Chapter 14
Kobe
HER KISSES WERE PURE joy, pure pleasure. Sweet, tentative, but passionate once things heated up. I kissed her with growing hunger, picked her up in my arms and carried her to her bed.
“Kobe?” she said with a coquettish smile. “Where are you bringing me?”
I grinned. “You must be getting tired of leaning back against the wall. I thought the bed would be far more comfortable.”
I laid her down and joined her, pulling her into a tender embrace as I covered her with kisses.
“The last time I saw you, you were just a girl,” I said. I propped myself up on my elbow and looked down at her. “You were cute then. Adorable. So innocent, wide-eyed and so smart. And now, look at you.” I ran my fingers through her beautiful black hair, so long and silky. “You’re so beautiful, you’re a goddess. Everything about you. So sweet and innocent, yet so sexy. Your skin is flawless. Your eyes are so bright and alive. Your hair is so soft.”
“Remember when you would pull on my braids,” she said with a playful grin. “You were a sweet boy, but you had your moments.”
“I was looking for any excuse to get close to you, to touch you. What can I say? I was a clumsy kid. But now... “
“Now, you’re a suave Casanova?”
“I’m actually more partial to Don Juan.”
She let out a light laugh and ran her hand along my clean-shaven cheek. “How about just being Kobe King.”
Just be Kobe King. What a novel idea.
Looking into her eyes, deep into the Kat I’d always wanted to get to know, I leaned in to kiss her. When I pulled back, she smiled.
“Do you remember when we were... I don’t know... maybe ten or eleven?” she said. “You were going away on a family vacation, and you kissed me good-bye.”
“Thank you for bringing up another clumsy moment from my youth,” I said with a wry grin.
“It was adorable, Kobe.”
“You mean the fact that you told me I tasted like ketchup?”
She laughed. “Oh. I’d forgotten about that part. I was thinking more about how you turned one way then the other. We knocked noses, then your kiss landed on my ear, a little in my hair and finally, you kissed my cheek.”
I leaned in and kissed her cheek and ear and hair, but then worked my way down her neck, over her shoulder all while pulling off her belt and unbuttoning the front of her pretty white dress. I peeled the fabric back, exposing the porcelain like skin, so soft, so warm. I lowered myself over her and kiss my way down to the swell of her breasts. “You’re so beautiful, Kat,” I let out. She was. She was like no other women I’ve been with. So elegant, so classy, so pure. She was exquisite and so special.
As a kid, I’d been happy just to kiss her cheek and hold her hand on occasion, but since seeing her that day at the Academy... All I could think of was seeing, kissing, touching the woman she’d become.
I kissed my way to her navel and couldn’t believe I finally had her in my arms.
“I’ve waited so long for this,” I murmured as I kissed my way back to her lips.
She cupped my cheeks and pulled back to look at me. “You could have fooled me.”
Looking into her eyes, I thought of all the time wasted. All the years I couldn’t see her and talk to her. Over the years I’d known plenty of girls; girls that I’d kissed and girls that I’d gone to bed with. But it was never like this.
As much as I wanted Kat, to make love to her, to devour her, a part of me wanted to take it slow. I wanted her to know that she wasn’t just another hop into bed.
“What are you thinking, Kobe?” she said. “You’re looking at me as if I were a mirage.”
“I guess in a way you are. I just can’t believe that I’m here... with you. That you’re real.”
“What’s gotten into you? You’re being so sweet, like the old Kobe.”
I’m just so happy to be here with you, I wanted to say. For all the times I’ve had sex with girls, now I’m here with you and it’s not sex that I necessarily want. Not even a blowjob. I just want to be with you. I just want to be happy with you.
Would she laugh at me if I told her? Would she believe me?
“Kobe?” she said with an uncertain smile.
“You’re special. Do you know that?”
Special. Precious. Delicate. Angelic. And yet, so sexy and hot and alluring. I’d do anything to protect her, anything to keep her safe.
I looked into her eyes and wondered if that would make her happy. Could she possibly feel for me the way I felt for her? That all that bullying act I put on was because I wanted to distance my feelings from her, from admitting that I was really so deeply and so absolutely in love with her?
That she could even love someone like me? The second-rate son of Errol King? The son of a man who wants to destroy her family’s empire?
I love you, Katrina.
I searched for that same emotion in her eyes, and I could have sworn I saw something there. Hadn’t it always been there? Or had I just will it to appear that way?
Do you love me, Kat? Could you love me?
She rolled out from under me suddenly and got up. “Shoot. You made me forget; I have to go to Ginger.”
My sweet disposition was immediately bulldozed by suspicion and resentment. “Why? To go see that blonde loser?”
“Don’t call him that, Kobe. He’s our supervisor, remember? Show a little respect.”
“Respect for what? A guy in his position who would take advantage of a girl in yours?”
“You’re not being fair, Kobe.”
“No, Kat. He’s the one who’s not being fair.”
She buttoned her dress, the look of frustration all over her face. “Look, I don’t want to get into this... again. This is ridiculous, Kobe.” She picked up the thin black belt and strapped it on. “Either you’re on board with this project and working with Trent, or you’re not. But whether you’re on board or not, I have to go out there. If you must know, he said he had something to show me.”
“All he wants is you,” I muttered. I hated the sound of defeat in my voice, but I couldn’t hide it.
“And what if it’s not that? What if he really has something important to show me? What if it’s something that could affect our project? Aren’t you a bit curious to know?”
I stood and faced her, so pretty, but so innocent and na?ve. What did she know of men? What did she know of men’s hunger... especially in the face of such a beautiful innocent?
“I don’t trust him,” I said. “It’s clear he has the hots for you. I can’t blame him. You’re exquisite, and so damned hot. But that doesn’t excuse his behavior. He’s our supervisor... your superior. He shouldn’t be using his position to seduce you.”
She pressed her lips together and looked at me with that defiant yet deviant glare. “Tell you what... I’ll let him know that I’m seeing someone. That ought to do the trick.”
“Oh? And who are you seeing? Anyone I know?”
She closed the space between us and wrapped her arms around my waist. “Maybe. Maybe it’s someone you know very well.”
I chuckled, more at my absurd outburst than her idea of dissuading Trent. I felt giddy even, not believing what I was hearing. Was Kat saying that she’ll be with me? I pulled her closer and kissed her temple, her ear and then her mouth. “How can I show you that you belong to me? I don’t want to have to spend my time beating up every man who can’t keep his hands off you.”
She laughed and quickly sobered. “Is that how you really feel?”
I took her hand and pressed it to my hard-on. “I can’t deny the effect you have on me. I’m always hard for you. Damn it, Kat. I’m crazy about you.”
“From what I can tell, you’re crazy about a lot of women. I’ve noticed that sizable harem that hovers around you. They’re all dying for just a little attention from you.”
“Why wear polyester when you can wear silk? Why eat ground meat when you can have filet mignon? Why put some cheap reproduction on your wall when you can have Picasso’s The Old Guitarist . In other words, all those girls don’t compare to you, Kat. You’re the only one that I have eyes for. You’ve always been the one.”
Kat smiled at me. Could she tell me that I’m the only one for her, too? Could it be possible that Kat felt the same for me?
Not yet. “I appreciate that, Kobe, but I still have to go out there and see what’s going on. I wouldn’t want to ignore this and have it affect our grade.”
“Fuck him,” I spat. “We’ll just ask Mr. Singh to assign us another restaurant.”
“Kobe, this is more than just a school project for me. This is one of my family’s newest restaurants. Surely you can understand just how emotionally invested I am in Ginger’s success. Not only do I want to impress Mr. Singh and get a good grade, but I really want to impress my father.”
I looked thoughtfully at her and knew she was right. We couldn’t back out of the project now. “Okay,” I finally said. “How about if I go with you. I’ll go and make it clear to him that we are working together on an important project.”
She pulled away and headed out into the living room. “I don’t want you fighting with him, Kobe.”
“Promise.”
She grabbed her handbag. “And I don’t want you making any snarky remarks.”
“Promise.”
“And I want you to show him some respect and treat him like the manager that he is.”
I didn’t say anything. She turned to look at me. “Kobe? You’ll be respectful, won’t you?”
I shrugged.
“Kobe, remember that Trent is my father’s employee. That fact alone should have you showing some respect.”
I grabbed my car keys off the console by the door, tossed them in the air and caught them. “Okay. I’ll be kind and respectful...” I tapped the tip of her nose. “But just for you. Remember that, no matter how kind I am to him, I hate him.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Now, let’s go.”
Reliving the more amusing aspects of our childhood, we laughed and sang as we took our time getting to Ginger. I knew she was eager to arrive, but I just didn’t want the moment to end.
Somehow, I feared that whatever it was that Trent would show her, it would ruin the reunion that we’d just had. Was he going to show me up? Make me look like a chump? Like the kid who knows nothing? Was he going to do everything he could to get Kat to fall for him?
We finally arrived and I could feel the hairs at the back of my neck stiffen. It didn’t matter how much I told my body to keep calm; my fists clenched, and my jaw tightened at the prospect of seeing him again.
“There’s Trent,” Kat said, pointing to the front door. “Please, refrain from playing the antagonist in this scenario.”
“I will, but man. He sure does look a mess.”
“You’re right. He’s frantic,” she said as she hopped out of the car. “Trent,” she called out as she ran to him. “Is everything alright?”
I got out of the car and carefully made my way to them. “What’s up?”
“See for yourself.” He pushed open the door and gestured that we enter.
“Oh, my God,” Kat cried. “Oh, no.” She covered her mouth with her hands, her eyes filled with disbelief. “What happened?”
“I think someone doesn’t want us to open on time,” Trent said. “So, they trashed the place.”
Trashed hardly described the destruction. Most of the chairs were busted as were the tables. Broken plates and crushed glass covered the floor, and the door leading to the kitchen hung on one hinge.
Kat walked in, looking at the devastation as broken glass crunched under her feet. “Why? Who? Who would do this? My God, they even busted up our new pots. Those things cost a fortune.”
Her eyes filled with tears as she glanced at me then returned her gaze to the mess. “What do we do now?” she cried. “Do we call the police? Do you have any idea who could have done this?” She gasped suddenly. “Oh! Could it be the other team of students? Did they sabotage us so that they could win?”
“I don’t think so,” Trent said.
“Then who?Why?”
He pressed his lips tightly together, shot me a dirty glare then looked tenderly at Kat. “It pains me to say this,” he said as he took her hands in his. “Mr. Lee prides himself on being present to help get the next generation of top chefs ready for a bright career. He very much hoped to forge a positive partnership with the Academy. He hoped to show his goodwill and his willingness to work with... him . But apparently, Mr. Lee’s goodwill wasn’t enough.”
“Trent,” Kat said. “What are you saying?”
“Despite Mr. Lee’s goodwill, that cowardly and talentless bastard had to come out here and destroy this place.”
Confused, Kat looked at me then back at Trent. “You’re talking in riddles. Please, what are you talking about? Who? Who wants to destroy this place? Who is this talentless bastard that you accusing?”
Trent glared at me again and told Kat, “Why don’t you ask him?”
“Me?” I said. I had no idea what he was talking about. “What the hell do I know?”
“You are the son of Errol King, aren’t you?”
I nodded, suddenly getting a sense of where he was going. “Are you trying to say that my father had something to do with this? You have one hell of a nerve. Shit, man. You’re nuts.”
“Calm down, Kobe,” Kat said.
“Yeah, Kobe,” Trent echoed. “Calm down.”
“There’s no way my father is involved with this. No way. Why the hell would he? Errol King is a successful chef and restauranteur. This is bullshit. What possible reason could he have for doing this?”
“He’s right, Trent,” Kat said before Trent could answer. “I have no doubt Mr. King has better things to do than to fuss with this little place.”
“You’d think that, wouldn’t you,” Trent said as he led the way to his office. “But take a look at that.”
He pushed open the door to his office. Spray painted in large royal blue letters was the work KING .
Kat stared at the word for a long, long moment before finally turning her disgusted face to me. The disbelief and pain was clear on her face, just as clear as the accusation.
No, I wanted to say. Don’t believe it for a minute. Don’t.