Tyler leaned his head against the black leather back cushion, his smile slowly fading but the intensity in those deep blue eyes becoming more focused.
When Tyler didn’t respond, she continued. “Jared also said the atrium has been your project from the beginning.”
“Sounds like Jed’s been talking a lot.”
“Don’t be mad at him. He only told me because I asked.”
She realized as soon as the last word left her mouth what she’d admitted and felt a blush race to her cheeks.
Tyler’s gaze sharpened. “I’m glad to hear that.”
“I’m so sorry. I wasn’t prying—”
“Don’t be sorry. I’m flattered.” His mouth quirked in an adorably lopsided grin and she forgot to be embarrassed.
Hell, she forgot everything but the way he made her feel. Light-headed and fizzy and . . . like a teenager in love for the first time.
And she knew this wasn’t love. Infatuation, yes. But love . . . No way.
She smiled again, unsure what to say now. Small talk had never been her strong suit and flirting . . . Well, she frankly sucked at flirting.
So she practically kissed the waitress who brought their drinks. Until she had the crazy compulsion to scratch the woman’s eyes out when she smiled at Tyler.
Tyler returned the woman’s smile, but only for a second. Then his attention shifted back to Kate.
Where it belonged.
Oh, God, she was going to need to have her head examined. First thing Monday morning.
Tonight, she was going to embrace the crazy.
As if he’d picked up on her ping-ponging thoughts, Tyler took pity on her and turned to watch the band. She took a deep breath and did the same.
For the next thirty minutes, she sipped her drink, listened to wonderful music, and totally enjoyed sitting next to Tyler. But when the singer announced their last song for the night, Kate felt excitement bubble.
She couldn’t help thinking about what Annabelle had told her about the Salon, the private room on the fourth floor. Would he take her there?
Excitement warred with trepidation. Annabelle had said Tyler hadn’t been present during her time at the Salon. Maybe he didn’t spend any time there.
But Kate wanted to see it.
“Kate, is everything okay?”
She turned to find Tyler watching her, concern clear in his expression.
“I’m fine. Will you show me the Salon?”
She hadn’t meant to blurt it out like that, but she couldn’t think of any other way to bring up the subject. And since she’d decided tonight was not going to include fear of any kind, she didn’t take it back.
Not even when Tyler looked like he’d been punched in the gut.
Which he quickly covered with one of those half smiles he was so good at. And that looked so good on him.
“What exactly have you heard about the Salon?”
That Annabelle had had one of the most exciting and arousing nights of her life there.
So that’s exactly what she told him.
Tyler’s expression never wavered but the air seemed to thicken around them. Her sex clenched as she thought about the scene Annabelle had painted for her. The visuals had left her breathless. To think she might actually get to experience a bit of that for herself . . . Oh my.
“Did she tell you I don’t typically attend Jed’s games?”
“She said you weren’t there that night.” She took a deep breath. “So you don’t use the Salon?”
Another pause. “Not regularly, no. But when we first opened and Jed set it up . . . yeah, I went.”
Not wanting to appear too eager but too curious not to ask, she leaned forward. “I’m not a prude, Tyler. And I won’t judge. Everyone’s entitled to their own happiness, so long as they don’t hurt anyone else.”
“But what happens if someone does get hurt?”
She paused, because the look in his eyes made her stop and reconsider the way he’d phrased the question. And his emphasis on the last word. “I guess it depends on how. Are we talking physical or emotional? If you’re talking emotional, then I guess you need to be sure you’ve done everything you can to not be a monster about it.”
She’d tried so hard to minimize the damage with Arnie, but she’d known it wouldn’t take the entire sting away.
“If it’s physical”—just the thought made her heart speed up in a way she barely understood—“then it has to be consensual.”
His smile turned just the slightest bit wicked. “I agree. On both counts. So tell me, Kate. What if I asked to tie you up? Would you let me?”
She tried hard not to be shocked. It wasn’t like she’d never heard of bondage. She’d seen her share of porn. She actually loved to read romances that dealt with light bondage. The whole aspect of giving up control to someone you trusted implicitly was a strong trigger for her. Not that she’d ever told Arnie. She’d been too afraid he’d be shocked. Or repulsed.
Which should have been a huge red flag and you totally ignored it.
“I’m sorry, Kate.” Tyler’s voice intruded on her thoughts, the hint of self-recrimination in his tone totally drawing her attention back to him. “I never should’ve—”
“I think once I get to know you better”—she paused to smile—“there won’t be anything I won’t let you do to me. And that’s a little scary.”
Tyler felt Kate’s softly spoken words reverberate through his body with the force of a blow to the head.
He couldn’t help but wonder if she was slightly drunk, but she didn’t slur her words, her gaze steady on his. Her cheeks held a slight flush, but that could be attributed to lust.
The desires he hadn’t fed in years began to gnaw at his gut, urging him to pull her out of the booth and into an elevator headed for the fourth floor.
“Kate . . . would you like a tour of the Salon?”
She didn’t hesitate. “I’d love one.”
He took her out the way they’d come in. He’d recognized several people in the bar and didn’t want to get caught in a conversation with any of them.
He wanted Kate to himself.
Taking her to the staff elevator, he nodded to the few employees they passed. Most of them were too well-trained to show any indication of surprise at Kate’s presence. But he knew they’d talk among themselves.
They hadn’t seen him with a woman since Mia’s death so the fact that he’d brought a woman to the hotel and was leading her through the inner sanctum was a huge break from protocol.
And he couldn’t care less.
Jed was right. It was time to move on. He’d mourned long enough.
Being with Kate felt . . . right.
As he waved her onto the elevator, she turned and flashed him one of those mysterious, amused looks. “I never realized there was a whole secret world behind the scenes of a hotel. Reminds me of those old movies in English castles with secret passageways.”
After he punched the button for the fourth floor, he leaned back against the wall and stuffed his hands in his pockets. He wanted to grab her and keep her against him but didn’t want to rush her. “I haven’t seen a lot of movies like that. I like movies that blow things up. Most of those aren’t set in English castles.”
Her smile broadened. “So you are a typical guy in some ways.”
A typical guy? “Is that good or bad?”
She shrugged. “It’s interesting.”
“How so?”
“Because I don’t think of you as typical in any way.”
He thought about that as the elevator came to a stop and the doors opened. The fourth floor was available only to certain staff and a select group of trusted friends. His and Jed’s personal offices as well as their apartments were located on this floor, as were two private suites.