Rebound (29 page)

 “Anniversary of an Uninteresting Event” by the Deftones was on repeat, as they continued to sway in the darkness. The clothes they had been wearing were in a pile on the floor. She arched against him, pushing back into his body. He ran his hands delicately up and down her soft skin. In the wake of his touch she felt hot and cold, exquisite and tortured, all in equal measure. They slowly made their way towards the bed. 

He placed kisses on her spine as he slowly bent her over. He kneeled down behind her and began to lick, leisurely and softly. That elicited a soft sound of appreciation from Katrine as she gripped the comforter beneath her. He focused his attention right where she needed and when she was sure she couldn’t take another minute, he slid in one finger, easing it in and out. When he added a second finger, she moaned. She panted, her breath coming out heavy as the final convulsions subsided. 

Once she caught her breath, she flipped and kneeled before him. She took him in her mouth and sucked the tip gently. As she licked, he moaned. She liked that, making him moan. She took him all, up and down she went. Down until it hit the back of her throat and she sucked and cupped him with her hand on the way back up. She took her time, enjoying every minute. He was getting close, she could tell. She looked him in the eyes when she licked one last time. She laid back and he stood at the foot of the bed in front of her. He grabbed her hips and pushed forward. Katrine gasped, wrapping her legs around his waist, and raising her hips. When they finally cried out into the empty room, tears came to her eyes.

“Holy shit!” he gasped, as they collapsed onto the bed.

She leaned into his shoulder, hollow limbed, and could not have agreed more.

“Let’s get out of here for a while!!” Xander blurted as he came up to Katrine’s desk.

“Where do you want to go?” she asked, laughing.

“I don’t know, but I need to get out of this freaking office, please! If I look at that computer one more second I am going to go blind.”

“There’s so much work to be done. Is cutting out a good idea?”

“Yes, it’s a great idea! I have been working since six this morning, without a break. I only have a few reports to send over to accounting and I can do that tonight. And besides I’m the boss I can do whatever the hell I want to.”

“Okay, okay. Let me think a moment.”

It was too hot to do anything outside. She thought about the museum, but she and Ian had gone there together. What could they do inside, on a Thursday, in the middle of the day? Movies? Aquarium? They needed to blow off some steam.

“You wouldn’t happen to enjoy playing  pool with all of your upper crust fanci-fication, would you?”

“I may have played a few games of billiards while studying at Yale,” he said in his best upper crust voice.

“Would you be prepared to make a wager?” The beginning of  “Bad to the Bone” started playing in her head.

“What did you have in mind?”

“Winner gets to choose what we do on our last night together. The other person has to go along, no matter what.”

He seemed to mull it over.

“We have a wager.”

They spent the afternoon in a dark dive of a sports bar playing pool, drinking cheap draft beers, and eating hot wings. They were having an absolute blast. She couldn’t remember a more carefree afternoon. Xander was very good and that didn’t surprise her. He was not the type of guy to be bad at anything. Katrine played all through college, so she wasn’t too bad either. But she quickly discovered she was outmatched, so she made sure to bend over right in front of him as often as possible. She hoped it was effectively distracting him. She circled the table and chalked up the end of her stick. She looked at Xander and then lined up her shot. Time to move in for the kill.

“Black ball in the corner pocket...”

Right in the hole. He totally let her win. But she didn’t care one bit.

“So what are we going to do?” he asked.

She grinned and put her arms around his neck. He kissed her thoroughly and then waited for her answer. 

“I haven’t decided, but it will be good, I promise...”

Chapter 34

Friday was slow and more than a little sad. This was the last day of work. Monday was the big day. The contracts would be signed and the deal would be done. Xander would continue his life in Manhattan and Katrine would start her new one here.Where did that leave them? Why hadn’t they talked about it? He was being a coward, that’s why. Well maybe she was too. She hadn’t brought it up either, not directly anyway. Tonight, whether they wanted to or not, they would have to face facts and put up or shut up. That was her plan anyway.

“So...what are we doing tonight?” Katrine asked as she leaned on Xander’s desk. He looked so sexy that it was taking everything she had not to straddle him. 

“I am sorry to say, nothing. Hal just called and I have been roped into a ‘guys’ night. We’re celebrating at his club, men only. I am imagining scotch, cigars, and a lot of ego stroking.”

“You know, we just call those places strip clubs now,” she teased.

“Ha ha, I wish. That would be entertaining compared to a country club filled with old drunk dudes.”

“Ah, my poor baby. I
am
sorry they are taking a night from me!” she pouted.

“I know, me too. But, I will pick you up and take you to lunch on Saturday. We’ll spend the rest of the weekend doing whatever you want. And I believe you have our final night to plan, don’t you?”

“Yes I do. I‘ll miss you though,” she said and kissed him tenderly on the mouth.

He sighed and kissed her back.

“I will miss you, Katrine.”

She smiled at his sweet words and went back to her desk to finish out her day. She had a feeling he wasn’t just talking about tonight.

Katrine arrived at her house mentally and physically drained from the hectic week they’d had. She decided to stay in for some much needed down time. She took a warm shower and put on some comfy clothes. When she was settled in she made sure everything was set for their final weekend. Xander had done so much for her, she was looking forward to doing something special for him. She was working with a considerably smaller budget than he had access to, but Katrine had given it a lot of thought and she hoped he would love it. 

She arranged to have a private romantic dinner in one of the gardens at the Arboretum. She hired a string quartet to play. The best part was the hot air balloon ride she had scheduled for Sunday at sunset. That was her winning the pool game part of the weekend. Katrine was so excited.

Thank you David for funding my romantic farewell outing!

 On her way home she had decided to stop and find a new dress for their dinner on Saturday night. She wasn’t too tired to shop. She went to one of her favorite boutiques and bought a stunning coral strapless mini-dress. She had a gorgeous gold collar necklace with matching bracelet that would go perfectly. And of course she could find some shoes to match in her extensive closet.

She was sad, but hopeful. She had obviously fallen for him, but she knew he had fallen for her too. By now that much was evident. All the things he had said, all that they had shared. So the only logical step would be to see each other when they could. Katrine was ok with that. A little bit would be better than nothing at all. She was going to be busy applying to grad school and taking admission tests. So a part-time relationship would fit nicely for now. 

Later, they could figure it out. Long-term could definitely wait...

Katrine woke up and had a great idea and a little dèjá vu. She was going to pick up Xander’s now favorite breakfast tacos and surprise him. Poor thing would be feeling pretty foggy headed after partaking in liquor and cigars all night. She showered, threw some clothes on, and picked up the tacos. She wanted to get over to his place before he had a chance to eat breakfast, no doubt it would be room service today. 

She laughed at the thought of all of the room service they had eaten in the last month. All the  times had they had eaten together in various stages of undress. It had been so much fun, all of it. Katrine was so glad she decided to throw caution to the wind. It was one of the best decisions she’d made in a long time. Sometimes taking a chance pays off. It had in her case, big time. 

She pushed the number for his floor and was giddy thinking about seeing him in just a few minutes. She had missed him. They were going to have a wonderful weekend and she couldn’t wait to get it started.

You have got it bad girl. 

She got to his door and rang the bell. She hid over in the corner so he couldn’t see her.

Nothing happened for a while. 

He is such a slug a bed.

She laughed to herself.

Finally she heard some movement. He was probably wondering why no one was outside the peep hole. Slowly the door opened. There he was in his boxers. She laughed and enjoyed the view for a moment. He always answered the door in his underwear. 

So yummy, maybe these tacos can wait…

She jumped out and threw hers arms around his neck.

“Hey, handsome! I thought you could use some fattening breakfast tacos to soak up all of that scotch you had last night!” He smelled like he had a whole bottle.

“Katrine. Hey. What are you doing here? I thought I was going to pick you up for lunch?” He looked a bit startled. 

“Well yes, but I thought I would surprise you.” She gave him a passionate kiss. 

“Anyway, I missed y…”

“Xander, is that room service?”

Katrine furrowed her brow…

What the F…

There was a very female voice coming from his bedroom. 

Her arms were still around his neck, as she peeked around his arm. She didn’t see anyone. Katrine stood frozen, bag of tacos in hand. Xander had a strange look on his face.

“Xander?”  Katrine asked.

“Katrine...”

She looked again and saw a very long-legged brunette walking out into the living room.

“Is that breakfast?” she said.

Xander gripped Katrine’s waist and pulled her into him. She was too stunned to move. 

“Oh, Xander… you didn’t,” Katrine whispered, as she shook her head.

I have to be hallucinating right now. Acid flash back or something. 

Never taken acid, so that is not an option. 

No way this is happening. There is no way. No way, no way, no way…

Katrine noticed his fingers digging into her sides and the horrified look on his face. An eerie calm wash over her at that moment. She knew she should be feeling betrayed and livid, feeling something, but she couldn’t drum up any of those emotions. 

But when the leggy brunette got closer, she saw that the woman in question was wearing his Yale shirt,
her shirt
! Wait— he had ordered
her
room service!

OH HELL NO!

 That woke her up. Katrine turned to leave and Xander grabbed her. 

“Please wait, let me explain, don’t leave...”

She turned towards Xander, who had her upper arm in a vice grip…She pulled her leg back… and she toe-punched him, right in the baby maker. He fell like a sack of potatoes.

The bimbo in the Yale shirt came running up, “Xander are you ok? Are you crazy? What is wrong with you?” she asked Katrine.

Xander was on the ground, groaning and cradling his manhood, as he looked up at Katrine.

“Well Xander, I hope you double bagged it last night, because that skank looks like she’s seen more action than a navy seal.” She threw the stupid tacos down by his head and walked away.

Enjoy your tacos, bastard. I hope you fucking choke.

Was it mature to kick him in the balls? 

No. 

Was it mature to insult that woman on her way out?

No. 

She was probably a perfectly nice skank. 

But at that moment mature, was the furthest thing from her mind. 

Should she have kept the tacos?

Yes.

Oh well. Finally, I got to kick someone in the balls! 

She made it home. She wasn’t sure how, she really didn’t remember the drive over. 

Katrine made it to her room and slammed the door shut. She put her back against the wall and slowly slid down, until she hit the ground. She slowly curled up into a ball.

“Oh fetal position, we meet again.”

She chuckled, but that chuckle turned into a sob. She started to shake and the most guttural cry came from her chest. 

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!

She lay there, a paralyzed crumbled mess, in a puddle of tears and despair.  

“Oh Trine, sweetie, get up.” Maddie said, as she came over to the spot where Katrine had been laying most of the day. She turned off Katrine’s iPod that was playing “Poison and Wine” by The Civil Wars. That wasn’t going to help the situation. Maddie shook her head. She always wondered why her sister felt the need to listen to sad music when she was feeling heartbroken. When she broke up with Jake Danvers in the tenth grade she listened to the Cure for two weeks straight.

Katrine had sent her a text on the way home from Xander’s and Maddie wanted to check in on her. Seeing her in a pathetic pile of limbs, she was so glad she had come by.

“I can’t… I don’t want to! Please just give me today to wallow. I will be better tomorrow, I promise,” she said, even though she knew that wasn’t true.

“Well I would, but there is someone here to see you.”

She looked up at her sister and let her pull her up. She knew it wasn’t Xander. He wouldn’t be that stupid. He was most likely still nursing his nuggets.

Cheating piece of shit!

She got up and splashed some cold water on her face. She looked like she felt. Katrine slowly trudged out into her living room to find it full. Her girls were all there. Tristan too. They all looked very concerned. It warmed her heart to see all of her best friends there to support and console her.

“Hey guys. What are you guys doing here? I wasn’t going to off myself or anything.”