Obsession (The Plus One Chronicles) (17 page)

Her mother was trying. “Probably not.” Except her grandmother had been proud of Diana. But her mother had taken a big step by bringing her the music box. “I work long hours like you, and I’m getting more and more ambitious as I get stronger.”

A ghost of a smile eased some of the tension on her mom’s face, then it vanished. “I’ve been trying for days to think of what to say to you. I still don’t know.” She lifted her shoulders. “I don’t understand how I could be so wrong about so much.”

Kat saw the crossroads opening up before her. She could hold on to her anger and take the road to bitterness, or she could turn onto a road that might lead to some kind of relationship. “I was wrong too. For a long time, I was trying to be something I wasn’t. And I don’t think I ever really loved David.” Not like she loved Sloane. “But I lied to everyone including myself, trying to love him. Trying to be what I thought I should be instead of what I am.” Kat wasn’t thrilled to be having this conversation where her lingering customers, employees and bodyguard could hear, but at least she and her mom were talking.

Her mom studied her for a long second. “I used to be jealous of how you would talk to Grandma and the two of you laughed together. I wanted that but didn’t know how to get it. How to reach you. We didn’t seem to have anything in common. I could talk to Marshall, but I didn’t know what to talk about with you. When you started dating David and got engaged, we had something in common.”

Kat nearly dropped the music box in pure shock. “Mom…” She didn’t know what to say. Her mom was so smart, how was it possible she didn’t know how to talk to her own daughter? But Diana was more than an IQ. She was human with flaws like anyone else.

“That’s not your fault. It’s mine.” She nodded at Kat’s hand. “I wanted you to have the music box. And I wanted you to know I’m sorry.” She turned and walked out.

After carefully tucking her box back in the bag, Kat carried it into the kitchen.

Sunny sat at the worktable, her eyes brimming with curiosity. “So? What was that about?”

Feeling lighter than she had in a long time, Kat said, “I think that was a start.”

Chapter Twelve

“You know, this is the kind of stuff that leaves permanent emotional scars on a guy. It’s sadistically cruel for my mother and best friend to trick me.”

Kat grinned at Kellen. They were outside on the flagstone patio. Music blasted from the surround-sound speakers, and Kel was slightly buzzed from whatever was in the plastic cup he held. It was great to see him healthy, relaxed and enjoying the party to celebrate him and Diego becoming home owners.

“Shut up, the cake is awesome. Your guests are all talking about it. Okay,” she amended, “they might also be talking about how cool your house is, but mostly about the cake.”

“That’s not all they’re talking about. People are staring at you and Sloane.”

She was so not thinking about it. “Sloane attracts attention wherever he goes.” He stood across the patio, talking with Diego, John and a few other guys. The short-sleeved shirt left his arms bared for women to ogle. Those black jeans skimmed his mouthwatering butt and powerful thighs. Yeah, people stared at him.

“You too, Kat. You’ve both been all over the news. That video of the two of you now has over a million hits.”

Tearing her gaze from Sloane, she gaped at Kellen. “That many?”

“People are curious to find out what it is that drives a powerful man to want you.” Kel took a sip of his drink.

Kat should have gotten some wine or a shot of tequila. “Can we talk about something else?” Unable to help herself, she shifted her attention to Sloane. And sure enough, all the women watched him.

The thought of people looking at her and wondering why Sloane was with her fueled her own lingering doubts. Would she be enough for Sloane once Drake was gone and Sloane recovered? Or would he need a woman who’d fit his powerful and prominent lifestyle?

Stop it
. Sloane had given her more love and strength than she’d ever known, helping her learn to like herself as she was. What they had was special, but if he wanted to move on someday, she’d let him go without guilt. Then she’d hold close forever the memory of their love.

“Kat? Something wrong?”

“Nope.” Turning to Kellen, she switched the subject. “So what’s this about a pool? I heard Diego talking.”

His gaze flowed over her face, measuring. “You’re really okay?”

“I really am.” Conviction rode her voice. She meant it, she was okay. Maybe there was pain waiting for her, but at least she was living and feeling. Every day she had with Sloane was worth any amount of agony she might face later. She lifted her brows. “A pool?”

Kel must have believed her. “Not for a year or so. I want to finish paying off my school loans first, which my new salary and bonuses will make possible. But D loves a project. Having a year to plan a pool is like foreplay to him.”

Laughter gurgled up, replacing the earlier slice of anxiety. “He looks pretty happy.” Diego was describing something with big sweeping motions of his hands. “Hmm, does Diego want a water slide for the pool?” That was her best guess at interpreting his gestures.

“Well, it’s been ten minutes since the whole idea of a volleyball net, so probably.” Kel set his drink down, caught her hand and stood. “Let’s dance.”

“No way. I’m not dancing with all these people here.” It was different when they were all hanging out at home trying to teach Diego to dance. Kat wasn’t self-conscious then.

But now? With everyone here and people dancing on two good legs? Nope.

“Come on, Kat. Diego dances like a donkey on roller skates. At least you won’t stomp on my feet.”

“No, I’ll just fall on my ass.”

“No worries, that won’t hurt my toes at all.”

Kat couldn’t help it, he was ridiculous. Glancing around, she saw that Sloane and Diego had disappeared and John was dancing with Sherry. “Fine.” She let him pull her to her feet.

Kel beamed his dimples at her. “Awesome!” He dragged her to the center of the dance area set up on the patio.

His good mood was infectious. “How buzzed are you?”

“Not enough to let you fall. Let’s start slow.” He slipped his arms around her, one hand on her back. “Then we’ll stir up some trouble.”

Kat perked up. “Yeah? Who’s the target?”

Kellen got a wicked gleam in his hazel eyes. “I’m thinking my new boss. He should be up to it.”

Kat glanced over at John dancing with Sherry. Totally. “You thinking
Dirty Dancing
?”

“It’s a classic.”

* * *

Sloane nodded to people as he went to look for Kat. Diego had been showing him the home theater room, and he’d lost track of time. The party was in full swing, music pouring from the surround sound out on the patio. Kat’s voice caught his attention.

“Kel, spot him in case he drops her.”

“I’m not going to drop my wife.” John’s voice was exasperated.

Coming to a halt, Sloane ignored the crowd that had cleared a space in the center of the patio to lock in on Kat. She had her back to him. Damn, she looked sexy as hell wearing a shirt that bared her slender back almost to her ass. Her white jeans hugged her from her hips to her ankles and finished off with a pair of strappy blue flat sandals. She’d done something to make her hair crimp softly.

As if feeling his stare, Kat turned around, her eyes hitting his.

That familiar sensation kicked in his chest, a sweet and sexy connection he’d never had with anyone else. Electric awareness rippled over his skin. He knew by the slight lift of her eyebrow she was up to something. “What are you doing, Kitten?”

Her face was flushed, her eyes sparking mischief. “Ever seen
Dirty Dancing
?”

“Possibly, but certainly not of my own free will.”

She ignored that. “John’s going to do that lift at the end of the movie with Sherry. Can you get on his other side? Don’t let Sherry fall.”

“Why is your woman insulting me?” John demanded. “When have I ever dropped my wife?”

That would never happen. “I think the better question is how the hell you got roped into doing this?” Sloane really wanted to know.

“Kat dared him.” Sherry flashed her all-American-girl grin. “Said he couldn’t do the lift Patrick Swayze did in the movie. It’s much too hard.”

He raised his brows at Kat. He was used to women following him, clinging and becoming a nuisance. Not his baker girl who found ways to keep herself amused. Once, she’d hidden, but now? Shined like the fucking North Star. “This is the trouble you start when I leave you alone?”

She shrugged, her eyes wide and innocent. “Kellen started it.”

“Did he now?” She looked so damned luscious, and that gloss on her lips made him hungry to lick it off.

“We started talking about the sexiest movie ever while we were dancing. Sherry and I said it was
Dirty Dancing
.”

“Wrong.” Sloane wondered how women came up with such lame choices. “It’s
Basic Instinct
.”

John nodded. “In my top five.”

“Exactly my point,” Kat huffed out. “Men refuse to acknowledge
Dirty Dancing
because of the lift. Most men can’t do a controlled lift of a woman over their head. They’re threatened by it.”

“Ah.” Now he saw how this had happened. “Really, John? You walked right into their trap and said you could do it?”

His neck flushed. “Well I can.”

No shit. John could dead lift twice Sherry’s weight. “Kitten, did you trap my best friend into a demonstration for your amusement?”

She shot him a full-bore smile that nearly dropped him to his knees. “Count yourself lucky, champ. I could have gotten you to fall for it too.”

“No doubt about that.” He moved close enough to see her nipples pebble beneath that pretty blue shirt. Clearly she wasn’t wearing a bra to torture him. He dragged his gaze up to hers. “You got me to fall for you.”

Her eyes managed to get wider. “Sloane, hush. People are here.”

“That’s how it works at a party, baker girl. People show up to eat, drink and watch men like John get roped into putting on a dance demo.”

“Hey.” John crossed his arms. “I just said I could lift Sherry in that stunt.”

“Dude, you’ve been had by pros. I’m guessing these two have pulled this before.”

Kat grinned. “If I can’t dance, then I’ll be the puppet master who makes others dance.”

Swear to God, his heart muscle was doing some weird shit. Swelling with pride in her and twisting with pain that she couldn’t dance like she once had. But Kat didn’t look unhappy about that. Her radiant smile told him she really didn’t care. Her music was her baking. Dancing was just fun. “You can dance with me, baby. But right now, go torture John.”

“Only with spotters. Seriously, I know John’s strong enough to do the lift, but accidents happen.”

Yep, his heart was definitely doing weird shit. “Kel, you take John’s left, I’ve got his right.”

Even the people who had been inside the house made their way out to watch.

“Sherry, you’re going to run, bend your knees and jump.” Kat turned to John. “Catch her right here.” She put her hands on her abdomen to show him. “And complete the lift using the momentum her jump creates. You have to control it, stopping her dead center over your head. It’s easy to overbalance.”

John nodded.

Kat limped over to Sherry. “You need to hold your form so John can balance you. Similar to a cobra pose, arms out to the side, back and legs curved so your hands and feet are even.”

“Piece of cake.” Sherry winked then looked at her husband. “You drop me, you’re getting up with the kids tomorrow morning.”

“And if I don’t?”

“You’ll still get up, but you’ll do it with a grin.”

Laughter mixed with suggestions on how John would get that grin.

Sloane shook his head. As long as Kat thought the attention was on John and Sherry, she was having a great time. She didn’t seem to realize that people were staring at her, totally entranced. Seeing Kel’s small smile, he said, “You suggested this?”

“She was stiff and self-conscious about dancing with me. Thought I’d take her mind off it.”