Naturally Naughty - Leslie Kelly [47]
Knowing how difficult it was to break out of the position in which every family tried to paint its members, he nodded in agreement. “I would be willing to bet Cassie is not nearly as wild as she’s said to be.” He leaned closer to her. “And I know you’re not exactly a good girl.”
“Really?” She looked at him so hopefully he almost laughed. He didn’t, though, not wanting to hurt her feelings.
“No, I don’t think good girls own sex shops or carry tiny vibrators around in their purses. Nor do they often go for it when offered the chance to do something as wildly impulsive as what we did at the theater.”
He waited for her to look away, to break the stare, but she didn’t. Her eyes looked softer, dreamier, as her lips parted. A tiny sigh preceded her reply. “Thank you.”
“For?”
“For seeing the Kate I see…not the one everyone else sees. For letting me be myself, not who everyone thinks I am.” She paused. “Even if who I am is sometimes a not-so-nice, not-so-sweet person.”
Jack leaned close and pressed a kiss to her temple, then brushed her hair away. He saw her pulse ticking in her throat as she looked up at him. “Sweet is boring, Kate,” he whispered. “I much prefer spicy…even if I know I’m going to get burned.”
Her moist lips parted and she tilted her head back as she took in a deep breath. He’d never seen a more clear invitation to go further. Kissing her temple wasn’t enough for either of them. He had to taste her, just once more, or else he’d go crazy wondering if her mouth was as soft as he remembered. He leaned closer, brushing his lips across her temple again, then her cheek, and her jaw. She sighed, but didn’t pull away.
“I take it back, Kate,” he murmured as he moved lower, to kiss her earlobe and the side of her neck. “You taste very sweet.” Then, unable to resist, he moved his mouth to hers. Their lips met and parted as instinctively as the beating of a heart. He licked lazily at her tongue, dipping his own into her mouth to taste her more thoroughly. She kissed him back, curling against him, tilting her head, inviting him deeper.
When they finally pulled apart, neither spoke for a moment. Then she narrowed her eyes. “Don’t you do that again.”
Her shaky voice held a warning and a challenge. He wondered if, as usual, she was trying to scare him into backing off. He mentally tsked. Obviously she didn’t remember what had happened when she’d tried that at the Rialto.
Finally, Jack smiled. “Yeah, there’s definitely both sweet and spicy to you, Kate Jones. I can’t decide which side I like better.”
Before she could reply, he got up and left the duplex.
WHEN KATE ARRIVED at Cassie’s house up on the hill that afternoon, her cousin greeted her with a big hug and a humongous margarita. “A pea-green drink in honor of your return to Pea-Ville.” Cassie held up her salt-rimmed glass to clink a toast.
Kate clinked back, then sipped deeply. The electric company still hadn’t gotten her power on by the time she’d left the house, and the drink went down like a powerful blast of air-conditioning. Besides, she’d been all hot and bothered ever since Jack had kissed her then walked out. “Ah, perfect. I’d forgotten how hot it is here in the pits of hell in the summer.”
“I guess I’m getting used to it.”
Hearing an unexpected note of warmth in Cassie’s voice, Kate raised a brow. “The heat? Or the town?”
Cassie shrugged. “Maybe a little of both.”
“Well, I can see you don’t have a scarlet letter on your shirt, so maybe things aren’t as bad as I’d expected.”
“Believe it or not, I haven’t heard one person call me a tramp since I got here.” She winked. “At least not to my face.”
Her cousin led Kate into the house, then gave her a quick tour, including a stop in Flo’s outrageously decorated boudoir.
Going back downstairs, they sat in the kitchen, drinking their margaritas and gabbing for an hour. Kate didn’t like the tired, dark circles