TEN
KATE
Kate had almost completely lost hope in Devlin when he texted her two days after their first date. She had been working a lot, which she was thankful for because it kept her busy and distracted from the sadness of being let down once again.
She had just finished work and was undressing to shower when she heard her phone vibrate. He asked her about the second date, and a part of her wanted to just reject him to save the agony of the next few dates. But she had made a deal, so she wanted to go along with it.
She agreed to meet with him that coming weekend and did so with very little enthusiasm. He picked her up in an extravagant limo, and Kate started getting the same feeling she had the last time they had met up, one that said the man was all about flashing his wealth.
He came out of the limo wearing a handsome red and black pinstripe suit. Despite her hesitation, Kate felt the space between her legs respond to the sexy sight of him. She squeezed her thighs together, biting her lip and smearing a bit of her pink lipstick.
“Good evening, beautiful,” he said, holding the door open for her.
He didn’t try to kiss her forehead or touch her lower back that time, even though a part of Kate was hoping he would. She merely climbed into the back seat and waited for him to do the same, the scent of his cologne subtle and tantalizing. The car had just started driving when he turned to face her, a look on his face as serious as she’d ever seen.
“I wanted to apologize for my behavior last time,” he said. “It must have been so hard for you to go between two parents all the time, trying to figure out where you belonged constantly.”
Kate felt her heart begin to melt at the sound of his words, the sight of his soft hazel eyes, and the way he leaned forward without crossing her boundaries. She pulled at the skirt she was wearing, subconsciously hiking it up slightly to show off more of her thigh.
“I appreciate that,” she said genuinely. “It really was difficult. They had other kids, too, so I was just, you know, the extra one who was always there in the dark.”
He was leaning forward still, listening intently. “That must have been horrible,” he said, placing a hand next to her on the seat. “You can tell me more about it if you’d like, but no pressure.”
They drove along for nearly half an hour to where their date was set to take place, chatting about where Kate was from and what her relationship with her parents was like then and as an adult. The entire time he edged closer to her, only by invitation, of course, eventually ending up with one hand on her knee.
Kate was wearing a cute pencil skirt with a black, shimmering blouse that dove deep into her lovely cleavage. She had done more to spruce herself up than she was willing to admit, wearing a push-up bra and even straightening her hair for the event.
She turned out to be happy that she did because they arrived at an event that was more glamorous than Kate could have ever imagined.
They pulled up to a red carpet, private event that showcased an old 1980’s rock band that Kate slightly recognized. She felt dressed up enough compared to everyone else that she passed, linked onto Devlin’s arm, but not nearly as interesting or attractive.
She was simply dazzled by the people she recognized at the party … movie stars, politicians, singers, you name it. There weren’t any cameras around, which she was surprised and happy about because she would have felt self-conscious being around so many desirable people.
“How the hell do you even get tickets for a thing like this?” Kate whispered as they walked into the venue.
They were moving into a majestic, opulent manor, which meant that someone likely owned the acreage and had planned the event personally.
Devlin shrugged and brought a hand to hers that had been curled under his arm.
“They will send you invites through a secret email,” he murmured. “Then I have to give them a password to get in.”
Kate brought a hand to her chest, then furrowed her brow.
“Really?”
A smug smirk grew across Devlin’s face as they moved through the crowd, then he burst out laughing and shaking his head.
“Well, the email part is true,” he said.
Kate slapped him lightly on the arm, and then they both giggled, with Kate feeling a lightness in her chest that destroyed all of her apprehension she’d had from their last dalliance.
Devlin guided her to a private balcony that overlooked the stage. The balcony had soft, velvet seats, along with a private server who brought them luscious snacks and beverages throughout the evening.
Kate couldn’t believe what was going on. She kept looking down over the balcony during the performance at the many faces she recognized. She didn’t have any confidence about speaking to them, but she adored the idea she could gaze at them and maybe even chat about it with Dana. Of course, she wouldn’t believe a single word
During the whole show, Devlin kept a hand on Kate’s knee. She placed her hand over his, causing him to give her a thoughtful, sweet look every now and then. In the middle of the show, as the music blasted and guitar hummed between them, he leaned into her ear and murmured.
His voice made her spine tingle.