Players (Lessons by Loki)

by Ross, Aubrey

  He was staring at her with an odd expression, eyes slightly narrowed. “You look familiar. Do I know you from somewhere else?”

  “I don’t think so. Your name is pretty hard to forget.”

  Suddenly his eyes widened and his mouth gaped. “You’re not Katie, are you?”

  A chill dropped down her spine and her stomach tensed. He made Katie sound like a disease. She slipped her hands into the pockets of her multicolored scrubs, trying not to let her apprehension show. “That’s my name, but I know we’ve never met.”

  “Don’t you live across the street from Chase and Josiah?”

  She allowed herself to relax, a little. His name dropping wasn’t much of a recommendation. Chase and Josiah were her least favorite neighbors. Sort of. They annoyed her, yet fascinated her too. No matter how hard she tried to convince herself she didn’t care what went on in their tasteless house, she couldn’t keep herself from watching and imagining.

  “Are you friends with those guys?”

  His shocked expression turned into a guilty grin. “I wouldn’t want them as neighbors either. They’re almost too wild for me.”

  “Almost?”

  He laughed and carefully bent his injured leg so he could pivot onto the table. “Should I lie back?”

  “You can stay seated if it makes you more comfortable as long as you can fully extend your leg.”

  With a hiss and a muffled groan, he unfolded his leg. “Like this?”

  “Almost.” She carefully angled his foot for the first image then positioned the x-ray arm. “Now hold still.”

  He nodded and she moved behind the protective barrier. She activated the generator and waited for the familiar whir to completely cycle before she stepped out from behind the partial wall’s protection. “Why did you say my name with such dread? Did I do something to offend Chase or Josiah?”

  “It’s not what you did. It’s what they… Have either of them approached you in the past day or so?”

  The tightness returned to her stomach. Chase and Josiah had started irritating her even before they moved in. The developer who bought their lot tore down one of the most beautiful houses in the neighborhood to build a modern monstrosity. And the situation had gone from bad to worse when the party-focused bachelors snatched up the fancy new house shortly after it went on the market. At least she presumed they were bachelors. More than a few of the people on the block were convinced they were a couple. Not that she cared one way or the other.

  A familiar ache erupted deep inside her. She’d spent far too many nights thinking about the house across the street, imagining the sexual excesses indulged beneath that roof. A steady stream of lovers and acquaintances passed through the front door, men, women, in every conceivable combination, all young and beautiful. It made her feel stodgy and old.

  “I don’t have a lot in common with those two. Why would either of them approach me?”

  “Do you get a break for lunch or something? This might take a while to explain.”

  She hesitated. “Unless their choices directly affect me, I’m not really interested in—”

  “This directly affects you.” He stared at her, blue eyes wide and earnest. “I know you don’t know me from Adam, but you need to hear this.”

  Still, her cautious nature wouldn’t let her agree. As long as they met in a public place, what did she have to lose? He already knew where she lived and worked. And there was a slim possibility he’d tell her something important.

  “All right,” she finally relented. “I’ll meet you at the Corner Bistro at 12:30. It’s on 17th and Clarkson over on restaurant row.”

  “I’ve seen it.”

  She nodded then retreated into her professional reserve as she finished the procedure.

  The rest of the morning was slow, even for a Thursday. Katie moved through the following appointments on autopilot. She couldn’t imagine what Jon Loki was going to tell her and was anxious for the conversation to begin.

  It wasn’t as if Chase and Josiah were the bane of the neighborhood. Their property was well maintained and they only threw wild parties a few times per year. Still, they had different priorities than many of the more mature residents. Katie smiled. She instinctually lumped herself in with the “mature” residents, yet her actual age was closer to the rowdy bachelors. When had she become such a curmudgeon?

  “Are you okay?” Carla asked as she returned from the outer waiting room. “You look sort of stunned.”

  “I’ve been fighting a headache all morning.” Katie rubbed her temples and closed her eyes. “Can’t seem to get on top of it.”

  “It’s been dead today. I can cover for you.”

  “Are you sure?” She felt guilty taking advantage of Carla’s generous nature, but she wasn’t sure how long her mysterious lunch would take.

  “You’ve covered for me before. Go home.” She waved Katie toward the exit. “I’ll be fine.”

  Katie grabbed her purse from the desk drawer in the common office area then gave Carla a quick hug. “Thanks for this. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  The hospital was on 18th and Franklin, so she didn’t have far to go. Avoiding the narrow one-way streets, she drove up Clarkson and pulled into the tiny parking lot behind the restaurant. The Corner Bistro was a local favorite, but few outside the community knew about the culinary treats available in the compact eatery.

  Jon Loki had already been seated when Katie arrived. She took off her sunglasses and tucked them into her purse then spotted him at a table near the back of the dining room. He stood and pulled out her chair, a nearly forgotten show of gallantry.

  “It wasn’t broken, I take it.” She motioned toward his injured ankle.

  “Just a sprain.” He waved away her concern as he added, “They slapped me in an air-brace and sent me on my way.”

  “Well, you should still take it easy for a while. Sprains can be serious. Ice and elevate.”

  “Yes, doctor Katie.” He paused for a playful salute. “I’ll ice and elevate.”

  She scooted closer to the table and hooked her purse strap over the back of her chair.

  “I’m glad you came.” He returned to his seat, his expression watchful. “I wasn’t sure you would.”

  The waitress asked for their drink order as they looked at their menus. Katie had eaten at the bistro often enough to know what she liked, so she used the time to assess her companion. His age was hard to determine. Faint lines around his eyes and mouth suggested he was older than his first impression, maybe nearing forty.

  “What’s good here?” He glanced up from his menu, gaze bright blue even in the subdued light.

  “Everything.” She shrugged and closed her menu then set it aside. “Do you really have something to tell me or was this a bizarre pick-up line?”

  He closed his menu as well, his lips curving in a secretive smile. “I admit I find you attractive, but I’m not in the market for a relationship.”

  Before Katie could respond to the claim the waitress returned to take their order. Katie watched her companion closely as he gathered the menus and handed them to the waitress. His smile seemed genuine and his speech was oddly formal given his casual attire. She was usually a good judge of people, but she couldn’t decide what she thought of Jon Loki.

  “So, Mr. Loki—”

  “Just Loki, please.” He shifted his gaze back to her as he added, “My father is also Jon and I refused to be called junior. Besides I share my namesake’s interest in mischief, so it seemed natural.” He flashed a broader smile.

  Katie wrapped her hands around her coffee mug, fascinated by the change in his appearance. With that smile curving his lips and his blue eyes shimmering, she could easily picture him orchestrating all sorts of misdeeds. “All right, Loki. Would you mind answering a few of my questions first?”

  “Of course not. What would you like to know?”

  “Where did Josiah go to college?”

  “A test?” He chuckled and reached for his beer bottle.
“I suppose that’s no more than fair. They both went to CU Boulder. As did I. That’s where we met. We graduated in different years, but we were all part of the same fraternity.”

  She narrowed her gaze on his face. “I know it’s rude to bring up age, but you look too old to have attended collage at the same time as Josiah and Chase.”

  He shrugged. “I am a few years older. I spent four years in the Army before I went to college. It was that only way I could afford to go. And then I was a year ahead of Josiah, who was two years ahead of Chase.”

  Basic facts were simple to find out thanks to social networking, but she really didn’t know them that well. “What’s Josiah’s sister’s name?”

  “Trick question. Josiah’s an only child. Chase, however, has an older brother and two younger sisters. Their names are—”

  She stopped him with an upraised hand. “All right.” She didn’t know the names of Chase’s siblings, but she knew the rest was accurate. “You obviously know them, but what do you want with me?”

  “It’s not what I want. It’s what they want.” He lifted his beer to his lips and took a long drink. “As I’m sure you’ve noticed, your neighbors enjoy the chase. They flirt and seduce with ruthless focus, but once the quarry is caught, they lose interest.”

  “A lot of people are like that. Why should I care what they do in the privacy of their home?”

  “Because you, my dear, are their current quarry.”

  She rolled her eyes and sipped her coffee, allowing the familiar aroma to soothe her. “They’ve each had multiple opportunities to show an interest in me. Trust me, I’m not their type.”

  “It’s precisely because you’re not their usual type that they’ve focused on you now.”

  Part of her still feared this was some twisted pick-up line, but Loki seemed sincere and what she knew about Chase and Josiah made the rest easy to believe. But why her, and why would Loki warn her? “I don’t understand.”

  “Do you know who Vanessa is?”

  “The skinny brunette Chase has been screwing for the past few months?” Wow that sounded bitchy. Was she perhaps jealous of said brunette?

  The corner of Loki’s lips quirked, indicating he’d picked up on the undertone. “Vanessa broke up with Chase a few weeks back and he didn’t take it well. Half the fun of being the hunter is deciding when to set your prey free.”

  “And she beat him to the punchline?”

  “Exactly.”

  “What does this have to do with me?”

  “When either Chase or Josiah is depressed they frequently play a game. They choose a person to seduce and wager on the outcome.”

  He’d said person not woman. Were they both bisexual? She’d seen Josiah with men and women, but she’d thought Chase was straight. She shook away the pointless detail and focused on the implications of Loki’s claim. “They’re going to try to seduce me?” She laughed. “They’ve barely given me the time of day for the past five years. Won’t it seem suspicious if they both turn on the charm at exactly the same time?”

  “They’ll find a way. Trust me. They’re good at this.”

  She sighed. There had been many times over the past five years she’d imagined her handsome neighbors suddenly realizing she was alive, but having a bet at the center of the attention was not what she’d had in mind. “Even if all this is true, why warn me? Why do you care?”

  “These two don’t have boundaries and they don’t care about anyone but themselves.” Bitterness crept into his tone as he went on. “I thought we were friends, but last year they played this game with my sister. She was devastated when she found out. She’s so gun-shy now she barely leaves the house.”

  Pain flashed through his eyes and his mobile lips thinned. He was either the best damn actor she’d ever seen or he meant every word. “How did you find out they’d turned their sights on me?”

  “I was there when they defined the parameters and locked in the bet. They were both so drunk it was as if I just faded from view.”

  Trepidation prickled the hairs on the back of her neck. She had no reason to doubt him. Everything he said made a twisted sort of sense. Still, something wasn’t right. “You’re still friends with them after what they did to your sister?”

  “That’s the only reason I’m still friends with them. I’ve been waiting for an opportunity to turn the tables on them. These two are in serious need of a painful lesson.”

  The waitress brought their food, giving Katie a moment to react to Loki’s revelation. She thanked the waitress, but didn’t bother picking up her sandwich. “You want to use me just like they do.”

  “Not even close.” He leaned in and lowered his voice. “I’m asking for your assistance in teaching a couple of heartless bastards what it feels like to be emotionally fucked.”

  She used her food as a distraction while she mulled over her options. If Chase and/or Josiah approached her now, all she’d have to do was shut them down. But if Loki’s story was true, Chase and Josiah deserved a taste of their own medicine. Loki gained nothing by warning her, so what other reason could there be for his involvement. She heaved a frustrated sigh and set down her half-eaten sandwich. He’d devoured most of his hamburger while she was lost in thought.

  “What do you want me to do?”

  “I know these guys. I know what they like and how they think. I can help you twist them in knots, keep them off-balanced and fascinated until we’re ready to reveal why they’ve been played.”

  “I won’t sleep with either of them.”

  “Absolutely. This is about teasing them, drawing them deeper into the game and making them feel emotions they’re unused to feeling.”

  She wiped her mouth with a paper napkin as insecurities cascaded through her body. “I know I’m socially awkward. I’m not sure I’m the right person for this job.”

  “I’ll help you every step of the way. You won’t be alone. We’re doing this together.” After a short pause he added, “But you can’t mention me. They can’t know I’m involved until the very end. We’ll have to be extremely careful.”

  “I understand.”

  “And you agree to help me?”

  She took a deep breath, fortifying her composure with righteous indignation. She’d been a victim once, a long time ago, so she knew what it felt like to be manipulated and used. When her heart finally mended after that devastating loss, she’d promised herself it would never happen again. She was honest enough to admit that she was attracted to both Chase and Josiah. If they’d ever turned the full power of their personalities on her, it was likely one or the other would have succeeded. Thanks to Loki, she’d just dodged a bullet.

  “I agree.” She finally allowed herself to smile. “What’s our first move?”

  * * * * *

  The doorbell chimed and Josiah looked up from his computer screen. He’d been coding for the past five hours without a break and his vision was starting to blur. He glanced at the time on the lower corner of his screen. It was 3:43. Odd time for a visitor and no one bothered with door-to-door soliciting in this neighborhood. Few people were home during the day. He just happened to be one of the few.

  He pushed back from his desk and rubbed the back of his neck as he made his way toward the front door. His office and bedroom were on the main floor, while Chase slept in the owner’s suite upstairs. Josiah was amused by the irony. He actually owned the house and Chase paid him rent. Sunlight spilled in through the large bank of windows dominating the living room’s far wall. Everything was immaculate and orderly thanks to weekly visits by an industrious maid.

  The visitor rang the bell again and Josiah hurried. Chase hadn’t mentioned a delivery, but forethought wasn’t Chase’s strong suit.

  Pausing in the foyer, he looked through the beveled sidelight before he opened the door. Katie stood on the landing looking adorably mussed in her habitual scrubs. The top had a multicolored geometric pattern and the bottoms were dark blue. Sunlight picked up the gold tones in her brown ha
ir, which she’d pulled back into a messy ponytail. What the hell was she doing here? Chase had worked so many hours in the past few days that he hadn’t been able to start the game, which meant this had nothing to do with the impending contest.

  Josiah’s pulse leapt and his fingertips tingled. Was this just a happy coincidence or had Chase found a way to set things in motion without… He shook away his rambling thoughts with a self-mocking chuckle. He was acting like a nervous school boy about to speak with a girl for the first time.

  She reached for the bell again, so he stepped over and pulled open the door. “Hey.” He tried not to sound as rattled as he felt. Thoughts of this intriguing female had lingered in the back of his mind all morning. Hell, thoughts of Katie had been distracting him ever since Chase agreed to the bet. Josiah couldn’t wait to touch her, taste her, watch her reserve unravel as he discovered all her sensual triggers.

  “Do you have one of those big plumber wrenches? I’ve got a stubborn pipe that just won’t budge.”

  Her request was so unexpected, he couldn’t hold back a laugh. “Have you taken up plumbing in your spare time?”

  “Spare time?” She smiled. “What’s that? I dropped my favorite ring down the kitchen sink. I’m pretty sure it’s still in the trap, but I can’t get the drain apart to find out.”

  This opportunity was simply too good to pass up. Besides, it was unacceptable to refuse a damsel in distress. Surely Chase would understand. “I don’t have a plumber’s wrench, but I’d be happy to see if I can budge the pipe for you. Maybe all it needs is a little male persuasion.”

  She put her hands on her hips and glared, but amusement made her eyes sparkle. “You’re presuming you’re stronger than me.”

  “We can arm-wrestle and find out.”

  She laughed and motioned him onward. “I’m more than happy to swallow my pride if you can rescue my ring.”

  “No promises, but I’ll give it my best shot.” He pulled the door closed without locking it and followed her across the street. Her body floated inside the oversized scrubs, teasing him with occasional glimpses of her curves. Did she honestly not care about her appearance or was she intentionally making herself less attractive? The question had bugged him for the past five years and he was still no closer to an answer.