Katie heard his coolness and knew something was wrong by the look on his face, but couldn’t really recall what she had said to upset him. She set the whiskey bottle on the counter and the room was a bit hazy around the edges.
Lightweight.
Had it been the thing with Mrs. Andrews? Why would a guy like Chase care what some small-minded woman thought? Still, if that was it, she didn’t want him feeling bad, especially since she shouldn’t have said it in the first place.
“Look, I’m really sorry for what I said. I shouldn’t have repeated that conversation,” she said.
He picked up the tray and his eyes were glacial. With a tone just as cool, he said, “It’s nothing I haven’t heard before.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and said quietly, “Those were her words, not mine. I don’t a
gree with her.”
He gave her a little half smile. “I appreciate that. Not all people share your high opinion of me.”
The whole conversation was awkward and uncomfortable, and she wanted out of it. “How much do I owe you?”
“Don’t worry about it,” he said, turning his back to her as he went into the back.
She stood there for a minute, not knowing what to do or say to make things better, before pulling out several bills from her purse and leaving them on the counter. She felt awful about hurting his feelings, but she had drunk too much whiskey too fast and wasn’t in control of any of her finer brain functions. Even if she could figure out the right thing to say, she couldn’t stop the irrational urge to giggle, and somehow she didn’t think that would make her apology sound very sincere. Better to wait until tomorrow, when she had all her wits about her.
Katie pulled her pants back up, but when she tried to button them, they dug into her back, making her suck in a sharp breath of pain. So with halfway-zipped pants and a little wobble in her step, she walked out the door and pulled out her cell phone. The warm summer air hit her face but did nothing to sober her. She dialed Steph and cursed when it went straight to voice mail.
There was no way she was driving, even if it was just around the corner. Katie passed by her 4Runner and kept walking down the side streets toward home, her thoughts lingering on Chase. He was weird; there, she said it. One minute he was sticking his nose into her business, then showing up to apologize and two minutes after that he was offering to help her complete her list. It was frustrating to admit when they went at it verbally, he was quick-witted and kind of funny. He acted tough, nonchalant, and carefree, but one negative comment from someone he didn’t even know had shut him down. He was like a big, hot slice of cake with all kinds of yummy layers to savor.
Picturing that cake, she realized she’d forgotten to go grocery shopping. Crap. That would teach her to let Chase Trepasso distract her. It wouldn’t happen again, no matter how good a kisser he was.
Chapter Three
* * *
CHASE HADN’T MEANT to take his frustration out on Katie, but it was the same thing everywhere he went. People too high up on their fucking horses thought that tattoo artists were lower than dirt, and it pissed him off.
He came out from the back of the shop and started, “Look, I . . .” but Katie was gone and there was a wad of crumpled cash on the counter. Cursing, he shoved the bills into his wallet and went to turn off the lights. She was in no condition to drive, and if one of the hard-ass Barney Fifes in blue decided to pull her over, she’d be screwed.
Admiring his motorcycle’s beauty in the evening sun, he swung his leg over to sit astride the powerful vehicle. He had a Chevy Blazer he drove when the roads were bad or he needed to haul something, but the chopper was his pride and joy. He saw Katie’s SUV still parked on the side of the street and started the chopper up. He flipped the motorcycle around and was surprised to see her up the street, walking unsteadily.
“Let me give you a ride,” he yelled as he pulled up alongside her.
Stopping and turning to face him, she asked, “I thought you were mad at me?”
He was surprised she’d even picked up on his irritation. “No, I’m not mad.”
“Really? ’Cause you seemed like you were teed off . . .”
“I’m not mad,” he snapped, and, at her hurt look, took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. Just come on. I don’t like you walking home by yourself.”
“It’s still light out, and really, it’s not far,” she said, and she was right. It was past nine, but the sun hadn’t fully set yet. He had a feeling though, that wasn’t what was stopping her.
“God, will you stop being so stubborn and get on the damn chopper?” He pulled in front of her and cut the engine. “Look, just let me take you home. It will make me feel better.” She seemed to be weighing the dangers as he reached out to grab her hand. “Trust me.”
Why that worked Chase didn’t know, but she took a deep breath and climbed on behind him. He liked the way her arms wrapped around his waist and the feel of her breasts pressed against his back. Patting her hands comfortingly, he said, “Hang on.”
Starting the chopper back up, Chase headed down the street, following Katie’s directions as she shouted them. When he pulled in front of her house and parked in the drive, she released her death grip on his waist and scrambled off. He rubbed his ribs where her fingers had dug in and couldn’t help grinning at her as she tried to shake off her obvious terror.
“First time on a motorcycle?” he asked.
The little smile she gave him was just a small lift of her lips, but he thought it was sexy as hell. “Yeah, sorry, I just can’t seem to help it. It just doesn’t feel right to have nothing between me and everything else. How do you keep from getting bugs in your teeth?”