Page 37 of Dare To Kiss You
“Good. That’s good.” I give her a smile back. If we’re playing it casual, I better keep up appearances. “Are you ready for the gala this weekend?”
A faint blush covers her cheeks as she tugs her lower lip in between her teeth. “Yep. I’m looking forward to it.” Her eyes fill with something that a distant part of my heart wants to say might be love, but there’s no way.
No. Way.
“You guys are going together, right?” Steve interrupts. Fuck, I’d forgotten he was even there.
“Yeah, Hunter agreed to keep me company,” Kat answers casually.
Those words sit in my stomach like a lead weight. Keep her company? Is that what she’s telling people? I feel awful for never stopping to really think how she might be handling this. I’m betting Steve isn’t the first person to ask who she’s going with or make a comment about the two of us going together. And I just left her out hanging in the wind, unable to say anything about why we’re going together or what it means.
Fuck.
“It’ll be nice to spend time with my family, too.” She looks at me pointedly, and I have to force a smile to my face, hoping it doesn’t turn out a grimace instead. I didn’t need the reminder that I promised to come clean to her family at the gala. The less I think about it, the better. Her face falls when I say nothing. It’s slight, but I see it. I see everything when it comes to Kat.
“Well, you enjoy your lunches. I better get back to work.” Kat starts to walk away, then pauses and turns back. “Oh, Hunter, I was going to ask, could you pop over after work and take a look at something for me in my kitchen? I’d ask my brothers but they’re all busy.”
“Sure, of course.” I nod, and I can’t help the fact that my eyes follow her as she walks away.
“Are you really just keeping her company at the gala or is there something more going on?”
I jerk around and stare at Steve. “What?”
He shrugs and picks up the sandwich that was just set down in front of him by another waitress. “Just sayin’, if it were me that Kat Donnelly was the least bit interested in, I’d be locking that down fast.”
I say nothing. Because anything I would say feels like it would only dig the hole I’m in even deeper. After all, he’s not wrong. If I were a smarter, braver,betterman, I would have made it clear to everyone that Kat’s mine right from the start.
I have to do better. She deserves better.
I just don’t know how to convince myself I’m capable of that.
Chapter seventeen
Kat
“Girl, when Hunter sees you in that dress...” Lily makes a chef’s kiss motion with her hands. “He is going to just die.”
I twist back and forth, looking down my body, trying to check all angles for any embarrassing lines. Thankfully, the lace thong I’m wearing is smooth against my skin, and the fabric of the dress hangs perfectly.
“You think so?” I smooth my hands down the front of my deep maroon coloured sheath dress. It does fit me really,reallywell, and the jewel tone of the fabric sets off my hair nicely. I’ve had this dress sitting in my closet for almost a year, just waiting for the right time to wear it.
And a fancy party when I’ll finally get to let the world know Hunter and I are together seems like the perfect time.
“You look like a Christmas present ready for him to unwrap.” Lily shakes her head slowly. “I’m going to get out of here so you and your man can have a moment alone when he picks you up. But…” Lily draws out that one word with a smirk. “If you aren’t at the gala in less than one hour from now, I’m telling your brothers about the two of you dating.”
“Don’t you dare, or I’ll tell everyone about the time you were laughing so hard at Mexican night you snorted queso out your nose.”
Lily shoots daggers at me. “Fine. But I’m tired of keeping this secret.”
“You and me both,” I reply drily.
Her face shifts into a sympathetic smile. “Tonight’s the night. Just don’t let Hunter keep you too long. And if he messes up your makeup, I’ll be able to tell. Bye, babe.”
After she leaves, I walk downstairs and stand in front of my mirror for several more minutes. The memories of Hunter standing almost where I am now and telling me to watch while he made me shatter with pleasure have been on repeat ever since our first night together.
Every time we’ve made love, I have asked him to stay. And every time he’s come up with a reason not to. And it all comes back to his need to keep our relationship a secret.
But that ends tonight.
