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CHAPTER6
The barbecue preceding the reunion was held at a city park. It was crawling with classmates whom Katie remembered, and some she didn’t. Twenty years was a long time. Social media had allowed her to keep up with some, but not all, and right now, there were a hundred people she didn’t know, just milling around, plastic cups in hand.
It was like high school all over again, she supposed. She didn’t go to many parties in high school, not with her dad and bodyguards and all. Now that she was free from all that, she didn’t really know what to do. So she sat on a bench and watched them all.
Katie had been there about an hour, wearing the red halter top Gray Wolf had told her to wear, and still wondering why.
“Who are you?” She’d been hearing that all day. Nobody recognized anyone and was dependent upon the badges they wore with their names and senior photos on them. “You don’t have a badge.” The voice sounded authoritative, and Katie recognized it as Eddie, the class president who’d become a car salesman. She laughed into her drink as she took a sip.
He had not aged well. He was walking around like a bouncer at the public park, trying to tell moms and their kiddos it was a private function.
“I’m Katherine’s date.”
She spilled her drink as the low voice with the Hispanic accent said her name. Spinning around, she took in the tall man with dark hair wearing all black, her eyes wide and her mouth dropping.
“Lobo?”
He grinned at her and her heart stopped beating.
He was breathtaking.
Looking at him for the first time, she couldn’t do anything but watch him prowl across the grass toward her. His grin turned wolfish the closer he got. How appropriate. She felt like a piece of roadkill right before the buzzard swooped down.
“Hi, Katie. I didn’t think I’d find you sitting alone.” He plopped down next to her, putting his arm across the back of the bench and tugging a tendril of her hair that had come out of her braid. “Nice boots.”
“Thanks. I wasn’t expecting to see you here.” Her voice came out a croak, and she felt stupid.
“I was in the States for business and thought I would surprise you.”
“Color me surprised.” She finally managed a smile.
“I couldn’t resist the opportunity to see you.” His voice lowered as he spoke, and a shiver went down her spine. “Wanted to see if the reality was as good as I imagined.”
“Well, mine is better,” she whispered as his face got closer.
The hand around her back tightened and he tugged her closer. Was this even real right now or was she dreaming? She’d been obsessed with this guy who lived in another country, and now he was here.
She should be scared. He’d taken the space between them and shortened it. The buffer was gone. He was no longer her hot game boyfriend. He was here. In the flesh.
His breath smelled like cinnamon and spice and the closer he got she realized his aftershave smelled of something like cloves.
She grabbed the front of his shirt and plastered herself to him, even as he tightened his grip on her back. She couldn’t stop looking at him. She’d only seen hints of his face, and now that he was right here, she needed to take in the caramel-colored eyes, the strong jawline, the straight nose, the strong brow, the dark, impossibly long lashes, everything.
“Are you going to kiss me or stare at me?”
Forcing her eyes closed, she tilted her head, even as he tangled his fingers in the curls she’d piled on top. When she felt his mouth on hers, it was soft, warm, and open. Tentatively, she stretched her tongue to meet his, and a groan rumbled through him as his hands tightened, one on her back, the other in her hair, pulling it.
Suddenly, she wanted him everywhere. Katie pressed herself against him as she realized this was actually happening. It wasn’t a dream, and he wasn’t halfway across the world and she was going to have a sinful night.
“You taste like heaven,” he murmured as he broke the kiss. “You having fun here?”
“Not really.”
“Then let’s go to my hotel.”
The ride over was tense, in a good way. She couldn’t get over him actually being here and couldn’t think of a damn thing to say. But she also knew if she kept up the silence, she would overthink things and this would be awkward.
So she took ahold of the thread connecting them and grabbed it with both hands, even as she ignored the skill with which he drove, his hands on the wheel like they would be on her body soon.
