Kiss Me Kate

by Mari Carr

  Pulling the shirt over her head, Rick gave her no reprieve as he quickly slid her pants down. “Step up,” he directed and she complied.

  She was left standing before him in her new sexy black bra. Unfortunately, she’d replaced the matching thong with a clean pair of granny panties. Sighing heavily, she cursed her luck again.

  “You just missed the matching thong,” she said with a crooked smile. If she couldn’t wow him with her sexy new body, she would have to fall back on the only other attribute she had left—her sense of humor.

  “You can model it for me later.” His hands held hers away from her body. She was uncomfortable with his close scrutiny and tried to pull her hands free.

  “Rick.” She wanted to protest, but he merely continued to look his fill.

  “You’re gorgeous.”

  “Yeah, right,” she replied. “You have a thing for belly warmers, do you?”

  Rick laughed and pulled her body against his. “I have a thing for anything you wear. Although, I am looking forward to seeing you in nothing at all.”

  Kissing her, he slowly moved her backward until she felt the backs of her legs brush the mattress.

  “Lie down.” His voice became commanding as he issued the order and she complied willingly. She couldn’t wait to see where tonight would lead.

  Rick quickly shed his shirt but left his jeans on. Bending over her, he pressed kisses on her neck and at the bare flesh above her bra.

  “Your breasts are amazing.” As he spoke, he cupped one in each palm. “The perfect size.”

  “They’re too big.”

  “Sweetheart, there ain’t no such thing as too much money or breasts too big.” She giggled as he leaned farther down and blew a raspberry on her stomach. Squirming underneath him, she tried to escape as he held her down and tickled her.

  “Stop,” she cried breathlessly through her laughter. “Uncle!”

  “Ah.” He smiled smugly. “Victory. Now I have you at my mercy.”

  Reaching up, Kate pulled Rick’s face down to hers for a kiss. She never laughed in bed and she found his teasing irresistible and charming. He was turning out to be so different from the man she’d expected him to be. She knew he had a sense of humor, but he was always so intense and serious in his emails.

  Breaking free from her kisses, Rick’s face suddenly turned serious. “Put your hands on the bed above your head.”

  She did as he asked and Rick placed his own hands on top of hers, pushing them into the mattress. “Don’t move them. No matter what. If you do, I will punish you.”

  “Punish me?” Kate’s insides melted at the thought of Rick turning her over on his lap and spanking her. She’d read lots of erotic novels during her lonely marriage and the idea of spankings never failed to arouse her.

  Rick bent down and took one of her lace-covered nipples between his teeth and bit down, softly at first, gradually nipping harder. Kate gasped at the feeling, her hips thrusting up for relief.

  “Be a good girl, Kate, and you won’t have to worry about my methods of punishment.”

  “Doesn’t sound like much fun.”

  Rick chuckled in her ear in response. “Mmm, I like naughty girls, Kate, and I have a feeling you’ll give me a run for my money. Test me, by all means. I’d love to punish you.”

  The idea of Rick playing the dominant in bed brought all of Kate’s secret fantasies to her mind. When reading erotica failed to ignite her, she began writing down her own sexual fantasies. Her laptop was filled with erotic stories. All of her secret sex dreams captured on screen. The thought that Rick may actually help her fulfill some of those fantasies this week was like a dream come true.

  Kate was pulled from her musings by Rick’s teeth on her other nipple. Again he issued the hard bite and she fought to thrust against him.

  “You’re killing me,” she cried. Rather than stop his tormenting, Rick notched up the play even further.

  Reaching behind her, he unhooked her bra and pulled it off her in one swift movement. Once he had her breasts free, he grabbed them roughly, pinching her nipples none too gently. “You like this.” He took one hard nipple in his mouth, sucking hard.

  “God yes.” Her pelvis found his leg and pressed into it, striving to find relief. Moving against him as he tormented her breast, Kate was shocked when she felt the pressure that signaled the beginning of her orgasm.

  “Rick!”

  Rick continued his caresses, pushing his leg more firmly into the vee of hers. “Give over, Kate.” His voice was stern and hard. “Let me see you come.”

  Gasping, she struggled to regain control of her body but Rick wouldn’t relinquish it. “Don’t fight me, Kate. You will come when I say. Do it. Now!”

  His words, lips, hands and leg pushed her over the ledge she tenuously clung to and she screamed as an orgasm ripped through her body. She felt as if she were catapulting through the air.

  When she came back to herself, Rick was lying beside her on the bed, whispering sweet nothings in her ear and gently stroking her breasts.

  “I can’t believe we just did that.”

  “I told you we could play,” Rick said with a smile.

  “That seemed way too intense to be considered play.”

  “My sweet Kate. That was only the beginning.”

  Chapter 11

  Rick woke up the next morning with a face full of brunette curls and a hand full of plump white breast. Smiling, he savored the moment. What a way to wake up.

  Unfortunately, a moan that had nothing to do with arousal met his ears. “Kate?”

  “Migraine,” she groaned. “I get them all the time.”

  “Do you want me to get you something?” The pain that laced her words concerned him.

  “There’s some ibuprofen in the medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Would you mind bringing me the bottle and some water?”

  “Not at all.” He leaned forward to press a kiss on her upper back. His hand couldn’t resist one last touch and he squeezed her breast.

  “That feels pretty good too.” She snuggled closer to him as he lightly stroked her nipple.

  “Mmm, I’d love to stay in bed with you all day, sweetheart, but Rex has been pacing by the bedroom door for a solid forty-five minutes. If I don’t take him out now, it could get ugly.”

  Kate’s only response was a louder moan. Rick clambered out of bed and grabbed his jeans off the floor. He and Kate made out and petted like a couple of love-struck teenagers until the wee hours of the morning and yet he’d never felt so wide awake, so alive.

  “I’ll grab the medicine.” He made his way to the bathroom while Rex, all traces of patience gone, pranced around his feet, whining.

  “I know, bud,” he cooed. “Let me take care of Kate and then you and I will have a nice long stroll.”

  Leaving the whole bottle of pills and a glass of water on the bedside table by a now-sleeping Kate, Rick clambered downstairs with Rex. Putting on his leather coat and grabbing his cell phone from the table in the foyer, he walked out onto the front porch as the dog sprinted for the nearest tree. One of the best parts about living in the country was being able to let Rex run free. The few times he’d tried to use a leash with the dog had been utter disasters. Rex liked his freedom and Rick couldn’t blame him.

  Stepping off the porch, Rick roamed from the house to the large garage across the driveway. Glancing to the side, he could see the remains of Kate’s summer garden. He couldn’t wait to see it in season next year. Rex started chasing after a leaf caught in a breeze while Rick pulled his cell out of his pocket.

  Placing a call to his friend Josh, he discovered Zack had indeed been pulled over for DUI and had spent the rest of last night in the drunk tank.

  Pleased with that small bit of justice, Rick hung up and called his best friend next.

  Jill answered Wes’s phone.

  “You’re up early,” Rick commented.

  “Don’t remind me,” she barked. “Fact is I never made it to the hotel. End
ed up falling asleep on the couch in the room. My neck is killing me.”

  “How’s Wes doing this morning?”

  “Physically, he’s getting better. Mentally, he’s a pain in the ass.”

  Rick laughed. “I warned you he wasn’t a good patient.”

  “Ha,” Jill exclaimed, “that’s an understatement. So far he’s managed to complain about the nurses, the bed, the food, the selection of channels on the TV and the itch in his leg he can’t scratch because of the cast. I swear to you, I’m about two minutes away from breaking his other leg.”

  “Where is he, by the way?”

  “He’s in the bathroom. Damn fool insisted he could manage on his own. He has about four minutes left before I go in and get him.” Rick could tell by her raised voice she was making the comment for Wes’s benefit more than his. “What’s Kate up to?”

  “Actually, she’s not up at all. She’s still asleep.”

  “What? It’s nearly 9:30! Kate never sleeps this late. She must be dying or have one of her migraines.”

  “Migraine,” Rick said.

  “Hmmm,” Jill said thoughtfully. “Talk about your lousy timing.”

  “I can only assume from your unexpected arrival at the hospital to stay with Wes and your comment just now that you were aware of Kate’s plans to seduce me.”

  “I was aware,” Jill admitted, “but when did you become aware?”

  “About a second after she told me she planned to seduce me.”

  “Criminy,” Jill exclaimed. “I told her to be subtle.”

  Rick laughed. “Jill, Kate is the least subtle woman I know. Whatever pops into her mind flies out of her mouth.”

  “Yeah, I know. That muttering of hers drives me mad.”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” Rick admitted. “I kind of like that about her. It’s rather refreshing to know exactly where you stand with a woman.”

  “And I suppose Kate told you all about her eight-month-long crush on you as well?” Jill’s voice was hovering between dismay and laughter.

  “No, but you just did.”

  “Crap.”

  Rick laughed. “You know, Jill, it’s been longer than four minutes. Shouldn’t you check on Wes?

  “Naw,” she said, joining Rick in laughter. “I like the idea of making him beg for my help. Of course, knowing that stubborn fool, he’d probably drown in the toilet before he called for assistance.”

  “How long can you stay with him?”

  “Cheryl is running the breakfast and lunch shifts for me this week, but the dinner one is all mine. I’ll travel back and forth until they release him. Apparently, I’m the only one he’ll listen to in regards to taking his medication and physical therapy. Personally, I think it’s my amazing bedside manner.”

  Rick considered Jill’s odd comment for a moment, trying to figure out what Wes was up to, but he was distracted when Jill continued speaking. “Besides, I figured you could use the break and I know you were anxious to be home after so long away.”

  “Jill.” Rick was overwhelmed by her generous offer. “I know my idiot partner won’t thank you, but I will. Thanks. You’re going above and beyond the call of friendship here.”

  “Oh, believe me, Rick,” Jill said softly. “I’m not being completely selfless here. I expect something in return.”

  “What would that be?” Rick was fairly sure he knew the answer, but asked the question anyway.

  “Take care of Kate. She’s gotten tougher this past year, grown up a lot, but I’m afraid she’s going to make the mistake of believing she’s strong simply because she can do things on her own. She may be trying to seduce you, but the real trick will be getting her to love you. She’s hidden that emotion so far away, I don’t think she knows where she left it.”

  “Why are you telling me this?”

  “Because when Wes isn’t grumbling, he’s actually quite forthcoming. I know Kate’s crush isn’t one-sided.”

  “I should have let the bad guys break his jaw,” Rick grumbled. “Then his mouth would be wired shut.”

  “Rick, you know I love you and Wes, but more than that, I trust you guys with my life. Now, I’m trusting Kate’s heart to you. Step on it and I’ll crush you like a bug.” Jill’s warning reverberated in his head as Rick tried to imagine Jill’s petite five-foot-four-frame attempting to crush his much larger body. Unfortunately, it wasn’t too hard to see fiery Jill doing just that if he hurt her sister.

  “I’ll take care of her, Jill.”

  “I always knew when you fell, it would be hard. I just didn’t think Kate would be the one. Kate is the one, isn’t she, Rick? Wes told me the two of you were retiring from the DEA. You aren’t grabbing hold of Kate simply because she’s there, are you?”

  Rick was amazed how in tune with his own worries Jill seemed to be. The bubbly blonde had befriended him and Wes during their first few weeks in Madison. She’d made their transition from big-city men to small-town fellas painless and even fun. Much like Kate, Jill had a way with words and her irreverent descriptions of Madison and its inhabitants had kept them entertained through many delicious homemade lunches at her restaurant. However, after spending last night with Kate in his arms, his initial concerns about his true feelings for her seemed to melt away.

  “It’s Kate,” he said with confidence. “Only Kate.”

  “Good. Ah, there it is.”

  Rick was confused by her comments. “There what is?”

  “A cry for help.” Jill giggled. “Although with all the pain and suffering he’s put me through, he’s going to have to word it more nicely.”

  “What’s he saying?”

  “Something along the lines of ‘hey you’,” Jill answered. “Oh wait, that’s a bit better. I think he added a ‘please’ to that ‘come here, you hateful shrew’.”

  Rick laughed as he said goodbye. His friend was in capable hands with Jill in charge. The man was a grizzly bear if he had to stay in bed more than a day or two and unfortunately, in their chosen line of work, both of them had spent more than their fair share of time in hospitals. Jill was certainly tough enough to withstand Wes’s moods and Rick was exceedingly grateful to her for giving him this time alone with Kate.

  Turning back toward the house, Rick called for Rex. Time to check on his sleeping beauty. Maybe a nice breakfast in bed would make her feel better. Rick had a feeling his patient was going to be much more pleasant than Jill’s.

  Chapter 12

  Kate felt much better after a couple aspirin and another hour of sleep. Rick had even brought her tea and toast in bed with the promise of a great big breakfast when she awoke. Glancing at him across the dining room table, she thought back to all the meals she’d eaten alone at this table over the last year—and all the naughty fantasies she’d had about him stretching her out across the shiny surface and using her body as his dinner plate.

  Rick raised his eyebrows and flashed a knowing smirk. Kate quickly averted her eyes. No doubt the observant man had noticed her all-too-hungry look. She really was going to have to get a grip on her libido.

  “That was delicious.” She wiped her mouth with a napkin after polishing off the western omelet. “Nice to know you can cook. At least we won’t starve this week.”

  Rick looked at her with astonishment. “You mean to tell me, Kate Harper, with your sister the finest cook in all of Madison County, you cannot cook?”

  “Didn’t seem to be much point, did there? I mean, Jill’s meals aren’t merely edible like mine, they’re delicious. Once my mother discovered my lack of talent in the kitchen, she left Jill in charge of the meals.”

  “And what did she leave you in charge of?” Kate was pleased by his genuine interest in her. For most of her life, she merely blended into the background while Jill or Zack emerged as the more interesting players. It was nice to take center stage for a change.

  “I did all the decorating and cleaning.”

  Rick glanced around the room, not for the first time, and smiled. “I think it
’s evident you do have a talent for that. Kate, the house looks gorgeous. I can’t believe everything you accomplished in a few short months.”

  “It was nearly a year,” Kate corrected with a grin. “Believe me, there’s plenty more to do. The kitchen needs a major overhaul and I haven’t touched the bedrooms yet. I was thinking we could paint the upstairs bath…” She paused, chagrined. “Listen to me ramble on. It’s not even my house. Sorry. I tend to get carried away.”

  “I want you to get carried away, Kate. Don’t think for a second you’re going to get out of finishing what you’ve started here simply because Wes and I are back.”

  “Really?” She felt like a child being handed a kitten at the prospect of continuing her improvements on the house. “Because I have lots of ideas for the other rooms and I would love to help you with them.”

  Rick laughed. “I think in this circumstance I would be helping you. I’m a disaster with a paint brush.”

  “Well, I suppose we won’t have much time to do any redecorating with Wes laid up. But don’t worry. I’ll definitely come back every weekend until we’re finished.”

  Rick frowned. Kate wondered what she’d said to upset him. “And just where do you think you’ll be coming back from?”

  Kate was puzzled by his question. “I, um, I suppose I’ll crash at Jill’s apartment for a while until I find a place of my own. I’ve been perusing the classifieds in the newspaper for the past couple weeks for available apartments. You would think with eight months to think about it, I would have made some decisions about whether I want to rent or buy, but honestly I’ve been so busy with work and redecorating this house that I haven’t given it a thought.”

  Kate realized she was rambling and struggled to keep her voice from trembling as Rick’s face became darker and darker with each word. Finally, she couldn’t stand his silent sullenness. “Are you mad at me for something, Rick? Did I say something wrong?”

  “I thought we’d agreed you would stay here.”

  Kate breathed a sigh of relief. Of course, he’d misunderstood her intentions. “We did and I am, Rick. You don’t have to worry. I have no intention of leaving you on your own to take care of Wes. I really won’t desert you until he’s back on his feet and in tip-top shape, I promise.” Kate grinned, thinking her response would settle Rick’s concerns—until she realized her words hadn’t made a dent in his anger.