The Year of Living Shamelessly by Susanna Carr Read Free Book Online

he had to make sure bedding her was never even a possibility.
     

CHAPTER THREE
     

     
    December 25
     
     
     
     
     
    “Mom.” Katie held the cordless phone between her ear and her shoulder as she set the tray of crudités on the serving table, wondering if she had made too much food for a crowd of people who were probably already stuffed with Christmas dinner. She loved to cook and bake and sometimes she went overboard. “Did you know Ryder is leaving town?”
     
    Katie had realized her strategic error the moment she had left the dance floor the night before. She shouldn’t have informed Ryder of her intention. Now she had lost the element of surprise. Not that she was going to kamikaze the guy into bed, but she would have liked to keep her options open.
     
    It had taken all of her self-control to make a retreat and leave Ryder after the dance. No doubt he was immediately caught in Tatum’s clutches, but Katie couldn’t spare the time to arm wrestle for Ryder.
     
    Well, that’s what she had told her friends when they asked her why she left so abruptly. The truth was that she was embarrassed. The kiss she shared with Ryder was supposed to be perfect, loving, romantic. She’d never imagined biting him to get a response. Now she needed to come up with a failure-proof plan to unleash the sexual hunger she saw in Ryder’s eyes. But after tossing and turning in bed all night, she had come up with absolutely nothing.
     
    She heard her mother’s sigh on the other end of the phone. “I had a feeling he might leave one day.”
     
    “Really?” It was official: Katie was the absolute last person to know about Ryder’s move. “What has he told you?”
     
    “Honey,” her mother’s voice pierced through the static connection. “You know Ryder doesn’t sit around and talk about his feelings. It was just a vibe that I had.”
     
    “He hasn’t been unhappy,” Katie insisted as she absently centered the nutcracker on a side table. The finishing touches were probably unnecessary, but she wanted her guests to experience a winter won derland while they enjoyed cocktails and festive hors d’oeuvres. It was a Kramer tradition.
     
    “You’re right. I think he’s leaving before his restraint crumbles.”
     
    Restraint? Katie stopped moving and tightly gripped the nutcracker. “What are you talking about?”
     
    “I think . . .” Her mother paused, as if she was unsure to say anything. “I think he’s leaving because of you.”
     
    “Me?” Katie closed her eyes and pumped her fist in the air. Yes! She hadn’t been completely delusional last night. “Why do you think that? I haven’t done anything.”
     
    “Sad, but true. Other than vamp it up.”
     
    “Mom!”
     
    “Oh, that wasn’t a complaint. I’m thrilled that you’re finally getting out of your comfort zone.”
     
    Katie groaned with frustration. She felt a lecture coming on. Couldn’t she get a reprieve? It was Christmas, after all.
     
    “Even though you did it for a man,” her mother continued. “That is not the greatest motivation for a personal sexual revolution. We need to talk about that.”
     
    “I didn’t do it for a man,” Katie said through clenched teeth.
     
    “Riiight.” Katie easily imagined her mom making a face. “Don’t lie to your mother. You did it for Ryder. You changed your wardrobe, your style, even your hobbies, for goodness’ sake. All for Ryder.”
     
    “How do you know that?” Only her mother would notice that this year Katie had stopped trying out the newest decorating techniques or making gifts from scratch. Katie knew bad girls didn’t bake or decorate, but they did get Ryder Scott. It was a temporary sacrifice that she made willingly.
     
    “What are you talking about?” her mother said over the crackling phone connection. “All of Crystal Bend knows how you feel about Ryder.”
     
    Katie felt a blush blooming over her skin. Her mother had to be exaggerating. “That’s not