Simply Sinful (Simply 1)

“You think he exists?” Kayla asked.

Kane immediately came to mind. He was the one man she didn’t want to push away physically or turn off emotionally. The first guy who made her feel special and had her wanting to take chances.

Catherine shrugged. “I don’t know. But if the light in your eyes is any indication, you do. And I’d hate to see you lose that special someone out of fear.”

Unable to control it, Kayla grinned. “He was different and sexy and…”

“And?”

“He listened,” she said, somewhat embarrassed. “He seemed interested but I’ve been out of the game too long to know for sure.”

“You don’t need experience to know if he makes you feel good. This guy could be it.”

Kayla had the sense Kane was most definitely it. “I don’t really know him,” she reminded her sister.

“But you want to.” Catherine read her mind as she had so many times in the past. “And just wait until he gets a look at you tonight.” Walking back to the closet, Catherine reached inside and tossed something across the room.

Kayla stood before the full-length mirror behind the door. She spun around once more, shocked at the woman whose reflection she saw there. “I don’t even recognize myself,” she said, as she added the finishing touch, a wide headband that would provide both warmth and style for the night ahead.

“That’s because you’ve been so busy hiding behind conservative clothes and a job that involves geeks not hunks. You’ve just forgotten there’s a woman inside.”

Was Catherine right?

Between her old accounting job and now running her aunt’s business, Kayla had stifled her sense of self. Add to that her deliberate lack of a love life, and things seemed pretty pathetic about now.

Her sister placed her hands on Kayla’s shoulders. “At least this guy has brought my sexy sister out of her shell.” Catherine grinned.

“He’s a customer,” Kayla said. As if that meant anything. As he’d said, the customer thing was

an excuse for her to yes to a date without over thinking. It was eerie how well Kane McDermott had understood her.

“Since when do you date a customer?”

She met Catherine’s gaze in the mirror. “I don’t,” she admitted.

“I know. And that’s why I think you should go out and feel for once. Take things from there.” Catherine plucked at the headband, straightening it to look suitably stylish. “The clothes are just the trappings of freedom. The rest is up to you.”

Catherine turned her toward the bedroom door and steered her into the hall. “I’ll drop you off at the restaurant. It’s on my way and, besides, I want to get a look at this guy firsthand.”

“Checking him out, Mom?”

Catherine shrugged. “We’ve always looked out for each other. No sense stopping now.” She glanced at Kayla. “You think about what I said. You might live to regret it if you don’t.”

Kayla took her sister’s advice, all the way to the outside of the restaurant.

Before he’d left Charmed!, she and Kane had exchanged numbers and he’d texted her directions, correctly sensing she wouldn’t have let him pick her up. Too much too soon.

Catherine pulled the car up to the restaurant where Kane waited on the top step, his elbow resting on the brass railing. Irresistible in a black leather jacket, she couldn’t tear her gaze off him.

Catherine’s whistle brought Kayla back down to earth.

“I take it you approve?” Kayla asked.

Catherine answered with a grin.

Drawing a deep breath, Kayla ran her fingers through the waves in her hair and stepped out of the car. Kane was by her side in an instant.

During the brief introductions and small chitchat between Kane and Catherine, Kayla could barely concentrate, her thoughts on Catherine’s earlier words. Was this man, this date, a not-to-be-missed opportunity? Could he be someone important in her future? Though Kayla wasn’t sure, she was about to find out.