41. Kingston
41
KINGSTON
Katherine lifts a curious brow.
The notification on my watch reads ‘abnormal heart rate.’
No kidding.
Kissing her is like sticking my lips to a downed electrical line.
“You make my heart race,” I say, releasing my grip on her hair as I flash the display her way.
She reads the message, and her lips curve up, parting slightly. “Ditto.”
I take a half step back, and my dick protests. He’s not in charge of this rodeo, though, I am.
Less kissing. More talking.
Easier said than done when she’s looking at me like I’m a real live unicorn. That sort of adoration could go to my head.
“Did you have a good time?” I ask. Another step back and I reach for her hands. Focus on her trip, King. On the things we need to discuss, not how pretty her lips are.
She nods and glances over my shoulder. I glance back, the air shifting as Alex appears, looking a little less stern than he did a few minutes ago. Good snacks will do that.
“Katherine was about to tell me about your trip. Hope you guys took pictures,” I say.
Alex halts next to us, brow lifted like, ‘Did you really just say that?’
“I meant of the city. Gardens. You know, the sights.”
Katherine laughs.
“Your mind’s in the gutter,” I mutter.
“Guilty,” she says with a snicker. “I wonder why that is.”
His lips twitch, and he turns his attention to Katherine. “I need to head to the office for a little while. Gabe’s going to be home late. Roman is on his way here.”
Alex glances my way. “Everything’s okay with Tomasz?”
“Tomasz?” Katherine parrots.
“My personal shadow,” I say. “Yeah, everything's fine.”
Alex nods. “He’ll be able to keep up when you work out.”
Okay. I get why she likes him. It’s more than his pretty face and big... biceps. He’s detail oriented and clearly always thinking of her.
Guilt slices through me like a razor blade.
There were plenty of moments over the weekend where I was most definitely not thinking of her.
“Is there any news about the water damage?” she asks, glancing between us.
“The last thing I heard was that they’re still looking into it. It sounds like a main pipe burst on a floor above your apartment.”
Her hand flies to her chest. “That’s not good.”
“I’ll be in touch,” Alex says and steps around us.
She follows him to the door, a hand sliding up his broad back. There’s a weird tugging sensation in my chest, but not like I’m worried about losing her because now that I’ve come to terms with my feelings, there’s no going back.
No second guessing.
But this feels like... a broadening. An expansion.
She cares for him, and I care for her; ergo, I care for him too. And yet, it’s deeper. More visceral. Inescapable.
Just like this thing with Gabe.
Remind me to never second guess destiny again.
Alex stops, hand on the knob, and Katherine stretches up. He bends down, accepting a kiss on his cheek. And fuck me, he smiles at her. Like an actual smile. Cheeks lifting, eyes crinkling, lips curving.
Mr. Stern Bodyguard has a soft side,
and her name is Katherine Montgomery.
What happened between them in Paris?
Six months ago, I would have come right out and asked her. Maybe even teased her a little bit. Because back then, I didn’t think I deserved her. Didn’t see how I could make it work between us. I wasn’t sure how to make her mine.
And so we happily gossiped about everything.
But that was then, and this is now, and those two are falling hard for each other. I’d bet my sailboat.
Conflicted, I stalk forward.
Alex drops a kiss to her lips and opens the door. He lifts a hand to me, I give a quick jerk of my chin, and he’s gone. She flips the lock, watching him go through the thin side window.
I brace a hand against the molding, caging her in. God, I missed her. A handful of days shouldn’t feel like years, should it? I shouldn’t want to throw her over my shoulder, carry her to my room, and keep her there until Thanksgiving.
But I do.
I want her body against mine.
Her scent in my lungs.
Her cunt gripping my cock.
She leans back, relaxing against my chest, hand clasping my upper thigh.
“You were telling me about your trip,” I say, coasting my other hand down her side.
Her laugh is husky music to my ears.
“It was amazing, but I want to talk about you.” She turns in the circle of my arms, leaning back so she can look up at me. Sliding a hand up my chest, she brushes my hair off my forehead. A silver bracelet slides down her wrist, the little charms catching the light.
I snag her hand. “A souvenir?”
Her gaze falls to the new piece of jewelry and the corners of her mouth lift in a soft smile. She licks her lips and looks straight at me, watching my reaction. “Alex gave it to me this morning.”
She shimmies her wrist, and the charms fly. “A croissant, because I couldn't stop eating them. A flower to represent the gardens. The Eiffel Tower and the picnic basket from our lunch.”
Well, isn’t he thoughtful?
The puff of jealousy quiets as I imagine her in the bracelet and nothing else.
In fact, I step back, tugging her along with me. We should just keep buying her bracelets. That way, when we fuck her, they’ll jangle so sweetly.
Yeah, I like that idea.
She huffs a laugh and wraps her arm through mine. “You’ve got that look.”
“What look?”
Seriously, the only thing that feels better than this woman cozying up to me is when I’m wrapped in her heat.
“It’s your ‘I want to ravish you look.’”
It’s my turn to laugh.
“Show me around. Tell me about your weekend,” she says, and yeah, I’m wrapped around her little finger because her wish is my command.
I guide her through the luxurious apartment, where no expense was spared, introduce her to Destiny, and then take her upstairs while I tell her about the movies we watched and eating out at Anthony’s.
“Did you know Gabe has a wine cellar?” I ask, transported back to those heated moments.
I’m blathering because I don’t know how to tell her what I really need to say.
She makes a soft, non-committal sound as she glances down at the vibrant backyard from the cozy bedroom.
I slide my hands over her shoulders, relishing the little shiver that courses through her. “What do you think? Will it do?”
“I love it. Gabe did well.”
“Helps to have good friends with spare brownstones sitting around,” I say, not bothering to hide the dry disdain from my voice. “He said no one’s lived here in about two years.”
“That’s a shame.”
I drop a kiss in her hair.
“I’m glad you guys are getting along so well. It makes my heart happy.” She turns to me, pressing a hand over my heart, that bewitching smile on her lips. “This weekend, I kept thinking maybe it was all supposed to work out like this... With the four of us.”