“You know I’d go with you if I could, right?” I walked over to Kate and wrapped my arm around her waist, and she nuzzled into my neck. A pulse of lust went through me but I pushed it aside. Comfort was more important than sex right now. I wanted her to think I was a gentleman, after all.
“I know,” Kate said, and I knew she actually believed it now. “But it’s the middle of the season. You can’t, right?”
I shook my head. “Unfortunately not,” I told her. “But we’ll make the most of the time we have together.”
Kate nodded. “Thank you,” she said. She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me close, and my heart leapt as she pressed her lips to mine.
“Thank you, Jay,” she repeated, inches away from my mouth. “That means so much.”
“Well, you mean so much. To me,” I replied. “Seriously, Kate, I know I’m not good at talking about this kinda stuff, but…I really like you, and I can’t stop thinking about you, no matter what I do. You’re a wonderful woman.”
She beamed at me. “And you claim you aren’t good at talking about that kinda stuff.”
I grinned back at her and pulled her tightly against me again, wishing I could tell her that I didn’t just like her; that I’d already fallen in love with her—in love with her smile, in love with her eyes, in love with her body. And most of all, in love with her mind. She was sweet, kind, and smart…but with that amazing mind came ambition and dedication, and her career was part of that. I couldn’t ask her to give it all up and stay here. Not for me.
But god, I wished I could…
Chapter Eighteen
Kate
I spent a long and sleepless night at Jay’s. He’d offered to take me home the night before, but right now I wanted comfort, and that comfort meant Jay’s strong arms wrapped around me all night. He collapsed in bed a little bit after midnight, and I thought I could sleep, so I lay down with him. But as soon as the lights were out, I couldn’t stop thinking about what I was going to do.
What I had to do.
Grimly, I decided that as soon as I returned to New York, I’d have to work my ass off to maintain my job. That meant getting a haircut, getting my nails done, and going shopping for new clothes. But I’d at least keep my new diet of eating whatever I enjoyed—that was one new pleasure I wasn’t willing to give up.
Basically, I had to trick the station into thinking that I’d really gone on vacation in order to make my professional life even better. I frowned as I twisted and turned, trying to find a comfortable position in bed. Jay was snoring next to me, but no matter how I shifted, I couldn’t relax; not enough to sleep. I had to do something.
Getting up, I padded into the kitchen and flicked on the lights. Jay had left the tea kettle on the stove and I filled it up, finding a mug and a box full of chamomile tea. I put a bag in a cup and waited for the water to boil; I didn’t know what was going to make me feel better, but tea was a good start.
As much as I’d wanted to spend the evening with Jay, I missed Lizzy. I didn’t think she’d be able to provide any insight, but part of me wished that I was with her, watching silly chick flicks, laughing and not even thinking about the real world. I grinned wryly at the thought. That wasn’t Lizzy at all. In reality, Lizzy would sit me down firmly until she got the whole problem out, and then she’d make a list of steps to take until the problem was solved.
Growing up, it was always me who did the escaping. When our parents were angry with us, I’d run outside and sit in the yard, feeling ignored, but when they were mad at Lizzy, she’d try to talk them out of it. I chuckled out loud, remembering one specific birthday where Lizzy had made a flow chart about why our parents should get her a certain present. She’d always been a character.
Now, I envied her strength. It was true that I was older (and maybe a little wiser in some regards, like when it came to drinking), but Lizzy was the more dynamic sister. She wouldn’t let herself get in a situation with this much confusion, and she definitely wouldn’t let someone like Josh jerk her around. I smiled to myself, thinking of her. If she’d been in the restaurant with Josh, she would have slapped him right in the face. Or she would have dumped her drink in his lap. Wait, no…she would have finished the drink, then slapped him, then walked out in a huff, making him look like a fool. I regretted standing there and letting him escape without getting another word in, but I was grateful beyond words that Jay had been there to support me.
“Hey there, what’s all this?” Jay padded into the kitchen. He stopped behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling me close. “Can’t sleep?”