Page 65 of Things Good Girls Don't Do (Rock Canyon, Idaho 1)

“I just wanted to warn you,” she said, examining her nails like she hadn’t just been threatening him. “Don’t want you to be surprised when you’re drugged and left in a pool of your own blood.”

Chase stared at the pretty brunette’s pink mouth, unable to comprehend the ugliness spilling out of it. “Has anyone ever told you that you are one scary chick?”

She tossed her hair and said, “Only people who piss me off.”

“Understood. I will not piss you off.”

He followed her inside at a safe distance. When Katie came over, she asked, “Are you okay? You look a little green?”

“Yeah I’m good, just . . . can you walk on the side closest to Steph?” He moved her to his left.

“Yeah, but why?” Her brow furrowed.

He shook his head and said, “Oh, just a precaution.”

KATIE COULDN’T STOP giggling. “She really told you she was going to feed your penis to alligators?”

She laughed harder when he said, “I don’t know why you’re laughing about this. It was terrifying. I didn’t think I was going to make it off the porch alive.”

Rolling onto her back, she held her bare stomach as she tried to control her mirth. They’d gone back to his house and made love playfully, nipping and touching until they had sunk into each other. Afterward, they’d just been talking, and Chase had told her about Steph.

“Steph’s always been dramatic. She likes to talk big.”

“Yes, because I’d really hate for your best friend to put a hit out on my junk,” he said.

That sent her into more giggles. “I’m sorry, but you said junk . . .”

He chuckled. “Are you drunk?”

“No, I just get the giggles sometimes and I can’t stop.” Katie covered her face and tried to calm down, but it came out more like a snorting laugh, which only made it worse.

Chase went up on his elbow and looked down at her with a grin, “Now that is a sexy noise. You sound like a hyena/pig hybrid.”

Gasping between giggles, she hit his shoulder. “That is mean!”

“No, it’s definitely hot. In fact, I think all girls should laugh like that.” She tried to throw another light punch, but he caught her fist and kissed it. “Be nice. I have been through so much, between being threatened and hanging out with your friends.”

She scoffed. “Oh come on, they weren’t bad. You seemed like you were getting along with Jared pretty well.”

Leaning down, he kissed her shoulder and said, “Jared’s cool. They all are.”

“But . . .”

He kissed up her neck and tickled her skin with his scruff. “But nothing. I had a good time.”

She cupped his cheek, and he looked up at her so warmly, her heart skipped a beat. “Me too.”

Smiling, he crawled up and pulled her over until she cuddled against him. “You’re pretty awesome, Firecracker.”

I might be falling in love with you.

Probably not the right response to so casual a statement, so she just nuzzled against his side and whispered, “I think you’re pretty great too, Chase.”

His grip on her tightened, and they lay there quietly until she heard his breathing even out. Lazily, she drew little hearts on his stomach with the tip of her finger until she finally drifted off to sleep too.

KATIE HAD GONE to work as usual on Monday and Tuesday but had been surprised when most of her clients had canceled. Usually she was booked pretty solid, but apparently word had traveled around that Katie had kicked Mrs. Andrews off the fireworks committee. At least, that was what her son, Mitchell Andrews, had said when he’d called to cancel his appointment, though he was in dire need of a haircut. Once Mitch’s hair got to his ears, he started to look like Shaggy from Scooby-Doo.

“I’m sorry, Katie, but you really hurt Mama’s feelings, and I can’t have her mad at me. Maybe if you apologized . . .” Mitch said.

---