by Cindy Stark
She and Scott gathered the rest of their items.
"Go in the bathroom." She waved him away. "Wait," she called as she grabbed his boots. "Don't forget these."
"Sorry." He slapped a fat kiss on her lips before he took his shoes and hurried down the hallway.
She watched his tight butt as he left, wishing she could ignore the doorbell and devour him instead. With rushed movements, she shoved her feet through her jeans and tugged them up before burying her bra and panties under one of the pillows on the couch.
Her mother knocked again and called her name. If Katy didn't have that door open in two seconds, her mother would use her key.
She fingered combed her hair, glancing in the mirror hanging in her entry way. Lord help her. She looked like a ravaged woman with flushed cheeks and kiss-swollen lips.
She could only hope her mother wouldn't notice.
Katy swung the door wide, hoping the crisp winter air would sweep in and clear away any last traces of what she and Scott had been doing.
"What took you so long?" Her mother studied her with narrowed eyes, a bright red snow shovel perched in front of her.
"I was in the kitchen. Had to dry my hands."
"Your hair." Her mother reached out, but Katy quickly dragged her fingers through her strands again.
"I've been cooking."
Her mother turned and looked over her shoulder. "Whose SUV is that in your drive?"
She tried to put on a calm smile. "That would be Scott's. He's in the bathroom, I think, but why don't you come in, and you can meet him." As her mother passed, Katy glanced outside. Her parents' car sat idling, the headlights still glowing. "Dad not coming in?"
"You know how he is around strangers."
"Yeah." Katy waved and closed the door. If her father stayed in the car, then her mother wouldn't hang around long, and there'd be less chance she and Scott would get busted.
Scott picked that moment to walk down the hall, looking as put together as he had earlier in the day. Not fair, but at least he didn't look as though they'd just engaged in unadulterated sex.
"You must be Scott." Her mother gave him a warm, genuine smile, and a small measure of relief sank into Katy's bones.
"Scott, I'd like you to meet my mother, Eleanor Rivers."
He shook her hand. "Very nice to meet you, Mrs. Rivers."
"Oh, please. Call me Ellie." She sent Katy an impressed smile, as if to say Katy had struck gold with him.
"Mom, this is Scott Beckstead."
The smile slipped ever so slightly from her mother's face. "Beckstead? Your parents weren't Bryce and Melanie Beckstead, were they?"
Scott stiffened as a chill spilled over the room. "Yes, ma'am. They were."
Her mother nodded and then tried to lift her falling smile, but failed. With just a few words, happiness slipped from the face of Katy's world. "Well, I won't keep you. I just wanted to drop off this shovel for my daughter."
"Okay, Mom." Katy took the gift and set it aside, sending her mother a look of hurt and disappointment. She never would have believed her mom could be so cold to someone's face. Resentment cried out inside her, but she couldn't voice her opinions. Not in front of Scott. From the stoic look on his face, Katy knew he'd read her mother quite well.
Katy marched to the front door and opened it, shaking her head at her mom. "How could you?" she whispered.
Her mother spread her mouth into a thin line. "Do you know who he is?" Her mom's whisper wasn't so quiet.
"I'll be right back," she called to Scott and pulled her mother outside with her. She turned on her, rage blocking out the chill of the night. "Yes, I know who he is, and I can't believe you'd treat him like that."
"You could do so much better."
"You don't even know him. What about all that bullshit you used to tell me about not judging others?"
"Watch your mouth, Katy."
Katy took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
"His father was a no-good drunk who deserted his family," her mom continued. "His mother wasn't much better. This boy that you've let into your home spent a lot of time in juvenile detention. He's not the one for you."
She couldn't stop her mouth from dropping open. "Wow, Mom. I never thought there'd come a day when I'd be embarrassed by your behavior, but I am. For your information, Scott is not a boy. He's a man. A man who has overcome some difficult obstacles and made something out of himself during the last few years. I'm sorry if you can't see that."
Her mother shook her head. "I'm sure he's a nice person, but a little below your status, don't you think?"
She stared at the woman who'd raised her, wondering how she'd never seen this side of her before. "I think you should go now. This conversation is over."
"Fine." Her mother turned and started down the steps. "But you're on the edge of making a huge mistake. I hope we've raised you well enough that you can recognize it before you're in too deep."
Too deep? Words burned on Katy's tongue. Right now, she'd love to tell her mother exactly how deep she'd been with Scott moments before her mom brought her high-and-mighty attitudes to her door.
But that wouldn't serve anyone.
Katy stood on the porch, watching her mother get in the car and her parents leave. She could only imagine the scathing conversation spewing from her mom's mouth, and she could picture her dad rolling his eyes in response. At least her father was a reasonable man.
When her little street was quiet once again, she sagged against the porch railing. Soft, fluffy snowflakes tumbled from the midnight sky as though sprinkling peace all around her.
The door behind her opened, and Scott emerged. He placed her coat over her shoulders, and she turned, finding him tucked inside his jacket as well. "You okay?"
She whipped out her brightest smile. "Yep."
"I'm sorry."
"No." She shook her head. "You have nothing to be sorry for."
"I've caused you problems with your mom."
She stepped to him, slipping her arms inside his coat, locking her hands around his waist. Warmth and strength infused her. "You've done nothing but make me extremely happy."
He smiled, but the gesture didn't quite reach his eyes. "I should go."
"No, you should stay." Forever.
* * *
When the alarm on Katy's phone sounded, she tried to roll, but found Scott's strong arm holding her snug against his warm body. She smiled and squirmed from his grasp, reaching for her phone that rested on her nightstand.
Ugh. Sunday morning. Sienna would be there in an hour.
She slipped back under the cozy blankets, Scott tucking her against him. He ran a possessive hand over her hip, along her rib cage before cupping her breast. Her nipple tightened, sending a shiver through the rest of her.
"I have to make a call," she said, laughing as the hard length of him pressed against her bottom. The man had an insatiable appetite, and she found she loved that about him.
"Hurry." He nipped her shoulder before nuzzling his way along the curve of her neck to kiss behind her ear.
She dialed Sienna's number, knowing her friend wouldn't be happy about her canceling. "Hey Sienna," she said when their lines connected. "I'm so sorry, but I'm not going to be able to meet this morning."
"Why not?" Her friend paused. "Don't tell me you're at his house again?"
Recently extinguished irritation from her mother's visit flared. She was so tired of her friends and family trying to box her in. Scott was a good man, and she would not be made to feel guilty for whatever was blossoming between them. "Actually, he's in my bed this morning," she said, letting a little of her annoyance show.
"Great." Her friend's disgusted sigh only angered her further. "You need to wake up, Katy, and see that he's no good for you."
She shifted higher in bed, trying to put a little distance between her and Scott so he couldn't overhear Sienna's ugly words. "You have no idea what you're talking about."
"I know enough to know he's not w
orth ruining our friendship."
Hurt penetrated deep inside her. How could her best friend not listen to her and not give Scott a chance when he was obviously important to Katy? "Is that what's happening here?"
"You tell me."
"Wow, Sienna. I can honestly say I never expected this."
"I don't know why not. I'm your friend." Sienna's voice turned cajoling. "You can't believe I'd sit by and watch you flush your life without trying to stop you."
"Don't you think you're being a little extreme?"
"No, Katy. I don't. I talked to your mom last night, and we're both worried about you."
Scott's body stiffened behind her, and she knew he was probably getting the gist of her conversation. She rolled, caressing the stubble on his jaw, smiling into his concerned eyes. Her friend had basically given her an ultimatum. Scott or her friendship. "I'm going to have to think about this and call you later." She hung up the phone without waiting for a response.
She had no intention of mulling over her choices. She'd made her decision, and he was right in front of her.
The moment she put her phone back on the nightstand, he hauled her to him, rolling her, and burying her beneath the strength of his warm, muscled body. She laughed and wiggled, but he held her firm. He pinned her hands against her pillow as he settled between her thighs.
"I'm causing you trouble." He said it jokingly, but Sienna's and her mother's reactions no doubt bothered him.
"Only this kind of trouble." She rubbed her ankles on his shins. "And I like it."
He studied her, a warm glow burning behind his worried eyes. "I don't want us…this to make you unhappy."
She grinned. "Do I look unhappy?"
"You know what I mean."
She pulled a hand free from his grasp and traced from his temple, down his cheeks and over his lips. "I feel like I'm finally living my life, and I've never been happier. For years, I've done what's been expected. I've lived for others." She lifted off the pillow, pressing her lips against his. "Now, I'm living for me." She ran her fingers down the warm, firm skin on his back. "This is what I want. You are what I want."
He paused for a moment before his lips curved in a wide grin. "Me, too."
* * *
Scott placed the cue ball in front of the tight triangle of colored balls. He stepped back, aiming his cue stick and then took his shot. The white ball careened into the others with a loud, satisfying crack, sending them scattering in different directions. The red and yellow balls vanished into holes at the edge of the pool table.
"Now I know why you skipped English all those years ago and played pool instead." Luke glanced up from beneath the brim of his ball cap.
"Why's that?" Scott grinned at his friend.
"So you could kick my ass."
"That's what I thought you'd say." Scott tipped back his bottle of beer, letting the cold liquid slide down his throat. He'd rather be snuggled up with Katy than hanging out with Luke on a Saturday afternoon at Sparrow's, but she'd gone into Pinecone to put in overtime hours, trying to sort through some accounting mess someone in her office had created. He hated that the stress from her job was partially due to the construction project, but he respected her work ethic.
"Where's Lily today?"
"Ten ball in the side pocket." Luke took his shot, the ball barely missing his intended target before it rolled back toward the center of the table. "Shit." He stepped back. "She's off gallivanting with her girlfriends. They're doing some last-minute Christmas shopping."
Christmas was less than a week away, and all he'd found for Katy was a gorgeous hand-blown glass figurine of a wolf. He'd spent most of his free time with her and hadn't done any shopping. "That's probably what we should be doing."
"I'm done with my shopping, dude. Did it all online." Luke eyed him over the tip of his cue stick like he was some kind of superior being because he didn't procrastinate.
"What did you end up getting her?"
"A bunch of stuff. She's going to love this emerald necklace I found. It should keep me out of the dog house for a while."
Scott snorted. "Lily's too sweet to put you out, even if you did deserve it."
"Ha. She may look sweet, but trust me, she's got a temper."
"Yeah. I remember that time at the bar when she took down Hannah."
Luke laughed. "That's my Lily." He narrowed his gaze at Scott. "What about the girl you've been seeing?"
"Katy? I don't know what to get her."
Luke puffed out his chest. "It's my experience that there are two things that will lead you to a woman's bed…er, her heart. Doing chores or buying her expensive jewelry, with jewelry seeming like the better option. If you like her so much, why don't you buy her a ring?"
Scott rolled his eyes and rubbed the short whiskers on his chin. "I think it's a little early for a ring." Though he'd actually toyed with the idea.
"Who says? Didn't take me long to figure out I wanted to spend my life with Lily, though I was a bit of a dumbass and almost lost her." He caught Scott's gaze. "Don't do what I did."
"I don't want to scare her off."
"If she loves you, she won't be scared. Besides, you could always go for a long engagement."
He nodded, wishing he could feel happier about the whole thing.
"But…" Luke lifted his brows.
"No buts. Not really. Just her mom's not enamored with the idea of her daughter being with me."
"Damn reputations will kill you every time." Luke shook his head and smiled.
He knew Luke was joking, but he couldn't return the gesture. "It's all fucked up."
"What does Katy say?"
"She doesn't care what anyone thinks."
"Then what are you worried about?"
"I care, damn it. I don't want her sacrificing anything for me. It's not right. I don't want her regretting that she's with me six months down the road when she realizes her family is important to her, too."
"Maybe you should give her a little credit. Maybe her family just needs some time to get to know the real you, and she knows this about them. Stop thinking in black and white, and give life a chance to happen."
Could it be Katy wasn't the only one who needed to start living?
Luke shook his head. "Like I said, don't be a dumbass. If you love her, tell her. Give her a damn ring that will knock her off her feet."
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
A knock on Janet's office door startled Katy, but she breathed easier when she recognized the familiar face. "Mr. Winward. What are you doing here on a Saturday?"
"I could ask you the same thing." Her boss didn't look the same dressed in jeans and a sweater instead of his suit. He actually looked like…a real person. It was weird. Disconcerting.
"It's these expense reports for everything we've spent since January. Some of the figures weren't jiving, and I want everything in order by Monday's meeting."
He nodded, seeming pleased. "I appreciate that, Miss Rivers." He sat in the chair opposite her. "I'm actually glad you're here. There are a couple of things I'd like to discuss with you."
Her chest tightened. He had always been fair, but he still intimidated the hell out of her. "Uh, okay."
"First off, I'd like to commend you for the fine job you've done. I might forgive Janet for leaving like she did since everything has worked out so well."
She smiled despite her nerves. "Thank you. I've appreciated the opportunity."
"You've done more than appreciate, you've excelled." He intertwined his fingers. "I don't know if you've heard the rumors, but Janet's not coming back."
"She's not?" She widened her eyes. Nina and the others had spoken the truth.
"No. Apparently, she's damn happy with her new husband, and they intend to relocate somewhere warmer."
Katy couldn't help but smile. Janet was living her dream.
"I'm now tasked with finding her replacement, and I'm seriously considering you."
She'd wondered if this was where he'd been leading,
but she didn't dare hope. "I don't know what to say. I…I…would give it my all, Mr. Winward. I'm dedicated to seeing our company prosper."
"I know you are, Miss Rivers. Your performance speaks volumes. There's just one problem." He shifted in his chair. "Scott Beckstead."
"Scott?" She frowned. "I don't understand."
"I've been informed that you have a relationship with him." He paused. "A sexual relationship."
Her face heated a hundred degrees. "I, uh…"
"I recognize this is an unorthodox question, but I need to know about any conflicts of interest before I could consider promoting you."
"Yes. I do have a relationship with Scott. It's a recent development." She swallowed, wondering who'd been talking about her and Scott. They hadn't totally hidden their relationship, but they hadn't flaunted it, either. It had to be Nina. She must have seen them kiss at the Christmas party after all.
"I see. I was afraid of that. With the millions of dollars that we're spending on this project, I believe the board will have an issue with your relationship."
The potential consequences of his statement hit her like a bitter, winter wind. "So, you're basically saying it's my promotion or Scott?" Could he do that?
"At least for the duration of the project."
"That's a good eighteen months."
"I'm sorry, Miss Rivers. I realize my timing is not the best, with Christmas right around the corner and all, but I need to move on this. The board is pushing for a replacement. You certainly won't lose your job if you continue this relationship, but, in good conscience, I'm not sure it would be in the best interests of the company to put you in this position. It wouldn't be fair to the stockholders, and quite frankly, it wouldn't be fair to you."
"I've always done my job well. With never a hint of anything irresponsible or illegal."
"I agree. I can still put your name before the board, but with this issue, I'm sure they'll shoot you down."
Hot tears pushed from the backs of her eyes, but she held them in check. "I understand. May I have some time to think about it?" This was not happening.
"Of course." He stood. "I won't meet with the board until Tuesday." He gave her a consolatory smile. "Regardless of your choice, thanks again for your dedication."