Page 59 of Things Good Girls Don't Do

That got a smile out of him. “Oh, I’ve always wanted my laundry wench.”

Reaching out, she yanked on his earlobe. “I am just trying to keep the peace. I love Slinks and I’d hate to see him turned into a hat.”

“I said I’d turn him into slippers. There isn’t a head in the world big enough to wear that cat. What do you feed him, small dogs?”

She almost swatted him with his jeans, but she wouldn’t like being hit with cat pee pants, so she settled on excusing Slinks’s obesity instead. “He was traumatized as a kitten and he seeks comfort through food. He’s just a little beefy.”

Chase chuckled. “He’s not fat, just big boned?”

“Exactly.” Taking his pants down the hall, she transferred laundry, ignoring his mocking laughter. A basket of clean clothes in her arms, she came back into the room, set them on the bed, and pulled some under things out.

“So, where are you off to this morning?” he asked.

“It’s Sunday. I go to church, and then I’m going over to Steph and Jared’s for a barbecue,” she said.

Chase nodded. “Got it. I’ll just grab my jeans when they’re done and go.”

“You could come with me,” she said, moving closer to him as she took the towel off her head.

Chase snorted and said, “Sorry, Firecracker, but it would probably bring about the next apocalypse if I attended church.”

Reaching out to rub his shoulders, she said, “I’m sure whatever sins you’ve committed couldn’t be that bad.”

Wrapping his arms around her waist, he brought her down onto his lap. “Damn, you’re cold.” He ran his hands over her arms. “I’m a heathen. We never went to church when I was a kid, and I just haven’t found any use for it.”

“Do you believe in God?” Katie didn’t really know anyone who didn’t go to church. There were several churches of different faiths around town, and everyone she’d grown up with attended one of them.

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I remember having this friend in grade school who was really religious, and he tried to save me, but nothing ever stuck.”

She kissed his cheek, disappointed, but she wasn’t going to force him. Maybe some distance would be a good thing. Maybe it would temper some of her crazy thoughts that there was something more to this. “Well, I won’t mention it again, then. It will be good to spend some time apart today. It’s not like we haven’t seen each other every day for the last week.”

“Are you getting sick of me already?” he asked.

“No, but I’ve already played hooky from work to be with you. I’m not going to miss church too.” She gave him a little smirk over her shoulder, “That would be something I would never, ever do.”

Grinning, he said, “Oh yeah? So I should add ‘miss church to stay in bed with Chase’ to the list?”

“Nope. Never gonna happen.” She dropped the second towel, pulling up lacy red boy shorts and then slipping the matching bra into place.

Chase’s gray eyes turned the color of storm clouds as he asked, “Won’t lightning strike if you walk into church wearing fire-engine-red underwear?”

Katie laughed as she went to her closet and pulled out a simple black dress with red tulips along the hem. “I don’t think God or anyone cares what color my underwear is.”

“I do,” he mumbled.

She slipped on her red heels and walked past him to the bathroom, saying, “Well, I guess it’s a good thing you aren’t coming, then.”

Reaching his arm out, he pulled her back onto his lap, facing away from him. “So, if I go with you today, what do I get?”

Leaning back against him, she offered, “The satisfaction of no longer being called a heathen?”

“Hmmm ... not something I’m concerned about.” His lips nibbled at the back of her neck and she shivered.

“How about you get to be with me all day?”

Chase slipped his hands under her dress and said softly, “Hmm, getting warmer.”

She grabbed his hands, laughing. “No. I do not have time for your shenanigans.”

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