Her gaze lifted upward, Katrina stared in awe. “It’s beautiful,” she gushed. “Absolutely beautiful.”
Matthew squeezed her fingers between his. “That’s like the pot calling the kettle black, I think.”
As they approached the center of the stadium, Katrina took in the immaculately set table. The dining table was adorned with an elegant white lace tablecloth, gold chargers, gold-trimmed china plates, gold utensils and crystal glasses. A tuxedoed waiter stood at attention.
Before she could respond to Matthew’s “black kettle” comment, the waiter introduced himself, moving to pull out her chair.
“Good evening, madam, sir. My name is Jeffrey, and I’ll be your waiter this evening.”
“Thank you, Jeffrey,” Matthew said.
“Good evening,” Katrina chimed.
As they settled themselves in their seats, Jeffrey reached for a bottle of Moët & Chandon champagne chilling in a gold bucket filled with ice and water. He held it up for Matthew’s approval. “Champagne, sir?”
Matthew nodded. “Thank you.”
When both their glasses were filled, Jeffrey detailed their dinner menu. “For your pleasure tonight, we’ll be serving all of the lady’s favorites. We’ll start your meal with melon and prosciutto in a spiced port wine reduction. Your second course will be braised beef short ribs with cheese grits and grilled squash. And for dessert, peanut butter pie with banana compote. If you’re ready, sir, I’ll be right back with your first course.”
Matthew nodded his approval. “Thank you, Jeffrey.” He turned his attention toward Katrina. “I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty of preordering our menu tonight.”
Katrina shook her head in disbelief, her gaze following behind the man crossing the field. “All of my favorites? How did you know?”
“Your son. Collin also told me you have a thing for vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup, but I understand that’s reserved for days when you’re ready to pull your hair out.”
Katrina laughed. “I’ll have to remind that child of mine that what happens at home is supposed to stay at home.”
“Don’t be too hard on the boy. He didn’t know that I had ulterior motives for asking.”
Katrina leaned back in her seat, folding her hands together in her lap. “Well, this is truly something, Mr. Stallion.” Her gaze floated around the arena, taking it all in. “Is this how you typically wine and dine your dates?”
“I reserve moments like this for exceptionally special dates. And you’re the first woman that I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying such a moment like this with, which makes you exceptionally special.”
Katrina smiled sweetly, the bend of her mouth causing a ripple of energy to course through Matthew’s midsection. As he smiled back, he couldn’t help but sense that their evening together would be a great beginning to something very special between them.
* * *
“The entire Cowboys Stadium?” Lacey asked her excitedly. “For just the two of you?”
Katrina nodded her head as she dropped her weary body down onto her living-room sofa. The grandfather clock in the corner of the room ticked softly, the hands signaling that it was half past three o’clock in the morning.
“Yep!” She kicked off her shoes, twisting her ankles from side to side. “How was Collin? He didn’t give you any problems, did he?”
Her friend shook her head no. “Collin was just fine. Don’t change the subject. You actually had dinner on the field?”
“Smack-dab in the center of the fifty-yard line. We ate every last one of my favorites.”
“That’s amazing!” her friend said as she dropped down beside her. “Then what happened? What kept you two out until the wee hours of the morning?” she asked in a hushed whisper, her eyebrows raised suggestively.
Katrina laughed, her eyes rolling skyward. “Definitely not that! The man was a perfect gentleman. In fact, I barely got a kiss on the cheek when he brought me home.”
“So what did you do for half the night?”
“We enjoyed dinner. Then we drove toward the aquarium and zoological gardens to a close-by café. We’ve spent the last five hours just talking. We’d probably still be there if I didn’t have court first thing this morning.”
“My, my, my! Y’all must have had some conversation!”
Katrina smiled, reflecting back on the entire evening. It had been some conversation between them. The two had talked about her, then about him. They found themselves laughing over mutual interests and pet peeves, discovering each other’s idiosyncrasies. The man had moved her spirit, and when the night was done and finished, she found herself wanting to linger in the wealth of his energy. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d enjoyed a man’s company as much as she enjoyed Matthew’s. Then she did, thoughts of her late husband slipping into her head. She inhaled swiftly, her eyes glazing over with tears.
“What?” Lacey asked, eyeing her friend curiously.
“I really like Matthew,” Katrina said, meeting Lacey’s inquisitive gaze. “I really like the man a lot.”
Lacey chuckled warmly. “Don’t sweat it. He likes you, too!”
“Do you think so?” Katrina asked, her tone suddenly anxious.
Her friend smiled. “You don’t have doubts, do you? I mean, how could he not like you? How could any man that you are truly interested in not like you?”
Shaking her head, Katrina shrugged, her shoulders pushing toward the ceiling. “I’m not good at this, Lacey. This whole song and dance couples are supposed to do is so foreign to me. Trying to start a new relationship has me seriously traumatized.”
“It’s like riding a bike. Just get back on and pedal. The only difference here is that Matthew Stallion is like one of those elite racer bikes with all the gears and different speeds. That man has a lot of bells and whistles. You need to ride him right, or don’t bother riding at all.”
With a low chuckle, Katrina shifted forward in her seat. “That’s exactly my point. Remembering how to pedal isn’t my problem. But knowing when to shift might be a challenge. And not being able to figure out those bells and whistles is what I’m truly afraid of!”
Chapter 9
As Katrina changed from her judicial robe back into her linen blazer, she was glad that her day had finally come to an end. She had plans to meet Matthew for dinner and was excited by the prospect. He’d called early that morning, asking if she had any plans for the evening. Even if she had, she would have changed them without a second thought, wanting nothing more than to see the man one more time. She blew a deep sigh, her heartbeat racing at the mere thought of the man.
“Excuse me, Judge Broomes.” The man at the door cleared his throat nervously as he sought out her attention.
“Yes, Mr. Jackson?” she said, turning to face the new clerk who’d been hired to assist her. The young man was fresh out of school, with a baby face, fire-engine-red hair and a pale complexion that would routinely transition from the palest pink to beet-red.
“There’s been a change in your schedule tomorrow. Both cases that were on the calendar have been postponed. It’s too late to reschedule anything else, so you’ll have the day off. That’s, of course, if you’d like.”
She nodded. “We actually have a ton of paperwork that I’d like to get through, so I will probably be here, anyway.”
“Yes, ma’am. Will you be needing anything else this afternoon?” the young man queried.
“I don’t think so, Mr. Jackson. I’m headed out the door, and I hope you are, as well. Anything special planned for this evening?” Katrina smiled warmly, easing her arms across her chest as she leaned back against the desk.
He smiled back. “No, ma’am. I just plan to relax with a good movie and a cold beer.”
“
That sounds like a plan to me. You have a good evening,” she said, dismissing him.
“Thank you, Judge Broomes. Good night!”
As he turned and exited out the door, Katrina shook her head from side to side. Slowly but surely he was starting to relax around her. She was hopeful that the two of them would find a nice balance with each other to make their working relationship a pleasant one. Balance in her life was important to her, and since Matthew Stallion had her completely off-kilter, she desperately needed her professional relationships to be on point.
She took a deep breath, glancing down at the watch on her wrist. Matthew had promised her a quiet evening. She had asked him to define quiet so that they would both be on the same page. She instinctively knew by his teasing laugh that not only was he on a different page than she was, but they might actually be reading from two different books. She couldn’t help but smile. Despite his assurances that she had nothing to worry about, she had to admit that she was a bit concerned.
Moving to the full-length mirror that hung on the back of the door in her office, she smoothed her hands over her charcoal-gray slacks. Although her white blouse contrasted nicely with the matching blazer, she couldn’t help but think that her outfit needed a little spicing up. Once again her friend Lacey came through for her, this time without even realizing it.
Moving back to her desk, Katrina pulled a small bag from the bottom drawer. Dumping the contents of the bag onto the desktop, she smiled brightly. Lacey had gifted the contents to her months earlier, when she stopped by during Katrina’s lunch hour after catching a sale at her favorite department store. The blue turquoise stones with their silver accents were the perfect adornment for her outfit.
She secured the clasp around her neck. The designer necklace sat comfortably against her collar. Moving back to the mirror as she secured first one and then the other earring in her ears, Katrina liked what she saw. As she stared at her reflection, she unbuttoned the top three buttons on her blouse. It was just enough to reveal a hint of cleavage. With a little cleavage showing, she looked less formal and definitely more feminine.
Inhaling deeply, she wished she could still the butterflies dancing in the pit of her stomach. But her excitement was building considerably as she thought about spending more time with Matthew. Taking a second deep breath and then a third, Katrina blew the warm air out past her thin lips. Satisfied with the reflection staring back at her, she reached for her leather handbag resting on the desk. Glancing at her wristwatch one last time, she headed out the door.
* * *
Katrina was doubled over with laughter, Matthew chortling heartily beside her. The two sat perched on bar stools in the Foundation Room lounge at the House of Blues. Both were wholeheartedly enjoying each other’s company.
Matthew gave the bartender a quick wave of his hand, gesturing for the man’s attention. “Bryson, my man, we’ll both have another,” he said as he pointed to the two empty shot glasses resting in front of them.
Katrina waved both hands in front of her. “No, no, no! No more for me,” she said, giggling.
Her new best friend laughed with her. “Chicken!”
“I am not!” she said emphatically. “But you’re a bad influence on me!”
“I beg your pardon!” Matthew exclaimed. “Your Honor, I’ll have you know that I am the best thing that has ever happened to you. You just don’t know it yet!”
There was a pregnant pause as the two sat staring at each other. Matthew’s words vibrated against her eardrums, the truth of them settling comfortably over her spirit. His smile widened into a full grin. He pressed a heavy palm against her knee, gently caressing her flesh. Heat surged from his fingertips, igniting every nerve ending in Katrina’s body. Her own smile widened considerably. She took a swift inhale, fighting to regulate her breathing.
“Thank you for dinner,” she said finally, needing to move her focus as far from his touch as she could. “I’ve had a really great time.”
Matthew nodded. “Me, too. But I hope you aren’t planning to leave me just yet. It’s still early yet.”
She shook her head from side to side. “Not at all. I have a few hours till my curfew.”
Matthew’s grin was consuming. The moment was briefly interrupted as the bartender dropped two shots of Jack Daniel’s down onto the counter. Matthew lifted both glasses, passing one to her.
“To us,” he said, the simple toast implying much between them.
Katrina echoed his sentiments. “To us,” she said as she pulled her drink to her lips and downed the bitter contents. She grimaced slightly, moving Matthew to laugh out loud again.
“We need to go for a walk,” she said, pushing her shot glass away. “Before I’m not able to walk at all. How would that look?”
“That might be something for the record books,” Matthew said teasingly. He dropped two twenty-dollar bills onto the counter and wished the man who’d served them good-night.
Reaching for her hand, Matthew entwined her fingers between his own. He pulled her along beside him, steering them out of the bar and restaurant. Outside, he looked up the sidewalk in one direction and then down the other.
“Where would you like to go?” he asked, focusing his gaze on Katrina’s face.
She shrugged her shoulders. “I just want to walk,” she answered, mindful of her left hand, which was still clasped tightly in his.
Side by side the two slowly made their way along the length of Laws Street, the view nothing more than a concrete parking lot. The quiet between them was comfortable, rising like a sweet mist and settling easily over their shoulders. Katrina crossed her right arm in front of her, resting her fingers easily in the crook of his elbow. She caressed the length of his forearm as she pressed her shoulder to his, leaning her body against him. The moment was enchanting.
Above them a full moon had risen in the night sky. The evening air had cooled nicely, and an easy breeze wafted gently about. The moment felt almost surreal, Katrina thought. As she contemplated what was happening between them, she was struck by a moment of doubt. Her growing emotions for the man were unexpected, and she admitted to being a tad bit scared. It wasn’t her intent to express such thoughts out loud, but the effects of the Jack Daniel’s seemed to have a different plan.
“I’m not interested in being a notch on your belt, Mr. Stallion,” she said suddenly, the words spilling out of her mouth, as if they were on a mission of their own.
Matthew paused, reflecting briefly on her comment before responding. He squeezed her fingers gently. “Why would you say that?”
“Because I know about your reputation. I’ve heard what a notorious womanizer you are.”
Matthew chuckled softly. “And you believe everything you hear?”
“I just don’t want to get hurt. I couldn’t handle falling in love with you, just to find out that I was only a number in your little black book,” she said, the alcohol spilling the truth past her lips.
Matthew came to a standstill, turning his body to face her. He stared into her eyes, noting the saline that had glazed them. “And do you think you could fall in love with me, Katrina?”
Katrina met his intense stare. Her nerves were suddenly on edge, her knees quivering ever so slightly. “I…you…it’s…” she stammered, suddenly at a loss for words.
Matthew eased his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, her body meeting his as if reconnecting with a long-lost friend. The connection was easy and comfortable, as if the two had been sharing moments like this since forever. Katrina pressed her palms to his chest, gently clutching the front of his shirt. Before she could rationalize what was happening, he glided his hand into her hair, his fingers teasing the nape of her neck.
When he lowered his lips to her lips, capturing her mouth beneath his own, whatever magic Matthew Stallion had performe
d on her, she was completely and totally under his spell. The kiss was like nothing she had ever experienced before. Energy seemed to surge between them, heat rising with a vengeance as his mouth skated with ease against hers.
When he pushed his tongue eagerly against her lips, moving her to open her mouth to him, Katrina moaned softly. He searched out her tongue, dancing a slow drag to a quiet beat that only the two of them could hear. The kiss was intense and consuming. Katrina felt as if she were being swallowed into a vast hole, floating through air on a cushion of intoxicating heat.
His lips were luscious pillows, and the man tasted like mint with a hint of Tennessee whiskey. The moment was perfection, every inch of him melding with her, as though the duo were two ideal halves coming together into a single unit. She suddenly couldn’t imagine anything being sweeter.
As Matthew pulled her tighter to him, shifting his body even closer to hers, Katrina felt her whole body convulse from the pleasure. Needing to break the connection, she pushed him gently from her, gasping for air. Her gaze met his, his eyes wide with wonder.
“Was that a yes?” he whispered, his eyebrows raised.
Katrina’s eyes flitted over his face, taking in every line and dimple, before settling on his eyes. “Don’t tease me, Matthew. Please,” she whispered back, her voice barely audible.
Matthew wrapped his arms tightly around her torso. He pressed his cheek against hers, caressing her soft flesh. Trailing a gentle path along her profile, he nuzzled his face against her neck, inhaling her perfume. The scent was one he recognized, Chanel No. 5, smelling like heaven against her skin.
“I’m not,” he said softly. “I would never tease about something so important,” he added as he tucked a hand beneath her chin and lifted her face to his. He dropped his forehead to hers, a deep sigh easing past his full lips.
“What’s happening with us?” she questioned, the words a soft whisper against his ears.
Matthew’s gentle smile lifted to a coy grin. He smiled sweetly. “This,” he began, his mouth brushing warmth against her earlobe. “This is sheer magic.”
Seduced by a Stallion Page 6