Love and Always (A Pound of Flesh #1.5) (6 page)

A small whimper was all that escaped Kat before Carter’s lips pressed against hers. She tasted as good as she looked, and her skin under his hands was soft and smooth. He opened his mouth, deepening the kiss, needing to feel her tongue against his. She gripped the back of his dress shirt and groaned into him.

“We can’t,” she panted, breaking the kiss that was becoming fire and desperate yearning. “The car will be here in ten minutes.”

“I can make you come in five,” Carter growled into her throat as he kissed and nibbled at the small freckles he adored so much. “You don’t even have to take the dress off.”

She moaned and clung to him. “Oh, God. I don’t doubt it, and I swear to you we can do whatever you want when we get home, but we can’t be late.”

Carter, hard and almost frantic with the need to lift up her skirts and do dastardly things to her with his mouth, grunted into her shoulder. “Fine,” he acquiesced reluctantly. This teasing thing was getting to be goddamn ridiculous. He stood back, stretching his neck from side to side, willing his body to calm the hell down.

Kat bit her lip. “Dammit, you look hot as hell in that shirt and pants.”

Carter didn’t miss a beat. “I look even better without them. Wanna see?”

Kat shook her head and laughed. She tied the bow tie, squirming under Carter’s hands as they traveled up and down the tight bodice of her dress. Jesus, she looked incredible. With his blood still pumping furiously, Carter shrugged on his dinner jacket and followed her out the door of their TriBeCa apartment to the elevator. Kat pressed the elevator button, glancing at him as she did.

“Don’t even think it, Carter,” she murmured, seeing his smirk and the middle-aged couple waiting behind them. “You will not get handsy in the elevator or in the car.”

“I can be a good boy,” he uttered with wide, innocent eyes. “I promise.”

He bent down to her ear, noticing her pulse thrumming in her neck. “But be damned sure that I’m going to take my sweet-ass time with your body later.” He breathed against her cheek, aching to lick her. “Every time I look at you tonight, I want you to imagine what I’ll do to you when we get home, every position, fast and slow, hard and soft; I’m going to do it all, Peaches. And even when you beg me to stop, I’ll keep going. After midnight, you’re mine.”

He chuckled when she all but stumbled into the elevator.

Poor thing didn’t know what the hell she was in for.

The five-million-dollar Upper East Side residence was full of life when Kat and Carter arrived. Ben’s mother, Barbara, always liked to put on a show and her New Year’s Eve Charity Ball was always a hell of a spectacle. Kat clutched Carter’s hand tightly in hers as they wandered into the chandeliered lobby, knowing that in spite of the evening’s good intentions, the sight of such extravagance and the smell of high society would have his teeth on edge. He was still very skittish around the rich, in spite of the fact that he was possibly the richest man in the building. He was modest about his wealth, mostly because he hated the root of it, and detested those who gloated about the size of their bank accounts.

Not that Carter was frugal. Far from it. He had an impressive bike and car collection, which he’d built up since he was reinstated at WCS. He lavished Kat with gifts of jewelry and clothes, in spite of her telling him in no uncertain terms not to; he cleared Max’s debts and paid for his rehab; and insisted on footing the bill for all manner of things even when he didn’t need to, including several of his own charities he’d become involved in. He thought little of the money that allowed him to live the life many envied, and thought little of giving it away.

His unthinking kindness and generosity were what Kat loved most about him.

Well, that and his dirty mouth.

It had taken all of Kat’s willpower, as well as the thought of her mother’s face if they’d been late, to stop Carter from doing what he wanted in the back of the car. He’d never before looked at her the way he had when she’d stepped out of the bathroom. It instantly set Kat alight from the inside out.

She glanced at the gilded clock on the lobby wall. Five hours until midnight.

“You okay?” she asked him, reaching for a glass of champagne from a passing waiter.

Carter glanced around and shrugged, taking a drink for himself. “Sure. It’s a free bar, right?”

Grinning, she reached up and kissed him softly, wanting nothing more than to grab his ass through his dress pants. Christ, those bad boys were tailored too damned well. “I write a check,” she said breathlessly, “and at midnight, we’re out of here.”

He chuckled darkly and cocked an eyebrow. “There’s my naughty girl.”

Kat led Carter through the throngs of people, stopping every so often to introduce him to friends of her family, of Ben’s family, and acquaintances of her father’s from back in his political days. Everyone was thrilled about the couple’s engagement and, as expected, Carter was totally charming, laughing and taking genuine interest in the people he met. There may have even been a business card or two shoved his way.

Carter’s height and size and the way he carried himself—all but prowling the room, shoulders rolling seductively like that of a keen predator—could be, and was, intimidating, but his magnetism was undeniably disarming. His time spent in the meetings and boardrooms at WCS hadn’t tamed the beast entirely, merely gift-wrapped it in a more approachable, patient yet entirely removable package.

If he was a wolf in sheep’s clothing, Kat knew—as sexy and gentle as the sheep could be—she’d want the wolf every time.

Midnight.
Midnight.

As they crossed the room, Carter caught her eye and squeezed her hand tightly. “Jesus, look at you, all flushed and wild eyes. What
are
you thinking about?” His voice was a molten, hungry murmur. “Because I swear, woman, if it’s the same thing I am, I hope to God you’re not wearing panties.”

Kat knew she wore her feelings all over her face, including the unequivocal need she had for the man beside her. Unable to speak she simply squeezed his hand back in reply.

Midnight.
Midnight.

Greeting them at the bar, Adam, Carter’s cousin, and his wife, Beth, who looked stunning in a silver ball gown, were as courteous as always. Over the past year, Beth and Adam had made a huge effort to build bridges and right any wrongs between the four of them, with Adam even offering Carter some inside information about mergers and business opportunities.

Adam had worked at WCS for many years and, despite the way in which he was relieved of his position as CFO, along with his brother, Austin, who was original CEO, he continued to want the best for the family company. He’d told Carter on several occasions how glad he was that Carter was doing so well, steering WCS in the right direction. Nevertheless, the air between the two men was still decidedly frosty.

Beth had been equally eager to make amends with Kat, to move forward. She’d been more than excited about Kat’s engagement, gushing over the ring and offering ideas about dresses and locations. Their New Year’s dress-shopping excursion had been filled with reminiscing and laughter and Kat had thoroughly enjoyed it. Much to Kat’s relief, their friendship was slowly but surely making its way back to where it had been eighteen months before. Things between them would never be exactly the same. Their friendship had morphed into something different, something more careful.

“I hear your brother has set up a firm in Chicago,” Carter said to Adam while they waited for drinks.

Adam nodded and sipped the champagne Beth handed to him. “Yeah, Ben mentioned it. I haven’t spoken to Austin, though. He keeps his cards close to his chest these days, especially after what happened at WCS. He doesn’t trust me.”

Carter snorted. “Can’t say I blame him.”

“I can find out what I can for you,” Adam offered. “Kick over a few rocks.”

Kat watched Carter chat with his cousin, noticing how neutral his reactions were. Even when Austin’s name was mentioned, his blue gaze and strong jaw never gave anything away. To the untrained eye he was wholly indifferent, but Kat knew better. Kat knew that inside her fiancé a vengeful inferno still raged for Austin Ford, waiting for the opportune moment. Kat hoped, for Austin’s sake, that moment never came.

By nine o’clock the party was in full swing and Kat and Carter had done at least two exhausting circuits of the entire room. Of course, everyone Carter came into contact with was bowled over by his wit and charisma. Even Ben’s mother, Barbara—much to Eva’s annoyance—was left in a puddle of giggling, flustered goo after Carter told her how wonderful he found her apartment and how fantastic the party was. The six-figure check from WCS Communications, which he handed over with a suave smile, helped win some points, too.

“If only
your
mother had been that easy,” Carter joked as they sat at a beautifully decorated table next to Adam and Beth, eating their dinner.

Kat laughed.

Yeah, if only.

Her mother had greeted them when they arrived, but had been busy mingling ever since. Not that Kat minded. Having her mother over for two days at Christmas had been stressful enough, thank you. Here, surrounded by her friends and acquaintances, Eva was in her element, hobnobbing and gossiping and putting the world to rights. She looked fierce and altogether lovely in a floor-length red gown as she swept from one person to the next, smiling, laughing, and frequently reaching out a gentle hand to Harrison, who never left her side. Kat saw the small smile that played on his face every time Eva touched him, knowing that the small gesture was all the confirmation Harrison wanted: she needed him as much as he needed her.

Although Kat still missed her father desperately, she would forever be thankful for Harrison and the love and understanding he had, not just for Eva, but for her, too.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Ben’s voice echoed around the cavernous room, halting the live music and the conversations taking place. “I hate to interrupt your delicious meal, but if I could have your attention, please. I hope you all have a drink, because we have a couple of toasts to give tonight.”

Kat smiled as her friend adjusted his tie nervously before he spoke into the microphone again. Ben had always been a terrible public speaker. She sat back in her seat and rested her hand on Carter’s leg under the table. He smiled into his champagne flute and draped an arm casually around the back of her chair.

“First, on behalf of myself, my wife, and my mother,” Ben continued. “We’d like to thank you for coming tonight. We’ve raised an astonishing amount already for the Cancer Institute, PCF, and the Think Pink Breast Cancer charities that we, as a family, are so thankful for. To those of you here tonight representing so many companies: MetLife, Morgan Stanley, and WCS Communications, you have deep pockets and we thank you for your generosity.”

A loud round of applause washed across the room. Kat smiled widely at Carter and kissed his warm cheek with pride.

“But none of this could happen without my mother,” Ben added, “who works tirelessly with each of these charities and has done since we lost my father to prostate cancer ten years ago. So I’d like you to raise your glasses to Barbara Thomas, my mother, for being the strongest, the most generous, and the bravest woman I’ve ever known. I love you.”

The room lifted their glasses and toasted Ben’s mother who, as she always did, waved modestly from her seat at the head table, even though the applause for her was deafening and lasted a full minute.

Ben cleared his throat. “The second toast tonight is an unprecedented one. Abby, sweetheart, can you come up here?”

Abby, Ben’s wife, stood from her seat, clearly embarrassed, and approached Ben timidly. He tucked an arm around her and kissed her forehead lovingly. “I’ve been sworn to secrecy for the past three months, which has killed me, but we both decided tonight was the night to tell you all that, early next summer, Abby and I will become parents. We’re pregnant.”

The room erupted into squeals, shouts of joy, and applause before Ben even finished speaking. Startling both Carter and Adam, Kat and Beth launched from their seats in excitement, clapping their hands, all but jumping up and down. Not many people knew how hard Abby and Ben had tried for a baby over the years, suffering two heartbreaking miscarriages amid months of no joy. Kat explained this to Carter before she hurried over to shower Ben and Abby with her congratulations, fawning over Abby’s small baby bump.

For one beautiful, fleeting moment, Kat saw herself with just such a bump, glowing and warm, and clutched Carter’s arm in excited hope.

He looked down at her questioningly, but she simply gazed back. He smiled. “Will you dance with me, Peaches?”

She cupped his face in answer and breathed into the long but chaste kiss he offered. He looked devastatingly handsome in his tux, juxtaposed with the lick of black ink barely visible above his white collar and the large silver rings on the fingers of both his hands. He led her to the dance floor and held her closely, humming the Nat King Cole tune in her ear as they moved elegantly around the room. Kat leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes, inhaling his deep scent and smiling when his lips meandered across her temple and—ever so discreetly—her neck.