Oh, wait. She'd made out with his son in the laundry room and there had been a witness outside the door. There was that minor hiccup in her performance.
"I'm going to have the Montoro family over for a dinner," Patrick stated without preamble. "With the passing of Isabella, it's fitting we extend our condolences and reach out to them during this difficult time."
Catalina nodded. "Of course. Tell me what we need."
"The funeral will be Wednesday and I know they will have their own gathering. I'd like to have the dinner Friday night."
Catalina pulled out her cell and started typing in the notes as he rattled off the details. Only the Montoros and the Rowlings would be in attendance. Patrick expected her to work that day preparing the house and that evening cleaning up after the party... Long days like that were a killer for her back and feet. But the double time pay more than made up for the aches and pains.
"Is that all?" she asked when he stopped talking.
He nodded. "There is one more thing."
Catalina swallowed, slid her phone into her pocket and clasped her hands in front of her body. "Yes, sir?"
"If you have a notion of vying for my son's attention, it's best you stop." Patrick eased back in his chair as if he had all the power and not a worry in the world. "He may not be marrying Bella as I'd hoped, but that doesn't mean he's on the market for you. Will is a billionaire. He's handling multimillion dollar deals on a daily basis and the last thing he has time for is to get tangled up in the charms of my maid."
The threat hung between them. Patrick wasn't stupid; he knew exactly what was going on with his own son. Catalina wasn't going to be a pawn in their little family feud. She had a job to do. She'd do it and be on her way in just a few months. Patrick and Will would still be bringing in money and she'd be long forgotten.
"I have no claim on your son, Mr. Rowling," she stated, thankful her voice was calm and not shaky. "I apologize if you think I do. We dated years ago but that's over."
Patrick nodded. "Let's make sure it stays that way. You have a place here and it's not in Will's life."
Even though he spoke the truth, a piece of her heart cracked a bit more over the fact.
"I'll get to work on these arrangements right away," she told Patrick, purposely dropping the topic of his son.
Catalina escaped the office, making it out to the hall before she leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes. Deep breaths in and out. She forced herself to remain calm.
If Patrick had known what happened in the laundry room days ago, he would've outright said so. He wasn't a man known for mincing words. But he knew something was up, which was all the more reason for her to stay clear of Will and his potent touch, his hypnotizing kisses and his spellbinding aqua eyes.
Pushing off the wall, Catalina made her way to the kitchen to speak to the head chef. They had a dinner to discuss and Catalina needed to focus on work, not the man who had the ability to destroy her heart for a second time.
* * *
He'd watched her bustle around for the past hour. She moved like a woman on a mission and she hadn't given him one passing glance.
Will wouldn't tolerate being ignored, especially by a woman he was so wrapped up in.
Slipping from the open living area where Cat was rearranging seating and helping the florist with new arrangements, Will snuck into the hallway and pulled his phone from his pocket. Shooting off a quick text, he stood in a doorway to the library and waited for a reply.
And waited. And waited.
Finally after nearly ten minutes, his phone vibrated in his hand. Cat hadn't dismissed him completely, but she wasn't accepting his offer of a private talk. What the hell? She was just outright saying no?
Unacceptable.
He sent another message.
Meet me once the guests arrive. You'll have a few minutes to spare once you're done setting up.
Will read over his message and quickly typed another. I'll be in the library.
Since he hadn't seen his father yet, Will shot his dad a message stating he may be a few minutes late. There was no way he could let another opportunity pass him by to be alone with Cat.
He'd worked like a madman these past few days and hadn't even had a chance to stop by for a brief glimpse of her. He knew his desires ran deep, but he hadn't realized how deep until he had to go this long without seeing her, touching her, kissing her.
In the past two days Will had severed longstanding ties with another company that wasn't producing the results he wanted. Again he'd faced the wrath of his father, but yet again, Will didn't care. This was his time to reign over Rowling Energy and he was doing so by pushing forward, hard and fast. He wasn't tied to these companies the way his father was and Will intended to see the real estate division double its revenues in the next year.
But right now, he didn't want to think about finances, investments, real estate or oil. He wanted to focus on how fast he could get Cat in his arms once she entered the room. His body responded to the thought.
She wasn't even in the same room and he was aching for her.
Will had plans for the weekend, plans that involved her. He wanted to take her away somewhere she wouldn't expect, somewhere they could be alone and stop tiptoeing around the chemistry. Stolen kisses here and there were getting old. He felt like a horny teenager sneaking around his father's house copping a feel of his girl.
Will took a seat on the leather sofa near the floor-to-ceiling windows. He kept the lights off, save for a small lamp on the table near the entryway. That soft glow was enough; he didn't want to alert anyone who might be wandering outside that there was a rendezvous going on in here.
Finally after he felt as if he'd waited for an hour, the door clicked softly and Cat appeared. She shut the door at her back, but didn't step farther into the room.
"I don't have much time," she told him.
He didn't need much...yet. Right now all he needed was one touch, just something to last until he could execute his weekend plans.
Will stood and crossed the spacious room, keeping his eyes locked on hers the entire time. With her back to the door, he placed a hand on either side of her face and leaned in.
His lips grazed over hers softly. "I've missed kissing you."
Cat's body trembled. When her hands came up to his chest, he thought she'd take the initiative and kiss him, but she pushed him away.
"I know I've given mixed signals," she whispered. "But this has to end. No matter how much I enjoy kissing you, no matter how I want you, I don't have the energy for this and I can't lose my j-"
Cat put a hand over her mouth, shook her head and glanced away.
"Your job?" he asked, taking hold of her wrist and prying her hand from her lips. "You think you're going to lose your job over what we have going?"
Her deep eyes jerked back to his. "We have nothing going, Will. Don't you get that? You can afford to mess around. You have nothing at stake here."
He had more than she realized.
"I need to get back to the guests. Bella and James just arrived."
He gripped her elbow before she could turn from him. "Stop. Give me two minutes."
Tucking her hair behind her ears, she nodded. "No more."
Will slid his thumb beneath her eyes. "You're exhausted. I don't like you working so hard, Cat."
"Some of us don't have a choice."
If she were his woman, she'd never work a day in her life.
Wait. What was he saying? She wasn't his woman and he wasn't looking to make her his lifelong partner, either. Marriage or any type of committed relationship was sure as hell not something he was ready to get into. Yes, he wanted her and wanted to spend time with her, but anything beyond that wasn't on his radar just yet.
Gliding his hands over her shoulders, he started to massage the tense muscles. His thumbs grazed the sides of her neck. Cat let out a soft moan as she let her head fall back against the door.
"What are you doing to me?" she groaned.
"Giving you the break you've needed."
Will couldn't tear his gaze from her parted lips, couldn't stop himself from fantasizing how she would look when he made love to her...when, not if.
"I really need to get back." Cat lifted her head and her lids fluttered open. "But this feels so good."
Will kept massaging. "I want to make you feel better," he muttered against her lips. "Let me take you home tonight, Cat."
On a sigh, she shook her head and reached up to squeeze his hands, halting his movements. "You have to know your father thinks something is going on with us."