Yeah, now if the floor would just open up and swallow her that would be great. Her cheeks bloomed with color and she started handing out the candy as quickly as possible. If she gave the wrong bag to the wrong person they would have to figure it out, because she wanted to go hide.
Chase went up to shower. If they’d been alone and not surrounded by his family, he was pretty certain she would have joined him in the shower. She’d looked at him like he was a popsicle on a hot day and she wanted to lick him from stem to stern. He knew he was filthy and smelled like sweat and dirt and hay, so why she looked at him like that was a miracle in itself.
He wasn’t going to argue though he’d have been more than happy to share a shower with her she’d looked so pretty standing there. He was flattered she’d worn the perfume he’d given her, the perfume simply enhanced her normal smell and made him want to carry her off to the nearest flat surface.
But she was downstairs with his entire family handing out candy and… shit were they giving her the third degree? They all probably had heard the same rumors that Cade had by now. He shouldn’t have left her alone with them until they had made some decisions.
Chase hurried through his shower imagining the worst. He dragged on jeans and a plaid shirt, tucking it in even as he hurried down the hall. He hoped no one was giving her a hard time. He breathed a sigh of relief when he found her alone at the kitchen table.
He rushed in, over to her. “Was it horrible? Did they ask a ton of questions? I’m sorry I should have stayed with you until the barrage was over. Can you forgive me for leaving you?”
She looked at him with a dazed expression. “Yes, it was horrible. They were all just standing there looking at me, so I told them what I had done, and why, and asked them to support our relationship. Grandpa K virtually patted me on the head, and said they didn’t really care what we did, since we were adults, and that I was always welcome. But could they have their candy now?”
Chase barked out a laugh and sat at the table. “That’s it? Really? Well, you got off easier than I did then. Cade punched me right in the face for making a move on you.”
She gasped and snapped her head toward him, her eyes searching his face. “Oh, you poor thing. I do see a bit of a bruise on your jaw. I’m kind of surprised it isn’t worse looking.”
“Yeah, he pulled the punch, otherwise he would have knocked me to the floor. I didn’t see it coming. Didn’t expect it at all.”
“Here let me kiss it and make it all better.” She climbed into his lap and kissed the bruising she could just barely see under his beard.
Emma came in the kitchen. “Just because we all approve of you working on a different kind of relationship, doesn’t mean we want to see it. Now, stop that.”
Chase held Katie from jumping off his lap and grinned at his sister. “Jealous, Em?”
She sighed. “Yes, I suppose I am.”
Katie elbowed him and got off his lap, darn it. He was enjoying her all snuggled up to him. “But we don’t have to flaunt it either. Now let’s just play cards. Does anyone else want to play?”
Chase said, “I did tell everyone, but they all had plans. Cade’s out with Tanya, Emma has books to work on, the engaged and married sibs begged off to entertain themselves. Mom, Dad and Grandpa K are busy too. Oh, and Drew’s on shift tonight. So, it’s just the two of us.”
She sighed. “Well, I suppose I can take your money.”
He guffawed. “Riiiight.”
“Don’t be an ass, it could happen. Get the stuff.”
He grinned at her, not the least bit worried about her playing better, she had to be the worst card player on the planet. Besides the fact, they played for pennies. The poker chips and the cards were in a convenient wooden carousel that was probably older than he was. His parents and grandparents had loved to play.
He could remember when his parents would invite over another two couples and they would play late into the night. The kids from all three families would play together until it got too late, and then the adults would take a break and get them all into pajamas’, and they would all lay down in the big beds together to tell stories and giggle, until they fell asleep. When the playing was done the other families would be bundled out to the cars for the drive home and their parents would help them get to their own beds. Sometimes they went to the other family’s homes, which provided them with another adventure, but it was often at theirs. Maybe because they had the largest household.
Chase got the poker chips set out of the cupboard, while Katie got them drinks.
There was a can of mixed nuts he’d picked up for her. She was a salty snack kind of person, and she’d brought him a bag of chocolate covered raisins.
They sat and he dealt the cards calling out the game and the wild cards. He hoped that when people finished up what they were doing they would come join them. Poker was more fun with four to six people playing.
His mind skittered down a path where it would be more fun to play poker just the two of them. Strip poker would be fun, except she would end up completely naked while he was fully dressed. Not that he would mind that. He wondered if he could talk her into it if they bumped their relationship up. He played loosely with his mind engaged in his fantasies.
When he laid his cards down, she crowed. “I won. Yay! I told you I could do it.”
He looked at his cards and hers and sure enough she had won. Since he hadn’t really been paying attention he wasn’t completely sure he hadn’t screwed it up.
“Yeah, well, that was a once in a lifetime phenomenon.” He would pay attention this time.
She shuffled the cards and dealt out the first round of seven card stud. He grinned internally and figured without wild cards he’d beat her for sure. He was surprised as hell when she took that round too. He had shit in his hand and she’d ended up with two pair, threes and sevens.
He racked up the cards and dealt again while she smugly ate some nuts. He dealt the next hand and watched her face go more radiant with each card he laid down. He knew he should fold, she obviously had a great hand, and had no poker face whatsoever. But on the table he was winning, she had a single ace and he had a pair of fours, he wanted to push her, so he bet high. High for them, which was a whopping ten cents. She happily pushed her chips into the center and then raised him another five, before he dealt the final card. She nearly whooped in excitement.
Alyssa had just walked into the kitchen and had seen Katie’s face. “Katie you’re not supposed to show you are happy with your cards. Let me see what you have.” Katie showed Alyssa her hidden cards and a huge grin lit Alyssa’s face. “Alrighty then, I see why you can’t contain it. Carry on.”
Chase groaned internally and saw Alyssa leave the kitchen without whatever she’d come in for.
“There is no way you can beat me this time, Chase. That’s three hands in a row. I’m on a roll.”
He called, hoping she was trying to get him to fold, but no. She grinned as she flipped over an eight of clubs, which matched the eight of diamonds on the table. He raised his eyebrows at that paltry start and then she flipped over two more aces, not wild cards, she had three natural aces. The Ace of Diamonds, the Ace of Spades and the Ace of Hearts. He just stared at the cards like they had betrayed him and then turned over his third four which was a wild card. And this time she did whoop as she raked in her pot of a whopping eighty-two cents.
“I told you I could win.” She wiggled in her chair while she gathered the cards to deal. She had a huge grin on her face.
Alyssa and Beau came in as she dealt. “Do you want to play?” she asked.
Beau shook his head. “Nope, just came to watch you clean his clock. My dear brother could use some humility.”
Alyssa nodded. “Yeah he’s been a little too cocky about always beating you.”
The woman won the next two hands as Beau and Alyssa cheered her on. Chase couldn’t believe he had to dig more money out of his wallet to buy chips.
He finally won the ne
xt hand, but it was a small one and he just barely won it. He started to wonder if his luck had changed or if the Poker gods were smiling on her, or what. He saw Beau text something on his phone and a few minutes later when his brother Adam and his fiancé, Rachel, walked in.
Adam said, “We didn’t come to play. We just heard the ‘stud’ of seven card stud was losing his britches to the little lady of bad luck.”
Rachel snapped a picture of Katie with her large pile of chips and glorious smile. Chase’s mind went blank from that luminous smile and he couldn’t remember his name, let alone how to play cards. So, he lost another two hands.
His sister Emma came in next. “I had to get Tony down and finish up the accounting before I could join in cheering Katie on. I see you’re still kicking butt and taking names.”
Katie’s smile could light up the next three counties with no problem at all.
She said, “I do seem to be doing better tonight.”
Emma nodded. “It seems to me this turning over a new leaf and going for what you want has had a positive effect on you.”
Cade came whooshing in the door. “I got rid of Tanya and came as quick as I could. I’ll probably catch holy hell tomorrow, but I couldn’t miss this.”
Chase glared at his twin. “Just whose side are you on anyway?”
“Katie’s.” They all said in unison.
“Traitors.” He grumped but was enjoying the excitement he saw reflected in Katie’s face, and had to admit he was on her side, too.
Chapter 19
Katie was on cloud nine, she’d had so much fun playing cards last night. The fact that she’d won eleven dollars and eighty-four cents was exciting, but the real pleasure had been Chase’s whole family cheering her on. It made her feel welcome and after her declaration of how she felt about Chase, it seemed to her like it was also meant as a stamp of approval, about their moving to the next level.
They’d all had such a good time and although Chase had pretended to be grumpy about losing, she knew he wasn’t really, and was enjoying it as much as anyone else.
He’d walked her to the car after he ran out of cash. When they got to the car he looked around.
She asked him. “What are you looking for?”
“Dolly.”
“Why are you looking for Dolly?”
“So, she can bump into you and send you falling into my arms, like she did a few weeks ago. I think she was matchmaking and I was too stupid to see it.”
She laughed. “I’ll bet she was, but you don’t need Dolly. I am happy to fall into your arms any time they are open.”
With a grin he opened his arms and she walked into them. He kissed her stupid and then said something about a poker rematch. A rematch with no money. When she looked at him confused, he explained how to play strip poker in a very detailed way that ended up with her squirming and wet.
Then he kissed her again before he bundled her into her car.
She rolled down her window and asked, “Just how am I supposed to be able to drive in this state?”
Leaning down into the car his breath caressed her face as he whispered, “Very slowly and carefully. I don’t want to miss out on that rematch.”
Her breath backed up in her throat and she nodded before starting the car. Once she was free of the danger zone, a smile had lit her face that stayed there all the way home.
When she finally got in her door she decided to tease him a bit herself. So, she stripped out of her clothes and laid them carefully arranged on the chair in her room with the underwear on top. Then she took a picture and texted it to him saying she’d arrived home safe and sound, and it was too bad he wasn’t there to enjoy her clothes being on the chair, instead of on her body.
He texted her back and told her she was a naughty woman for putting those thoughts in his head. She laughed and sent him back a kissy face emoji and ‘sweet dreams’. Then she pulled on her pajamas and had fallen asleep to dreams of playing strip poker with the man. It appeared he was planning to take her up on her offer of more. Now they just had to decide when and where.
Katie thought about when they could proceed as she stocked the dairy cooler, she pulled out each item, checked the date to make sure it had not expired while she rotated in the new products. There were a couple of items that needed to be used today or tomorrow at the latest. Rather than throwing them away she saved them for Gwen, the girl could probably use the calcium. She found one that she must have missed last time that was a few days expired, that one went into the trash. Even though it was only a couple of days past the sell date. She didn’t want to take any chances.
She usually was able to get all the coolers done in one morning, as long as she didn’t have too many customers. Sometimes in the summer—when she was slammed—it took her a whole week to cycle through all the cold food and drinks All those tourists were good for sales, but it was a lot of work keeping up with them, maintaining the products, and keeping the place clean. She really could use a year-round helper, not just the summer candy addict. Gwen had already assisted in a lot of ways; the girl was a good worker. It’s too bad she was so young. I really need to try to get her to open up, she clearly needs help.
Katie pondered how to do that in between thoughts of her and Chase. They hadn’t talked about a pact again, she hadn’t shown him what she’d written up. They probably should at least have a discussion about how they planned to remain friends if anything went south. Lots of things to think about as she went about the mundane work of running the store.
When Gwen came into the store later that morning Katie had thought up a plan to see if she could get her to open up, at least a little. She was very worried about the girl and wanted to help get her in whatever way she could. But first she needed to know what that was.
“Hi Gwen. Good to see you.” Good grief the girl was getting dirtier every day. But at least she didn’t look so hungry. “I thought you could keep working on the shelves. The ones you have finished are so clean and sparkly.”
Gwen smiled and nodded.
“When you get finished, I have a huge favor to ask you. One of the bath salts people sent me some samples and asked for feedback on them. One of the samples is for a fragrance that always makes me sneeze, so I was wondering if you could try them out for me.”
Gwen started to shake her head no, so Katie barreled on, “And if you wouldn’t mind terribly I would like you to try them out up in my apartment before you leave for the day. He wants to know today if possible and I haven’t been able to find anyone else to help. There is also a shampoo sample if you wouldn’t mind. I know it’s kind of an awkward thing to do for someone, but I would really appreciate it.”
Gwen finally said quietly, “I wouldn’t mind.”
“Great, that’s just great. Thanks so much I really appreciate it.” Once Gwen was settled on that idea, Katie was going to mention that she’d cleaned out her closet the other day and had some clothes she needed to take to charity, but since they were becoming friends she wanted Gwen to have first pick of anything she wanted.
At the end of the four hours that Gwen worked for her, Katie had the Pharmacist watch the store while she took Gwen upstairs. She showed her the clothes and Gwen was happy to take two shirts, two pairs of jeans and some underwear. Katie made up some BS about needing to run a load of laundry and volunteered to wash Gwen’s clothes in with hers to make a full load.
When Gwen came out of the bathroom a few minutes later she looked like a new person. Her smile was radiant, and she was so clean. Katie put her new clothes into a grocery bag and told Gwen she would have her other clothes ready for her tomorrow. She’d given Gwen a small kit of travel items that had a mini hairbrush and some other things she thought the girl could use.
Katie had made up some bogus questions to ask Gwen about the sample. Each one would sound like it was about the product but would subtly find out more about the girl. Like if she was from around here and recognized the scent. Sneaky questions.
She a
nd Gwen went back down into the store, so Katie could give her the milk and her pay. Just as they were finished with that Chase walked in the door. Katie grinned at him, but she noticed that Gwen moved back away from him, like he was a scary guy and her expression had turned fierce.
Chase walked right past the girl. He looked so damn hot in his good jeans and western shirt. “I came over to see if you wanted to hang out tonight, here at your place where we have more privacy.”
He waggled his eyebrows at her and made her blush. “We could do that. Want to get us a pizza or something for dinner?”
“You read my mind. I’ll be back in a while.”
When Chase left, Katie noticed that Gwen was gone, too.
Chase whistled as he walked down the street to the pizza place. He hoped to take Katie up on the offer she’d given him the other night, but he supposed they needed to talk first. He couldn’t do that out in public or at his house, so he’d decided to drive into town and see if she was amenable to spending the night in.
He’d been gratified at her delight in seeing him and also in the blush that told her she’d been thinking about the two of them together also. He figured it was time to move forward or try to go back to ‘just friends’. He had a pocket full of condoms, just in case. He laughed at himself knowing it would be a short trip to get more if they needed them, since she stocked them in her store.
He ordered a large pizza, half her favorite, which was Canadian bacon and pineapple, and half his favorite, which was pepperoni and black olives. He got them a salad to go with it, and some breadsticks because they both loved them dipped in marinara sauce. It was nice to know exactly what to order since he already knew what she loved.
It was kind of an odd sensation dating someone he knew so well, but in some ways, it was very freeing. There were no games to be played. Or wondering if he was getting the wrong food or if she was going to be glad to see him. He liked this. Now if they could just manage to work the rest out.
Tempting Chase_Burlap and Barbed Wire Page 10