darlin’,” she said in her best Southern accent and laughed. “Now let’s get to work. You can cook, can’t you?”
Kate sat at the dining room table crossing and uncrossing her legs while Drew strode from one end of the apartment to the other until he finally whirled around to face her. “Am I allowed to speak now?”
“Of course.”
“I hurt you. I get that and although I’m sorry doesn’t cut it, I am — very. And I already told you that slut is the last word I’d associate with you, so get that out of your head now.” He stared angrily at her, his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.
Then he took a calming breath, squatted in front of her and wrapped her hands in his. Blue eyes framed by thick lashes looked directly at her and his voice quieted, its earlier frustration gone. “Kate…Kate. This is new for me so if we continue to see each other and I hope we will, I’m going to fuck up and do things like not calling you for a week. When that happens, you need to tell me so we can talk about it before it turns into something bigger.”
After she nodded her understanding, he stood and placed his hands on the arms of her chair, caging her. His face was close enough for her to notice the flecks of green in his eyes. The expression in them had softened, his skin was tanned from the high altitude week outdoors, and she couldn’t look away from his impossibly handsome face.
“I may have overreacted so if you want to yell at me, I’ll understand,” she said softly.
He tipped her face up with one finger. “”I don’t yell. I heard enough of that as a kid,” he said.
That piqued Kate’s curiosity, but she’d save those questions for another time.
“There’s only one thing I want to do, something I’ve thought about for the past week.” He kissed her gently, tenderly until she sighed his name and he was lost, demanding entrance to her mouth as the kiss deepened. His lips moved to her neck, intoxicated by the scent of cinnamon and something uniquely Kate that he couldn’t identify. Finally, he leaned his forehead against hers. “You drive me crazy, Kate Porter. What are we going to do about this?”
Before she could respond, Liz and Charles cleared their throats loudly to announce their presence as they carried platters of steaming food to the table. Liz couldn’t resist teasing them. “Can you two keep your clothes on long enough to join us for dinner?”
Charles piled linguine coated with garlic and olive oil mixed with colorful vegetables onto his plate. “Anyone else want some of this primavera or is it all for me?” Liz gave him a playful swat and sat next to him. He twirled pasta onto his fork and fed it to her. “Mmmm,” she moaned. “I love a man who can cook.”
“Just one of my many talents, ma’am,” he said, in a way that made it very clear what talents he was talking about. He shifted in his seat trying to adjust his suddenly tight jeans without being observed.
“I shouldn’t have worried about how you and Charles would get along,” Kate said once they began to eat. “Look at what good friends you’ve become in only an hour.”
The two women exchanged a look. “A stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet, Big Daddy always said.”
Drew smirked, trying not to laugh and Charles sputtered, “Big Daddy? Isn’t he a character in a Tennessee Williams play?”
Liz nodded. “You know your literature, Mr. Morrison. Yes, Big Daddy is a character in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof , but that’s also what we call my granddaddy. And grandma was Big Mama.” She squeezed his hand. “Don’t make fun of my Southern ways.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Charles said. “In fact, it’s charming.”
“Oh, man, you’ve got it bad,” teased Drew, surprised when his old friend didn’t deny it.
Charles smoothly changed the subject. “Although this dinner and the company is wonderful,” his glance went to Liz who lowered her lashes, “I think Kate expected this to
Kate sat at the dining room table crossing and uncrossing her legs while Drew strode from one end of the apartment to the other until he finally whirled around to face her. “Am I allowed to speak now?”
“Of course.”
“I hurt you. I get that and although I’m sorry doesn’t cut it, I am — very. And I already told you that slut is the last word I’d associate with you, so get that out of your head now.” He stared angrily at her, his hands in the front pockets of his jeans.
Then he took a calming breath, squatted in front of her and wrapped her hands in his. Blue eyes framed by thick lashes looked directly at her and his voice quieted, its earlier frustration gone. “Kate…Kate. This is new for me so if we continue to see each other and I hope we will, I’m going to fuck up and do things like not calling you for a week. When that happens, you need to tell me so we can talk about it before it turns into something bigger.”
After she nodded her understanding, he stood and placed his hands on the arms of her chair, caging her. His face was close enough for her to notice the flecks of green in his eyes. The expression in them had softened, his skin was tanned from the high altitude week outdoors, and she couldn’t look away from his impossibly handsome face.
“I may have overreacted so if you want to yell at me, I’ll understand,” she said softly.
He tipped her face up with one finger. “”I don’t yell. I heard enough of that as a kid,” he said.
That piqued Kate’s curiosity, but she’d save those questions for another time.
“There’s only one thing I want to do, something I’ve thought about for the past week.” He kissed her gently, tenderly until she sighed his name and he was lost, demanding entrance to her mouth as the kiss deepened. His lips moved to her neck, intoxicated by the scent of cinnamon and something uniquely Kate that he couldn’t identify. Finally, he leaned his forehead against hers. “You drive me crazy, Kate Porter. What are we going to do about this?”
Before she could respond, Liz and Charles cleared their throats loudly to announce their presence as they carried platters of steaming food to the table. Liz couldn’t resist teasing them. “Can you two keep your clothes on long enough to join us for dinner?”
Charles piled linguine coated with garlic and olive oil mixed with colorful vegetables onto his plate. “Anyone else want some of this primavera or is it all for me?” Liz gave him a playful swat and sat next to him. He twirled pasta onto his fork and fed it to her. “Mmmm,” she moaned. “I love a man who can cook.”
“Just one of my many talents, ma’am,” he said, in a way that made it very clear what talents he was talking about. He shifted in his seat trying to adjust his suddenly tight jeans without being observed.
“I shouldn’t have worried about how you and Charles would get along,” Kate said once they began to eat. “Look at what good friends you’ve become in only an hour.”
The two women exchanged a look. “A stranger is a friend you haven’t met yet, Big Daddy always said.”
Drew smirked, trying not to laugh and Charles sputtered, “Big Daddy? Isn’t he a character in a Tennessee Williams play?”
Liz nodded. “You know your literature, Mr. Morrison. Yes, Big Daddy is a character in Cat On A Hot Tin Roof , but that’s also what we call my granddaddy. And grandma was Big Mama.” She squeezed his hand. “Don’t make fun of my Southern ways.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Charles said. “In fact, it’s charming.”
“Oh, man, you’ve got it bad,” teased Drew, surprised when his old friend didn’t deny it.
Charles smoothly changed the subject. “Although this dinner and the company is wonderful,” his glance went to Liz who lowered her lashes, “I think Kate expected this to
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