The weekend was over before it started it seemed and I couldn’t get Katherine out of my mind. Despite the urgings from my scheduled hookups I hadn’t been with anyone else and though Mila pushed, I hadn’t gone to the golf course on Sunday. Katherine Collins was under my skin and I felt like an ass for bailing on her the way I did.

Truth was, it scared me a bit, being in her bed and realizing I didn’t want to leave. I’d always left, no matter how good the sex, no matter how tired, I’d never spent the entire night with another woman. I didn’t want to make it about emotions. It was sex and nothing more. But Katherine made me want to hold her, want to feel her beside me through the night and wake up to her every day. She made me miss having that. She reminded me that I’d had it for so long, but no longer.

I sat in my room looking out the window toward her house. Half the day had gone and I’d only just decided to get dressed. What’s wrong with me? The phone rang on the bedside table and I leaned over to see my daughter’s smiling picture on the screen.

I hadn’t really spoken to her much other than texts and each time I heard her tone it was as if guilt were tapping me on the shoulder to remind me it was still there. I took a deep breath and picked up the phone and swiped on our connection. “Good to hear your voice.”

“I’m sorry, Daddy. I’ve been so busy and haven’t had a moment of privacy to talk. I wanted to call and let you know I’ll be a bit late tonight. I thought you could ask Katie to come keep you company.” The fact that she wanted me to hang out with Katie was enough to kick me in the balls, but I liked having an excuse to see her. I’d made things awkward, and now I needed to fix them.

“I’ll go over and see if she’s busy. What’s keeping you? I don’t recall there being anything work-related that should demand so much of your time. This isn’t about the failed relationship, is it?”

“No, Daddy. You’re going to have to face it that your baby girl is a woman and has a life of her own. Just because I’m busy doesn’t mean I’m in trouble.” I had a feeling that she was trying to deter me, but I had too many issues of my own to try and argue with her.

“Fine. I’ll try to remember that.” We ended our call and I decided that it was too pretty of a day not to be outside and I may as well walk over and see what Katie had going for the evening. Perhaps it would be a good time to talk and make things right.

I went out to my veranda and decided I’d go to the back door. I knocked and waited a bit until finally she appeared through the window and hurried to the door.

“Can I help you?” She kept her voice low and glanced back over her shoulder. I glanced inside and saw a man walk across her living room.

Her choice of words angered me. “Can you help me? What am I, a delivery boy? Who the hell is that?” I stared down at her as she pegged me with a hard glare.

She pushed me back and I hadn’t even realized I’d tried to go inside, or that my feet were firmly planted in her kitchen. I stepped out and she followed pulling the door shut behind her as she held a finger to her lips. “Shush! That’s a client!”

“Really? What’s he doing in your living room or has he graduated to the other couch too?” It was a shitty thing to say, but I couldn’t help it. Her mouth popped open and she stepped back until she was against the door.

“How dare you. I’m working from my office, but my client decided to take a bathroom break while I came out here to see what’s crawled up your ass.”

Fuck. It made sense and I was being irrational. “I’m sorry. I came to ask if you’d like to come to dinner.”

“I think you should have dinner with Halle alone.” She turned to go inside, but I put my hand on the door to keep her from opening it. “Are you mental?” She searched my eyes, but I closed the distance and kissed her.

Her lips were still beneath mine and I backed away feeling defeated. “I want to talk, Katherine. Tonight?”

Her expression softened around the eyes and she looked away. “I’ll be there. You’re right, we need to talk about things; get things straight so there are no hard feelings.”

“No hard feelings? You talk like you’re done with me.”

Her head snapped up and she glared at me as if to challenge me. “Was I more than a fix?” Her chin lifted and she squared her shoulders. “Was I?”

“I haven’t been able to get you off my mind and I haven’t wanted anyone else. It’s new to me.” I didn’t know how to be more honest without declaring myself in love, which wouldn’t be fair or honest.

She glanced back to see the man standing in her kitchen as if he were lost. “Wait here. His session is over. I’ll see him out and take a break until the next arrival.”

I turned to look the other way as she went inside and I could hear her explaining how I was the neighbor. Their voices faded as she walked him to the office and minutes later she finally came back to let me in.

“You made me feel like just another fuck.” Her words surprised me as she turned and walked back into the kitchen and opened the fridge.

“That’s the last thing I wanted to do, Katherine. I didn’t know what to do with my feelings and I bailed. I’m sorry.” I walked to her island and rested against it.

“Are you hungry? I’m having lunch.” She came away from the fridge with an armful of vegetables and piled them onto the counter between us.

I reached for her hand but she was too fast. “No. Just for you.” The words made her laugh. “I’m not being funny, Katherine, I want you.”

“What do you want me for? You have a whole slew of woman who won’t require you to have feelings for them.”

“Maybe I’m tired of not feeling. I’ve been numb for so long, and you’re finally making me feel things. I’ve realized what I’ve been missing.”

“Monogamy? Because I don’t think I’d want this any other way. Your party was interesting from a clinical stand-point, and I could sit and diagnose your friends all day, but I want to know the man I’m with is with me alone and craves me alone.”

“I can control myself.”

“Prove it.”

“I haven’t been with anyone since you. You’re all I’ve thought about. I can be faithful if that’s what you want.”

“I want you to want it too, but I think it’s all too fast. Maybe even for both of us. And then there’s Halle. Not to mention your hang-ups about younger women.”

“You’re not like most younger women, Katherine.”

“Calling me Katherine instead of Katie might convince you of that, but I think you’re trying too hard.” She took out a knife for her vegetables and I felt like walking into it.

“The fact that you see that is further proving my case.”

“So say my name.” She glared at me with that raised chin and her green eyes narrowed.

I started around the counter and her eyes followed me. “Katie Collins. Halle’s best-friend. Twenty-something and the most incredible woman I’ve met in years.” I stepped up behind her and pressed against her, resting my head against hers as I kissed her neck. “Katie Collins, who I want under me, on me, to taste and touch. Katie.”

She dropped the knife and turned around, throwing her arms up over my shoulders. “See me. Not the sex.”

“I can do that too.” I lifted my shoulder to let her know it was an easy challenge, but she lifted her gaze to the ceiling and back as she giggled.

“I’m giving you a pop quiz.” She left her salad fixings and led us upstairs. My cock was already hard and ready by the time we made it to her room.

She stopped next to her bed and lay back. As I went to join her, she shook her head. “No, look at me. See me and find the most intimate part of me.”

“Your entire body is intimate.” She shook her head and gave me a challenging grin. “Can I use my mouth?” That brought out a giggle and then she shook her head and nodded toward my erection.

“You can’t use that either.”

“I’m not sure I like this game, but challenge accepted.” I placed my palm on her forehead and gazed deep into her eyes. “Everything I need to reach the rest of you is right in there. And what you don’t realize is, this is my favorite part of you, Katie.”

“You get an A, Mr. Roberts. You’re already making great strides in your recovery.” She closed her hand around my arm and pulled me down where she met my lips.

I deepened the kiss, but pulled away to catch my breath. “I guess I better not get you too wound up before your next client shows.”

She giggled, her mouth turned up in a sly smile. “I’m already wound up, so I guess it’s a good thing I have another two and a half hours before the next one shows.” After a moment, her eyes searched mine with as if they burned with desire.

“Then I should go before I fail the test.” I hung my head, fighting the urge to smile, but she planted a firm hand on my chest.

“The test is over. But maybe we should go for extra credit?” She ground her hips up against my hard length and kissed me deep.