Page 83 of Things Good Girls Don't Do (Rock Canyon, Idaho 1)

“Okay, see you soon,” Katie said cheerfully.

Chase heard a guy’s voice say something that made Katie giggle. Jealousy shot through him like a lightning bolt. He didn’t want anyone else making Katie do that cute little snort laugh. Hanging up the call, he got on his motorcycle and headed to the bar.

Seven minutes later he walked into Buck’s and almost exploded.

Katie was up on the bar, wearing a short jean skirt, cowboy boots, and a brown tank top that had a lace-up front. She was dancing to Miranda Lambert’s “Mama’s Broken Heart,” and a group of guys stood beneath her, enjoying the show.

Chase marched over to Eric and shouted, “Couldn’t you have stopped her?”

Eric passed beers off to a couple of guys next to Chase and said, “No, she told me to fuck off.”

Chase blinked. “Katie told you to fuck off? Katie doesn’t say fuck, ever. And why did that stop you from hauling her down and sending her home?”

Shrugging, Eric said, “You’re here now. You can do the hauling.”

“Who did she come with?” Chase asked.

“The bachelorette party,” Eric said.

“What bachelorette party?”

Eric pointed to the back of the room where Ryan Ashton stood, wearing a huge white veil with neon condoms on it. She caught sight of him and waved. One by one, the group of ladies turned to look at him, giving him mixed looks of disapproval and resentment. Chase caught Steph’s eye and pointed toward Katie. She threw up her hands as if to say “Oh well.”

What the hell was wrong with everyone?

Deciding it was up to him to get her down from there, Chase walked purposefully to the edge of the crowd surrounding Katie and pushed his way to the front. He looked up at his firecracker as she did a little turn and dip, almost knocking out a couple of “whooping Toms.”

He reached up and said, “Come on, Katie, let me take you home.” His suggestion was met with boos and hisses from the men around them.

Chase ignored them, his eyes glued on his girl, who had stopped dancing and was smiling at him.

“Chase! I’m just checking flirting and drinking too much off my list. Who knew dancing on the bar would be so easy? I was sure I would have fallen off by now.”

Chase held his hands up again. “Well, now you have, so why don’t you come down?”

KATIE REACHED DOWN and put her hands on his shoulders as he swung her to the floor, feeling giddy as he frowned at her. She’d watched him from the minute he walked in, and by the look on his face he was furious. Gracie had said she needed to make him jealous, and she was pretty sure she’d succeeded.

“Whooo. That was fun,” she said, leaning against him purposefully, pushing her breasts against his chest.

His eyes flickered down to where their chests met and she almost grinned at the strained look on his face. It was nice to see Mr. Cool’s iron-clad control slipping.

“We need to talk,” he practically growled at her.

“Mmm, can it wait until tomorrow? I’m suddenly really tired,” she said, pretending to yawn.

“Why don’t I drive you? We can talk on the way,” he said.

“I think we’ve done a lot of talking this week. I feel kind of talked out,” Katie said, trying to move out of his arms.

Releasing her, he threw his hands up and shouted, “I don’t understand what you want from me! All week I’ve tried to make it up to you, tried to earn your trust again, and you come out here, trying to complete your list. Can’t you see I am trying to show you how I feel? I thought we were finally getting back to where we were, but if you aren’t going to take me seriously, then why did you even ask me to make that list? Are you trying to make me crazy?”

He turned away from her and started for the door.

This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. He was supposed to be so overcome with jealousy, he would tell her he loved her and haul her off to his place for incredible makeup sex.

Before he hit the door, she yelled, “I loved everything you did, but enough is enough!” He stopped and she continued, “I’ve waited thirty years to find you, and I don’t want to waste another minute! You’re my soul mate, the one guy who was meant for me, and I’m done playing games.” Finally he faced her again and, sucking in one last breath, she asked, “So do you have anything else on that list, or can we get out of here and really start making up?”

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