Page 27 of Sin With Me

It had definitely happened before, but I didn’t want Kate to be a statistic. I reached my hand out with the white pill and indicated with my gaze the glass of water at her side table. She took the pill and swallowed it with a few delicate sips of water.

Lucky glass to have touched herlips.

“Wait – I danced with you,” shesaid.

“No, not me. Brook,” I corrected her, a little hurt that she didn’t remember the difference.

“Brook,” she repeated, and paused as if looking for something in her mind that she’d missed. It was cute, and made her look vulnerable and innocent. I wondered what led her to drink when she was upset.

Kate suddenly sat up. Her disheveled state reminded me of a lost girl, and for the first time since meeting her, I realized how little I actually knew about her. Probably as little as she knew aboutme.

“You said he’s your brother?”

“Yes, Brook’s my younger brother. I told you about him, remember?”

She looked so cute when frazzled. “That’s why he looked so much likeyou.”

“You sure it wasn’t the tequila?” I teased.

“Argh, you don’t understand. This was so notme.”

I could argue with that, and I was pretty sure I’d win. It was her, trying to drown whatever problems Kate was carrying with heraway.

“No, I mean it. I’m so sorry. I feel so embarrassed.”

“Kate, you had a bit too much to drink. That’sall.”

“I was all over your bother too.” She covered her mouth with her hand, regretting her words; and again, I felt a pinch of jealousy that it hadn’t been me there last night instead of my brother. Maybe it was better this way afterall.

“I threw up and let another man hold my hair while I bent over the toilet, again.”

“Should I feel jealous? I thought that was myjob.”

“No, that’s not what I meant.”

“I’m teasing, Kate.”

There was that ‘O’ again, this time plumper and glistening since she pulled her tongue over her lips nearly ten secondsago.

“I am never drinking again. I swear. Did you stay here all night?”

I nodded.

“Thank you. I mean that. Thank you for taking care of me last night.”

“Always, Kate. I should get going. Mass starts in less than anhour.”

“I’m not sure I can handle showing my face in church rightnow.”

“Learn from yesterday, Kate.” I winked at her and saw her smile. “The Lord forgives all. Don’t miss mass because you had a fun evening. The mistakes we make are all part of life. The trick is trying not to make them again, which is sometimes easier said than done. When you pray, you reflect. You shouldn’t dismiss last night as a bad night when you didn’t get a chance to reflect.”

“That sounds… a little confusing at the moment. You look tired.”

“You were thrashing a little at night.”

Her inquisitive right brow rose, and concern filled hereyes.

“I should get going.” I stood up. “The retreat next month, do you think you can handle the remaining details on yourown?”

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