Free Independent Brake (The Dominion Falls Series) by Sarah Cass Page B

reputation, she did worry about having to move on if she couldn’t find suitable lodging.
    Only a handful of tears had fallen, so Kat wiped them away. Crumbly still didn’t deserve her tears, and Kat would make do. One way or another she’d be fine, just as she had been when she’d left Dominion Falls.
    Back then it had been with the simple help of Cole Mitchell. Now she had true friends. Ones that would help her out of whatever trouble she got herself into. One way or another, she had no doubt of that.
    Comforted by her own train of thought, she dragged herself to her feet and stripped down for the tub. The warm water soothed away the last trembling doubts, and she closed her eyes with a deep sigh.
    First she’d enjoy the soak, then supper, and then perhaps Patrick’s company. For now, the soak took her full attention. The scrumptious luxury of a midweek bath for no reason other than to relax, was a pleasure she’d been denied for so long. She wasn’t one to turn down such a treat.
    The water had begun to cool around her, and she’d started contemplating getting out when the door clicked open. She smiled, not bothering to open her eyes. “Patrick.”
    “Kat. What an unexpected pleasure it is to find you here, although Loren informs me, it isn’t a pleasure call.” He tapped her forehead until she opened her eyes. “Crumbly finally got up the nerve to confront you, eh?”
    “Just shy of calling me a whore, but said she wouldn’t allow a woman such as myself to be associated with her upstanding establishment.”
    “Took her long enough. We’ve been at it, how long now?”
    “Six months, I believe.” She turned and rose. When Patrick held up a towel, she stepped out of the tub and into the enveloping warmth easily. “Unfortunately, my biggest concern now is where I will find lodging next. Crumbly might be an old biddy, but her gossipy tongue reaches far.”
    “You should stay here.”
    Kat’s fingers went so numb, the towel fell from her fingers before she could finish drying off. “What?”
    “I have the room, you have the need. It wouldn’t matter what people said, you’d not lose the roof over your head.” He leaned against the wall.
    “You can’t be serious.” She scrambled to gather the towel to finish drying off. “It’s bad enough we are friends that still enjoy the pleasure of each other, it’s too close to crossing a line. If I were to live here—well, it just wouldn’t work.”
    “I think we’ve established we aren’t crossing that line.”
    Kat pursed her lips and tossed her robe over her shoulders before she dared approach him. “I don’t think it’s a smart idea.”
    “You should at least think it over.”
    She didn’t want to admit how tempting his offer was, so she only shrugged. “I don’t know. However, I would like to stay here for a few days while I look for a new place.”
    “I’ll have you convinced by morning.”
    “I don’t think so.”
    “I do.”
    * * * *
    S omehow Kat managed to make it out of the house without giving Patrick an answer. The man had made every convincing argument on every level. Then he’d taken his arguments to the bedroom, and Kat almost lost her resolve.
    Still, she’d made it out without an answer, and left a grumpy Patrick behind. Before the day could begin, she pulled aside Delphine and filled her in. Fortunately the morning was busy enough that Delphie didn’t have time to pester Kat for any more information.
    However, the moment lunchtime arrived, Delphie practically dragged Kat to the closest restaurant and pushed her into the seat. “What are you going to do?”
    “I don’t know.” Kat rubbed her temples. Her own internal debate had raged all night and morning. Delphie’s additional questions weren’t going to help. “On the one hand, it is a really bad idea. We agreed it wouldn’t get messy, and it seems to me that moving into his home is a great way to muck things up.”
    “But these days you two are friends