Keeping Katie (6 page)

"There's a stone bench I found the other day in the garden. We can have our tea break out there." He led the way out the door and she followed.

Katie pulled open the biscuit container and took the cup of tea he had poured for her from his thermos. They sat in a secluded section of the overgrown garden. A few statues of half-naked Greek women were littered about the grounds. He handed her a cup. They were both silent while they sipped the tea. Jordan took a large bite out of the biscuit, allowing a moan of appreciation to escape.

"Fuck, Katie, these are fantastic. You make them?"

She nodded nibbling on her own. "My grandpa liked his cakes and biscuits. I did all the cooking at home." She really was a walking handy man's fantasy. His fantasy.

"You must have made him proud. Can I ask?" He paused not wanting to ask any sensitive questions.

"I'm sure he was proud. He used to tell me so before he got sick." Her eyes grew sad.

"Where are your parents?"

"Dead. Grandpa looked after me since I was ten, then I looked after him when he got sick."

"Oh, Katie, I'm sorry." He put his arms around her shoulders to give her a comforting squeeze. She leaned into him. It felt good just holding her. She drew in a long breath.

"Was he sick long?"

"Eight years with Alzheimer's. He couldn't even remember who I was for the last two years."

Jordan couldn't begin to understand the pain Katie must be feeling. Both his parents were still functioning. He had grown up in a secure loving home. "You spent all that time alone, looking after him?"

Katie nodded, drawing in a breath as if trying to fight back tears. He ran his hand up and down her arm in a comforting gesture.

"My aunt and uncle are all that is left of my family now. They offered me a place to live while I decide what to do with my life."

"Seems you need to get out and enjoy yourself--live a life you've been denied. Did you get to finish school? I mean, I hear people with Alzheimer's need a lot of care."

She gave a nod. "I was able to study through a program from home then did a high school equivalent exam. So in a manner I did finish school. My grandpa made me promise I would before he lost all his mental reasoning. But I had to stay with him all the time."

A lot of things were starting to click into place with Katie. Shy, innocent, and inexperienced, she had been hidden away from the world, but not for much longer. If only he could get up the courage to ask her out. Maybe he didn't have to ask her out.

He could just take her home. An idea began to form in the back of his brain.

"I can't begin to understand what you've been through, Katie. All I can say is I'm grateful you're here, not just as your boss, but I hope you can consider me a friend."

She drew in another slow breath, giving him a lovely smile. "Thank you. I like you a lot, Jordan."

Her lovely innocent blue eyes full of trust, he found himself falling fast for this beautiful woman. "You ever go out with boys?" he asked before he could stop himself.

She blushed. "No, never got the chance, but I'm kind of going on my first date tomorrow night. I know it's pathetic, a twenty two-year-old woman going on her first date." She gave a laugh.

Jealousy coursed through Jordan's veins, fighting back the words to tell her she should go out with him instead of this supposed date. This date was probably some insipid fumbling youth just looking for a quick lay.

"Katie, you're far from pathetic. You're sweet, smart and beautiful. In fact, should you be going out with this guy? I mean, what will your aunt and uncle say? Maybe you need a chaperone or just not go out with him at all. I don't want you taken advantage of." He was acting like an idiot, but he couldn't seem to help himself around Katie.

He'd known her for less than two days.

He wanted her with a desperation he couldn't quite handle. He hadn't felt like this since the first time he had seen Jack standing outside his apartment in just his boxers and T-shirt. Jordan wanted to be Katie's first. He wouldn't let someone else take that from him. Katie pulled back from his embrace to stare at him before giving a laugh.

"You're too sweet, Jordan." She surprised him by planting a kiss on his cheek. "Are you offering to chaperone me?" There was a mischievous twinkle in her eyes.

"If it keeps you safe, I'll happily stand guard with my sharpened axe ready to hack him to pieces if he even looks at you the wrong way."

She laughed.

"I'm far from a silly teenage girl. I think it's time I get out and experience life and all the pleasures it has to offer."

Jordan was staring at her lush lips. They were so close, feeling her body heat seeping into his outer thigh.

"Katie, I..." It was barely a whisper. Her breath quickened slightly as she looked up at him. Oh god, she licked her lips, wetting them as if she knew what he was thinking.

He couldn't stand it any longer; he had to kiss her. He lowered his head. "Can I kiss you, Katie?"

Her answer was a soft whimpered yes that drove him crazy with lust.

He could feel her soft breath. His lips had barely touched hers when a loud horn blaring nearby tore them apart. Jordan wanted to beat the blarer of that horn to death.

She stood up, spilling her now cold tea. The horn blared again and a male voice yelled for Jordan.

Katie was looking wide-eyed and somewhat confused. She wasn't the only one.

"I think the electrician's here," she mumbled, looking embarrassed. She fumbled with the lid of the biscuit box. He jumped up, grabbing her hand.

"Sorry, Katie, I tried, I mean, I..." Oh fuck, he'd screwed this up. "I want us to be good." She looked at him before giving him a soft smile.

"We are good." She squeezed his hand then stood up on tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

"Now, go see to the electrician."

Jordan conceded, gave a quick nod then released her hand. Jordan went to see and strangle the electrician. All he could do was think horrible, angry thoughts in order to make his cock deflate.

~ * ~

Katie drew in a deep breath to steady herself. Crikey, he had almost kissed her. She wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to kiss him. She may be innocent in a lot of ways but not so naive not to have noticed Jordan's hard bulge in his pants. It seemed he wanted to do more than just kiss, and she found she wanted it too. Hell, she was already walking around with damp panties as fresh cream flooded between her thighs every time he looked at her. Her nipples could be registered lethal weapons they were so hard. Thank goodness she had worn a loose top to work over her usual long sleeved shirts.

She prayed she would make it through the day without making a total fool of herself by throwing herself at Jordan. She smiled, thinking about the way Jordan had acted over their 'almost kiss.' The way he had asked her showed he was attracted to her; any blind person could see that.

How could she want someone so badly after knowing him for less than a day? It was craziness. Her thoughts turned toward Jack Cullen. Her stomach fluttered, thinking about the kiss he'd given her. How could she want him just as much as she did Jordan? She was very confused. "All right, I think I'm officially crazy," she muttered to herself as she walked back to the old house to do some more work.

Three o'clock rolled around. Jordan had been kept busy with the electrician, so Katie had taken her lunch break by herself. Her arm ached from constant use of the plastering trawl. She had managed to finish the dining room, the kitchen and had started on the main foyer but was almost out of mixable plaster. She was still working in the foyer as Jordan walked the stout, bald headed electrician to the front door. The electrician gave her a wink as he passed her.

"You sure you can get the rest finished on Monday?" Jordan said in a serious tone.

"Not a problem. All I need to do is put in the fittings; make sure you have the ones you want."

Katie watched as Jordan gave a nod and let the man out the door. Jordan swiveled around to look at her once the electrician was gone, his hazel eyes dancing with amusement.

"It's Casper the sexy ghost."

"What?" She glanced up in confusion.

He laughed. "Have a look at yourself, Katie." She glanced down at her work clothes and smiled. She was covered in plaster mess.

"Oh, I see."

"Pack up the trawl and plaster, Katie, I'm taking you home," Jordan said with a mischievous smile. "I'll lock up." Katie cleaned out her bucket and trawl by the back tap, putting them and the ladder back into Jordan's work truck. She was just closing up the back when Jordan came around.

"Right, in you go." He took Katie's arm, opened the passenger door, and practically pushed her inside.

"But my scooter," Katie protested.

"I locked it in the shed, don't worry. I'll bring you back to pick it up later." Jordan closed the passenger door, walking around to climb in the truck cab. Katie sighed and fastened her seat belt.

"Well, you are the boss." Jordan gave her a sexy smile, making her pulse race.

Damn, the man was gorgeous.

"Yup, so doing what I ask is imperative, well mostly."

She gave a laugh as he started the truck and drove out of the property.

~ * ~

They stopped at a Wolseley trade centre to get supplies. Jordan insisted she help him pick out light fittings. He took her hand, pulling her round to each section. Katie laughed, enjoying Jordan's enthusiasm for shopping for hardware. They acquired more plastering, pipes, timber, wiring and other supplies they needed for the on-going renovation of his old Victorian. With everything packed into the work truck, they climbed back in.

"It's my turn to grocery shop this week," he said as he drove his truck down towards the east village. "It's not my most favourite of things to do. Would you help an undomesticated male with the shopping, Katie?" He gave her one of those sheepish looks.

"Okay, but what do you mean by your turn?"

"Oh, picked up on that huh? I share an apartment with ah, uh, um, mate. We plan to move into the Victorian once the restorations are complete." Jordan was looking somewhat uneasy, as if there was something he wasn't quite telling her. But Katie let it slide. She was having too much fun to want to spoil it.

"You have a shopping list?" she asked.

"Ahh, no, do I need one?"

"Well, do you know what you need or are running low on?"

"Uh, food?"

Katie stared at Jordan in astonishment.

"What do you eat at home?"

Jordan gave a shrug. "Pasta, and a lot of microwave meals."

Katie gave a groan of pity. "Didn't your mother teach you how to cook?"

"Well, she taught me how to use a microwave," he said with a touch of pride. "Mom isn't the best of cooks either." Jordan suddenly brightened. "Hey, I remember we need orange juice and milk."

Katie saw she had her work cut out for her with Jordan. They parked and went into the supermarket. It was her turn to drag Jordan around the shops, explaining easy ways to make meals. Slowly they filled the cart. Jordan was like a big kid. He kept putting in sweets, candied bananas, UFO's lollies and cakes. She kept taking them out.

"Behave yourself or I'll make you sit in the truck," she scolded playfully.

Jordan stuck his hands in his pockets, pretending to sulk. She packed everything up as Jordan paid. With the truck loaded, they drove across to an unfamiliar side of town.

"I'll have to dump you and the shopping on the sidewalk while I park the truck."

Jordan handed her a key. "If you want to start taking it inside, I'll be around directly.

It's number thirteen there." He pointed to the row of terraced apartments.

She jumped out of the truck and swiftly unloaded the grocery bags onto the sidewalk.

Jordan drove off. She picked up as many bags as she could carry, leaving two on the pavement. She dropped them at the front door before going back to retrieve the other two bags. She pushed in the key and opened the door, gathered up the bags, and walked into Jordan's apartment. It was nice, in the tones of black and white, very modern. She manoeuvred around a black leather sofa, careful not to touch anything, as she was still covered in white plaster mess. She easily found the kitchen in the large open space. After dumping the bags on the kitchen counter, she went back for the others. Jordan had beaten her to them.

"I got these. I'll show you where the shower is located. Please ignore any mess. Both Jack and I are busy people. You understand."

"Jack?" The image of Jack Cullen sprang into her head but she quickly dismissed it; there must be thousands of Jacks in London.

"Yeah, my um... the guy I share with." Katie gave a laugh. "Is he as undomesticated as you?" She followed Jordan down the hall. He opened a door. "I'll get you some clothes if you don't mind wearing guys' stuff for a bit."

"Thanks, um, what about you?" She looked at Jordan's sweaty body and dirty clothes. Self-consciously she licked her lips. She wouldn't mind a taste of his salty, sweaty skin. He smelled so male, so masculine.

"I'll use Jack's en-suite. He won't mind." Jordan's gaze was suddenly intense with that same hungry look she had seen before. He moved in closer. His body was mere inches away from hers.

"Katie, sweetheart, don't look at me like that or I may not be able to help what happens next," Jordan said in a low husky tone which sent a shiver down her spine.

It made her belly constrict.
Be brave, be brave.
She chanted in her head. She sucked in a breath and reached up her hand to run over Jordan's stubble cheek. It felt so good to touch him. He closed his eyes briefly, his expression reverent as if savouring her touch.

"Maybe I want what happens next," she whispered softly. Oh god, did she really say that? It was out and she couldn't take it back. She didn't want to take it back. She wanted this. This is what she had been waiting and hoping for, a man to finally make love to her, not just any man, but Jordan.

In a heartbeat Jordan's mouth covered hers in a crushing kiss. He pressed her against the doorframe of the bathroom. Katie could feel his erection pressing into her hip as his tongue ran across her bottom lip and demanded access. Her mouth opened willingly and he plunged in, delving to ravage every part of her mouth, tasting her, sucking her tongue back into his. Her hand slid up his shoulders and into his hair; she whimpered softly as her whole world seemed to spin around her. She clung to him. Her legs felt as weak as water. Jordan plundered her mouth over and over again. He tasted so good. For her second kiss ever, Katie felt that it had been well worth the wait, and now she needed to make up for lost time.