“Well, it would be funny to see a homeless guy wearing my bra.”
She glanced over to find him staring at her. He was looking at her as if she might disappear.
“What? What is it?” she said softly.
He ran his thumb across her cheek bone. “To have my hands on you…it’s just surreal. I’ll be staring at you and touching you a lot, just so you know.”
“I think I can handle that.” She kissed his cheek, the soft stubble tickling her lips. “Thank you for being excited to see me. I should have called first, but I guess I was afraid you’d tell me not to come.”
“See, that shows you just don’t get it.”
“Get what?”
“That I’m in love with you and never stopped. I’m going to make every effort to show you just how glad I am that you’re here. And I mean every effort…” He breathed the last part in her ear. There was no hiding the chills that shot up her arms. But at least the throbbing parts underneath her skirt were her little secret.
“See, now is when privacy glass would come in handy. Maybe I should re-think this whole cab thing. Because the things I want to do to you right now do-not include an audience.” His hand was under her skirt and making its way up her thigh. Katrine let her knees fall to the sides. She wanted his hand on her so bad she almost didn’t care that the cab driver was trying hard not to look in the rear view mirror… almost.
“Later,” she whispered into his mouth, nibbling his lower lip. He groaned and pulled his hand away. She didn’t make any declarations of love. He needed to earn that from her. Of course she still did, but he didn’t need to know that yet.
A butterfly took flight in her stomach as they pulled in front of his building on the Upper West Side, 65th and Central Park West. She was going to see where he lived and Xander was excited about it, eager even. Xander seemed more open than before and she found that very appealing.
“You’ve changed,” she said as he took her hand and acknowledged the door man.
“Changed? For the better, I hope.”
“Yes, you seem a lot more, I don’t know, in touch with your feelings, for lack of a better phrase. When I first met you, you would’ve never brought me to your place, let alone be excited about the prospect. It’s nice.”
“Well, there’s nothing like a monumentally humbling experience to soften a narcissistic prick.”
“Wow, that was a mouthful. Ivy league, right?” she said with an elbow nudge. “And what experience was that, pray tell?” She had a few guesses.
“Oh, just losing the love of my life, then pining over her for a year,” his nonchalant tone did not match the emotion in his eyes.
“Oh that.” Katrine was cool on the outside, but her insides were undulating. And there may have been some back spinning, too. Yep, he said it. Love of his life. And he was missing her this whole time?
She was not expecting that.
“Not to mention a toe punch to the balls.” He looked down at her through his lashes and grinned.
She cringed and ducked her head. “Sorry about that, really I am.”
“It actually made me respect you more, and besides, I deserved it. But don’t worry. I’m still a complete dick when it comes to business.” The elevator opened on the top floor of the building. They emerged into a wide hallway with a concrete floor. Xander kissed her head and pulled her towards the unmarked door at the far end of the hall. Why did she feel like she was entering Willy Wonka’s factory or about to go down the rabbit hole?
“Katrine, welcome to my home.” He smiled and opened the door.
She stepped from concrete onto a light birch floor. The main living area was spacious with a large modern painting on the largest wall. The yellow background and strokes of red and orange doused the room with color. A substantial flat screen was mounted above the fireplace. The pale sectional furniture was plush and modern in design. There were sky lights and the ceiling had various diagonal elevations. The kitchen was open, with black granite countertops that beautifully contrasted the white cabinets with frosted glass. She walked over to the floor to ceiling window that gave a view to a large terrace.
“I thought New York was notorious for its small spaces. This is huge!”
“Come on. I want to show you the rest.” He grabbed her hand and they went up a small flight of stairs leading to the bedrooms. There were three total. One he’d made his office, one was a guest room. “This room doesn’t get much use. In fact, I don’t think that bed’s ever been slept in.”
“Well, we’ll just have to break it in now, won’t we?” Katrine gave him a sultry look and walked back into the hall.
The final and largest was his bedroom. He held her hand as they walked into his room. The far wall was glass, filling the room with natural light. The king size bed in the center was covered with a white duvet and large brown pillows. The headboard was thick with swirled edges and a hand-carved Spanish medallion in the center. One wall had built-in shelves from floor to ceiling. She made her way over and started to glance at his pictures and books, running her fingers over the worn spines. “Ah, no male library would be complete without Salinger and Grisham,” she teased.
Tucked in one of the alcoves was a picture. It was Xander, maybe eight years old, holding the hand of a woman in a white sun dress. Her dark hair was hiding her face except for an angular jaw. You could see her mouth and the smile that was only for the adoring boy at her side. They were both barefoot in the sand, the wispy beach grass behind them, clear blue sky beyond. Katrine’s heart ached, not for the boy in the photo, but for the man who’d lost his mother way too soon.
Xander wrapped his arms around her waist and rested his chin on the top of her head. “That’s one of my favorite pictures of my mom. You can’t see her face, but the smile. Her smile is what I remember most.”
“Now I see where you get it. You have the most amazing smile. And you don’t just have one.”
“I don’t?”
She turned and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Uh-uh. You have about a dozen smiles and each one is as adorable as the next.”
“Adorable? Can you use a more manly adjective at least?”
“How about smoldering, captivating…Better?”
“Much.” He gave her one of her favorites, the half smile that showed one deep dimple. Now he really kissed her, the tonsil tickle, molar checking kind of kiss. She gripped the soft material covering his shoulders. It was surprising how natural this felt. It had been forever since they’d kissed, yet it felt as if it were yesterday. Naked was inevitable, that much she knew, but not before some food and some conversation. She pulled back and smiled.
“I’ve really missed those lips,” Katrine admitted, walking over to her bag. A delicate wire frame beside his bed caught her eye , but it wasn’t the frame as much as the picture inside of it. She picked it up and gently swirled her finger tip over her own smiling face. She didn’t remember him taking this one, but she knew it was his bed at the hotel he called home last summer. They’d spent a lot of time under and on top of those soft white sheets.
“I’m glad to hear the pining wasn’t one sided.” He smiled shyly, well as shy as he got, anyway. She placed the frame back on his night stand. “Oh, I haven’t been pining, but I couldn’t exactly forget you, either.”
“That’s pretty much the same thing, don’t you think?”
“Nah, but I can’t believe a consummate bachelor such as yourself was crying over me. I’m sure you found ways to warm your bed. So you couldn’t have been pining that hard.” He didn’t correct her even though he’d shed an ocean of tears. He didn’t think she needed every detail of his misery. He also didn’t want to come off like a complete wuss. She may have kicked him in the balls, but he still had them.
Katrine pulled her suitcase out into the hall. She wanted to set up shop in the guest room.
“You’re staying in the guest room?” He was disappointed and didn’t bother hiding it. “I want you in my bed, Katrine. I know
I may not have earned that right yet, but I will. Just give me a few hours.” He gave her a look and she rolled her eyes.
Cocky as ever.
“Xander, I showed up unannounced and we haven’t really spoken since last summer. I didn’t want to be presumptuous about the sleeping arrangements.”
“Presume away. There’s no way in hell I could sleep knowing you were in the bedroom next to mine. Especially if you still sleep in those tight little tank tops.” He grinned and grabbed her hand. “Do you?”
“I may have a tank top or two in my bag.” She continued her way into the guest bedroom, which had a French blue accent wall, with a white and blue duvet cover. The headboard was light gray with an antiqued finish. He told her he had someone purchase all of the furniture, but he had picked them all out. The man had some serious taste.
“Okay, how about I just leave my bag in here. That way I have my own bathroom and I don’t have to take over your personal space.”
“Just so we’re clear. I want you all over my personal space.” He was completely invading her personal space at that moment, he was that close. Close enough that she could smell the mint on his breath and the soap on his skin. She knew what was underneath that suit, and more importantly, what he had hiding in his boxers. Cue heart palpitations…
“How about we change and then we can grab something to eat. I haven’t had a thing since this morning and I’m starving.”
“Still ravenous as ever, I see.”
“You have no idea.” Katrine leaned in and kissed his neck.
Chapter 23
Summoning all of her will power, she managed to push him out of the room. She took a long, hot shower. She unpacked, hung her clothes in the closet, and put her toiletry bag in the bathroom. Still wrapped in a towel, she stuck her head out into the hall.
“Xander, how should I dress for dinner? And don’t say naked!”
“Fine, then my second choice would be casual. I’m going to take you to one of my favorite spots and we need to leave soon if we want to get a table,” he yelled from his office.
“Okay. I’ll be ready in ten.”
She took the strapless cerulean blue sun dress off the hanger. Her hair was still up from before, but she decided to brush it out. It hung in waves, since she had twisted it while it was damp that morning. She put bronzer on her cheek bones and mascara on her long lashes. She lightly lined and glossed her full “soup coolin’ lips,” as her grandma used to say. She slipped on Grecian style sandals, silver hoops, and a thin silver bracelet, all of which took eleven minutes.
She stepped into his office, which was filled with dark wood furniture and a large green plant in the corner. There was a rowing oar on the wall along with his diplomas and pennants. A built in shelving unit held memorabilia, concert ticket stubs, and more books. The picture of him and his fraternity brothers made her laugh. He was so young and extremely hot.
Holy shit, why didn’t I go to Yale? Oh yeah, connections and money…never mind.
“I’m ready when you are.”
The look he gave her made her toes curl and face flush.
He rounded the desk and stood in front of her. “You may tire of hearing this after a few days, but you’re breathtaking.” His eyebrows pressed together. “Which is strange, because I haven’t really been able to breathe until today.”
I got ready in ten minutes, but I can have my dress off in ten seconds…
“Thank you, Xander. You look… almost too good. I don’t know if I’ll be able to eat.” She gave him a sly grin.
It wasn’t an exaggeration, he was barefooted with low worn jeans, a tight green t-shirt, and leather bands on his wrist. His hair was wavy, coming almost to the top of his ears. He looked like he’d just rolled out of bed, in the best possible sense, or like he was about to play a set with his band, not ending the day as a heavy hitting business man. It worked for her, oh yes, it worked.
“Let’s eat. I’m about to start gnawing on my arm!” She turned and walked out of the room. He shook his head and laughed to himself. When she was hungry, all propriety went out the window. It was just one of those things.
They took a small flight of stairs and Xander pressed in a doorbell. A voice came over an intercom.
“How many?”
“Two.”
“Dinner or drinks?”
“Both.”
Katrine noted that there was no sign and the building was nondescript, save for a large red door, which slowly opened and they went inside.
“What is this place?”
“One of my favorite little joints. You can’t make a reservation or name drop. It’s first come, first serve.”
“Doesn’t that bother you, when your name gets you into any restaurant in Manhattan?”
“By the way, that’s not true. Rich business men are a dime a dozen in this city. They couldn’t give a rat’s ass who you are in this place and that’s why I love it. ”
They walked down a narrow dim-lit hallway and took three steps down into a small room. There were only six tables and a long bar against the far wall. There were two young bartenders who were dressed in tight white t-shirts, suspenders, and cabbie hats. Katrine felt like she’d walked into a ‘20s speakeasy. She loved it immediately.
They were led to a small wooden table with large leather wingback chairs. There was a tiny stage in the corner illuminated by a lone spot light. There was an upright base, a violin, and a banjo waiting for musicians to take them in hand.
“This place is awesome. How does anyone even know it’s here?”
“Like anyplace worthwhile, it’s word of mouth. Their food is fresh, their drinks inventive, and if you don’t get here before six, forget about getting a table.” One of the handsome bartenders came and gave them menus. He eyed Katrine with appreciation and Xander grabbed her hand possessively. She smiled, enjoying the adoration like any woman would. As cute as the bartender was, he had nothing on the fine man in front of her. Squeezing his hand, she looked down at the single sheet in front of her. They took pride in their cocktails, falling back on the old school style—hand crushed concoctions with homemade aged liquors. Katrine usually went for wine, but she couldn’t pass up these signature drinks. They almost out-shined the food. But the garden to table style menu was pretty amazing as well. All the ingredients were locally sourced.
“What are you getting?” Xander asked as he sipped his frothy drink.
“I think the beef tenderloin sounds really good, but so does the roasted chicken. I can’t decide.” She looked at him for some guidance.
“I’m getting the pork chop, so don’t look at me.” He remembered how she operated, getting him to order her second choice so she could eat half of it. He loved that about her, amongst many other things.
By the time their salads arrived, the live music started, which was modern folk, if it could be categorized at all. The sound, style, and volume perfectly complemented the intimate place.
She looked down at her plate. Cubes of bright watermelon and pan fried squares of feta over warm arugula were drizzled with a thick, dark balsamic. The sweet juice of the fruit and the tangy cheese made for a harmonious contrast of flavors. Her eyes may have rolled back a few times. Xander was watching her eat and enjoying every minute of it.
Smiling, he said, “I’ve missed watching you eat. I’ve missed everything about you, really.”
“Well, I’m pretty awesome, so I don’t blame you.” She winked. “I may have missed you a bit, too…By the way, Xander, if you missed me so much, there’s this antiquated concept, the phone call,” she teased, taking a bite of her salad.
“Would you have even talked to me if I’d called six months ago?”
“No, probably not,. I think I had to come around on my own.”
“I didn’t call because I was embarrassed. I had fucked up so completely.” He paused for a second, poking his salad, but not eating. “I feel like we should talk about what happened last summer… I’ve apologized, but I just wan
ted you to know how much I regret it and that I’ve regretted it every day since.” He grabbed her hand and ran his thumb across her knuckles.
“You know, it’s strange. I know why you did it. I’d spent enough time with you to know that you like to be in control, of your emotions and everything else, for that matter. We were supposed to be a casual fling… Neither of us planned to get in so deep, so quickly. You were scared of what it all meant. Hey, I was scared, too. You were supposed to be a rebound for me. I got a little more than I’d bargained for.”
“A rebound?”
“Uh-huh, that’s what my friends said I needed, no strings attached sex to get over my divorce. And you were the perfect candidate.” But there had been strings attached… to every part of her body, anchored to the organ in the center of her chest.
“Well, did it work?”
“Yes.” The single word came out soft, but spoke volumes. Katrine lifted his hand and brushed her lips across his soft skin. They stared at each other in silence. Being with him again was strange, but it wasn’t like they were trying to remember each other, it was as if they’d never forgotten.
“Let’s forget about what happened…well, maybe not forget. I don’t think that’s possible. But I have forgiven you. That much is certain. It took a while, though.”
“I know I have to earn your trust again, but please believe that I would never do something like that again. On my mother’s soul, I swear it.” His face was serious and the contrition in his eyes was enough for her.
“I believe you and I trust you…I love you.” The last declaration was just above a whisper. The smile she got in response melted her heart. Both dimples, perfect teeth, and full lips. The skin next to his eyes crinkled slightly. She hadn’t meant to say it so soon, but at the moment, it just felt right.
They ordered another round and held hands. Katrine’s legs were nestled between Xander’s longer ones. The inside of his knees brushed against her bare skin. It was doing things to her. So much so that she wasn’t sure she even wanted to stay for the entree. But when the large rectangular plate was placed in front of her, Katrine almost drooled. The tenderloin was filled with French bread stuffing, blue cheese, and candied pecans. The grilled radicchio with truffle oil and mashed red potatoes looked just as delicious.
Resilient (Rebound Book 2) Page 19