He knew she could tell he had something weighing on his mind. His father’s bombshell earlier today felt like a concrete block on his shoulders.
The bastard was going to sell the GoldenStar chain unless Tyler took over chairmanship of the board.
Tyler still felt like he’d been punched in the gut. He’d left his father’s office in a seething rage that he’d only managed to douse with a trip to the gym to punch the bag for an hour and a bottle of Patrón before dinner with Greg.
Dinner had helped sober him but nothing had erased the need to see Kate.
When he thought of her, all the other shit in his head settled.
Greg had offered to drive and Tyler wasn’t far enough gone to not realize that was probably a good idea. His head wasn’t on straight.
But he’d known exactly what he needed to take his mind off everything else.
He needed her.
After that kiss, he’d managed to keep his hands in his pockets, even though she tempted him with each article of clothing she pulled out of the closet.
A dress for tomorrow night’s reception that looked like nothing more than a tube of black velvet with two straps to hold it up. A pair of black slacks and a baby blue blouse he assumed she’d wear with it. A T-shirt and a pair of jeans.
Then she’d opened the chest of drawers and threw tiny bits of silk and lace on the bed. Underwear and bras.
His mouth dried and his hands curled into fists in his pockets.
He wondered what she was wearing right now. Although, if he had to guess, he didn’t think she was wearing anything under that T-shirt.
It didn’t take her long to pack a bag though she’d probably spent more time picking out her shoes and jewelry than she had her clothes.
She’d also stopped just before they were ready to walk out the door and said she’d forgotten something. He had no idea what but she’d taken her overnight bag with her and when he’d picked it up again, it was heavier.
“So, Kate.” Greg turned so he could address her after they’d reached the turnpike. “Tyler tells me you’re considering taking a boutique in the spa. I gotta say, it sounds like a great opportunity for you.”
She surprised him by saying, “I think so too.”
“So you’re going to do it?” Tyler caught her gaze in the mirror for a few brief seconds.
She smiled. “I’ve had a lot of time to think about it this week but there are a few things I need to figure out before I say yes.”
He wanted her to say yes but knew he couldn’t pressure her into making this decision. He settled for a restrained, “I’ll answer any question you have.”
Her smile did weird and wonderful things to his insides, and he knew he should probably be worried about that. He knew what happened when he let himself get out of control and he didn’t want to ever feel like that again.
“I know. I just . . . need a little more time.”
Greg steered the conversation away from the subject after that, drawing out Kate and keeping her engaged. Tyler added a little here and there, though he was more than content to listen to Kate.
Who didn’t seem at all attracted to Greg. He couldn’t help feeling superior about that. Yes, it was juvenile. He’d have to watch that.
What she was interested in was costume design. He knew that’s what she’d studied in college and what she’d hoped to pursue after graduation. Until her mother’s death had interrupted those plans.
When he finally pulled into the garage at Haven, she and Greg were laughing about a recent Broadway production they’d both seen and the amazing costumes.
“Her use of color to show character was brilliant,” Kate said as Tyler helped her out of the car. “It was amazing how much emotion a simple blue handkerchief in his pocket could convey.”
Since Tyler hadn’t seen the show, he had no idea what they were talking about. And he didn’t care. He simply enjoyed listening to Kate and watching her talk about something she obviously loved.
When they reached the fourth floor, though, the conversation came to a halt as the elevator doors opened. Greg was staying in one of the suites and he nodded at Tyler and said good night to Kate before he disappeared into it, leaving them staring into each other’s eyes.
“Would you like your own room, Kate? Or will you stay with me this weekend?”
He heard no hesitation in her voice when she said, “I’d like to stay with you.”
Which was exactly what he wanted so he didn’t bother to hide his smile. “Good.”
Opening the door to his apartment, he waved her in then headed to his bedroom to drop off her bag.
He hadn’t realized she’d followed him until he turned and found her standing in the doorway, her gaze taking in everything.
“You decorated this room yourself, didn’t you?”
How did she know that? “Pretty much, yes.”
Her gaze returned to him and she smiled. “I like it.”
“I’m glad. But how could you tell I decorated it?”
“It feels like you.”
Navy blue walls decorated with the framed conceptual drawings he’d made of the atrium. Sky blue silk drapes at the windows. Cherry mahogany furniture, including a king-size bed, a double chest, and a night table.
No clutter. No mess.
Not much personality.
“So I’m boring.”
She laughed, her eyes crinkling at the corners until they almost disappeared. “I don’t think you’re boring, Tyler. Not at all. You’ve got hidden depths. You’re straightforward. I like that.”
Closing the distance between them, he stopped only inches away, close enough that she had to tilt her head back to look at him.
He wanted to reach for her but kept his hands to himself. For now, anyway. At the moment, he wanted to know why she’d agreed to come. Before, it hadn’t mattered. Only that she had.
“I’m glad you came. I believe you’ll have a good time at the party. I believe Annabelle will be there, too, at least for a little while.”
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise. “She didn’t say anything. Then again, we didn’t get to talk much this week.”
He saw that didn’t sit well with her. “Did you have a busy week?”
She sighed and nodded. “Yeah, busier than normal. And I spent most nights working on designs.”
Heat began to build low in his gut. “Lingerie designs?”
A mysterious look crossed her face. “And others.”
“More wedding dresses?”
She shook her head. “It’ll probably be easier if I show you.”
“Are you going to model?”
“Would you like me to?”
Her expression had turned flirtatious and the way she stared up at him made his cock swell. The remnants of alcohol in his system burned away from the look in her eyes.
“I guess it depends on what you’re going to model.”
With that same mysterious smile, she walked to the bed, where he’d set her bag on the floor next to it.
“Lingerie and wedding dresses aren’t all I’ve been working on. I was trained as a costume designer. I’ve had a few requests recently for costumes.” She paused. “Role-playing costumes.”
His heart began to pound. “Like the fairy costumes you made for you and Annabelle.”
Her smile turned wicked. “Kind of, yes. But not the kind you can wear outside of the bedroom. Unless it’s down the hall in the Salon.”
Oh, hell yes. He definitely wanted to see whatever she had in that bag.
He’d never really considered the idea of dress-up before. It wasn’t something Mia had ever suggested, and it’d just never popped up on his radar. Some of the women who attended Jed’s Salons did dress up, but he’d been there so infrequently in the past several years that it had never really registered.
Now, he couldn’t think of anything he wanted more.