behavior.”
“It’s a restaurant or nothing.”
“Fine. I’ll pick you up at 12:30, dress casually.” He leaned down to kiss her, but she rotated the handle and hurried inside.
Katie closed the door and pressed her back against the cool wood. What the hell had she gotten herself into? Her skin still tingled and she couldn’t rid her mind of the overwhelming sensations they’d unleashed inside her.
“I am such a slut,” she whispered under her breath as she locked the front door then rushed upstairs and closed herself in her bedroom. She shed the dress and donned an oversized sleep shirt. Then she dug a fresh pair of panties out of her dresser and pulled them on. As if changing her cloths could erase what she’d allowed them to do. No. She’d always tried to be honest with herself, so she wouldn’t hide behind denials now. She hadn’t just “allowed” them to do anything. She’d encouraged them, and actively participated in the hedonistic activities.
If her mother were still alive, she’d be horrified. Her mother had been a proper Southern lady . She baked pies from scratch and went to church every Sunday morning. She’d been kind and loving and faultlessly reserved. The perfect homemaker and loyal wife. Her only flaw had been being attracted to her exact opposite.
Katie had gotten her wild streak from her fathers. Both of the men in her mother’s life had been consummate bad boys, known for their hot tempers and rebellious ways. Katie had seen pictures of her mother’s first husband, Katie’s biological father, but she didn’t remember him. He’d been killed in a boating accident when she was three. Her stepfather, the man she considered her real father, was still alive and raising hell in Tennessee.
So maybe Katie’s attraction to sexually aggressive men wasn’t all that surprising. Despite her stepfather’s affinity for trouble, he’d doted on and provided for his wife and adopted daughter. Katie had seen firsthand that a passionate nature—and a tendency to rebel against conformity—didn’t compromise a man’s ability to be a good husband and father.
And of course, there was her grandmother, the quintessential free spirit—in this world and the next. Gran refused to be bound by society’s rules or her family’s expectations. She’d encouraged Katie to follow her heart, even when the path her heart chose was unconventional.
Katie pulled back the covers, turned off the lights, and crawled into bed. Still, she was much too troubled to fall sleep. Over and over she’d featured Chase and Josiah in her fantasies, but never once had she actually thought she’d experience the things she dreamed about.
They were just playing with her! She could not allow herself to forget she meant nothing to either of them. But it was damn hard to remember when their hands and mouths made her feel as if she were the most important woman in the world.
She’d expected Loki to be waiting for her so they could refine their strategy. More than that, she just needed someone to help her untangle her knotted-up feelings.
“I haven’t forgotten about you ,” Loki assured, his voice announcing his impending arrival. He flashed into sight and sat down on the side of her bed. “I hung around to see what they’d have to say when Josiah returned.”
“Good idea. What’d they say?”
“I’m not sure I should tell you.”
“Oh come on.” Katie s at up and stuffed a pillow behind her back. Loki was backlit by moonlight, so his expression was mostly lost in shadow. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am on your side, which is why I hesitate.” He ran one of his hands through his shaggy hair reestablishing its careless style. “Chase wanted to call off the bet. He thinks Josiah is falling for you.”
Her heart gave a traitorous leap at the possibility. “And what do you think?” How could she punish Josiah if she fell under his spell?
“I think you’re trying to catch your
“It’s a restaurant or nothing.”
“Fine. I’ll pick you up at 12:30, dress casually.” He leaned down to kiss her, but she rotated the handle and hurried inside.
Katie closed the door and pressed her back against the cool wood. What the hell had she gotten herself into? Her skin still tingled and she couldn’t rid her mind of the overwhelming sensations they’d unleashed inside her.
“I am such a slut,” she whispered under her breath as she locked the front door then rushed upstairs and closed herself in her bedroom. She shed the dress and donned an oversized sleep shirt. Then she dug a fresh pair of panties out of her dresser and pulled them on. As if changing her cloths could erase what she’d allowed them to do. No. She’d always tried to be honest with herself, so she wouldn’t hide behind denials now. She hadn’t just “allowed” them to do anything. She’d encouraged them, and actively participated in the hedonistic activities.
If her mother were still alive, she’d be horrified. Her mother had been a proper Southern lady . She baked pies from scratch and went to church every Sunday morning. She’d been kind and loving and faultlessly reserved. The perfect homemaker and loyal wife. Her only flaw had been being attracted to her exact opposite.
Katie had gotten her wild streak from her fathers. Both of the men in her mother’s life had been consummate bad boys, known for their hot tempers and rebellious ways. Katie had seen pictures of her mother’s first husband, Katie’s biological father, but she didn’t remember him. He’d been killed in a boating accident when she was three. Her stepfather, the man she considered her real father, was still alive and raising hell in Tennessee.
So maybe Katie’s attraction to sexually aggressive men wasn’t all that surprising. Despite her stepfather’s affinity for trouble, he’d doted on and provided for his wife and adopted daughter. Katie had seen firsthand that a passionate nature—and a tendency to rebel against conformity—didn’t compromise a man’s ability to be a good husband and father.
And of course, there was her grandmother, the quintessential free spirit—in this world and the next. Gran refused to be bound by society’s rules or her family’s expectations. She’d encouraged Katie to follow her heart, even when the path her heart chose was unconventional.
Katie pulled back the covers, turned off the lights, and crawled into bed. Still, she was much too troubled to fall sleep. Over and over she’d featured Chase and Josiah in her fantasies, but never once had she actually thought she’d experience the things she dreamed about.
They were just playing with her! She could not allow herself to forget she meant nothing to either of them. But it was damn hard to remember when their hands and mouths made her feel as if she were the most important woman in the world.
She’d expected Loki to be waiting for her so they could refine their strategy. More than that, she just needed someone to help her untangle her knotted-up feelings.
“I haven’t forgotten about you ,” Loki assured, his voice announcing his impending arrival. He flashed into sight and sat down on the side of her bed. “I hung around to see what they’d have to say when Josiah returned.”
“Good idea. What’d they say?”
“I’m not sure I should tell you.”
“Oh come on.” Katie s at up and stuffed a pillow behind her back. Loki was backlit by moonlight, so his expression was mostly lost in shadow. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
“I am on your side, which is why I hesitate.” He ran one of his hands through his shaggy hair reestablishing its careless style. “Chase wanted to call off the bet. He thinks Josiah is falling for you.”
Her heart gave a traitorous leap at the possibility. “And what do you think?” How could she punish Josiah if she fell under his spell?
“I think you’re trying to catch your
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