Page 16 of Things Good Girls Don't Do

“Believe me, once you get that kind of power between your legs, you’ll crave it.”

Holy cow, what am I doing?She was leaning against the side of her car, letting a man stick his hands down her pants and basically just sayingtake me now.

This wasn’t what she’d signed on for. Casual fling, yes. Destroying her reputation? No. Before she lost her resolve, she reached down and grabbed his wrist.

Chase pulled back, his breathing coming a little faster and his eyes looking dark in the fading light. She tried to soften the rebuke. “Like I said, you have a high opinion of yourself and your skills.”

He shrugged. “Never had any complaints before.”

“Well, there’s a first time for everything,” she shot back, feeling a little more in control of her body, although the heat of his leg between hers was still distracting.

Chase’s eyes widened and he shook his head with a grin. “There might be hope for you yet, Firecracker.” He kissed her hard once more, then stepped back with a little salute. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”

As he sauntered back to his chopper, she stayed propped up by her 4Runner until he climbed on and tossed her that same smug grin before taking off.

Arrogant, obnoxious, egotistical, high-handed ...

She ran her fingers over her swollen lips and smiled. He might be a hundred different negative adjectives, but if his kisses were any indication, his skill probably wasn’t exaggerated.

At least she hoped not. Because she was starting to really look forward to finding out if Chase Trepasso could walk the walk.

Chapter Four

KATIE WAS TIRED,her tattoo hurt, and she had a raging headache, which hadn’t gotten any better after having Mrs. Andrews’s high-pitched, nasal whine ringing in her ears.

“Hey, pretty, want a coffee?” Steph called as she walked across the grass.

They had decided to have the Rock Canyon Independence Day Extravaganza at Liberty Park. The large, grassy field held the town pool and a playground already, so all they needed to do was add a bunch of booths and a few bouncey houses to make it the perfect place.

Steph’s long, dark hair swayed around her hips and her green eyes were sparkling as she handed Katie the cup. “You look like you could use this.”

Katie could have kissed her when she took a drink of the sweet, blended caramel mocha. “Have I told you today that I love and adore you?”

“No, but I’ll forgive you for the lapse,” she said.

Katie checked to see where Mrs. Andrews was and whispered, “I swear, I was three seconds away from strangling the old bat before you showed up.”

Steph scoffed. “Yeah right, you? You wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

Chase’s description of her came back in a flash. Playing with her clipboard, she asked, “Do you think I’m Jell-O? That I don’t have opinions?”

Steph looked at her in surprise, but there was a bit of guilt there too. “No. I just meant that you spare people’s feelings. You’re kind.”

“I’m a pushover.” Katie took a sip of her coffee to help fill the empty place her stomach’s sinking had caused. Even her best friend thought she was a marshmallow.

“No you aren’t! You give people your opinions. You just do it in a nice way.”

Katie shook her head and decided that this was it, this was the day she was going to unclog her filter. The next person to even look at her cross-eyed was going to be in for the sharp edge of her tongue. She could still hear her mother telling her to be nice, to respect her elders, but another voice had joined in. A very male, very sexy voice. She didn’t know why Chase’s opinion of her kittenish ways bothered her, but they did. She didn’t like that Chase, someone she hardly knew, had observed people treating her like she would just take whatever crap was dished out. If he had noticed it, then he was right about the rest of the town. They knew how to get around her.

She saw Mrs. Andrews heading back toward her with a bee in her bonnet, and Katie stiffened her spine.

Bring it on, you opinionated, gossiping old hag. I’m ready for you today.

“Katie, you have to do something! That ... that woman wants to buy a booth! We can’t have her with all of those ... things out for all and sundry to see!”

Katie looked past Mrs. Andrews to Becca Easter, standing about fifty feet away, watching them blandly. Becca had moved to Rock Canyon a month ago and bought the building next to Hank’s Bar. She’d opened a women’s clothing store called Sweet Tart’s Boutique, featuring intimate apparel and a black-curtained area in the far back. Some of the older people were having a wall-eyed fit about it, but Kate admired Becca for her screw-you attitude.

“Mrs. Andrews, Becca would never have anything in her booth that couldn’t be viewed by all.” Katie smiled at Becca, who watched them with dark eyes and a riot of black and red curls. Katie’s mother would have called her look strange, but Katie envied her brazenness. “Becca’s money is as good as anyone’s. Please apologize and put her next to the Jagged Rock booth.”

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