Kisses After Dark by Marie Force Read Free Book Online Page A

with her siblings. More than once he found himself leaning closer so he wouldn’t miss a word of what she said.
    Over the course of brunch at the Surf, Shane felt like he was waking up from a long slumber, his senses suddenly more alert than they’d been in years and all of them focused on the woman sitting next to him. Since she’d already turned him down, he knew it was stupid to be so fixated on her. But knowing that didn’t stop him from wanting to try again. Soon.

Chapter 5
    After brunch, Katie went with Julia to their room on the third floor. As her sister began tossing clothes into the suitcase she’d never bothered to completely unpack, Katie sat on her bed and thought about holding hands with Shane McCarthy. She’d never done anything quite so forward as reaching for his hand under the table. She could tell she’d caught him by surprise, and she’d liked that.
    She’d liked the way he looked at her and listened to her and paid attention to her. She liked him . She couldn’t deny that as much as she wanted to. Knowing Owen thought highly of Shane mattered greatly to Katie. Owen had been much more than an older brother to his siblings. He’d been a surrogate father, a protector and a friend to them all their lives. If he liked and trusted Shane, maybe she could, too.
    “Why aren’t you packing?” Julia asked. “The ferry leaves in an hour, and we can’t miss it if we’re going to make the flight.”
    Here was the moment Katie had been dreading all weekend, telling her sister she wasn’t going back to Texas. Not right away anyway. “Um, so I’m not going back.”
    Julia stopped what she was doing to stare at Katie. “What?”
    “I quit my job.”
    “ When? Why didn’t you say anything?”
    “It happened Thursday, and I didn’t say anything because of the wedding.”
    Julia plopped down on the bed next to her. “Did something happen with Doctor Strangelove?”
    Katie loved her sister’s nickname for the lecherous doctor. “You could say that.”
    Julia stared at her. “He didn’t…”
    Katie shook her head. “I didn’t let him, but I think he would have. Owen’s self-defense classes got me out of a jam, but I can’t go back there. Not when I told him I had evidence of his harassment and I’d be going to the police if he dared to press charges against me.”
    “Why would he press charges against you ?”
    “I might’ve left him bleeding from his nose and clutching his boy parts.”
    Julia howled with laughter as she hugged her sister. “Good for you. He’s had that coming for years now.”
    “He scared me, Jule,” she said softly. “I think he would’ve raped me if I hadn’t put a stop to it.”
    “You should report him. He can’t get away with that.”
    “The thing is, he never actually touched me. I assaulted him, so I can just imagine how he would spin it.” Katie shuddered at the idea of having to face that creep in court, or anywhere else, for that matter. “I never want to see him again or hear his name.”
    “You could sue him. He’s been bothering you for years.”
    “And I never bothered to report it in all that time. No, I’m not going to sue him or have him charged. I’m satisfied with the way I left him bloody and moaning on the floor. That’s more than enough for me.”
    “What’re you going to do now?”
    “I don’t know, but I’m hoping to stay here for a while and try to figure it out. I’ve got money saved I can use to help with the rent, so don’t worry.”
    “I don’t care about that.” They both made good money and could easily handle the rent on their own, if need be. “I’m far more worried about you. First Doctor Strangelove attacks you and then you nearly drown.”
    “Not the best week of my life, although seeing Owen happy yesterday—and today—makes it all better.”
    “And how about Mom? She’s positively glowing with happiness. We’ve never seen her like that before.”
    “I know. Shane says Charlie is a great