Chapter 8
Every muscle in her body ached in delight when she started to wake up the next morning. She felt strong arms wrapped around her and the heat of his body pressed against hers. She traced a fingertip down the vein running through his left forearm—back and forth as her sleepiness subsided and her eyes were open wide. His arms were fantastic. Tanned and toned. She loved the way she felt with them around her. Like at any moment he could pin her in place. The sensations that he'd given her last night were starting to resurface. She reminded herself that it was just one night. She couldn't let herself get carried away.
What now? She thought. Did she wake him up and tell him to go home? Did she offer him coffee and a thank you? Did she slip from his arms and sneak out leaving only a note behind; Thanks for last night. Let yourself out. This was new territory and anxiety started to set in.
“Take a breath, sweetheart,” his voice was still raspy from sleep as he whispered against her neck. A shiver of excitement ran down her spine as his arms tightened around her. She closed her eyes and willed herself not to freak out. This wasn't a big deal. They'd had a good time. She'd made it perfectly clear that that's all it was the night before, but... lying there in his arms a tiny part of her wished that every morning could start the same.
“Can I get you some coffee?” she said, trying to appear cool. Coffee and wine were just about the only things she had to offer. She ate most of her meals on the go or in the office.
“How about breakfast in bed?” he suggested. “Or maybe...” his hand smoothed down her body until it was pressed low against her belly. A couple more inches and she'd roll over and let him have his way with her. Like she had the night before. Flashes of their bodies intertwined flickered in her mind. The way he'd started slow and worked up to a frantic pace that had them both gasping for air. She thought about the way she'd screamed his name into the darkness as the passion overtook her. In the morning light, she couldn't help but wonder if the downstairs neighbors had heard her. She wouldn't be able to look them in the eye on her morning elevator ride if that was the case.
“That's probably not a good idea,” Kate said, slipping from his grasp and quickly grabbing her robe from the chair near her bed. She tied the silk around her body and tucked her hair behind her ears, trying not to let her eyes focus too firmly on the man staring back at her from her bed. The bed sheet was twisted around his waist, as he popped his head up on his hand and gave her a smile.
“You're cute,” he said flashing that devilish grin that she'd been so taken with the night before. She still was which made her that much more nervous.
“I have to go into the office,” she blurted out. She wasn't lying. Her case load was heavy and she had hours of work if she wanted to be prepared for the upcoming week.
“Stay in bed with me, Katie?” he said, patting the spot on the bed where she'd recently vacated. And calling her Katie. She nearly swooned. It was too much. Too much variation. Too much unexpected. Too much all around. She’d done just as Hope had asked... a night out on the town. One night. Singular. Now she needed to get back to her regularly scheduled programming. The tempting invitation to join Deacon in bed would have to go unanswered.
“I have a lot of work to do,” she said as she walked over to her closet and started pulling on the first pieces of clothing she could find. A pair of skinny black jeans and a t-shirt that she hadn't worn in quite some time.
“Always a bridesmaid,” Deacon said.
“Slow down there, buddy,” she said, not amused by his suggestion. “We had one night. Marriage was never on the table.”
“Maybe you need to slow down.” Deacon laughed before pointing out her t-shirt. Hot pink with glittering silver letters reading BRIDESMAID stared up at her. She had put on the t-shirt that Vanessa had given to her to wear during her wedding week. She thought she'd hated that t-shirt then, now there was a whole new level of disdain. “Seems like you're the one with marriage on your mind. Don't get me wrong,” he said, sitting up on the edge of the bed and reaching for his jeans. “I know I'm a great lay, but I'm gonna need a legit proposal if you want to tie me down.” He stood up pulling his jeans with him as he walked over to where she was standing. Each step he made, made her heartbeat a little faster. The way his jeans were haphazardly sitting on his waist unbuttoned wasn't helping matters. “Or at least a second date,” he said, reaching out for her waist as he closed the distance between them.
“I don't know...” Kate wanted to say yes. She wanted to get back in bed with him and recreate everything that had already happened—minus the t-shirt—but her logic was winning out. She didn't have time for a relationship. She was so close to making partner that she could taste it. But she could taste him too. She looked up into his dark brown eyes and almost let herself get lost. Almost. “I don't really have time for dating right now.”
Deacon let out a wounded sigh as he shook his head, and placed a soft kiss on the top of her head. “You change your mind, I'd better be the first to know.”
She nodded. When he dropped his hand from her waist and backed away she took in a deep breath. She was doing the right thing. It wasn't fair to her or him to start something that she couldn't give proper attention to.
“I had a great time last night,” he said as he buttoned up his shirt and slipped his shoes on.
“So did I,” she said before he walked out the door and out of her life. “So did I.”
* * *
Deacon was confused. As he walked through the city of Chicago on his way from Kate's place to his, he couldn't figure out for the life of him what had just happened. He'd woken up with arms wrapped around a woman who he couldn't wait to continue getting to know only to be promptly pushed out the door with a “Thanks. Had a great time.”
When he first heard about Kate Beckett he wondered if she was actually a good choice for him. Thirty-two, workaholic, a little out of her element socially. He knew the type. He used to be the type. It was precisely why he thought he could get her to unwind. Which she did. The night had been incredible and the feelings that he felt when they were together washed over him quickly. Hope had been spot on when she'd suggested he'd like Kate, which was only making all of that more frustrating.
Deacon thought about the way she reacted to his kiss. To his touch. To the words he whispered in her ear. If he hadn't been walking through a crowd of people he might have sported wood just thinking about her. On top of being completely sexy, every single word she spoke had him completely entranced. She hadn't opened up too much, which only made him want to uncover each and every layer she was hiding behind her lawyer facade. He wanted to see her smile. Hear her laugh. Find out what she was really like when she let her guard down. He'd gotten a glimpse and it wasn't enough.
He called the one person that he could talk to, hoping to make some sense of how she'd reacted that morning.
“Well?” Greyson said after the second ring.
“Well enough,” Deacon said. “But not well well.”
“I'm gonna need more details.”
“She's amazing,” he told his friend. “We had a great time. She's gorgeous and smart and funny. The night literally could not have gone better.” He paused. “And then the sun rose. She practically shoved me out the door.”
“Hmm...”
“I'm gonna need more details,” he mocked his friend's earlier sentiment.
“I'm not surprised,” Greyson finally said. “Kate is a creature of habit,” he explained. “And you, my friend, are not part of her plan.”
“So why the insistence that I meet her?”
“Because Hope knows better,” Greyson reminded. “Plus, you said you were up for a challenge.”
“Did I?” Deacon chuckled, remembering that he had. “I mean, I don't regret a second of last night. I think I could really fall for this girl,” he confessed. “I'd like to see her again, but the moment I mentioned a second date she threw the I-don't-have-time-to-date excuse at me.” He paused. “I didn't want to push too hard and scare her off for good.”
“Maybe she just needs a little time to figure out that she wants to see you again,” Greyson told him. “Maybe Willa and Vanessa can convince her to give you another chance. I know how these women operate and I'd bet money that they are going to be having a pow wow over this topic very soon.”
“I hope so,” Deacon told him. “I think I'm going to need a little back-up when it comes to Kate.”
“That sounds about right.” Greyson laughed.