by Shealy James
“That she is,” he agreed.
In an effort to gain the space I very desperately needed, I stepped into the next room to see what else Blythe had displayed. Unfortunately, I found myself in a smaller space that was void of all people, and Maverick stayed right behind me.
“Please don’t follow me,” I practically begged.
“Perhaps you’re following me. You sat in my chair at the coffee shop, and here you are, at the same art showing as me.”
“I was at the coffee shop first.” I hated that I sounded like a child. The whole situation was juvenile, but I couldn’t stop myself from contributing. I was too focused on the way he singlehandedly consumed my senses. I wanted to keep complete control around him, but this maverick did something to me simply by being near me, something that wasn’t altogether unpleasant. He made me feel. Of course, the feeling he elicited most was lust, and that wasn’t something I wanted out there on display. Kitty Peters does not do lust…at least not in public.
“Hmm…if you say so.” Maverick’s hand reached around my back to take my now empty champagne flute from my grip. It was almost like his arms were wrapped around me, and I could imagine what it would feel like. It was too much. I stepped away from him as I heard him set the glasses on a tray. “Would you like another?” He returned to where I was standing but found a place beside me where he could gawk at me. I purposefully looked straight ahead.
My breathing was already erratic. I didn’t need to see him nor did I need to add alcohol on top of my hormones that were taking over. “No. Thank you.”
He leaned closer to me, until I felt his breath on my ear. “Why won’t you look at me, Duchess?”
“There you are!” I turned quickly to find Blythe heading toward us. She looked stunning in her red poplin dress and black platform pumps with her signature cat eyes and bright red lips. Her black hair was pulled into a severe bun on the top of her head with only her thick bangs covering her forehead. “Adam, darling, I have been looking everywhere for you.” Her arms wrapped around Maverick’s waist, and he automatically responded by tucking her into his side. That was when it registered I was getting my first glimpse of the tall drink of water in front of me. Like me, he was dressed head to toe in black. The sleeves of his button-down were rolled up, revealing a pair of muscular forearms. He was taller than I expected, and Blythe’s small frame fit perfectly under his arm, causing me to feel a foreign burn of jealousy in my gut.
I felt like an interloper, but I couldn’t very well walk away with Maverick’s eyes still on me like his girlfriend wasn’t under his arm. This evening was quickly becoming unbearable. I mentally cursed Maddox for leaving me alone for even a moment.
“Oh, Miss Peters! I’m so glad you could make it. Your father said I should expect you.” Blythe smiled warmly at me.
“Please, call me Katherine. Your work is beautiful. My father is going to be disappointed he missed it. I’m going to recommend he purchase the profiles in the other room for me.”
“Wonderful! Those are two of my favorites.” She looked up at the maverick, who was still watching me carefully. “Oh, I’m sorry. Katherine, do you know Adam Vaughn?”
“No.” My ingrained manners took over, and I held out my hand to him. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Vaughn.”
He unwrapped his arm from Blythe and took my hand. Butterflies fluttered inside my belly, which was another foreign sensation brought on by this man.
He squeezed my hand, sending more sparks up my arm and straight to my belly. “Nice to meet you, as well. It’s Adam, or Maverick, if you prefer,” he added with a wink.
I blushed. Blushed! Turned red. Kitty Peters does not blush.
“If you’ll excuse me, I need to find my friend. Enjoy your evening. Beautiful work, Blythe. Let’s meet for lunch next week. I’m sure my father would love to hear about your show.”
“Of course, Katherine. You have my number,” she said.
“Adam.” I nodded just before I turned and walked back to the main room where I found Maddox still talking with Nolan and Eve. I never thought I would be so happy to have a conversation with Eve, but I surprisingly preferred the discomfort of standing with someone who most certainly hated me over being near the one man I couldn’t seem to control myself around.
Chapter Five
“Kitty,” my father answered the phone with his usual lack of greeting.
“Lunch next week, but I don’t think you have anything to worry about.”
“What makes you so sure?”
“I just am. By the way, I reserved two paintings. They’ll be expecting your payment.”
“Fine,” he stated, nonplussed by my request. I knew he was about to go in for the kill, though. “Your mother is back in town. She will be by your place to pick you up for lunch at twelve thirty. Be ready.”
“Fine,” I responded in a similar manner.
“Let Sharron know about lunch. I’ll be back on Tuesday.”
“Sure.” We both hung up without goodbye.
With that, I emailed Sharron, my dad’s assistant, the lunch request so she could schedule it. Then I finished the final touches on my latest column before climbing into the shower. I allowed the three hundred and sixty degree jets to massage my body and let my mind think about the night before. I might have conditioned my hair twice while distracted by my memories. The art showing had to be one of the strangest events of my life. Not only did I have the strange interaction with the maverick I couldn’t stop thinking about, but Eve and I actually carried on a pleasant conversation. For one thing, I didn’t feel the need to repeat my Oscar-worthy performance as the woman scorned, because no one around us cared about it. It also helped that Grant wasn’t there to challenge me. I’d had enough of alpha males evoking out of control emotions in me for one night. While Grant never made me feel the way Adam had, he had an uncanny way of making me lose my temper with the effortless raise of an eyebrow.
Finally, I decided not to reflect any further on the events of the night before. Instead, I wrote the night off as a fluke and mentally prepared for lunch with my mother.
My phone rang right on time. I took the elevator down to her Benz and allowed her driver, Charles, to open the door for me. She sat on the opposite side of the car from me, eyeing my cashmere sweater, ankle pants, and loafers.
“Interesting color choice, Kitty.”
“It’s in my palette, Mom. Don’t be rude.”
She clasped her hands on her lap. “Fine. How was the gallery showing?”
“Good. We’re having lunch next week with Dad. She seems a little clueless but receptive.”
My mother pursed her lips. “New money…your father will handle it. She’ll be a millionaire in no time.”
I laughed. “I don’t think she’ll need Dad for that. You should see her work.”
“She may not need him to make her first million, but she’ll need him to help her keep it. New money never knows how to manage such assets.” She turned her head to face me. “Enough about Miss Withers, though. We have more important matters to discuss.”
A hundred bucks says she was referring to my love life. “Oh?” I asked without turning toward her. Instead, I turned my head to watch the traffic pass us by.
“We need to find an eligible suitor for you.” Yes…she really talked like that. Eligible suitor? Did you know that arranged marriages were all the rage these days? Women like me simply could not pick their own husbands by dating like a normal person. Leaving a girl to her own devices? Now, that would be a travesty.
“Mother, I can find my own husband, if you give me the chance.”
“Don’t be silly, Kitty. I’m not going to interfere. I am simply trying to introduce you to eligible men who are worthy of your attention.” Oh, great. I couldn’t wait for her to “not interfere.”
“It isn’t just the two of us for lunch, is it?”
“No, dear. Edward Nichols will be meeting us there. He’s an attorney from New York who just joined your father’s f
irm. He’s dashing and unattached.”
“Dashing and unattached. What’s wrong with him?” I asked, even though I didn’t really want to know anything about this man.
“You know how attorneys are. They’re married to their job until they make it big. He hasn’t had time to settle down.”
“Sure.”
I didn’t get to say anything else because we arrived at the restaurant and Charles was quickly at my door. My mother and I were guided from the lobby to a table where a very attractive man sat with a scotch and his Blackberry. He stood when he saw us approaching. His manners were impeccable as he greeted my mother warmly.
“And you must be Kitty,” he said as he kissed my cheek softly.
“Nice to meet you, Mr. Nichols,” I said as he held my hands in his. Everything about him was too soft, too polished, too manicured. He was nothing like Maverick. I shook that thought from my head immediately. Maverick was not someone I needed to be thinking about as I sat down with my mother and potential suitor. Yes, I rolled my eyes at that thought.
“Please, call me Ward. My father was Mr. Nichols, and it makes me feel old.” Now that he mentioned it, I wondered how old this man was. I was guessing late thirties but with how manicured he was, he could be over forty. He was obviously prematurely gray, because his skin was smooth and wrinkle-free. Not even a frown line on his forehead, and I doubted he was going for Botox every three months.
“I’m so glad you could find time to make it out to Seattle, Edward. I hope my husband isn’t keeping you too busy, and you can find some time for fun,” my mother said as Ward held my chair for me while the host did the same for my mother. Her use of his formal name didn’t surprise me. Even though she called me Kitty, she called all others by their formal names. I had never been afforded that sign of respect and had stopped wondering why years ago.
“Well, he allowed me out long enough to meet with you two lovely ladies, didn’t he?” Oh, he’s a charmer too. Great…
I smiled politely at his lame comment. My mother gave a fake giggle and said, “I have no doubt he will let you out to play with our Kitty more often while you’re here.” How could my own mother make something sound so revolting?
I was burning with humiliation my mother thrust upon me. No longer the broken-hearted bachelorette, I was suddenly going to be playing the role of the desperate spinster. Just call me Kitty the Cat Lady.
Ward gave me an indulgent smile. “Oh, I hope so. Your daughter is beautiful, Mrs. Peters. Of course, I can see where she gets such beauty.” Oh, heavens. I seriously think I might vomit.
“Thank you, Edward,” my mother responded sweetly just as the waiter set down wine for my mother and me and another scotch for Ward. I resisted the temptation to down all three drinks and walk out of there.
They continued speaking as if I wasn’t there, and at some point, I stopped listening all together. Instead, I picked at my lunch of grilled fish and vegetables while examining the room around me and mentally writing my next article about the art show. Thinking about the article only reminded me of the strange events from the night before. How could my parents expect me to marry a man like the one next to me when the man who I really wanted was a complete one-eighty from him?
Where Ward was all three-piece suits and soft hands, Maverick was leather and tattoos. Even Ward’s smooth voice was unappealing compared to the deep rasp of Maverick’s. In my book, they didn’t even compare, but my opinion didn’t matter. It never had and never would. That reminder had me tuning back into the conversation, which I immediately regretted.
“My property in St. Croix is my favorite, though. It’s my home away from home.” Blech.
“That sounds like a lovely place to take a vacation, very romantic.” Double blech!
He offered my mother his smarmy grin. “I wouldn’t know, Mrs. Peters. I’ve never found someone special enough to take there.”
“You may be in luck there, Edward,” my mother said as she looked across the table at me.
“I certainly hope so,” he responded and gazed at me as well. I smiled politely but maintained my silence, seeing as my patience had escaped me already.
My mother scooted her chair back. “If you’ll excuse me, I’m going to powder my nose and allow you kids to talk.” I inwardly laughed at her calling us kids, considering Ward was probably closer to my mother’s age than mine.
Ward stood when my mother did and promptly sank back in his chair and finished off another scotch. I watched him for a moment as his whole body relaxed.
“Nicely played, Ward. I take it you knew you were being set up with the boss’ daughter?”
“It’s all I’ve heard about since I met your mother two weeks ago. She’s invited me to dinner several times in New York to woo me. Next thing I know, I’m on your father’s private jet on my way out to Seattle to consult on a special project.”
“Ah. I see. How long you here for?”
“A week. Apparently you and I are to attend Governor Rollins’ birthday party next weekend.”
“Of course.”
“I’m sorry. I just ended a ten-year relationship. I am not interested in all this.” He waved his hand between the two of us.
“Don’t worry, Ward. This isn’t my first rodeo. I was roped into this lunch on the car ride over. We’ll go to the party because it’ll be bad for both of us if we don’t. Then we can go our separate ways. You go back to New York while I stay here. I will tell them we didn’t work out.”
“You really are a beautiful girl, Kitty. Why are they doing all of this?”
“Please call me Katherine. They’re doing this because my parents are the ultimate control freaks, and I am the puppet whose strings they control.”
He smiled, a genuine smile this time. “Katherine.”
“Yes.”
“Cut the strings,” he said as if it was so easy.
I didn’t want to explain why I felt the need to continuously do what my parents asked, so instead I changed the subject. “Ten years, huh?”
“Yeah.” He nodded, and I could see him physically remove the emotion from his face. “We both worked eighty-hour weeks, so it was the perfect arrangement.”
“And you never took her on a romantic vacation to St. Croix?”
He laughed. “No, I just bought the property a month ago, right after we decided to end things. I’ve only been once to complete the inspection and sign the papers.”
“What happened with ten years, if you don’t mind me asking something so personal?” Hey, he brought it up.
“She decided she wanted to get married and have kids. I’m forty-three and haven’t ever once considered starting a family. Why in the world would she think I would want kids now?” Yes, Ward was definitely closer to my mother’s age.
At his shocked expression, I laughed. “Her clock was ticking?”
He laughed. “I guess so. Too bad I’m more interested in punching the time clock than uprooting my entire life for her biological clock.”
“Well, at any rate, I’m sorry it didn’t work out. It must have been nice to find someone you could tolerate for ten years at the very least.”
“How’s everything?” my mother asked as she came sweeping back to the table. I watched as Ward fell back into his pleasing persona.
“Wonderful. You daughter’s as lovely as I expected, but I’m afraid I need to head back to the office.”
My mother checked her watch. “Yes, we must be going as well. We have fittings for the Governor’s party to get to.” Yet another surprise for me. I loathed fittings with my mother. It took mental preparation to be able to tolerate her opinions on my body and the dresses for the hours it took to get through a fitting.
“Thank you for lunch, Mrs. Peters,” Ward said as he held my mother’s coat then kissed her cheek. He then turned to me and kissed my cheek. “See you soon, Katherine.” My name was whispered as if the use of my real name was our little secret. He winked just before turning and heading to the car that was wai
ting for him. My mother took his whispering and winking as flirting.
Charles opened the door and helped us into our car. Once the door was closed, my mother said, “You’re going to be alone forever if you can’t make it work with him. He was smitten with you.”
Like usual, I had the urge to laugh at my mother’s poor assessment of the situation, but I knew better. Instead, I nodded and turned to stare out the window and count the hours until I could lock myself in my condo…alone.
Chapter Six
I avoided my parents for the next couple of days until I was forced to have lunch with my father and Blythe. It was uneventful, for the most part, considering they mostly discussed possible investments and maximizing earning potential. Blah, blah, blah. It wasn’t until the moment when Blythe and I headed to the parking garage together that I was reminded of her connection with a certain tall, dark fantasy of mine.
“So, you met Adam…” she said once we had started walking away from my father.
I nodded and refused to meet her curious eyes. “I did. We ran into each other at the coffee shop by my condo, then again at your art show. You were the one who actually introduced us, though.”
“He’s a great guy, Kitty.”
I wasn’t sure what to say to that. Was she bragging about her boyfriend? “Yes. He seems very nice.” Polite and friendly was the only way to tread carefully. I could feel this leading up to something, but there was no way I was going to be the star player in their kinky little threesome fantasies.
“I’m not trying to pry, but I saw how you two looked at each other. The sexual tension was undeniable. If I hadn’t come in the room, you two would have stood there all day imagining each other in any number of compromising positions.”
Using all of my strength to appear unaffected, I simply replied, “I don’t know what you mean.”
She stopped walking and threw her hands on her hips. “Give me a break. I’m eccentric, not blind.” She started walking again then added, “What’s the hold up? He’s hot. You’re hot. You’re both unattached.” And this is why you shouldn’t jump to conclusions. “Have some fun with each other and see where it goes.” Unattached…Now, there was something to think about.