Chapter Twenty-One
Kaylee
Kaylee walked into the living room and found Rick perched on the edge of the couch, talking to Josie and Will Rappaport.
Will was the only man allowed to attend the book club.
He was the music teacher at the middle school and best friends with Marianne.
They’d gone to school together, and his husband worked at the courthouse as a guard.
Kaylee walked over to the couch, squeezing in on the other side of Josie, as far away from Rick as she could get. Marianne called the meeting to order in a cheerful, loud voice.
“Hello, everyone, and welcome to another book club. I know we’re all excited to share our books, but I wanted to introduce Kaylee’s special friend, Rick, who is joining us today. Now, I know that usually we say no husbands or boyfriends, but since he’s visiting, we’re making an exception.”
“Plus, he’s pretty to look at,” Margie Hamilton heckled from across the room, and the other women laughed, voicing their enthusiastic agreement, and Kaylee beat back the urge to stand and block him from their appreciative stares.
Rick smiled, a dazzling flash of white teeth. “Thank you, ladies. I appreciate the compliment.”
Kaylee had to force herself not to roll her eyes. Their adoration was not lessening his cocksurety.
“Now, I’ll go first on what I read this week, which is Seduced by Santa by Mina Carter. I absolutely love this short and sexy book, and I connected with the main character so much because I have a lot of Christmas cheer, and I love spreading it around.”
Kaylee didn’t say anything about the fact that Marianne also had a lot of money, so the fact that her house had state-of-the-art lights that changed color for every holiday throughout the year, multiple displays, and always won the decoration contest in town was because she could afford it.
Not that she didn’t like Marianne, but money gave people options others didn’t have.
“Kaylee,” Marianne called out, pulling her from her thoughts. “What did you read?”
Oh no, she didn’t wanna do this. Not with Rick sitting two people away from her. “You know, can I pass this week? I loved my book, but I’m sure there are other people who want to share.”
“This is a safe space, Kaylee. There’s no judgment in this room.”
Kaylee couldn’t look at Rick because she could feel the judgment in the room coming from him.
She reached into her bag and pulled out the book she had purchased.
She held it up with the title out, so everyone could see the woman surrounded by three men in Santa hats.
“I read Sitting on Santa’s Lap by C. L. Leighton.
” There were a few giggles around the room, but she ignored them, rushing on.
“It is a why choose romance involving Santa and his elves that was funny, silly, and had some steamy bits that pulled me out of a funk, and I really enjoyed it.”
“What’s a why choose?” Rick asked.
Of course he would ask this question.
One of the other women piped in and said, “It’s when one female has sex with multiple partners, and they live a polyamorous life together.”
“Oh, I see,” he said, and when Kaylee saw the flare of interest in his dark eyes, she wanted to throttle him.
She had to bite her tongue to keep from snapping that he saw nothing.
That it was a guilty pleasure, and that she did not want half a dozen dicks in every orifice of her body. It was just a fun read.
“Right, who’s next?” Marianne asked.
Josie leaned over and whispered in her ear, “What is going on with you two?”
“Nothing, why?”
“Because he looks like he wants you to be sitting on his lap so he can play Santa right now.”
Kaylee hit Josie with her book and spent the rest of the hour staring at everyone else in the room except for the man whose gaze she could feel burning a hole in the side of her skull.
When Rick suddenly raised his hand, Marianne said, “Yes, Rick?”
“So I know that I didn’t get to join in on the fun this week, but what’s your theme going to be for next week?”
“Stuck in the snow,” she said. “You pick a book where someone is snowed in, either stranded in the snow or stuck in one place because of the weather, creating a high-stakes situation.”
“Does it have to be romance?” he asked.
“No, it doesn’t.”
“All right, would y’all mind if I crash next week’s book club?”
“Oh, are you staying that long?” Marianne asked.
No, please, God, no.
“I am thinking I’m gonna stay at least through New Year’s.”
Kaylee clenched her fists. Screw not making a scene. She was going to have Paulette physically remove his ass from her place, and damn the videos and the gossip. Having him share her space for a month?
She’d either kiss or kill him.
Horror ripped through her when that thought sank in. As annoying and persistent as he’d been, she wanted him. She’d been in survival mode for so long that the thought of getting involved with anyone hadn’t even crossed her mind.
Not that anything could happen. He had a job to do, and he was determined to see it through to completion. Rick wouldn’t let something like lust distract him.
“Well, we’d love to have you at our next book club,” Marianne said, her smile edging on flirtatious, and Kaylee’s eyes narrowed. “I can’t wait to see what you pick.”
Kaylee almost gagged. What a Pick Me.
“Hold on,” Patty Franklin protested. “You said no husbands or boyfriends, to give us a break. Why is he getting an exception?” Patty nodded toward Kaylee. “No offense, Kaylee.”
“None taken,” she said.
Marianne turned, and her icy blue gaze lasered in on Patty, although her smile was saccharin sweet.
“I made that rule to protect us from judgmental people. I also banned Abigail and Tory when they mocked the monster romance you picked last Halloween. Would you like me to invite them back? Or ask your husband to join us?”
The entire room was quiet, and Kaylee almost giggled imagining the look on Reverend Franklin’s face when his wife started talking about tentacle play.
Patty’s lips thinned. “No.”
“Well, then. Thank you all for coming!”
Kaylee was the first one to grab her coat and bag from the side room.
She headed for the door, but Rick took his time, saying goodbye to everyone, including Marianne, who gushed over him.
Kaylee didn’t wait for Rick to finish his conversation and left the house, silently cursing him for being so charming and for every woman in the room for falling for a pretty face.
She shrugged into her coat, juggling her tote as she put one arm in first and then the other, still scowling when Josie caught up with her and linked her arm through hers. “Why are you so bent out of shape?”
“Everyone thinks he’s a great guy,” Kaylee grumbled, her pace quickening. “But he’s only here because he wants something from me.”
“What does he want from you?” Josie asked, hurrying to keep up with her.
Kaylee kept stomping, her exhales puffing out of her in short bursts. “He wants me to risk my life, and he doesn’t even care.”
Josie grabbed her by the arm, stopping her. “What are you talking about?”
Ice replaced the blood in her veins as she realized what she’d said.
Josie watched her with big, confused eyes, and God, Kaylee wanted to tell her everything, to word vomit all the horror and terror and angst, but telling her best friend on the sidewalk all her darkest secrets was the worst idea on the face of the planet.
Kaylee opened her mouth to explain, but she heard footsteps rushing toward them. She jerked her head and saw Rick catching up over her shoulder, the urge to spill her guts curbed by the overwhelming need to get away from him.
“It’s nothing.”
“Kaylee, I know there is something more going on. Reading people’s body language and emotional shifts is my job. I’ve been patient, but I’m getting tired of being in the dark.”
Kaylee stiffened. “I’m not keeping you in the dark!”
“See, you’re lying. You went on the defensive, holding your body away from me. Why can’t you trust me?” Josie asked, her green eyes swimming with hurt.
“I trust you.”
“Come on, you’ve been hiding things from me since we met, and I figured you’d tell me when you were ready. Now this guy is here, and he’s making you on edge.”
Rick finally caught up to them, slowing down his approach. He must have picked up on the tension, because his gaze shifted from Josie to Kaylee before he asked, “Everything okay?”
“No, can you please give us some privacy?” Kaylee snarled.
Her temper didn’t seem to faze him. “I can step a few feet away, if you like.”
“Farther,” she ground out.
“No, I’m not heading back to the house without you, since I’m a guest.”
She had the catty urge to tell him to ask Marianne if he could sleep on her couch since she thought he was so great.
Maybe Mayor Crutch would be into it, but Rick might take it as Kaylee actually caring whether he stayed or went, and that she wanted him to go.
He was confusing and frustrating, making everything complicated.
“Can I ask you a question?” Josie’s prodding brought her out of her dark thoughts.
“What?” Kaylee muttered, harsher than she’d meant to. God, was this jealousy? Was that why the blood was thundering in her ears, making her body burn, and why her stomach was twisting painfully, making her nauseous?
“Is Rick here because you committed a crime?”
Kaylee’s blood ran cold. “What?”
“Oh boy,” Rick said, and a quick scowl in his direction showed her he was enjoying himself. The prick!
“Your squirrely behavior and his not-so-subtle digs … I figured that thing he helped you out with in college might have been something illegal? Maybe you can’t be charged for it anymore, so now he’s just here tormenting you.
” Josie suddenly whirled on Rick. “Is that what you’re doing?
Are you here blackmailing her or something? ”
Rick cocked an eyebrow, giving Kaylee a baleful look. “You want me to answer her?”
“No,” she whispered, shaking her head.
“Then tell me what is going on,” Josie demanded, eyes gleaming, but a flash of Elasia falling to her side, lifeless, shook Kaylee to her core.
Especially when she imagined Josie in her place.
“No, no, no.” Kaylee backed away from both of them even as Rick reached for her, his face a mix of regret and concern. She couldn’t take his pity or Josie’s questions.
She needed to escape.
“Kaylee,” Josie called after her, but Kaylee took off at a run.
She heard the rapid fall of footsteps behind her, but Rick never caught up with her; he just seemed to keep pace with her about ten feet back until she got to her front door.
She was sucking in air at a painful rate.
Sweat was dripping down her temples despite the chill in the air, and she realized her vision was clouded with tears.
Kaylee opened the door and slammed it behind her, hanging her jacket and tote up on the hook. Rick came through as she made a beeline for the bedroom, but Rick caught her arm before she took too many steps.
“What’s wrong with you?” he asked.
She jerked out of his grasp, her fists clenching and unclenching with the desire to hit something, anything. Finally, she slapped the wall with her hand, the sting burning her palm, but she didn’t care.
“You! You have everyone thinking you’re this charming, amazing guy, and I’m sick of it. First, you come into town, and Paulette thinks you’re so great—”
“Actually,” he started, but she shushed him.
“I’m not done! Then you come to my book club, and Marianne is drooling over you, and all the women there are hanging on your every word except my best friend, who is suddenly asking if I’m lying to her, and I knew this would happen when you came here!”
“I’m surprised you haven’t told her.”
“Of course I haven’t told her! How could I— How do I explain …” Kaylee trembled, barely holding back tears. “It doesn’t matter. I don’t wanna talk about it anymore.” She leaned her forehead against the wall. “I just wanna be alone.”
Rick stepped closer, a hand brushing her shoulder. “Kaylee, you’ve been alone enough. I mean, you’re hiding in this town away from your family, and nobody even knows who you really are.”
She pushed off the wall and dashed at the angry tears in her eyes. “I don’t need another lecture.”
“I’m not lecturing you. I’m trying to make you understand that you are so much better than what you’re doing.”
“And you messing with my head makes you a good person?” Kaylee stepped into him, her chest brushing against his front, and despite the rage coursing through her body, her nipples pebbled against the hard wall of his chest. “You come in here, and you flirt with me, and you invade my space, and you make me feel guilty, and I am done with it. You should be professional and get a hotel, and stop asking me personal questions.”
“What personal questions?”
Her finger came up, poking his chest. “And don’t hold my hand!”
Rick grabbed the hand stabbing his chest. “You’re right, I should be professional, but when it comes to you, I can’t help myself.”
“What does that even mean?” she asked, her heart thundering in her chest.
He didn’t answer, but stepped into her, cupping her face and slowly lowering his mouth to hers.
Heat scorched her lips, the fire rushing through her veins all the way to her core.
Her breasts were crushed against his chest as she opened her mouth, letting him invade it with his tongue, deepening the kiss.
She gripped his shoulders, moaning. Kaylee couldn’t remember the last time she kissed anyone, let alone with enough heat to incinerate.
Rick pushed into her, their bodies plastered together, his finger sliding back into her hair, holding her in place.
Suddenly, he jerked away, sucking in air and staring at her with those dark eyes.
“When it comes to you, Kaylee, I’m not the good guy, because a good guy would be able to keep his hands off you.”