Authors: Kate Perry
Project Daddy (22 page)
They froze when they saw us.
“Kat?” Luc asked. His voice was colored with disbelief and something subtle I couldn’t identify.
I blushed and jumped back from Drake. “Luc. Um, hi.” I smiled as brightly as I could. “Fancy meeting you here.”
“Yes, it is a surprise, isn’t it?” Lydia said coldly, glaring at Drake.
I shot tentative looks back and forth between Lydia and Drake. There were definitely still sparks between them, so potent you could feel the energy. I just hoped I wouldn’t be zapped in the cross fire.
Drake took my arm. “Let’s go up to our room, Katherine.”
“Your
room
?” Luc’s eyes bugged out.
room
?” Luc’s eyes bugged out.
Gulp. “Did you know cows have oval pupils?”
Drake tugged my arm. His grasp was so firm I had no choice but to follow him up the stairs.
When we got to our room (up the stairs and at the end of the hall) and closed the door, Drake grinned and grabbed me in a hug. “That was fantastic.”
“It was?” I’d thought it was pretty wretched myself. I’d almost thrown up, I’d been so nervous.
“Did you see the way they looked at us? This is going to take less time than I originally thought.” He hugged me again before heading for the wet bar and pouring himself some whiskey (at least, that’s what I think it was).
“Drake.”
“Hmm?” He glanced at me over his shoulder.
“Why was Lydia so upset?”
He shrugged and sipped his drink.
“Drake?”
“Well, if you want to know the truth, this is where Lydia and I came when I proposed to her.”
“You actually
proposed
to her?
Here?”
I’d never known my voice could squeak that high.
proposed
to her?
Here?”
I’d never known my voice could squeak that high.
He gave me a sidelong look before going to the mantle I hadn’t noticed and turning a knob.
Instant raging fire.
He sprawled on a cushy-looking chair. “I told you I meant to marry her.”
“Yes, but ...” He actually proposed to her.
Here
.
Here
.
Shit. I grabbed my purse, which I’d dropped inside the door when we walked in, and rifled through it for my handheld.
“Katherine, have a seat. Enjoy the room for the night.”
“Can’t.” Aha. Here it was. “I need to get my résumé together right away since I’m not going to have a job come Monday morning.”
He chuckled, stood up, and walked to me. He gently pried the device out of my hands and guided me to a couch. “Sit down and relax.”
Dropping my head in my hands, I groaned. How did my life rage out of control so completely?
Drake pushed a glass in my hand and I absently sipped it, trying to come up with a strategy to get everything back on track.
Then I choked as it lit a fire down my throat.
“What is this?” I managed to gasp.
“Scotch.”
I sniffed it and choked again on the fumes. Tempting to lose myself in an alcohol haze again ...
No.
I set the glass firmly on the coffee table in front of me. That’d make me no better than my father.
“Relax, Katherine. Everything will work out.” He patted my shoulder. “I’ll have my driver pick up some food and you can watch a movie if you want.”
Luc forced me to watch movies every now and then, saying I needed it to be able to understand popular culture. I always told him it was a waste of money.
Secretly I loved them. The sappier the better.
I noticed the large TV in the corner. Which made me take stock of the rest of the room. It was lavish—more so than I had expected. Dark wood furniture, some of it antique looking. Paintings of the coast. Pretty vases filled with autumn-colored flowers. And a four-poster bed covered in lace and pillows.
It was huge.
I swallowed, unable to tear my eyes from it. “Uh, Drake?”
“Hmm?”
“What are the sleeping arrangements?”
“You get the bed, of course. Though it’s big enough.”
“Oh.” I wilted in relief. “Okay.”
I poked around the room while he talked to his driver on his cell phone. The room really was impressive. But I’d never been to an inn before. The last time I’d been in a hotel was the first time I’d had sex, and that was a Motel 8. I’d always wondered if Motel 8 rented by the hour, because Kevin, the guy I was dating, was done and ready to go in record time. The second time I didn’t even rate that—we did it in his car.
No wonder I’d never tried sex again, huh?
The evening turned out better than I could have hoped. Drake had his driver bring us steaks and baked potatoes from a local restaurant, and I gorged out in front of the TV while I warmed my feet with the fireplace.
And
there was cheesecake.
And
there was cheesecake.
The only way it could have been better was if Luc was there with me instead of Drake.
I frowned at my dessert, thinking about him. And Lydia. And what they were probably doing right now.
Drake must have sensed my thoughts because he looked up from the paperwork he was doing (also in front of the fireplace). “It’s okay. They’re too disturbed by the thought of us being here to do anything tonight. Right now, they’re wondering what we’re doing.” He grinned. “We have the honeymoon suite, after all.”
I was only slightly reassured by his confidence. I still had trouble believing anyone could be with a woman like Lydia and not want to get it on. I mean, hell,
I’d
want to get it on if I were with her.
I’d
want to get it on if I were with her.
That wasn’t something I needed to think about. I concentrated on finishing my cheesecake while the movie on TV came to its conclusion. But as soon as it was over I brushed my teeth, washed my face, and got into bed.
It felt strange to be in bed while there was another person moving around the room. I couldn’t fall asleep, listening instead to all the little noises Drake made.
It amazed me what you could learn from a person just by listening to him. For instance, Drake was a compulsive multitasker. He couldn’t even just brush his teeth without doing something else simultaneously. Listening to the whisking sound of his toothbrush against his teeth as he moved stealthily around the room, I got so curious I had to turn around and look.
With my unmagnified vision, it looked like he was going through a contract. And brushing.
“Did you know that every year there are over one hundred thousand toothbrush accidents reported in emergency rooms?”
He glanced over at me.
I nodded. “All attributed to people walking or running while brushing.”
I thought he rolled his eyes but decided it must have been a trick of the lighting. That just didn’t seem like something he’d do.
He
did
go back to the bathroom and finish up, though. At least he had sense. I wasn’t sure what to do if he suddenly tripped and had a toothbrush puncture his palate. I turned around and punched my pillow a couple times to settle in.
did
go back to the bathroom and finish up, though. At least he had sense. I wasn’t sure what to do if he suddenly tripped and had a toothbrush puncture his palate. I turned around and punched my pillow a couple times to settle in.
I heard the lights click off and the slight rustling as he got into the covers I’d laid out for him on the couch. Then I heard him turn over. And turn over. And turn over again.
I sighed. This was ridiculous.
I flopped over. “Why don’t you just sleep here? There’s enough room.” The king-size bed was at least twice as big as the full in my apartment.
There was a pause in the darkness. Then he asked, “Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Even if he encroached on my side, there’d still be a couple of feet of space between us, that’s how big the bed was.
“Thank you. The couch leaves a little to be desired as a bed.”
More rustling and then I felt the covers lift and the bed shifted. I held my breath—this was the first time I’d ever slept with anyone. I mean, except for when I used to climb in bed with my parents when I was a little girl.
I stayed tense, listening to Drake’s breathing. Soon, it evened out and I could tell he’d fallen asleep. I relaxed.
Actually, it was kind of soothing having his presence there. I cuddled into my pillow and let the rhythm lull me to sleep.
A knocking on the door jerked me upright. I blinked a few times, squinting at the room around me. Where was I?
I almost shrieked when the covers next to me lifted. Then it all came back to me. Luc, the inn, honeymoon suite, Drake. By the way the pale coastal sunlight illuminated the room, I gathered it was morning.
Drake swung his feet out of bed, muttering the whole time. I grinned—he wasn’t a morning person. Who would have thought it?
He wore only his boxer shorts, and I took a moment to admire his body. He had to be in his late thirties or early forties. I don’t know what I expected, but I should have known it would be as hard and chiseled as his personality.
He stalked to the door and yanked it open. “Yes?”
I fumbled for my glasses—didn’t I put them on the nightstand next to me? Yes—there they were. I slipped them on and got up on my knees to see who was there. Maybe it was room service with a delectable breakfast of French toast and strawberries. Did they have room service in this type of inn?
But it wasn’t room service, I saw to my dismay. It was Luc.
I tried to gauge whether Luc looked satiated in that
just had incredible sex for the past eight hours
kind of way. I didn’t think he did—more like he’d had curdled milk—but I wasn’t exactly an expert on ecstasy.
just had incredible sex for the past eight hours
kind of way. I didn’t think he did—more like he’d had curdled milk—but I wasn’t exactly an expert on ecstasy.
Luc gave Drake and his boxer shorts (cringe) a quick perusal and then looked toward the bed. I saw his every expression as he took in the messy covers. Then his gaze lit on me.
I looked down. Shit. My T-shirt had ridden up, giving the guys full view of my underwear—another new pair from Luc. I wondered if he recognized it.
I pulled the shirt down over my knees and huddled, giving him a faint smile. “Hi, Luc.”
For a second I was afraid he was going to explode. I mean, his ears went red and everything. I wasn’t sure I’d ever seen him that angry. He’d been angry when he found out I hocked the calculator he gave me, but compared to now that was like mild irritation. Even when his father forbade him to go to massage school he didn’t appear so livid.
Then he said to me through gritted teeth, “I’d like to speak to you. Later.” He nodded at Drake and walked out.
Drake closed the door and turned around with a big grin on his face. “This is fantastic.”
“This is terrible,” I said at the same time, dropping my head onto my knees.
“No, it’s fantastic. At this rate, our mission will be accomplished by this afternoon.”
Drake was wrong. Didn’t he see the expression on Luc’s face? At this rate I was never going to have my best friend back.
Thing of it was, I wasn’t sure I wanted Luc as just a best friend anymore.
“Hey.”
The bed dipped as Drake sat down. I flinched the first time I felt his hand pat my head.
“It’s going to be okay,” he reassured me. “Everything will work out. It’ll all be in perspective after a shower and some breakfast.”
I nodded unenthusiastically, cursing the day Lydia gave me the secret assignment and ended my life as I knew it.
“You take a shower, I’ll take care of the food.” He nudged me. The way I was perched with my legs folded under my nightshirt, I toppled right over.
Drake chuckled.
I glared at him as I untangled myself. Glad someone was having a good morning.
I huffed out of bed, slamming the bathroom door. God, that was satisfying.
During my shower I realized what a simpering coward I’d been. Here Drake was willing to help me regain Luc’s friendship and I was acting like a wimp. I needed to buck up and go for what I wanted—Luc. With the same tenacity that I’d pursued my dream of owning a home. Hey—I needed a new goal anyway, considering my home was a long shot in the foreseeable future.
Because it was a bathroom to luxuriate in, I took my time getting ready. This was the kind of bathroom I’d always dreamed of—airy and clean, with a big claw-foot tub. As I dried off, I decided before we left I’d take at least one long bath. I couldn’t remember the last time I took one. My apartment only had a shower.
I emerged with a renewed purpose. To top it off, French toast was waiting for me. I wasn’t sure life could get much better. (I mean, except for having Luc here instead of Drake. And having my own home. And still having a job I loved.)
“You look much improved.”
I smiled at Drake, who sat at the little dining table sipping coffee. “I am. Sorry about earlier—”
He shrugged. “It’s been a stressful time.”
“Well, I’m over it.” I sat down and tried not to drool over the luscious food.
Panic didn’t hit me until Drake was in the shower and I was left alone to contemplate meeting with Luc. I wondered what later meant. I recalled the fury on his face and winced. Next year sounded good to me.
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