by Michele Hauf
“She should have thought about that when she told such outrageous lies. We could sue her for defamation of character, but this will be direct and will also show everyone that you’re above this crap, and I’ve finally found the right woman and have settled down.”
Before she could respond to his profound statement, he shoved his tongue deep into her mouth and lifted her feet off the shower floor. She wrapped her legs around his waist, wiggling against his hardness.
He pressed her against the cold, hard tile wall, penetrating her in one long, slow stroke.
Her breaths were shallow and deliberate. Her pulse increased with every rise and push of his hips. The hot water rolled between their bodies, generating intense heat where she needed it most. His mouth moved from hers down to her breasts. Taking his time with each nipple. Twisting each one between his teeth. The sharp contrast between the cool air and the hot water sent her nerve endings into overdrive.
Grinding her hips, she arched her back. Her release built in her toes and crawled up her legs in a slow, torturous dance. She dropped her forehead to his shoulder and bit down on her lip, trying desperately to hold on, but her body betrayed her as she trembled in his arms, crying out his name.
His thrusts came hard and fast, and when he climaxed, his entire body shivered, sending hers into another ride on the passion train.
She held him tight, trying to catch her breath.
“You are amazing,” he whispered as he nibbled on her ear. Gently, he set her feet back on the ground and cupped her face. “There is something we keep neglecting to discuss or do anything about, and I’ve made an assumption.”
She cocked her head. “What have I told you about assumptions and the women you date?”
He laughed, but quickly turned serious. “Are you on the pill?”
“For once, I approve of your assumption. Yes. I am. I’m fully aware we haven’t been using condoms, which is crazy considering your track record, but I also take care of your doctor appointments, and I know you were recently tested and what those results were, so there is that.”
“That is oddly sexy as hell.”
“And you are oddly weird.”
He shrugged. “I’m sorry I wasn’t sensitive to your feelings earlier.”
“I have to be honest. I hate being in the spotlight, and I don’t want to go to premieres and these fancy cocktail parties coming up. I’m a homebody who prefers to have game night with my family than going to nightclubs. I’d rather spend my Saturday night reading a good book than hobnobbing it with the rich and famous. I see your clients and their lifestyles, and it makes me really happy I’m so boring.”
He batted her nose. “You, my dear, are far from boring.” Reaching behind her, he shut off the shower and snagged a couple of towels. “I don’t really like it either. In the last six months, I’ve gone to almost nothing except for those things I’ve felt obligated to go to, and only to make an appearance and leave. Just for the sake of the client.”
She wrapped her hair in a towel and slipped on a robe. As she opened the bathroom door, Marvin came barreling in, skidding across the wet floor, spinning on his butt, yelping the entire time until his fanny hit the side of the tub. He jumped up on all fours and shook.
“Crazy pooch,” she said with a chuckle. “Not to be rude, but you’re missing my point.” To say this now would absolutely make her out to be a tease and a bitch. She shouldn’t be having sex with him at all. She had to end it.
And now.
He wrapped a towel around his waist and sat on the edge of the tub with Marvin in his lap, scratching the dog’s ears. “And what is that?”
Taking her moisturizer out of her makeup bag, she applied it to her face, keeping her focus on herself and not on the man she’d fallen hard for. “I can’t go to any more events with you, and I’m sure as shit not going back to that store. I’m sorry. I’m not cut out to be in front of the cameras and the headline for all the gossip columnists.”
“Are you saying you want to break up now?” He set Marvin down and stood next to her, forcing her to look at him. “We make love, and you want to call it quits? For real? Excuse me if I’m confused.”
“We’re doomed as a couple. You know that.”
“No, I don’t. We’ve been together all of a long weekend.” He cupped her chin. “You don’t have to go with me to that store. I’ll deal with her on my own, and we don’t have to go to anything you don’t want to. We can be homebodies. I’m good with that.”
“Do you hear yourself?”
He nodded. “This might have started out as some fake relationship but look around. No one is here watching us.” He leaned in and brushed his lips against hers. “This is real.”
“I’m not saying we don’t have an attraction toward one another.”
“It’s more than finding you to be the sexiest woman alive.” He took a step back and looked her over with a smile. “I could soak you up with my eyes all day. But as pretty as you are, it’s your intelligence and charm and everything else that makes me want to change my life.”
She held up her hand. “Whoa there, big fella. You are not changing anything because of me.”
“Don’t you see that I want to? Hell, you have me thinking about things I didn’t know I wanted. Like Marvin over there.”
The puppy lifted his head off the floor, cocked it, and barked twice.
“I’m tired of superficial bullshit. I want someone I can sit with and just be. I want easy. I want drama-free.” He let out a long breath. “I want you.”
“Why do you have to be so fucking charming?” she asked, shaking her head. He wasn’t making this easy on her, but at the end of the day, she had to be strong.
“Does that mean I’ve won you over?”
She pressed her hand on his chest. “I need some space to think about things, okay? This has all happened too fast. When it was fake, it was all fun and games, but real shit is happening. Both in the bedroom and out there in the press. I don’t know how to process all this. Can you give me some time to sort things out?”
“How much time?”
“I don’t know. A week maybe?”
“Can you do that staying here?” he asked with sad puppy eyes. “I promise to keep my hands to myself, and I’ll even sleep in the guest room if you want. A compromise.”
“I think I can live with that.” Fuck, she agreed to that compromise way too quickly.
7
The next five days went by so slowly that Hawk thought he might literally go crazy. The only really good thing that had happened over the course of the last week had been Heather called off the paternity test after her chef demanded he be tested to see if he was the father.
And sure enough, the chef was indeed the father of Heather’s babies.
After that story aired, Suzie, the dress saleswoman, admitted that Heather paid her a hefty sum to smear Kennedy’s good reputation.
Rusty did a great series on the Monroes, and now he wanted to start next week off with a follow-up interview with Hawk and Kennedy.
He’d bring that up over dinner tonight.
He tapped his fingers on the glass door and stuck his head in Kennedy’s office. Marvin raced out from under her desk.
The dog greeted him with a wagging tail, but he was still a traitor, considering he would only sleep with her, and he spent his days under her desk.
“Ready to go home and have a nice romantic dinner on the beach?”
She lifted her head and smiled. “Thank God it’s Friday,” she said, closing her laptop. “I sent out all the contracts, but Lady what’s-her-name is being difficult. Not sure she’s going to sign the standard. We might have to make some adjustments.”
“We’ll deal with that on Monday.” He bent over and picked up the puppy. “Let’s get out of here. I’m looking forward to a nice weekend at home with my girl.” He looped his arm around her waist. “I’m hoping we can close the gap, if you know what I mean.” He’d stayed out of the master bedroom, lett
ing her sleep there alone. They had a few cuddle sessions on the sofa watching television, but for the most part, he kept his hands and lips off her as she requested.
But enough was enough.
She laughed. “We can talk about it.”
He groaned. But he also understood and respected her decision. While she stood by the compromise and stayed at his house the entire week, she spent some time with her family, and she went for long walks on the beach alone. One photographer managed to snap a couple of images of her, but there were no trashy headlines that followed. Just a beautiful picture of her at sunset staring at the ocean.
Actually, since the Heather thing died down, it seemed Hawk and Kennedy’s relationship was old news. Sure, every once in a while, someone mentioned it in passing, but it had taken a back seat.
However, with Rusty wanting to do a follow-up, he worried that Cindy would manage to twist things, and even Hawk wasn’t sure he wanted to do the interview.
“And while we’re at it, we need to discuss your cleaning service.”
“What about them?”
“One of the girls was poking around in the master.”
“What do you mean by that?” He placed Marvin in the back seat of the Range Rover. He might have to get one of these bad boys for himself; he enjoyed driving hers so much. “They are usually in and out pretty fast, and I’ve been using them for a few years now.” He eased out of the parking lot and headed for the highway.
“It just looked like she was looking for something. Maybe I’m paranoid, but I had forgotten something, and when I went back into the bedroom, she was going through the drawers in the bathroom. It was just weird.”
“Did you confront her?” He’d never had a problem with his cleaning service. Not a single thing had ever been stolen, but he also never left them unattended either. They came in every Thursday morning at eight, and the team was done by nine thirty. He went to the office late on those mornings.
Or if he had important work things to do, he rescheduled his cleaning.
“She grabbed some paper towels and said she left them there, but that was a lie. She also apologized and said it was her first week, and she wasn’t used to the way this company did things.”
“If she’s back next week, I’ll talk to the main girl, and we’ll take it from there,” he said.
The Friday night commute was heavier than usual, and it took them longer than usual to get home, though they stopped for Chinese takeout. They remained quiet in the car, both tired from a long day at the office. Even Marvin took a hard nap on the ride back to the house.
Once inside his home, he got a nice bottle of wine while she got some plates, and they made their way to the patio off the master bedroom.
“Good call on takeout,” she said, dividing up the food. “I know I didn’t want to cook.”
“Nor did I.” He tossed a piece of sweet and sour chicken in his mouth. “I downloaded a couple of new movies, and my mom recommended a new show for us.”
“Sounds like a perfect night.” She raised her glass. “Are you going to walk the beach with me?”
He arched a brow. “You’re going to let me?”
She tossed her head back and laughed. “I’ve had enough time and space.”
For whatever reason, his heartbeat picked up, and his palms got sweaty. “So, what’s the verdict?”
“This week has been nice. There hasn’t been any pressure, and while it drives me nuts that I know there are idiots out there taking my picture, I’m not mortified by it all.”
“Good.” He reached across the table and took her hand. “I’ve really come to care for you in ways that were unexpected.”
“I care about you too.” She nodded. “But here’s the thing.”
“Oh, no buts. I don’t like buts.”
“I know Rusty reached out to you to do a follow-up with us,” she said.
Shit. “How do you know that?”
“His wife gave me the heads-up. She was afraid you boys might try to railroad me.”
“You know me better than that, and Rusty would never.” It was rare that Kennedy could hurt his feelings, but this one cut a little deeper than a scrape. He prided himself on being up front and honest, especially with her. During their entire working relationship, he’d never kept anything from her.
And in the last couple of weeks.
Nothing had changed.
“But you haven’t brought it up to me, and he approached you yesterday.”
“That’s true. Last night you went out with your mom, and I didn’t want to sour your mood when you came home. I figured it could wait until tonight. You beat me to the punch. I swear. I wasn’t going to drop it on you last minute or anything.”
“I believe you. That said, I’m not doing any interview. I see no point.”
“I have to agree with you,” he admitted.
Her jaw slacked open.
He tried not to laugh, but it was impossible. “Surprised?”
“Oh, hell yes. I figured you’d want to do it. I mean, you shine in the spotlight.”
Shaking his head, he let out a long breath. “Actually, I don’t. The women I used to date, well, they all did. They needed to be in front of the media to stay relevant. And I used to think to land the big clients, I had to do that too, but these last six or so months have shown me that just isn’t true. Part of the reason I get so many of the big stars is because I have you.”
“If that’s the case, you don’t pay me nearly enough,” she said with a heavy dose of sarcasm.
“Remind me to give you a raise on Monday.”
She smacked her forehead. “I should have learned by now not to make jokes like that with you.”
“One of the reasons I stayed in the spotlight, and this is going to sound weird, is because it allowed me not to be private. It put me and my love life on display, and that meant I would never have a relationship with substance because I would never want to protect it.” He leaned in, taking her chin with his thumb and forefinger. “I want to protect what we have, and I’m willing to go to any lengths to do it.” He kissed her tenderly.
Her lashes fluttered over her rich eyes. “You are so going to get laid tonight.”
“Good to know, but I didn’t say those words with any expectation. I just wanted you to understand this is uncharted waters for me.”
Marvin whined at his feet.
“He’s not going to like you being back in your bed. He’s been sleeping on your pillow.”
“Before we know it, he’s going to be too big to share that bed with us, so we better start teaching him to sleep on the floor,” Hawk said.
Marvin barked. Then growled. Then moaned as he dropped his head to the floor and put his paws over his nose as if he understood.
“One thing Lilly didn’t tell me was the take Rusty wanted to do with the interview.” She held up her hand. “I’m just curious. I’m not doing it, but the right angle on your business, moving from the personal to the professional. That might be worth it for you to do it.”
“I don’t know. Considering the piece, they did on your mom and her career, I’m sure it will circle back to us, and I won’t do that to you or your family.”
“Well, Rusty handled everything about my mom and her family really nicely. He didn’t even mention me or you in the last two segments he did.”
“That’s because his producer made sure Cindy had nothing to do with it.” Hawk leaned forward. “Rusty told me he’d heard that the network has threatened to fire her if she pulls any more of her stunts.”
“Maybe that’s all the more reason for you to do it, without me.”
He shook his head. “Rusty specifically mentioned the piece would be about us. The ratings on the day we went were through the roof, and I think the network and his producer see the value in your presence. Not mine.”
Kennedy waggled her finger. “They enjoyed a good cat fight, which I did not. If Rusty doesn’t want to make this about your career, then don’t do it.
”
“So, no interview and we’re going to give this relationship a real shot?” he asked with a shaky voice. Butterflies filled his stomach as if he were in middle school, getting ready to hold hands with a girl for the very first time. Never in his life did he need reassurance about his status with a woman.
Then again, he hadn’t cared this much about a woman since he first moved out to California.
“Call me crazy, but yeah. I think I want to give this a go.”
“I’ll never call you crazy.” He stood, yanking her to her feet and tugging her inside.
“Hey. I’m not done eating.”
Quickly, he snagged the plates and tossed the food back into the to-go containers and set them on the dresser where Marvin couldn’t get them. “You can eat after we make love.”
“Impatient much?”
“Are you kidding? I’ve had a beautiful woman that I’m head over heels for sleeping in my bed, and I haven’t been able to touch her for five whole days. I’d say I’m the most patient man on the planet. I deserve a medal.”
She tossed her head back and burst out laughing. “Are you going to tell me you didn’t resort to a little porn and your right hand?”
He gasped as if he were totally offended and then shrugged. “It’s not the same. Actually, it’s depressing as hell and only makes me want you more.” Taking her into his arms, he knew he’d found home.
Kennedy blinked open her eyes just in time to see Hawk hike up his shorts. She yawned and stretched. “What time is it?”
“Five thirty. Marvin has to go out.”
“If you ignore him, he’ll last another half hour or so.”
“Now you tell me,” Hawk muttered as he pulled open the sliding door.
Marvin raced out to the grassy area to find his favorite spot.
She loved watching the dog and how he didn’t have a care in the world. And he’d made himself a happy little home with Hawk.
And if she was being totally honest, with her as well, since for the last two weeks, they’d all been basically cohabitating.