by Stella Brie
CHAPTER 42
KATE
Things have been strained between me and Thayer the last three weeks. Ever since he asked me for a kiss, it’s all I could think about doing. One part of me wonders wonder what his kisses would be like. They all kiss so differently. Lowell’s are either cool and restrained or wild and deep. Lev’s kisses reflect his passionate personality but change often to suit his mood. Shaw’s kisses are demanding and fiery, as if he needs to quench his thirst for me. It’s hard to tell how Thayer would kiss, since he runs both hot and cold with me.
Entering the office, I see Thayer trying to stand. “What the hell?!” I shout.
He wobbles, and I step up to catch him. He holds on to me tightly. So tightly, I can feel every inch of him flush against me. His mouth twists as he tells me, “Rehab went well this morning. I stood on my own. I thought I’d try it again.”
“Were you wearing a support belt this morning?” I give him a hard stare to let him know I’m not stupid.
“Yes. I didn’t think it helped that much. I was wrong.” His eyes are twinkling as they look down at me.
“I don’t think this is funny.”
“It’s not funny. But it feels damn good. To stand with you in my arms.” His eyes travel down between us to where I’m plastered up against him. His voice is husky as he murmurs, “I guess I can delete that worry off my list. Fuck. I’m hard as a rock at just the feel of you. Throbbing, in fact. Want to feel?”
“No, I don’t want to feel.” Although I do, very badly. My nipples harden as I think about stroking him. “Let’s get you back in the chair.”
“If we must.” His hands reach back to grab the arms of the chair, and I slowly lower him down into the seat.
I look down and notice his tented pants. My cheeks burn as I look away. Unfortunately, I look directly into his dark blue contact-covered eyes. Caught, I stare at him. Seizing the moment, he leans forward and snatches my lips in a kiss. And suddenly, it’s as if I’m drowning. A deluge of desire washing through me until I barely know my name. All I know is this kiss. This moment. I meet every thrust of his tongue with mine, but nothing exists outside of it, nothing but the feel of his lips and stroke of his tongue. The phone rings, jerking me out of the kiss. I stand quickly.
“Kate.” His voice is strained with desire. “I...”
I place a finger on his lips. “No. Please, don’t. I can’t believe that happened. We should just forget about it. Can we forget about it?” What the hell? I didn’t even like Thayer. I mean, I like him now. But do I like him, like him? That kiss sure as hell felt like it. Confused, I shake my head at him.
“No, I’m not fucking forgetting that kiss. Ever.” He reaches out to grab my hand, but I put out my hand in a stop motion. “Kate, damn it. Let’s talk about this.”
Shaking my head no, I walk back towards the door. “We’ll talk later, Thayer. OK? I’ve got patients to see.” I close the door behind me as I walk out.
“Fuck!” I hear him roar.
I manage to avoid him the rest of the day.
CHAPTER 43
KATE
The week went by at a snail’s pace. While I managed to avoid Thayer completely, I couldn’t block that kiss from my thoughts. Not only was it on constant replay in my head, it’s as if it was a switch. I notice everything. His smile when he greets his patients, the way he jokes with the staff. His broad shoulders when he held a newborn baby this morning. Hell, even his damn forearms are sexy, with light blond hairs and roped muscles. Although lean from the last few months, it looks like rehab had been rebuilding his muscles. He looked good. Too damn good.
Rolling my eyes at my incessant monologue, I duck my head in the office. Thankfully, Sarah is still there, so I have a buffer.
“I’m heading upstairs to get ready. I’ll order us a car and pick you up in two hours?” Sarah and I are having a girls’ night out.
“Sounds good. Wear something sexy, OK? I’m in the mood to dance.” She shimmies back and forth to emphasize her point.
“Where are you going?” Thayer butts in.
“As if we’d tell you.” Sarah laughs. “You’d just pass it along to your brothers, and then there would be too much testosterone at our girls’ party. Nope. Go have your own fun.” Sarah drops the patient folders on the desk and waves goodbye to Thayer. “I’ve got to go get ready. Sexy doesn’t happen by snapping my fingers.”
She squeezes my arm as she passes me, her eyes twinkling. Narrowing my eyes, I try to figure out her angle. Our original plans were just to have dinner, but now we’re suddenly going dancing?
“I’ll pick you up in two hours. Be ready.”
Waving to indicate she heard me, she leaves out the back door.
With my safety net gone, I chew my lip as I try to think of something to say.
“Our incredible kiss was exactly what I hoped, and I can’t get it out of my head,” Thayer tells me quietly. “Why won’t you talk to me?”
Mute, my eyes drop to the carpet. I don’t know what to say. Lifting my eyes to his, I silently plead with him to let me have more time.
“Damn it, Kate. Just go.” His voice is hard as he tells me to leave.
Thankful for the reprieve, I head upstairs to the apartment to get ready. There are so many emotions that cloud the air between us. Too many. From hate to fear to colleagues to friends to that kiss. It’s all a swirl, and I need time to sort it out.
Pouring a glass of wine, I relax in the tub for a few minutes. Everything has been going so well the last two months. My relationship with Shaw, Lev, and Lowell is incredible. We are in love with each other. The happiness I’ve found with them is full of possibilities. Am I tempting fate to ask for more?
Could I ask to find love with one more person? Is that being too greedy? I don’t even know if he’s looking for anything serious. He could be reacting to the proximity of me in his life at work and home.
My phone pings, letting me know the ride share will be here in forty-five minutes. Shit! Pulling the stopper, I dive out of the tub. Slapping on some lotion, I hurriedly add makeup and drop a few curls into my hair. The tousled look will have to do tonight.
Stepping into the bedroom, I peruse the clothes in my closet. They’re all pretty boring. Searching for something sexy, I pull out a red lace bodysuit and pair of black skinny jeans. Paired with black stilettos and a few gold necklaces, I think it will work.
The driver sends me a text to let me know he’s arrived. Grabbing my clutch and phone, I slip out the door. We arrive at Sarah’s about twenty minutes later. She comes out wearing a black bodycon dress and jumps in the back seat with me.
“Damn, girl. That dress is sexy. Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”
“Thanks.” She pushes up the girls and smooths down the dress. “You look hot. Love that bodysuit.”
“Uh huh. Spill.”
“OK. Don’t be mad,” she pleads with me, biting her lip. “I found out today Remi is coming to town tonight, along with his friend. We’re meeting them at the club.”
“What? Are you trying to set me up with his friend?” Confused, I laugh. “I’ve got to tell you; I don’t need one more man right now. Seriously, I have more than my fair share.”
“No, I want you to meet him and tell me what you think. This man is driving me crazy. One minute he’s cold as ice, and the next he’s plastered up against me. I can’t tell what’s going on. Will you help me?” Giving me puppy dog eyes, she bats her eyelashes at me.
“Stop. Of course I’ll help. That doesn’t explain why you told Thayer our plans.” Raising my eyebrow, I cross my arms and wait for her to tell me.
“Well, everyone knows Thayer can’t keep a secret worth a damn. One or all of your men will show up before the night is through. Hopefully, we’ll both have ‘happy’ endings tonight.” Grinning mischievously, her fingers give air quotes to the word “happy.”
“Sneaky, my friend. OK, you’re forgiven. Maybe we should bet on which one will show up?” K
nowing she can’t resist a good bet, I wait for her to take the bait.
“You’re on. If Thayer was his old self, I’d bet on him. But given the circumstance, I think it’s a toss-up between Lev and Shaw.” Tapping her finger on her lip, she thinks about it for a second. “I’m going with Shaw. He seems like he would be more possessive than Lev. Who do you think will show up?”
“What are we betting?”
“How about drinks tonight? Whoever wins pays the bar tab.”
“Deal. I’m betting Lowell shows up.”
“What? Lowell? Mr. Serious? No way.”
Shrugging, I simply smile. “That’s my bet. We’ll see who’s right.”
Pouting a bit, she throws up her hands. “If only Thayer and you were dating. He’d be a sure bet.”
“Thayer and I are not dating. We’ve only kissed.”
“What?! When did you kiss Thayer? And why am I just now hearing about it?”
I walk through what happened between me and him the other day. “I don’t know what to think. One minute he’s an asshole, the next we’re working together and becoming friends. Like a switch, he’s suddenly attracted to me? He’s all over the place.” My hands are flying in frustration as I walk through the last few months.
“Thayer’s a good man. Not only do I respect him as a physician and a boss, he’s a really good guy. When I first started working for him, he was icy cool towards me. One day, I decided to have it out with him. Apparently, he was afraid I would fall in love with him or his money.” She shakes her head in memory. “I never laughed so hard in my life. I asked him why he would think I would be interested in him. After all, he didn’t have a rock-hard body, covered in ink, which is exactly my type. After laughing at my type, he told me he had always had gold diggers after him.”
“Seriously? Money seems to be a weird issue for him. He was afraid all I wanted from my men was their money. As if I didn’t make any of my own. What the hell?”
“You don’t know?” She waits until I shake my head. “He comes from old Boston money. Like his family came over on the Mayflower kind of money. They had a huge rift when he joined the Army after getting his medical degree, but in the end he was the only heir, and they patched things up. When his father died, he inherited close to a billion dollars.”
“Wow. I knew he came from money, but that’s a whole other level of wealth. No wonder he’s kind of screwed up about money. I’d be paranoid, too.” My eyes drift as I think about the inheritance I received from Collin’s estate when he died. That kind of money could do so much for others.
“We’re here! How do I look?” she demands as she plumps up the girls again.
“Well, if you push those girls up one more time, they’re going to fall out of the top of that dress.” Smirking, I gesture to her boobs.
“Perfect. That’s exactly the look I was trying to achieve. Let’s go.” She bounces out of the car.
Well, this should be an interesting evening. Waving bye to the driver, I step out in front of the Montana Club. Walking in, I wonder if there’s a dance theme tonight. Last time I’d been here, it was for salsa night with Lowell. My nipples peak as I think about how that night ended.
“Over there.”
Sarah grabs my hand and pulls me towards the two men at a table in the bar. Wow. She wasn’t kidding when she said Thayer wasn’t her type. These men are stacked, with heavy tattoos and hard bodies. One resembles the picture she had shown me, with his movie star good looks with blond hair and brown eyes. The other has dark brown hair and green eyes. Both men wear buttoned-up shirts with the cuffs rolled up, showing off tattoo sleeves on both arms.
Sarah goes up to the blond first. He bends down to her petite frame and gives her a hard kiss. Turning her in his arms, he sets her back against his front. “Sarah, this is my...friend and agent, Brax. Brax, this is Sarah.” He tenses as he waits for Brax to acknowledge Sarah.
But Sarah being Sarah, she doesn’t wait. Holding out her hand, she cocks her head and murmurs, “Aren’t you tall, dark, and handsome, emphasis on the dark? I get it now. You and Remi are together, aren’t you? And I’m crashing the party?”
His eyes widen in surprise at her quick read of the situation. “Sarah. Why would you think we were involved?” His hand engulfs her tiny one for a second or three. Reluctant to let go, he drops his hand and wipes it subtly on his jeans.
Sarah shrugs but doesn’t answer him. “Remi and Brax, this is my friend, Kate.”
They both reach out and shake my hand. “Hello, it’s nice to meet you both. I’ve heard a lot of good things about you, Remi.”
We all sit down and order drinks. Remi keeps the atmosphere lively with stories about his latest movie, but the undercurrent is intense. Remi and Brax are communicating silently back and forth. Brax’s eyes ping between Remi and Sarah. Starting to feel like an intruder, I decide to go dance.
“I’m going to dance.” Hopping off the stool, I shoot Sarah a quick glance, but she waves me off. I see a very “happy” threesome in her future, if she can get Brax to give her a chance. Ha, as if it is his decision. My bet’s on Sarah.
Smiling, I hit the dance floor to an upbeat song. Maneuvering around the outstretched hands, I abandon myself to the music. It’s not often I get to let loose. A few bodies press up against mine, but I slip away before their hands land on me.
I’m startled when a tall, lean body wraps around me. Whipping my head around, I prepare to tell them off when I realize it’s Lowell.
“You just won me free drinks,” I tell him as I turn back around and dance back to his front. Raising my arms, his hands glide down my sides to my hips before pulling me tight against him. Exhilarated, we dance for the next hour.
“Let’s stop. I need some water.” Grasping his hand, I pull him back towards the bar. When we get to the table, Sarah’s shocked as she notices it’s Lowell here.
“I can’t believe Lowell is the one to come get you. How did you know?” Her mouth twists as she realizes she lost the bet.
“We dance here all the time.” Laughing at her expression. “Now, let me order a couple drinks. On you, right?”
After ordering, I pull her off to the bathroom. “Are you okay? What’s been going on?”
“Apparently, Brax and Remi have been together for years. When he met me, he couldn’t forget about me. He wants to invite me into their relationship.”
“Wow. Okay. What are you going to do?”
“I’m going to give them time to work their shit out. Hopefully, we’re going to end the night together. Then I’m going to suggest I come to Los Angeles for an extended visit and spend time getting to know them both. For some reason, it takes time for men to work out what I worked out in the first minute.” Rolling her eyes at their incapability to see things clearly quickly, she steps up to wash her hands.
“They are not going to know what hit them when they both fall for you. I almost feel sorry for them.”
“I know, right?! Seriously, though, did you see those tats? How the hell can one woman get so damn lucky?” Blowing out a breath, she gives her hair one last fluff.
We finish up and head back to the table. Brax is talking to Lowell about selling the movie rights for his recently completed series. “Here’s my agent. Send her the details. We’ll talk.” He texts the information to Brax.
For the next half-hour, we talk about Lowell’s books and who he thinks should play each role. Giving Sarah a wink, I stand. “Enough shop talk. We’re heading out. Sarah, I’ll see you Monday, and thanks for the drinks.” I can’t help rubbing it in that I won the bet. She glares back at me before laughing.
After getting in his SUV, Lowell turns to me. “I can’t believe you bet on me. Nobody in a million years would have bet I would be the one to show up. Why?”
Lifting one shoulder, I glance at him. “You’re a very possessive man. And dancing is our thing. I knew you wouldn’t be able to tolerate the thought of me dancing with another man.”
“I watched yo
u. To see if you would dance with someone else.”
“And?”
His hands clench on the wheel. “I’m glad you didn’t. I’m so happy, in fact, I think you deserve a reward.”
“I do deserve a reward, don’t I?”
Arriving at the ranch, we barely get two feet into the foyer before the other three men find us. Their eyes widen as they take in every inch of my red bodysuit, skinny jeans, and heels.
“Damn, sweetheart. This is what you wear out with Sarah? It’s a good thing we sent Lowell. I’m not sure Shaw or I would be able to control our asshole-ness. It would be a caveman throwdown.” Lev pulls me into his arms. “Damn, you feel good. Whatever you’re wearing, I want to buy you five more. I can feel every inch of you against me.”
Shaw pulls me from Lev’s arms into his. “Angel. What the fuck? Those jeans are painted on that gorgeous ass of yours. Personally, I think you should only wear those for me.” Winking to show he is joking, his hands smooth down until he can cup my ass. Giving me a quick kiss and squeeze, he lets me go.
Looking at Thayer, I smirk. “Sarah knew you wouldn’t be able to keep a secret. We even bet to see who would show up. She bet on Shaw.”
Thayer laughs loudly at that thought. “Shaw? Shaw wouldn’t be caught dead on the dance floor. The man has zero ability to dance. And who did you bet on?”
Snuggling up against the man standing quietly by the door, I lace my fingers through his before replying, “Lowell, of course.” Smiling up at Lowell, I pull him towards the stairs. “I’m thinking I want my reward sooner rather than later.”
Behind me, I hear Thayer’s confused voice as he loudly questions my choice, “Lowell?! Seriously?”
Lowell’s quiet chuckle fills the air. “Damn straight.” Kissing my hand, he pulls me into his bedroom and shuts the door.
CHAPTER 44
KATE
I brush my lips over Lowell’s, and when he doesn’t stir, I decide not to wake him. Yawning, I look at the clock and notice it’s midnight. My stomach rumbles loudly, reminding me I didn’t get to eat earlier. I’m starving, but my stomach won’t let me go back to sleep until I feed it.
