Finding Kat (13 page)

“You clean up nice for a jeans and tee kind of guy. I may have to bring you to these things more often just so I can look at you. Turn around. I bet your ass looks great too.”

He tipped his head back and laughed. He kept laughing even as he pulled me to him and wound his arms around my waist. I watched his eye brows raise as he encountered nothing but skin, and his laugh died off.

“Kat. There’s no dress back here. Turn around. Let me see
your
ass.”

I obliged him, turned my back, and shivered as his hands grazed my back from nape to the base of my spine.

“You are asking for trouble Katherine Foster, and I am not leaving your side in case someone tries to hone in on my date. I don’t have words Kat. I am a writer without words to describe how you look in this dress. I am so glad you asked me to go. I would have been crazy with jealousy to see pictures of you in this without me there to keep the hounds at bay.” Cade turned me around and looked into my eyes as his hands caressed the bare skin on my back.

“Wow. You are a sexy man Cade Walker. Talking like that will get you whatever the hell you want. Just don’t stop talking. Let me just swoon a minute and then we can go. Got a fan?” I asked him completely serious.

The man could melt anyone with words like that. He had no idea how it felt to be so consumed by him. His words, his presence. Having his complete focus and attention would never get old.

His lips grazed my cheeks and forehead as he chuckled. I became aware just then, of the scent of him, the spice of his cologne, the subtle scent of his shampoo. He smelled delicious and expensive. He smelled so masculine and sexy and I wanted to bottle it and sniff it when I missed him.

“Come on swooner. Let’s go to your big premier. Can’t keep the people waiting for their star. I am so proud of you Kat. I am honored to be a part of your night.” Cade grabbed my hand and pulled me out of the door.

He had grabbed my bag and keys when I was preoccupied with him, and used the keys to lock the door behind us. He was so freaking thoughtful.

“I am just happy to live in a world where men like you exist much less have you want to spend time with me.” I said following him down the path to the waiting car.

He stopped our forward momentum and tilted my chin up to meet his eyes.

“There isn’t a man on this planet who wouldn’t feel the way I do about you. We will just call us both lucky. I have a feeling this is an argument neither of us will concede.”

“Right, you are. Come on Mr. Walker, let’s go show you off.” I said with a laugh.

We chatted and sipped champagne in the limo on the ride to the premier. We laughed over stories of red carpet disasters, and the craziest fans he had ever come across.

“She seriously tried to mail herself to your house?” I asked not believing him at all.

“Seriously. When my security guys opened the box, she had passed out from lack of oxygen because she didn’t remember to make holes to breathe from. She was also naked. I had them take her to the hospital, and sent her flowers with an autographed poster, and a card that said please don’t mail yourself to anyone else.” Cade shook his head and laughed.

“That is insane. The women who are obsessed with you are going to go nuts when they see us together tonight. They will probably call for a ninja assassin to sneak into my house and make me disappear.” I said half seriously. They really were going to go nuts. Fans tended to over react to any kind of change.

“They better not. I won’t have any ninjas sneaking anywhere near your ass.”

I laughed aloud at his silliness. This guy was just perfect. Reading about him and listening to his music didn’t give me nearly the insight into his character as talking like this. I would have never thought he would share my weird sense of humor.

“Maybe you have some crazy male admirers that will come after me with ninja assassins.” Cade said looking at me with an adorable grin.

“I don’t think so. I get a lot of fan mail and some not so fan mail. My security was upped this week because some crazy guy was talking about coming to my house. That wouldn’t have been a big deal except he had pictures of me leaving my house, and running around town. I don’t know how the guy found out where I live.” I puzzled over it a little. I was a bit unnerved that some guy was watching me, but his letters seemed harmless enough. He just wanted to talk to me.

“Really? Kat that seems a little extreme. He was following you around. That sounds like a stalker. They have been known to escalate sometimes. I want you to take this seriously.” He looked into my eyes and kissed my hand.

I had to admit to being a little surprised by his reaction. My security team didn’t seem worried at all, but Cade was the super star used to this kind of attention and I’m sure he had other famous friends who may have gone through this kind of thing. I made a mental note to talk to the guys about being more vigilant. They were a good team but I think they had gotten lax from a lack of action.

“I promise to be weary of approaching strangers who look unstable. Seriously. I will be careful.” I kissed his lips sweetly and pulled away when I saw we were almost to the theater. I could see people lined up and held behind a barrier with security keeping watch. I shivered a little wondering if the guy watching me was here.

“Ready, Mr. Rock Star Stud Muffin?” I asked him teasingly.

“I’ll put on my smolder just for you.” He said pushing his lips into a pout and lowering his brows as if in concentration. He looked a little confused actually.

“You keep working on that OK. Just make that other face you always make in your photo shoots, and we will call it good.” I poked his cheek, and then smoothed my hands over my hair, and checked my face in the mirror.

We pulled to a stop and waited as the driver came to our door to let us out. Cade got out first and I chuckled as the press oohed in surprise and then began to take pictures like mad. The click clicking of the cameras was such a familiar sound I smiled in contentment. This was my stage and I was ready to rock it.

Cade grabbed my hand and pulled me slowly from the limo. I was careful about how I got out. Posing with grace and poise was the name of the game tonight.

“Katie!” They called vying for my attention.

I smiled and posed, making sure my dress and all my girly bits was in place, and being shown to their best advantage.

“Katie, are you and Cade dating?”

“When’s the wedding?”

“Are you pregnant with his love child?”

“Are you in talks to do the Damaged movie?”

I ignored all the yelling and concentrated on walking to the first interview I had scheduled for the evening. Cade had his hand on the small patch of skin right above where my dress zipped up and it was very distracting. I could feel him rubbing circles there with his thumb. It caused a shiver to work its way down my back.

He looked down into my eyes then and smirked a little. I could tell he had slipped into his bad boy rock star persona. It was pretty damn sexy to see that confident look in his eye and his blatant desire for me. I winked at him and pursed my lips like a kiss. I’m sure the press would love that picture and speculate endlessly but I didn’t care. In that moment there was only Cade and I and the sultry heat floating between us.

He leaned down and murmured into my ear “Careful there Kat. I won’t hesitate to kiss you right here in front of all these people. It wouldn’t bother me any for them to know we’re together. It would help keep all the pretty boy actors away from you.”

I couldn’t help the desire that pooled in my belly at that. There was something so sexy about a man who was that confident in what he wanted, when he wanted, and what he wanted was me.

“I don’t think I would care either. You are so freaking sexy right now, I’d do a little grab ass while we made out in front of them for some extra scandal.”

His eyes brightened then as he laughed.

“Come on sweetheart. We can give them a show later. I believe this reporter is waiting on you. She is wiggling like she has ants in her pants. I think she’s excited to meet you.”

I looked over to my right and saw who he was referring to. I kept walking to her camera set up and smiled at her. She did look pretty excited. She was one of the small time reporters I made an effort to give attention to. She actually had a vlog online and had aspirations towards a TV gig someday. I really liked watching her videos and reading her blogs. She was pretty funny and damned clever.

“You are here with Cade Freaking Walker!!” Was the first thing she said to me.

I laughed and nodded.

“I am. He begged to come with me. I thought about saying no, but then I thought about Cade Walker in a tuxedo and the answer was obvious.” I joked.

I grinned over at him behind the camera and winked when he shook his head in exasperation.

“Uh yeah. That man is God’s gift to women. It doesn’t hurt that he has such a great voice. Have you made him sing to you yet?” She asked me excitedly.

“I met him at one of his concerts but he hasn’t serenaded me in the moonlight yet. I have to say, I’m a little disappointed. He needs to step up his game.”

“Oh my. You are going to be in trouble later for saying that. So, everyone thought you would be here with your rumored boyfriend Daniel Lawson. He stopped by to talk to me earlier, thanks for that by the way; he is another handsome hunk of man candy.”

“No problem. Daniel Lawson is a very good friend of mine and I am glad we got to work together again. He is so great to work with.”

“I know the movie is a romance. Can you comment on his kissing technique?”

“You are just trying to get me in big trouble aren’t you? Yes, the movie is a romance. I really like the story and the characters. No comment on the kissing. Sorry. Daniel would kill me.”

“Oh, all right. Thanks so much for stopping by. I see your people waving their arms like air traffic controllers over there. Better move along before they come kick me off the carpet.”

“Thanks so much Delia. I love your vlogs.”

I gathered my skirt and walked over to Cade. I smiled at him and made an innocent face.

“No moonlight serenade, huh? I guess I had better get on that. Any requests miss diva actress?”

“Oh no, whatever is fine.” I shrugged and giggled.

“Come on leading lady. Let’s get to the next interview so we can get to our seats. I feel a little like the red cape in front of a raging bull in this place.”

“Oh, come on! Don’t ruin all my fun! I love the look of panic in your eyes.” I cackled a little at the mental picture I had of Cade running away in blind terror while hundreds of manic women chased him down.

“You are an evil, evil woman Katherine Foster.” Cade said looking serious.

“You have no idea Mr. Hunky Pants.” I grinned, completely non-repentant.

“Mr. Hunky Pants? What am I going to do with you?” Cade asked shaking his head with a smile.