The crowd below cheered and Kat’s cheeks heated again. “Sorry. You don’t have to. Harry can’t even see us.”
Damian seemed to be enjoying her embarrassment. “No, but that crowd can.”
“Kiss her!” someone from the throng of people shouted.
“Come on!”
“Do it!”
Everyone seemed to stop and stare up at them. Kat slid lower into the seat. Could her day get any weirder?
“How long will Harry make us wait up here if we don’t?” Damian asked.
“I don’t know. People usually come to the Ferris wheel to make out.” Gah. How had she gotten herself into this mess?
“Well, we’d better just do it then.” Damian cupped her face in his hands and before she knew it, his lips were on hers.
Chapter 10
Damian knew the second his lips touched hers he’d made a mistake, but he couldn’t back down. Loads of people were staring at them from the ground. He moved his lips over hers and a heat ignited in his veins. The electricity shooting over his skin didn’t ease as she responded to the kiss, it intensified. Her hand slid up his chest.
Kat was like no girl he’d ever dated, and she fascinated him. She was a whirlwind, moving in directions he couldn’t begin to predict. And kissing her was sending his heart into overdrive.
He found himself drawn to her, like a gravity he couldn’t fight against. Her sweet lips were soft and warm, and he craved more. He shifted, snaking his arms around her small waist and pulling her closer. Her scent enveloped him, and he deepened the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck. His heart felt like it was going to pound out of his chest. Had he ever experienced a kiss like this before? All others paled in comparison.
Someone below whistled. The ride jerked to life and he forced himself to break the kiss. Kat stared at him, her eyes wide. Crud. He shouldn’t have kissed an employee. What was he thinking?
He ran his hand through his hair and scooted away from her, embarrassed that he’d gotten so involved in the kiss. What must she think of him? He looked away and tried to gain his composure. He was a professional person. He needed to maintain a distance.
The man operating the ride slowed their car as they got to the bottom. He stopped the ride then lifted the gate, giving Kat a knowing smile. “Have a Merry Christmas you two.”
Kat’s cheeks flushed. “Thanks, Harry.”
As they walked away from the crowds, Kat exhaled. “We probably should call it a night.”
“Right.”
They headed toward Kat’s car, and Damian grew more uncomfortable. How could he have thought kissing her was a good idea? Now things were awkward between them. Should he apologize? Ignore it and pretend the kiss never happened? He settled on the latter. Best to not bring it up. Ever again.
Kat stopped and unlocked the passenger door. She turned to him. “Uh, thanks for letting me show you my town.”
“Yes. It was stimulating.” He cringed as he slid into the car. Stimulating? Why did he say that? His brain wasn’t working right.
Kat started up the car and turned on the heat at full blast. Good. Maybe she wouldn’t try to talk to him as she drove him to his hotel. Unfortunately, after three blocks she turned the fan down and looked at him. “About that kiss…”
“Let’s just pretend that didn’t happen.” The words rushed out of him like women trying to get to a shoe sale. “We’re both adults. We didn’t mean anything by it. Let’s move on.”
Kat narrowed her eyes at him but didn’t say anything else. She pulled up to his hotel and stopped the car. For a moment, she just sat there, the car idling, her stare making him feel like a creep. Finally, she said, “Good night, Damian.”
He nodded and got out of her car. She sped away like a she-demon. He watched her taillights disappear down the street. He let out a breath that hovered in the cold air. At least that was over.
As he walked to his room his cell phone vibrated. He pulled it out and looked at the screen. His mother. Probably shouldn’t put her off anymore. He answered the call. “Hello, Mother.”
“Are you through ignoring me?”
He sighed. She was right. That’s what he’d been doing. Guilt surged through him as he took out his key card and unlocked his door. “Sorry, I’ve been busy.”
“When are you coming home?”
“I’m not sure. Why?” He refrained from asking who else she had planned on setting him up with. He held the phone to his ear with his shoulder as he slid off his coat and hung it in the closet.
She paused, and Damian sat on the bed and slipped off his shoes. He grew nervous with her silence. “Mother, what is it?”
“It’s nothing really. There’s this event coming up. I’d like you to help plan it.”
An event? How odd. “Call Charlie. You always have her plan your events.”
“No, it’s not like that. I’d really love your help with this. Where are you?”
“Pleasant Hollow, Wisconsin.”
His mother sucked in a breath. Damian gripped the phone and stood. “Mother? What is it?”
“Why are you there?” Her voice was almost a whisper.
“Business. What’s wrong?” He stilled, waiting for her to answer.
“I just…I need you to come home. Now.”
“Obviously something’s upset you. Tell me.”
He listened to his mother’s fidgeting on the other line. She exhaled. “Damian. Please. Whatever it is you’re doing, just let it go. Come home.”
Damian’s mind spun. “What do you know about this newspaper?”
“Nothing.”
She was lying to him. He pressed his fingers to his temple, massaging it. What was going on? Why wouldn’t she just tell him? “What’s upsetting you? And what’s so important about this newspaper? I’m not leaving until I find out.”
His mother sat silent for a moment. “This whole thing is upsetting me.”
“Why?”
“I can’t talk about it.”
Damian tried not to fling the phone across the room. “Then I’m staying until I find out.”
“Nothing I say will make you come home?”
“Not unless you tell me what’s going on.” He was tired of her games.
She was quiet, and then a click came on and he realized she’d hung up on him. What was that all about? He stared at his phone. There was something weird going on, and it all had to do with the newspaper. Tomorrow he’d figure out what it was.
***
Kat pulled into the garage and lowered the door. When she entered the kitchen Hilary practically pounced on her. “What happened? Tell me everything.”
Kat’s heart raced. How could she tell her sister she kissed the boss man? The incredibly hot boss man. Ugh. She was a disgrace. She tossed her purse on the green kitchen countertop from the 70’s. Hilary was always complaining about it. Like she had enough money to renovate the kitchen. “Let me take off my coat. Geesh.”
Hilary followed her into the living room. “Come on. What happened?”
“Well, first of all, I was only taking him around town because Lydia made me.” Kat rolled her eyes.
“So? You spent the day with him. And I saw the way he was looking at you. And the way you were looking at him. There was something there.” Hilary wiggled her eyebrows.
Was there? Kat shook her head to get those thoughts out. That stupid kiss was making her crazy. “You’re silly. He’s a billionaire. I make coffee for Lydia. Trust me, there was nothing going on between us.” Kat sat on her mother’s favorite chair, an old rocker.
Hilary curled up on the couch. “So what did you do after bowling?”
“We ate chili dogs and went ice skating. Just normal carnival stuff. Nothing happened.” Kat desperately tried to keep her face straight, but she could tell by the way her sister was looking at her, she wasn’t doing a good job.
“Oh my gosh, something totally happened!”
Kat buried her face in her hands and moaned. “Am I tha
t easy to read?”
“What? Did you kiss?” Hilary pulled Kat’s hands down and stared at her face. “You did! You kissed him!”
“How do you do that?” Kat hit her sister on the leg.
“Was he a good kisser?” Hilary bounced on her seat. “Tell me!”
Kat sank back into the chair. “It was amazing.”
“Where did he kiss you? How long did it last? Are you seeing him again?” Hilary shot off the questions like a rapid-fire weapon.
“Before you get all crazy, the kiss didn’t mean anything. He insisted we go on the Ferris wheel, that’s all. Harry stopped us on the top.”
“Still, he wouldn’t have kissed you had he not wanted to. He was totally into you today.” Hilary grinned and nudged her leg.
“He totally was not. And I don’t even like the guy.”
Hilary gave her a flat look. “You can’t lie to me. I can see everything on your face.”
Kat gave up. “Okay. So maybe I started out not liking him, and maybe somewhere along the way I noticed how handsome he is and that he’s not a totally terrible person. That doesn’t mean he likes me, or that anything is happening between us. I’m too Small Town for him.”
“Don’t do that. Don’t put yourself down. You’re awesome and you know it. And when you were showing him how to bowl? He totally snuggled into you.”
Kat threw her head back and laughed. “You are so wrong.”
Hilary jumped up. “Let’s argue over snacks. I made this dip today. I want you to try it.” She went into the kitchen and came back with a bowl and a bag of corn chips. “Now, be honest. Is it too spicy?”
Kat took a chip and scooped a little of the red and orange concoction onto it, and put it in her mouth. “No, it’s good.” She chewed, and then the heat hit her. “Okay, I take that back. A little too spicy.” She stuffed another chip in her mouth to try to calm the heat. Her mouth burned. “Way too spicy.”
Hilary frowned. “I was afraid of that.”
The burning intensified and Kat started coughing. “What did you put in there? Ghost peppers? I’m dying.” She hopped up and ran to the kitchen.
“Maybe,” her sister called after her.
“Are you kidding?” Kat pulled a glass out of the cupboard and opened the refrigerator. She grabbed the milk and poured, then gulped the milk down, not caring that it ran down the side of her face. It helped a little, but not much. “Are you trying to kill me?”
Hilary came in and set the bowl down. “I tried something to calm the heat. I guess it didn’t work.”
“Didn’t you taste it?”
“Not yet.” A grin formed on her face. “I wanted to see what you thought first.”
Kat whacked her sister’s arm. “Dork.”
“So…he’s a good kisser?” Hilary leaned back against the counter and folded her arms.
Kat took another long drink from her milk glass before setting it down. Good kisser didn’t even come close to describing it. It was like flying through space on the outside of a rocket. Her heart hadn’t settled down from it. Her skin felt alive. Her lips still tingled from it. The smell of him lingered on her clothes. “Yeah,” she managed to say.
“Where are you taking him tomorrow?”
Kat blinked, trying to snap herself out of whatever she was in. “I don’t think we’re going anywhere tomorrow. We didn’t discuss it.”
“Well call him in the morning. You have to capitalize on this thing you have going on.”
Kat was tired of telling her sister there was no thing, so she just stared at her.
Hilary set the chips down. “He won’t close down the newspaper if he’s in love with you.”
And there it was. The perfect answer to her problem. Hilary was right. If Damian had feelings for her, he wouldn’t take away her only employ. All she had to do was keep seeing him, and make him fall for her.
There was only one problem with the plan. She was already starting to get in over her head, and the last thing she wanted to do was fall in love with Damian Warren.
Chapter 11
Kat brushed her teeth and readied for bed, but thoughts of Damian wouldn’t leave her brain, so she curled up against a pile of pillows on her bed and logged onto Privileged Singles to stare at his profile photo. Her stomach felt like it was full of feathers fluttering around. Why did he have to affect her that way?
His jet-black hair was perfectly styled. He probably went to some expensive barber shop. He would look perfectly natural on the front of People Magazine. Or Forbes. His eyes were such a dark brown sometimes they looked black. His gaze always sent a tiny thrill through her.
As she stared at his photo a message came through.
I see you’re online.
The fluttery feeling intensified. Blast it all. She should hate the guy. He was just kissing her moments before, and now he’s online chatting up another woman. At least, what he thought was another woman. She gathered up her emotions and tried to be mad at him. It didn’t work too well. She could still smell his cologne clinging to her. She needed a shower.
Yes, she answered. She might as well see where this headed. She did create Amelia to get information from him after all. How are you doing?
I’m fine. You’re right. There’s more to do in a small town than I realized.
Kat itched to ask him about how his day went but hesitated. What if he talked about her? What if she learned something that she didn’t want to know? She didn’t want to hear from him that he hated her. Or whatever that was that made him not want to talk about the kiss he gave her. But she was insanely curious as to what he’d say. She took in a breath before answering him.
Oh? What did you do today?
Sledding, bowling, and ice skating for starters.
Wow, you had a busy day. Kat squirmed against the pillows. She should not be talking to him about this, but for some reason, she couldn’t stop. Were you alone?
He hesitated before answering. No.
This was it. He was going to start talking about her. If she wanted to change the subject, she needed to do it right now. Her fingers flew across the keys without her consent. Did you meet someone special there?
No.
And there it was. Confirmation that she knew she didn’t want. She wasn’t anything special to him. It stung, but she knew better than to let it fester. After all, she barely knew the guy. As she thought about what to say back, she forced herself into her character. What would Amelia say?
Good. I’m interested in you and I don’t want you falling for some girl before we even get a chance to meet.
She held her breath. What would he say to that? It wasn’t what she’d planned on saying to him.
You’re more forward tonight.
Kat bit her lower lip. Yeah. That had just slipped out. Best to keep going with it.
I’m not one to mess around. I see something I like, and I go for it.
I like that. I’m not one to mess around either.
Kat wondered what he was thinking. That is until his next message came through.
Can I call you?
Her heart jumped into her throat. Could she talk to him on the phone? What would Amelia say? Nerves shot through her as she came to the conclusion that Amelia would definitely want to talk to him on the phone. But what if he recognized her voice? And she couldn’t give him her real phone number. Damian already had that.
She did a quick internet search and found a service that would allow her to get a dummy number that would forward to her phone. She quickly set that up, then answered him.
Okay. You can call me on my cell at 555-0142.
Her fingers trembled as she waited for the phone call. When her phone rang she almost lost her nerve, but after it rang three times she swiped and answered. “Hello?” She kept her voice low, hoping he wouldn’t recognize it.
“Amelia?”
“Yes. Hi Damian.” Kat pressed the phone so hard to her ear it started to ache. She switched to her other ear.
“I
’m so glad you said it was okay that I call you. For some reason, talking on the phone is more my speed.”
Kat blinked. What should she say to that? “Yeah. I like it too.” She held in a groan. There was no way she was going to pull this off. Why had she given him a phone number?
Damian ignored her awkwardness. “In the interest of full disclosure, I should let you know I did spend the day with a woman.”
Kat’s stomach clenched. This was such a bad idea. She tried to play it off as unimportant. “Oh?”
“She’s an employee of the newspaper. And while I have to admit she’s very attractive, I don’t see any way a relationship could form.”
Conflicting feelings rushed through Kat. He thought she was very attractive? Wow. But of course, there couldn’t be anything between them. She already knew that. Even after the kiss, she hadn’t been thinking of them as a couple…had she?
Amelia. Kat had to think like her. Amelia was direct and to the point. “That’s good. I don’t want to waste my time with this if it’s not going anywhere.”
“Then we’re on the same page.” His smooth voice made her want to sigh. She was so dumb.
“I’m glad.”
Damian didn’t say anything right away and Kat closed her eyes, hoping she didn’t sound like an idiot.
“Your voice sounds husky. It’s kind of sexy.”
Kat froze. Was he some kind of creepy guy? She hadn’t thought he was, but you never can tell.
Damian coughed and cleared his throat. “Sorry, that came off as weird I think. I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“That’s okay,” Kat said, relieved he wasn’t going in a strange direction.
“Before we meet, I should tell you something.”
“What?” Kat couldn’t possibly guess what he was going to say.
“I was in a car accident ten years ago. My leg was badly burned.”
Kat sucked in a breath. That’s what was wrong with his leg? She couldn’t even imagine the pain of having a burn like that. Guilt wrapped around her chest. And she’d made him do all those physical things. “I’m sorry,” she said.
Her Big Fat Hunky Billionaire Boss (Billionaire Series Book 3) Page 7
