Her Backup Boyfriend (Entangled Bliss) (Sorensen Family) (16 page)

By the time they reached the truck, they were both soaked through. Even the heat blaring from the truck as they wound their way back down the canyon couldn’t warm the chill settling in her bones.

Over her heart.

An overwhelming sense of sadness crept over her.

When they pulled up in her driveway, she was trying to think of something to say to ease the discomforting silence that had surrounded them for the past half hour.

“I think I’ll call it a day. I just have a few things I need to grab, and I’ll be out of your hair,” he said and pushed the truck door open.

Dominic already had the front door open and was starting up the stairs by the time she reached the threshold. Oscar darted in and nearly tripped her.

“You hungry, kitty?” She flipped on the lights and sidestepped the persistent cat on her way into the kitchen. She could hear Dominic overhead.

This is what she wanted. This was smart. This was protecting both of their hearts.

But…it had felt nice being held, even briefly, in his arms. And then there was the hot, pulsating need his kiss had stirred that, even now, standing before the hideous blue wallpaper of her kitchen, hadn’t diminished.

What would it be like, to be with him?

Wonderful. Mind-blowing.

God. Was she being foolish? Being with Dominic made her feel so…alive. Vibrant. Wanted.

The unmistakable sound of his boots trudging back down the stairs told her he was done. He was leaving. She had to go out there and see him again. Say good-bye. It would be weird if she didn’t. Would he see the doubt in her eyes? The crumbling of her earlier resolution?

He stood there. Staring at her, his arms laden with his stuff. “I’ll be back tomorrow to get started on priming the walls in the bathroom, not to mention the kitchen, since your cabinets could be arriving any day.”

She nodded. He looked like he was already over it. They could have been discussing going to a movie, not making love, for all the effect her denial seemed to have on him. “Let yourself in if I’m not here, since I might go see my grams a little earlier than usual,” she said and opened the door for him. The pungent, damp air rushed against her face. “Well, good night. And thanks for showing me your house. It’s beautiful.”

“’Night, Kate,” he said and nodded, his face now cast in shadows as she stood on the porch.

Stay
was what she really wanted to say.

Instead, before she could change her mind, she pushed the door closed behind him and leaned against it for support. The sound of the truck door creaking open and slamming shut caused a deep ache in her belly.

What she needed was a long, hot bath. That was safe.

The door pounded at her back, and hope and terror both burgeoned in her heart.

Steady.

But her hands trembled as she opened the door.

And there he was. Standing there, water dripping from his hair, his chin, his arms. Just staring at her for a long agonizing moment.

Then he was rushing toward her, and she was wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders, pulling him against her as tight as he was pulling her so she could feel his heart thumping through his damp shirt, beating almost as rapidly as her own. And his mouth, so hot still, was on hers. His hands pressing against her buttocks, pulling her even closer.

It felt so good, so right.

He kicked the door shut and pressed her against the wall. Kate’s leg wrapped around his and he pressed closer, his need for contact as consuming as hers. She couldn’t hold him close enough. His fingers tugged at the hem of her shirt, and he pulled it over her head in a smooth movement, and together they did the same with his.

Hot desperation surged through her. She wanted to feel every inch of him on her. To hold him.

Strong arms anchored her to him, grasping her hips tightly, and her legs wrapped higher around him. Dominic carried her to the center of the room, where he sank to his knees and laid her on the couch.

For a brief second she tried to remember whether she’d shut the drapes. Then his mouth was on her and she stopped caring.

He looked up then, meeting her gaze, and she sucked in her breath.

There was a promise in those kind blue eyes. Then her head lolled back in pleasure.

Just for this moment, this night, she was going to let him be her forever. She was going to pretend they had a whole future together. In that beautiful house filled with bright-eyed, mischievous kids with Dominic’s smile and spirit.

Just for tonight.

Then he was stretching out on top of her, kissing her and loving her until she forgot everything else. Except to feel.

Chapter Fifteen

Kate stirred in Dominic’s arms, pulling him from the sleep that had finally taken them both sometime during the night. Faint morning light streamed into her front room, and he guessed it to be close to seven. They were lying naked on top of the couch, the back cushions tossed to the floor to give them space.

Damn. The fantasies he’d had about this couch…they’d probably run through about half of them. He smiled. There were still a few more. He looked at the woman asleep in the crook of his arm.

Peaceful. Beautiful. He supposed he could let her sleep a little longer.

His thoughts turned to last night. What the hell had they done? What the hell had
he
done? She’d made it clear that she didn’t want anything more from him except his friendship. That she had other priorities in her life. That he wasn’t part of her plan.

And of course there was the fact that he wasn’t Michael. Couldn’t offer her the same things as his royal highness.

But none of that had mattered when she’d looked at him like she had, and he’d inhaled her scent, watched her lips open, wanting him to kiss them. He had only wanted to be with her.

And now they were going to be back to square one. Except…

He wasn’t convinced that there wasn’t something there between them. Kate had wanted him as much as he’d wanted her. He still wanted her.

She stirred and nuzzled deeper into his arm. He sensed the moment when she realized where she was, as she seemed to hold her breath a real long time. Her eyes opened slowly. Awareness hitting her.

“You’re awake.”

She glanced down at how she was pressed against his side and then looked furtively around the room, probably for something to cover herself. Her eyes widened when she looked outside, surprised at either the promise of sun this cool autumn day after yesterday’s rainfall—or the fact they’d done what they had with the drapes wide-open.

He grinned. He’d bet on the latter.

Jumping up, she grabbed her T-shirt from the floor and threw it on, then slid into her black cotton panties. He sat back and watched, enjoying the show. Half dressed, she raced to the curtains and pulled them shut. Her shoulders dropped with some relief. Then she raised her head again. And stood there awkwardly.

“Come here.”

She walked more shyly back to him and sat primly on the edge of the couch. Cute.

In one quick motion, he pulled her back so she was lying on top of him. “Morning.”

And before she could speak the objection already forming on her mouth, he pressed his mouth to hers. For a few seconds, Kate’s lips were soft under his. But then just as quick, she tensed and her eyes fluttered open. And she pulled away from his kiss.

Her eyes were gray and held uncertainty as they gazed into his. “Dominic—”

Before she could finish, he headed her off. “I’m going to grab that Chinese food from the truck. I’m famished.”

She blinked and sat up as he stood and pulled his jeans on. She looked momentarily confused. “It sat in your truck all night. It can’t still be good.”

“Since it dropped down to thirty overnight, I think we’re safe.”

“Your funeral. I’ll go start the coffee.”

Kate was pressing the start button on the coffeemaker when he set the bag of leftover Chinese food on the counter. Her hair was a sexy mess as it fell around her shoulders, and he remembered its texture and softness. His fingers itched to touch it again.

Kate turned around, chewing at her bottom lip, and her eyes stared, beseeching, at him. “You didn’t see Glenda outside, did you? I don’t know what she’s going to think of me if she knew I spent the night with her nephew.”

“Nah. Didn’t see her.” He didn’t think it would be a good time to mention Glenda was an early riser, probably up two hours ago, her morning paper—which he’d noticed was absent her doorstep—likely spread on the kitchen table as she sipped from her mug of tea.

She nodded. “Good. For all she knows, you arrived early to get started on the bathroom.”

“Probably.”
But unlikely.

With the coffee brewed and poured into mugs, they stretched out on the couch again, their feast spread around them. Kate took a bite of lo mein. “I think we need to talk about what happened last night.”

“I am sure you do.” He grabbed the carton of sweet-and-sour pork and grabbed a fork. “But is there any chance we might agree, just this once, not to talk about it? To just let things happen as they might. No second-guessing our choices. I had a good time last night, and I’m pretty certain that you had just as much fun.” He looked over and got some satisfaction at seeing her blush. Again.

She set the food down and met his gaze again, still flushed but determined. “I meant what I said. Nothing has changed. And I think that it’s best if what happened last night—”

“And early this morning,” he added, not able to stop himself.

She paused and this time her cheeks looked like they were scorching her, because if he wasn’t mistaken, the second time they’d made love just before dawn,
she’d
been the one to initiate it.

She tried again. “What happened between us should just be chalked up to poor judgment. Something we shouldn’t let happen again. Because I really like having you in my life right now and I’d hate to do anything that would make it impossible for us to continue to be friends. Okay?”

He wasn’t going to argue. It would be pointless. Instead he was going to show her in the coming days and weeks that he wasn’t going anywhere. That her future could be whatever she wanted it to be, whether with him or someone else.

That it wasn’t decided for her.

So he sighed heavily, making it look like he was giving in. He could pretend if that made her happy. “Okay.”

“Good.” She nodded again in agreement and picked up her food again, probably feeling back in control again. “I should probably hurry and get showered. I want to get up to my grams’s house and back in time to get that work done I missed yesterday.” She paused and looked over toward the dining room, where her stuff was still lying out. “I can’t wait for this one to be over.”

He hated how she almost sounded defeated as she said that. He put the now empty carton on the table and grabbed the rest of the lo mein that Kate had left. “I probably will need to clear out of here by five if I’m going to make it on time to my parents’ for dinner. Should I assume you won’t be able to make it tonight?”

“Shoot. That’s right. Your dad’s getting released today.” Her brow furrowed and he could see the stress surround her eyes. “I wish I could go with you, but Daisy’s temporary hearing for support and custody is tomorrow afternoon, and Mark’s deposition begins Tuesday, so I’m going to be swamped. But let them know I can’t wait for Thanksgiving.”

“I’ll tell them you’ll be there with bells on.”

She stood, modesty taking over again as she pulled the T-shirt down over her hips. “Guess I better go jump in the shower and get going.”

Images flooded through his mind of what she looked like under that formfitting T-shirt, the sounds she’d made as he nuzzled her, the line of moles on her belly that he’d traced down with his fingers and then tongue before she pulled at this hair in frustration and pleasure…

“Yeah,” he rasped, grabbing his coffee from the table. “You’d better.”

…

Kate had a hard time dragging herself out of bed Monday morning. She spent half of Sunday night and early this morning remembering Dominic’s touch and how for those moments she’d never felt so happy and alive. She’d spent the other half second-guessing her decision not to fall into bed with him again.

Which was why today she had less than two hours of sleep to go on and a week from hell to look forward to. Most particularly having to look into Ms. Herrera’s eyes as she sat through Mark McKenna’s depositions on Tuesday, seeing her anger and hurt and need for justice even though Kate knew that things weren’t looking so good for her at this point.

Seeing Mark’s smug face because he knew the same thing.

Not to mention the mind-numbing hours reviewing the testimony with Nicole to make sure everything they’d heard from Ms. Herrera’s deposition lined up with the facts they wanted to glean from Mark.

There were four voice messages waiting for her when she arrived in the office. Including a message from Ava Herrera’s attorney saying that he had recently attained some discoverable evidence that he’d have dropped off later that day.

How convenient. Was it an accident that they’d waited until after her deposition and just before Mark was scheduled for his testimony? But the rules of civil procedure were pretty generous in this respect, and it wasn’t worth trying to object to the late admittance. If there was anything they wanted to address with Ms. Herrera, they’d schedule a follow-up later.

Kate picked up her extension and dialed her assistant. “Trish? Ms. Herrera’s attorney is sending some documents over today. Keep an eye out for them and let me know the moment they come in. I have to run out soon for the hearing on Daisy’s divorce case but should be back around two.”

“Sure, Kate. I also stuck several invoices that have come in on the McKenna matter for your approval.”

“I’ll start looking through them now. Thanks.”

Kate hung up and found the stack of invoices in her basket and scanned them.

Wait. This couldn’t be right.

Kate glanced down through the invoices again. The Radisson had sent them a bill for $24.95, the cost for copying and mailing a video dated…two weeks ago. On the McKenna matter.

After a few more minutes of looking up a number for the Radisson, Kate reached the billing person listed on the receipt.

“Right.” The woman said as she shuffled through some papers. “It was for that security footage you requested a couple months ago. Our tech guys were able to retrieve the information you were looking for.”

Where the heck was it, then? “Great, but for whatever reason, it didn’t seem to reach my desk. Would it be possible to resend that again? Of course, we’ll reimburse you for both copies.”

“Certainly, Ms. Matthews. I’ll FedEx it to you today.”

Kate hung up the phone and stared at the bill. She picked up the phone again. “Hey, Trish. Do you remember seeing a video—I’m guessing maybe a thumb drive or DVD—arrive from the Radisson recently? It was for the McKenna case.”

“No. I haven’t. But if it was for McKenna, all documents have been flagged to first go through Tim’s office.”

Since when? How come she hadn’t realized this? “Hmm, okay. Maybe I’ll check with his assistant and see if she remembers anything. Thanks, Trish. I’m running out now, but keep me updated the moment those other documents arrive.”

…

Kate followed Daisy out of the courtroom and found a bench in the hallway to discuss what had just happened.

“You can breathe, Daisy,” she said and smiled to try and comfort the woman, whose face was still pale and tense. “The commissioner has pretty much signed off on everything we asked for. Leo has to start sending money for you and the kids. This is good.”

Daisy nodded and breathed out slowly. “It was just seeing him again. So smug and cocky. And to tell the truth, it was an eye-opening experience. For the first time, I could see him for the man he’s become—not anywhere near the man I first met and fell in love with. He’s different. And so am I.”

Kate nodded, agreeing with Daisy’s assessment of her future ex-husband. Attractive but with an unmistakable oily quality about him, Leo had certainly been smug. She placed her hand on Daisy’s shoulder. “And soon you can move on. He’ll still have visitation rights with the kids.”

Daisy smiled sadly. “I would love it if he would exercise his visitation rights. The kids—mostly Paul—really miss him. Even though the past months he’s been so absent, this not seeing him at all or knowing if they would has taken a toll. I’m just glad their uncles have been making efforts to include them. It’s helped them.”

Yeah. Dominic was a really good guy like that. He loved those kids, no doubt about it. And he would never skip out on his kids like Leo had. He was a good man.
Too
good for Kate.

“I’ll start drawing up the order now for the commissioner’s signature. In the meantime, you call me with any questions you have, okay?”

Kate waved good-bye to Daisy and was scanning her phone for any messages when she heard her name called. She looked up to find an old friend heading her way. An attractive woman in her forties with short, sandy-blond hair and shrewd brown eyes, Jessica walked with purpose down the hall.

“Hey, stranger,” Jessica said and slid onto the bench next to Kate. “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you in this part of the building.”

“I’m handling a family law case pro bono. Custody, spousal support, the whole complicated mess.”

“Since when does Strauss farm you out for free?” Jessica smiled. Kate had had run up against Jessica on a dozen cases over the past few years since starting at Strauss and had grown to respect the no-nonsense woman. Jessica was not only a partner at a small employment law firm that focused on plaintiffs’ rights, but also a well-respected member of the legal community.

“It’s for a friend. But I could ask the same from you. What’re you doing over here?”

Jessica grinned. “We all love to take the meaty employment cases and take all your clients to task, but they don’t pay the bills—at least not on a regular basis. Family law and wills and estate matters are the bread and butter at a small to midsize firm. Only we get to pick and choose which cases we take. So, how are you doing these days, Kate? I haven’t seen you for a while. Still working with Tim?”

“I do,” Kate said and laughed when Jessica smiled at her with sympathy. Jessica had worked with Tim at Strauss and Fletcher years before Kate arrived. In fact, both Jessica and Tim had been in the running for the same position. Tim had ended up with the honor and a year later, Jessica Lund had left Strauss to join Price Bennett, now renamed Price Bennett & Lund. Jessica and Tim did not get on, Kate had gleaned over the years. “Don’t look like that. Tim can be a stickler for details and is maybe a bit of a micromanager, but I’ve learned a lot. In fact, he recently recommended me for a junior partner.”