Read The Year of Living Shamelessly Online
Authors: Susanna Carr
Tags: #Fiction, #Romance, #Contemporary
The Year of Living Shamelessly (2 page)
“Five . . .”
All night, Katie couldn’t figure out how she was going to pry Tatum and Sasha off Ryder before the countdown. Ryder usually kept an eye on her, especially when the men were drunk and rowdy, but tonight he had only nodded and smiled at her once from across the room and that was it. Hilary and Melissa had kept nudging her to tell her he was looking at her, but every time she glanced his way, he was engaged in a new conversation.
“Four . . .”
The moment everyone shouted “Happy New Year,” she was going to plant a long, wet and thorough kiss on Ryder Scott.
“Three . . .”
Then suddenly, she was in front of him. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw his dark brown eyes, high cheekbones and molded biceps. But it appeared that if she wanted her New Year’s kiss, she was going to have to stand in line. Tatum wasn’t waiting for any countdown.
“Two . . .”
The platinum blonde was kissing Ryder so deeply, she was probably tickling his spleen with her tongue. And Ryder certainly wasn’t doing anything to stop her.
“One!”
Sasha stood on the other side of Ryder and grasped his chin with her hand. She determinedly pulled Ryder’s face toward her and kissed him with enthusiasm.
“Happy New Year!”
Katie stood right in front of Ryder as everyone rang in the New Year. A shower of confetti drifted in front of her eyes, but she didn’t blink. She wanted to yank Tatum away from Ryder and push Sasha aside. Then she would wipe the smears of red and pink lipstick from his mouth and claim him with a kiss that would make him forget everyone else in the room.
But she didn’t make a move toward him. She felt her shoulders slump. Ryder could have his pick, and if the rumors were true, he might go home with both of them and enjoy a
ménage à trois
to start off the New Year. There just didn’t seem to be any reason why Ryder would choose her.
ménage à trois
to start off the New Year. There just didn’t seem to be any reason why Ryder would choose her.
Katie took a few steps back, turned and melded into the crowd. But something in her told her she couldn’t let this setback get her down. She
would
have an affair with Ryder. She just needed to figure out a way to make him see her as someone other than meek and mild Katie. The girl he would rather undress than shove aside to get to the fridge.
would
have an affair with Ryder. She just needed to figure out a way to make him see her as someone other than meek and mild Katie. The girl he would rather undress than shove aside to get to the fridge.
It was time for a makeover. One just like in the movies. She had to become totally irresistible. A vixen. No one would dare give a noogie to a vixen. It would probably require some professional advice, and there was only one place in town where she could get it.
Katie squared her shoulders back and thrust her chin out. The journey to a new and improved Katie was going to start right this second.
Sex Goddess Secrets!
Katie wanted to know every one of them. She grabbed for the magazine, tucked it under her arm and kept searching.
21 Bad Girl Sex Tips!
And here she thought that sex was sex. She added the magazine to her pile.
10 Things That Will Make Him Beg for You!
Oh, yeah. She needed that one, too.
“Do we have to do this now?” Hilary complained. Melissa nodded in agreement.
Katie glanced at her friends, who were leaning tiredly on the magazine stand. Their party clothes were as limp as their hair, and the harsh fluorescent lights revealed that their makeup had melted off hours ago. Hilary shifted from one aching foot to the next while Melissa’s eyes drifted shut.
“I need this stuff,” Katie insisted, returning her attention to the magazine covers. She hoped there was something about seducing a sex god, because Ryder Scott was not just any man.
“It’s two o’clock in the morning,” Melissa complained with a whimper.
“And I don’t want to start the year in a convenience store!” Hilary declared.
“Fine.” Katie scanned the magazines and scooped up any that showed cleavage or used the word “sex” with a bunch of exclamation points on the cover. “I’ll just take them all.”
That jerked Melissa awake. “All of them? Why?”
“Because I totally blew my New Year’s resolution one minute into the New Year!” Katie explained as she marched over to the counter.
“It’s not the end of the world. You can kiss Ryder anytime you want,” Hilary said as she trailed after Katie. “Start a hot and heavy affair tomorrow. You know, right after a good night’s sleep.”
“I wanted to kiss him at the stroke of midnight. But I couldn’t. Why?” Katie dumped the magazines on the counter. “Because he was already being kissed. Not by one woman, but by two!” Ryder hadn’t even noticed she was there. “I didn’t stand a chance.”
“And these magazines are going to push the women aside for you next time?” Hilary asked.
“It’s time to show Ryder my wild side, and these magazines are going to help me unleash it. This year I’m going to be the sexiest woman Crystal Bend has ever seen.” She caught the look of disbelief from the guy at the cash register. “I will!”
The cashier looked away and scanned the magazines as quickly as he could.
“I’m going to be a sex goddess that Ryder can’t resist,” she told her friends.
“Katie, have you been drinking?” Melissa asked, watching her with suspicion. “You’re supposed to be the designated driver.”
“I’m sober and I’m serious. This time next year I will be knee-deep in a wild affair with Ryder Scott.”
CHAPTER ONE
December 24
ONE YEAR LATER
ONE YEAR LATER
She was here.
Ryder couldn’t stop the tension from entering his body. He was surrounded by coworkers, who, thankfully, hadn’t noticed his spine growing rigid. They were too busy singing along to “Santa Baby” so loudly that he bet the music pulsed through the walls of the Student Union Building. He was on the other side of the ballroom, far away from the entrance, with a sea of reindeer antlers, elves caps and Santa hats between them, but he still knew exactly where Katie Kramer stood.
He didn’t like this sixth sense he had when it came to his best friend’s little sister. It was probably developed from years of keeping his eye on her. Even when she was young, he’d wanted to protect her from the ugliness of the world, like when she was being bullied at school. He’d put a quick stop to that.
But now things were different from when they were younger.
Now
, he was painfully aware of her. He wanted to claim her body, her heart, and make her his in every way, but he knew it would be a huge mistake to act on his desires.
Now
, he was painfully aware of her. He wanted to claim her body, her heart, and make her his in every way, but he knew it would be a huge mistake to act on his desires.
Ryder cautiously looked over his shoulder and instantly spotted her at the door. Tonight, Katie looked aggressively sexy. Dressed in all black from her figure-hugging turtleneck sweater to her leather skirt and dominatrix boots, she stood out in a crowd of red, green and gold.
She teetered slightly on those five-inch stilettos. Ryder automatically took a step in her direction, ready to catch her. He stopped just as she regained her balance. He watched as she flipped her long black hair over her shoulders and confidently strode into the crowd as if she owned the place.
He had hoped she wouldn’t show up at the Christmas party. Yes, she worked as an administrative assistant for the college, but was a small reprieve too much to hope for?
Eight days, he reminded himself. He only had to be strong for eight more days.
He wasn’t sure he would make it. He wanted her so much that it was turning him inside out. It didn’t help that he was supposed to look out for her this year while she was house-sitting for her parents. They were very academic, but they were stupid not to realize how he felt about their daughter.
Ryder watched Katie greet some men from the biology department. Ryder gripped his drink tightly as he watched one of the men get overly familiar with a hug, his hands too close to Katie’s pert ass. He wanted to go over there and break it up, but Katie skillfully disentangled herself. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
The sad thing was, he would like to hold Katie close, but he didn’t trust himself. He was on guard every time she was near. It didn’t used to be that way. When she was in high school, Katie was his favorite person to ski with. When she got older, they enjoyed playing pool together at the hall late into the night. He liked how things were before she changed, when she was sassy but never crossed the line. He remembered how much fun it had been teasing her. She gave as good as she got, but he stopped the minute the teasing held a sexual undertone.
Now she seemed to delight in provoking him by flaunting her confidence and independence. Not to mention her skimpy outfits. And just last week she’d informed him that she was going to use the small inheritance she’d received from her grandmother to buy the Merrill house. She was foolish to even consider it, as she well knew—that house was a death trap; it should have been condemned years ago. He wondered if she was trying to get a rise out of him with that outrageous plan, but he wasn’t sure.
When it came to Katie, it was best not to get involved. He’d tried to follow that strategy for the past couple of months. He wanted to keep his distance, but it was difficult. As a carpenter for the college’s Building Services, he had too many opportunities to drop by her office and see how she was doing. She was always around when he was hanging out with her brother, Jake. And no matter where he was after work, whether playing pool with friends or out on a date, he would see Katie strutting around in a cute little skirt and flirting with other guys. She had men drooling over her wherever she went and he couldn’t take any more. His restraint was slipping.
Eight more days, he reminded himself again.
Katie turned her head and their gazes collided.
Shit. His heart began to gallop. She was going to come over. He might as well get this over with. He could handle this. He would just greet her as he always did, like old family friends, nothing more. . . . As long as Katie never realized how dangerous she was to his self-control, he could get through it.
Katie knew it was time to strut her stuff. She had been practicing all afternoon. She moved toward him, praying that she wouldn’t trip. She enjoyed the aggressive feel of her new boots as she strode through the crowd, her hips swaying with every step.
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