Dawson watched from beneath half-closed eyes as Kate got dressed the next morning. “Sure I can’t persuade you to stay in bed?”
“I wish,” she groaned, slipping her feet into her shoes. “But we’ve already skipped out on almost all the other organized events. As maid of honor, I really need to go spend some quality girl time with the bride.”
He sighed. “I suppose I see your point. What are you girls doing anyway?”
Kate sat down on the edge of the bed and gave him a smile. “Going to the hotel spa so we can get beautiful for the wedding.”
He reached out to curl the end of her long, silky hair around his finger. “Waste of money. You’re already beautiful.”
Her cheeks colored at the compliment. “You always say the sweetest things.”
“It’s easy when they’re true.”
She blushed even deeper at that. “So, what are you going to do today?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe go down to the gym and get in a run. But more likely, I’ll lie in bed and watch ESPN all day.” He grinned. “You’re welcome to come back and join me after you’re done getting pampered, if you want.”
“Tempting as that is, I’d better not. If I did, we’d end up having mad, passionate sex instead of watching television and I’d show up at the wedding looking like I just rolled out of bed.”
He chuckled and pulled her down for a kiss. “I think you look sexy like that.”
She laughed. “Yeah, well, I don’t think Rachel would agree. But once my maid of honor duties are done, I’m all yours.”
“All mine.” He reached up to brush her hair back from her face. “Mmm, I like the sound of that.”
Something flickered in Kate’s eyes and for a moment, Dawson thought she looked almost sad, but it was gone before he could be sure.
“Me too,” she said softly, then leaned close to touch her lips to his. “I’ll see you at the wedding.”
As Kate moved to go, Dawson had to resist the urge to pull her into his arms and keep her there. It was silly and stupid and completely out of character for him, but it was the only thing he could think to do. He was falling for Kate in a big way and he didn’t want to lose her.
He flopped back on the pillow and stared up at the ceiling. It was almost laughable, really. He’d gone out with plenty of women who were willing to get married, but he hadn’t been able to see himself settling down with any of them. Now he’d finally met someone he could envision spending the rest of his life with and she wasn’t interested in a long-term relationship. At least not with him.
Dawson groaned. Shit, he sounded like a chick.
Kate was the one who made the rules that first night about them going their separate ways after the weekend was over and she hadn’t done anything to make him think she felt differently now. She wasn’t interested in him for anything other than sex. He should just be satisfied they had a wonderful weekend together and leave it at that. Thanks for the memories, and all that.
Swearing under his breath, he grabbed the remote from the nightstand and switched on the television. He and Kate still had one more night together. He’d be damned if he let anything spoil it.
“Earth to Kate.”
Kate shook herself from her musings to look at Rachel. She and the other girl were getting a French manicure in one room of the hotel’s luxurious spa while the bridesmaids were in another getting their hair styled in a fancy updo. They would flip-flop after everyone was finished, then all get their makeup done together. If Kate weren’t so preoccupied, it would have been the perfect way to while away the hours before her best friend’s wedding. But getting all pampered for the big event only reminded her she only had one more night with Dawson. The thought made her want to curl up in a ball and cry. Kate didn’t want Rachel to know how miserable she was, though, so she forced herself to give the other girl a smile.
“Sorry. I must have zoned out.”
“Zoned out? Honey, you were on another planet.” Rachel regarded her thoughtfully. “Is everything okay? Did something happen with Dawson? Did you two have a fight or something?”
Kate shook her head. “No, no. Everything with Dawson is fine.”
“Then why do you look like you’re about to cry?”
Kate swallowed hard. She never was very good at hiding her emotions, especially from her best friend. This was Rachel’s big day and Kate knew it wasn’t right to burden the other girl with her problems, but she really needed to talk to someone. She glanced at the red-haired girl doing her nails, wondering if she should ask her to leave so she and Rachel could have some privacy, but then realized whatever they said, it probably wouldn’t be anything the manicurist hadn’t heard before.
Kate looked at her friend. “I never should have slept with Dawson.”
Rachel frowned. “What? Why not? You said the sex was amazing.”
“It is amazing. It’s better than amazing. It’s just that…”
“It’s just what?” her friend prompted when her voice trailed off.
Kate caught her lower lip between her teeth and chewed on it for a moment before finally answering. “I think I’m falling in love with him.”
She braced herself for the lecture she knew was coming, but instead Rachel’s eyes lit up. “Oh my God, that’s wonderful!”
“No it isn’t.”
“What are you talking about? Why wouldn’t it be wonderful?”
Kate groaned. “Because I made it clear to Dawson the first night that I wanted this to be a weekend fling, no strings attached.”
Rachel shrugged. “So, tell him you changed your mind. It’s a woman’s prerogative, after all.”
Kate stared at her friend incredulously. “Wait a minute. You were the one who told me I shouldn’t think of Dawson as anything more than a walking, talking sex toy.”
Throughout their conversation, the manicurist had been doing her best to look like she wasn’t listening, but at that, the redhead lifted her head to look at Rachel in astonishment. Kate was surprised to see her friend blush.
“Okay, that was totally out of context,” Rachel explained to the girl before turning her attention to Kate again. “And it was before you fell in love with him anyway, so what I said then doesn’t apply now.”
Kate shook her head at the other girl’s logic. “It doesn’t change anything. I can’t tell Dawson how I feel, not after I told him I wasn’t interested in anything more than sex.”
He would just think she was changing the rules and she knew from experience that men hated when a woman changed the rules.
“Sure you can,” Rachel insisted. “It’s a well-known fact that men are very open to the idea of turning a hookup into a relationship.”
Kate gave her a skeptical look. “It is?”
“Yes. I read about it in Cosmo.”
The manicurist nodded. “I read that, too. It makes complete sense to me.”
God, they both made it sound so easy. “Rachel, I don’t even know if he feels the same way.”
The other girl smiled. “I’ve seen the way Dawson looks at you, honey. He’s definitely into you. Trust me.”
Kate wanted to point out that just because Dawson had been “into her” several different ways already this weekend, it didn’t mean he wanted to take their relationship to the next level. He might not be interested in her for anything other than sex. If she said something, she’d end up looking like a desperate fool when just a few days ago she’d been a modern liberated woman. On the other hand, if Rachel was right and she walked away from Dawson, she knew she would end up regretting it for the rest of her life.
She looked at her friend. “Do you really think I should tell him?”
“Yes!” both Rachel and the manicurist said in unison.
Kate couldn’t help but smile as she looked from one girl to the other. “Okay, I’m outnumbered, I guess.”
“So, that means you’ll tell him?” Rachel asked.
She nodded. “I’ll tell him. I don’t know how, but I’ll tell him.”
Kate wanted to run up to Dawson ’s room right then and tell him how she felt, but she knew if she did, they’d never make it to the wedding. So she forced herself to stay where she was and let the spa staff pamper her along with the other girls, something that was much more enjoyable now that she was no longer depressed. As a result, the rest of the day seemed to fly by and before Kate knew it, they were all making their way outside to the bluff where the ceremony was being held.
Since she was standing behind the other bridesmaids, Kate couldn’t see Dawson from where her vantage point and she ran her hand down the front of her peach colored gown nervously.
“You look beautiful,” Rachel said in her ear.
Kate turned to give her friend a smile. “Shouldn’t I be the one telling you that?”
“You told me upstairs, remember?” Rachel wrapped her arms around her in a warm hug, then pulled back to give her a grin. “ Dawson won’t be able to take his eyes off you.”
Kate hoped so. She smoothed her gown again, then realizing the hand holding the bouquet was trembling, she steadied it with the other. Sheesh, she was so nervous, she felt like she was the one getting married. Her pulse skipped a beat at the thought.
As Kate followed the other bridesmaids up the aisle a few minutes later, her gaze automatically went to Dawson, who was standing with the other men up front near the beautifully decorated gazebo where Rachel and Bob would say their vows. She caught her breath at the sight of him. Good heavens, she’d never seen a man look more handsome in a tuxedo in her life. But Dawson was so gorgeous she almost stopped right where she was just so she could gaze at him. Then he gave her that devastating grin of his and she practically melted on the spot.
Abruptly realizing she actually had stopped, Kate blushed and forced herself to continue up the aisle and take her place with the rest of the bridesmaids at the front. As she turned to watch Rachel’s father escort her up the aisle, Kate couldn’t help but notice that Dawson hadn’t taken his eyes off her. Kate barely registered when Rachel held out the bouquet for her to hold. Hoping none of the guests had seen, Kate blushed and quickly took the flowers before turning to watch her friend step into the gazebo with her soon-to-be husband.
Kate tried her best to focus on the ceremony, but her gaze kept straying to Dawson. Each time it did, she found him looking her way, so it wasn’t surprising when the priest had to ask him twice for the rings. As he hastily dug in his pocket for them, Kate saw Rachel give her a knowing smile from the steps of the gazebo.
Fortunately, she and Dawson didn’t have to do anything else but stand there for the rest of the ceremony. When Rachel and Bob descended the steps of the gazebo after it was over, Kate surprised herself by actually remembering to give the other girl her bouquet of flowers. As soon as the couple started down the aisle, Dawson offered Kate his arm and they followed.
Thankfully, Rachel and Bob had to stand in the receiving line when they got to the back of the bluff, which gave Kate a few moments alone with Dawson before they had to pose for pictures.
He reached up to gently finger a tendril of hair that had been artfully left loose from the updo to frame her face. “You’re enough to take my breath away.”
The compliment warmed her all the way to the tips of her French-manicured toes. “Thank you,” she said softly. “You look pretty breathtaking yourself in that tux.”
His mouth quirked. “It’s uncomfortable as hell to wear, but I’m glad you like it.”
She laughed. “I most definitely like it.”
Dawson glanced around, then lowered his voice. “You have no idea how much I want to kiss you right now.”
“So, what’s stopping you?” she teased.
Chuckling, Dawson bent his head to kiss her, but just as his lips were about to touch hers, the wedding photographer loudly announced he needed the bridal party to gather together so he could take pictures. Dawson groaned and lifted his head.
“Think they’d notice if we slipped upstairs for a quickie?” he asked.
“I think they might,” Kate laughed. “Since it would probably take me an hour to get out of this dress.”
He sighed. “I don’t know why you’d have to take the dress off for a quickie, but I suppose you’re right. Okay, pictures it is then. But I’m going to thoroughly ravish you after the reception.”
Kate smiled up at him. “I can’t wait.”
While Kate wouldn’t have minded going up to his room for that quickie Dawson suggested, posing for pictures along with the rest of the wedding party was rather fun, especially since she and Dawson were together in almost all of them. When they were done with the photos, they all went into the ballroom, where the bride and groom made their big entrance to a round of applause from their guests.
Although the chicken cordon bleu Rachel and Bob had decided on for dinner looked delicious, Kate was too busy having a good time with Dawson to pay much attention to what they were eating. She hadn’t even realized it was possible to fall for a guy as quickly as she’d fallen for Dawson, but as she listened to him give the toast, she realized he was the man she’d been searching for her whole life and this time, she hadn’t even been looking. Maybe that was why she’d found him.
Kate was still marveling at that as she and Dawson walked out to join the rest of the bridal party in the traditional first dance a little while later. As he took her in his arms and pulled her close, she discovered he was as talented on the dance floor as he was in the bedroom. But then she’d always thought dancing was a little like making love. All those rhythmic motions were quite erotic. And feeling his body move against hers as they danced was one very erotic experience.
She would have been content to stay on the dance floor for the rest of the night, or at least until they went up to Dawson’s room, but a little while later, the DJ announced it was time for the bride and groom to cut the cake. As they sat down along with everyone else, Kate eagerly reached for her water glass and took a sip.
“I’m glad we decided to hook up for the weekend,” Dawson said as he reached for his own glass and took a long swallow of water. “It was a good idea.”
Something about the offhand way he said the words made Kate’s heart suddenly squeeze in her chest. Was this his subtle way of reminding her that he was only in this for some casual sex? Had he somehow figured out she’d started having feelings for him and wanted more than a simple weekend fling? Her hand began to tremble and she quickly set the glass down on the table.
She forced herself to smile. “Yeah. Me, too.”
Kate supposed she should have said more, but right then, she couldn’t trust herself to speak. She wasn’t even sure she could breathe. Tonight was it. This thing with him was really going to end. But how could she spend the night making love to Dawson now when all she wanted to do was go up to her room and cry her eyes out? At the same time, how could she not? It was her last chance to be with him. There would be time enough for tears on the ferry ride home tomorrow. Tonight at least, she was going to enjoy herself.
But that was easier said than done. Fortunately, Dawson didn’t seem to pick up on how quiet she’d gotten and Rachel was too busy being the blushing bride to notice. Or so Kate thought. Unfortunately, the other girl was still observant enough to realize Kate hadn’t gathered around with the rest of the single women when it was time to catch the bouquet.
“Kate!” she called. “Where are you, girl? Get over here!”
Kate groaned inwardly. Damn. She’d forgotten all about catching the bouquet. Considering the man she was in love with wanted nothing to do with her after their little weekend fling was over, she wasn’t really in the mood to take part in the silly tradition. But now that Rachel had singled her out, there was no way she could get out of it. Not that it mattered, she supposed. She never caught the stupid thing anyway.
She got to her feet. “I’m coming, I’m coming!”
As Kate made her way to the center of the dance floor to join the other single women, the other bridesmaids clapped and cheered, as did the rest of the guests.
At all her other friends’ weddings, Kate always made sure she was front and center for the bouquet toss, desperate to get her hands on the darn thing, but this time, she purposely positioned herself at the back of the group, figuring there was less chance of catching it there. However, when Rachel threw the bouquet over her shoulder, it sailed over all the other women to land right in her hands like it was guided by GPS. How was that for ironic?
Around her, everyone clapped and cheered again, more loudly this time. Though her heart really wasn’t in it, she picked up her gown and gave the room a small smile and a curtsy all the same. As she straightened up, Rachel hurried over to wrap her in a big hug.
“Congratulations, future Mrs. McKenna,” her friend whispered in her ear.
Tears stung Kate’s eyes and she quickly blinked them back, not wanting the other girl to see. She even managed to give Rachel a smile when her friend pulled back to look at her. This was Rachel’s wedding day and she wasn’t going to do anything to bring her down. Luckily, Bob swooped in and whisked his wife away before Kate could reply.
“I think someone’s impatient to get his bride up to the honeymoon suite,” Dawson whispered in her ear.
Kate shivered as his warm breath tickled her cheek. She’d been so caught up in her own thoughts she hadn’t heard Dawson come up behind her. She took a deep breath, then turned to smile at him. “I think you’re right.”
“You know what that means.”
“What?”
He flashed her a sexy grin. “That you and I can finally be alone.”
Kate’s pulse fluttered at the promise in his eyes and she went up on tiptoe to give him a kiss. “And you can ravish me just like you promised.”
As it turned out, it was another hour before Rachel and Bob left the reception, but once the bride and groom were gone, Kate and Dawson said good night to the rest of the wedding party and hurried upstairs. In his room, he took her in his arms and covered her mouth with his. She closed her eyes and melted against him, shutting out everything else as she kissed him back. If this was going to be her last night with Dawson, she wanted it to be perfect.
Letting out a groan, Dawson tore his mouth away to kiss his way down her neck to the curve of her shoulder as he reached around to undo the zipper on her dress. With his help, the straps slipped over her shoulders and the gown landed in a puddle of peach satin at her feet to leave her standing in nothing but a lacy bra and matching panties of the same color. He took a step back to slowly look her up and down before he bent his head to kiss her again.
His mouth was hot and demanding on hers and Kate parted her lips with a moan as his fingers found the pins holding up her long hair and began removing them one by one. When he’d gotten all of them out and the tresses tumbled down her back, he slid his hand in her hair and tilted her head back, plunging his tongue into her mouth to take sweet possession of hers.
Still kissing her, Dawson ran his hands down her back to find the clasp of her bra. Opening it deftly, he slid the straps off her shoulders and down her arms, releasing her breasts from their confines. Kate waited breathlessly for him to cup them in his hands, but instead he hooked his fingers inside her panties and slowly pushed them down, then slipped off her high-heeled sandals. As he straightened, he ran his hands up her bare legs and over her hips to bury his hands in her hair and close his mouth over hers once again.
Kate grabbed onto the lapels of his tux, pulling him closer. Her nipples tingled where they brushed against his jacket, and she slid her hands inside to push it off his shoulders. She reached for his bowtie next, giving it a little tug before undoing the buttons on his shirt. She eagerly yanked it out of his waistband and would have reached for the zipper on his pants when he swung her up in his arms and gently set her down on the bed.
He stood gazing down at her, his gaze caressing her naked body with an intensity that made Kate catch her breath. No matter how many other men she took her clothes off for, she would never forget the way Dawson McKenna looked at her.
That thought brought a pang with it and tears suddenly clogged her throat. She swallowed hard, wondering how she was going to keep from losing it. Dammit. She didn’t want to spend their remaining night together crying. But Dawson didn’t seem to notice and she was relieved when he finally stripped off his shirt and pants so she could focus on his magnificent body instead of how much she was hurting inside.
Tossing the last of his clothes on the floor, Dawson climbed onto the bed and settled himself between her legs. He braced himself on his forearms and teasingly rubbed the head of his cock up and down the lips of her pussy for one long delicious moment before slowly sliding inside.
Kate gasped, her arms and legs going around him to pull him in even deeper. Dawson mumbled something she couldn’t make out and before she could ask what it was, he bent his head to claim her lips in a searing kiss. She moaned against his mouth and tightened her arms around him, instinctively lifting her hips to meet his when he gently began to thrust.
Unlike the other times they’d made love, she didn’t beg him to go faster or take her harder. This time, she wanted to make it last all night if she could.
Dawson seemed to want the same thing, because he kept his thrusts slow and steady, sliding out until just the tip of his cock was inside her before sliding back in to completely bury his length in her pussy again. Then he would hold himself there, pressing so firmly she swore she was going to come just from the fullness of it.
But as much as she wanted it to, there was no way they could last all night. It just felt too good. When neither of them could hold off coming any longer and Dawson buried his face in the curve of her neck and exploded inside her, the orgasm that coursed through Kate was so powerful and so beautiful that it brought tears to her eyes. This time she didn’t try to stop them, but let them roll silently down her cheeks, hoping Dawson wouldn’t see them in the semi-darkness of the room.
Kate lost count of how many times she and Dawson made love after that first time. All she knew was that whenever they came down from their passionate high, they would reach for each other and do it all over again until they finally both fell into an exhausted sleep.