Shackle Me Not

By Amarinda Jones

“I wouldn’t marry you now if you were the last man on the bloody planet.” Katharine Mayflower tugged at the engagement ring on her finger.
Wil Sattler reached for her hand. “It was just a kiss.”
Katharine pulled away, still working on getting the ring off. “With tongue no doubt.” While she hadn’t seen the kiss, it was reported to her as being very full on. She had been waiting nervously, dressed in her frosty wedding dress, to walk down the aisle to marry the man she loved when she had been told the news. It had hit her hard. She was on edge enough without being told Wil was kissing another woman.
“You are blowing this out of proportion.”
“I am not.” Katharine glared at him. “Do you deny you kissed her?”
Wil ran a hand through his hair, the frustration evident in his blue eyes. “Grace is a friend.”
“A close one by the looks of it.” Katharine stumbled on the hem of her wedding dress. It was one her mother had insisted she wear. It was a ghastly confection of tulle and organza that made her feel like a virgin sacrifice. Which she wasn’t. But Katharine had worn it to shut her mother up. Leona Mayflower could whine with the best of them if she wanted something done her way. Katharine had just wanted the wedding over and done with. Maybe it wasn’t the most romantic way to look at it but the whole matrimonial spectacular was not her scene and as the actual moment approached Katharine was so strung out that hearing bad news about her groom was enough to make her believe the worst. Katharine twisted the ring on her finger. Why won’t this ring come off?
Wil sighed, running a hand through his hair as he watched her. “What are you doing?”
“Giving you your ring back.” Though at this stage it appeared she was going to have to give up one finger to do it.
“Brat—”
Katharine stiffened. “Don’t call me that.” It was a term of endearment between them. Or had been. But that’s all over now. Kissing someone else was not acceptable to her and she wasn’t in the mood to listen to excuses. If Katharine were honest, there was a lot of relief mixed in with her anger. I needed a reason to break this off.
“You’re acting like one.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Scarlet Harlot Publishing
• Release date: Mar 31, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476034836

Amarinda Jones

Amarinda Jones believes anything is possible and sometimes just asking for the impossible will surprise someone enough that they will give it to you. Writing is like that. Put it out there and wait for a response. There is always the possibility you may fall on your arse, but after all, that's what cellulite is for. Amarinda believes in taking chances, speaking her mind and aging disgracefully. Twenty years from now she plans on being the neighborhood witch that all the kids are scared of. But then, everyone has to have a hobby.

Book preview

Shackle Me Not

Published by Amarinda Jones at Smashwords

www.amarindajones.com

Copyright© 2012 Amarinda Jones

Cover Artist: Amarinda Jones

The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. No part of this book may be used or reproduced electronically or in print without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in reviews.

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, and places are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

Dedication

To all the smart men out there who know when to act and when to listen to their women. That beats height, width and length any time, boys.

Chapter One

One year ago

I wouldn’t marry you now if you were the last man on the bloody planet. Katharine Mayflower tugged at the engagement ring on her finger.

Wil Sattler reached for her hand. It was just a kiss.

Katharine pulled away, still working on getting the ring off. With tongue no doubt. While she hadn’t seen the kiss, it was reported to her as being very full on. She had been waiting nervously, dressed in her frosty wedding dress, to walk down the aisle to marry the man she loved when she had been told the news. It had hit her hard. She was on edge enough without being told Wil was kissing another woman.

You are blowing this out of proportion.

I am not. Katharine glared at him. Do you deny you kissed her?

Wil ran a hand through his hair, the frustration evident in his blue eyes. Grace is a friend.

A close one by the looks of it. Katharine stumbled on the hem of her wedding dress. It was one her mother had insisted she wear. It was a ghastly confection of tulle and organza that made her feel like a virgin sacrifice. Which she wasn’t. But Katharine had worn it to shut her mother up. Leona Mayflower could whine with the best of them if she wanted something done her way. Katharine had just wanted the wedding over and done with. Maybe it wasn’t the most romantic way to look at it but the whole matrimonial spectacular was not her scene and as the actual moment approached Katharine was so strung out that hearing bad news about her groom was enough to make her believe the worst. Katharine twisted the ring on her finger. Why won’t this ring come off?

Wil sighed, running a hand through his hair as he watched her. What are you doing?

Giving you your ring back. Though at this stage it appeared she was going to have to give up one finger to do it.

Brat—

Katharine stiffened. Don’t call me that. It was a term of endearment between them. Or had been. But that’s all over now. Kissing someone else was not acceptable to her and she wasn’t in the mood to listen to excuses. If Katharine were honest, there was a lot of relief mixed in with her anger. I needed a reason to break this off.

You’re acting like one.

For being pissed at my groom kissing another woman on our wedding day?

Damn, damn, damn. What is this ring stuck on with? Glue?

You kissed people today, Wil pointed out as he loosened his collar. Katharine turned on him. Yes but that’s different.

How? He looked at her with interest.

She knew what that look meant. He didn’t believe anything she was saying. Wil knew her better than anyone else. It just is. This is about trust. Though, if truth be told, Katharine knew who she didn’t trust. It’s me.

Yes it is and you don’t trust yourself, brat.

Yeah, Wil knows me too well. I do. I don’t. The idea of marriage terrified her. While Katharine loved Wil, she was scared to death of ruining what they had together if they took the huge leap and got married. If genetics were anything to go by then that was a very real possibility. It’s better to end it in now single-dom then I won’t be able to hurt him later.

So now you’re telling me you don’t believe in what we have? I—

You wanted an out. Wil shook his head and sighed in frustration.

I did not. Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Wil walked over