Players (Lessons by Loki) (5 page)

After munching several mouthfuls of food, Josiah smiled. “I’d offer suggestions, but I’m the enemy.”

“Even more so now that you fucked up my plans.”

“Inadvertently.”

Chase shrugged. “I suppose. It still doesn’t change the fact that I’ve got my work cut out for me now.”

“
You always did. No
we
always did. Katie might be the most difficult challenge we’ve ever set for ourselves, which of course makes her even more interesting.”

They lapsed into silence as they ate. Chase
contemplated one scenario after another, but each had a similar flaw. Katie was smart enough to see through the ploy. “I can’t pretend you didn’t tell me what happened today,” he mused. “She won’t believe my interest is coincidental.”

“So use it to your advantage.” Josiah gathered the dishes and set them in the sink.

Chase stuffed the empty cartons back into the paper bag then paused as a fresh variation of one of his ideas took shape within his mind.

Josiah laughed. “I know that look. What did you figure out?”

“Lies always work best when they’re grounded in truth. What time is it?” He glanced at the clock above stove and answered his own question. 8:37.

“It’s pretty late for an unannounced visit.” Josiah’s conclusion mirrored his.

“But the party’s tomorrow night. I don’t really have a choice.”

“
You’re going to rub Katie in Vanessa’s face? That’s a really bad idea.”

Rather than explain, he
just grinned and left the kitchen. As Josiah had said, he was the enemy. The less Chase told the competition, the better. He looked out the front window and made sure some sort of light was still on in Katie’s house. Seeing her in her nightgown or pajamas might be fun, but it would be counterproductive to the casual conversation he had in mind.

He stepped out onto the front porch and closed the door behind him. The tree
-lined street fostered a nostalgic calm, even at night. He crossed the street and silently practiced what he was about to say. He wanted a hint of hesitation to temper his confidence. Women often responded to a touch of vulnerability. It stirred their maternal instincts and made them more trusting.

Not wanting to seem like a solicitor, he knocked rather than ringing the bell. The curtains obscuring the front window
moved so he turned and waved. Another moment passed and then Katie opened the door.

“Hi.” He flashed his most charming smile. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”

She let the door swing inward, but blocked his way. “What’s going on?” Dressed in shorts and a tank top, she looked less dowdy than usual. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her face had been scrubbed clean of makeup, not that she ever wore a lot of makeup. Chase tried not to stare, but he’d never seen her figure so clearly displayed. She wasn’t just curvy, as Josiah had said, her breasts were abundant and her hips flared dramatically from a narrow waist. It seemed like the less she wore the better she looked.

His hands itched to cup those breasts and feel her nipples harden against his palms.
He shook away the impulse. He wasn’t here to seduce her, just pave the way for further exploration. He cleared his throat and focused on her face. “Josiah helped you out today, so I was hoping I could convince you to help me out tomorrow. A play it forward sort of thing.”

“Did you lose something down the drain?”
The amusement in her tone didn’t quite reach her eyes. He’d have to try harder if he hoped to earn her trust.

“Not exactly.”
He moved closer, putting one hand on the door frame near her head. “I need you to pretend to be my date tomorrow night.”

Her brows scrunched together
, drawing his attention to her nose. Had she always had such a cute little nose? It was well-shaped with just a few freckles, utterly adorable. “Why do you need someone to ‘pretend’ to be your date? Just ask someone from your harem to go with you.”

“My harem?”
He laughed and pushed off the door frame, not wanting to crowd her. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“
Yeah, right. I don’t have time for this.”

She started to close the door, but he stuck his foot in the way. “Give me five minutes to explain and if you still want me to leave, I will.”

After a silent pause, she sighed. “Five minutes.” She finally stepped aside and Chase moved into the front room. She closed the door then leaned against it, one hand still on the handle. “What’s this about?”

“As you probably know, I was involved with a woman named Vanessa for
most of the past year.” Just the sound of her name made him clench his teeth. Eleven months. He’d spent eleven months of his life saddled with her expectations. Their relationship had begun its downward spiral long before she ended the affair. He certainly didn’t want her back. Still, being rejected stung like a bitch.

“You said ‘I
was
involved’. Does that mean you’re no longer involved with Vanessa?” Katie’s eyes gleamed, but the brightness faded before he could determine which emotion had caused the reaction.

“
She dumped me three weeks ago then told our friends I’m so torn up over the breakup that I can’t even look at another woman.”

“Are you?”
The shimmer in her eyes this time was definitely humor. Talk about pouring salt on an open wound.

“I’m not, but you’re obviously amused by the possibility.” He didn’t have to fake a hurt
expression. Her reaction annoyed and upset him. “Apparently, I’ve come to the wrong neighbor for help.”

He took a step
forward and she pushed him back, chuckling under her breath. “Don’t get all pouty on me. I’ve watched a continual stream of beautiful women flow in and out of your house for years. It’s hard to believe
you
can’t find a date.”

“All the women I know are also friends with Vanessa. I don’t want to make any of them choose sides.
This is between me and her.”

“Why not just skip the party?”

“A good friend is turning thirty. The party’s for him. In fact it was Michael, the birthday boy, who introduced me to Vanessa. Besides, staying home will only add fuel to the fire. Vanessa wants everyone to think she’s devastated me and I’m determined to prove she’s full of shit.”

Katie stared at him, her wide green eyes brutally assessing. Then she shook her head. “I hate parties and… I’ve seen Vanessa. You show up with me and everyone will think you’re desperate not indifferent.”

“Not if you let me buy you a new dress and have your hair and makeup done downtown.” He lowered his voice to a sexy purr. “Something tells me you’ll clean up remarkably well.”

She tensed and folded her arms
over her chest. “I can’t decide if I’m insulted or embarrassed by that. For the record, I have a closet full of fancy dresses upstairs and I’m fully capable of doing my own hair and makeup.”

That brought up a whole barrage of questions. Why did she have a closet full of
“fancy” clothes if she never wore them and why did she never bother with makeup or a more flattering hairstyle? It was as if she didn’t want anyone to realize how attractive she was, or she just didn’t give a damn. He wanted to understand what—or more likely who—had caused her to retreat into indifference.

Rather than start a conversation she wasn’t ready for, he simply asked,
“Then you’ll do it? I’d owe you big time.”

Her stance relaxed but she didn’t immediately relent. “
Where’s the party?”

“They’ve leased one of the clubs in
LoDo for the night.”

“All right.
You have me for two hours, no longer. I really do hate parties.”

“Two hours at the party. That doesn’t include travel time.”

She chuckled and moved away from the door. “Fine. Two hours at the party. What time should I be ready?”

“We need to be there by eight.”

“Then I’ll see you at seven thirty.”

“Thank you.”
He leaned down and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow night.”

* * * * *

Katie closed the door with a heavy sigh then reached down and rotated the deadbolt.
Damn it
. Loki was right. Josiah had served and Chase volleyed. The game was definitely on.

She could tell Chase she’d changed her mind and then duck their advance until they chose another target. But that wouldn’t be fair to whomever they chose. No. They needed to find out what it felt like to have someone screw with them.

A smile teased the corners of her mouth. If she enjoyed their attention along the way, no one needed to know. She’d be that much more convincing if she allowed herself to indulge some of her… Who was she kidding? If she tried to do this alone, the only person who’d end up hurt would be her.

She walked over to the recliner and sat. Was Loki here? Had he watched her with Chase,
waiting for her to realize the futility of a solo mission? The possibility was annoying, but it didn’t change the facts. She was not equipped to deal with Chase and Josiah.

“You win,” she said to the room
at large. “I can’t do this by myself.”

He gradually appeared, his half-smile confirming her suspicion that he’d never really left. “I was hoping you’d come around.”

“We’ll do this together, but you can
never
lie to me again.”

After offering her a regal bow,
he resumed his sprawling pose on the couch. “You have my word. No more lies.”

“
Then start at the beginning,” she suggested. “I need to understand exactly what you are and why you want this so badly.” She cringed. “I know that sounds rude, but surely you understand my confusion.”

“I do, and I’ll try to answer all your questions.”

“Are you an alien?” The question sounded so strange. She lifted one hand and fiddled with a strand of her hair.

“My kind is not indigenous to Earth, so I suppose that makes me an alien.”

Despite his easy answer, the situation still felt surreal. “Are Odin and Thor still around or are you the only one left?”

“The others
still exist; they’re just no longer in this dimension.”

He patiently waited for her next question, but her mind suddenly went blank. This couldn’t be happening. She had to have slipped
into some sort of a delusion, but why had she chosen Norse mythology? She was a huge fan of the
Avengers
franchise, yet this Loki didn’t look anything like Hollywood’s portrayal of— Something pressed against her shoulder and she cried out, twisting away from the light contact.

“I’m real and you’re not losing your mind.” She lowered her hand to her lap and looked at him. He stood beside her now, compassion warming his gaze. “Slow down your breathing or you’re going to pass out.”

Again he was right. She was hyperventilating. She turned her head and concentrated on her breathing. But he was still there in her peripheral vision, patiently waiting for her to accept the fact that she was speaking with a figure out of Norse mythology.

“You’re Loki.”

“I thought we’d already established that much.” He flashed another playful smile as she turned her head back around. “Will it make you more comfortable if you call me something else?”

“Wasn’t there some sort of battle that was supposed to have killed off all of you?”

“Ragnarok was real, but the outcome was greatly exaggerated. We left Earth for several centuries. I’ve always liked this planet, so I came back.”

“And when was that?”

“Around the turn of the century.”

She exhaled as he returned to the couch.
“The turn of which century?” It didn’t really matter. She was just trying to adapt to the fantastic situation.

“I returned to Earth in the year two thousand, according to your calendar. I spent the first few months in Norway, but it was too much same old, same old. So I worked my way through Europe then came to the United States.”

Gradually her mind cleared and her spirit returned. “Why Denver?”

“I’m drawn to conflict, always have been. The liberal ideals embraced along the ‘Front Range Corridor’ are in direct opposition to the conservative beliefs rampant in the rural communities. You
know, small town stability versus fast and free city life. The dichotomy exists in many states, but it’s especially contentious in Colorado.”

“Why are you drawn to conflict?” Once she’d accepted that this was real, her curious mind demanded details.

“Conflict creates emotion and emotion creates energy.”

A shiver raced down her spine as she realized the implication. “You feed on human energy?”

“I do. I’m capable of processing food, but it doesn’t sustain me. As long as I don’t take too much, the donors are unaware of—”

“The word ‘donor’ indicates something willingly offered. If the people you feed on are unaware, they are also unwilling.”

“Not necessarily. I’ve had many people beg me to take their energy.” His sexy smile left little doubt about the sorts of things he was doing at the time. “For a human to willingly offer their energy, they must understand the nature of my existence. As you’ve just experienced, that’s easier said than done.”