Rebound (22 page)

Finally, his fingers found the destination of their slow ascent. Katrine let out a breath and closed her eyes. He started to kiss Katrine deeply while continuing his gentle manual assault. She reached down and started to undo his pants and started a manual assault of her own. He moaned into her mouth and what had started slow became more urgent. Katrine didn’t want his fingers, she wanted him, inside her, now. She increased her speed and he received the message, loud and clear. He stopped and removed her dress and she his shirt. He went to remove her bra and while he reached behind her for the hooks, he lightly sucked her through the silky material. This brought a breathy exhale from Katrine’s throat. She finally lay naked, bare to the night sky. She felt exposed in the best possible way. He leaned down, lightly licking each of her nipples and continued up her chest and neck. There was no pressure on her skin, just the soft wet glide of his tongue. As he removed the last pieces of his own clothing, their eyes locked for one brief, perfect moment. There was a warm breeze brushing across her skin as she offered herself to him. And when the fireworks reached their dramatic crescendo across the ink-colored sky, he slowly pressed forward, and the sweet coincidence was not lost on her. Laying on the roof, vulnerable to the heavens, made the encounter more intense than any Katrine had ever experienced. It felt as if she and Xander were the only two people in existence.

They stayed on the roof for some time enjoying the feel of each other’s skin as the sweet, soft music drifted over them. She thought it was Vivaldi’s ‘Oboe Concerto’ playing when Xander looked down at her. The expression on his face scared her a bit, she had never seen it before.

“What is it, what’s wrong?” she said, as she cupped his face tenderly.

He didn’t say anything right away. When he finally spoke he said, “This is one of the best nights of my life and I was just thinking how glad I am, that I was sent here, to meet you.”

He couldn’t really believe he was saying this out loud. 

She saw such sincerity in his eyes that it made tears come into hers. “Xander...”

“Shhh, you don’t have say anything. I just wanted you to know.” He leaned down and gave her a soft kiss on her lips, tucking a stray wisp of hair behind her ear.

“Well.... I was just going to tell you that this has been the best fourth of July that I can remember. I will never again be able to watch fireworks without getting horny.” She smiled up at him. 

“Come on, let’s go back down. I want to put on my pjs, plus I really need to tinkle.”

“Tinkle, really?” He shook his head at her and laughed. “Oh, Katrine. I have never met anyone like you and I am afraid all others will pale in comparison.”

“I hope so Xander, I really do.” 

Chapter 26

Friday they went into the office together. It was going to be a very busy day. He had meetings with both the accountants and the lawyers.

“Could you have the final asset valuation reports to me before my first meeting, please? I have a lunch meeting, so you don’t need to worry about picking anything up for me. When are we scheduled to sign the last of the contracts?” 

“The final signing day is scheduled tentatively for the last Thursday in July, but if all goes well next week it could be sooner.” 

“Good. We should have this all wrapped up in no time. Ok, I have to get some work done before my first meeting.” He walked into his office.

Wrapping things up meant the end of her assignment and Xander returning to New York. 

She felt depressed. She would miss him and she wondered if they would see each other after he left. Katrine didn’t want to bring up the subject, but the thought had been on her mind. Especially after the last few days they had spent together. He must have thought about it too. Could he just leave and never see her again? She didn’t see how that was possible. This was not one-sided, she could feel it. 

But maybe he was a man who truly lived in the moment. In business, surely he was thinking three steps ahead, but with personal matters she wasn’t so sure. Could he have an impassioned affair and then leave without a backward glance? She was afraid the answer to that was very likely affirmative.

Remember, just enjoy the time you have. Figure out the rest later... 

Katrine had told herself that about a million times, but it didn’t mean it had actually permeated into her heart. He was on his way out when he said, “I have to go back up to New York this weekend to handle some things, but I’ll be back on Sunday afternoon. Can I take you to dinner when I get back?”

“Ah, okay. Sure, just give me a call.” 

Why hadn’t he mentioned this before? Furthermore, why didn’t he ask her to go with him? She could think of some reasons... two-legged reasons.

“Hey, don’t be upset. It was a last minute thing. It’s all work related, so don’t get any ideas.” He gave her a quick kiss and headed out the door. Why didn’t she feel better? Why didn’t she trust him? He had been nothing but wonderful and considerate since they started seeing each other. Was she over reacting? She needed to get a second opinion.

“Izzie, it’s me.” She quickly briefed her on the situation.

“I don’t know. Why didn’t he ask you to go? God, I  just don’t trust him. A dog doesn’t just stop sniffing butts. A dog is a dog, is a dog...”

“Thank you Deepak Chopra, that was both deep and enlightening,” Katrine snipped.

“Hey, don’t get bitchy with me. You asked for my opinion. You have the best intuition and instincts of anyone I know, so if you are feeling suspicious, then there must be a reason.”

“Yeah, such good intuition that I didn’t know David was about to leave me for someone else. I’m a regular Sherlock Homes. More like the guy from
Naked Gun
…So, you don’t think I’m being paranoid?”

“Maybe, but it doesn’t hurt to be on guard just in case.”

“What should I do?”

 “What
can
you do? You said this is a fling? What right do you have?”

“Well, he did say he didn’t want me dating anyone else while we were seeing each other, and I told him the same thing. So we did have an agreement. But, I don’t know what would hold him to it up there. Guys have that whole ‘different zip code’ thing.”

“Sorry Trine. I am sure it’s nothing. He runs a huge company, the guy has a lot on his plate. So it is feasible that it is work related. And sweetie, one lesson in casual dating, is that you keep it casual. It sounds like you have already crossed that bridge a long time ago. My advice is to stop seeing him, or trust him. He will be out of here for good in a few weeks, so do you want to waste your time being paranoid and jealous?”

“No, I don’t. And I don’t want to stop seeing him either, so I guess I have my answer. Thanks, Iz.”

“Anytime, friend. I love you and take care of yourself.”

“Teddy, it’s momma.”

“Hi. You usually don’t call during the day. You okay?”

“Of course sweetie, I was just wondering if I could come up and see you this weekend? I really need to see that face of yours.”

“Oh momma, I want to see you too. But dad is flying in tomorrow morning and we are going deep-sea fishing!! It is going to be so cool. I’m sorry. His partners have been covering the weekend surgeries so he can come hang with me. Do you want me to tell him not to come?”

“Oh no, absolutely not. Catch me a big one, okay baby? I can’t wait to hear all about it. And be careful!!”

“I will. I love you momma.”

“I love you too, baby.”

When she hung up the phone, she sighed. Katrine picked her phone right back up and scrolled through her favorites. She refused to spend the weekend alone, feeling sorry for herself.

Later Xander called her into his office. 

“There’s my girl. So what do you have planned this weekend?”

“Well, I didn’t know I needed to make plans, until a few hours ago.”

God, could you sound any brattier!! 

“I’m sorry to spring this on you last minute, especially since we only have a few more weekends together, but it couldn’t be avoided. Don’t be mad, okay?”

“I was at first, but I decided to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
(Not really).”
I’m actually going out to dinner with Tristan on Saturday, so that will keep me busy.”

“Is Tristan a he or a she?” he asked in a suspicious tone. 

“A he,” was all she said in reply.

“I thought we had an agreement.”

“You said no Ian while you were here, you didn’t say anything about Tristan.” She was smiling inside and she was trying to decide if she should put him out of his misery. 

He did look like he as about to have an aneurism. She decided to torture him a bit longer.

The phone rang. “I need to get that.” And she left his office with a smug look on her face. 

Ok I am being petty and childish, but it feels really good...

She was just waiting for him to come out and ask more questions, but he didn’t.

Uh oh, maybe he is really mad.

And he must have been, because he didn’t speak to her again until he was leaving for the day. She had been so busy she hadn’t had the chance to clear up the misunderstanding.

“I have to catch my flight. I’ll call you when I get back.” 

No kiss, not anything, and he just walked out the door.
She quickly got her things together and locked up. She caught the next elevator and hoped to catch him before he left. She didn’t. 

“Shit!”

She called his cell phone, voice mail.

“Shit!” 

She left him a message.

“Xander please call me back. It’s an emergency!”

Ok, so maybe it wasn’t an emergency, but it felt like it to her. She couldn’t have him go back to New York thinking she had a date with another man. What would he do then?? Models, that’s what he’d do! She opened the door to her place when her phone rang. It was Xander.

“Xander, thank god.”

“Katrine what is it? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” 

“Yes, I’m fine. Sorry if I scared you. I just needed to make sure you called me before you got on your plane. Listen, I am going to dinner with Tristan but there is one teeny, tiny pertinent detail I left out.”

“And what would that be?” 

Okay, still pissed.

“He is my hairdresser and dear friend, and also very gay. I just didn’t tell you because I was jealous and mad that you were going back to New York. When you didn’t invite me to join you I was afraid what you might do when you got back there. I know I have no right, but there it is.” She let out a huff.

“Oh, Katrine. I’m going on business, honestly. I would have asked you to go with me, but I wouldn’t have been able to spend any time with you. Now I left without kissing you goodbye, damn it!”

“I tried to catch you before you left, but you must have hauled ass out of the parking garage.”

“Well, for one, I was mad, and I had to catch my flight.”

“Sorry. I was being childish. I hope you have a great weekend at home and I will see you on Sunday, alright?”

“Try and stop me. Be good while I’m gone.” 

“You be good!”

“I will see you Sunday, Katrine.”

Ahhh, she loved when he said her name like that.

“Yes, you will.” She hung up the phone with a sigh. 

She was going to miss him. He probably wouldn’t even think twice about her.

God Trine, insecure much?

She rolled her eyes at herself and went to get out of her work clothes. She had a date with a book and a large glass of wine.

Katrine and Tristan were enjoying dirty vodka martinis and tapas at a chic restaurant uptown. She watched him nibble on his olive while they sat on the small, street-side patio. There was a rare cool summer breeze and they were taking full advantage. That breeze was playing with his luscious dark curls. She was admiring the sharp angles of his tanned face as he said, “Gorgeous, you deserve the best of everything. But my dear, from what you’ve said, it sounds like you are heading for heartbreak city. I know men like him, and he is most likely making the most of his time here and will move on with the tide, girl. I am sorry to have to tell you that. And as someone who loves you, I hate to see you get hurt. But I have the sinking suspicion you already knew that about him.” 

“Yes, I’ve known that from the beginning. But that didn’t stop me, maybe it should have.”

“You have the talent of seeing the true and full picture, it is one of the things I love about you. On the other hand, he does sound amazing, and thoughtful. If you can keep things in perspective, then why the hell not? You seem to like him. And girl, if he is fabulous in bed, then enjoy! I would love to have a go at him. He sounds like my type of guy. Do you think he goes that way? No? Oh well... That Ian sounds equally fabulous, and he is here, and available, and crazy about you. You do the math, dawling.”

“Am I a total idiot for getting into this?”

“Probably sweetie, probably. But hey, I always jump in dick first and it almost always ends in tears and booze. So I am the last person to judge anyone on their romantic liaisons.” He winked. 

“Thanks, Tristan. I am more confused than ever,” she teased. “No really, thank you for always being there. I love you. If you were straight there would be no need for math.” She got up from her seat and kissed him on the cheek. They laughed and enjoyed the rest of their dinner, thankfully keeping the remaining topics light.

Katrine kept up her Sunday morning ritual—run, laundry, and cleaning.

“What can I do now?” 

She was trying to keep herself busy until he called. She knew it was a tad on the needy side, but she had missed him and couldn’t wait to see him. Her laptop started to ring and it took her a second to realize that someone was calling her. She went to the counter where it was plugged in and the face she saw on the screen was one that she had been dying to see.

“Hi!”

“Hi momma, can you hear me? Can you see me?”

“Yes, sweetie. I can see you. Wow you look so tan and your hair is so blonde! I think all of that salty sea air has made you grow!”