by Laurel Kerr
“Okay,” Bowie relented.
“Okay as in you’ll think about it, or okay as in you want me to call him? There’s a good chance Sawyer might try to hire him herself.”
“Give him a call,” Bowie said gruffly.
Katie checked her watch. “His family should be done with dinner, so I can do it now.”
“Might as well get it over with.”
Katie called Luke and provided him with a quick rundown. Luckily, Sawyer and her husband hadn’t already contacted him. As Katie suspected, he readily accepted the case.
“So,” she said as she hung up the phone, “you have a lawyer if you need one.”
“Thanks.” Bowie stood up. “For everything.”
“No problem.”
He stood there uncomfortably before he took a deep breath. “I know you and I planned for this evening to go completely differently. It’s not late, but I don’t think I’m up for a night of sex.”
Katie gave him an understanding smile. “Don’t you know that’s the girl’s line?”
Bowie rubbed the back of his head and grinned, but his smile didn’t quite reach his eyes. Although he didn’t seem as raw as when he’d first walked in, she could tell that the Sawyer situation still bugged him. And she didn’t blame him.
“Uh, so I guess I should be leaving,” Bowie said awkwardly. He turned to leave, but Katie found that she couldn’t let him. He needed company. Abby wasn’t home, and Katie knew Lou went to bed early.
“Bowie.”
He turned and waited for her to speak.
“Would you like to stay? To watch a movie? I can reheat the pizza and make some popcorn.”
A slow smile spread across his face. “I’d like that. A lot.”
* * *
Bowie found himself alone in Katie’s living room, staring at her video collection. She was in the kitchen gathering snacks for them to eat. Although her odd geodesic dome house had an open floor plan, she’d put enough distance between them to give him a semblance of privacy. She must have sensed that he needed space, and he was glad for the few minutes to pull himself together. He still felt as unbalanced as a newborn giraffe. Although he hadn’t come here to unload on Katie, he was glad she’d let him.
She’d helped him sort through his tumbled thoughts and emotions. Her pointed questions had focused him, allowing him to push aside the emotional clutter and realize the best action for Abby.
Then there was Katie’s steadfast belief in his parenting skills.
With Katie, tonight, he felt different. More intimate and connected. For the first time, he didn’t feel alone in a crisis, which was asinine. He and Katie weren’t even officially a couple. In fact, he wasn’t completely sure what they were. Only she seemed to have that answer. But whatever this thing was between them, it had helped him tonight.
Sighing, he tried to focus on a movie. Finally, he grabbed an action flick. He’d always preferred the genre, and given the number that Katie had, so did she. Unfortunately, since Abby had been born, his movie watching had skewed more toward Disney princesses than elite strike teams.
“You okay with a war movie?” he called to Katie.
“Sounds good,” she said as the microwave chimed.
Bowie headed over to the TV to get the DVD cued up while she dumped popcorn into a bowl. It was oddly domestic, and he liked it. He’d never hung out with a woman like this before. For once, his life felt normal…well, as normal as you could get with an ex demanding custody of your child.
Katie laid the pizza and the popcorn on the coffee table in front of the couch before snuggling against him. Bowie felt his entire body relax. Smiling, he pulled her close as she rested her head on his chest. He didn’t know why, but when he held this woman, everything seemed to slide into place.
The stress of the day ebbed away as a sense of calm washed over him. He didn’t know when he’d enjoyed a movie so much. For an action flick, it had decent dialogue and an interesting plot. Of course, it didn’t hurt that he managed to steal a few kisses from Katie. After the film ended, they picked another.
Bowie didn’t want to cut the evening short, but when midnight rolled around, he couldn’t hide his yawns anymore. He typically hit the sack around eleven o’clock so he could rise early to feed the animals.
“Sorry,” he said before the third yawn in a row hit.
“No problem,” she said. “You’ve had a long day.”
He stood. “I guess I’d better get going before I’m too tired to drive.”
Katie didn’t speak for a moment. She seemed to be having an internal debate before she finally said, “You can stay the night if you want.”
“Are you sure?” Bowie asked and then immediately had to smother another yawn. He’d like to stay, but her invitation had felt hesitant.
Katie’s face softened. Rising from the couch, she gently tugged on his hand. “Let’s get you to bed before you fall asleep on your feet. You’re too big for me to carry.”
Bowie let her lead him upstairs and into her bedroom loft. As she headed off to take a shower, he stripped down to his boxers and collapsed onto the huge bed. It was a shame he didn’t have the oomph to take advantage of it tonight. Unfortunately, he needed all his energy just to stay awake until Katie returned.
When she crawled into bed, he immediately reached out and pulled her toward him. Katie complied, rolling her body in his direction. When she nestled against his bare chest like one of the cougar cubs, he couldn’t help the sigh of contentment that rumbled through him.
It was nice sleeping with Katie. Although he’d dozed off in a woman’s bed before, he’d never simply slept with one. He liked it. His eyes drifted closed, and deep sleep claimed him.
When Bowie woke in the morning, he found Katie still wrapped in his arms. He lay there for a moment, relishing the scent and feel of her. The blinds surrounding her room didn’t let in much light, but there was enough glow for him to study her. She wasn’t traditionally beautiful, not like June or Sawyer, but every time Bowie gazed at Katie, his heart seemed to stop and then speed up.
Slowly, gently, so as not to wake her, he brushed away one of the red tendrils of hair that had fallen across her face. She looked so sweet in repose that it made him ache inside. He’d never felt like this before when he woke up with a woman. Normally, he just wanted the morning to end with the least amount of awkwardness.
If he could, he’d spend the entire day with Katie. Preferably in her bed. Naked.
Unfortunately, he had to pick up Abby around noon. Plus, he needed to get back to the animals, even though the zoo wasn’t open to the public today. He had arranged for one of the employees to take the early shift, so at least he didn’t have to rush back immediately.
Typically, he didn’t have the luxury of lingering in bed. Right now, he could afford a few moments to savor the languid feeling washing over him. Gazing down at Katie, he planned the morning. He knew he had at least an hour or two before she woke. First, he’d grab a shower. Then, he’d scope out what she had in her kitchen and whip them up something to eat. Maybe there’d be enough time for a quick bout of sex.
Bowie shifted slightly as he tried to figure out the best way of untangling their limbs without waking Katie. As he started to withdraw, she emitted an unhappy sound somewhere between a squeak and grunt. It reminded him a bit of Daisy, the red river hog, although he knew Katie definitely wouldn’t appreciate the comparison.
He’d almost succeeded in extricating his body from under hers when she wiggled toward him. When her face brushed against his chest, she nuzzled his skin before settling back down with a contented sigh. Bowie’s heart swelled. He knew no other way to describe the feeling burgeoning inside him. He’d never felt so much affection for another human being, except for his daughter.
He wanted this, he realized. He wanted the sweetness and the tender moments, along wit
h the mad, hot, passionate sex. It wasn’t enough for him to be friends with benefits with Katie. He wanted a real relationship.
Bowie just needed to convince her. She had made it clear that she didn’t want anything more than to be sex buddies. Hell, she’d flatly refused his dinner invitation, and she’d certainly hesitated before inviting him to spend the night. If he pushed too quickly for an actual date, she might not only shut down his offer, but also end their affair.
He would need to proceed slowly. When they’d first started sleeping together, Bowie hadn’t been sure if Katie completely liked him. Now, they had become friends. If he remained patient and persistent, he could transform that friendship into something more. After all, he thought as he bent to brush a light kiss on Katie’s forehead, he had a feeling that this particular woman was worth the extra effort.
* * *
Katie woke to the aroma of food. For a few moments, she thought she’d fallen asleep on her family’s couch again. Stretching, she opened her eyes to find herself in her own bedroom. The night before came flooding back. Glancing to the side of the bed where Bowie had slept, she found the covers tossed to the side.
He hadn’t left—not with the great smells emanating from downstairs. Occasionally, she could hear the clang of a pot or running water. The man was cooking breakfast in her kitchen.
For her.
The realization sparked an odd, off-kilter feeling. Katie wouldn’t exactly classify it as bad or good—just different. She felt strangely vulnerable, as if she had just stripped naked in front of Bowie for the first time.
Unable to shake the peculiar sensations enveloping her, she stopped struggling against them and climbed out of bed. Throwing on her bathrobe and some slippers, she padded downstairs. She found Bowie softly humming to himself as he whipped batter in a bowl.
“Good morning,” he told her cheerfully.
She blinked at him with what she was fairly certain were bleary eyes. “Mornin’.” Then she immediately shuffled over to the trusty Keurig that Josh had bought her for Christmas two years ago. Selecting the lightest roast, she pressed the button and turned back to Bowie. She needed plenty of caffeine to meet his energy level.
“Pancakes okay?” he asked as he flipped one of the hotcakes with a spatula.
“Sounds good,” she said, the statement ending on a large yawn. Bowie smiled at her. She paused in lifting the coffee cup to her lips. The warmth in his gray eyes caught her off guard. Although she’d had guys give her appreciative glances before, this felt different, deeper.
Heady, sweet emotion swelled inside her. She hadn’t felt this way in years. Not since high school when her secret crush had smiled at her and asked her out on a date.
But that was then, and this was now. She wouldn’t permit those giddy feelings to scramble her logic this time around. As an adult, she recognized the intoxicating sensations for what they were—lust wrapped up in a fantasy of romantic love that didn’t exist.
Chapter 9
“What is that?” Bowie eyed the wig suspiciously. A garish fluorescent-yellow mohawk sprouted from a flesh-colored cap. It looked like part of a costume from a low-budget slasher film. The fact that one end of the wig was sopping wet didn’t help.
Bowie should have expected trouble when Katie had shown up with June in tow. He’d gotten to know the other woman over the past few weeks while she’d been helping Katie and him put together the zoo’s big festival. He couldn’t help but like June. But underneath her undeniable Southern charm lay cleverness that rivaled Fluffy’s.
“Isn’t this just the sexiest little wig on God’s green earth?” June asked as she turned it slowly in her hands like she was a damn shopping-channel host.
“No,” Bowie said dryly.
“Bowie, it’s perfect!” Katie said, and he couldn’t help but smile at her enthusiasm. Her brown eyes sparkled as they did when she had a particularly good marketing idea. “It looks just like Rosie’s plume.”
Cocking his head at an angle, Bowie studied the hideous hairpiece. Katie did have a point. With a little effort, the yellow mohawk could be spiked to look like the cockatoo’s yellow feathers.
“I see that now,” Bowie conceded slowly, not knowing what else he was tacitly agreeing to.
“You have just got to model it for us, darling,” June said.
Before Bowie could swerve to avoid her, June had plunked the wig on his head. She stood back, made a “tsking” sound at the back of her throat, and reached up to adjust it. Seemingly satisfied, she smiled. “Now can you be a dear and bob your head like Rosie?”
Bowie glanced helplessly at Katie. She just grinned and nodded. He crossed his arms. “Uh-uh. I’m not doing anything else until one of you tells me what’s going on.”
“You know how you want to do a skit with Rosie at the festival?” Katie asked.
“Yes,” Bowie said slowly. Although the festival headliner was going to be the cubs’ first public appearance, other events were scheduled throughout the day. Bowie wasn’t thrilled that he’d be wearing a Tarzan costume to introduce the cougars, but that’s what the public had voted for. Luckily, Katie had found a tasteful costume that only bared one shoulder, although Bowie would still essentially be wearing a dress. Katie referred to it as a tunic, but from Bowie’s perspective, the bottom part was a skirt—no matter what anyone called it.
He had no idea how he’d let Katie talk him into playing the King of the Jungle, but he couldn’t complain about the money the event had already raised. Between the voting campaign and presales for the festival tickets, he’d already made enough to buy a male camel for Lulubelle.
The stud was due to arrive a couple of days before the big day. Although it would have been good publicity for the two to meet during the festival, Bowie hadn’t wanted to put more stress on the animals, especially on the male, Hank. Even though Hank had been owned by a roadside zoo and regularly gave rides to tourists, Bowie wanted to ease him into his new home. The camel and Lulubelle needed time to bond before Bowie introduced the new couple to the public. Katie planned on filming the meet-cute, as she called it, for the website.
“You can put on this wig before we bring Rosie out,” Katie said excitedly. “Then, you could head-bang simultaneously. The crowd will love it.”
They would, and so would the internet. For that reason alone, Bowie would wear the ridiculous mohawk. Plus, it made Katie happy, and he loved her smile.
“I thought we could include clips of the other animals bobbing their heads,” she said. “I can use my video editing software to put a yellow mohawk above them, but June and I actually tried the wig on Lulubelle. It worked out well…except for the end.”
Katie handed him her smartphone. Lulubelle looked sillier than ever with the ill-fitting wig perched on top of her massive head. Tinny strains of a pop song played in the background as the camel morosely bobbed her head. When the hairpiece finally slipped off, Lulubelle caught it in her mouth. She looked decidedly happier as she began to chew on the yellow hair.
“That explains why it’s wet,” Bowie said.
“We wrestled it back before Lulubelle could do much damage,” June drawled.
“I think we can end the video with Lulubelle gumming the wig,” Katie said. “I think this could be our best yet.”
It could. Although Bowie didn’t have Katie’s knack for visuals, even he could picture it. Both kids and adults would eat it up.
“All right.” Bowie relented. “I’ll wear it.”
“Perfect,” Katie said. “Speaking of the festival, I found someone willing to pay for the tents we need.”
“Who?” Bowie asked.
“Our friend Josh from college,” June drawled. “He’s richer than Croesus from his computer security work, but I swear he squeezes a quarter so tight that the eagle screams.”
Bowie barked out a laugh at her imagery. “If he’s so cheap,
why is he donating money?”
“Katie sweet-talked him like she always does. Josh is as ornery as a mule with two lame feet, except around her.”
“That’s not true,” Katie protested. “He’s close to you too.”
“Ahh,” June said, “but I don’t share an artistic connection.”
An unbidden bolt of jealousy shot through Bowie. He tried to squelch it, but he didn’t quite manage it. “Artistic connection, huh?”
Luckily, Katie didn’t pick up on the slight sharpness in his voice. June, though, shot him a suspicious look. Over the past couple of weeks, he’d been getting quite a few of those from her. It bugged Bowie that Katie clearly hadn’t told her best friend about their relationship. But he was pretty certain June suspected that he and Katie were sleeping together.
Katie waved a dismissive hand. “Josh and I coauthored a comic strip for our university’s newspaper.”
“Whatever happened to your collection of them?” June said.
“Josh has it,” Katie said.
“You and Josh are pretty close then?” Bowie asked, hoping his voice sounded neutral. It really shouldn’t bug him that Katie shared her love of art with another man. But it did. Probably since she was still pushing him away. Not once had she accepted any of his offers for a real date since their night at her house a couple of weeks ago.
It was June who answered Bowie’s question. As she did, she studied him closely, obviously gauging his reaction. “She and Josh used to date.”
Katie groaned. “For a nanosecond during our freshman year at State. Then we decided we were better off as friends. June took both of us under her wing.”
“That is true,” June agreed, still watching Bowie. “The three of us are like siblings.”
Bowie nodded, but he couldn’t help the uneasy feeling that slithered through him like a rattler. Katie was so open and generous, but she still kept an invisible wall between them. He wanted more than ever to tear it down, but he felt like he hadn’t even put a chip in it.