Chapter Seven
Kevin’s week had been exhausting but productive. He’d been working closely with the mayor to get the new tourism initiative off the ground. Thursday night’s party had only been a blip on the radar for everything he’d accomplished.
And he was dying because Kathy hadn’t contacted him once. He reminded himself that it had only been two days. They shared a brief e-mail exchange about the bachelor party, but that was it. When they’d talked after the mayor’s cocktail party, he’d thought he’d made headway with her. He’d been sure she was at least considering giving him a chance.
He wondered if her silence was her answer. After all, that was what she’d done last time. As irritating as that thought was, he pushed it aside. He’d promised her time to think, and he’d give it to her, but he had no intention of sitting idly by forever.
He got ready for a night on the lake, free-flowing drinks, and half-naked women and men to torment Jimmy. His big brother only had eyes for Moira, so he wouldn’t want to look at a stripper, but he might pop a vein if he thought Moira wanted to watch a striptease. As best man, he couldn’t in good conscience not have hired a stripper at all. The guests would expect it, so he delivered.
The show he had planned would put all others to shame. This might go down in history as the best bachelor party ever.
He and Kathy planned to arrive early so they were there to greet everyone as they boarded the boat. It wasn’t often that he used his city hall contacts to his advantage, but to give Jimmy a night to remember, it was worth it. They’d gotten the cruise for a steal and what was better was that they had it all to themselves. The only people on the ship were those invited for the party.
After parking at a nearby lot, he walked to the dock. Kathy was already there, talking with someone from the crew. The sight of her had his mouth watering. She wore a bright yellow dress that hit mid-thigh and because it had thin straps, she showed plenty of golden skin. Her hair was down, spiral curls blowing in the lake breeze.
When he joined them, Kevin introduced himself to John from the crew and got the plans. He and Kathy would wait on the dock to greet everyone and make sure they didn’t leave anyone behind. Once the cruise started, they’d get out on the lake and within the hour, dinner would be served. Then there would be dancing with music provided by the DJ.
John left them and Kevin turned to Kathy. “You look amazing.”
“Thank you. Not so bad yourself.” She swiped at her hair that flung into her face. “I swear, I don’t know what I was thinking leaving this mess down.”
“It’s not a mess. I love your hair.”
“Trust me, by the time we actually get moving, it’ll probably look like a bird’s nest.”
“I doubt that.”
Maggie and Shane arrived, and Kathy let them know that Moira and Jimmy were already on board in separate rooms. The rest of the O’Learys came shortly after. His brothers, of course, were later. Friends and relatives started arriving in mass numbers, so he and Kathy couldn’t talk much. When the entertainment for the night came up to him, they caught Kathy’s attention.
“I thought you told Jimmy no strippers.”
“Jimmy said no strippers. I never agreed. Every man in this place might look for blood if I didn’t provide some entertainment.”
“Two women? That’s some entertainment?”
“Don’t underestimate me. That’s two women and one man. They perform together.”
He waited for his words to sink in. Kathy’s eyes widened. She stepped closer and lowered her voice. “They do threesome stuff?”
“They’re gonna do something.”
“Something that’ll probably give Jimmy a coronary. You might want to warn the guy not to touch Moira. Jimmy will break his arm.”
“They all know hands off. Jimmy’s not the only one with a protective streak.” Sean would definitely go off if a stripper touched Emma. Tommy wouldn’t be much better. Kevin thought briefly of what his reaction would be if it were Kathy being touched. Although he had no right to be jealous or protective, he was.
They waited outside in the warm summer air until the only people milling around were those enjoying a night at Navy Pier. Kevin looked up at the Ferris wheel and thought about taking a ride with Kathy. Too bad he didn’t know the operator so he could call in a favor and get them trapped at the top.
“I think that’s everyone,” Kathy said. “There are only a couple of people on my list who haven’t shown, but I told them all we would be leaving at eight.”
“Sounds good. I wasn’t keeping track, but off the top of my head, I think we’re good. All the important people are here anyway.”
Kathy bent and grabbed the tote bag at her feet.
“Hell of a purse.”
She rolled her eyes. “It’s not my purse. It’s supplies.”
“Everything is included in the cruise.”
“I have a bride-to-be sash for Moira to wear, and little gifts for the bridal party. Games to play. Stuff like that.”
“Shit. Was I supposed to come up with stuff? I thought my job ended with making sure the party was planned.”
“I’ve got you covered.”
“The least I can do is carry this then.” He took the bag from her shoulder, his fingers grazing the soft skin.
If he wasn’t imagining things, her breath hitched at his touch. “So, have you had time to think about us?”
Her stride caught and she blinked rapidly a few times. “Really? You want to talk now?”
“Now is perfect. I’ve got you captive for the next four hours.”
She laughed. “I’ve been doing nothing but thinking. But I don’t have an answer for you. My head is a mess. Just zipping back and forth. I don’t know if I should follow my heart or my head.”
“That’s easy. Follow whichever one says I should get another chance. We’ll get the other on board.”
“You’re impossible.”
“It’s one of my finer qualities.”
They walked aboard the ship and Maggie met them.
“I’m so sorry. We tried to keep it a secret, but you know Jimmy. He refused to stay in that room you put him in,” Maggie said.
Kathy’s shoulders sagged. “Oh, man. I really wanted to get pictures of their faces when they realized it was a joint party.”
“Don’t worry about that. As soon as I heard Jimmy coming, I had my phone out. They are immortalized.”
Kevin smiled. “How’d they take it?”
“Seemed okay to me, but they’re looking for you.”
The first thing Kevin did was grab a drink for him and Kathy. Kathy might’ve been disappointed at missing out on the surprise, but Kevin knew how little Jimmy enjoyed surprises. Then he went to find Jimmy and Moira. They had drinks in hand and Moira was already wearing the satin sash Kathy had brought. Jimmy wore a crown.
Kevin pointed at his brother. “That’s fitting. You’ve always acted like king of the world.”
“I’ll get you for this.”
“I had nothing to do with playing dress-up. That was all Kathy. Take it up with her.”
“I think it’s cute,” Moira said.
“Just what I’ve always wanted. To be cute.”
Moira turned to Kevin. “Kathy said this was all your idea. Thank you. It’s awesome. Having my fiancé here kind of ruins the whole last-night-of-being-single thing, but the rest is amazing.”
Kevin stared for a minute. “Is Mouthy Moira really paying me a compliment? No way. I think I’ve entered an alternate universe. Aunty Em, Aunty Em . . .”
Moira playfully smacked his arm while she laughed. Then she did the one thing he’d never thought possible: she hugged him. Willingly.
He awkwardly wrapped his arms around her to accept the hug.
“All jokes aside,” she said, “I appreciate you taking this seriously.”
“I’d do anything for him.”
“That’s good. So would I.”
Kathy came up and said, “Are you starting already?”
Moira stepped back and Kevin asked, “What?”
“You’re not even drunk yet and you’re bugging Moira?”
“Ha! Shows what you know. She threw herself into my arms.”
Moira answered with her patented eye roll. “He wasn’t bothering me. I was thanking him for this amazing party.”
“Oh.” She handed Kevin a beer. “I figured you’d need this.”
He smiled. “Great minds,” he said, and showed her the drinks he’d grabbed for them. “Guess we need to drink fast.”
“They’re seating us for dinner now. They have a huge table set up for the bridal party.”
Kevin grabbed two beer bottles by the neck in one hand. His other hand rested on Kathy’s back. “After you.”
* * *
Kathy held tight to her glass of wine. While she had no intention of getting drunk, she’d need the alcohol to get through the night at Kevin’s side. Every time they were together, it was getting harder and harder to know why she didn’t want to give him another chance. Dinner was delicious, but went by too quickly. The DJ started playing dance music, and Kathy was shocked to see how many of the guests were already paired off.
No wonder Moira was fine with having a joint party. While many of them weren’t married, these people were far from single.
Unlike her.
And Kevin.
She looked at Kevin, who was currently dancing with a woman who was laughing at whatever he was saying. There was a respectful distance between them, and he’d done nothing to flirt with her.
The Kevin in her memory had flirted with everyone, even if he wasn’t interested. Kathy had assumed that was just his personality. When the song ended, he waved at his partner and beelined for Kathy’s position.
“Can I have this dance?”
“Sure.” She took his hand and as soon as they got to the dance floor, the rhythm shifted to a slow song. “Did you plan this?” she asked as he pulled her against his body.
“Nope. I’m just lucky like that.”
They didn’t talk during the song. Their bodies were pressed together in a way that was more intimate than she’d consider with a stranger, yet it felt good. It had been a long time since she’d had a steady boyfriend. She’d dated some since Ray, but she was experiencing a relationship drought. Maybe that’s why Kevin was so appealing.
“You’re thinking too loud. Can’t you just enjoy the dance?”
“I am. Too much, I’m afraid.”
She felt his chuckle more than heard it. A deep vibration through his chest sent more wild thoughts through her. She couldn’t decide if she needed more alcohol to be able to ignore those thoughts or if they would just get worse.
She did what she could to block out her hormones and enjoy the dance, and the two that followed. They took a break to get a drink, and Kevin surprised her by ordering a water for himself.
When she stared at the glass, he said, “I’m designated everything tonight. No way will Jimmy relax if no one is sober to keep people safe. I have to make sure no one fights, falls overboard, or drives home drunk.”
Kathy had never thought about how sexy responsibility was, but Kevin had certainly introduced the idea. He guzzled his water, slammed the glass back on the bar, and said, “I gotta go. Time for entertainment. You coming?”
“Nah. Not my idea of entertainment, but thanks for asking. You go have fun. I think I’m going to go for a walk out on deck. Tell Moira to text me if she needs anything.”
Kevin made a quick announcement to the partygoers and then led a large group to a private room. From where she stood at the bar, she could see Jimmy grumbling and giving Kevin dirty looks. Moira, on the other hand, threatened that if there was nothing for her to enjoy, he was in trouble. Jimmy grabbed her ass and whispered something in her ear that made her pale skin go red.
Although the crowd around the bar and on the dance floor had thinned, there were still a lot of people. Kathy needed a break from all of them. The cruise would be over soon. They’d already taken their turn to circle back, so she wanted to go outside to enjoy the fresh air and the view of the city from the lake.
She walked out and leaned into the rail, closing her eyes and raising her face to the wind off the lake. When she reopened her eyes, she looked up at the moon and sighed.
“Couldn’t imagine a more beautiful sight.”
She spun at Kevin’s voice. “I thought you were doing the entertainment.” She cringed. “That sounded bad, but you know what I meant.”
“I had to get the entertainment started, but a moonlight walk alone with you sounded much more appealing.”
She licked her lips. For as much as she’d thought she wanted to be alone, she liked the idea of being with him. “There’s not far to walk.”
“We can do a circuit or two of the deck.” He reached for her hand, and they walked in silence toward the back of the boat.
When they got there, they were alone in the shadows, the only sound the sloshing of the water against the boat. The scene was perfectly romantic, and Kathy’s heart thundered in her ears.
“Heart and mind still at odds?”
“More than ever.”
“I know I said I’d give you time, but I’m an impatient man. So unless you tell me not to, I’m going to kiss you now.” He released her hand and moved it to her cheek, using his thumb to tilt her chin upward. Staring into her eyes, he waited a beat, cocking one eyebrow in question.
She should stop him, but she wanted to feel his mouth on hers, so she said nothing.
He moved in slowly, using his other hand to shift her body and pull her flush against him. He kept his eyes open and on hers as his lips met hers softly, a gentle stroke. He parted his lips, and she felt his breath whisper across her mouth before their lips reconnected.
Kathy wrapped her arms around his back, anchoring him to her, as she closed her eyes and angled her head, inviting more from him.
He took the cue and stroked his tongue into her mouth, a quick sweep that left her seeking more. She darted her tongue out to meet his, so he would feel how much she wanted this. And for long moments then, the gentle sway of the ship rocked their bodies together. Pressed together, they became reacquainted, sharing breath, sighs, and moans.
They were so close, Kathy couldn’t feel where she ended and he began. Yet Kevin’s hands hadn’t moved other than to stroke her cheek, her neck, tug at her hair. The hand at her hip did nothing more than flex and hold her.
The kiss spoke of intimacy they no longer had, but there was comfort mixed with the desire.
When he finally pulled away, a chill ran through her. She attributed it to the cool breeze and not the absence of his warm mouth on hers. Leaning his forehead against hers, he breathed slowly. She opened her eyes to find him staring again.
“Wow,” he whispered.
“I remember you being really good at that. Glad to see that hasn’t changed.”
“You’re fucking amazing. I’m harder from one kiss with you than I would’ve been watching three strippers get it on.”
She halfheartedly rolled her eyes.
“I’m serious.” To prove his point he yanked her body close, grinding her hips to his.
There was no mistaking the hard ridge prodding her. As if she hadn’t already been turned on enough. The feel of him being hard for her made her want more. Her body thrust even closer to him and he groaned. His fingers gripped her hips hard enough to leave fingerprints.
She moaned and lifted her mouth to his again, but he stepped back.
“I can’t do what I want to do. Certainly not here. And not until you’ve decided to take a chance on me.” His hand found hers again and linked his fingers in hers. “Just know I want this.”
Her body screamed at her to do this. Tell him yes and go back to his apartment with him, but her mind prevailed and she inhaled slowly, filling her lungs with lake air.
“I think we should tour the other side of the deck now before I have to go back to the party and embarrass myself,” he said.
A laugh bubbled up and Kathy’s whole body shook.
“I don’t think it’s that funny.”
“It’s only fair that you suffer a little too. My mind has been dancing in circles tormenting me for over a week.”
“I can handle a little discomfort as long as I know you’ve been thinking about me.”
She nudged him with her shoulder as they turned the corner and headed back to the party. “Always making it about yourself.”
“Uh-uh. This discomfort is all about you.”
Kathy found herself laughing yet again as they rejoined the party and all of their guests. The boat was getting ready to dock and Kathy was sad to know the evening was coming to an end. Even though this still wasn’t a date with Kevin, she felt closer to him. Like maybe she should give him a chance. It wasn’t like they were getting married. They could date and see how it went.
For the first time in days, she felt optimistic about her life. Kevin stepped away to say good-bye and get people safe rides home if necessary. They had a week until the wedding. She could use these days to cool off and make sure her decision was not solely a lust-fueled one, but that she really wanted to date Kevin.
Her heart and mind settled.
Her body, on the other hand, rioted.