Page 43 of Chasing Kaylee Kringle

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.