What it Takes (43 page)

“Here? In bed?” she teased then pouted. “Are you trying to starve me?”

He laughed again and shook his head. “Here, in the apartment,” he said and narrowed an eye as a suggestive grin played on his lips. “Though, now that you mention it, staying in bed all day has its advantages.” He lifted his head to meet her lips as she laughed. In a flash, he had her on her back and was hovering over her. “And I’ll make sure you don’t starve,” he said huskily and kissed her again.

Before things could get carried away, she pushed him away and breathlessly said, “Enough. Eat now. Play later.”

“I’m trying to do both.”

She raised an eyebrow, and Patrick knew he wasn’t going to win this battle. It was just as well. He was starting to feel hungry too, but the last thing he wanted to do was leave the apartment. Not with her, and certainly not without.

“Don’t you have something here we can eat?” He rested his shoulders against the headboard.

She sat up beside him and pulled the sheet to her chest. “Not much. I haven’t been shopping.” Kelsey turned her body toward his. “You don’t want to go out?” Patrick shook his head. “Why not?”

“I don’t want people to see us together.” He looked at her and could see the trepidation in her eyes.

“Are you ashamed of me?” she asked playfully, but her laugh was hollow.

He put an arm around her shoulder. “No, I just don’t want to share you, or us, I should say, with anyone.”

She relaxed slightly but didn’t look convinced. “Patrick, we were at a hockey game last night. We went to dinner with your parents. We were together at your birthday party. We’re not exactly hiding it.”

He shook his head. “No. But if we admit it, then people will see you no differently than they saw the others.” He laid his palm against her cheek and kissed her forehead. Her lips tightened with frustration. “I don’t want anyone to think this is anything like those were.”

She rolled her eyes then looked at her lap. “They’re going to assume that anyway.”

He lifted her chin. “I’m not asking that we hide it, and I’m sure pictures have already been taken of us together. For the first time in my life, I don’t want everyone to know my personal business because, for the first time, it actually means something to me. I know how much you value your privacy, and do you know how many photographers will follow us around if they know the truth?”

“They’ll bother us even more if they think we’re hiding something. You know that. You’ve seen that.” She got up on her knees so they were nose to nose and placed a hand on either side of his face. “Either way, we can’t live for them. We have to live for us, do what we want.”

“I’m just trying to buy us a little more time without that hassle.” He kissed her palm.

“Okay,” she surrendered quietly with a smile, and they began to discuss their plans for breakfast.

The next four weeks passed in a whirlwind of activity. While Patrick finished filming, Kelsey was all over the place. She spent the first week in auditions, promotional photo shoots, interviews, and dress fittings. The second week wasn’t much different, except that it was Patrick’s last week of filming and he was keeping later hours.

They spent their nights together at her apartment.

The third week found Kelsey in New York City with Veronica, making the interviewing rounds on the morning talk shows. Patrick was on the West Coast, filming interviews for the evening talk shows and doing photo shoots. The following week, they switched places.

The afternoon of the premiere, Grayson and Patrick met, already dressed, at the location of the after premiere party. Two limousines were waiting to take them to Veronica’s house to pick up the ladies. The excitement was almost too much for Patrick. The last time he’d seen Kelsey had been at breakfast, when she was complaining about all the pampering that Veronica had planned for them; massages, manicures, pedicures, and facials before they got their hair and make-up done for the evening’s festivities.

He’d tried not to laugh as he’d expressed his sympathies for her troubles.

When they reached Veronica’s house, Patrick forced himself to keep with Grayson’s irritatingly slow pace. They reached the porch, rang the doorbell, and were greeted by someone Patrick didn’t recognize. It was obvious by the enormous grin on the woman’s face that she knew them. But before she could say anything, Veronica’s voice thundered down the stairs, followed closely by her person.

“I told you not to open the door. You don’t live here,” she snapped and the greeter retreated. Veronica beamed at Patrick and Grayson as she welcomed them each with a quick hug and kiss on the cheek. “Good help is so hard to find,” she murmured.

“Who was that?” Grayson asked.

Veronica turned to locate the woman who’d opened the door, then looked back at them. “Hairstylist.”

Grayson nodded and looked around at the flurry of activity as people packed their things. Veronica walked to the bottom of the staircase and called for Kelsey to come down. Patrick’s heart leapt to his throat and he forgot to breathe when she appeared at the top of the steps.

The dress was deep blue and hugged her body perfectly. The skirt hit mid-calf with a pleated detail in the middle. The cowl neck sat high on her chest but draped all the way down her back, exposing her almost to the waist. The sleeves came just past the shoulder to the top of her arm. Her drop earrings were triangular blue sapphires, accented with three diamonds, and the pendant on her necklace was a matching sapphire dangling in a circle of small diamonds, all in white gold. Her hair was down with diamond-accented clips pulling the sides back, leaving a few curled strands framing her face.

When she reached the bottom of the steps, she caught Patrick’s eye and winked before spinning so he could take in the full effect. She approached him and his mouth went dry.

“You look absolutely stunning,” he whispered when Kelsey finally took his hands.

She smirked mischievously. “You look surprised.”

Patrick chuckled as he placed a gentle kiss on her temple. “I’ve told you before, you’re always beautiful.”

“So, ladies, your chariots await,” Grayson announced as Patrick put his arm around Kelsey’s waist. “You ready?”

“Not yet,” Veronica said, thumbing in the direction of the others who were still picking up.

Patrick tried to step away but Kelsey held him by her side. He lifted an eyebrow.

“Everyone will know after tonight anyway,” she whispered. With a nod, he moved behind her and wrapped both arms around her.

“Aren’t you two cute?” Grayson teased.

Veronica glanced sideways at them, then, with irritation, back at the other guests. “And you told everyone you weren’t dating.”

“No, we didn’t,” Kelsey said softly. “We just avoided the question.”

“Same thing,” Grayson grumbled. The last stylist walked past him, out the door and Veronica walked to the window. “Lighten up, Ronni.”

She waved him off as she stared out the window. After a few moments, she turned to them all with a smile. “Okay, we’re ready now.” She slipped her arm through Grayson’s and she and Grayson led the way out the door. “They could have saved some money by letting us ride together.”

Kelsey laughed suddenly. “Since when have you cared about saving money?”

Veronica narrowed her eyes for a moment before smiling. “Yeah, I guess you’re right. It still would’ve been nice.”

“Maybe Kelsey and Patrick want some privacy.” Grayson laughed and Veronica slapped him with her free hand.

“Veronica, you’re wasting your time. He’ll never learn and you’re just going to hurt yourself,” Kelsey said.

“Ah, but he can still be trained,” Veronica replied as Patrick held back a laugh.

“Dude, I’m not a dog,” Grayson argued.

“Then stop acting like one,” Veronica retorted and he dropped her arm. They bickered all the way to the cars.

“And you wonder why we don’t want to ride with you,” Patrick stated. Kelsey giggled as he helped her into the back seat then slid in beside her. The instant the door closed, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her urgently. When he drew back, he rubbed her temple with his thumb. “Sorry, I didn’t get to greet you properly inside.”

“I don’t mind,” she answered, slightly short winded as her eyes danced with excitement. He kissed her again as the car started moving. When she broke the kiss, she turned so her back was against him. He put his arm around her shoulder and she rested her arm on his leg. “So, how long is the ride?”

“About forty-five minutes, maybe an hour.” She settled against him and laid her head on his shoulder. “Nervous?” he asked and placed a light kiss on her head.

“Not really,” she said quietly. “I survived meeting your parents, I can certainly do this.”

Patrick chuckled. “I’m sure you can.” He lightly ran a finger up her bare arm. “Have fun today?”

“Actually, I enjoyed it more than I’d expected.”

“How could you not enjoy being pampered?” He laughed again and picked her hand up to kiss it. She shrugged as he slowly trailed kisses up her arm. Her breathing quickened a little and they became quiet as he continued to kiss her shoulder and neck. When he reached the spot below her ear, she shuddered and he smiled. “Should I stop?”

“That depends,” Kelsey replied quietly, not really sure what she wanted him to do.

“On what?” He kissed slowly back down her arm.

“On what kind of state you want to be in when we get to the theater.”

He reached her finger tips and placed her hand back on his leg. He let his rest there for a moment before moving it to her leg and laying it on her knee. “Hmm,” he hummed against her neck and his fingertips slid to the hem of her skirt, then under. “I think it’s more about what kind of state I’d like you to be in when we get there.”

“Patrick,” she gasped as his naughty fingers reached her inner thigh. “Here?”

“No one can see us.”

Dazedly, she looked around and noticed the dark glass between them and the driver as well as the deeply tinted windows.

“You’ll just have to be quiet,” he added with a chuckle as his finger eased under the leg band of her panties.

Kelsey bit her lip and moaned as he made contact and slowly slid his finger into her. She closed her eyes and tipped her head back against his shoulder as his expert fingers played, winding her tighter, increasing her need for him. “Stop,” she said as she exhaled, surprising them both.

“What?” He instantly removed his fingers.

She sat up and gave him a coy look then reached under her skirt and pulled her panties off. “We don’t have time to take turns,” she replied as she got to her knees in front of him and unfastened the button and zipper at his waist. She reached around to pull his pants down as he sat and watched her with a silly grin on his face. When he didn’t immediately lift his hips to help, she swatted one and lifted an eyebrow.

He laughed and reached into his pocket for a condom before helping her slide his pants and underwear to his knees. With a satisfied look, she climbed onto his lap, lifting her skirt as she straddled him then put her arms around his neck.

“You do realize you’ll have to be careful. Veronica will never forgive you if you mess up my hair and makeup,” she murmured as he ripped the condom package open and put it on under her skirt.

“She’ll never know.”

He grabbed her bare hips and eased her onto his throbbing staff. Kelsey’s head tipped up as she closed her eyes and a low moan escaped her throat. Patrick kissed her exposed neck as he slid home. The urge to move fast and furious was almost overwhelming, and he held her motionless so he could regain control of his body.

With heavily lidded eyes and a calculating smirk, Kelsey slowly moved her hips. Patrick groaned and tried to hold her still even as she leaned closer and slowly trailed kisses along his jaw. She lightly flicked her tongue against his earlobe as she slowly rose on her knees then nipped it as she came down. He heard her light laugh as he inhaled sharply through his teeth.

“You’re going to kill me,” he said and she abruptly sat up. Before she could say anything else, he pulled her to him for a kiss and slowly began to move her hips, guiding her up and down with his hands. Her skin was hot and silky under his palms, her taste sweet and salty as his lips trailed down her neck to the skin along the edge of her dress. She smelled like strawberries and summer, a mixture that was distinctly her. Her small moans of pleasure were almost inaudible but made his heart race.

“Patrick,” she moaned as she fisted her hands in his hair. Her hips fought against his hands, wanting to move faster, but he held her to the steady, slow pace. He sat back and held her gaze as she came apart in his arms, biting her lip to keep herself quiet.

It was breathtaking.

As she tightened around him, his body took over. He wrapped one arm around her and pulled her closer as she took his face in both of her hands and firmly kissed him. He was lost to everything but her. He thrust hard and she tensed around him again. His release was hard and fast and she collapsed against him as they came down from their peak.

“Not a hair out of place,” he murmured and felt her laugh against his chest. Several minutes later, Kelsey was the first to move, slowly easing herself off his lap and onto the seat next to him. She put her panties back on as he cleaned himself and righted his clothes, then leaned against him with a contented sigh. He laid his arm over her shoulder and placed a light kiss on her head.