What it Takes (39 page)

She grinned and they continued to talk in their small group for a while longer. Music began to play and people gathered in the emptied dining room to dance. Patrick and Kelsey made their way through the guests as he led her through the kitchen and out to a large deck. The lights from the house illuminated the surroundings just enough to make out the tall evergreens that populated the hillside. In the distance, the city in its nighttime glory had a near elegance about it.

The few people who were there went inside when Patrick and Kelsey came out. The door was barely closed behind them when Patrick took Kelsey in his arms and kissed her gently on the lips. Kelsey slowly wound her arms around his neck and savored every second. When they parted, he rested his forehead against hers.

“I’ve been looking forward to that,” he said quietly.

“Mmmm,” she sighed, “me too.”

“It’s much better knowing I don’t have to leave,” he joked. She nodded and looked up at him. “When did you get back?”

“Last night. I’ve been trying to call you all day,” she answered

“I haven’t had my phone with me. I don’t know where it is. It disappeared yesterday.”

“Did it walk away?” Kelsey asked innocently.

He smirked and shook his head as he led her to the rail. She leaned her backside against it and he stood beside her, leaning his forearms on the rail. “I wonder if Brianna took it,” he speculated, almost to himself.

“Why would she do that?”

“So people couldn’t spoil her surprise.” He waved over his shoulder toward the house.

“Good reason for petty larceny,” Kelsey murmured and he laughed once.

“It’s not that bad.” Patrick stepped in front of her and put his arms around her. “I’m sure she’ll give it back.” Kelsey leaned her head against him and inhaled deeply. “So, girlfriend, I didn’t think we were going to tell anyone.”

“I know,” she muttered. “But she’d been getting on my nerves since we walked in the door.”

“Why’d she bother you so much?”

“Have you met her?”

Patrick chuckled and shook his head. “Yes, but I don’t see why her behavior bothered you so much.” His face became somber. “You weren’t worried, were you?”

Kelsey remained silent.

“I guess you’re not as ‘over my reputation’ as you thought.”

“It’s not that.” Kelsey looked up at him. “Well, not completely anyway.” His arms tensed around her and she laid a hand on his chest. “We’re just so new in this relationship, and we’ve spent all of it apart.”

His furrowed brow told her that she wasn’t relieving him at all.

“You don’t trust me,” he said softly.

“No, that’s not—”

“And I don’t blame you. You probably walked into that room, studied every woman in there, and wondered. I can only imagine the way she greeted you, and I know how she greeted me.” He exhaled heavily and closed his eyes.

“Please don’t feel guilty because of my insecurities,” she said gently and he nodded as she cupped his cheek in her hand. “Those aren’t your fault.”

“But—”

She stopped him with a kiss, and the corners of his mouth turned up. “No buts. It’s your party and we should be celebrating, not worrying about what I thought, or felt, or how on edge I’ve been without you and how desperately I’ve missed you.” She pouted and his smile broadened. “I’m just happy to be here now.”

“I’m more than happy about that. I wasn’t sure when to expect you.”

“If Grayson hadn’t called me, I would’ve missed the party. A week ago, my plan was to fly in tomorrow.”

They talked about how she had to change her plans after Grayson’s phone call and he asked after Janelle and the kids. Conversation flowed easily through other topics until a cool breeze blew and Kelsey shivered. Patrick warmed her to her toes with another long kiss before they went inside.

He spoke to a few friends as they made their way back to the living room. As soon as they found a spot against the wall, Brianna found them.

“It’s time to cut your cake,” Brianna said meekly, beaming brilliantly at Patrick as she ignored Kelsey. She grabbed Patrick’s arm and he groaned as she began to tug him to where the cake table stood beside the fireplace.

Kelsey stood against the wall and tried not to laugh at Patrick’s obvious discomfort, or his scowl, when Brianna hissed at him before she turned to the crowd. She led everyone in singing “Happy Birthday” and Patrick cut the first piece of cake. Brianna put her hand on his arm to keep him by her side, but he shook her off with a glare. Kelsey held her hands out to him and he took them when he returned to her side and put his lips to her temple.

“Would you like to dance?” he asked and his words tickled her ear.

She suppressed a delicious shiver. “I’d love to.”

He led her to the dance floor as a song began. He took one of her hands in his and placed the other at the small of her back, pulling her close, much closer than their first dance had been. She stared into his eyes as he crooned along with the song in his rich baritone voice, “. . . a lot of kissin’ to make a romance sweet. Oh, it takes a lot of lovin’ to make my life complete . . .” When he reached the end of the chorus, he whispered, “You look tired.”

“I’m still on East Coast time,” Kelsey replied as she suppressed a yawn.

He glanced at his watch. “Do you want to leave?”

“No.” She shook her head. “It’s your party; I’ll stay until you’re ready to go.”

“I was ready to leave when I walked in the door,” he grumbled. She raised an eyebrow and he grinned. “Well, until I saw you.”

“That’s better.”

He chuckled. “I can leave whenever.”

“Who’s leaving?” Grayson asked, peeking over Kelsey’s shoulder. “Are you ready to go home, Red? Do you still need a ride?”

“No and yes, I’ll need a ride,” Kelsey said then looked at Patrick, “unless you want to take me home.”

“I can’t,” he answered, his voice heavy with disappointment. “Xavier brought me, so I don’t have a car.”

“I can give you a ride, too,” Grayson offered Patrick. “Will I have to make two stops or just one?”

Veronica cleared her throat and gave him a dirty look. Kelsey blushed and looked away as Patrick coughed, unsuccessfully covering his laugh.

“Two stops tonight, Grayson,” Patrick said. Kelsey gave him a half-hearted smile. She nodded her agreement but felt a slight pang of disappointment.

“Right, you’d probably want your car there in the morning,” Grayson teased.

“Grayson,” Veronica hissed. “You’re being rude.”

“I’m just pickin’.”

“Well, stop it.” Veronica frowned at him until he mumbled an apology. Kelsey tried not to laugh but Patrick didn’t fight it.

“But seriously, I’ll take you each home when you’re ready. I can leave anytime now. Sorry to say it Patrick, but your party’s a flop. You two have been the most exciting thing here tonight.” He laughed again and Veronica rolled her eyes.

“Thanks, but it’s not really my party. I had nothing to do with it.” Patrick squeezed Kelsey’s hand. “And we’re certainly not here to put on a show.”

The soft look in his eyes made Kelsey’s heart skip. “Then let’s go. I’m pretty tired.”

As a group, they headed for the door until Patrick excused himself for a moment. He approached Brianna, holding his palm out expectantly when he was a few steps away. She shook her head and folded her arms across her chest defiantly. Veronica, Grayson, and Kelsey watched from their position a few steps from the door. They couldn’t hear the argument, but Kelsey could see the fire in Brianna’s eyes. Grayson stepped past her and walked toward the arguing pair. Xavier approached from the opposite direction.

“What’s going on?” Veronica asked, peering over Kelsey’s shoulder.

“I think he’s trying to get his phone back.”

Xavier glanced at Kelsey and smirked as he pulled Patrick’s phone out of his pocket. Patrick’s face turned red and he narrowed his eyes as he snatched it out of Xavier’s hand.

“Unbelievable,” Kelsey muttered to herself.

After a few more obviously heated words with his agent, Patrick and Grayson turned to walk back to Kelsey and Veronica. As soon as Patrick’s back was turned, Kelsey saw Xavier rub Brianna’s shoulder consolingly. The scowl Brianna was giving Kelsey slowly transformed into a catlike grin as Xavier turned to watch Patrick slide his arm around Kelsey’s shoulder. He kissed her temple and steered her out the door. Kelsey could feel his tension as they descended the stairs to Grayson’s car in silence. Patrick helped her into the back seat then walked around to the other side.

“What’s wrong?” Kelsey whispered after Patrick slid onto the seat beside her.

Patrick shook his head and took her hand, but remained quiet. Silence prevailed for the entire ride to Kelsey’s apartment. When Grayson parked the car, Patrick climbed out and walked around to help Kelsey out.

“Don’t leave without me,” he reminded Grayson.

Grayson chuckled. “Don’t take all night.”

Kelsey led him through the apartment building lobby to the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, she looked at him.

“What did she say that upset you so much?” Kelsey demanded.

He started to shake his head but saw the determination on her face and changed his mind. “I just never realized how much some people depended on my reputation,” he said with a tight jaw and Kelsey turned to face him. “Brianna, for example. Tonight, she expected that—”

Kelsey put her finger to his lips and touched his thigh with hers. “I’m sure I know what she expected.” She slowly moved her finger around to the back of his head and opened her palm as the rest of her body met his. “But I think that’s her problem, not yours.” She laid her other hand on his cheek. “That says more about her character than yours. You haven’t done anything to encourage her.”

It sounded almost like a question. He shook his head and wrapped his arms around her as she kissed his chin.

“You’re not the same person you were.”

“But Xavier, too,” he grumbled, pulling her hard against him. “He’s been encouraging it.”

“I could tell.” Kelsey playfully pouted. Patrick tried not to smile. “Well, he’ll just have to get over it. If you’re not interested in that kind of life anymore, there’s nothing he can do about it. He’s your agent. He works for you, not the other way around.”

Patrick began to lower his mouth to hers when the doors opened. Slowly, he released her but kept her hand firmly in his as they walked down the hallway.

He followed Kelsey into her apartment and wrapped his arms around her as he pushed the door closed with his foot. “I always knew you were smart,” he said huskily and pressed his lips against hers. She threw her arms around his neck and flattened her body against his. He groaned and kissed the corner of her mouth, her cheek, her jawline. “I’m not interested in that kind of life anymore, just so you know,” he said in a breath across her ear.

“Good.” Kelsey mewled as his lips inched down her neck, heating her blood as they went. His hand slid around her waist to lightly rest on her stomach. As his kisses moved along her collarbone, his hand moved up to stop on her breast. She moaned and her knees went weak as he kneaded gently.

“I should probably go,” he said as he kissed her neck.

She could only nod and plunge her hands into his hair to hold him to her.

He chuckled and his hand slowed in its ministrations. “Grayson will leave without me.” She whimpered when his hand fell to her hip and he leaned his forehead against hers. “I’ll bring breakfast in the morning?”

Still recovering from her lusty haze, his question took a moment to sink in. She pulled back to meet his gaze and nodded. “That sounds good.”

He quickly kissed her and stepped backward toward the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” He backed into the hallway as Kelsey came to the door. “I love you.”

Kelsey’s face lit up. “I love you.”

With a flash of a grin, Patrick turned and walked quickly down the hallway. Kelsey watched him until he got on the elevator, then closed the door and sank against it with a sigh of contentment.

Twenty-Four

K
elsey was still in bed when Patrick called and told her he was only ten minutes away. With a very unladylike curse, she jumped out of bed, grabbed a three-minute shower, and threw on a pair of lounge pants and a tank top. She ran a comb through her wet hair then quickly braided it and brushed her teeth. After turning on her Keurig, she wandered to the living room and opened the blinds.