A Family of Her Own. Brenda Novak
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for her to do but…I never would’ve suggested it because of you. Are you sure you want her working with Mike, Booker?”
Booker shoved away from his desk and stood. “I think it’s time Katie got what she wants.”
Silence. “What about what you want?”
“I already have what I want.”
“O-kay.” She didn’t sound convinced, but after a moment she said, “I’ll call Josh and get back to you.”
BOOKER REFUSED TO GO AWAY. He stood over Katie’s bed, scowling at her. When that didn’t work, he started pulling off blankets.
“Leave me alone,” she grumbled. “I’m tired.”
“How can you be tired?” he asked. “It’s nearly three o’clock in the afternoon, and you’ve been sleeping for two days.”
“I think there’s something wrong with me.”
“It’s called depression.”
“I’ve never had trouble with depression.”
“Then get up.”
She curled into a ball to compensate for the warmth she’d lost when he stole the covers. “I’ll get up tomorrow.”
“You’ll get up today,” he said, and from the determination in his voice, she could tell he meant it. “I’ve set up a job interview for you.”
“Where?” she asked, but she didn’t really care. Who’d want her? She couldn’t even function anymore.
“Mike Hill is looking for a secretary.”
She raised her head to blink at him. “Mike Hill?”
“That’s what I said.”
“You’ve got to be kidding!”
“No.”
She covered her eyes with her arm. “I don’t know anything about ranching.”
“You’ll be doing some type of bookkeeping.”
“I don’t know anything about bookkeeping, either.”
“He’ll teach you.”
“I’m not going out there.” She didn’t want to see anyone in her current state, but she especially didn’t want to see the man she’d always hoped to marry.
“Oh, yes you are.”
“Does he know about the baby?” she asked.
“I have no idea.”
“I’ll go anywhere but there.”
“Come on,” he said. “This is the man of your dreams, remember?”
She definitely detected sarcasm in his voice. Men weren’t part of her dreams at all anymore, but she didn’t feel quick-witted enough to explain that right now. “He’s seeing Mary Thornton, so don’t talk to me about my dreams.”
“There’s no accounting for taste.” Booker jabbed a finger at the small brown sack he’d brought in with him. “There’s a deli sandwich in there. Eat it, then go shower.”
“Okay,” she said, but only so he’d leave her in peace. As soon as she heard him move away, she grabbed the covers he’d thrown off the bed and burrowed beneath them again. Mike Hill…No way!
“Katie?” Booker spoke from the doorway, his tone a warning.
“I thought you’d left,” she grumbled.
“Don’t make me drag you out.”
“Aren’t you supposed to be at work?”
“That’s it.” He stomped back to the side of her bed and yanked off her covers. Then he put his hands under her arms and lifted her to her feet as though she were a child.
Katie’s legs didn’t feel strong enough to support her. She swayed and nearly crumpled, but Booker caught her against him. For a moment, before she came to her senses, she wanted to grab him and hold on for dear life. He had more street smarts than anyone she’d ever met. He was tough. And he was always his own man.
After living with a chameleon like Andy, Katie admired that. Booker was probably the only person she knew who did what he wanted and offered no lies, excuses or apologies. To anyone.
And he could be gentle. She remembered the way he’d lightly rub his whiskers on her neck while they were watching TV, then chuckle deep in his throat when she tried to fend him off. They’d end up laughing and wrestling until—
She didn’t want to remember what happened next. She’d been right to break things off with Booker. If only her intuition hadn’t abandoned her when it came to Andy…
She needed to go back to bed.
“Don’t even think about it,” Booker said when she tried to slip out of his arms. “You’re going to get cleaned up, and you’re going to do it now.”
“Yes, sir.” She tried to salute in response to his commanding tone, but she made no effort to stand by herself, let alone walk toward the bathroom.
“We can do this the hard way. Or we can do it the easy way,” he said. “Which will it be?”
Katie wasn’t sure what he was talking about. There wasn’t an easy way for anything anymore. “I told you, I’ll get up tomorrow,” she said. “I just need a little more time.”
“You need a shower, that’s what you need.” He was impatient now, and who could blame him? He was the last person she had any right to impose on. At twenty-five, she had no right to impose on anyone. But she couldn’t stay with Andy, she couldn’t work, and she couldn’t rely on any of the people who were supposed to love her. She didn’t seem to have a whole lot of options. Who would’ve thought one tiny baby could make such a difference? She should never have let her birth control lapse. She wouldn’t have, if she and Andy had been making love. But before they created this baby, they hadn’t touched in weeks. Then one day Andy broke down crying, acknowledged his need for help, agreed to go into rehab, and begged and pleaded with her to make love with him one more time to prove that she was willing to forgive him. Katie had been stupid enough to feel sorry for him, to want to console him. And they’d used a condom, but it hadn’t been enough.
Booker sat her on the bed and stalked into the bathroom. The pipes clanged as the water went on a few seconds later. She could hear him moving around, walking in and out of the room, but she wrapped herself in the covers and paid no attention.
When he returned, he didn’t drag her off the bed again. He merely pushed the bedding away and started pulling off the sweatshirt she’d been wearing, with nothing but a pair of panties, for two days.
She used her arms to block him before he could discover that she wasn’t wearing a bra. “What are you doing?”
“What do you think?” he asked. “Since you won’t get up and take a shower, I’m going to give you a bath.”
“Don’t you think I’m a bit too old for that?”
“You’re not leaving me any alternative.”
“Fine. Good luck.” Strangely indifferent, she dropped her arms. He’d seen her naked before. He didn’t seem particularly interested in seeing her again. And she had no energy with which to fight him. A woman had to care to be humiliated, and Katie simply didn’t.
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