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I swim in a small circle around her. “If you could have any meal now, what would it be?”
She tracks my movements, her eyes drifting to my bare chest. “Uh, I don’t know. I guess if I had to choose, it would be a nice piece of steak. I haven’t had that in a while.”
“Excellent. If you would care to join me, I will have Anya prepare something, with some sparkling juice perhaps as alcohol is currently off the table. Say 4 p.m. in the conservatory?”
She regards me for a beat before raising a challenging brow. “And if I want to eat alone?”
I see this for what it is, a test. After what she just said, she wants to see if I will give her a choice. As much as I do not want to, I know I have to for this to work.
“Then I would be disappointed that I don’t get to share your company, but I would let you have the space for the night.”
Kat stares at me, and I see the wheels in her head turning as she debates her options. Finally, she sighs and nods. “Then I will see you at four.”
“Perfect.” I move to stand in front of her, and to her credit, she does not budge an inch. “See you at four.”
Then without touching her, as much as I itch to feel some part of her in my hands, I head up to my room to take a much-needed cold shower.
Just before four, Kat walks into the conservatory in a low-cut red dress that hugs every one of her curves and causes my mouth to turn dry. Her hair is styled in loose waves that hang down over her shoulders and just touch the swell of her now more than ample cleavage. Her lips are a similar shade of red to the night we met, and her feet are wrapped in similar-style heels. When her eyes land on me, she gives me an appraising once over.
I pull her chair back. “After you.”
She smiles softly, walking over and letting me push the chair in before she sits. “How chivalrous.”
I drop my nose to her neck, as close as I can get without touching her, and inhale deeply. “You smell nice.” I pull back in time to see a blush work its way over her cheeks.
Taking my seat across from her, I raise my glass. “To good company.”
Kat eyes me over the rim of her glass as she takes a sip. I arranged for rosé flavored lemonade because I figured it would be the closest to wine. She seems to like it.
Kat doesn’t say a word as she cuts into her steak, savoring each bite as she chews.
“You’re quiet,” I observe.
“Is that a problem?”
“I was hoping to learn more about you.”
Kat shrugs a shoulder. “You appear to know enough already. Besides, I’m sure we grew up very much the same.”
I lift a brow. “You also stashed guns with your father when you were twelve under the guise of father-son bonding time?”
That gets a laugh out of her. “No, I can’t say I did.”
“Hmmm, too bad. You seem like you might be good at it.”
“Stashing guns?” she asks.
My eyes drop to her hands. “Handling heavy weaponry.”
Kat goes still, her mouth parting slightly, seemingly shocked into silence. A flush works its way over her face and down her neck, her chest heaving as her breathing speeds up. I track the movement, and she shifts under my gaze.
She clears her throat. “Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Like what?”
“Like you did the night we met. Like you want me.”
“Because I do,” I state.
