Players (Lessons by Loki) (6 page)

She nodded. She wasn’t sure how often he needed to feed, but it seemed dangerous to enlighten that many people.

“I’ve indulged your curiosity. Now can we get back to the subject at hand?”

“Absolutely.”
She scooted to the edge of her seat and met his gaze. He claimed that he wanted to prevent her from becoming a pawn in Josiah and Chase’s game. Well, she refused to be anyone’s pawn and that included Loki. “You insinuate yourself into conflicts so you can siphon off energy. Why did you choose this particular conflict?”

“You don’t think this is a worthy cause?”

“No, I do.” Was he avoiding something he didn’t want her to know or was it just a habit to respond to questions with other questions? “How did you learn about the bet if you don’t have a sister?”

“You’re a persistent little thing, aren’t you?”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

He chuckled then uncrossed his legs, a bit of the amusement fading from his eyes. “I was scanning, listening to random thoughts and absorbing scattered images. I was hoping to stumble across something interesting when I overheard Josiah and Chase talking about the bet. It was obvious they’d done it before and would likely do it again.”

“What, specifically, made you decide to interfere?”

“You.”
His gaze narrowed and he pushed to his feet, his movements tense and measured. “As soon as I saw you, I knew I couldn’t let them toy with you.”

She didn’t understand his sudden intensity, so she glanced away. She wasn’t even sure she believed him. There was certainly nothing about her that would draw the attention of a—
god. Her mind stumbled over the word. Maybe he wasn’t an actual deity, but he certainly had power at his command. She, on the other hand, was average, ordinary, uncomplicated. Dillon had made damn sure she understood her mediocrity.

“How well did Josiah respond to your hard-to-get act?” Loki’s voice softened, as if he sensed her vulnerability. “I didn’t want to spy on you, so I left right after I ruptured the pipe.”

“You were in the kitchen when it happened? How? Neither of us sensed or saw you.”

“I was monitoring the situation, which is easier to do without the limitations of a physical body. And you were both rather distracted.”

She’d been unable to keep her eyes off Josiah and her imagination had been fully engaged with sexual fantasies. A marching band could have passed through the kitchen and she might not have noticed. “Then how did you rupture the pipe?”

“I can turn matter into energy and energy into matter. I dispersed a small section of the pipe, releasing the water.” He made it sound so simple, so
believable
. If he actually had that level of control, his abilities would be nearly limitless. A shiver raced down her spine. Did she really want a being with that much power available to him focused on her? If he sensed her growing unease, he didn’t react to it. “What happened after I left?”

She shrugged with an indifference she didn’t feel. “We both got wet, which was what you’d intended.”

There was no apology in his pleased expression. “Did he kiss you?”

“Yes.”

“Did you let him do more than kiss you?”

“I wanted to, but I didn’t.” She sighed and ran her hand through her hair. It was still slightly damp and the ends had tangled. “I thought Chase was the one I’d have trouble resisting, but Josiah was different than I’d expected.”

“In what way?”

They’d fallen back into the same easy conversation they’d enjoyed at the bistro. It always took her forever to develop friendships, yet chatting with Loki had felt comfortable from the start. She didn’t fight it, couldn’t make herself care if he was an alien or a figment of her imagination. She liked him and she needed his help if she hoped to hold her own against experienced players like Josiah and Chase.

“Josiah’s always been so quiet. He seems shy or introverted. I figured I’d have to draw him out.”

Loki paused for a moment, apparently milling over her assessment. He’d stayed on his side of the coffee table, so she didn’t feel threatened by his restlessness. He walked a few steps in one direction then turned and retraced his path. “He’s not shy, but he is basically introverted. He’s not comfortable as the center of attention, but he can be quite intense one-on-one. He’s the type of person who’ll sit alone at a party and be completely entertained by watching what goes on around him.”

“You make him sound like a voyeur.”

“I don’t think the label would upset him. And it might be something we can use. If there is ever an opportunity for you to make out with Chase in front of Josiah, you’ll drive them both crazy.
Is Josiah going to be at the party tomorrow night?”

“I don’t know. Chase didn’t say.”
A slow burning hunger spread through her body as the image formed within her mind. Only she wasn’t just making out with Chase, she was naked and slowly riding his cock while Josiah looked on in utter fascination.

“You said no sex,” Loki reminded her. “Are you sure you want to abide by that rule?”

Heat spread across her cheeks and her heart fluttered. Had he just read her mind, seen the lurid scene her imagination had created? “Can you—”

“I can, but I wasn’t. Your dreamy expression and dilated pupils made it obvious what you were thinking. The farther you’re willing to take this, the more fun it will be. And the more deeply it will cut when you reject them.”

She shook her head. “As soon as I give in to either of them, the game’s over. They’ll lose interest.”

“Yes and no. As soon as you abandon yourself body and soul, they’ll lose interest. But there are all sorts of things you can do that are sexual yet fall short of complete surrender.”

“Should I have gone farther with Josiah?”

“No. He would have been suspicious if you’d given in without a fight. But he’s experienced enough to know you wanted more than a kiss.”

“How should I behave tomorrow night?”

He stared across the room, almost as if he could see through the wall and into the house across the street. “
Let me give it some thought. We’ll strategize before Chase picks you up tomorrow night.”

Katie slipped a bobby pin into the side of her upswept hair and stepped back from the full-length mirror. A simple black dress skimmed her figure rather than advertising every curve and hollow. The scooped neckline only revealed a hint of cleavage while most of her back was bared by the dramatic V. She’d always liked this dress. It was flattering without making her self-conscious.

“Lovely.”

She spun around with a gasp and pressed her hand over her heart as she teetered on her high-heeled sandals. Loki sat on the side of her bed, looking utterly indolent. “You can’t just pop in like that. You’ll give me a heart attack.”

“We can’t have that.” He chuckled. “I’ll call your name next time.”

Turning back to the mirror, she picked up her lip gloss and applied a light coat. “Chase will be here any minute. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing’s wrong. I just wanted to verify the strategy for tonight.”

“I’m going to be as charming as I can to everyone but Chase.”

That drew a confused look from Loki. “He’s insensitive, not masochistic.”

“You didn’t let me finish.” She tossed the lip gloss back into her beaded clutch and faced him again. “Chase wants a complicated woman, one with lots of layers. I’ll be the perfect lady while we’re at the party, attentive and polite. Then as soon as we’re alone, I’ll become sexually aggressive.”

Loki’s soft chuckle made Katie cringe. “Have you ever been sexually aggressive in your life?”

She gave him her best you’re-an-asshole glare and reminded, “This is a role, a character. I can sell it. Trust me.”

“Show me.” Loki stood up and motioned her toward him. “Get in character and kiss me.”

It was a challenge, a test. He obviously agreed with Josiah and Chase. They thought she was sexless and dowdy, content in her solitary life. Determination calmed her nerves and channeled her nervous energy. She set her small purse on the dresser and smoothed her skirt down over her hips. Then she walked toward him, gaze locked with his.

He didn’t move, didn’t speak,
just watched her with calm assessment. Rather than trying to be clever, she let her body do the talking. She ran her hands up his chest, locking her fingers behind his neck. Then she kissed the corners of his mouth, the touch light and coaxing. When he didn’t immediately open his mouth, she traced the seam between his lips with the tip of her tongue, easing farther inward with each pass. He finally angled his head and accepted her tongue, but there was no rush of heat or breathless excitement. She stroked her tongue over his and pressed her breasts against his chest. Still, the kiss was pleasant, nothing more.

A chuckle rumbled deep in Loki’s chest. “This is aggressive?” In one smooth motion he turned her and pressed her against the wall with the weight of his body.
His mouth came alive, awakening her senses in turn. He grasped the back of her neck and tilted her head as he took the kiss deeper.

He separated their mouths as suddenly as he’d taken command of the kiss. “
You’re not naturally aggressive. Don’t try to convince him you are.” His mouth hovered over hers, his warm breath teasing her lips. “He wants to wear down your resistance, watch you surrender despite your misgivings. He’s a hunter. Let him pursue you.” A playful smirk lifted one corner of his mouth as he added, “Just don’t let him catch you.”

How could she argue with facts? Her pulse hadn’t started racing until Loki
took control. Despite her independence, her determination to be self-reliant, she responded best to aggressive men.

Re
acting to some inner sense or a sound she couldn’t hear, Loki suddenly stepped back and motioned toward the door. “He’s here. Remember, you’re a nice girl with a naughty secret. You’re too polite to ever admit it in public, but you
love
sex.”

“Got it.”

“Good luck.” Loki flashed out of sight, leaving Katie feeling warm and restless.

His description stirred a sad sort of nostalgia. Before she’d met Dillon, that description fit her perfectly. She’d been open and eager to explore her sexual
ity. But Dillon had approached sex with the same laser focus he’d applied to every area of his life. It had been regimented, precise, and utterly unsatisfying, at least for her.

She grabbed her purse off the dresser and hurried downstairs.
Dillon was a distant memory, an occasional cloud that passed across the sun of her life with no real effect on the temperature. She wouldn’t allow him to be more significant.

Chase was knocking on the door as she pulled it open. He smiled, looking particularly handsome in dress pants and a striped shirt. “Were you watching for me?”

No I was upstairs kissing Loki
. The thought helped her form a secretive smile. “Maybe.” She stepped outside and pulled the door shut, checking to make sure the handle locked. “And maybe I’m just anxious to have this over.”

“Oh, is that how this is going to be?” He fell in
to step beside her, his hand resting at the small of her back. “This dress is lovely, by the way.” His fingers crept up, touching bare skin. “Demure from the front, yet daring in back. Very intriguing.”

He escorted her across the street and opened the car door for her.
“Won’t Vanessa know this is Josiah’s car?” Josiah had bought the Porsche two years ago, which seemed odd to Katie. Why did someone who never left the house need a flashy sports car?

“She also knows I drive it more than he does. Besides, we can’t make a proper entrance without an appropriate car.”

“If you say so.” She held her skirt in place as she climbed into the car. Not an easy feat in four-inch heels. He walked around the front of the car and slipped in behind the wheel. Her system was still recovering from Loki’s kissing lesson. Why was she drawn to aggressive men? With Dillon it was understandable. He hadn’t been aggressive in the beginning. He’d been gallant and witty and—

Enough about Dillon! She was seated next to a gorgeous man on her way to an upscale party. Even if this was a job of sorts, she intended to enjoy herself. She fastened her seat
belt and arranged her hands on top of her purse.

“I appreciate you doing this.” He paused to fire up the engine. It came to life with a
mechanical growl that sent vibrations through Katie’s entire body. She pushed back into the contoured seat, trying not to squirm. Maybe there was something to the sports car mystique after all.

“So Josiah
wasn’t invited?” Her curious gaze drifted toward the house. There were still lights on inside.

“He was invited. He just chose not to attend.”
Chase looked at her, eye narrowed with mock anger. At least she hoped it was pretend. “Should I be jealous? I know he kissed you yesterday.” He set the car in motion, angling away from the curb with surprising restraint.

“Now who sound
s jealous?” She smiled at him, enjoying his playfulness. This was the Chase she knew and loved, relaxed and likable. “Has he ever kissed
you
?”

“Would I admit it if he had?
” He fiddled with the controls on the steering wheel for a moment then said, “We’re not a couple. If that’s what you’re asking.”

“I
know. You were with Vanessa and Josiah prefers to remain unattached. Still, some of our neighbors would rather believe there’s something kinky going on. Lord knows, the rest of us are boring.”

He shrugged. “Let them think what they like. I honestly don’t care.”

If he didn’t care what others thought of him, she wouldn’t be here right now. He obviously cared what Vanessa and her hoity-toity friends thought. Josiah might be able to shrug off the opinions of others, but Chase was far from indifferent. She didn’t call him on it, however. She needed to fulfil her obligation before she started toying with her companion. “Are you still working at Craig? They do incredible things at that hospital.”

“Yeah, they do, but I sold out.”

She looked at him askance, but he was staring straight ahead. Was he avoiding her gaze or just paying attention to the road? “How did you sellout?”

“I got an offer at a private clinic that specializes in sports medicine. The pay
is better and I sure as hell don’t miss rotating shifts.”

“That’s understandable.
I did them for years when I first started out. I actually took a small pay cut when I found a job with a fixed schedule. I haven’t regretted it for a second.” They fell into a companionable silence as he worked his way out of the residential area and onto I-25. “So how did we meet? How long have we been together? Are we lovers or am I still playing hard to get?”

He nodded. “Yeah, I guess we better
practice our story. It would be like Vanessa to subject you to the third degree right after she says hello.”

“
Then let’s stick to the truth as much as possible. I live across the street and you’ve known me for years, but this is the first time we were both unattached at the same time.”

He nodded again.
“Works for me.”

“
Are we lovers?”

“Of course.”

“Of course?” She laughed. “Vanessa broke up with you what, three weeks ago? If we were dating for real, it’s doubtful I would have slept with you by now.”

He seemed genuinely confused. “What about the third
-date rule?”

She knew what he was talking about. If a couple made it to the third date, they usually had sex.
It was just such rules that kept her from attempting to find another life partner. “Sex is important to me, always has been. I don’t become intimate with someone unless there’s a real, elemental connection. When I give myself to a sexual partner, I surrender everything without reserve. So I have to be really careful.”

His voice turned dark and smoky as desire ignited in his gaze. “
Is Josiah right, are you a submissive?”

It was a question she’d struggled with since she learned the definition of the word. “I have nothing against the lifestyle. Trust me, I understand the appeal. But personally, I find labels frustratin
g.” He took the Speer Boulevard exit. They were only a few minutes from their destination. He seemed to accept her answer, then the first part of his question came back in focus. “Wait a minute. Why were you and Josiah talking about my sexual preferences? In fact this isn’t the first time I’ve been the subject of your conversation. Josiah told me you think I’m still a virgin.”

“I’m sorry.” He sounded almost sincere. “It was rude of us to talk about your sexual preferences without you being present to set us straight.”

By the end of his apology, it was obvious he was teasing her. “For the record, I’m not a virgin.” He just grinned. “Why does Josiah think I’m a submissive?”

“Just something he said.”

She knew an evasion when she heard one. “One kiss and he thinks he knows all my secrets?” She glanced out the window and muttered, “Silly man.”

“You never really answered the question. Would most consider you a sub?”

So he could duck an issue, but she had to explain? That didn’t seem fair. Still, she had nothing to hide. “I think people should be free to express their sexuality in whatever way they choose. My needs don’t fall neatly into any one category. I’m complicated.” Her past experience had proven that with glaring clarity, but this wasn’t about her past. She needed to stay focused on her mission. “How do you feel about public displays of affection?”

“I don’t have a problem with them, but Vanessa d
oes.”

Katie grinned. “That could
be fun. I don’t mind if you grope me—within reason—to make her squirm.”

The club had valet parking, so Chase pulled up to the front door.
One of the valets opened the door for her, and Katie did her best to keep her legs together and her skirt down as she climbed out of the car. Chase offered his arm and escorted her into the club.

It took a minute for her eyes to adjust to the dim interior, but Katie was pleasantly surprised by the ambiance. Most of the bars in
LoDo were housed in renovated buildings, some dating back a century or more. The long, narrow layout might have preserved the historical charm, but it made for somewhat claustrophobic nightclubs. The owners of this club, however, had exposed support beams while removing walls to create an open, airy interior.

They didn’t even make it to the club’s main room before they were swarmed by acquaintances. Chase slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. She smiled and nodded as he rattled off names, not giving her enough time to shake hands.

“Vanessa’s here,” a reed-thin blonde warned as Chase completed the introductions.

His casual shrug almost convinced
Katie that he didn’t give a damn. “I knew she would be and it’s fine. I’m finished with all that drama.”

Katie nearly laughed.
If he’d wanted to avoid the drama, he would have stayed home with Josiah.

Rather than linger in the crush, Chase took her out onto the dance floor. Katie wasn’t much of a dancer, but the pulsing beat of the music made it almost impossible to
stand still.