The two stared at each other from their seats, an awkward silence spinning out until Kate couldn’t stand it any longer. She was about to say goodnight when Holly slurred, “I gotta fall asleep now, guys.”
Surprised, as if they had forgotten Holly was there at all, Kate and Chris looked at her. Kate stood up, grabbing her friend’s arm. “Okay, you’re right. Let’s head to bed, Holl.”
“No,” Holly drew the word out petulantly. “I wanna sleep on the couch. Prob’ly need a puke bucket, please. Jus’ in caysh.”
“Oh.” Kate stumbled to the kitchen and pawed through the cabinets, looking for an appropriate vomit receptacle. She settled on a seldom used pot and brought it back to Holly, who had already fallen into a deep sleep on the couch. Kate placed the pot on the floor near Holly’s head. “Night, Holl. Please don’t puke all over yourself,” she whispered tenderly. When she straightened up, she saw Chris standing, awkwardly glancing at the couch.
“Oh…” Kate looked around, realizing that Holly had just claimed the space Chris had been sleeping in since he had taken the job.
“It’s fine,” Chris assured her hastily, knowing immediately what she was thinking. “Really, it’s not a problem. She needs it more, anyway. I’ll crash on the chair.” He gestured to the tasteful but small armchair behind him.
“No, no,” Kate hesitated for a moment. “It doesn’t recline or even have a footrest. You’ll be aching all day tomorrow.” She cleared her throat. “Why don’t you just…I mean, you can sleep in my room,” she said softly. “If you want.”
Chris paused. He knew it was a terrible idea; he was supposed to be a professional and Kate was, technically, his client. But where else am I supposed to sleep? he asked himself. Knowing it was a weak justification, Chris opened his mouth to politely refuse. Instead, he heard himself say: “Okay.”
Kate’s heart was pounding in her chest as she led the way to her bedroom, overly aware of Chris following closely behind her. What am I doing? the voice in her head was screaming at her, confusing her. It seemed to be both horrified at what she was thinking of doing, and furious at her for being so nervous about it.
They entered her bedroom timidly, as if both were afraid of the dark. Kate turned to face Chris, who hadn’t shut the door behind him. He stood, slightly turned, almost as though he was about to back out of the room.
“I don’t-” he began. That was as far as he got. Kate stepped forward purposefully into his arms, and gently put her lips on his. That was it. Kate knew she was at least slightly inebriated (and probably a little more than that), and that magnified her attraction to Chris into a roaring beast she wasn’t sure she could control, yet the first physical contact she initiated was a simple, sweet kiss. Kate could taste the wine on his lips like a stain, with a hint of sweetness underneath. Candy. She smiled slightly at the soft fullness of his lips. Chris’s hands found their way into her hair, and he kissed her back, pulling her close.
Without breaking contact, Kate grabbed Chris by the front of his shirt, propelling them backwards towards her bed. She wrapped her arms around his neck, parting her lips to deepen the intimacy of their embrace. They fell onto the plush comforter, becoming more entwined by the second.
“Kate,” Chris whispered, pulling back. “We can’t.”
Kate blinked, struggling to see his face with only the pollution of the city’s lights streaming through her room’s curtains. “I want this, Chris,” she responded softly, caressing the back of his neck.
Chris gently pulled her hands off and kissed each palm, holding her hands in his. “God, I hope so. But you’ve been drinking a lot tonight. I’m happy to behave unprofessionally for you, believe me, but not unless I know for sure it’s what you want. Okay?”
Kate didn’t respond, instead laying back on her pillows and reaching up to pull Chris next to her. He wrapped an arm around her, and Kate settled in to a comfortable spot on his chest.
“Think Holly will be okay out there?” Kate whispered into the dark.
“Yes. Want me to go check on her?” Chris whispered back.
“No. Stay here with me.” Kate ran a finger down the arm that wasn’t around her, and Chris shivered. As they both drifted towards sleep, Chris found himself wishing silently that Kate wouldn’t wake up to regret finding him in her bed.
13
“Chris?” A gentle nudge and Kate’s quiet voice were all it took to pull Chris from his doze instantly. Years of being forced to sleep in potentially hostile environments had conditioned him to wake quickly.
“Are you okay?” He turned to look at Kate’s face, veiled faintly by the soft pink light of dawn. “What’s the matter?”
“Nothing’s the matter,” Kate answered him. She rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows. “I’m awake. I’m all sobered up. And I still want this.”
Chris didn’t need to hear it twice. In a flash, he had rolled on top of her and was kissing her with urgency, making her body react and her pulse race.
After that, time seemed to stop.
***
The sun was shining brightly when Kate slipped out of the bedroom. After enthusiastic and intense lovemaking, Chris had fallen into a light sleep, his lithe body tangled in Kate’s white sheets. Moving slowly to keep the creaking of the hinges to a minimum, Kate eased open her closet door and grabbed the robe hanging on the inside. Before she closed it again, she caught a glimpse of the garment bag in the back. She had moved it yet again, this time from the hallway closet back to the bedroom.
The panic Kate had felt when Chris had seen it compelled her to hide it away, someplace perhaps more trafficked but still less exposed to anyone but her. Upon seeing the stark whiteness of the bag, she smiled softly. Aiden would be happy to know she was really moving on with her life. She thought she might finally be ready to take her last look at the dress, and give it to someone who could put it to good use. The dress deserved a happy ending, after all.
Kate crept out of the room and into the kitchen. Glancing into the living room, she saw that Holly had left already. Although she had drunk more than any of them, Holly was young and able to bounce back from a hangover quickly. Kate found her pot on the kitchen island, spotless inside except for a small note.
Kate-
Didn’t puke, b/c I’m a rock star. Hope your night went well. You better not be beating yourself up over whatever did or didn’t happen. It’s not a crime to be happy.
Love,
Holly
P.S. Chris is a hottie, hope you hit that
Kate laughed into her cupped hands, stifling the sound. She put the pot away and then stood in the middle of the kitchen, thinking.
It’s a beautiful day, Kate thought. A beautiful day to really, truly start over.
She began opening cupboards, piling ingredients and utensils on the counter. She smiled to herself, thinking of how different this Independence Day was compared to her last. A moment later, she was stunned to find herself humming.
***
Chris woke to Kate standing at the side of the bed holding a breakfast tray.
“Morning,” she greeted him. “O’Bannon gets today for free since I was up first, right?”
“Yeah, sure,” Chris smirked. “I don’t think I can legally charge for anything that happened this morning, anyway. How long have you been standing there watching me sleep? Kind of a troubling sight to wake up to, by the way.”
“Long enough,” she responded. “You’re lucky you woke up when you did, or you might have been in trouble.”
“Is that so? What were you going to do,” Chris propped himself up and peered at the tray. “Beat me to death with a pancake?”
Kate laughed and slid the tray onto the bed before plopping herself next to Chris. “Since you made dinner, I thought I’d make breakfast,” she announced. “It’s just Bisquick, though. I’m not a chef, like some people.”
Chris pulled her to him, and kissed her. “I’ll take pancakes any way they come. Even plain,” he grinned and
picked up a pancake, taking a bite. His eyes widened in amazement. “What is happening in my mouth?” He peered at the piece of pancake in his hand. “Are those Pop Rocks?”
Kate clapped her hands and threw back her head, laughing. “Yes! I’m calling them Firecracker Pancakes,” she said proudly. “You like?”
“I love,” Chris took another bite. “You didn’t leave to get the Pop Rocks, did you?” His brow furrowed with worry.
“No.” Kate rolled her eyes. “You have tons of them in your bag. Seriously, I’ve never seen a grown man with so much candy.”
Chris shrugged. “You never know when you’re going to wish you had a Snickers bar handy,” he advised. “Man, this is really good.” He tore off a chunk of pancake and held it out to Kate. “Bite?”
Kate allowed him to feed her. “Mm, that is good, even without syrup.” She gave Chris a sidelong glance. “You know what we could do with that syrup instead?”
Chris grinned. “You aren’t worried about getting your sheets all dirty?”
“Of course I am.” Kate responded archly. “That’s why I think we should bring it in the shower.”
Chris didn’t need to be asked twice.
14
New York was…complicated. Trying to find his way around on public transit had done nothing to improve Rodney’s mood since arriving in Katherine’s city. He looked down at his shaking hands, and the bulky package clutched in them. Getting Katherine’s personal information wasn’t going to be easy, but at least he knew the address of the newspaper she worked for. He supposed if he called there was a possibility of being transferred to her office and afforded the opportunity to speak with her, but what good would a conversation over the phone do?
I need to talk to her, Rodney thought. I need to see her face when I tell her who I am and why I came all this way. And, of course, Rodney couldn’t deliver his special package to Katherine over the phone. No, sir. That was one exchange that was definitely going to have to take place in person.
Sighing heavily, Rodney glanced around the subway car, amazed at how everyone on the train was collectively ignoring each other, everyone lost in his or her own thoughts, none of them paying any attention to their fellow riders and…whatever they might be holding. Rodney found the anonymity oddly comforting, and he was glad he had visited New York once in his life, though he understood it was likely to be the last trip of his life.
That thought caused his mind to wander on the topic of what would come after his confrontation with Katherine Burt. After, he mused. I guess I know what will happen after, don’t I? It’s all over, then.
As the train approached his station, Rodney shook his head. This was all Katherine Burt’s fault. He would make sure she knew that.
15
“I can’t believe you agreed to a double date!” Holly squealed. She clapped her hands in delight and danced around Kate’s bedroom before collapsing backwards onto the bed. “This is going to be so fun!”
Kate smiled into the mirror, putting on the finishing touches of her makeup. She had never been one to wear much, but occasionally she liked to add a little lip shine to her standard mascara and eyeliner. “It’s weird how nervous I am,” she confessed. “I feel like a teenager.”
“Well, how long has it been since you went out on a first date?” Holly asked. “I’ll give you a hint: you have basically never been on a first date.” She sat up. “Oh, my God. Kate, you’ve never been on a first date! Your first date is going to be a double date with me and Michael, and he’s not actually that interesting of a person!”
“Michael and me,” Kate corrected in a mild tone. “I have too been on a first date. Aiden took me snowboarding when I turned sixteen and my mom finally let me date, remember?”
Holly rolled her eyes. “Uh, yeah. I do remember, because I was in the backseat for that trip. So, not really a date-date. And besides, by that time you and Aiden had been all lovey-dovey, kissy-face for at least a year. You guys grew up together and just sorta…” Holly smashed her hands together “stuck to each other. But there was never really a first date, where you get to know each other and stuff.”
Kate considered this. “So does this count as a first date then, or not?”
Holly thought about it. “It shouldn’t. Because two extra people will be there, and you already slept with Chris.” She gasped, her eyes widening in faux shock. “Whore!”
Kate laughed, then furrowed her brow. “Should I not have?” She asked. “I mean…do people not do that? Did you sleep with Michael right away?”
“Puh-lease.” Holly laid back down on the bed. “As if anyone could resist that hunk of steel wrapped in man meat you call a bodyguard. You should have done it the very first day. And no, I still haven’t slept with Michael.”
“Really? Why not?”
“Oh, don’t get the wrong idea. It’s not because I’m protecting my honor or anything,” Holly laughed dryly. “He’s just very…well, you’ll see. It’s hard to explain, I guess.”
Kate turned to face Holly. “How do I look?” She asked seriously.
Holly sat up and studied Kate for a moment before her face broke into a wide smile. “You look happy,” she declared. “And happy looks beautiful on you.”
Kate grinned, and smoothed out her skirt. She was wearing one of her old favorites she had nearly forgotten about: a sky blue dress that tied at the waist. It was a little big on her, since she had lost some weight during the last year. Grief was a hell of an appetite suppressant, as Kate had discovered. It was strange to see herself wearing anything other than black or gray, and Kate kept turning and examining herself in the mirror. She almost didn’t recognize herself.
Chris and Michael were waiting in the living room while the women got ready. Chris leapt to his feet as soon as he saw Kate, which she attributed to the deeply instilled sense of decorum from his military background. In truth, Chris was such a ball of nervous energy that he could barely keep himself still.
Calm down, he kept scolding himself. You’re acting like a dumb kid. You’ve been living in the same apartment as this woman for two weeks, and you’re acting like you’re meeting your long lost love. Chill out!
When Kate walked in, his heart nearly leapt out of his chest, and he jumped to his feet in an instinctive effort to contain himself. She looked beautiful, and Chris felt a giddy lightness in his chest at the thought of Kate putting her hair up in that attractive side swept style or glossing her lips just for him. Kate was not the kind of woman to go out of her way to please just anyone. “Kate,” he grinned, hoping it didn’t look as goony as it felt. “You look lovely.”
Dummy! He groaned internally. This isn’t even a date! You’re just having takeout right here and watching a movie. Please! Be! Cool!
But Kate seemed to appreciate his sincere compliment. She smiled openly, and it lit up her whole face. “Thank you,” she said, pleased that her feeble efforts with a pitiful makeup collection had made an impact.
Holly grabbed the arm of the man sitting next to Chris, and hauled him to his feet. “This is Michael,” she announced. “Michael, this is my best friend in the world, Kate.”
Michael was a tall man with hair so blonde it was nearly white. He had worn it in a small ponytail at the café, but tonight it hung loose, and Kate saw it was just as curly as Holly’s. Kate shook his hand, then Chris caught her eye. Turning his back slightly to Michael and Holly, he mouthed something to her. She frowned and shook her head slightly—what? Chris widened his eyes and mouthed his message again, but Kate couldn’t make out what he was saying. She was concentrating so deeply on figuring out what Chris was trying to convey that she missed what Michael had said out loud to her.
“I’m sorry, what was that?” she asked apologetically. “I didn’t quite catch-”
“I was saying your apartment is amazing,” Michael overrode her. “You’ve got a great view and some awesome antique furniture in here. Very cool stuff, very hip right now. But you probably know that, right? Chicks are al
ways so obsessed with that stuff.” He laughed, and Kate suddenly got the gist of what Chris had been trying to convey. Douchebag.
“Thank you, I guess. It’s actually not antique, though, I have to admit. I bought it all online, it’s basically one step above the assemble-it-yourself stuff.”
Michael continued as if she hadn’t spoken. “My Aunt Karen has an antique store upstate, and her place looks a lot like this. I guess the big thing with antiques now is to refurbish it, though, right? Make it all look new again rather than embracing the scuffs and marks?”
Kate glanced at Holly. “Um, yeah, I guess so? Like I said, this stuff isn’t actually antique and I’m not really sure what’s trendy with older stuff. I really just bought the first thing that appealed to me.”
“Once my band takes off, I plan on buying an apartment in this neighborhood, too.” Michael remarked, peeking out the window. “Not this building, though. It smells kinda old, doesn’t it?”
“I haven’t noticed anything,” Holly said tersely. “Smells fine to me.”
“Maybe it’s all the old furniture,” Michael gestured. “Musty. This building wouldn’t be too bad for a starter home, though. Do you rent or own?” He asked Kate.
“I rent,” Kate said, slightly offended at Michael’s assessment of her apartment. “I assume I’ll buy later in my life.”
“Right. It’d be kind of a waste for a single woman to buy, huh? Oh, wow,” Michael bent down and examined the coffee table, pulling the front drawer out and pushing it back in a few times. “This is a really beautiful piece. And it’s in pristine condition, too. That’s surprising for antiques, you know? You don’t usually see stuff in such great shape. How old is this?”
“I guess maybe…three years old?” Bewildered, Kate turned to Chris. “Am I going crazy?” she whispered to him.
Chris leaned forward and replied in a low voice, although not low enough that Michael couldn’t hear. “Nope. This guy is weird as hell. I think he just likes to listen to his own voice; I don’t think he’s really hearing what anyone else says.”
The Book Critic's Bodyguard Page 9