Page 16 of Things Good Girls Don't Do (Rock Canyon, Idaho 1)

“So, why didn’t you?”

She blushed. “The detective I worked under wanted me to read a statement to him, but every other word was a curse and my mom had always told me that ladies didn’t talk like that. So I was blanking and bleeping out all the bad words and when I finished, he took the paper from me. I thought he was going to yell at me, but he just read it to me, every effing word of it, then handed it back and said, ‘Now read it right or maybe you should rethink your career path.’ I finished up the semester and transferred to cosmetology. It was just a better fit for me.”

“Surprised you didn’t pick kindergarten teacher or nurse. Cosmetology is kind of a big jump, isn’t it?” he said.

“Not really. I wanted to be a cop to protect people, and help them. I’m just helping them in a different way by making them feel good about themselves. And the pay is way better,” she said with a smile.

“Fair enough,” he said. “So, your list is all about breaking a bunch of rules, right? Whose?”

Katie flushed. “My mom’s rules. She had certain ideas on what a lady did or said, but following the rules hasn’t exactly gotten me what I wanted.”

“What is it you want?” he asked.

Katie’s laugh was bitter, even to her ears. “What does any girl want? A big house with a wraparound porch and a few rocking chairs facing the best view. A couple of kids running around, making mischief, and a husband who loves me and wouldn’t hurt me for the world.” Sighing, she walked over to the box of pizza and asked, “Do you want any more?”

Chase just shook his head and she went to slip it into the fridge.

“If that’s your goal, then why the list? How are purple streaks and a one-night stand going to help you get those?” he asked.

“I have pretty much given up on finding the guy of my dreams. The list was just about living my life, and not playing it safe anymore,” she said.

“What are you, thirty? You’ve got plenty of time to get married and have kids,” he said.

“Not in a town like this. If you don’t find someone to marry in high school, or maybe even college, you have to move away ’cause Mr. Right’s not here,” she said.

“So why don’t you move?” he asked.

“Because this is my home. I love it here. My friends are here and honestly, I’ve accepted my lot in life,” she said.

“No you haven’t, and you shouldn’t. A girl like you is supposed to get married and you’ll have buckets of kids someday. Trust me,” he said.

“A girl like me?” she said, smiling.

“Yeah, you know. Pretty. Sweet. Likes kids. Helps old people across the street. Every man wants to marry a Girl Scout,” he said.

“You make me sound boring,” she said, losing her smile.

His face split into a grin. “Not trying to. I just mean most guys want to marry a girl who acts like a lady, but when the doors close . . .”

“I get your point,” she said quickly. “How do you know I’ll be like that? Behind closed doors, I mean.”

His voice went dark and smoky. “Just a feeling I get.”

She shivered at his suggestive tone and was nervous about disappointing him. It would have been better if he had just walked away, but deep down, she was glad he hadn’t.

She wanted him bad. She wanted to live and have fun and just be . . . wanted. And she could just tell that Chase wanted her. Simplistically, maybe, but he wanted her.

“Well, I hope I live up to you expectations,” she said softly. Clearing her throat, she added, “I think that’s it for boundaries on our arrangement. No PDA and no romance. I mean, it’s not like either one of us is looking for something serious, right?” Seeing him shake his head in agreement, she asked, “So should we do something to seal the deal?”

Moving closer, he reached up and trailed his fingers over her temple as he pushed some of her long bangs back behind her ears, making her knees turn to jelly. Just when she thought he was going to give her another heart-stopping kiss, he said, “Sure. What did you have in mind?”

“A handshake?” she said, holding her hand out between them.

His amusement reached up to those gorgeous eyes and she wanted to take it back. Why was she being such a dork?

“A bit formal considering what we’re talking about, but okay,” he said, taking her hand in his, squeezing it gently. “We have a deal.”

Disappointed that he still hadn’t tried for a kiss, she said, “Deal.”

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