by Gary, Codi
They’d taken their time on the drive home, stopping to explore. Chase had rolled his eyes when Katie kept taking pictures of them on her phone, but it actually made it all seem more real. He’d slipped up earlier, suggesting he’d teach her to snowboard, but something about the way she’d looked at him made him think she hadn’t minded. That maybe she’d been thinking about them as more than just hanging out too.
Back at her house, she flipped on the light, and Chase caught a glimpse of a black fluff ball meowing nasally. When he spotted Chase, the cat’s gold eyes narrowed and he hissed before crawling down the hallway on his belly.
“Well, I guess it’s safe to say your cat hates me.”
“Slinks hates everyone but me,” Katie said, smiling. “I found him hiking four years ago, this tiny black kitten in a skunk trap, covered in filth. I brought him home and gave him a bath, but it took him two weeks to get to the point where he would come to me willingly. He hated Jimmy with a fiery passion, and he’s only just started letting Steph touch him.”
Chase came in behind her and shut the door. “Speaking of, still don’t want to talk about what happened with you two?”
It’s none of your business. Let it go.
She put her purse down and said, “She just said something hurtful about my little changes. I don’t really want to talk about it, okay?”
He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Want me to go?”
“No. Stay,” she said, leaning back against him.
“We could try out some of that edible massage gel,” he said, running his hands over her stomach.
Twisting around in his arms, she kissed his neck. “Is that you trying to get me to give you a massage?”
“I am a little stiff from the drive.” He grimaced to emphasize his point.
She slid her hands around to his abdomen and started moving lower. “Mmm, I can feel that.”
Considering where she had her hands, he hoped so. “So maybe we should take this into your bedroom and work on easing some of my tension.”
“I think that is an excellent plan, Mr. Trepasso.”
“Lead the way, Ms. Connors.”
Katie moved in front of him down the hall, and when they reached the bedroom, he sat down on the edge of the bed. She walked over to her dresser and opened the top drawer.
“Look what else I got.”
Turning, he saw she was dangling something from her fingers. It was a pair of fuzzy pink handcuffs.
“You want to cuff me, Officer?” Chase held out his hands jokingly.
She walked to him and stood between his legs. “Actually, I want you to strip down and lay back full length on the bed. Then I’m going to cuff you to the headboard.”
“And what are you going to do once you have me naked and defenseless?” he asked.
Her fingers slid up into his hair and she said softly, “I’m going to make you beg.”
“And if I don’t let you?”
Her face fell. “Really? Because you said anything on my list and . . .”
Reaching up, he brought her mouth down to his. “I’m just kidding, Firecracker.” Moving with fast, jerky motions, he pulled his shirt off, tossing it across the room. His pants, shoes, and socks followed moments later, and with a teasing grin he flopped onto the bed. “I’m ready. Do your worst.”
KATIE WOKE UP early the next morning to run to the store for bagels and cream cheese, rushing back to get ready for work quietly, trying to let Chase sleep. She left a note on the counter with the bag of bagels next to it and headed out the door.
When she walked into the salon at nine, Kitty gave her a sly smile. “So, how are you feeling?”
Putting her purse below her station, Katie said, “I’m feeling better. Must have been allergies.”
Kitty came over and leaned on the back of her chair. “Yeah? That’s good, because I was headed out to Hank’s last night for karaoke and I thought I saw Chase’s chopper in front of your house.”
Trying for nonchalance, Katie said, “Oh yeah, he brought me some soup and . . . ointment . . . for my tattoo.”
“Oh my God, you got a tattoo?” Kitty said.
Crap. “Um, yeah. It’s no big deal.”
“Let me see. Where is it?” Kitty started trying to pick up her shirt, and Katie grabbed her hands.
“Whoa! Not here.”
Leading the way, Katie snuck around the corner to the product closet and Kitty closed the door behind them. Katie picked up her shirt and Kitty squealed, “Oh, that is so cute, and he did such a good job! I’m going to have to go to him for my next one.”
Kitty pulled down the top of her shirt to expose her shoulder and said, “See, I love fairies; isn’t she pretty?”
The tattoo was gorgeous and intricate, but it was so big. “It’s beautiful.”
Kitty pulled her shirt back up and Holly peeked her head in. “What are you two doing in here?”
“Katie was showing me her new tattoo!” Kitty said.
“Shut up, you’ve got a tat? Let me see!”
Katie lifted the back of her shirt without another word.
“That is awesome, did Chase do it?”
“Yeah, he did,” Katie said.
Holly gave her a curious look. “I heard you guys were a thing.”
“From who?” Katie asked.
“A couple of people around town. Oh, and that new gossip column said so too,” Holly said.
“I’m going to burn that paper.” Katie felt her cheeks warm at her stylist’s scrutiny. “I’m not sure what we are yet.”
“Well, all I know is, if I was seeing a stud like that, I’d make sure he was all mine. Brand him like a baby cow,” Holly said.
“You are so bad!” Kitty giggled.
“I’ll be out in a minute. I just need to grab a few things,” Katie said.
The other girls headed out and Katie lifted up her hair. In the small mirror on the door, she looked at the purple hickey Chase had left toward the back of her neck. She had always thought hickeys were disgusting, but the feel of Chase’s mouth latched onto her skin last night, sucking and kissing . . .
Well, it made her ache all over again.
She closed her eyes, thinking about the way they’d taken turns in the cuffs, using nearly all of both the edible gel tubes, eating the liquid off each other’s skin. She’d loved the feel of him straining under her when she’d cuffed him to the headboard, trailing her lips over his body until he had practically begged her to let him go. Once he was free, he had rolled her onto her stomach, cuffing her while he used his stubble on her back, making her squirm and writhe. Chase had undone the cuffs right before he brought her knees up and slid into her from behind, curling his body over hers. He’d kissed her neck while he’d slipped out of her slowly, running his erection in low and out high. Katie had pushed back against him as he’d used one hand to play with her breast and nipple. Bringing his other hand up, Chase had held both of her breasts in his hands while he kissed, licked, and sucked at the skin of her neck. Nuzzling her hair aside, he’d whispered just under her ear, “I can’t get enough of you, I . . .”
The door flew open and Katie, brought back to where she was, dropped her hair into place.
Kitty gave her a strange look and asked, “Are you okay?”
“Sure, just needed some stuff,” Katie said, hoping her burning cheeks didn’t make her look too suspicious.
“Okay, well, your first appointment is here.”
“I’ll be right there,” Katie said.
Yeah, I’ll be there, once I get my raging hormones under control.
Taking a deep breath, she walked out of the supply closet with a few bottles of gel. She saw Gemma Carlson standing by the reception desk and smiled at her.
Unfortunately, Jimmy was also there, looking sheepish, and her smile disappeared.
What in the name of all that is holy is he doing here?
“Hey Gemma, why don’t you head on over to my chair and I’ll be ther
e in a bit,” Katie said.
Gemma patted her arm as she passed. “Thanks for fitting me in. If you need me to pull the hurry-up-I-got-to-pick-up-my-kid card, I’m on it.”
Katie laughed. “I think I can handle him, but I appreciate it.”
“Well, it’s none of my business, but you just let me know,” Gemma said.
“What can I do for you, Jimmy?” Katie said, moving to stand in front of him.
“Can we talk outside? There’s something I want to say, but not here,” he said.
Katie hesitated, not wanting to cause a scene. “I’ve got a client waiting.”
“Please, it’ll just take a second,” he said.
New Katie wanted to tell him to go to hell, but Old Katie, the one who gave people the benefit of the doubt, said, “Okay, let’s go out front.”
He held the door open for her and followed her to the simple wooden bench in front of the shop window. Katie sat down and asked, “So what did you want to tell me?”
Jimmy sat next to her and reached out for her hands. She jerked them back and glared. “What are you doing? You said you wanted to talk!”
His brown eyes darkened and his mouth twisted into an ugly frown. “I was just trying to apologize again. For the other day and for . . . well, for before.”
Okay, New Katie was about to rear her angry head. “Before what, Jimmy? Before you wasted seven years of my life? Before you dumped me after cheating on me for God knows how long? Or was it before you sent me your wedding invitation? Tell me, which before are you talking about?”
“Damn it, why do you have to make this so hard?” he said.
She stood up and snapped, “I’m sorry, was I supposed to make this easy for you? What you did was reprehensible and unforgivable. You showed absolutely no remorse for the way you treated me before, so I have to wonder why you’re here now. The apology is just a little too late.”
“Please, Katie, don’t go. I just want to talk,” he said.
“You talked, I listened. Now, I have a client who has to pick up her kid, so if you’ll excuse me.” She turned away from him to walk back inside.
“What’s going on with you and that pretty boy?” Jimmy asked.
Facing him, she couldn’t believe his gall. “Are you serious? You came here to ask about my personal life?”
“That guy isn’t right for you. You’re too good for him,” he said.
Of all of the ridiculous, absurd . . . “You’re an idiot.”
“He has earrings like a chick, for fuck’s sake,” Jimmy shouted.
“Well, I think his earrings are sexy! So why don’t you get the hell out of here, go back to your perky little fiancée, and keep your opinions about my love life to yourself?”
“Come on, Katie-bear . . .” he pleaded.
“Do not call me that. Like I said before, you are nothing to me now, Jimmy. Just a walking, talking reminder of some really bad decisions.” She reached out to grab the door and threw it open, stomping into the salon, and avoiding the wide, curious eyes following her as she walked to her stylist chair.
Katie stopped behind Gemma, breathing hard, and said, “I’m sorry about that. Are you ready to get started?”
She barely heard Gemma’s answer, she was so focused on why Jimmy was acting so bizarre. He almost seemed jealous of Chase, but that made no sense. He had cheated on her, dumped her, and was currently engaged to someone else. So why was he coming around trying to give her dating advice?
“Men are moronic,” she grumbled.
Gemma let out a quiet chuckle. “Yeah, it’s tough. Can’t live with them, can’t shoot them. Unless you’ve got a real good place to hide the body.”
Katie laughed, feeling a little bit better. “Well what do you say we swap man troubles over some bleach and a Coke?”
CHASE WOKE UP alone in Katie’s room and looked at the clock. 9:36. Swinging his legs over the side of the bed, he picked his boxers off the floor, sliding them up over his hips. Padding out to the kitchen, he saw the bag of bagels and the slip of paper.
Morning, Hotstuff,
I didn’t want to wake you, you looked so peaceful. There’s cream cheese in the fridge and I’ll call you later.
Have a good day,
Katie
Chase plugged in the toaster and grabbed the cream cheese, whistling with a grin. Last night had been incredible, but at one point he’d had an epiphany so wild, it was like being kicked in the gut.
He wanted Katie to be his only, and he was having a hard time figuring out how to put that into words.
Tonight was his late night, and he probably wouldn’t see her. The idea of not being with her was a major mood killer. He finished his bagel and headed back to her bedroom to grab his clothes. He saw Katie’s evil-looking cat sitting on top of his jeans, glaring at him.
“What’s your problem, cat?”
The black animal hissed and scrambled past him down the hallway, his belly to the floor.
Chase shook his head, picked up his jeans to pull them on, and jerked his hand back.
They were wet.
He sniffed his hand and gagged.
“You’re dead, cat!”
A hiss came from somewhere, as if the creature was saying, “Screw you, asshole.”
Chase left Katie’s house slamming the door and texted her, Your cat pissed on my jeans.
Stuffing his phone into his pocket, he swung into his seat to drive home and shower. Would it ruin the jeans to bleach them?
He’d risk the bleach, and remember to pick them up off the floor next time.
Smiling in spite of his wet, pungent leg, he tried not to dwell on the fact that he was already looking forward to seeing Katie again.
KATIE WAS STILL laughing as she left work that night. She felt bad that Slinks had peed on Chase’s jeans and she had texted him to say so. The cat was possessive and a little psycho, but he was her baby and didn’t like to share her. Chase had texted her back that they may have to limit their overnights at her house unless he bought another couple pairs of jeans. Katie had almost told him he was lucky all Slinks had done was pee, but she’d refrained. Chase would probably veto all overnights at her place if he knew Jimmy had gotten a number two in his work boots once.
The Rock Canyon Independence Day Extravaganza planning committee had arranged to meet today to reschedule the fireworks, and although she wasn’t looking forward to being in the same room as Mrs. Andrews, she’d made a commitment and she was going to honor it.
She parked her car and started walking toward the building.
“Katie, may I speak to you for a minute?”
Turning around, she tried to keep her voice mild as she faced Mrs. Andrews. “Sure, I was just heading inside to go over the rescheduling of the fireworks.”
“In light of what transpired between us at the pageant, I think it would be best if we not work together,” Mrs. Andrews blurted.
Katie was taken aback. She’d actually been expecting an apology from her, not a resignation. “Well, I’m sorry you feel that way, Mrs. Andrews. I know we both said some things we didn’t mean, and I apologize for my inappropriateness, but you don’t have to quit the committee.”
“You misunderstand me, dear. I am here to tell you that it’s you who is no longer welcome on this committee,” she said.
How dare you try to undermine me? Katie thought as she tried to control the lump in her throat. Every time she got angry or upset, she felt like she had swallowed a jawbreaker. “You can’t kick me off the committee; I’m in charge.”
“I’ve spoken to the council and informed them you had some issues that you needed to work out before you could take on any more town projects. They were very understanding,” she said.
Katie said, “Was there something wrong with the way I organized the parade and the fair?”
Mrs. Andrews glared. “There were no major problems, no.”
“So this is personal. This is because you don’t like who I’m dating or the way I’m behav
ing?” Katie wanted to scream at the older woman, but she was managing to keep her voice just above a harsh whisper.
“You are not behaving like yourself. You’re usually so responsible and easy to work with, but the way you’ve been since . . .”
Katie interrupted. “Just because I don’t automatically agree with everything you say doesn’t mean that I can’t do my job. It just means I’m finally tired of people treating me like someone who should be seen and not heard. So with all due respect, Mrs. Andrews, you need to leave the committee until you can apologize for your lack of professionalism.”
Mrs. Andrews’s mouth dropped open. “You can’t . . .”
“Oh, you bet I can. You have done nothing but try to make me feel incompetent and small since this whole project started. I was trying to be nice before, but the way you spoke to me at the pageant was inappropriate and unacceptable. So you need to go home and think about the way you have been treating everyone in town who doesn’t follow your rigid view of what’s right. Once you’re willing to apologize, you may come back.”
Katie didn’t wait to listen to any more spluttering the older woman had in her. She felt good. She had said what she needed to and hadn’t been rude, only firm.
She walked into the community center with a weight off her shoulders and announced loudly, “Good afternoon, everyone! Mrs. Andrews will not be joining us for a few days, and if anyone else has a problem with the way I manage this committee or my personal life, they are welcome to leave now too.”
Several older women and one man stood up and left, but instead of feeling bad about it, she just said, “Anyone else? All right then, let’s get to planning.”
Chapter Eleven
* * *
KATIE CLIMBED INTO her car after the meeting and drove past the Jagged Rock to see if Chase was busy at work. Looking in the window, she saw several guys inside with him. Not wanting to interrupt, she pulled into The Local Bean parking lot to turn around. The last thing she wanted was for someone to notice her car driving up and down the road like some weird stalker.