Her lips quirked at his awkward behavior. “Some of us do, yes.”
Trip finally looked directly at her, his expression tentative. “If you don’t want to keep him, I can take him back.”
“Oh, just try and take him from me.” She clutched the little kitten closer to her chest, still reeling from the fact that not only had Trip been genuinely bothered by her sorrow, but he’d also hoped to remedy it with this pet. “This is very sweet of you, Trip. What’s his name?”
Trip shrugged. “Up to you, I guess.” He scratched his neck, one side of his mouth curving upward. “I got kitty litter and some food and other stuff in that bag. Not sure what else you need, but this should get you through a couple of days.”
Kelsey placed the kitten back into its crate and faced Trip, trying to square this considerate side of him with the womanizer she’d known for most of the past year. She stepped closer to him, cocking one brow, and lightheartedly poked his chest with her finger. “You know, this clinches it. Your carefree cowboy act is just that—an act. But don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone.”
He narrowed his gaze and spoke with the playful cockiness he’d perfected. “I know you won’t, princess, because that would mean you’d have to disclose our little fling, and I know that terrifies you.”
“Touché.” On impulse, she grabbed his hand and led him away from the prying eyes outside the street-level windows to the small storage room in the back of the office. “Now I want to show my appreciation. Tell me, what can I do for you?”
“Hmm.” He tugged her ponytail free. “First, stop putting your hair in these contraptions. I like it better down.”
“It gets in my way when I work.” She shook it loose then wrapped her arms around his neck. “Besides, I didn’t plan on seeing you today.”
“That makes two of us.” He brushed his hands along her sides, tugged at her hips, and then kissed her. “But I’m not sorry, are you?”
“No.” Kelsey kissed him again, pressing herself against his body. His erection drove into her lower abdomen, making her chuckle. “You’re always ready to go.”
“Like Pavlov’s dog whenever I see you. Hell, it happens anytime I think about you, actually.” He lifted her and sat her on a file cabinet, then kissed her while running his hands up under her skirt along her thighs. “I want you right now.”
His hands stroked her waist and breasts. The low rumble coming from his chest aroused her.
“I’m all yours.” Kelsey spread her legs, locking her ankles behind his hips, wishing she could say those same words in a different context without scaring him away.
As she kissed his neck, he shoved her skirt up to her hips and unzipped his jeans.
Then they heard the front office door squeak open just before Avery’s voice called out, “Kelsey? You back there?”
Trip froze. Kelsey slid off the file cabinet while yelling, “Just a sec, Ave. I’m coming.”
“Almost coming, princess,” Trip whispered in her ear, sending another wave of tremors through her core.
Kelsey pressed her fingers to Trip’s lips to silence him and then straightened her skirt and smoothed her hair before grabbing a batch of paper and striding out of the storage room to greet her friend. “Sorry. What brings you by?”
“Emma and I wanted to take you to lunch to discuss Cabo. We’re so excited, although Grey’s a little crabby about it.”
“He can do without you for four days.” Kelsey dropped the paper on her desk. “But I can’t meet for lunch today. I have a client appointment at twelve thirty. Maybe dinner?”
“Okay. I’ll talk to Emma.” Avery looked at the crate and grocery bag. “What’s all this?”
“Oh.” Kelsey had nearly forgotten about the kitten. She brought him back out of his crate. “A rescue kitten. Isn’t he cute?”
“I didn’t know you wanted a pet.” Avery rubbed its leg.
“Neither did I, but he’s just the perfect thing for me right now.” Kelsey brushed her cheek against his soft fur.
“What’s his name?”
Kelsey frowned for a second, and then smiled as it came to her in a flash. “Cowboy.”
“Huh.” Avery’s perplexed expression made Kelsey smile. “Guess that’s as good a name as any.”
“It’s the perfect name for this cat, trust me.” Kelsey longed to share her private joke with her best friend, but she couldn’t. The limitations of her and Trip’s relationship—or whatever—tightened her chest, providing a stark reminder of one of many reasons why she should end their foolishness sooner rather than later. Yet her stomach pinched at the idea.