Текст книги "Until You"

Автор книги: Jeannie Moon

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Текущая страница: 18 (всего у книги 22 страниц)

Chapter 25

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Kate walked into David’s bedroom and dropped her purse on the chair. He brought her small bag into the room and put it next to her purse, then hung her dress in the closet. The room was the same as the last time she was in it, but so much had happened since. He came up behind her, slipped his arms around her, kissed her neck, and she wished she could make love with him.

Unfortunately, the doctor wanted her to wait one more week, and then she said everything should be just about back to normal. Unfortunately, waiting was killing her; she could only imagine what it was doing to him.

“You need to stop torturing yourself.”

“I know.” He groaned and turned her in his arms. “When you’re ready.”

Her arms instinctively looped around his neck and dragged him into a messy kiss. “So what are the plans for tonight?”

“Let’s see.” He sat on the bed and pulled her onto his lap. “Jay and Annie are coming here first for drinks. Then we have reservations at seven-thirty at Dante’s, and after that, it’s up to you. There is a party going on that one of my teammates is throwing at his house, or we could come back here and ring in the New Year on our own. I have champagne in the fridge.”

“Your friend’s having a party? Do you want to go?”

“If you want to go.”

He had to learn this relationship was a two-way street. “David, that’s not what I asked you. Do you want to go?”

He hesitated and then answered. “Yes. For two reasons.”

“Listening.” Kate loved how he tried to make everything about her, but that had to stop or he’d start resenting her.

“First, I want you to meet my friends. I want to show you off.” She couldn’t help the smile that pulled across her face. “And the other reason has to do with the rookie who’s my roommate.”

“Jack Nelson, right?”

“Yeah. He’s gotten involved with some girl. She’s a student at Penn, but she lives with her parents and it’s not a good situation. Nothing sounds right.”

“You want to check her out, make sure she’s treating him okay?” Kate rested her head on his shoulder.

“I guess.” David thought for a minute and realized he sounded like an old woman and ran a hand over his face. “He’s so naïve. He jumped right to the NHL after his third year at University of North Dakota. He’s just twenty-one, and grew up on a farm in a small town with a population of like two hundred.”

“So says the boy from the middle of nowhere.” Kate felt she had the right to tease. Most of her life, the furthest she’d ever lived from a city was about forty miles.

“Maybe so, but I left the ‘middle of nowhere’ and went to school in Boston. Grand Forks, North Dakota, isn’t exactly a big city.”

“I get your point.” Lacing her fingers with his, Kate drew his hands to her lips. “Then we’ll go. For both reasons.”

“You don’t mind?”

“No. It matters to you, so it matters to me. And honestly, now you have me curious.”

“He is totally in love with this girl, Kate. He said she’s the most amazing person he’s ever met.”

“And that worries you because?”

“He came from a town of two hundred. His experience with people is fairly limited.”

Each day she learned something else about David. Today was that his instincts to protect people ran deep. He obviously saw Jack as a younger brother, and felt a responsibility to him as the team captain and as a friend. Kate wasn’t going to let her own nerves about meeting his friends keep him from helping Jack.

She figured Jay and Annie were going to the party as well. Which would be good, so at least she would have someone to talk to, but if not, she’d manage. Kate really liked Annie. She was a no-nonsense person without an ounce of pretense in her body.

Married to a millionaire, Annie kept her job as a nurse. Kate remembered her from the night she miscarried. Annie was on duty in the ER and was the first one to Kate’s side. She never said anything about knowing who she was or about her situation; she was a cool professional with a very gentle touch.

Her husband, well, the worst Kate could say about Jay was that he was rough around the edges. He cursed, he cracked inappropriate jokes, but the man was totally and completely in love with his wife. That fact allowed Kate to forgive any of his other transgressions. It would be an interesting evening.

David left her to take a shower and Kate started to get ready herself. She took her makeup into the outer part of the bathroom and set it on the counter. This room was just like the rest of the house: strong, masculine, and totally beautiful. Caramel-colored marble topped heavy wood cabinetry. Door knobs and drawer pulls, all antiqued brass. It was a room, a house actually, that was done in complex layers. Like David, a person would look at this house and see something beautiful. But also like him, a person had to look at the details—what was hidden beneath the outer finish to see something, or someone, truly exceptional.

Her whole life, Kate had tended to see what was on the surface, passing judgment or making decisions based on her first impression. She was impulsive, she knew that, and it was the thing that got her into the most trouble. It was the trait that put her in a bad marriage and what almost kept her from David. He wasn’t a stereotype and he wasn’t a cliché. And it had taken her a long time to figure that out.

Kate’s eye was drawn to the corner of the countertop. In a small crystal glass was a pink toothbrush, and around the neck of the toothbrush was a small, satin bow. She picked it up and saw a note in the glass. All it said was, ‘This stays here.’ She smiled.

It was symbolic—the first step to junking up his bathroom. The water stopped running in the shower and soon after he was standing behind her. A handsome, muscular, wet, nearly-naked man was watching her put on her makeup.

Damn. Life was good.

“There’s an empty drawer on your right if you want to put that away,” he said.

Kate smiled and met his eyes in the mirror. He rubbed a towel over his face to remove the remaining shaving cream and a grin tugged at his mouth.

“I saw the toothbrush. Thank you.”

He kissed the top of her head. Using another towel to dry his hair, David tossed it in a basket in the corner when he was done. “Just so you know, no one has left so much as a lipstick in this house.”

Sliding the wand back into her mascara, Kate placed it on the counter and turned to face him. She rested her hands on his chest and looked into his strong face. It was a beautiful face. One that belied the job he did or the persona he assumed.

For months they’d danced around what they wanted from each other. But it all came down to the fact they needed each other to be whole. The years between them didn’t matter, their pasts didn’t matter—all that mattered was on that day in California, the fates intervened, the stars aligned, and the split soul had found its other half.

His hand grazed over her back, just above the waistband of her yoga pants. He nudged up the cami she wore, gave her body a good once over in the mirror and eventually his eyes settled on her little tattoo. “I saw that the night you were here. Or at least I thought I did.”

“Like it?” She bit her lip and loved that whenever he touched her, she wanted him. Pure and simple.

His fingers brushed the small pink flower with the lightest touch. “It’s beautiful. When did you get it? You didn’t have it in California.”

“Remember when I chaperoned that trip to your game?”

“When I made a fool out of myself trying to get you to go out with me again? Yeah.”

“Right before that.”

“What made you get a tattoo?”

His hands were still caressing her skin and making her more than a little crazy. The little grin on his face told her he knew what he was doing to her, and she couldn’t do anything about it, she couldn’t have him, not for another week.

Grasping his hand so she didn’t lose her mind, Kate answered, even though he was laughing. “I was pissed at Laura and Richard. Pissed at you.”

“So you ran off to a tattoo parlor?” he said over a laugh.

“I do crazy things when I get upset or stressed.”

“God, you’re going to be so much fun.” Still damp from his shower, David pulled on a pair of boxer briefs. Then he took hold of her and started backing her into the bedroom, nipping at her neck as he did.

“David, please, you know we can’t.”

“I know. I just want to make out.”

Giggles escaped. “Really?”

“C’mon Katie,” he teased. “Make out with me.”

His arms locked around her waist and his breath caressed her skin. Lowering her to the bed, his kisses were sweet and gentle. Kate lost her mind every time his lips touched hers.

She wondered if David set out to drive her crazy. His lips brushed over hers and finally settled into a soft rhythm, gently nipping and tugging. His tongue tasted her, plunging into her mouth while his body covered hers. She could feel his arousal, and each time she did, the thought that this man wanted her, was a true miracle. Her hands couldn’t resist touching him. His muscles were taut, his skin smooth, and his hair, which was still damp, tickled her, making her her breath catch. When he drew a sharp breath, as her hand trailed over his hip, Kate knew he’d reached his threshold and the choice was to stop or finish.

David knew they had to stop. The crook of his arm proved a good place to settle in and Kate enjoyed the safe, secure feeling she had when she was with him. Then she felt him move and watched as he grabbed something off the night table. He brought it over his head and stopped in front of her face.

In his hand was a small red box from Cartier’s.

Kate didn’t know if breathing was going to be part of this scenario or not, but she thought it would be good to try and take in some air.

Sitting up, she took the box. Swallowing hard, Kate faced him. “What did you do?”

He grinned and sat up. “Not what you’re thinking. It’s not a ring, so calm down.”

“I mean, I don’t mean that, I wouldn’t… I…”

“I know. Just open it.”

Taking a breath, she opened the little red clamshell. Nestled on dark velvet was a pair of earrings that matched the pendant he gave her for Christmas. Three intertwined bands, each a different color of gold. However, unlike her necklace, the earrings had fire. Set in the white gold band was a channel of diamonds. “Oh, David…”

The earrings were so beautiful, Kate couldn’t speak. What made them perfect wasn’t the flash factor, it was the unique quality. It was also that he thought about her; he always thought about her. “I don’t know what to say. I love them.”

He smiled when she kissed him. “That’ll do.”

“They’ll look beautiful with my dress.”

“Speaking of your dress, we should get ready. Jay and Annie will be here in less than half an hour.”

Kate kissed him again. “Stop buying me presents,” she whispered.

He stood and winked at her. “Not a chance.”

*

Jack arrived at Laura’s house and once again saw only one car was in the driveway. There was no Mercedes, which meant she was probably alone.

He was anxious. He wanted everything to be perfect for her. But there was no denying the past month had been torture. He loved her, but if he didn’t have sex soon, he’d explode. He hadn’t gone this long without sex since he was seventeen, but since he’d started seeing Laura, he hadn’t been with anyone else.

In the beginning, he could have kept going out, seen other girls, but once he’d spent time with Laura, kissed her and tasted her, he was done. He’d brought her home after their first date and the good night kiss lasted for half an hour.

He had to be careful with her and make sure she wouldn’t get scared off. When she’d been at his apartment a couple of weeks before, he couldn’t believe her body. It was amazing, soft and curvy, and just thinking about her got him hot.

Tonight she’d meet his friends, and after that he’d take her home and get her in bed. Then things would be better.

Laura came out of the house as he was walking up the front stoop. He kissed her first, loving her sweet and the way she responded to him, pressing against him, letting her tongue drift in his mouth. The look she gave him let him know she wanted the same thing he did. He took her bag and put it in the back seat.

*

Laura got into the truck and folded her arms against the cold. “Will there be many people at the party?”

“A good amount. The guys I really want you to meet won’t be there, but I guess you’ll meet them another time.”

He was talking about David and Jay. She already knew they weren’t going, which was why she agreed to go to the party at all. If she’d said no, they still could have gone to his apartment for the night, but she wanted to meet his friends and was glad Mom told her about their plans ahead of time.

He looked so gorgeous her heart almost stopped. They were still sitting in the car in front of her house, and he turned to her and handed her a wrapped box. “I never gave you this. Merry Christmas, kind of.”

She giggled and took the box from him. “You didn’t have to buy me anything.”

“I wanted to. I hope you like it.”

She opened the box and gasped at the necklace. A diamond heart pendant. It was beautiful—and, she was sure, very expensive.

“Jack, thank you. I love it.” She unbuttoned her coat and took it from the box. She had started to put on the necklace David gave her and stopped, because she felt guilty because of all the lies she was telling. It turned out to be a perfect decision. “I want to wear it. Will you help me put it on?”

He maneuvered himself so he could get behind her, took the necklace and Laura picked up her hair. After he’d fastened the clasp he planted a kiss just beneath her ear. Jack looked at the pendant and smiled.

“It looks perfect on you, babe.”

Laura leaned forward and kissed him. “Thank you.”

*

David smiled when he looked in the rearview mirror and saw Annie and Kate getting along like old friends. The four of them spent the better part of dinner laughing and telling stories. She blended with his friends, and into his life, so easily it seemed she was meant to be there all along. Jay smiled himself, until he heard his name and realized he was being talked about in the third person.

“Hey, hey,” he turned. “I’m right here, ladies.”

The girls giggled and David made a mental note to himself. It seemed that while Kate could handle wine, if hard liquor was thrown into the mix, the story changed. It didn’t seem like a lot, but thinking about it, she’d consumed quite a bit—a martini at his house, another at the restaurant, two glasses of wine at dinner, and one after dinner drink. She had a pretty good buzz going. It surprised him, because she drank a whole bottle the day she met him in California, and he didn’t see the silliness he was seeing now.

The drive from downtown across the river to New Jersey had taken about forty-five minutes. David pulled up in front of their destination in Mullica Hill. Kate looked out the rear window of the Rover at the monstrosity his friends called a house.

“Oh, my God,” Kate said, staring at the structure of white concrete. She was pretty much speechless because from a certain angle, the turret that made up the eastern side of the house looked like a giant hard-on.

“What is it?” Kate was really examining the building, not quite sure if it was real or if they were playing an elaborate joke on her.

“That,” Annie said in her best French accent, “is Chateau Girard. Or as I like to call it, Moby Dick.”

“They live here? I mean, this is such a lovely area, they let that be built here?” Kate tilted her head as she stood on the walk in front of the house. “It looks like… people live in it?

Annie laughed. “Sebastien and Brandy designed it together.”

“Brandy?” Kate asked.

David saw her writer brain going. No doubt someone in her next book was getting named Brandy, and it wouldn’t be a good thing.

She looked at David and squeezed her eyes shut. “Please tell me about Brandy before I go in there and say the wrong thing. I’m sure she’s perfectly nice, but…”

“Brandy and Bas, that’s what we call Sebastien, got together a couple of years ago, I think. Jay, do you remember?” David looked at his friend.

“Two or three years ago. He met her at a bar one night. They hooked up, end of story.”

“Pssht. They don’t know anything.” Annie took Kate aside. “Brandy went to a fancy college, worked in a boutique on Rittenhouse for about ten minutes. Knows a good number of the guys on the team intimately.”

Jay made a face at his wife. “I was going to leave some of that out, but fine. She dated different guys on the team until she and Bas found each other. Don’t judge, Annie. That’s not fair.”

“She found him,” Annie snapped. “As soon as they were engaged he bought all her clothes, bought her a new car. For God’s sake, she upsized her engagement ring three times.”

Kate was stunned and looked at David.

She didn’t know what to think about the gossip, about the Girards, about any of it. “This is going to be an interesting night.”

“The Girards are hosting the party, and a lot of nice people will be there. And Brandy may be a flake, but she is nice. However, there’s a small group that you’ll probably want to avoid. Our goal is to meet Nelly’s girlfriend.”

Jay snapped his fingers. “That’s right, he’s bringing the mystery date.” David felt Jay pat him on the back. “He’s going to need our sage advice, Padre. He’s got a big night ahead of him, our little guy.”

Annie slapped Jay. “Leave him alone. He doesn’t need the whole team telling him how to take this girl to bed.”

“Why would the whole team know this?” Kate asked.

David could see she was appalled, probably because she was the topic of a similar conversation once upon a time.

David wrapped his arm around her shoulder when they got to the front door. “Jack wasn’t exactly discreet. It got around.”

“That poor girl,” Kate said. “She’s walking in here totally unaware that her sex life has been discussed?”

Jay waved his hand. “Oh, no sex life to discuss. She’s a virgin.”

Shock crossed Kate’s face, and all David could do was shake his head. Yeah, he was going to hear about this later.

*

David rang the doorbell, which was a series of discordant chimes, and Kate wished she’d just gotten David to stay in. Nerves balled in her stomach as she listened to the clickty-clack of high heels from inside the house.

Annie leaned in. “Just a warning. Her voice…”

But it was too late. The door flew open and the sound that emerged was like nails on a blackboard with a helium chaser. “Hi! Oh. My. God. I am soooo glad you could come.”

The four of them stepped into the giant house, and Kate felt like she’d walked into a sterile white box. The house was open on the inside, like a great atrium. Wrought iron stairs went from level to level and railings surrounded the open walkways, off of which there were numerous rooms. She guessed the couple had no children because everything was pristine.

She looked at Brandy Girard and took in the whole package. She was ultra-thin, artificially blonde, and artificially tanned. Her blue eyes twinkled happily, but there was definitely an edge to what Kate saw. She knew Brandy’s type—she’d taught them for years—they were all about appearances. Kate guessed she was being carefully assessed. The overly bright smile was the final piece. Kate wondered if Brandy Girard’s teeth would have looked normal size if her face wasn’t so drawn. Kate understood some women were naturally thin, but Brandy looked like she was starving. Diamonds hung from her ears, another was around her neck, and Kate got a glimpse of her massive ring. Words to describe Brandy? Superficial, entitled, and, she guessed, really, really hungry.

David made the introduction and Brandy lunged forward, grabbing Kate’s hand with both of hers. “It is such a pleasure to have you here, Kate. I can’t believe you came to our party.”

David helped her off with her coat and Kate put on her best smile. “Thank you so much for having us. What an interesting home you have.”

“Oh, thank you.” Brandy hadn’t stopped smiling yet. And her voice, it was more than the shrill quality, a sing-songy cadence that was almost childlike. “It’s our dream house. We worked with a wonderful German architect. It was important to us to have something truly unique.”

“You certainly succeeded there.” It was the ugliest thing she’d ever seen.

Kate was vaguely aware that she was introduced to Bas Girard, who seemed like a nice man, but Brandy was a fascinating study. She was wearing pencil thin jeans, impossibly high, studded, Louboutin peep-toe pumps, and a ruffled silk halter top. Everything was high-end, and if she had any boobs to speak of Kate might have thought she was a walking, talking Barbie doll.

“I just love your dress,” Brandy said as she reached out and touched Kate’s shoulder. “Is that a silk and wool blend?”

Kate looked down at her dress. A very simple, sleeveless design with bit of flounce just above her knee, it was a dark, rich brown that shimmered a bit in the light. She didn’t remember if it was silk and wool, it might have been.

Kate shrugged. “I don’t remember.”

“And your shoes are gorgeous. Manolos?”

Kate looked at her feet. “Ah, no, actually, but they are great knock-offs, aren’t they?”

Brandy recoiled a little at the term “knock-off”. Wondering if the girl would ask about her undies, Kate could at least tell her that tonight she was wearing La Perla.

People were milling around, and she didn’t like the kind of attention she was attracting. The men were checking her out, but the women were guarded and she could almost understand it. In this world of gorgeous men and big money, newcomers were definitely on probation. Kate stepped into the sunken living room and let her eyes take in the crowd. Her own fame didn’t make her immune to the scrutiny. She’d have to prove herself. What she found odd about the whole situation was that it was the single women, the ones who weren’t with one of the players, who were the most suspicious. And angry. Wow, did they look pissed.

He must have seen them, too, because suddenly David had his hand protectively on her back, and she felt steadier knowing he wouldn’t leave her side until she relaxed.

She saw Amanda Blauvelt, who’d definitely started to bloom since they’d met at the obstetrician’s office a few weeks earlier. Kate was a little jealous as she saw Amanda’s husband hand her something to drink and gently place his hand on her growing belly. It was a sweet gesture, one his young wife returned with a kiss on his cheek. Okay, she liked Amanda Blauvelt, and she liked her better when Amanda looked in her direction and smiled.

Her eyes returned to Brandy and her equally thin pack of bottle-blondes, and she saw them looking at Amanda and sneering. Kate had taught high school long enough to spot the mean girls a mile away. She flashed a look at David and smiled.

“Be right back.” He shook his head, knowing Kate was walking right into the middle of the fray, but that he didn’t try to stop her. She’d been the wife of a rising academic, so cocktail parties like this were nothing. She glided over to the group of young women, who were still watching Amanda with her husband. “This is quite a party, Brandy.”

“Oh, thank you! You’re so sweet.” Brandy flashed her best toothy smile and Kate reciprocated.

She introduced Kate to the group and they engaged her in some simple conversation. She tried to find some common ground, but they weren’t giving her too much of their consideration. Kate discovered that the women she was standing with weren’t connected to anyone other than Brandy.

Finally, one of them looked back at Amanda. “I wonder how long it will be before Mark gets tired of that fat cow and steps out on her.”

Kate felt herself flush, but kept her temper in check. She glanced over at the couple who were obviously in love. “I don’t think so, he looks devoted.”

One of the girls rolled her eyes. “I would be disgusted with myself if I was that fat.”

“She’s pregnant, she’s not fat.” Wow. Did women actually talk this way about other women?

“Same thing.” Changing the subject, because they could see Kate didn’t get it, Jack Nelson was the next topic. “So Nelly should be here with his new girl soon. I wish I’d known he was looking, I’d do him if he needed someone.”

“Apparently she’s some geek who goes to Penn.”

“Maybe he likes her,” Kate said. The looks went from impatient to annoyed, and finally, one of them answered.

“Look, Kate,” the girl said her name with a lovely snarl. “You obviously need to be brought up to speed on all this, but I can tell you even the man you’re with will throw you over in a heartbeat if he gets bored or you don’t give him what he wants. He’s done it before.”

A friend of Chelsea’s, perhaps, and it forced Kate to ask a question even though she already knew the answer. “If you have such a low opinion of all these men, why are you so interested in them?”

They looked at her, their little plastic heads turning in unison. They didn’t say it, but all their eyes were saying, “Well, duh.”

It was the money, the prestige, the power factor of being with a pro athlete. These men were special, and unlike a successful businessman, much harder to come by.

That was it, Kate walked away and back to David. He took her hand in his, kissed it, and grinned. “They’re the worst of it. Two of those women are close friends with Chelsea.”

“I figured.” Kate was sure Chelsea could have been on the guest list, and she was almost sad she wasn’t there. It would have been a lot of fun to soul kiss David at midnight with her watching.

The doorbell rang, and Kate saw a very handsome young man walk in. Annie came over. “Jack’s here. Moment of truth.”

Kate watched the door as eagerly as Jay and David. She felt a kinship with the girl, considering both of them had been thoroughly discussed. What she didn’t expect was for Annie to gasp, and for David to take her hand when the girl turned around. The lovely brunette who walked in with Jack was her baby.

“Oh, my God,” Kate whispered. “Oh, my God.”