Page 40 of Redemption

Kat continued to stare and I raised my hand and waved. Whatever spell she’d been under snapped and she jolted, then quickly closed the drapes and the light went out. The moment was gone. I continued to stand there, staring out the window after her and it wasn’t until I heard the soup boil over that I started.

“Shit,” I huffed. I pulled the soup off the stove and turned the burner off. I wiped down the spill and didn’t bother with a bowl, just grabbed the wooden spoon and sat on the couch, eating away. It hit the spot like nothing else did. When I couldn’t resist it any longer, I collapsed into bed and was out like a light.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Katarina

I needed to get laid. Soon.

I had failed when we went to the bar last weekend but I needed to try again and quickly.

Too many times I’d been distracted by the pull of Jack’s shoulders when he hauled hay. The corded muscles running along his forearm as he gripped the shovel tight. The way the sweat had his shirt clinging to him so obscenely it had me panting.

It was official. I was a horrible human being. I was lusting after the man who killed my mother. Which is why I needed to get laid and bad.

I couldn’t talk to anyone about it. I couldn’t even admit it to myself properly. And don’t get mestarted on the number of times the man had caught me staring at him. It was getting embarrassing.

My cheeks flushed with shame. “What would Mama think of you fantasizing about her killer like that? Or Daddy?” I scolded myself as I brushed my hair out of its ponytail.

Yesterday, I’d opened up the dating app I was half-assing. I needed to full-ass it. I’d matched with a couple of guys and was talking to one of them who seemed kinda nice, Jeremy.

We were going out tonight. It was pretty soon, less than a day of talking, but I needed to move quickly. Which is why I’d invited him for a late drink at the bar. At least that way if he was a dud then we wouldn’t have the whole evening to kill.

I put on my denim dress that had buttons all the way down the middle, and I curled the ends of my hair. I went for the natural look with my makeup and decided my cowgirl boots would be good enough, once I brushed off some of the mud and shit.

The fact that I was driving to the bar said it all. I wasn’t planning on drinking more than one and although I’d made some effort with my appearance, I hadn’t pulled out all the stops and there wasn’t a single flutter of excited butterflies in my belly.

Parking up outside the bar, I checked my teeth in the rearview mirror and sighed. “You’ll hit it off and those butterflies will come,” I tried to tell myself as I fluffed my hair one more time before going inside.

It was another busy Friday night at the bar, packed with locals and Leo was in the corner again entertaining the buckle bunnies. I waved at him when I entered and his eyes turned hopeful as he mouthedsave me. I shook my head laughing. He was a big boy, and he knew whathe was doing.

I took a seat at the bar, glancing around for Jeremy but he wasn’t here yet. I leaned across the bar, looking for Max, eager for another free drink after the shenanigans from last week. I could see a dark head bobbing around beneath the bar.

“Hey, loser,” I said, ruffling the hair of the bobbing head. “What’s it take to get service around here?”Damn, what conditioner is he using, so soft.

My breath snagged in my throat when the head turned into a full body. The body I’d not been able to stop drooling over all week. My cheeks flamed when I realized I’d been tousling Jack’s soft, soft hair.

“Oh uh…” I trailed off, not knowing what to say. “You’re not Max.”

He grinned at me. “I’m not, although that felt nice, feel free to do it again.” My heart pounded and he visibly cringed. “I’m sorry, that was out of line.”

We just stared at each other, not saying anything and the awkward tension mounted with each moment. He scrubbed the back of his neck, his sleeve riding up his bicep and my eyes glued to the muscle flexing there.

“Katrina?”

I turned towards the voice, broken out of my stupor and found a vaguely familiar-looking man standing there. I stared at him for a moment before I remembered I was here to meet him.

“It’s Katarina. Hi Jeremy,” I said, holding out a hand to shake as he went in for a cheek kiss. “Oh uh…”Is that all you’re capable of saying tonight?

“Pleased to meet you, Katarina,” he said, his voice soft.

“Call me Kat,” I said, assessing him. I wouldn’t say I’d been catfished, but Jeremy was not five ten. I’mfive ten and he wasn’t quite coming up to my shoulder. His blonde hair was cropped short and he was wearing a smart business suit. He gave me a smile which had a much creepier feel to it than it had in his pictures.

“What would you like to drink, Kat?” he said. “My treat.”

I’m all for paying my way, I don’t expect men to pay for anything. But the way he saidmy treatwas patronizing as hell. “Thanks Jer, can I get a gin and tonic?”

“It’s Jeremy,” he replied with that icky smile.

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