Stepping away from him, Kate turned and grabbed tightly to the rail on the landing, fixing her gaze on the crystal chandelier. “Look, I obviously misconstrued what that night meant to you. I thought… I thought it meant something.”
“It did.” David stepped behind her and placed his hands gently on her waist.
His fingers caressed her through the silk of her dress and he pressed his body into her back, allowing his warmth to penetrate to her core. Just when she thought her senses were assaulted to the fullest, his lips touched her just behind her ear.
“You’re perfect,” he whispered. “And I’ll try to deserve you.”
That was it. She was melting.
“But everything you represent scares me.”
So much for melting. She froze.
“Scares you?” she asked. Shit. Even being perfect wasn’t good enough.
When a man was scared, it was fight or flight. He was still having doubts, and she wasn’t about to set herself up for another fall. If it wasn’t another woman causing a problem, it would be David’s immaturity. Kate straightened her spine and tried to get out of the situation without letting him see what he’d done to her.
Plastering a polite smile on her face, she took a step away. “I should really get back.”
“No, wait.” Now he was confused, but he seemed to realize he’d done something wrong. “I didn’t mean…”
“Have a lovely evening.”
Turning on her heel, she left him.
*
When she got to the bottom of the stairs, David saw her greet an older man with a kiss and a warm hug. She glanced up the staircase to where he was standing, their eyes met, and he could see she was distressed. But then she gave him her back and allowed the older man to escort her into the ballroom.
“Good job, Dave,” he said.
Why was this so complicated? He got that he was totally out of his league with her, but he wasn’t giving up. Not until there was no other option.
Kate was making him work for this relationship, and that hadn’t ever happened to him. But he was ready for it now. David wanted a woman who was moody and difficult; one who thought too much, who wasn’t interested in impressing him. He wanted a woman who would keep his interest, make him think, and make him look inside himself. David wanted Kate. She was all those things and more.
He went back to the ballroom and found his friends. It was a nice enough party and he was sure they would raise a ton of money for the charity. Kate stood with a group of very aristocratic looking women, drinking champagne, and carrying on a very dignified looking conversation. David wondered if those women had read any of Kate’s books and what they might think about the love scenes she wrote. His body responded as he thought about those scenes, and pictured Kate in the various scenarios, instead of her heroine. It wasn’t hard seeing her that way, all he had to do was let his mind slip back to the hotel in California or his bedroom two weeks ago. Sipping a beer, he kept his eyes on her. He caught her looking at him and he smiled. She blushed. Jay wandered over with Tyler Graves in tow, both of them looking bored.
“Fun group,” Jay said before he saw David staring at Kate. “So tell me, did we drop five large so you could make goo-goo eyes at the teacher?”
“Yeah, basically.” David nodded.
“You suck, Padre,” Tyler said.
“Graves, you should be right at home here. Half of this group consists of Ivy League professors.” He was making a reference to Tyler’s degree from Yale.
Jay surveyed the room. “Did you talk to her?”
“Yup.” David took another drink and watched Kate get more and more agitated.
He hadn’t taken his eyes off her. The band started playing a slow, jazzy version of Teach Me Tonight and he could only think of Kate, and how she would feel pressed against him.
“Did you apologize for being a dick?” asked his friend.
“I did, again, but I think I insulted her.”
“Asshole.” Jay shook his head and then let out a low whistle. “Will you look at that? Gramps just asked her to dance.”
“Yeah, well…” David’s reply was more a grumble than anything.
He hated the thought of anyone else touching her, even the senior citizen who’d just led her onto the dance floor. When he saw the old man glance down her dress, he burned. When the guy’s hands started to wander, David’s thoughts were nothing short of violent.
“Oh, she didn’t like that.” Jay laughed as David watched Kate push her partner’s hand off her behind. “Although looks like Gramps is having a ball, eh? You going to do anything?”
David nodded, drained his beer and handed the glass to his friend. Gathering his nerve, he walked onto the dance floor and tapped her dancing partner on the shoulder.
The old man turned and raised an eyebrow.
“May I?” David asked.
When the man stepped away, reluctantly allowing him to cut in, David thanked him. Without hesitation, he took Kate’s hand and slipped his arm around her tiny waist, pulling her closer than was appropriate. He spread his hand on the small of her back and allowed the feel of the silky dress to soak in.
“The gentleman was taking some unwelcome liberties.”
Kate didn’t respond, but her cheeks reddened before she changed the subject. “You can dance?” she asked.
“My mother taught me,” he said.
“What do you want, David?” She sounded defeated, hopeless, and that made him feel guilty. He didn’t want to be responsible for causing her pain.
“Please forgive me,” he said.
“Okay.”
“Kate. I know you left because of the picture in the paper. I don’t blame you.” As soon as the words left his mouth he wanted to kick himself. You’re an idiot, Burke.
“How nice,” she snipped. “It’s quite gratifying to know I won’t be blamed for something for which I bear no responsibility.”
Grinning, he looked down at her. She was wonderful—proud, stubborn, and completely vulnerable. David pressed her body into his. Heat shot through him.
He leaned closer and whispered in her ear, “I love how you feel in my arms.” All David heard in response was her sigh. That was his cue to push it a little farther. He rested his cheek on her hair as his breath played over her temple.
“You don’t play fair, on or off the ice,” she said.
“I can’t play fair with you.”
“You have plenty of women, why can’t you just leave me alone?”
The words let him know she was hurt, and he felt responsible for every bit of what she was feeling. Kate drew a ragged breath and David saw she was fighting to maintain the last of her dignity.
“There’s no one else. Not since I saw you that morning in New York and even then, Chelsea didn’t stay with me. She only met me in the city. Ever since California, there’s only you.”
“No one?” she asked her voice soft and almost hopeful.
“No one. After the night we spent together, you have to know I only want you.” She leaned into him and David thought this was too much to hope for.
People were watching them. As he glanced around the room, he could see the whispers and curious looks. No doubt the ladies in polite Philadelphia society were wondering what a caveman like him was doing with their Kate. He held her close and let his lips brush against her hair. When the music stopped, he cupped her cheek and dropped a kiss on Kate’s mouth. He let his tongue play over her soft, sweet lips—nothing more—but his intention was clear.
Breathless and trembling, she could barely speak when she pulled away from him. “Why did you do that?”
He didn’t answer, but watched helplessly as Kate touched her fingers to her lips and backed away, leaving him standing in the ballroom.
*
Kate left the dance floor as gracefully as possible, stopping when she entered the main foyer. What the hell had he done? Her heart was hammering in her chest and her lips were still warm. Everywhere he’d touched her was warm and tingly, and part of her wanted nothing more than to fall in his arms. But part of her, the sane part, had to get away.