Almost Like Love(28)
He remembered the kiss against her wall, and his body tightened.
Who would have guessed that head-in-the-clouds Kate Meredith had that kind of sexual fire inside her? He’d never suspected it—and it was obvious her idiot ex-fiancé had never touched that part of her.
Maybe nobody had.
His body tightened again. The thought was unexpectedly arousing.
He could reach that part of her. He could take her places she’d never dreamed of.
Was it so crazy to think that the two of them might get together? Not right away, of course—she’d just broken up with her fiancé. But after a month, or even a few weeks . . .
Of course they’d have to be sure that whatever happened between them didn’t affect Jacob. When things ended, it would be important to end them amicably.
The more he thought about it, the more the idea appealed to him. They’d never work as a couple; they were too different, and he didn’t do relationships. But why couldn’t he be her rebound guy? Her friend Simone had said she needed to cut loose. Maybe she could do that with him.
The idea of cutting loose with Kate kicked his pulse into high gear.
Come to think of it, they had all the necessary qualifications for a classic fling—off-the-charts chemistry and no long-term potential. And when he remembered the way Kate had responded to his kiss, it was hard to believe she’d say no. Hadn’t she said Friday night that she wanted a bad boy she could use for sex?
She could use him for sex anytime she wanted.
“There is one thing I think we should address,” Kate said.
Great—she was going to bring up the sports thing again. He steeled himself for an argument.
“Shoot.”
Kate shifted her position in the chair, untucking her feet and crossing her legs. “I’m sure this goes without saying, but I think it’s important that we avoid any encounters like . . . well . . . what happened when Chris was here. Of course, there’s no reason to think anything like that would happen again,” she added quickly. “But I thought we should, you know, establish that formally.”
“Establish it formally,” Ian repeated.
She nodded. “Yes. To make it clear we’re not going to cross that line. Not that we would, of course. It’s not like we’re really attracted to each other or anything. Friday night we were both drinking, and today you were just helping me out with Chris. But I thought we should make it clear.”
“I see.”
He didn’t say anything else, and as the silence stretched out, Kate’s cheeks turned pink.
“I’m not saying I didn’t appreciate your, um, help. With Chris. But since we’re not, as I said, really attracted to each other . . .” Her voice trailed off.
Did Kate honestly believe that? Or was it just something she needed to say for her own peace of mind?
When he realized he was pissed off, he got even more pissed off. What the hell did it matter to him if Kate wanted to pretend there was no chemistry between them? If he was in the mood for a fling, there was no shortage of willing women in Manhattan. He sure as hell didn’t need to go after this one.
“Good point,” he said, getting to his feet. “Well, then. You’re sure you don’t mind watching Jacob?”
Kate stood, too, looking relieved. “It’ll be my pleasure. Give me a call later, and we’ll work out the details.”
That was the real reason he’d come to see Kate—to apologize for last night and ask her to watch Jacob. He was here for his nephew’s sake, not his. So, mission accomplished. Right?
He headed for the door and Kate came with him.
When he turned to say goodbye, he realized he was still pissed off . . . and turned on. It was an unsettling combination.
“Is everything all right?”
He frowned at her. “Of course. Why do you ask?”
“You’re kind of . . . scowling.”
Her words made him scowl more. “I’m fine,” he said brusquely.
Another few curls had escaped her ponytail. They made a kind of aureole around her face, and that, along with her rosy cheeks and big blue eyes, made her look sweet and innocent.
But he knew, now, the fire that lay behind that innocence.
Before he could stop himself, he reached out and tucked one of those coppery curls behind her ear.
He was pretty sure he’d never noticed a woman’s ears before, since he was usually focused on more traditionally appealing attributes. But now he found himself staring at Kate’s.
They were as perfectly formed as the rest of her, with a translucent, shell-like delicacy. She flushed under his gaze, and because he was standing close, he could watch the progress of the heat that crept into her face, staining that perfect skin with a rosy glow.