She squared her shoulders and marched out of the workroom toward the front of KISS, only to stop dead in her tracks.
Jared stood by one of the lingerie forms, running his hand over a turquoise-colored, see-through, mini-length chemise, trimmed with layers upon layers of tiny ruffles at the hem and neckline. Thin, spaghetti-style straps offered support at the shoulders and a silky ribbon at the bust line drew the layers of ruffles together near the décolletage. A matching thong was visible underneath. Kat watched Jared lift the hem of the chemise and run his fingers along the top band of the thong. He must have sensed her watching him, for he swiveled his head in her direction, pinning her with his dark, golden-flecked eyes.
"Very nice, Kat,” he intoned reverently as he withdrew his hand from under the chemise. He adjusted the hem down over the form then smoothed his hand over it once more. Kat imagined him doing that to her ... like he did during that wonderful, wild crazy night they had spent together.
"It's beautiful.” He was staring at her, not her turquoise creation.
"What do you want?” she snapped. She hated that he looked so damn sexy, dressed in a pair of faded jeans that hugged his lean, tight backside and long legs. His dark hair, whisked back from his forehead, seemed a tad bit damp. It shined in the soft light of the power track lighting overhead. What she hated even more was her reaction to his dark, good looks. Her pulse skidded, and her stomach took on a strange, light, tickling feeling.
Jared ambled toward her, his gait slow and purposeful. He gazed at her face for a few seconds, then reached out his hand and touched her cheek. The tip of his finger came away wet. “Why were you crying?” he asked softly.
"I was not crying."
"Kat...” he admonished. “It's very obvious that you were."
"Look, what exactly to do you want? I haven't got all day."
"All right, fine, don't tell me what you're upset about.” He released a sigh. “I came to see if you were busy today. I thought that if you could take off a couple of hours, we might go sailing together."
She snorted. “Like I would go with you."
"Look, if we spent some ... quality time together, out of bed,” his eyes glowed, the look that passed between them, hot, “we might be able to come to some sort of understanding."
"Yes, we probably could. I could understand that you are a conniving, scheming bastard, and you could understand that you don't stand a chance of getting your way."
A muscle jumped in his cheek. He moved until he was right in front of her, but Kat stood her ground.
"You are coming dangerously close to me hauling you over my knee."
She smiled charmingly. “Where would you like to do it? Right here?” Kat surveyed KISS’ interior. “There are some chairs over there by the dressing room."
"Don't push me, Kat,” he growled. “I'd like nothing more than to give you a few good swats on your backside."
"While I do think it would heighten the sexual experience for both of us, you may want to reconsider what people would think if they walked into KISS and saw you hitting me."
"Some of them might think you deserve it."
She batted her eyes, but her voice took on a steely, hard edge. “And some of them might think you're a real bastard."
He shook his head. “You throw the word ‘bastard’ around quite a bit. I don't think you'd like it much if I called you a bitch."
Kat shrugged her shoulders and moved away from him. “Be my guest. I'm sure I've been called worse."
"I doubt it. Everyone here loves you."
Kat shot him a look from her spot by the far counter. She walked around the back of it and grabbed a box full of price tags from a shelf underneath. “So, now that we've established the fact that everyone loves me and hates you, what else did you want to chat about?"
"I told you, I want you to come sailing with me. It's a beautiful day. We could talk."
She slammed the tags down on the counter. “Forget it."
"God almighty, you are stubborn."
"And you're a..."
He held up a hand. “I know. I know. I'm a bastard. Look, let's at least try to meet halfway on all this."
"The only meeting I'll have with you is the next Civic Association Meeting. That's when I'll inform everyone of what you're doing to Nancy Noone."
He narrowed his eyes and leaned his hands on the counter. “What am I doing to Nancy Noone?"
"How about ... ruining her life? Making her give up her dream?"
"I'm doing no such thing! I offered her a deal that I'm not offering everyone else.” He lifted one hand and aimed his index finger at her.
"Money. That's how you solve all your problems, isn't it?"
"It'll solve plenty of hers. She's got three young kids to consider. I told her she could come back to work in the store and put in some hours if she wants. I won't change a thing..."
Kat covered her ears. “The same old tune. ‘I won't change a thing.'” She dropped her hands. “It's not enough you want to take her business away from her, you want to take my friend away, too.” Kat wanted to bite her tongue. How had she let that slip out?
Jared folded his arms across his chest. “Now I see what this is about. You think I'm taking your friends away from you.” He angled his head in her direction. “If you're Nancy's friend, why don't you support her in her decision to provide for her children?"
Kat opened her mouth, intent on a snide reply, but closed it instead. Her heart started to pound.
"I'll tell you why you won't support her. It's easier to blame me for all her woes than for you to support what must have been a very tough decision on her part."
Kat folded her arms across her chest. It was more a defense than defiance, but he didn't have to know that. “For your information, I am helping her. I'm taking over her loan payments for Noone's Nest.” The lie slipped from her lips. Kat had the most ungodly urge to stick her tongue out at him. She would have, too, if she didn't know in her heart of hearts that she told a lie.
He shook his head and rubbed his forehead with the tips of his fingers. “You're a business woman, for God's sake. How in hell is buying up her loan going to help her? She needs cash, and quite a bit of it. She'll pay off her expenses then have enough to start over somewhere. When she sells her house..."
"Her house! What do you mean, she's selling her house?"
He circled the counter and stood directly in front of her. “I thought you knew that, I thought..."
"Get away from me,” she managed through gritted teeth. He was too close. Too close physically ... and too close to the truth.
"No, not unless you come with me. Come sailing with me. Get away for a while. Let's see if we can't work all this out.” He reached for her, but she slapped his hand away.
Nancy was leaving. Next he'd tell her that Lilith and Doris and Fred were leaving, too, and Betty and...
It was too much. He was too much.
"Leave me alone. Get out of KISS now! You want me to think you're some sort of ... of ... ‘do-gooder,’ is that it? You think you can buy everything you want, well you can't."
His face grew stormy, and his golden-flecked eyes honed in on her face. “No, the only ‘do-gooder’ I see is standing right here in front of me. You,” he jabbed his finger in her chest, “want everyone to think that's what you are, but I know differently."
Silence charged the air immediately after the words left his mouth.
"You know different,” she repeated, her tone flat. “You know nothing.” Or did he? What did he know about what she did for many of the women of Summerville?
He grabbed her shoulders and gave her a little shake. “I'm sorry, I-I didn't mean that. I meant that you do care, that you want what's best for Summerville."
"What you meant is that this is going to get real dirty, isn't it?"
"No ... no!"
"Well, it is, Jared, because I'm going to use every means at my disposal to find out every dirty little secret you're hiding."
; He hooked an arm around her waist and pulled her flush against his body. Kat felt the hard, hot length of his desire through the thin cotton of her sundress. “Don't mess with me or mine, Kat. You'll be very sorry.” His lips crashed down on hers. She struggled in his hold, pushed at his chest, but the sweet, hot, delicious assault on her mouth didn't stop.
"Ah ... Kat, Kat...” his lips slid upwards, across her cheek, her temple and settled in her hair. “This is where we suit. This is our neutral ground. KISS."
He nuzzled his face in her hair and breathed deep. His hand crept to the bodice of her dress, where he eased it inside and began to massage and knead her breasts. Kat moaned, her head thrown back as he continued to caress her. She clutched his shoulders and brought her body upright in his arms. “Someone could walk in here.” She grabbed his face and kissed him hard. Shock waves of hot, molten pleasure poured through her.
She heard the low rumble in his chest. When he looked at her next, he smiled. “Yes, they could, couldn't they? And what a sight they'd see. The owner of KISS, Summerville's ex-mayor, and head of the Historical Society, everyone's favorite lady, locked in the throws of passion with her most hated enemy."
He slipped her breast free from the lacy confines of her bra. When he bent his head to tongue her nipple, Kat was positive that she didn't hate anyone in that moment.
"It turns you on, doesn't it?” he asked, his voice silky and deep. “Knowing that someone could march in here at any second,” he whispered in her ear. She felt the hem of her dress being lifted then his hand slid up her leg and cupped her between her legs. With his other hand, he cupped her bottom and squeezed it gently.
She gasped once, when the heel of his hand brushed across her labia. Stars danced before her eyes, like little pinpricks of light. “Oh my,” she breathed. Then she looked him right in the eyes. “You bastard,” she whispered and slumped against him.
He laughed and kissed the top of her head. “Bitch,” he replied, but his voice held a note of tenderness. “My she-cat,” he crooned as he stroked her back, and caressed her buttocks. “KISS is where we belong, Kat. We belong here, where you design all these glorious creations meant to tease and taunt.” The more he spoke, the harder he began to rub her mons. When he reached underneath her panties to stroke her bud, she almost came right there. “Your designs leave just enough to the imagination to whet the male animal's sexual appetite,” he continued. “It's what lies beneath that keeps the male coming back ... begging for more."
His words washed over her, filling her mind with a cloud of lust. She ground her pelvis into his hand. In one swift movement, Jared backed her over the counter, the box of price tags sliding across the smooth glass. The box hit the floor, the tags scattering everywhere. He hiked her dress up over her legs and shoved her panties down. Kat felt totally naked and exposed. A dark, swirling thrill stormed through her, filling her with anticipation and an acute awareness that the door to KISS could burst open any second.
Jared inserted two fingers into her hot, moist clit and pushed them slowly, in then out. The pad of his thumb massaged her sensitive nubbin, bringing her to the edge of that dark, sensual abyss. She cried out his name as it loomed before her, growing wider with each pass of his fingers across her wet, heated passage. Jared covered her mouth with his, swallowing her hoarse cries, and kissed her long, hard and deep. His tongue battled with hers, imitating the same in and out movements of his fingers.
When her orgasm hit, her entire body shook. She raked her nails over his bare arms, leaving a trail of minute, bloody scratches in their wake. His body covered hers, head-to-head, chest-to-chest, and belly-to-belly.
Jared pulled her tight against him. Kat didn't think she could ever move again. Slowly, she opened her eyes and met his. “My cat's claws were out,” he laughed, the sound rich and warm. “She's left her mark."
Kat looked at the scratches on his arms and shuddered.
"What you do to me, Kat...” his breath caught and held. Jared smoothed the hair from her face and eased away from her. Kat could see his stiff shaft straining against the denim of his jeans. He lifted her from the counter and adjusted her panties, sliding them up her legs. Kat's legs trembled. She had to clutch his shoulders to steady her body.
"Come with me this afternoon ... we'll sail the day away and make love until the wee hours of the morning,” he bent near her ear and whispered as he pulled her dress down. He smoothed the wrinkles from it then patted her bottom.
Kat came crashing back down to earth. “No,” she stepped away from him.
"Kat...” he reached out, but she moved back another step.
"Get out of here. Now.” The reality of what she had just done inside KISS hit her square in the chest. If he spent one more second with her, she feared she'd give in to the driving passion he brought to the surface each time they got together. She needed to cool down and get away, yes, but not with him!
He shook his head. “Why deny what we both want? I don't understand you, Kat. I really don't. If you care about this town like you say, then come with me and talk about it. Let's work this all out.” He gave her a long, level look. “I know you don't believe it, but I swear to you, I care about this town, too."
"Well, I certainly don't care about you."
She hated that his face fell. She hated herself for caring about him. She didn't care! She didn't!
"Get out,” she ground out. “Now."
"You're a bigger fool than I thought,” was all he said as he strode out of KISS that afternoon.
Leaving Kat to wonder if she had just completely lost her mind.
* * * *
Jared arrived at the marina a little while later. He parked the Jag and reached for the baskets of treats he had intended to share with Kat that afternoon. A small fortune, he thought, he had spent a small fortune on the most exotic, delicious food he could find. He had the best time combing the shelves of Summerville's gourmet shop, grabbing every jar of caviar and gourmet jellies he could find. Brie and Camembert cheese lined the basket he carried, as well as an assortment of crackers and a few bottles of the best wine from the local wineries.
To hell with her, he thought, as anger simmered inside him. He'd planned to make it an afternoon of erotic, sensual eating. It was to act as the foreplay to an evening of wonderful lovemaking with his fiery, auburn-haired tigress. He would have enjoyed holding her, feeding her the tempting treats he had brought along. And she, damn her stubborn soul, would have enjoyed it the most. Her beautiful face would soften—her exquisite, sea-green eyes would dilate as her need for him built, as his need for her rose.
Fool! He had been a fool to think Kat would surrender. He had crossed that line he always drew, the line where business did not collide with passion and pleasure. He wanted Kat. He needed her so that he could find that haven again, the way he did the other night. With Kat nestled in his arms, he had no worries...
Now, he had a big one. Kat. She had mentioned things getting dirty...
Would they? Would she manage to do what Plasticmate had not succeeded in doing and tell the world about Sam Martin? It grew more difficult each day his father stayed hidden away in the nursing home. Dawn gave him good care, but it was Sam Martin's prison just the same. How many people had Jared paid off to keep it a secret? He grew cold inside, though it was a balmy eighty degrees outside. No, Kat wouldn't ... she couldn't...
He refused to believe that Kat would stoop that low. He'd tighten the security around his father. He had to. It would break his mother's heart if the world knew that Sam Martin had succumbed to illness and lost his mind.
Jared arrived at the marina office. The man behind the counter greeted him when he walked in.
"Hello Mr. Martin! Are you ready to set sail? I've got a beauty all ready for you. Take a look.” The man pointed outside.
Jared looked at the large sailboat tied to the dock. It was indeed a beauty. The forty-two foot cruising sailboat lay in wait, ready for Jared's skilled sailor's hands.
"If you
're ready, we'll get you set up and on board."
Jared's shoulders slumped. He shook his head. “I changed my mind. I, uh, don't want to sail today."
The man narrowed his eyes. “I see..."
"My plans changed."
The man behind the counter adjusted the hat on his head and replied, “Well, I have to keep your deposit."
"That's fine,” Jared murmured in response. What was the use? If Kat wasn't there, he wouldn't enjoy it anyway. Fool, he thought, you're such a damn fool.
"Look,” the man said, pushing the cap further back on his head. “If I can loan it to someone else today, I'll return your deposit, fair enough?"
Jared nodded. “Fair enough.” He looked out at the large boat again. “Just keep it,” he quickly finished. Money. Kat was right. He had scads of it. But, what did it really do for him? What had it done for his father?
Nothing.
He strode out of the marina office, basket in hand, and stopped when he saw a family of four getting into a boat near the dock. The young couple had two small children with them. Jared walked up to them. “Here,” he said, handing the basket to the man. The man just stared at him. “I bought a lot of food today, but my outing was canceled. Maybe you could use it."
The man lifted the lid of the basket. When he viewed the basket's contents, he called his wife over. “Honey, look at this!” She came over to peer inside the basket. The man looked back at Jared. “How much do you want for all that?"
Jared shook his head, “Nothing,” he replied. “Nothing at all."
He plunked the basket down on the dock and walked away.
When he got to his car, he got in and turned on the air conditioner full blast, letting the cool air wash over him. He leaned his head back on the seat and shut his eyes.
Kat accused him of taking Nancy's dream away for her. Had he? Had he taken away Nancy's dream because he had lost his own? Maybe Kat was right...
He shook his head, but it didn't clear Kat from the forefront of his thoughts. He grew hard thinking of how good she felt back at the store, of how soft and fragrant her skin was ... of how wet she became, like liquid fire, when he palmed her. Jared shifted on the seat to relieve the pressure of his tight, aching member. Kat...
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