CHAPTER TEN
Kate took a sip of her vodka soda and tried not to make eye contact with anyone. Not the woman strutting past in a purple corset and fishnet leggings. Not the guy in latex pants and a red denim vest dotted with metal studs. Not the leather-clad octogenarians Kate felt fairly certain used to play in her grandmother’s bridge club.
“Ma’am? Are you looking for someone?”
Kate’s pulse kicked up, and she turned to watch Jonah slide onto the barstool beside her. She’d never been so glad to see anyone in her entire life.
“Jonah! Thank God you’re here. I was hoping they wouldn’t give you any trouble at the door.”
“That was a first for me.” He grinned. “Having my name on a guest list at a members-only sex club.”
Something about that grin dissolved the tension in her shoulders, and Kate began to relax. “Thanks so much for coming. I didn’t want to leave without getting a feel for the place, but—”
“You didn’t want anyone getting to feel you?”
“Exactly.”
“Quite the crowd they have here.”
She watched as Jonah studied the scene, hands clasped on the bar in front of him. Kate followed his gaze, watching as it skimmed over the dance floor, then up to the second level, where a row of people leaned over the balcony with drinks in hand. She wondered what he thought of all this.
Lights throbbed in time to the music, bathing the room in a glow of pink light and perfume. A disco ball swirled overhead, casting glittery rainbow spots on a dance floor packed with writhing bodies. Some were dancing and some were . . . um, that definitely wasn’t dancing.
“I had no idea this was even legal,” Kate admitted.
Jonah glanced at her, then followed the direction of her gaze to a couple undressing each other in the corner.
“Huh,” Jonah said. “They’re really going for it, aren’t they?”
She nodded. “I guess I thought the sex part would be more discreet. When the owner gave me a tour, she showed me all the playrooms. Some have doors that lock and curtains you can close.”
“Or leave open, I assume?” Jonah shrugged. “I’m guessing a place like this is the perfect spot for exhibitionists and voyeurs to get together and turn each other on.”
“I hadn’t thought of it like that.”
Jonah laughed. “I’m guessing neither of us had given much thought to sex clubs before this.” He raised one eyebrow as a woman at the other end of the bar began playfully spanking a woman wearing nothing but a red bra-and-panty set. “Can’t say I even knew this place existed.”
“I find that tremendously comforting,” Kate said. “That you’re not a regular part of the swinger scene.”
“My most memorable swinging experience was on a porch in Ashland with you.” He grinned and leaned closer, making Kate’s heart skitter in her chest. “That’s probably not scandalous enough to be part of an arced story line, huh?”
“I take it you’ve talked with Viv.” Kate felt her smile start to wobble, but she held it steady.
“Yep.”
He said nothing else as he made an unsuccessful attempt to signal the bartender. The guy was focused on lining up a large tray of beers for a man wearing leather chaps and a dog collar. “Viv seemed pretty focused on wanting one of us to get back out on the dating scene,” he said.
“This probably wasn’t what Viv had in mind for the dating scene.”
“Probably not.”
Kate’s gaze landed on two topless women groping each other in the corner while their male partners watched. Startled, she looked back at Jonah.
“Maybe we should keep our eyes on each other for now,” she said. “Some of this can’t be unseen.”
He laughed. “Good idea.”
“Let me buy you a drink. It’s the least I can do since you came down here to rescue me.”
“I’d definitely feel better if I had something to do with my hands.” He winced. “Besides the obvious.”
Kate gave a nervous laugh and caught the bartender’s eye. He gave her a just-a-minute signal, so she turned back to Jonah. “What can I get you?”
She watched as he leaned across the bar, squinting in the dim light of the club. “Looks like they’ve got Boneyard on draft.”
“Is that the name of a cocktail, or was that slang for a sex act?”
“It’s a beer. Made by Boneyard Brewery. They make the best IPA known to man.” The bartender approached, and Jonah looked up at him. “Pint of RPM, please.”
“Can you put it on my tab?” Kate added.
“Sure thing.”
Kate watched the guy pour the beer and wondered if she should spend some time Googling the brewing industry. She had no idea what RPM or IPA stood for, but she was curious. The beer she’d sampled at Jonah’s had been a pleasant surprise, and she wanted to try more.
She spun her glass of vodka soda on the counter and looked around again. Two women and a man linked hands and disappeared through a doorway Kate knew led to one of the playrooms. Her mind filled with images of what might happen next. Touching and kissing and undressing. Writhing bodies, skin slick with sweat as breath came faster. The sound of gasps and moans and—
“How would you even film in a place like this?”
She looked back at Jonah to see he had his beer already. He was watching her over the rim as he took a long sip.
She swallowed and hoped like hell he couldn’t read minds. “We’d have to do some tricky things with lights, but—”
“No, I meant legally. Surely they’re not going to let you run around with a camera crew in a swingers lounge.”
“Oh, that. I’ve already talked with the owner. If we go ahead with it, she’d open the club during off-hours and invite members to show up if they want to be on camera. They’d all sign waivers, of course.”
“You think enough people would do it?”
“It’s like you said about the voyeur thing,” Kate said. “If enough people like being watched, we’d have no trouble.”
“Anything for five minutes of fame.”
Jonah took another sip of his beer, then set it down on the bar. “Damn, that’s good. Seriously the best IPA on the planet.”
She bit her lip. “May I try a sip?”
“Be my guest.”
He nudged the glass in front of her, and Kate picked it up. She sniffed it first, trying to remember what Jonah had told her about olfactory senses and beer tasting. “It smells like pine-tree sap,” she said. “And citrus. Lemons, maybe. Or tangerines.”
“I know they use Citra hops in there, so that makes sense.”
She took a cautious sip. “Wow.” She tried a bigger swallow. “That’s really good. It’s—I can’t think of the right word.”
“Hoppy,” he said. “IPAs are known for having a high hop content, and this is one of the hoppiest. I’m actually a little surprised you like it. IPA isn’t usually a good starter beer for people who aren’t used to it.”
“I love it. Actually, I might like to have my own.” She caught the server’s eye and signaled her for another, nudging her vodka soda aside.
She took the frosty pint from the bartender and folded her hands around it. “Thank you,” she said. “This is good enough to actually drink.”
“As opposed to what?”
“Holding it like a prop, which is mostly what I was doing before,” she said. “I might have to grab some food from the buffet so this doesn’t go straight to my head.”
“There’s a buffet?”
Kate nodded toward the hallway that led toward an area the owner had described as the Group Playroom. “It’s down there,” she said. “Apparently the buffet is the only place in the club where you’re not allowed to have sex.”
“There go my plans for the night.”
Kate grinned, though something about the gravel in his voice made her skin tingle pleasantly. She couldn’t keep her brain from picturing what Jonah might look like pushing aside the fruit platter, then reaching for his belt buckle and—
“I hear the food’s pretty good!” she said with a little too much enthusiasm. “They switch to breakfast at midnight.”
Jonah looked at her oddly and took a sip of his beer. “I guess people work up an appetite fucking each other senseless.”
“I guess so.” Kate took a deep breath and tried to focus on the job she was here to do. “The film editors will have their work cut out for them if we end up shooting here.”
“How do you mean?”
“All this nudity means a lot of editing. A lot of black boxes to add.”
“You really think they’d want to shoot here?”
“It’s perfect for the sort of salacious footage viewers love. Something a little taboo, a little forbidden—”
She stopped talking and took a sip of beer, hoping Jonah didn’t read too much into her words. Surely that’s what was happening here, right? She wanted him so badly because he was off-limits. It was as simple as that.
Glancing over, she saw his mossy amber eyes fixed on two couples headed up the spiral staircase in the corner. They reached the first landing and kept going, headed for the third level.
“The orgy bed is on the third floor,” Kate said. “In case you were wondering.”
“I wasn’t, but thanks.” Jonah sipped his beer and shook his head. “Holy shit. I feel like I’m getting an education here.”
“You and me both.”
He grinned and set his glass down, studying her with an intensity that made her skin hum again. “You know the Five Things exercise you had me do with Viv on set?”
Kate swallowed hard, wishing it didn’t bother her that he’d brought up his ex. “It’s a great exercise.”
“Right. Well, this is one of the five things I really admire about you,” he said.
Kate laughed, surprised by the turn in conversation. “That I drag you out to swingers clubs to spend time creepily staring at strangers?”
Jonah smiled and spun his glass on the bar. “I meant that you’re so open-minded. That you go out of your way to experience new things.”
“If you’re talking about orgies, I don’t think that’s on my bucket list.”
“I meant the beer, but good to know.”
“Right.” Kate grinned and sipped her beer. “Trying new things usually pays off for me. At least half the time, I end up discovering something I love.”
A heavyset man with tattooed arms the size of tree trunks skidded to a halt in front of them and looked at Kate. “If you want to try new things, there’s a frog chair up on the second floor. I could grab my wife and my girlfriend and the five of us could—”
“Actually, we’re just here observing for now,” Kate interrupted.
“For now,” Jonah agreed. “But the second you see my wife heading for the sex swing over there, that’s your signal to join us.”
The man grinned and gave them both a conspiratorial wink. “Got it. We’ll see you around.”
As the guy walked away, Kate leaned closer to Jonah. “You’re a whack job, you know that?”
“Hey, you’re the one who wanted to observe a swingers club,” he pointed out. “What better way to observe than to play along?”
“In case you hadn’t noticed, I’m not exactly dressed like I belong here.”
Jonah’s eyes skimmed over her body, and Kate reminded herself she’d just invited him to do it. It’s not like he was checking her out. He was just critiquing her choice of the fitted boat-neck dress with a zipper that ran all the way from knee to neck.
“I’ve never seen you wear white,” he said. “It looks good on you.”
“Thanks. It’s Amy’s dress, actually. She said it would glow under the black lights.”
“Amy has good taste. You should probably unzip it a little if you want to fit in.”
Kate started to laugh. He was kidding, after all. But something about his words made her feel bold. Like she wanted to surprise him.
She lifted her hand and caught the zipper pull between her thumb and forefinger. Jonah’s eyes widened as she tugged it, exposing a few inches of skin between her breasts. “Thanks for the tip.”
Jonah’s throat moved as he swallowed. “Thank you.”
Their gazes stayed locked for a moment, and Kate focused on breathing in and out. Jonah broke eye contact first, but he didn’t look away from her. He let his gaze travel down her body, slow like a caress. Kate shivered, watching as his eyes lifted to her cleavage and stayed there for a few beats.
Then he picked up his beer and took a sip, muttering something that sounded like “Christ on a motherfucking cracker.”
She wasn’t sure why, but it sounded like a compliment. Kate picked up her own beer and sipped it. “So what were the other four things?”
He looked back at her, startled, and Kate hurried to explain.
“You said there were five things you admired about me. I was curious about the other four.”
She held her breath, hoping that didn’t sound desperate. Hoping she sounded like a bold, confident woman instead of one who’d spent way too much time reading self-help books and practicing ways to infuse her voice with the perfect pitch of casual nonchalance.
“Let’s see,” Jonah said. “You’re smart. Not just book smart or look-at-me-and-my-vast-collection-of-abstract-expressionist-art smart. You’re intellectual, but you’re also clever. Good at thinking on your feet. I kept noticing that today during filming. Everyone kept hitting you up with technical problems or gripes about the timing, and you always seemed to find a solution to everything.”
Kate felt her chest swell, which was dangerous, considering the position of the zipper. She took a swallow of beer to keep from grinning like a big, dumb idiot.
“Thank you,” she said. “I love my job.”
“It shows.” Jonah spun his beer on the counter and studied her again. He wasn’t looking at her cleavage this time. He seemed to be taking in the whole package, a thought that thrilled Kate.
“Item number three: you’re tenacious,” he said. “You don’t take no for an answer, whether it’s from me or Viv or the TV people. Someone puts up a wall, you find a way over it, under it, or around it.”
Kate had a hard time breathing. How did he know what to say? That he was homing in on the things that made her proudest. The things she liked most about herself instead of the things she wanted desperately to change.
She swallowed hard, not sure if she wanted to hug him or kiss him. Neither seemed like a good idea in a swingers club, so she was grateful when he kept talking.
“Number four: you’re kind,” he said. “I watched you make up a plate of food for that camera guy who hadn’t gotten a break all day. I watched how you interacted with Sam and Elena. How that guy from the network kept trying to get her to cry, but you called for a break in filming. I get it, you guys need the tears for the show—but you know these are human beings you’re working with. You’re not willing to crush someone’s spirit for the sake of ratings.”
Kate swallowed hard, feeling a pinprick of tears behind her eyes. No one had ever talked to her like this. Not even Anton, when they’d done the Five Things exercise themselves. He’d fired off single-word descriptors like he was choosing them at random from a thesaurus, while Kate had stood there with her own two-page list gripped in a trembling fist.
“Jonah—” she said, wanting to thank him. Wanting to stop him. Wanting something else she knew she shouldn’t want but still desperately, urgently did.
He grinned. “Okay, it’s your turn.” He picked up his beer and took a gulp before setting it back on the bar. “And yes, I know that was only four. You have to do me before I tell you the fifth.”
Kate’s brain short-circuited a little on do me, but she took a deep breath and picked up her beer. She took a cold swallow, trying to smooth down the lump that had formed in the back of her throat. She looked around the room, trying to get her bearings. Trying not to notice the couple in the corner, the woman whose naked back arched with desire as the man slid his palms up her thighs and beneath her leather skirt.
Kate shifted on her seat, undone by a heady mixture of desire and affection and the sense that this was probably not the setting Jonah and Viv envisioned when they’d written the Five Things exercise.
She licked her lips and set down the beer. “It feels like I’m just repeating what you said, but I really do admire your intelligence,” she said. “Not just your geeky trivia about theater plays and books and owls, but the more understated stuff. The way you don’t just guzzle beer, you study it. The way you learn the subtle nuances and what makes it all come together. I admire that.”
Jonah smiled and spun his beer around on the counter. A pair of lacy black panties hurtled through the air and landed on the bar next to him, but he never broke eye contact. “Thank you.”
“You’re selfless,” Kate continued. “I know you don’t parade around shirtless because you want to show off your hot bod, though you obviously have one.” Kate hesitated there, watching his eyes flicker. Watching his response. She held her breath, hoping she hadn’t crossed some line. “You know it’ll help find homes for the animals at your sister’s shelter. Hell, you created a cat sanctuary in your bookstore, even though you flat-out admitted you’re not a cat person.”
“I might be becoming one,” he admitted. “Marilyn’s been persuading me.”
“And that’s another thing I admire,” she said. “You’re not afraid to change your mind. You don’t dig in your heels and insist the thing you’ve always believed is the only way it can be. You let your heart be open to a cat when the right one came along. You listened to me tell you all the reasons you should do the show, even though you’d already decided not to do it. You allow yourself to be persuaded.”
Jonah took a swallow of beer, then set down the glass. He held her gaze for several long seconds, not saying a word. Kate held her breath.
“Maybe I just wanted to sleep with you,” he said slowly. “Did you consider that?”
Kate felt dizzy. She was still holding her breath, and her pulse throbbed in her head. The air was electric. Music throbbed and laughter trickled and sighs of pleasure drifted from somewhere far away, but all of it was background noise behind the echo of Jonah’s words in her head. She took a slow breath, wanting to savor these last few seconds before she said something with the power to change everything.
“Do you?” she murmured.
“Want to sleep with you?” Jonah nodded once. “Most urgently.”
Kate licked her lips. “But we—can’t.”
He said nothing. Just held her eyes with his, not blinking at all. In the dim lights of the bar, his amber-green eyes looked molten. Kate watched him, marveling at the stillness.
Nothing in her was still at all. Every nerve was firing at once. Her skin prickled with energy, and the damp heat behind her knee made her crossed legs slip apart.
The ball was in her court. She knew that. And she knew she wanted to grab it with both hands and run as fast as her shaky legs would carry her.
“Let’s go,” she whispered, then slipped off her barstool and headed for the door.
Jonah drove faster than he’d ever driven in his life, worried Kate might change her mind. Worried he might.
But as she pulled him out of the elevator and practically dragged him down the hall to her hotel room, it occurred to him she might want this as desperately as he did.
“For the love of all that’s holy, not now! Motherfucker!” Kate was jamming her card key into the lock with such force that Jonah considered the safety of his own appendages.
But a little risk seemed worthwhile at this point.
“Let me,” he said, and gently pried the card from her hand. He had the door open in two seconds, and then she was clawing at his shirt. Clothes went flying—shoes, belts, a bra Jonah hardly had time to appreciate before it was sailing across the room to land on the television.
But the view of Kate standing naked in front of him was worthy of much more appreciation.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said as he reached for her.
She gave a nervous little laugh and slid her fingertips over his pecs. “So are you. It’s no wonder women line up to watch you walk dogs down the street.”
“You’re the only woman I want watching me right now.”
God, that sounded cheesy. But she smiled anyway, and the heat in her eyes was enough to make him forget he was hopelessly out of practice at this. At taking his clothes off in the presence of another person and giving everything he had to mutual pleasure instead of standing like some motionless statue to be admired.
Somehow they made it to the bed, kicking aside covers and pillows as they fell into each other. He couldn’t get enough of her, touching arms and hips and belly and breasts and a few body parts whose names he couldn’t recall in his lust-addled state.
“Condom,” Kate panted as she let go of him and fumbled open a red plastic trunk the size of a small cooler. It was filled to the brim with foil packets, and Jonah felt alarmed again.
“How long are we planning to be here?”
Kate laughed and tore open a wrapper. “They’re for the show. It’s in the rider for all relationship-driven reality shows to have condoms on set at all times. I doubt they’ll miss one or two.”
“So it’s product-testing, then.” Jonah groaned as she slid the condom on, then rolled Kate onto her back. “Research.”
“Unexpected job perks.” Kate gasped as he slid inside her, and Jonah watched her fingers twist into the sheet. Then she let go and ran her hands up his back, holding on tight as he moved in and out of her.
The pressure built faster than he wanted, and he fought to keep his head in the game.
“Sex is the most natural expression of our humanness,” Viv coached in his brain. “When two people join together as—”
“Shut up,” Jonah growled.
“Sorry.”
“No! Not you. I swear, I just—”
“I know,” she murmured, smiling up at him.
And he thought maybe she did.
He moved again, and Kate arched tight against him, gasping with pleasure. He wondered if she really did know, if the voices in his head and the voices in hers were sometimes whispering the same words, hinting at the same old ghosts.
“Jonah, I’m—oh, God—”
He felt her break open beneath him, clenching and clawing and making the sweetest, most joyful cries he’d ever heard in his life. That’s all it took to undo him. He let go with a soft groan of his own, driving into her again and again until they both lay breathless in a shocked and sweaty pile of wonder.
When he finally rolled away, he pulled her with him. They lay facing each other for a few moments, breathing fast, with Kate’s eyes closed and her lashes fanned out on her cheeks.
“That was unbelievable,” he said.
Her eyes fluttered open, and she laughed softly as she reached up to brush hair from his eyes.
“I can’t say this is how I expected to end my day.”
“Me neither. But I’m glad it happened.”
“So am I.”
Neither of them said anything for a long while. They lay there wrapped in each other’s arms, legs twisted together and the sheets kicked somewhere near the foot of the bed. She shivered once, and Jonah reached down to pull the covers up. He arranged them over the top of their bodies, then pulled her close, nestling her snug against his chest. They were still facing each other, but so close you could barely slide a bookmark between their bodies.
“Kate.” He planted a kiss along her hairline, then another on her earlobe. “No matter what happens, this was never a mistake. Things like this don’t happen by accident.”
She opened her eyes and looked up at him. There was something wary in them, something startled. She started to pull back, but he held her against him.
“I didn’t mean that to sound ominous,” he continued. “I just meant—shit, that came out wrong.”
“No, I get it,” she whispered. “I think I know what you mean.”
Jonah tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and breathed in the grassy scent of her shampoo. “This might make things complicated,” he said. “Or maybe not. But no matter what, I don’t regret it. We were pulled into each other’s orbit for a reason.”
She stared at him for a few moments, then nodded. “I agree.”
Jonah stroked her hair again, needing to touch her. He lowered his mouth to hers, kissing her more gently than he had before. The urgency had ebbed, leaving them here in this big white bed wrapped in a feather duvet. They were just two people craving each other’s touch, exploring each other’s bodies, warming each other’s souls.
As Kate slid her palm over his shoulder blade, Jonah could almost pretend it was as simple as that.
Kate slipped into the bathroom sometime around five the next morning. She’d always been an early riser, and having Jonah spend the night in her bed had left her too flustered to sleep well. She kept opening her eyes to look at him, hardly believing this was real.
“No matter what, I don’t regret it. We were pulled into each other’s orbit for a reason.”
Okay, so he’d quoted his ex-wife in bed. Not a verbatim quote, exactly, but the part about being pulled into each other’s orbit was something Viv had used in But Not Broken.
It was possible he didn’t even know. It’s not like Viv had trademarked the expression, and it wasn’t such a unique turn of phrase that no one else could have said it. Kate probably wouldn’t have picked up on it at all if she hadn’t read Viv’s books a million times.
She stepped under the shower spray, trying to rinse the anxious thoughts from her head. They had a busy day of filming ahead of them, and so much to do.
Get footage of Sam and Elena walking in the park together.
Film Sam at his office for clips to demonstrate job stress.
Grab B-roll around downtown Seattle to lay groundwork for the second couple.
Try not to look like you just slept with Jonah Porter.
Kate was smiling before she knew it. She ordered herself to knock it off. This was serious business, after all. She could be jeopardizing her working relationship with Viv, her future on the show. Her whole career, dammit.
But still, she was glad it had happened. Grateful she’d had a chance to be with Jonah like that, no matter what came next.
She finished rinsing the conditioner from her hair and stepped out of the shower. Grabbing the lone towel off the rack, she dried herself off and wrapped up in one of the plush hotel robes. The towel rack was empty, so she padded back into the room and phoned the front desk with a whispered request for more towels.
“Hey there.”
His gravelly greeting made her turn, then smile at the sight of his tousled hair and his bare chest peeking over the edge of the sheet. “Hi.”
He smiled back and watched her with sleepy eyes at half-mast. “You’re up early.”
Kate padded back to the bed and sat down on the edge of it. Leaning down, she nuzzled the side of his neck, planting a soft patch of kisses just behind his ear.
“Mmm, that’s nice,” he murmured.
She sat up again, making her robe gape open in front. She started to reach for it, but Jonah caught her hand. “You’re so beautiful. I love looking at you.”
She smiled. “I should get dressed.”
Part of her didn’t want to, but she knew she couldn’t linger here all day. Jonah sat up and scrubbed his hands over his eyes. “I take it you’re an early riser?”
Kate nodded and stood up, cinching the belt on the robe. “It’s my secret to getting so much done in a day.”
Jonah groaned and flopped back on the bed. “I’m the opposite of an early riser,” he said. “A lazy ass?”
“You’re not lazy,” she said with a little more vehemence than she’d aimed for. But she remembered their conversation about dyslexics feeling lazy or stupid, and it seemed important that he know she didn’t believe that. “You’re one of the hardest-working guys I know. Your body clock is just different from mine.”
He reached up and brushed hair off her forehead. “I never told you the fifth thing, did I?”
She smiled and shook her head. “Nope.”
“It was a toss-up, actually.”
“Between?”
“Your willingness to look for the best in all people, or your stellar ass.”
Kate laughed and began shuffling through the closet. She stopped at a navy pencil skirt she’d always thought flattered the latter feature. “Which were you leaning toward?”
“Ass,” he admitted. “Might as well stick with Average Joe mode. But I appreciate the other stuff, too.”
Kate selected a V-neck top that dipped just a tiny bit lower than she normally chose for work. She felt sexy this morning, her skin humming with delicious energy.
She set the clothes on the dresser, pulled out a bra and panties, and began to get dressed. “You know, I only gave you three,” she said. “Last night at the club? I only told you three of the five things I appreciate most about you.”
“Intelligence, selflessness, and an openness to changing my mind,” Jonah recited. “Were there really two more, or did you just sleep with me so you wouldn’t have to come up with the rest?”
She laughed and fastened an earring on her left lobe. “Guilty as charged.” Slipping the other earring into place, she sat down on the edge of the bed again. “Actually, that’s not true at all. You want the other two?”
“Absolutely.”
“Loyalty,” she said. “And your sense of humor.”
“Why those?”
Kate pulled off her towel turban and began to rub her hair dry. “Well, sense of humor because it’s hands down the sexiest trait a guy can have,” she said. “And because you’ve been making me laugh from the first day we met. Since before we met, actually. Your parts in On the Other Hand were hilarious. There were so many things in that book that made me want to cry the first time I read it, but then I’d flip to one of your sidebars, and suddenly I’d be smiling again.”
Jonah reached up to catch her hand in his. He planted a kiss over the top of her knuckles before releasing it. “Why loyalty?”
“Because you’re always looking out for other people,” she said. “You came to my aid last night at the swingers club. You made sure Viv was really okay with you being part of the show before you agreed to do it. And you look out for others—the animals at your sister’s shelter, your sister herself.”
Something flashed in his eyes. A darkness Kate couldn’t quite place. Then it was gone, and she wondered if she’d imagined it.
“I think you’d like my sister,” he said.
The words startled her a little, the implication that she might actually meet his family. She knew that would never be possible, but—
“Speaking of my sister, Viv brought up a pretty decent idea yesterday.”
Kate went back to toweling her hair, ignoring the twinge in her gut. So what if he brought up his ex-wife while they both sat on the same bed they’d made love in the night before? Modern relationships were complicated, and this wasn’t even a relationship. It was only sex, wasn’t it?
Jonah must have seen something in her expression, because he reached up and touched the side of her face. “Hey. I know this is weird. Dating’s hard for anyone post-divorce, but when you throw in the high-profile nature of my previous marriage—”
“And the fact that your ex-wife is my longtime idol?”
“Yeah.” He smiled. “It makes things a little more raw.”
“It’s fine,” she said. “Like you said, nothing’s ever a mistake. Sometimes it just feels weird, that’s all.” Kate tucked a damp strand of hair behind her ear. “What were you saying about your sister?”
“Oh, right. You know how the network folks have been after me to shoot a bunch of footage with my shirt off?”
Kate grimaced. “For the record, that wasn’t my idea.”
“No, it’s fine. I’m actually okay with it, and I thought maybe we could tie it to Clearwater Animal Shelter. You know, explain why I do the whole shirtless dog-walking thing, maybe shoot a little promotional footage that draws attention to the shelter.”
“That’s kinda brilliant.” Kate beamed. “We can build a whole promotional campaign around it, really get people excited for the show before the pilot even airs.”
“I’m glad you like the idea.” He sat up and stretched, then glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand. “I should probably get going. I fed Marilyn in the evening, but she probably wants breakfast.”
“Not to mention we’re all shooting today.”
“Right.” Jonah gave her a lopsided smile. “Hopefully it won’t be too weird.”
“Oh, it will be.” Kate smiled and stood up again. “But I’m a professional. I deal with weird all the time.”
“Perhaps not this precise brand of it.”
“True. I don’t usually sleep with the stars of the shows I work on.” She turned to face the mirror, resting one hand on the headboard as she smoothed down the front of her skirt. “Just the camera crew. And the lighting guy. And the makeup artists. And the—”
She shrieked as Jonah grabbed her around the waist and pulled her back down on the bed. He tickled her until she was breathless from giggling and her cheeks were pink with laughter. Her blouse came untucked and her skirt hiked up and she gave serious thought to just crawling back in bed with him and calling in sick for the day.
Then he stopped tickling and planted a soft kiss on the tip of her nose, followed by one more on the lips. “Enough,” he said, taking his hands off her. “I suppose we both have to go to work.”
“Right.” Kate sat up reluctantly and heaved herself off the bed. She groaned as she glanced at the bedside clock. “Damn. I was hoping to be on set in fifteen minutes.”
“You’d better get ready, then.”
She pushed herself off the bed, then leaned down for one more kiss. Then she scuttled away, hustling toward the bathroom as Jonah eased off the bed behind her. “Let me just grab all my stuff out of here so you can shower and get ready,” she called.
“No rush,” he answered from the other room. “I’m going to see if I can get this complicated-looking contraption to make us some coffee.”
“And I’m going to see if I can use this complicated-looking contraption to dry my hair.” She pulled the blow dryer off the holder on the wall and started to switch it on when she heard the knock at the door.
She set the dryer down and poked her head out of the bathroom. “That’s housekeeping. I asked them to bring a couple more towels so you’d have one.”
Jonah looked up from where he was standing next to the door, fiddling with the coffeemaker. He wore nothing but a pair of blue-striped boxers, and Kate’s stomach did a somersault at the sight of all that flesh on display. How was it possible she wanted him again?
“I’ll get it,” he said. “You finish getting ready.”
“Thanks.” She picked up her hairbrush again and watched for a second as he moved toward the door. A faint track of parallel lines ran across one shoulder blade, and she remembered putting them there, raking her nails down his back as she arched under him.
Quit staring, she commanded herself as she slid back into the bathroom and faced the mirror.
Her finger was on the switch of the blow dryer when she heard the thunk of the door handle, followed by Jonah’s voice: “Thanks so much for—oh.”
Silence, followed by a familiar female voice.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?”