Page 47 of Things Good Girls Don't Do

“That bad, huh?” she said as she set her purse on the counter.

He pulled his head out of the fridge, and his grin was sheepish. “Yeah, unless you want one egg. And I’m pretty sure it’s about to hatch into something.”

Whatever had ruffled his feathers, he was acting like he was fine now. Katie toyed with her purse strap and avoided his eyes, feeling awkward as she said, “It’s fine. Do you mind driving me to my 4Runner? I’ll just eat at home.”

She heard the fridge close. “I thought you played hooky to hang with me?”

I did, but you acted like you were irritated with me.

Meeting his gaze again, she said, “You just seemed like you were upset with me, and I didn’t want to overstay my—”

Chase cut off her explanation with a kiss, and she only had a second to think about her morning breath before she was kissing him back. When he finally pulled away, he whispered, “I’m sorry I was an ass.”

“Yeah, you know, the ultrasensitive, sexy rebel thing only goes so far with me,” she said, only half kidding. Maybe as they spent more time together and got more serious, she would be able to help Chase work through his issues.

Wait, what was she saying? The minute he got the idea in his head that she wanted to take things to the next level, he was going to take off.

“I’ll try to work on that,” he said, running his hands down to intertwine their fingers. “Please, stay. I don’t want you to go.”

“Yeah, I got that now,” she said, leaning into him to give him a soft kiss. “Although I don’t know how we’ll survive the day without food.”

Even if he had been grumpy, he was definitely adorable in the morning, half naked, with his hair sticking up all over his head. He seemed younger, even with the dark stubble beckoning to be caressed. He looked like he was thinking hard about their dilemma and Katie laughed. “Okay, don’t strain yourself.”

His fingers tickled her ribs. “I was just thinking that we could go to Boise for the day. Do something there. Get out of town.”

“It sounds wonderful, but ... isn’t it still raining?” she asked, looking toward the window.

“Nope, the sun is coming out to play and it will be a beautiful day to take a long drive on the chopper.”

Katie gulped a little at the thought of riding on a motorcycle for longer than three minutes. “I need to go home first. Shower and change.”

He sighed. “Okay, I’ll take you to your car and then I’ll pick you up with breakfast.”

Now that sounded perfect.

KATIE TOOK THEfastest shower of her life and wrapped her hair up in a towel. Heading into her bedroom, she decided to spend very little time primping, since a two-hour motorcycle ride would wreak havoc on her hair anyway.

She was just grabbing her light black jacket and her Skechers when someone knocked on the door.

“Great.” She looked at the clock and frowned. Chase was fifteen minutes early. Didn’t he know a girl liked to take her time?

Walking out to the front door, she looked through the peephole and saw it wasn’t Chase but Steph.

Pulling the door open with a confused smile, she said, “Hey, what’s going on?”

Steph cocked a perfectly arched brown brow and looked her up and down. “Well, you don’t look sick.”

“Oh, like you’ve never called in to work?” Katie said.

“Sure I have, butyoudon’t. Ever. Unless you’re dying, and only then because you don’t want to get anyone else sick.” Steph walked past her into the house, and Katie closed the door. “What’s up, Katie? This isn’t you. You don’t do weird things with your hair or dress like a ... well, actually, the clothes are cute, but still. And the guy ...” Steph said.

Katie was caught between surprise and anger. “What is wrong with Chase?”

Steph snorted. “Besides the fact that he’s got heartbreak tattooed on his forehead?”

“In case you don’t remember, I had my heart broken about eight months ago and I’m finally over it.” Katie laughed bitterly and said, “You should be happy for me.”

“I know that you were broken up over Jimmy and I was worried,” Steph said, reaching out to squeeze her shoulder. “And if a little fling with a hot guy gets you back in the swing of things, then great. I just don’t want you getting attached to him and getting hurt all over again. And I don’t like the influence he’s had on you. You aren’t acting like yourself, and I feel like I don’t even know you.”

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