by Anya Summers
"Right here." Ophelia picked up a pan that had been sitting on the countertop. He hadn't even noticed it.
Tobias gave Ophelia a kiss as he extracted the pan from her hands that made Ophelia blush and had Kat looking away with a grin. They really were the cutest couple. Tobias just doted on her.
Kat liked the quaint houses here in Burbank. In fact, from what she had seen today of Burbank, the little town north of downtown Los Angeles had a small town feel with large city appeal. They'd taken a stroll up to the shops on Magnolia earlier in the afternoon and there had been a building that had set some wheels in motion in her head; some potential avenues she'd only toyed with before now.
"The burgers should be ready in about five. Do you know when Lucy and Jesse plan to arrive?"
"They should have been here an hour ago," Ophelia said, glancing out the kitchen window with consternation creasing her brow.
Tobias nodded. "Knowing Lucy, they'll be here just as dinner is about to be served. I wouldn't worry."
Kat peeked through the window, but not knowing what type of car they drove, couldn't tell from the neighbors' vehicles lining the street. Ophelia's practical sedan was in the drive, with Tobias's GTO parked behind it.
"I love your house, Lia. It really is just darling." Kat thought the homes in Burbank were just the type of thing she wanted. They weren't overly large—many of them not much larger than a two or three bedroom bungalow, with manageable lawns, close to their neighbors, like in Manhattan, but not on top of each other. Their house was situated near the Chandler pass where people walked, ran, or biked for miles.
"Thanks. It was my parents'. Zoey and I grew up in this house. And until recently, both of us lived here. Even though Dungeon Pleasures is in Pasadena, Tobias and I agreed that we didn't want to raise our daughter above a club, so he moved in with me."
"And what's that like?" Kat did wonder what it was like to actually live with a man. Her lifestyle being what it was, she'd always been too busy with her career, too focused, to take that leap. Granted, none of the men she'd dated had been worth giving up her freedom for that way.
"For the most part, it's wonderful. Although, there are days…" Ophelia grinned, shaking her head.
The doorbell rang.
"Speak of the devil," Ophelia murmured with a smile hovering on her lips.
Kat knew Ophelia and Lucy had been friends most of their lives. She envied them the connection, the easy camaraderie. She had friends, but no one who knew her that well. Other than maybe Declan, but it wasn't the same, and they were rarely in the same country at the same time.
Ophelia strode out of the kitchen and headed towards the door. Excited by the prospect of seeing Lucy again, and hopefully forging more of a friendship there as well, Kat trailed behind her.
"Will!" Ophelia exclaimed. "I didn't know you were joining us tonight. Come in! It's so good to see you."
Will's hulking form filled the doorway and he shrugged with a smile. "Tobias invited me."
"I'm so glad he did. It's been ages since you've been to the house. I'm just so surprised to see you twice in one month. That has to be a record with your workaholic schedule." Ophelia went up on her tiptoes and hugged him. It was a little awkward, since her baby bump was clearly showing. Will, mindful of her pregnancy, enveloped her back, rather gingerly. Like he was afraid he would break her if he squeezed too hard, Kat thought.
Ophelia pulled back and as Will entered, she said over her shoulder, "Kat, you remember Will Evans? You guys met at Zoey's wedding."
How could Kat forget? Little did anyone from the group know about their clandestine interactions. Gone were the leathers and bare chest, he wore jeans and a black tee shirt with some heavy metal band logo on the front. Even dressed so casually, Will's attractiveness didn't diminish. He could likely wear a trash bag and make it look good. "It's good to see you again, Will. How have you been?" Kat said.
The undercurrent that always seemed present whenever they were in the same location together flowed, arcing between them like invisible lightning. Kat's heart thumped in her chest. Will had this sensual guise that replaced the shock of finding her here and carried the memory of their last heated encounter at Dungeon Pleasures. She hadn't forgotten the wild abandon of that night, and neither had he, it seemed. Was it wrong that she would do it all over again? Hell, she'd leave with him right now if he asked her to, her body already primed for his touch. Will felt it too, she could tell by the way his face darkened and clouded with a look she was becoming very familiar with. It was his hungry, 'I want to do bad things with you' stare. Ophelia watched the interplay between them, her gaze darting back and forth. Will cleared his throat and was about to reply when the door burst open behind him and in strode Lucy.
"Sorry we're late but when have I ever arrived on time to anything?" Lucy exclaimed, with Jesse hot on her heels. Lucy's skin was a tad flushed like she'd been running, and Jesse had this satisfied gleam in his eye that could only mean someone had gotten very lucky—and recently, by the looks of it.
Tobias stepped in from the backyard carrying a plate of steaming burgers.
Ophelia, in her guise as hostess, ushered everyone in to the dining room. In a few minutes, after the hellos and hugs were executed, she got them all seated at the mahogany table. Within the melee, somehow, Kat ended up seated next to Will.
"Kat, how long are you in town for?" Lucy asked as she scooped some salad onto her plate.
"My company's performance runs through the end of February, so I should be here about another month. I should hopefully miss most of winter before heading back east." Kat's mouth watered at the burger she slid onto her plate from the serving platter being passed around the table.
"Good, remind me to get your number for the baby shower."
"Lucy, you're not supposed to tell me that you are throwing a shower." Ophelia shook her head with a smile, rolling her eyes.
Lucy, in what Kat had come to see was her style, talked lavishly with her hands, the silver bracelets on her left wrist jangling as she spoke. "Why not? Every pregnant woman knows they're going to get one, why hide it? It does no one any good, I say, and is far easier on the one in charge of said shower so that the mother to be doesn't inadvertently schedule something else."
Ophelia pursed her lips, trying to contain a laugh. "Fair enough."
"Are you making it open to men and women?" Will asked. "I've known Lia as long as you have, if not longer. Isn't it quite the rage these days?"
Tobias stuttered, leaning back in his chair. "Good God, man, don't give them any ideas! I was hoping to—"
"What was that? Please continue with what you were hoping for, Tobias." Ophelia smiled, setting her fork on her plate and clasping her hands together.
"Now, sweetness," Tobias murmured with a tilt to his head, and what Kat could only describe as the universal male expression for 'I'm sorry, I didn't mean anything by it' blooming over his face.
"Oh, you're off the hook." Ophelia gestured at him from across the table with her hand and rolled her eyes. "Will, that is very thoughtful of you, but I think we are leaning toward a more traditional shower."
"I could always put you on the list, Will, as our token male, unless Jesse decides to accompany me." Lucy batted her eyelashes at Jesse.
"I think it would be better for all involved if the men retreated to Dungeon Pleasures for an afternoon," Jesse intervened, trying to play peacemaker while Lucy gave him a look that made him squirm in his seat.
"You guys are always welcome to come check out the latest games from my company at my place. In fact, I have one I would like to get your input on," Will offered and took a swig of his beer.
"Aren't you working on the latest Elven Blade game?" Tobias asked.
"And if I was?"
Jesse and Tobias regarded each other for a second. "We're in," they said, damn near in unison.
Lucy clapped, with a 'hear, hear' expression on her face. "It's settled then. The men will retreat to Will's for the shower.
I'll have a date for you all soon now that I know when Kat's leaving," she said, regaining control as the baby shower organizer.
"What are you up to?" Ophelia questioned.
"Moi? Not a thing, well, at the moment, at least."
The table erupted in a chorus of laughter. And dinner proceeded much like that for the rest of the evening. Good food, friendly banter, and a simmering fire in Kat's breast every time her gaze clashed with Will's. Life was finally starting, in her book. She felt like she had a chance with this group. Retiring from professional dance didn't have to be terrorizing, when it seemed she was on this berth where life could be anything she wanted it to be. This group of people she was coming to adore, the congenial way she'd been included in the inner circle with such ease. She had people she liked and wanted to get to know better outside the dance world. Maybe it was time she gave more thought—not to hanging up her pointe shoes, but perhaps no longer traveling eleven months out of the year.
She didn't even know the people who lived in her apartment building in Manhattan, and it was a co-op. Her life had been non-stop travel for close to a decade and she was so tired of being a nomad. Maybe she could start her own little dance studio. And it wouldn't have to be in New York. The west coast weather in January was not to beat.
Jesse and Lucy left not long after a berry cobbler dessert, with promises of getting in touch for the baby shower.
"Give me a few minutes to clean up and then I can drive you home, Kat," Tobias said as he carted platters and bowls into the kitchen.
"Okay, thank you. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No. You're our guest, Kat. Relax, we have it covered," Ophelia said, relaxing in her seat, rubbing a hand over her growing belly.
"You really need to rent a car while you're in LA. It's the only mode of transportation," Will murmured, pushing his plate back after his second helping of cobbler.
"I don't drive," Kat said, bemused at his appetite. The man did nothing by half measures and made no bones about his enjoyment of the meal. Not that she blamed him. It was nice having something homemade for a change. Granted, she was a bit lost in the kitchen. Oh, she could make a bowl of soup, a salad, or anything that had directions on it and came from a package, but anything beyond that was above her pay grade.
"At all?" Will asked, a bit stunned as he leaned back in his chair and studied her.
This wasn't the first time this topic had come up. Even in the company, Kat was a bit of an oddity in this regard. "Nope."
"So you don't like it, is that it?" Will's genuine confused expression almost made her laugh as he tried to figure her out like she was a computer program.
"No, I never learned how." But that would change if she decided to make a move out of Manhattan. One of the many items she needed to consider.
"You're kidding me, right?"
"No. I grew up in Manhattan while attending the American School of Ballet. You don't need a car in the city, what with public transportation. So when I turned sixteen I just didn't get my license."
"Didn't you ever want to get one?" Will asked, still unconvinced.
"Not really. My driving force for so long has been ballet and the company, that anything outside of it was just white noise." She shrugged. It was what had helped turn her into a prima with the company—her focus and commitment barring any outside forces. Hell, for years she'd done nothing but live, breathe, eat, and sleep ballet. That, too, was something she needed to change.
"Tobias, I'll take Kat to her hotel whenever she's ready to leave," Will said.
Tobias strode out of the kitchen, wiping his hands on a dish towel. "Are you sure? I don't mind."
"Nah, I'll see her home safe. You have your hands full enough with Lia."
"Hey, you both come talk to me when your hormones are bouncing all over the place," Lia harrumphed, giving Tobias a pouty look.
At that, Tobias chuckled. "That I do. Thanks. You okay with that, Kat?"
Was she ever? Kat could think of nothing that would top her night off more than a chance to be alone with Will. Her body hummed in anticipation. "I think that would be just fine. You guys have been wonderful today. Thank you so much for inviting me."
Ophelia and her bump stood, with Tobias's help. She gave Kat a fierce hug. "I'm so glad you came over today. Let me know when your next day off is and we can do a girls day."
"I'd love that. Oh, and I will have the tickets for all of you next weekend at the box office under my name."
"You're the sweetest."
Tobias gave Kat a big hug and walked them out to Will's car. This was the first time she was riding in it not in sub space, and the black muscle car reminded her more of the Batmobile than a car, with all the gadgets and space-age gizmos lining the dashboard.
Comfortable just to be in the same space with him, the wine from dinner had relaxed her so that she could just watch him drive. The way he handled the controls and steering wheel, the confidence he exuded, was a heady drug to her system. He was in control, always. They were on the highway before Will shot her a glance and addressed her again. "I'll teach you."
"Hmmm? You'll teach me what?" He'd jarred her out of the fantasy where he'd had the starring role.
"To drive, if you want to learn," he murmured, and shifted lanes.
"Really? I'll think about it. Thanks for the offer. I still don't know if I will need it or not," she admitted.
"Because you will be heading back to Manhattan when you're done with the show at the Music Center?"
"Maybe. I haven't decided yet. I don't know if going back to Manhattan is the right thing for me anymore. I'm not sure if dancing—at least, the way I've been doing it all these years, with the endless touring—is what I want anymore."
"What do you want?" Will asked, and the familiar undercurrent jolted through her system at his words.
And that was just it. She didn't know what she wanted, not entirely. She had some ideas, some possibilities she had considered but had been too afraid of stepping a toe outside the lines of her life to explore them. The only thing she did know for sure was that she wanted the man next to her with an intensity so sharp and virulent it was almost an obsession.
"I'll let you know when I figure that out."
"Is it making you happy?"
"What?" His question surprised her, as did her knee-jerk, internal response. No, not anymore.
"Dancing, the ballet?" he pressed.
Kat was unwilling to voice her dissatisfaction with her life. There were people in far worse circumstances that she. She understood just how lucky she had been with the success she had achieved. If her life wasn't exactly how she thought it would be, then it was up to her to do something about it. Besides, expressing her disappointment would seem like whining, anyway. "I love ballet," she said. "It's an ingrained part of who I am, but it's also the only thing I have been since I was five. I don't really know anything else, like video games on computers, or driving, or just being in the same city, let alone the same continent for more than a few weeks at a time, and I'd like to."
She didn't want to go into the initial years of her mom foisting it upon her or being a stage mom. She understood her mother had had the best intentions, even when they had been executed poorly at times.
"I see."
"No, you really don't. I've traveled the world performing for the last decade and haven't actually seen any of it. I was in Greece for a month and didn't see the Parthenon, for pity's sake. I could list the multitude of places I've visited on tour without actually seeing the thing they are known for. That's not living to me, not anymore."
"Kat, I think you have your answer," he said, and she realized they were parked in front of her hotel. Only Will seemed capable of making her forget where she was and infused her world so that there was only him.
"Would you like to come up?" Kat asked with hope blooming in her chest. She wanted to know more about him, continue the conversation, and maybe convince him to stay the night.
She couldn't
read his shadowed expression by the light of his dashboard and then he said, "Not tonight."
The rejection, after she'd bared her soul, burned far more than she wanted to admit. She felt the sting of moisture in her eyes but refused to cry in front of him. Instead, Kat did what she always did when she was in pain, she smiled and nodded. "Maybe another time then."
"Maybe," he murmured, his face shrouded in shadows. She started to reach for him, but thought better of it and pulled her hand back.
"Thanks for the ride," she said and exited his space rocket of a vehicle. He didn't drive away immediately but ensured she had entered the front revolving door of her hotel before zipping away.
Dejected, and not a little afraid of the night's revelations, Kat headed up to her bedroom, thinking a hot bath and bed would fix the burning ache in her chest. Even though, realistically, she knew that it wouldn't solve anything. Not when the person she wanted most didn't want her back.
Chapter 8
Dungeon Pleasures was the last place he should be.
Will had perched himself at the small bar inside the Lair on Saturday evening. It was barely nine but the club was packed. Scenes were already in progress throughout. As someone who had abstained from participating in the lifestyle, it stunned Will how right at home he felt here. He approved of the club layout with the members only section. A multitude of available subs had demurely walked by him over the past hour, flashing bits of skin his way in invitation.
Will ignored them. There was only one sub he wanted. Even conjuring up her image, her dainty body and wealth of blonde hair, ignited an almost feral hunger inside him. None of the other subs held any interest for him.
Kat, with her pouty lips and big, soulful blue eyes, was the only one he wanted. And he craved her with a fierceness that defied all reason.
Will had sat here, on this barstool, each night this week because of his fascination with Kat. Waiting for her to put in an appearance, watching for her, and experiencing the searing disappointment each night when she didn't show. As much as Will knew he was bad news for any woman and should stay as far away from her as possible, he couldn't seem to drag himself away. He wanted her with a desire that bordered on obsession.
