Cat Haus - The Complete Story (16 page)

The only evidence they were here was the sound of saws and hammers, and the trucks parked in the lot. The noise started early and the girls bitched about it waking them up after a late night. The dust that seemed to get everywhere was annoying. We were living in a construction site and it felt like it.

As the weeks passed and the renovation continued, we were all called upon by Henry to pick up a dust rag to keep the bar and parlor presentable between visits from the cleaning lady. But for me, I was happy for it all, because it meant we were on the way to John having a permanent place here. At least for while he was in town.

I reviewed our brief history of encounters. John had won me in a poker game with Gus months ago. It had been about one month after that John came back to finish Gus off in that final game. Then, after another four weeks or so had passed, he'd been back here to check on the Cat Haus.

If this was John's regular schedule, I figured I could expect him here for a few days each month. His presence would be a treat I'd look forward to—rare and wonderful. I'd keep him occupied during those brief visits and enjoy doing it. I'd keep him so well satisfied he wouldn't even look at the other girls here. I didn't let myself think about if there might be a girl he spent time with during those weeks he was away from me.

I didn't delve too deeply into my possessiveness. I'd never liked sharing my toys as a child and I guess that attitude had carried into my adult life. Not that I viewed John as my plaything. Hell, I wish that's all he was. Then the situation wouldn't seem so complicated. I suspected it would only get more so once he was around more.

I'd determined, through some quality time spent with a calendar and a few sweeping assumptions on my part, that John should reappear one day this week. I had a lot of
Pretty Woman
moments as that time neared. I kept drawing comparisons between the prostitute Julia Roberts played in the movie and me. And of course, between the rich and powerful businessman Richard Gere played and John.

Julia's character had fallen for the man who'd hired her to spend the week with him, and as all good Hollywood chick flicks did, the story ended with him whisking her away from her life on the streets to be his girlfriend, in spite of all the obstacles.

Fuck Hollywood for putting ideas like that in a girl's head. Part of me said nope, never ever gonna happen. Then the other part—the stupid part—said, why not? John and I got along so well and not just as far as sex. It was more. Like the way he included me in his plans for the business and the building. How he respected me.

I had to keep reminding myself that we'd only seen each other a handful of times, proving I was crazy for thinking we had more than what we did.

He enjoyed fucking me. He liked to talk to me, probably because besides Henry he didn't know anyone else here. That was it. Stupid girls got hurt. I didn't intend to be either—stupid or hurt.

"It turned out beautifully, sir." Henry calling someone in the hallway
sir
had my heart pounding like hooves on a racetrack.

All of my resolve fled and I spun toward the front entrance in time to see John shaking off an umbrella. It must be raining out but I couldn't care less about the weather.

"I can't wait to see it." John glanced up and saw me staring. He smiled, but didn't call me forward, didn't even pause as he followed Henry down the hallway that led to the stairs for the private apartment.

I didn't know what to do with myself. I wanted to follow but without an invitation I'd look crazy. Like a stalker, or a teenager following around the guy she had a crush on at school and making sure she'd be in the same place he was, accidentally on purpose. I sure felt like a teenage girl, but I couldn't seem to help myself.

As my pulse raced until I felt almost light-headed, I waited, keeping as close to the front hall as I could without looking obvious. I inspected the toys for sale in the glass display case. I wandered to the bar, grabbed a rag and dusted the moldings around the front door. That's how desperate I was to make sure I was there when John emerged from his apartment.

It was pretty early in the morning, around nine-thirty, or closer to ten o'clock. For those of us who worked straight through the night, sometimes well past sunrise, it might as well have been dawn, so the other girls were still in bed. The only reason I was up and out was because I couldn't sleep. I'd gotten up, thrown on a cute little teddy and a silk robe in case anyone was around, and had rooted in the kitchen for something to eat with my usual morning cup of hot tea.

I'd been on my way back to my room when I'd heard Henry and John. There was no way I was going to my room now. Not with John on the premises.

"You sure you don't mind?" John's voice preceded him.

"Not at all. I can order the window treatments and have them installed this week or if you'd like them earlier, I can drive to the store and see what they have in stock."

"Either is fine. I'm not all that concerned about drapes. The blinds are up for now."

"Yes, sir. I'll go place the order." Henry ducked into the office.

John continued the few more steps it took to reach where I stood like a dolt with dust rag in hand. I smiled. "Good morning."

"Good morning." John returned my smile and it felt as if he'd turned on the sun.

I felt the need to explain both my presence and that of the rag in my hand. "Just doing a little dusting. It seems somebody's been doing some construction around here and kicking up a lot of dust." I joked and hoped I didn't sound like an idiot.

"Yes, annoying I'm sure. But the good news is, it's done. They've even painted the walls and finished the floors, so no more sanding. I promise. The rest is just finishing touches."

"Such as drapes."

He tipped his head. "Such as drapes."

"They worked fast. It's pretty amazing how quickly they got it done." Now I was babbling, but I was afraid if I stopped talking he'd leave.

"Yes, and the bonus I promised if they finished within a month helped."

"No doubt." I decided to forge ahead to what I really wanted to know. Was he here to stay and for how long? "So, I guess you'll be around more often then."

"Yes. It's done, right down to the furnishings, so I see no reason why I shouldn't stay here starting tonight."

I swallowed hard and grew bolder. "I’m glad you'll be around more often."

"And why is that?" He tipped his head to the side.

I shrugged. "I like seeing you."

"
Seeing
me?" He raised a brow and I could tell by his expression he was thinking the same as I was. About how much we both liked what we did together that had to do with many more body parts than our eyes.

"Okay, I like doing more than just seeing you," I confessed.

"Me too." John let out a sigh and looked less happy with our discussion. "It could get tricky, I'm afraid."

"What could?"

"My spending time with you. It could be seen as my showing favoritism. The other girls might not take it well."

He was right, of course. Jealousy and bickering was common among the girls, even before John had singled me out from the group. And even though I fully intended to keep working just as hard as they did, they might see me as John's pet and be looking to find fault in me or my job performance.

"I know. You're right." My gaze dropped away from his.

Maybe us spending time together would make things too complicated for him and he didn't want to deal with it. John was first and foremost a smart businessman. I wasn't certain he'd choose sex with me over the best interest of the Cat Haus. He was silent for so long, I dared to glance up at his face.

He shook his head and laughed as he stared at me. "Every one of your emotions shows through in your expression."

I frowned. I didn't like he'd noticed my handicap. John brought my chin up with his forefinger so I'd have to look him in the eye.

"And now you're upset by my comment. Cate, don't be. It's not a bad thing, but you should probably never play poker." He smiled.

"Don't worry. I wasn't planning on it." My mouth twisted even at the mention of the card game that had brought both bad and good into my life of late.
 

John took a step closer and cupped my face with both of his hands. "Cate."

The breath I'd been holding whooshed out of me. "Yeah."

"Go upstairs."

I frowned. I wasn't often confused, but around this man, it happened too often. My bedroom was on this level, down the hallway. The only upstairs in the building was his new apartment—

Oh.

"You want me to go upstairs?"

"Yes." He trailed a fingertip down my arm, over the silk of my robe. "I was assuming you'd want to help me christen my new bed. But I understand if you'd rather not."

"No, I want to. I definitely want to." Anticipation had my heart pounding so hard I feared he'd feel it.

"Good." John looped his arm around my neck, drew me close and kissed the top of my head. "It's nice to see you again, Cate. It feels really good to be back."

As he led me down the hallway and to the stairs, his arm still around my shoulders, I could have sworn he leaned in and drew in a whiff of my hair. I'd washed it after I'd finished working early this morning and I could still smell the scent of the styling product I'd used.

He let out a sigh that sounded an awful lot like contentment.

I'm glad he was feeling happy because my world had just turned upside down. All I could think after this surreal display of affection from John was
what the fuck
? What was this? Was I his sex partner or something more? Was he staying for a few days or forever?

I would have liked to ask those plus a dozen more questions but instead I followed John up the stairs. I let him close the door, then nuzzle my neck as he slid my robe off my shoulders. I opened my lips to his when he kissed me.
 

I'd help him christen the bed, and the sofa, and even the counter in the tiny kitchen area if he wanted. But as he stripped naked before me, the overriding thought in my mind remained—what was I to him? Did he even know?

When he came toward me in all his glorious aroused perfection, I had to think, did it matter what we were to each other? As he laid me down on the bed on top of a comforter that had probably cost a small fortune and slid inside me, my heart clenched with emotion and I realized, yeah, it did matter.

Crap.

PART III

CHAPTER 13

Kneeling on the bed, John ran his hands between my legs, starting at my calves and moving up until he'd spread my thighs wide.

I loved when he touched me. Loved it a little too much, truth be told. I never seemed to be able to get enough of him. I craved him. His touch on my skin. His eyes on me. Even the sound of his voice.

It's crazy. A woman who has sex as many times a day as I did shouldn't need a man with the intensity that I needed him. And that scared the shit out of me, because it meant there's something else going on here. Something I refused to put a name to because there was no way I was going to let myself fall in love with John. At times like this, it was hard to remember that resolution.

Braced between my legs, he spread me with his thumbs and circled my clit. A slow, lazy motion. A warm up. Just a taste of the pleasure he could—would—give me soon. Not soon enough.

My eyes drifted closed, but I forced them open again. I didn't want to miss a moment of watching him. I was never sure if this would be our last time together and I wanted to tuck away every memory I could. Wanted to memorize his voice. The look in his eyes. The feel of him inside me.

"John?"

"Yes, Cate."

I'd said his name in hopes of hearing him say mine. He did and my heart did a little flutter. Fuck. I was so screwed. Tucking that reality away, I said, "I'm glad you're here."

A slow, sexy smile tipped up the corners of his lips and drew my eyes to his mouth. "Me too."

Inside my head, my mind screamed that familiar, unanswered question—what was this thing between us?

Even as that thought careened through my brain, John continued to work my clit in slow, gentle circles while the tip of his length pressed against my entrance. I waited, anticipating what I needed so badly—that first thrust as he filled me. No matter what I was to him, I had this. This moment.

My one consolation amid all my doubt and uncertainty was my firm belief that he needed this too. He needed to be the man he was while we were together. As he pushed inside me and his eyes lost focus, I knew that to be true with complete certainty.

He wanted me, needed me, needed this. This release. This loss of his tightly held control. He pushed deep and I felt the shudder that ran down his spine. I knew deep down that while he was with me was the only time he let himself go.

His mouth opened on an exhale. With his eyes squeezed shut, a tiny frown creased the space between his brows. I reached up and cupped his face with my hands. Then those eyes opened and his ice blue gaze captured and held mine. His expression seemed filled with wonder, as if this were the first time.

It was far from it. We'd done this before, but still every time with him felt this wondrous. Magical. All words I had no fucking business thinking when it came to sex with a man like John. I yanked myself back to reality. I needed to bring myself down to earth and take him with me.