Page 80 of Things Good Girls Don't Do (Rock Canyon, Idaho 1)

He pulled into his driveway and turned off the car, flopping his head back as he tried to think. Maybe he’d make Katie a list of his good and bad qualities. She had asked about those when they first met.

Sitting up again, he opened the Blazer door and hopped out. He walked toward the house, trying to think of some other ideas. As he climbed the porch, he thought about a list of reasons he fell in love with her. That was romantic.

Come on, man, get creative. You can do better.

Two hours later, the idea came to him. And it was perfect.

KATIE GOT OUT of her car on Monday morning and walked toward the salon door. Opening it with a smile, she called, “Kitty, for the record, I usually don’t like to take clients this . . . early.” She stared at the flower arrangements set up around her station, various colors and shapes exploding from vases and pots. They could have opened a florist shop, there were so many bouquets. “Kitty!”

Kitty peeked her head out from the supply closet. “Yeah, boss?”

“Where did all of these flowers come from?”

Kitty shrugged. “I’m sure there’s a card somewhere. Delivery guy brought them by twenty minutes ago.”

Flabbergasted, Katie walked over to the first vase of beautiful yellow roses mixed with sprigs of small flowers and greens, and started the search. It wasn’t until she made it to the brightly painted vase of gerbera daisies that she found a small card. She opened it impatiently and read:

One. I have never given a woman flowers. Ever.

Tears filled her eyes as she looked around at the flowery apology. As far as lists went, it was a very good start.

Chapter Seventeen

* * *

FOR THE NEXT week, Katie was surprised with another item checked off Chase’s list every day. On Tuesday morning she found a CD on her windshield that read “Katie’s Mix.” She’d put it into the CD player of her car and smiled as The Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two” came on first. It was the song they’d first danced to at Buck’s, and she was beyond giddy that he’d remembered.

The rest of the CD had been a mix of country and pop, all songs she had mentioned. Except for two of them: “T.N.T” by AC/DC was one of Chase’s favorites, and The Backstreet Boys’s “If You Want to Be a Good Girl (Get Yourself a Bad Boy),” which had her laughing hysterically. Josh Turner’s “Firecracker” was the last song and was a favorite of hers, not just because she loved his voice but because it featured Chase’s nickname for her. She used to think it was silly, but now . . .

She had missed hearing him say it.

The note attached to the CD read: “Two. I’ve never made a mix CD for a girl. A classic romantic gesture, right?” Funny, she’d watched Pretty in Pink a thousand times and never fantasized about someone making her a mix tape.

On Wednesday he’d shown up at the salon with takeout from Jensen’s Diner and asked her to have lunch with him. Bacon burgers in hand, they had headed over to the park, and Chase had pulled out a blanket and a cooler. After the blanket had been spread and their burgers consumed, Chase handed her a small card and grabbed the ice chest. She read the card, which had a simple pink rose on the front, and smiled. Three. I have never fed a woman chocolate-covered strawberries.

Chocolate-covered strawberries were her favorite dessert. She’d almost grabbed the ice chest from him as he slowly lifted the lid and pulled out a plate of perfectly dipped, red strawberries. He’d held one out for her and when she tried to take it, he’d shaken his head.

“Ah, ah, ah, it doesn’t count if I don’t feed them to you,” he’d said teasingly.

“What if I don’t like to be fed?” she said.

He started to put the strawberries away and she’d almost cried. “Fine! Okay, you can feed them to me.”

“Close your eyes.” His tone was soft and sinfully sexy. Katie did what he’d asked and felt something hard and cool against her lips. “Open your mouth.”

She did, and the strawberry slid into her mouth. She bit into the sweet, juicy fruit and moaned. She protested when he pulled it back, but seconds later his warm mouth replaced the strawberry, his tongue sweeping inside. The kiss had taken her breath and made her heart thump, but before she could decide whether she wanted the kiss to continue or not, he was gone.

Opening her eyes to find his dark gray ones searching her face, as if looking for something, had been frustrating. She’d waited for him to try again, wanted him to just do it, not ask her if it was okay. Because if he asked, then she would have to think about it, and what he had done. Katie leaned forward, giving him permission, but he had just held the half-eaten strawberry out to her and grabbed one for himself. He’d started talking about how good they were, and said that when he’d seen the chocolate at Hall’s Market, he knew she would love them.

She had finished off a half a plate of strawberries before she realized he’d done it on purpose. He’d teased her into a confused, wanting state, and unless she made a move, he would just sit back and blabber about whatever. Well, she wasn’t going to be manipulated, and he was just going to have to try a little harder.

Her resolve not to be so easily seduced was almost forgotten on Thursday when he’d stood outside her house with the Rock Canyon High School Glee Club and band and sang “Hard To Say I’m Sorry” by Chicago. If she hadn’t been standing in her monkey-see-monkey-do pajamas and the neighbors hadn’t started screaming, it would have been the most romantic moment of her life. As it was, her neighbor, Mr. Jefferies, had fired a warning shot in the air that sent the kids running.

Chase had merely ambled up to the porch with a smile. “Nice pajamas.”

“Katie Connors, what’s the meaning of all that racket in the middle of the night? I ought to call the chief!” Mr. Jefferies yelled.

“I apologize, it won’t happen again,” she said.

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