed at me.”
“Why did you think that?”
He pulled out his phone and held it up. “You never texted back.”
She shrugged. “I got busy.”
His eyebrow hiked up along with his smile. “You too busy for a drink?”
“You buying?”
“Yeah.”
She laughed. “Good, ’cause I just spent all of my extra income on clothes.”
Leaning over and putting his mouth so close she could feel his warm breath on her neck, he whispered, “So what was in the little black bag?”
He watched me leave. “Are you stalking me?”
“Not stalking, just interested,” he said, still close enough for her to see the black flecks in his gray eyes while he played with one of her curls.
The way he was admiring her made her feel powerful and brazen, and it was going to her head in a big way.
“Hmmm. In taking care of me, you mean? Maybe taking me home and using this very impressive body to get me all hot and bothered?” she said, surprising herself as she trailed her finger over his chest suggestively.
He froze, staring at her like she was wearing an donkey head, and she tried not to blush or look away.
“You can’t be drunk already,” he said.
Laughing, she said, “Nope, just trying out the no-filter thing.”
“How are you liking it?” he said with a rich chuckle.
“Definitely saves time from thinking about what not to say.”
He leaned against the bar. “You don’t have to get rid of your filter. It’s what makes people like you. I just think you should stop letting the assholes treat you like dirt.”
The comment hit too close to home and Katie, wanting to change the subject, tossed her hair and said, “So what do you think of my dress?”
“I like it. But do you?”
His question gave her pause and as he ordered them a round of drinks, she thought about the sudden changes she’d made. She’d sat down and written that list at a low, self-loathing moment. The streaks were fun, the tattoo stung, and the clothes were cute, but would she regret them later? She had no idea. She didn’t want to think about the future; she just wanted to live in the moment. She wanted to feel good for the first time in months, not just try to get through the day.
“Yeah. I think I do.”
CHASE LIKED UNFILTERED Katie. She was funny; she got loud and lost that bit of prim and proper attitude. And right now she was looking at him like a kid waiting to unwrap her shiny new bike.
He just hoped she really wanted to take him for a ride, because every minute he spent with her, the more he liked her. She was the type of girl a guy could just hang with, relax, and not have to put on a big show. She wasn’t like any other girl he’d ever been around.
The Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two” came on the jukebox and Katie gushed, “Oh my God, I love this song.” She grabbed his hand and pulled on it. “Come on, dance with me.”
Chase looked out on the empty floor and shook his head. “I think you’ve had too much to drink.”
“I’ve had one beer.” She tugged his hand harder.
“There’s nobody dancing!” he said, wondering if he should bring up the no-holding-hands-in-public rule.
When she batted her eyelashes and pouted her full lips, though, he dropped his guard long enough to laugh and she jerked him off his stool with an evil grin. He gave up reasoning with her and let her lead him out onto the dance floor.
He had always associated her with being bashful, but he was quickly figuring out that just because she was a reserved girl didn’t mean she was shy. She finished maneuvering him smack into the middle of the room, slid her arms up over his shoulders, and moved against him. His hands settled on the small of her back, minding her tattoo, and he had to admit she did feel really good pressed against his front.
She was singing the lyrics softly and he joked, “Kind of a morbid song, isn’t it?”
Something passed through those blue eyes when she looked up, and a strange feeling ran through him. Protectiveness. He knew she’d been hurt, and he wanted to take away that pain.
What the hell is the matter with you? She’s just a girl you might have some fun with. Nothing else.
“Maybe, but at least the girl got to have her wedding,” Katie said.
He didn’t like the sadness in her voice either. Trying to get himself out of his head and distract her, he reached up and tapped her nose. “Why are you getting sad on me? Do you need me to kiss you again? ’Cause we both know you like that.”
“Now, that would be breaking the rules. No kissing in public.” Her smile chased away the sad look.
Chase leaned real close so only she could hear him over the music. “I think we can make an exception this once.”
“Do you really want to?” she asked, her tone seductive as a siren’s call. “’Cause even if we bend the rules this once, people might get the wrong impression.”
Suddenly he didn’t care what the people of Rock Canyon would think or say. “Let ’em talk.”
Dipping his head down to kiss her, he loved the feel of her fingers tickling the back of his neck as she kissed him back. He wanted to get the hell out of there, take off that sweet little dress, and get his hands on . . .
“Hey, Katie, I’m sorry to interrupt, but I need to get home.”
He pulled back to give Becca the eye, but she just returned his look with a knowing smile. Becca had come into the parlor a few days after she’d first moved to town, and he’d given her a tattoo of two red cherries still on the stem low on her right boob. When she’d caught him eyeing her with interest, she’d told him he wasn’t her type. He’d asked her what her type was, she’d said, “Probably the same as yours.”
He’d laughed and liked her immediately, but right now she was cock-blocking him hard, and that smirk said she knew it.
“Oh sure. Sorry, we rode together.” Katie turned to Chase and looked so disappointed that he wanted to find Becca another ride, just so she would stay.
He slid his hands off her waist and said, “It’s okay. We can pick this up another time.”
She gave him a brilliant smile as she followed Becca out the door, and Chase jumped when a heavy hand fell on his shoulder.
“So, Katie Connors, huh?”
Chase grinned at the bigger man standing next to him. “Where have you been all night?”
Eric Henderson was Grant’s brother and ran the day-to-day operations of the bar for his dad, Buck. Chase and Eric had become pretty good friends, despite the way Gracie McAllister, the object of Eric’s interest, tended to flirt with Chase outrageously. Especially when Eric was in the vicinity.
“Had stuff to do.” Eric turned his dark, I-want-to-intimidate-you stare on Chase and said, “Katie is the kind of girl you marry and have kids with.”
Chase didn’t argue. He knew what kind of girl Katie was. It didn’t stop him from wanting her, and it definitely didn’t change the fact that she wanted him too.
“Yeah, but even girls like Katie need to sow some oats before they settle down with their Prince Charming, right?” he said.
Eric’s frown would have sent a weaker man scurrying for safety, but Chase knew Eric. He liked people to be scared of him. It was his way of controlling his world, but under all that snap and snarl, Eric was a marshmallow. At least with certain people.
But Chase must not have been on the marshmallow list tonight, because Eric just nudged him and growled, “Just make sure you don’t hurt that girl or the people of this town might make you disappear.”
Chase looked around, caught several unfriendly looks, and tried to resist the urge to gulp. Visions of torture and crazy men with guns were not on his list of fantasies. Nor was being the cause of any pain in Katie’s soft, blue eyes.
Chapter Five
* * *
KATIE WAS FLOATING on air as she hauled all of her bags into the house and set them on her bed. She adored Becca already, and most of the people at Buck’s had loved her new look. She’d even caught several of the guys watching her with interest, which might have thrilled her more a few days ago, but now that she had this thing going with Chase . . .
Well, she didn’t know exactly what it was yet, but there was something there. It was like lightning every time they were in the same room; sparks flew all over the place. And the way he kissed her, she felt her toes curl and steam come out of her ears like a cartoon character. Well, maybe not the most romantic description, but no one had ever made her feel that way before.
She pulled everything out of the bags, humming as she checked tags for washing instructions, and then the little black bag with the hot pink tissue caught her eye. Reaching out for the thin paper sack, she lifted the tissue and peeked inside. She stuck her hand in and pulled out a jar, then read the label.
Plumeria Bath Salts. Okay, not too scandalous. She twisted off the top and took a whiff; the smell was subtle and lovely. She put those aside with a smile, planning on trying them out very soon.
There were a couple vials of liquid and she pulled them out, reading the sides. Strawberry and chocolate edible massage oils. Heat traveled up her neck to her cheeks as she read the instructions, but they weren’t as bad as she was expecting. She put them next to the bath salts and looked at the next little plastic container.
“Little Helper Gel,” she read out loud, eyeballing the tiny bottle suspiciously. “‘Add one to two pumps of Little Helper to the clitoris for added pleasure during manual stimulation or sex.’”
That one she practically threw across the bed, trying not to fan her cheeks. She was terrified of what else was left inside. Reaching in, she pulled out a package containing a little remote with a long cord attached to . . . her eyes flew up to the description. “‘The Terminator Two Waterproof Vibrator. Back and better than the original.’”
Dropping the package on the bed, she gave up trying not to feel horrified and shook her head. She was going to give Becca a piece of her mind. Grabbing her phone, Katie texted, Why did you give me that bag?!
Several minutes went by before her phone beeped. Cause you looked like you could use some stress relief ;-)
She snorted. I do not need a vibrator.
Beep. Okay, you don’t have to use it. It’s part of my new promotion. Spend $100, get a goody bag. :-) You should try the bath salts, though. They rock.
Katie laughed; she couldn’t help it. She liked Becca. She was outrageous, honest, and not afraid to say what she thought.
Thank you. I’ll try them. Good night.
The phone beeped again, but she didn’t bother checking it. Pulling off her clothes and slipping into her robe, she decided to take Becca’s suggestion and run a bath with the special salts. She was too wired to sleep and she’d been dying to read the new romance she’d picked up at Hall’s Market.
She was in the kitchen pouring a glass of water when a knock sounded at the front door.
What in the world? She walked over and peeked out the peephole.
Jerking the door open, she said, “Seriously, have you ever heard of a telephone?”
CHASE’S EYES MOVED over Katie in her thin bathrobe and guessed she was naked underneath. The deep V of the robe gaped to show off the sweet valley between her breasts, and the bottom hit just high enough to draw attention to the shapely legs beneath. Swallowing hard, his Johnson went from semi to rocket in seconds, and the thought of getting his hands on that silky skin just about undid him.
He tried to think of anything besides the fact that her nipples were hard under the light fabric and held out a bag with a bottle in it. “I just remembered I never got you any alcohol when I picked up your groceries. Thought maybe we could have a drink together.”
“I was about to take a bath,” she said, eyeing the bag longingly.
So much for not thinking about her naked. He grinned. “I could join you.”
When she laughed, he watched certain areas jiggle freely and he knew all his good intentions were going to fly out the window. No way was he going to be able to walk inside her home, with all those curves just waiting to be touched, tickled, and tasted, and not try something.
After a moment’s hesitation, Katie moved back and waved him in. “Just wait in the kitchen while I turn off the water and put some clothes on.”
“Hey, don’t bother on my account. I like what you’re wearing,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows as she closed the door.
“I’ll just bet you do.” She said, watching him through lowered eyelashes—it was a come-hither look if he’d ever seen one. Those purple streaks were sure giving her sass.
Setting the bag with the wine on the counter, he stuck his hand out, and pulled her against him. “I do.”
Putting her hands on his chest, she squeaked, “Chase . . .”
He ran his fingertip over her bottom lip. “I can’t help it. Every time you come near me I have to touch you.” Feeling her melt against him, he continued, “Do you know you have the most expressive face? I can read every little thought behind those beautiful eyes.”
Her lips pursed. “Oh yeah? Then what am I thinking right now?”
Kissing her mouth before slipping his lips over her cheek and along her neck, he whispered, “You’re thinking how much you wish I’d just take you back to your room and have my way with you.”
He felt her soft sigh as she protested, “That’s not what I was thinking. I was think—”
Chase lowered his mouth to the V of her robe, nuzzling the fabric away to expose one beautiful, pale handful, and covered her sweet, pink nipple with his lips. Katie ran her hands through his hair, tugging the strands softly as he slid his own hand around and under her robe to grab her bare ass. Releasing her breast, he kissed her, slipping her tongue inside to tangle with hers as his other hand grabbed her other cheek under her robe. Lifting her onto the kitchen counter with ease, he wasn’t prepared when she ripped her mouth away, squealing, “Ahhh cold!”
“Sorry,” he mumbled and brought her down to her feet, dipping his head to kiss her again. When she put her hands against his chest, he stopped and asked, “What’s wrong?”
“The water. Bathwater,” she cried, jerking out of his embrace.
He let her go, watching as she ran out of the kitchen and out of sight.
“Oh no!”
Following her cry down the hallway to her bedroom, he saw what she was hollering about. Water was all over the floor of the bathroom, about to leak onto the bedroom’s hardwood floors.
“Shit. Where are your towels?”
“In here.” She reached up into the cupboard, pulling out the towels frantically and tossing him a stack. Chase knelt down and started mopping up the water, soaking through his first towel in seconds. He stood up to kick off his shoes and socks, and looked up in time to see Katie slip across the floor and fall hard on her ass.
“Ow!” she cried, rubbing her injured butt with a pout.
“Want me to kiss it and make it better?”
“You’re such a funny guy.” She stood up slowly, wincing a bit as she moved to the tub and bent over to turn the water off. He got a good look at the rounded pink part of her plump rear end now that her thin robe was sopping wet. When she grabbed a towel from the stack and got down on her hands and knees facing him, Chase could see down to her navel, and if it hadn’t been for the water seeping up his jeans, he might have been tempted to kiss her until they were rolling around on the bathroom floor.
Making short work of his stack of towels, Chase stood up and stepped toward the draining tub to ring them out. Suddenly, his feet slid out from under him, and as he fell on the hard tile, he knocked Katie over. He groaned as his elbow hit the floor hard. “Son of a bitch.”
He rolled over to face her, ignoring the throbbing pain in his elbow and hip. “I don’t know. Want to examine me?”
“Ugh. That’s what I get for being nice.” She grabbed at her robe and pushed her damp hair out of her face as she struggled back up to kneel on her towel.
“You call making faces at me nice? Now taking care of a man who was wounded while assisting a lady? That’s nice.” He held up his elbow. “I have an owie. Kisses?”
“What are you, five? I didn’t make you kiss my boo-boo,” she said.
“But I offered, so brownie points for me.” He could feel the water that was left on the floor seeping into his shirt and sat up.
“Please, Brownies are always girls. Now if you had said badges that would have made sense, although I doubt you were ever a Boy Scout,” Katie said, starting to gather the wet towels. “Do you want me to throw your clothes in the dryer? That way they aren’t wet when you ride home.”
“You mean you don’t want me naked and using this . . . how did you put it? Oh yeah, this ‘impressive’ body to make good on our deal?” His teasing had the desired effect and her cheeks turned rosy. Liking the way she reacted to him, one minute a sassy flirt and the next sweetly innocent, he had pity on her. Reaching out to tuck a stray wet curl behind her ear, he said, “That’s okay. The wind will dry them. I’ll be fine.”
The pink in her cheeks didn’t lessen. Moving away from him, she laid the last two dry towels down before standing up with an armful of wet ones.
“Do you mind just finishing up the last bit while I wring these out and throw them in the dryer?”
He shook his head and watched her leave, that thin, wet fabric still clinging to her as she walked out. His erection was throbbing painfully and the only thing he could think about was stripping off that scrap of satin and licking every droplet of water off her curves.
Trying to distract his wandering mind, Chase soaked up the last of the water, picked up the sopping towels, and squeezed them over the tub. He made his way out of the bathroom, trying not to drip on the floor, and came around the corner to find Katie bent over with her head in the dryer.
