“At least I don’t have to show half my pancake breast to prove I’m a woman,” Katherine returned.
Mia was storming down the stairs now, the two men who had come with her looking uncertain about following.
“Ace isn’t over me!” Mia informed her.
“Then why was I the one he escorted around and who shared his room with last night?” Katherine smirked. She didn’t have to clarify that it was a two bed room suite.
Mia drew back her hand as if to slap Katherine.
Katherine squeezed the sponge in her hand and flung her hand in Mia’s direction, dirty brown water splattered all down Mia’s white pant suit. Mia screeched and stumbled backward. Mia stared down at herself and then looked up at Katherine; Mia’s eyes narrowed. She started yelling and cursing in Russian and Katherine braced herself, Mia was taller but Katherine had to outweigh her. She had never been in a fight in all her life.
“Ladies!” Adam bellowed.
Mia stopped short, her eyes wide.
“What is going on here?”
“I’m trying to clean,” Katherine turned back to the sink.
“Look what she did!” Mia insisted with a sweep of her hand down the front of her outfit.
“You were going to slap me,” Katherine reminded her.
“You insulted me!”
“You insulted me; if you can’t take it don’t dish it out.”
“Ace, she dumped my things into boxes and made a mess of them,” Mia pouted as she sidled past Katherine where she stood by the sink.
Adam watched Katherine’s eyes narrow; the look she gave Mia could give Scarlet O’Hara a run for her money!
“Get your things and get out, Mia. The men are here to change the locks and the realtor sign goes out this afternoon,” Adam set the food he had bought on the counter and went back to get the boxes. When he returned inside, Katherine had the refrigerator finished and had washed her hands.
“You okay?” he asked her.
“I’m fine; she’s the one going all spastic,” Katherine assured him.
“Spastic is her only setting; I think it’s the diet pills.”
They sat down to eat, things relatively peaceful until they were nearly finished.
“Look at you eating a burger; you cow!” Mia flung at Katherine as she set down another box of her things for the movers to get.
“I’m sorry are you hungry?” Katherine offered her a small piece of lettuce from her burger.
“I think she’s cursing you in Russian,” Adam informed Katherine as Mia stormed from the room. “I swear I think she’s related to Rasputin.”
Her expression still stormy, Katherine stood and started gathering her trash. Adam stood and pulled her into his arms. He had never seen Kaitlyn jealous before, he realized with some amusement. But that was exactly what was going on here; she was jealous of Mia.
“Hey, who told me she wasn’t worth wasting energy on?” Adam’s tone was teasing.
Katherine laid her head against him and closed her eyes.
“I don’t usually let people get to me like this but she seems to have a real knack for getting under my skin,” Katherine admitted.
“I know, she does have a talent for grating the nerves,” he hugged her closer. When his arms slid lower, he encountered the soft skin of her back and hips where she had tied the shirt into a knot. He couldn’t resist lightly rubbing her hips with his thumbs; when she shuddered lightly he smiled. Apparently, he still had the ability to affect her.
Katherine allowed herself to linger in Adam’s arms a moment longer before finally opening her eyes; her intention to pull away. When she found Mia standing in the door to the office glaring at them she decided there was no hurry.
By three o’clock that afternoon, Mia was gone and the house was empty of everything that wasn’t staying. Adam had made arrangement for transporting the things he was keeping and the truck pulled out of the drive just ahead of Adam and Kaitlyn. They returned to the hotel to shower, dress and pack overnight bags before Adam took Kaitlyn to one of his favorite little known gems to eat. He wouldn’t tell her where they were going after dinner.
“Ace, how are you?” a man greeted as they entered.
Katherine’s eyes widened when she recognized Case Taggert, a very well-known rock star and what she assumed was his daughter. She had read that he had just won custody of her after his divorce from his wife. Case was attractive; almost as attractive as Adam. The man had sandy blonde hair with darker brown streaks through it; the choppy style brushed at his blue eyes. He had a nice physique as well and full lips, which at moment were turned up in a smile. Yes, he was almost as good looking as Adam.
“Case, good to see you; I’m just going by Adam these days. Hi, Sunny,” he greeted the child.
“Hello,” the child returned; her blue eyes were bright.
“Case, I’d like you to meet, Kaitlyn. Kaitlyn…I know you know who he is, you have his music,” Adam smiled.
“Nice to meet you, Kaitlyn,” Case offered her a hand.
“Thank you, I’m big fan of yours,” she admitted.
“I hear you’re getting out of the business?” Case looked puzzled as he addressed Adam.
“Not entirely, I am hoping to open my own studio in Nashville- nothing real big though.”
“Good luck.”
“Hi,” Katherine squatted to smile at the child seated opposite Case. “I’m Katherine.”
“I’m Sunny. Do you like my Daddy’s music? Almost everybody does,” the child watched her closely; intelligence shone through her eyes.
“I do like his music,” Katherine admitted with a smile. “How old are you, Sunny?”
“I’m four,” she supplied.
“I like your dress,” Katherine told the child. She was wearing a yellow sundress with a white sweater over it.
“Thank you.”
“You ready to eat?” Adam was smiling at the sight of her enamored with the child.
“Yes, I am. It was nice to meet you, Sunny; you too, Case.”
“Nice to meet you too.”
Case was smiling though why he was so amused she wasn’t certain.
“Why is he so amused?” Katherine asked after they were seated.
“It was clear that you were impressed to meet him but instead of flirting and tripping over yourself you started talking to his child; not the typical reaction from single women,” Adam shared.
“He’s a nice looking man,” Katherine admitted, “but Sunny is so adorable!”
“Kaitlyn, you were born to be a mother,” Adam shook his head and smiled at her.
“Yeah, maybe I will be one of these days,” she shrugged. She glanced around the small unassuming place and realized with a start that there were several other famous people scattered through the room.
“It’s a local favorite and so unassuming you aren’t likely to get mobbed,” Adam informed her. “Food’s great too.”
A short time later, Katherine discovered his claim to be true; the food was good. A few more people came over to see Adam, some puzzled that he was leaving California and others seeming to understand. He introduced them to Katherine and smiled at her wide eyed greetings to each. The one that thrilled her most was Samantha Walker, a gorgeous jazz singer with a voice smooth as silk.
“I completely forget that you are famous when it’s just us,” she told him, “I mean, you’re Adam.”
“Good; I prefer it that way,” he smiled at her.
After eating, Adam drove them to a small airfield where a helicopter was waiting.
“What’s this?” Katherine demanded.
“Our chariot; you ready?” he smiled and extended his hand.
“Okay,” she smiled as she took his hand.
A few minutes later they were in the air. The sun was setting; Katherine caught her breath when the ocean came into view in the fading light.
“It’s gorgeous,” she smiled.
“Glad you like it.”
“So where
are we going?” she asked yet again.
Adam smiled and shook his head; he refused to answer her.
As the sun faded from the sky, the landscape below them was transformed into one of lights. Katherine craned her neck as she tried to take it all in. When the Golden Gate Bridge, lit against the darkness of the bay came into sight, she gasped. The city blanketed the hillsides and the bay stretched out before them. Katherine could hardly breathe for the beauty of it.
“Wow!” she finally managed.
“I thought you would like it,” Adam smiled beside her.
They circled the city before landing at a small airfield. A limo waited and Adam helped her across the tarmac and into her seat. A few minutes later they were boarding a ferry.
“We cut that closer than I meant to,” Adam smiled at her. “What do you say to a night time tour of Alcatraz?”
“Seriously?” she was smiling widely.
“Seriously,” he smiled back. “I bought out one of the tours so even if we had been late for our ferry I think they would have waited.”
“You bought out…” Katherine shook her head and watched his smile widen.
A guide smiled as he approached, “Mr. Ellington, we’re delighted that you chose to join us tonight.”
Katherine smiled; she somehow figured they were probably going to get a more personalized tour than most did. Hanging out with Adam certainly had its benefits. Over three hours later they were back in the limo. Katherine shuddered lightly as she shook off the last vestiges of the prison and its stories. Adam slid an arm around her as though he understood her chill and she snuggled closer.
They reached their hotel and Katherine once again found herself in awe. She hoped she didn’t look as out of place as she felt as they made their way to their suite. The bedrooms were off either side of the living area and they went opposite directions to get settled. Katherine traded her jeans and top for her sleep clothes and entered the living room to find Adam looking through several gossip papers.
“Case mentioned something about these; I hadn’t even seen them,” Adam shared as he showed her the cover of one.
Katherine grabbed the magazine from him; there she and Adam were wrapped in each other’s arms at the premier. Inside were more pictures, her with Adam, her with Joel, and her seated opposite Mia while Mia glared at her, Adam standing beside Katherine. She and Adam were all over the papers.
“This will be all the buzz at work when I return,” Katherine mused aloud.
“I’m sorry, Kaitlyn,” Adam offered.
“Nah, it’s no biggie,” she assured him. “It’ll only win me popularity points anyway,” her eyes sparkled when she smiled at him.
“You going to taunt everyone with all the people you met?” he smiled back at her.
“Maybe a little.”
“I could probably get you a date with anyone of them; you’ve turned a few heads out here.”
Katherine’s smile faded. “Do not try fixing me up, Adam.” She stood and Adam grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving.
“It was a joke.”
“I do not need you fixing me up with dates.”
“I was trying to compliment you by letting you know you’d been noticed,” he informed her as she sank back onto the couch.
“Sorry, Adam,” she sighed.
“You okay, Kaitlyn?” he asked her.
“I’m tired,” she admitted.
“So go to bed,” he urged.
“In a minute,” she lingered.
Adam tugged her into his arms and she settled against him with a soft sigh.
“Thank you for all of your help today,” he told her.
“You’re welcome,” she assured him. “Thank you for an amazing evening.”
Adam held her until she was just about to drift off.
“You need to go get in bed before you fall asleep,” he told her.
“I don’t want to,” she admitted.
“You can barely hold your eyes open,” he pointed out.
“So?”
Adam chuckled and lifted her as he stood. He carried her to her room and laid her on her bed.
“G’night, Kaitlyn,” he kissed her forehead.
“Night,” she sighed.
Adam shut her door behind him and turned off all the lights before entering his own room and getting ready for bed.
Katherine bolted up right in her bed as sobs wracked her body. She blinked at the room around her in confusion; reality slowly registered. She wasn’t in Nashville all alone in her apartment as she cried. Even better, Adam was in the room across the suite. Katherine threw aside her covers and rushed from her room to Adam’s; she never paused to knock. She scrambled onto his bed.
“Adam,” she shook him lightly; tears still coursed down her cheeks as she leaned over him.
“Kaitlyn?” Adam sounded confused. A sliver of light spilled into the room from outside and gently illuminated the room. Adam frowned up at her.
“Are you okay? What’s wrong, baby?” Adam reached up to push a strand of hair behind her ear.
“I had to see for myself that you’re okay,” she admitted as she lay down beside him and laid her head on his chest to listen to the reassuring sound of his heartbeat.
“I’m fine; what happened, Kaitlyn? You’re shaking like a leaf. Why are you so upset, baby?” Adam wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back.
“You were missing, only instead of you calling me from rehab; they called to tell me that you were dead,” she shuddered again as she spoke. “It was so awful!”
“I’m right here and thanks to you standing by me, I am just fine, Kaitlyn,” he assured her.
“It was so awful,” she repeated. “It was so real. You had taken too many drugs and chased it with alcohol and you were dead. I was so scared when you were missing, Adam. I was terrified that you were hurt.”
Adam kissed her forehead and pushed her hair back from her face, before tangling his hand in her curls as he held her. He loved this woman so fiercely that at times it was hard to breath. Holding her now as she cried, was one of those moments. Knowing that she had been scared when he had disappeared made his chest hurt. He had hurt her so many times. He wanted so badly to have a future with her but the last thing he ever wanted was to hurt her again.
“I’m right here, Kaitlyn,” he reassured her before rubbing his cheek against the top of her head.
“Will you hold me; just for a little?” she requested.
“I’ll hold you as long as you want,” he promised. He brushed her hair back from her face again, and trailed his fingers lightly down the arm she had across him. He felt her shudder again and hugged her tight.
“Adam,” she leaned up on her elbow.
“What?” he reached to brush her curls back from her face.
She studied him for several moments before she pressed her lips to his. Adam tangled his hand in her curls and kissed her back. Everything in him responded and opened, here was the only woman he had ever loved she was kissing him. He broke the kiss and studied her; her eyes glowed in the light that made its way into the room. He kissed her again and tugged her closer as she kissed him back.
“Kaitlyn,” her name was a whisper on is lips as she pressed closer. He couldn’t find the words to tell her all that was in his heart. Instead he kissed her, his pent up emotions spilling into it as he leaned up, trying desperately to get closer, kiss her more deeply, and soak her in. He shifted her onto her back and rolled to lean over her as his hand began to trail along her hip, teasing the sensitive flesh there as he knew she liked. She whimpered; pressed closer and desire slammed him like a tidal wave.
“Kaitlyn,” his voice was strained. “Perhaps you should go back to your room.”
“No,” she shook her head, arched against him again, and tugged him closer.
“My control is slipping,” he admitted.
“Good, then I’m succeeding,” she smiled before she kissed him passionately.
“Kaitlyn,” he gr
oaned, “I admit, I want you but…”
“Then take me.”
“You’re being bossy again,” he informed her even as his hand slid up her side exploring the feel of her.
“I know what I want. I want you; make love to me, Adam,” she was running her hands across his bare chest; he sucked his breath in on a hiss when her hand trailed lower.
Adam cupped her face, kissed her, and then made himself rein it in enough to seduce her as she deserved. He enjoyed rediscovering what made her squirm and gasp and knowing that he was the last man who had touched her. Selfish of him, he admitted, and he wouldn’t have held it against her if it weren’t true. He wasn’t going to deny, however, that he liked being the only man to know the passion she was capable of.
“You are so beautiful, Kaitlyn, in your looks and in the ways that matter most.”
“You’re the only man I’ve ever wanted to touch me this way, Adam,” she shared; Adam felt the impact of her words all the way through him.
“You’re the only woman who has ever meant anything to me. I suppose that speaks badly of me.”
“Enough talking.” Katherine pulled his mouth back down to hers. Adam was happy to oblige her.
Katherine lay with her head on Adam’s chest listening to his heart pound beneath her hear and his breathing slowly start to level off. She had forgotten just how much she enjoyed this man’s touch. She supposed that tumbling across the bed with him when there were so many questions as to where they stood was foolish but she didn’t regret it.
“I’m sorry you were scared when I disappeared, Kaitlyn,” he finally spoke.
Katherine sighed. “It was scary, Adam, but I know you’re okay now. I’m so glad you’re okay,” she kissed his chest.
“I hope you don’t regret tonight in the light of day, Kaitlyn, because I’ve never felt more content and happy than I do at this moment.”
“No regrets,” she assured him. “I didn’t regret last time and I won’t regret this time.”
“When I leave here tomorrow, Kaitlyn, you are going with me. Knowing I am not walking away in the morning makes this all the sweeter.”
“It does,” she agreed, her voiced content. “I feel so relaxed.”
“I could change that,” he teased.
Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series) Page 36