Imperfections Seduced (The Imperfections #1)

Chapter 1

Cat

Here we go. I can’t believe I’m at my sister’s wedding, getting ready to watch her walk down the aisle to my best friend.

I’m the maid of honor, and I’m in love with the groom.

This is so wrong on so many levels. She steps into the aisle on my father’s arm, looking like an angel in an off-the-shoulder lace and satin form-fitting gown.

Suddenly, the whole room freezes, and everyone turns to look at me.

My sister says, “You want him? You can’t have him. You’re too late.”

I pop out of the dream—or should I say nightmare–in my bed in my childhood home, the first night I’ve been back in years. It had been the longest day of my twenty-four years on this earth. The moment she said those three crushing words, “We’re getting married,” my heart almost stopped.

Welcome freaking home to me!

I’m back in New York after four years, and no one came to meet me at the airport.

I know I said I didn’t want anyone picking me up, but they haven’t seen me in over a year, and then I was only going to be here for two days and my father and brothers picked me up.

I can’t wait to see everyone, Kaitlin and Christopher, my twin brother and sister, James my eldest brother and especially my niece, James’s three-year-old daughter.

She’s the cutest, with chubby cheeks, lots of curly hair that reaches her shoulders, and big dark brown eyes with sun-kissed skin.

The one person I missed as much as my family is my best friend, Nicholas Alexander. Back in the day, Nick, my brother Chris, and I were like the three musketeers; we always had each other’s backs. Even though they were four years older than me, they never treated me like a little kid.

While I’m in my thoughts, the cab pulls up to the front of the house.

“This is your stop,” the cab driver says.

While I’m digging through my bag for my wallet, he looks up at the red brick house that I grew up in.

“You live here?”

“Yes, I’ve been gone awhile, but I’m back for good now.”

“Mind if I ask you something?” He turns his head and looks at me.

“Go ahead,” I say, still fumbling through my bag that seems to have everything but my wallet.

“Do you have a boyfriend?”

Aha! Wallet found. I look up and realize he’s kind of cute, but not my type. There’s only one guy I’m interested in.

“Not exactly. He’s a boy, and he’s my friend, but I’m hoping to put the two together real soon,” I answer truthfully, so I don’t have to shut him down if he asks for my number. He smiles at me and shakes his head.

“The pretty ones are always taken; nice house, and here’s my number just in case it doesn’t work out with your friend or if you ever need a ride. I’ll be more than happy to pick you up anytime.”

I take the card he hands me as I step out of his cab and flash him a smile. “Thank you,” I say, closing the door. An unusually cold blast of air hits me, and hurry to get my suitcase out of the trunk.

I forgot October could get this cold in New York.

I climb up the seven steps to my parents’ front door and get my keys out of my bag.

I should have checked the weather and worn pants instead of my coral pink cable-knit sweater dress that only catches me mid-thigh.

It looked so cute with my new three-inch, calf-high black leather boots, though.

It’s so cold I can see my own breath. Thank God I wore coat and scarf.

I should have worn my hat, but of course I didn’t want to mess up my curls.

I turn the key in the lock and push the door open.

“SURPRISE!”

A crowd of people leap into the foyer, scaring me so badly I stumble back over the threshold. My mom and dad rush forward, dragging me back in.

“Baby, were you surprised?” my mom asks, squeezing me so tight I’m having trouble breathing.

Hell yeah, but I’m so happy to see them.

“Yes, I’m so surprised I almost wet myself.”

My dad grabs me from my mom’s arms. “Come here, baby girl.” He gives me a bear hug, lifting me off my feet. “My Kitty Cat’s home,” he says in his deep voice.

“I love you too, Dad, but please let me go—I need to breathe.”

I’m so happy I’m smiling from ear to ear and so is he. I feel like a spinning top for the next ten minutes while I go from person to person, getting hugs and thanking them for coming.

“Damn, girl, I see you finally had that growth spurt, when did that happen?” James teases. My mom and I are the short ones of the family.

“As soon as I bought these two-hundred-dollar boots.” I lower my voice. “Smart ass.”

We start laughing, like old times.

“Watch your mouth, little girl, I’m still your big brother.”

“How can I forget when you’re always reminding me?” I say, rolling my eyes. “Jay, where’s Sasha, that cute niece of mine?”

“My little angel fell asleep waiting for you.”

“Aw, I wanted to see her. I guess I’ll look in on her later. Where are Chris and Kate?” I ask at the same time the doorbell rings.

“They’re running late, but maybe that’s them.”

I turn around and see them walking into the living room, looking nothing like twins at all, but that’s nothing new.

I always thought Chris and I should have been twins; we are more alike when it comes to sports and our personalities.

He always had time for me, no matter how small or big my problems were.

Kate was the opposite of us both; she was into girly stuff when we were younger.

She had tons of girlfriends and was basically a social butterfly.

She never understood why I wanted to hang out with Chris and Nick.

“Oh my God, Cat!” Kate exclaims when she sees me.

We both rush forward to give each other a hug.

“You look great, Cat, when did you get this hourglass shape? Don’t tell me it’s been that long—or is it because you took my advice and stopped wearing your clothes two sizes too big?“

“Don’t start that, I never wore my clothes two sizes too big, they were just roomy and I was on the thinner side.”

“Well it looks like you’ve gained some weight in all the right places. You look fabulous, and I love this outfit, I’ve never seen you look so sexy.”

“Watch the sexy talk,” Chris says with a grimace. “That’s my baby sister.”

“Chris, please shut up and give me a hug.” I wrap my arms around his neck, and he twirls me around once before putting me back on my feet.

“Your style has changed, and I approve,” Kate says, giving me a nod of approval.

“Yes, my style has changed since you last saw me, and I owe it all to working out four days a week and eating right." I pull out of Chris’s hug and take three steps back, give them my best model pose, with sultry eyes, head-tilt and pouty lip, while both my brothers stare at me, aghast.

Kate looks at me with her almond-shaped dark brown eyes. “Is this new look for anyone in particular?”

“Can’t a girl take care of herself? You know what they say—when you look good you feel good. Besides, sometimes change is good; it gives you a new start. So what’s new, guys?” Kate gives me a wide-eyed look I know well; she definitely has something to say.

“I can’t wait to tell you, Cat; you and everyone else!”

“You mean no one else knows why you’re beaming like a one hundred-watt light bulb?”

“No, we wanted it to be a surprise.”

“We?” Before I can ask who “we” are, the doorbell rings again.

“Man, I think they invited the whole neighborhood to welcome me home tonight! Give me your coats—I’ll hang them in the closet while I get the door.

You can get Mom and Dad from the kitchen and get everyone together so we can all hear about this surprise.

” I walk out of the living room, pull the door in a little and take the quick steps over to the closet door.

Putting the coats in, I ask, “Who is it?” I get a welcome surprise from the other side of the door in the form of a deep, smooth voice.

“It’s Nick.”

I lunge for the door and throw it open.

“What are you doing here? Your email said you weren’t going to be able to come over tonight.

” I smile up at him, and he’s staring at me like he’s never seen me before.

He grabs me and pulls me into his arms, and I throw my arms around his neck as he lifts me off the ground.

He smells so good, like I remember—maybe even better.

A clean, crisp, fresh scent…all male and sexy. I missed that too.

“Kitty Cat…I would never miss your homecoming,” he whispers in my ear as he slowly lets me slide down his body. Smiling at me, his hand reaches up and gently tugs on one of the curls lying on my shoulder. “I’m glad you’re back; I missed you. Don’t stay away that long again.”

He looks even better than I remember: six one, black hair, full lips that are totally kissable, and grayish-blue eyes that I have always found mesmerizing.

After all these years, I still can’t figure it out; his eyes are just hauntingly beautiful to me.

Add in that killer grin and yeah—this is the boy who’s also my friend, the one I want to be my boyfriend.

Nick

Damn, it’s cold out here. I don’t remember it being this cold earlier this evening.

Good thing I don’t have to look for a parking spot.

Every time I walk up these stairs it brings me back to my childhood.

Some days I spent more time here than at my own house.

My mother used to say, “Nicholas, are you going to your second home again? Tell your other mother I said hello.”

I ring the bell and wait. I can’t believe Catherine’s back for good.

When she texted me the news, I thought she was joking.

Since she left New York, we don’t talk as much as we used to.

We might email and text each other once in a while, but it’s nothing like when she lived here.

We would hang out at least two or three times a week, doing lunch, lying around my apartment, even hitting the clubs with some of her friends and mine, including her brother, though he often put a cramp in her style.