Kat walked over to the other side of the dressing room and snatched the dress off the hangar. “It's a ... sacrifice."
Lilith laughed until tears sprang from her eyes. She wiped them away with the fingers of one hand. “I'll just bet it is!” her voice shook.
Kat glared at her friend ... and wished she could wipe that satisfied smirk off Lilith's face.
The buzzer sounded again. Kat glanced at her watch.
Seven p.m.
"Oh, Lilith, this is a mistake,” Kat sighed. “What on earth do I think I'm doing?"
Lilith grabbed her shoulders and turned Kat toward her. “It is not a mistake, my friend. It's a start—a brand-new start—for you."
Kat shook her head stubbornly. “I'm doing this for Summerville."
"No,” Lilith replied, her voice stern. “You're doing this for you. Kat, just go and have a good time. Loosen up. Enjoy yourself. He seems like a really nice guy, I mean, look what he did for Allie."
Kat's mouth thinned. “It was an act, Lilith, and so is this. I'm going to make him want me."
"Oh, he's going to want you all right,” Lilith's grin turned sly.
Kat shook her head. “Then, I'm going to turn the tables on him. He's got something to hide. I just know it. He's not what he seems, he's—"
"Very nice. And I think you're making a mistake by thinking otherwise."
Kat sighed. “You're impossible."
The buzzer sounded again. Kat smoothed a hand over her deep-red waves then marched out of the dressing room, Lilith hot on her heels. Jared's tall framed was visible through the slats on the blinds on the front door.
It was now or never. Kat squared her shoulders and opened the door to KISS.
Jared stood there, looking more handsome than ever in a dark, silk suit. His coffee-colored eyes traveled over her and settled on her face.
"You look ... spectacular,” he said, his voice soft.
Lilith peeked her head over Kat's shoulder. “Hi there,” she waggled her fingers at Jared. Kat dug her elbow into Lilith's side. Lilith moved away from her, undaunted. “It's nice to see you again,” she grinned at Jared.
"Hello, Miss Gentry."
"Oh, now ... you know you can call me Lilith."
Jared smiled. “Lilith. How goes it at ‘The Yarn Barn?’”
"Just fine. Just fine."
Silence stretched between the three of them.
Lilith glanced from Jared to Kat. He hadn't taken his eyes from Kat's face.
"Well, you two have a good time.” Lilith brushed past Kat, who stood like a stone statue. “Loosen up,” she whispered as she walked by. “He's not going to eat you ... yet.” She grinned charmingly. “Bye!” Lilith called out as she sailed out the door, past Jared, and down the steps.
Kat watched Lilith walk down Summerville's main drag and dearly wished she could follow.
* * * *
"Have you changed your mind?"
Kat raised her eyes to Jared's. “About what?"
The soft lighting of KISS’ interior highlighted Kat's magnificent sea-green eyes. She looked up at him and blinked once. Jared thought she looked pale. The freckles across her cheeks and nose stood out. A dewy sheen of moisture lined her forehead.
"About dinner tonight,” he replied, his voice soft. “We don't have to go to dinner if you don't want to—"
Her eyes grew wide. “Oh, no! I mean, yes, I do want to go to dinner with you."
He hadn't realized he held his breath in anticipation of what she would say. Relief washed over him. Damn, but he had it bad. And his desire grew with each passing second he stood staring at her. That swirly dress she wore outlined her trim, lithe figure and...
Her breasts looked magnificent. Jared couldn't stop staring! This would never do. If he didn't control himself, tonight would be over before it even started. His eyes traveled down her legs to her feet sheathed in those sexy high-heels she wore. God help him, he had never, ever been attracted to a woman's feet before, but the sight of Kat's long, narrow feet swathed in those shoes with that sexy, corset-like strap around her ankles made him hard as stone.
"Please, come in,” she told him. “I'll just go and get my wrap."
Kat ushered him further into KISS. The familiar, cool stillness assailed him as he followed her inside. As Kat turned to shut the door behind them, he caught a whiff of her perfume. The light, floral fragrance washed over him, making him want to reach out and hug her close so he could bury his nose in her hair and each part of her so he could continue smelling her ... tasting her.
God, how he wanted her.
He glanced around the store, realizing that for once, his eyes had not strayed to the myriad of lingerie and nightwear on display. That's because he could feast his eyes on Kat alone. Standing there, dressed as she was, she epitomized everything KISS stood for—elegance, class, and a hint of mystery as to what lay beneath the surface. Jared ached to find out what lay beneath her sexy get-up and ... her. He'd enjoy stripping away her surface appeal to find out what lay beneath.
How long had it been since he actually enjoyed something, particularly a woman?
Too long.
Kat walked to the back of KISS and came out a few minutes later with a jacket over her shoulders. The lapels didn't quite cover her chest, the ends stopping right under her breasts. The three-quarter sleeves hugged her slender forearms to the elbows. In her right hand, she carried a small, satin handbag.
She walked toward him, her saucy hips swaying with each step.
"I could drive,” she told him. “I know the way and—"
Jared reached out and did what he'd been dying to do since he arrived. He grabbed her hand and tugged her to him. Then his mouth claimed hers in a fierce kiss. “Good evening, Ms. Sullivan,” he murmured against her mouth.
He felt her smile against his lips.
"Hi,” she whispered. She pulled back a little to glance up into his face. “Ready?"
Oh, was he!
"Let's go, then."
Jared followed her out of KISS. Kat locked the door, depositing her keys into her bag. She turned to face him. “Hungry?"
He swallowed. Hard. He was hungry all right, but not for dinner.
"Yes,” he said, smiling just a little. “Very."
Kat grinned back. “So am I."
When she smiled that sexy little smile, Jared had to do everything in his power not to take her right there on the steps. His hand strayed to her lower back as they walked down the steps, hovering protectively as he helped her into his sleek, black Jaguar. His eyes kept close watch on her long, slender legs and her tight, round backside as she climbed in. Kat shifted and drew the seat belt across her chest.
"I can't seem to lock this,” she murmured. She raised her big, sea-green eyes to him.
Jared bent down and pulled the seat belt across her body, the back of his knuckles grazing her chest. He heard Kat's breathy gasp as he drew the seat belt down and into the holder. It locked with a resounding ‘click.’ Jared shut the door and walked around the front of the car, feeling Kat's eyes on him the entire time.
As he got in and started the engine, he could have sworn that when his knuckles skimmed Kat's chest, he felt something stiff and bony underneath the silky dress she wore. Was it her bra, he wondered? No, this felt different.
As he eased the Jaguar onto Summerville's main drag, he sincerely hoped he would have the chance to find out what lay beneath Kat's dress.
[Back to Table of Contents]
Chapter Six
Jared pulled his sleek, black Jaguar onto the open road. Route twenty-five, the local highway, stretched before them as he shifted gears and headed toward Long Island's East End. The sun dipped low on the horizon, a big, orange ball of fire in the early evening sky. He heard the hum of the Jag's motor, felt its power beneath his hands as he gripped the steering wheel. His knuckles turned white. He eased off a bit and tried to relax, but hearing the rustle of Kat's dress each time she shifted in the seat next to him made him ha
rd. His eyes kept straying to Kat's long legs covered in sheer, shimmery stockings. He had a long, long night ahead of him as anticipation built with every passing second. They'd dine ... talk and then...
He shifted in the seat to tamp down his arousal. Jared glanced at Kat from the corner of his eye. Had she seen? Part of him wanted just that, yet, another tiny part of him hoped she didn't. Jared couldn't afford to appear vulnerable in any way. He feared what she might do or say if she ever knew what the power of simply sitting next to her could do to him.
"So,” he tried for levity. “Where are we off to tonight?"
Kat's face lit with a grin. “Harry's. It's a little bit out of the way, and it doesn't look like much from the outside, but it's got the best steak you've ever eaten."
"Sounds great."
"It is. Oh my..."
He gave her a sharp glance. “What's wrong?” Jared wanted to lean over and kiss the worry lines that creased her forehead.
"You do like steak, don't you?"
Jared grinned. “Love it."
He saw her body relax, and her face softened as her worry lines receded. His own worry over her obvious concern for his feelings disappeared. Why in hell was he so concerned about what she thought, he wondered. It didn't matter in the least...
Or did it? He wasn't just going to sell her on his new MegaMart idea tonight, but himself, too. He wanted her approval, her ideas, her advice, her...
God, how he wanted ... Kat. Her fragrance filled the car, and his senses. His head reeled from the delicious, sweet odor. As he inhaled, his mind raced to think of something clever to say. Never in all his days had he been at a loss for words around a woman.
"I, uh, take it you like steak, too?” He wondered if he sounded as lame to her as he did to his own ears.
Jerk. Idiot. Fool. He thought of a hundred other ways to describe his adolescent attempt at conversation. Sitting there like that, dressed in that sexy, coral-colored outfit, Kat was every man's fantasy and wet dream rolled into one...
Including his.
Moron.
He focused on the road ahead, thinking of something else to say. Kat viewed the scenery from the passenger-side window then her head swiveled in his direction. She shot him a wary look, tucking some of her glorious, auburn hair behind one ear. “I usually just get a salad,” she blurted.
Jared shot her a look of disbelief. “Then why on earth are we going to a steak place?” He'd be damned if he would sit there and watch her picking through a plate of lettuce while he dined on steak.
When he glanced at her again, she was looking out her window, her shoulders shaking. Had his sharp tone upset her, he wondered? Or was she shaking because of the frigid air blowing on her?
"Kat, what's wrong?” Jared reached for the button that controlled the air conditioning, fearing she caught a chill. He grew alarmed when she didn't answer. “Kat?” His eyes traveled over her, checking for goose bumps or any other telltale sign indicating that she was cold ... or upset. Damn, but he had it bad for her! The idea of her creamy skin chilling set his teeth on edge. “Hey ... what's wrong?” he asked softly. He was tempted to pull the car over and throw his jacket over her. What an ass he had been to speak to her in such a sharp tone of voice.
When she finally turned her head in his direction, he saw her sea-green eyes dance, saw her generous, wide mouth break into a grin. “Oh my, the look on your face,” she managed around a laugh. “It's priceless."
"Huh?” he beetled his brows as he slowed the car when they came to a traffic light. Stores lined either side of the small town of St. James, but Jared barely noticed their quaint charm. “What look?” his mouth thinned when he realized that she hadn't been cold or upset at all, but full of laughter. Kat continued to giggle, small hiccups escaping with each breath she let out.
"I meant the look on your face when I said I usually eat a salad."
The minx. She had been teasing him! Had she picked up on his vulnerability, his acute awareness of her every movement, her every need?
"You looked horrified and ... oh my, worried. How sweet,” she drawled.
Oh yeah, she knew all right!
"Don't let my obvious concern fool you.” He clipped his voice and didn't bother to soften it.
That only made her laugh harder. “Trust me, I wouldn't sit there and order a salad while you devoured a steak. ‘Harry's’ is known for their steak—they have this great marinade and..."
He kept his eyes on the road ahead. Jared hit the accelerator when the light turned green.
She laid a hand on his arm then quickly pulled back when he flinched. “You thought I was serious, didn't you?"
He felt her hand skim his upper arm. A buzz, like an electric jolt shot down to his hand. Jared shrugged not wanting to give away the fact that he had fallen into her little trap and let her play on his emotions. God help him, but he wasn't about to let on how concerned he became when he saw her shaking.
"I'm sorry,” she said huskily.
Jared thought she didn't appear the least bit sorry, despite her tone. Her eyes still shined. Those big, sea-green eyes. Were those little flecks of blue in them, he wondered? Or was it a deeper shade of the same green, perhaps it was...
Oh, this was ridiculous! She had him all tied up in knots, and now all he could do was think about the exact shade of her eyes.
He glanced her way as he slowed the Jag behind some traffic, bringing the car to a complete stop. Jared turned to face her, easing one arm across the back of her seat. “Just remember what they say, Kat.” He removed his arm and placed both hands on the steering wheel in front, as he accelerated again.
"Oh? About what?"
Jared glanced at her. From the corner of his eye, he could see her silky, elegantly arched brows raise skyward. He heard her sharp intake of breath, saw a slight tremble take hold of her body. Good, he thought smugly. She deserved that little bit of fear, that anticipation of what he might do. He had to keep her unbalanced and wary, make her anticipate his next move...
Later. When he'd get to see what lay beneath that silky, coral-colored creation she wore. He loved the color on her—loved how it picked up the mix of reds and auburn in her hair.
"What?” she asked him again, her voice had a breathy quality to it. Hearing it made Jared hard again.
Damn.
"About paybacks,” he replied, his voice deep and languid. “They can be a real..."
"Bitch,” she finished for him, never taking her eyes from his face, and then she shuddered, the light of anticipation and sensual promise in her eyes.
Yeah, it was going to be a long night, Jared thought, the instant he saw her eyes light and her body tremble.
He would savor every, single second of it.
* * * *
Kat's body vibrated with need as Jared helped her from the car. Her teasing, done to enflame him, had the same effect on Kat.
His warm palm strayed to the small of her back as they walked toward Harry's. She let go of the air from her lungs when his fingers touched the stays of the corset beneath her dress. Kat wanted to lean back into him and let him glide his hands all over her torso, across the bony inserts of her undergarment. She reveled in his light, yet stimulating touch.
She was certain she'd seen the barely discernible bulge between his legs as he drove to the restaurant. Kat would tease him all night—if that's what it took to make him trust her and tell her things she could use as weapons against him. A stab of guilt knifed through her. She liked the feel of Jared's hand on her back a lot more than she cared to admit. As they walked up the steps, his hand moved to her upper arm. His firm, yet gentle grip bespoke of a protective quality. She enjoyed the sensation of feeling protected and...
Cherished.
Did he actually enjoy being with her or was it just another act on his part to throw her off balance? What would it feel like to be with him always—to feel that wonderful sensation of being cared for?
Stupid. She was foolish to venture down that ro
ute. This was her enemy—her opponent in the battle for Summerville. This was a man who almost put an entire company out of business in one fell swoop. He'd do that to Summerville, too. He'd eat it alive, swallow it whole then spit back the pieces he didn't want.
Like Arthur, her ex, had done. He swallowed her up too, all those years ago, when she was just a green girl from a small town attending college in the big city. She'd been sucked in by Arthur's power and charm. She'd be damned if she let Jared Martin do that to her, too.
Kat managed to break away from him and hurried up the steps of the restaurant. In the next instant, Jared's hand rose above her head, his palm against the door as he pushed it open. Kat stepped inside the dim, dark-wood paneled interior of Harry's. She inhaled the odor of grilled meat, heard the clink of glasses and voices of the patrons dining inside.
Kat walked up to an elegantly dressed, distinguished-looking gentleman. He looked up as she approached, a grin splitting his face, his blue eyes twinkling. “Kat! How lovely to see you.” He reached for her hand and kissed the back of it, his lips lingering for a few seconds.
Kat could have sworn she heard Jared growl.
"Hello, Harry,” she replied. “It's nice to be back."
"Your usual table?” he asked as he glanced over her shoulder at Jared.
"Yes, for me and my guest.” Kat stepped aside. “Harry Moutien, this is Jared Martin. He's a ... visitor to Summerville."
"Ah! How wonderful.” Harry clapped his hands. “It ees a pleasure to meet you, Monsieur Marteen.” He stuck out his hand and shook Jared's enthusiastically.
"Harry,” Kat looked down her nose at him and whispered, “You can cut the accent, okay?"
He threw back his head and laughed. “Ah, she admonishes me all the time."
"You deserve it,” she shot back. “It's enough you make the world's best steak, you don't have to show off how French you are."
Kat noticed Jared's scowl as she chatted with Harry. For a fleeting second, she thought Jared seemed...
Jealous.
Ridiculous.
But, if Jared did have an ounce of jealousy in him, she'd use it to her advantage. And, no, she wasn't enjoying the little thrill that shot through her at the very thought of him being jealous of another man in her presence. She didn't care one bit. This was all for Summerville!
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