12. Chapter 12
Chapter 12
Kora
P ercy and Jackson skipped and bounded along, filled with boundless energy as they frolicked in the pasture. They were excited to have me with them, their bleats of adoration echoing off the trees and openness of the pasture. I totally understood how they were feeling. If I were a goat, I’d be expressing myself the same way.
I also had boundless energy and felt I could face any challenge and win, which was a good thing because at the top of my to-do list this morning was finding a way to keep Baby Goat from roaming free. Luckily, right now he was off on his own but keeping me in his sights. He wasn’t as interested in breaking free if there was someone to bother close by.
It was a perfect day to enjoy being outside, so I be-bopped my way out to the cherry tree with the goats. “Yes, I’m going to feed you some yummy cherry tree leaves, then clean your house and bowls and find a way to lock you in, you escape artist.” I scratched Baby Goat’s head as he munched away on the delectable treats. Life really was good, and after last night, it had improved more than a bowl of vanilla ice cream with hot fudge and whipped topping.
I was laying down fresh straw in the goat house when the sound of gravel crunching under a tire caught the goats’ attention and became more interesting than my job of cleaning their house.
I peeked out the door and a lump of disappointment lodged in my chest at the sight of Darlene’s Rogue. Could I really have been hoping it was Kai? I just left him a few hours ago. “Damn, girl. Get a hold of yourself. It was one night, and you’ve only known him a week."
Darlene helped James out of the back of the car, and I could hear his little voice over the excited bleating of Percy, Jackson, and Baby Goat. They all knew that James meant they were going to have someone to run with and chase out in the pasture. Darlene’s presence meant she wanted information about what she’d witnessed this morning.
I placed the rake back on the hook and wiped my hands on the butt of my jeans and walked out to join Darlene and James. Guess I’ll get the inquisition over with.
Darlene opened the gate, and James came running in. “Kora!” He ran as fast as his little legs could take him, and the goats ran and hopped beside him.
His laughter warmed my heart, and a smile spread across my face. I caught him in midair as he leaped into my arms. “Hey there, JJ.” I hugged him closely and spun him in a circle. “What brings you by?” I asked him.
“I need to see the goats.” He wiggled out of my arms and ran off across the pasture with Percy and Jackson on his heels.
“Well, it’s good to see someone so happy this morning,” Darlene said as she wrapped me in a hug.
“It is. He loves those goats, and they’re excited to have someone to run with. They were getting irritated with me.”
Darlene shook her head and smirked. “I wasn’t talking about James. He’s four and almost always happy.” She wrapped her arm around my shoulder, and we walked off toward the cherry tree where Percy and Jackson were once again busy trying to stretch for the branches that were just out of reach, and James jumped up to catch the lowest branch which was just out of his reach. “I was talking about you and the glow you’re wearing.”
I held back an eye roll. Darlene would jump on that and say it’s a dead giveaway. I had to find another way to convince her that nothing amazing happened last night. Time to see if I could make it in Hollywood. “It’s not a glow. It’s called perspiration . I’ve been out here working for a while, taking advantage of the nice weather between rainy days. My goats were feeling neglected.”
Darlene nudged me.
I struggled to keep my attention on the goats and ignore her inquisition but realized rather quickly that I would not make it in Hollywood.
“I don’t believe you. That glow isn’t from perspiration, at least not from the hard work from this morning. Maybe after the long night you had and from trying to sneak out of Shear Perfection at the crack of dawn.”
“Seriously?” I stopped walking. Of course Darlene had already heard. “Who told you?”
“Oh, come on. Who do you think? My mother-in-law, a.k.a. your aunt, paid us a visit just a little while ago with her entourage and told Bryson and me that they caught you sneaking out the back door of the salon at eight this morning, which would explain why Kai dropped you off so early to get your car.”
Again, I wished, though briefly, that I would have moved to a big city years ago. No one would care if a grown woman left a man’s apartment at eight in the morning if they lived in a building surrounded by hundreds of other apartments. “That damn book club gossip channel really needs to get a life.”
Darlene laughed. “Oh, please, they do. Their life revolves around the crazy things their families do, and since Bryson and I are a boring married couple with a child, Jamison is a single dad and never dates, and Rowan’s not around, you and Kai are now the number one topic of conversation.” Darlene stepped away and walked toward the tree. “So, did you have fun?”
“With what?” I pulled a branch down so the goats, standing on their hind legs, could stretch up and reach the leaves.
“Getting your hair colored.” Darlene swatted at me. “What do you think?”
Percy leaned against my leg, and I petted the side of his neck. “James, why don’t you pet them now. They’re too busy eating to head butt you.”
James clapped his hands quietly and stood next to me and petted Percy.
“You’re ignoring me,” Darlene observed.
“No kidding.” I wished the ground would open and swallow me up. I really didn’t want to discuss this. Out of everything I needed to do, this was not on the top of my to-do list. “Ok goats. That’s enough.” I let go of the branch, and it snapped up out of Percy and Jackson’s reach. They got down and wandered off to find something else to occupy them, and James followed.
“God, Kora.” Darlene said as she followed James and me. But she wouldn’t let up. “You’re pretty and independent, with a lot to offer, and he’s a hot man. You’re attracted to each other. We can all see that. It’s so obvious. The heat between the two of you could melt all the glaciers in the northern hemisphere. Hell, even Trevor had a hard time keeping his eyes off you and was shooting daggers at Kai all night long.”
I snapped my attention toward Darlene. “You need to stop. Trevor and I were over a long time ago.”
“Wrong. You were over. He’s been pining after you ever since you broke things off with him years ago. When you and Kai danced last night, Trevor was collecting glasses, and if looks could kill, you wouldn’t have had that amazing night with Kai. It’s so obvious you’re both into each other.”
I rolled my eyes.
Darlene elbowed me. “Don’t roll those eyes. Just say what you think. You do that eye rolling crap too much.”
“Fine.” I opened the gate. Darlene called for James, but he was still busy with the goats, so we leaned on the fence to watch. “Yes, we had an amazing night, and the gossip chain was there bright and early this morning. We tried to get me out before they saw but failed miserably.” I blew out a breath and glanced sideways at Darlene, who had a shit-eating grin on her face. I elbowed her. “Take that grin off your face. It’s not a big deal.”
“And that’s why we watched you kiss goodbye in his truck.”
“Just saying bye. It’s what you do after a date.”
“That lasted all night and gave you a couple orgasms I hope.” Her eyes went up with anticipation.
I tipped my head back and forth, and my face lit up like Nashville on the Fourth of July. I couldn’t help it. Thinking of Kai and our night together made me feel things I hadn’t felt in a long time, and I liked it. A lot.
Darlene let out a squeal. “I knew it!” She wrapped me in a death squeeze. “You deserve a good night of fun and amazing sex with a super-hot guy. I’m so happy for you.” She rocked us back and forth, then stopped abruptly and held my arms in a death grip. “It was fun and amazing sex, right?” Darlene’s eyes were wide with concern.
I laughed. How could I not? Her eyes were wide with shock and fear like the world would end if I told her anything but what she expected to hear. Thankfully, I didn’t have to disappoint her. “Yeah, you could say we had fun. But the sex wasn’t amazing.”
Her eyes bulged wide, and her mouth dropped. “You can’t be serious.”
“Sorry, I am.” I waited until I thought she might keel over. “It wasn’t amazing. It was fucking life changing, emotionally fulfilling, hot, and dirty.” I stopped and shrugged. “I can’t think of any other adjectives that are fitting.”
Darlene’s squeal got the attention of the goats. “Thank God. You deserve it.” The goats bleated in return.
“Gee, thanks, Mom . But you’re not wrong. I do.” His naked body flashed in my mind; my mouth watered and my insides tingled.
“I can’t wait to see you together tonight. How exciting.”
“It’s not like that. Last night was a one-night thing.” We didn’t discuss anything more. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. What if he thought it was just a one-night thing?
“Right. We’ll see.” She turned her attention to her son. “Come on, James. Time to go.”
“Yeah, we will. I’ll see you around five thirty. We can eat before the competition starts at six.” I hugged them both.
“Yep. Sounds good.” Darlene answered as she helped James into his car seat.
I waved as Darlene pulled away, then walked toward the house. Crystal eyes popped into my mind and my stomach rolled. I hoped I would be able to play it cool tonight. I didn’t want to seem like that woman who, just because she had amazing sex with a hot guy, has to stick on him like Velcro.
Nope, that’s not me. Last night wasn’t the first time I had a one-night stand, and they weren’t a big deal. This one wasn’t a big deal either.
My stomach rolled again, then flipped like it was going downhill on a roller coaster. I froze and stared down the driveway but was focused on nothing.
What if he thought that’s all it had been—a one-night stand? What if he acted like what happened last night wasn’t a big deal?
What if he thought it was just sex?
I wiped my hands on my jeans, and my chest tightened. Dammit.
I blinked quickly to keep the tears at bay. I don’t want last night to be just a one-night stand. I like Kai. I watched clouds float by. Where did these feelings even come from? How did he go from irritating the hell out of me to rocking my world?
Hell—I didn’t even know his last name.
Well, there’s one goal for tonight.