A Pound of Flesh (A Pound of Flesh #1) (13 page)

“Mom, you look like you’re suffering from gas. What’s up?”

Eva’s eyes shot daggers across her Upper East Side apartment to where Katherine was fixing her hair, looking beautiful in her new birthday dress. “There’s no need to be crude. I was just thinking.” Eva cradled her wineglass. “How’s Ben?”

Katherine shrugged. “He’s good. Busy. He’s coming tonight with Abby.”

Eva sighed wistfully. “It’s wonderful that he’s settled down, married, and in a respectable job.”

Katherine took a deep breath, her arms falling to her sides. “I know you’re desperate for grandkids, Mom, but can we hold off just a little longer before I settle down?” She picked up her glass and gulped her wine. “And my job
is
respectable. I’m a teacher. A good one.”

Ignoring the retort about the job, Eva laughed. “Oh, darling, as much as I would love grandchildren, I just want you to be happy, and with someone who’ll look after you and love you. There’s no rush, you’re young.” She paused. “But there’s no one you’re interested in?”

Katherine avoided her mother’s gaze as she picked up her purse. “No. I’m happy as I am. In all aspects of my life.”

Eva stared at her daughter, wishing she could explain her fears better. She sighed. “I hope so.”

* * *

The Spanish restaurant in TriBeCa in which Kat had chosen to celebrate her twenty-fifth birthday was bustling. She, along with her friends and family, sat around a large circular table drinking wine and nibbling at the delicious breads laid out in its center. Her mother sat to her left, quiet but attentive, while Ben, Abby, Harrison, Beth, and Adam, God love them, with jokes and liberal pours of wine, tried to clear the tense atmosphere between mother and daughter.

“Carter got parole?” Ben exclaimed. “That’s great, Kat!” He lifted his champagne glass.

Kat laughed and did the same, ignoring the look of disdain that flashed across her mother’s face.

“So, when do your sessions start?” Beth asked.

“Sessions?” her mother interjected, her dark eyes flashing. “What sessions?”

“Kat meets with this … Carter three times a week,” Beth answered, her stare on her entree. “No security or anything.”

Eva blanched. “What?”

Great, Beth.

Kat breathed deeply, counting silently in an effort to keep her temper. “It’s part of Carter’s parole, Mom,” she answered, frowning over at Beth. “Very few tutors get the opportunity to do it. It’s important. You should be proud.”

Her mother gawked, her eyes damned near falling out of her head. “I would be prouder if you taught children in a middle-class elementary school. I mean, really, Katherine.” She put her glass down. “What makes these people, these prison officials, think that putting my daughter in danger will change these monsters one iota?”

“I’m not in any danger,” Kat assured her again.

Her mother blinked. “Your father thought the same. He was all for campaigning and helping the less fortunate, and look at the thanks he got.”

Kat’s heart thudded in her chest. “Carter’s not like them. He’s trying to better himself.

“Don’t dismiss my concerns, Katherine.”

“She’s allowed to worry, Kat. We all are,” Beth added. Adam placed a hand on her shoulder. Kat opened her mouth to ask what the hell her friend was playing at.

“Of course I am,” Eva said instead. “You’re my daughter.”

Her mother’s words strengthened Kat’s fire of determination. “Yeah,” she snapped. “And it’s your
daughter’s
birthday dinner, so can you just let it go tonight?” Kat closed her eyes, beating down her anger. “I’ve contacted the library on Fifth and Forty-second to reserve the reading room. He’s released on Tuesday. Our first session is a week from then.”

“Well, that’s great news,” Harrison said before Eva could say any more. He smiled sympathetically across the table at Kat. She returned his gaze before looking at Beth, who was murmuring quietly to Adam.

What the hell was going on? Sure, Beth had always spoken up about Kat’s mother, all but excusing her overbearing protectiveness, but this was something else.

Adam cleared his throat. “Austin’s here,” he said as his brother came toward the table with—much to Kat’s embarrassment—a gorgeously wrapped present.

“Hi, guys.” Austin shook Adam’s hand and lowered his voice. “I just got off the phone with Casari. We got ’em.”

Adam’s features sharpened. “Austin, man, I told you; be careful that—”

“Later,” Austin bit out. He hugged Beth and turned to Kat. “Happy birthday,” he said, laying the gift in front of her. He leaned down and kissed her cheek.

“Austin, you really didn’t have to—”

“Nonsense. It was just something that made me think of you when I saw it in San Francisco. Open it, please.”

“I will. Austin, this is my mom, Eva Lane, and her partner, Harrison Day. Mom, this is Austin Ford.”

Her mom’s eyes widened when Austin kissed her hand. “A pleasure,” he uttered before he shook Harrison’s hand and took a seat at Kat’s side.

“Quite. A young man with manners,” her mom murmured with a pointed look at Kat. “How very rare these days.”

Ben snorted from across the table, making Kat smile. With all eyes on her, she started ripping at the deep purple paper to find a large transparent box, which contained a beautiful snow globe. Instead of snowflakes falling around the miniature Golden Gate Bridge, millions of small stars and bits of crystal spun and glittered as they caught the light.

“Austin, that’s gorgeous.” Beth gasped.

“It is,” Kat agreed. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.” He kissed her cheek again, allowing his lips to linger a little longer than before.

Austin was once again a pleasure to be around, and Kat decided that she liked it when his finger would graze her arm or his hand would lightly catch the skin of her back when he rested it on the back of her chair. She liked when their eyes met and she liked the sound of his laugh and the way he said her name.

But there was still … something off. She was attracted to the guy. But a few times she’d shifted uneasily in her seat because that undefinable discomfort settled deep within her. Kat tried to ignore it, but it never disappeared.

* * *

Standing on the sidewalk outside of the restaurant after dinner, Ben hugged Kat warmly. “Happy birthday. Jesus, your mom was in rare form tonight. She needs to lower the dose.”

Kat chuckled into his shoulder. “She’s a nightmare. She and Beth both.”

“Yeah,” Ben agreed. “What was that about?”

Kat shrugged. “Who knows? I can’t even …”

“I think your mom’s a little taken with your friend.” Ben glanced at Austin, who chatted amiably with Eva. Ben’s face turned serious. “You need any info on this guy, give me a call, okay? Dirty little secrets are my speciality. Plus it gives me an excuse to play on Google.” He smirked when she pushed him away lightheartedly.

Kat turned to Abby. “Please take your husband home and smother him with a pillow.”

Abby laughed, taking Ben’s hand.

“Come over for dinner soon,” Kat told them. “I’ll make my special meatballs.”

The hug Kat shared with her mother was awkward. “Happy birthday, Katherine. Call me. Tomorrow. As soon as you’re home from working with those—Just call me.”

Kat held her eye roll. “I will. I’ll see you soon.”

Kat hugged and kissed Adam and Beth. “Everything okay?” she asked them both.

“Yeah,” Beth replied with a small smile. Adam nodded. “Just tired.” Beth looked over at Austin. “Maybe Austin can take you home, huh?” She winked conspiratorially, gestured unsubtly toward Austin mere feet away, and muttered indelicately about “getting in there.”

Austin laughed as Kat blushed and shook his head. The two of them stood on the sidewalk, neither knowing what to do next.

“Can I give you a lift?” he asked, pointing toward his car.

“Sure,” she replied.

The Range Rover was spacious and smelled of leather and cologne.

“You have good taste in music,” Kat noted as the CD changed from one song to another while they moved through the city traffic.

“Thanks,” Austin replied. “I don’t get to indulge it much, other than when I’m in the car.” He looked at her for a moment.

“Did you enjoy your trip to San Francisco?”

Austin cocked an eyebrow. “It was work. No matter where you are in the world, if you have to work, it’s never good.”

“I guess. Though I bet it wouldn’t be too bad if it was the Maldives or the Caribbean,” she mused.

Austin chuckled. “It was good,” he continued. “I finalized a big deal. I also thought of you. A lot.”

Kat stared at her hands, wordless. They’d exchanged many texts since their first meeting. His were never pushy, always considerate. Hearing him say the words, though, was a little different.

“I’m sorry,” he offered. “Too fast?”

She replied with a slow shake of her head.

“You look wonderful tonight, Kat.” His dark eyes flitted down to her legs. “That color is great on you.”

She ran her hands down her red wraparound dress, the compliment stirring indistinct emotions.

They spent the rest of the car journey this way, comfortably happy to share the silence once the music stopped. Austin put the car into park and turned off the engine when they reached Kat’s building. She slowly unclipped her belt and reached for her purse and birthday gift bags from the footwell.

“Thank you,” she said as she tucked her hair behind her ear. Her stomach felt heavy. She cleared her throat to try and push the odd sensation away.

“No problem,” Austin replied. “I had a good time.”

“Me too.” She met his gaze and smiled gently.

Austin smiled back. “I know we’ve only met a couple of times, but I’ve enjoyed every minute.” As always, his gaze was steady with a hint of CEO intimidation. “Would it be okay for us to have dinner sometime?”

She hesitated only briefly. “That … sounds good.” Austin grinned, making his face softer.

Kat’s breath caught in her throat. His eyes were determined and dark. The only sound in the car other than her heart thumping was the creaking of the leather seat as he slowly leaned closer. She didn’t move. She wasn’t sure that she could. The feeling of wanting to bolt but also wanting to stay exactly where she was sent a shiver up her back.

Austin stopped, his face only two inches away. “Kat,” he murmured before he leaned closer and his lips found hers.

Kat stayed still as their mouths melded. It felt … nice.

After a moment of stillness, Austin cupped her left cheek and opened his mouth. Kat reciprocated by opening hers. She began to lose herself in the sensation of kissing Austin and surprised herself when she moaned softly as their tongues touched. Her hand found the back of his head, and she leaned closer. The feeling in her stomach twisted, but she fought to ignore it. She hadn’t kissed anyone in so long.

Why should she deny herself this? Who was she denying herself for?

Austin hummed when Kat’s tongue rubbed his, and he sucked its tip before she withdrew it from his mouth.

His hand dropped slowly from her cheek and slid down her bare arm as they moved together, synchronized, their heads moving slowly from one side to the other. His hand met her knee and he moaned deep in the back of his throat. His palm rubbed gently across her skin before moving slowly up the outside of her thigh. Kat tensed but moaned again when his fingertips danced under the hem of her skirt. He pulled his lips away for one split second and leaned his forehead against hers.

“Kat, we either need to stop right now or … Jesus.”

Kat leaned back, seeing the lust and truth of his words on his face. She blinked, trying to clear her head. This wasn’t her. Although Austin was handsome and undeniably charming, she wasn’t about to lose herself in a night of crazy fucking.

“I think we should slow down,” she said, finally moving back in her seat.

Austin exhaled and rubbed his hands down his face, apologizing into his palms.

“Don’t be sorry,” Kat said. “I’m not. It’s just … maybe we should take things slowly?”

He smiled and lifted her hand to his mouth, planting a soft kiss on her knuckle. “Slowly works for me.”

“Good.” Kat pulled the handle on the car door. “Thanks for the lift. Good night, Austin.”

“Good night, Kat.”

She was still in a haze as she made her way across the lobby of her apartment building and, at first, didn’t hear Fred on the welcome desk calling her name.

“Miss Lane!” Fred waved to catch her attention before she reached the elevators. “Miss Lane!”

“Yes, Fred?” she asked, approaching him.

“Good evening, Miss Lane.” He grinned, revealing two adorable dimples that took the attention away from the large gap between his front teeth. “I have a package for you. It was delivered this afternoon.”

From under the desk, he pulled out a square parcel wrapped neatly in brown paper. “I didn’t catch the man’s name, but he said it was important to get this to you.”

Kat eyed the package curiously. “Thank you, Fred.”

Once she entered her apartment, she dropped everything on the sofa, changed into sweatpants, and grabbed a glass of apple juice before parking herself on the other end of the couch cross-legged. Just as she reached for the mysterious brown package, her cell phone pinged with a text. Austin.

I really enjoyed tonight.

Kat sat back with a sigh, letting the tips of her fingers whisper over her mouth.

I did, too. Thank you for the gift. It was beautiful.

A beautiful gift for a beautiful woman.

Kat still hadn’t thought of a reply when he texted again.

I look forward to our dinner. Happy birthday, Kat. Sweet dreams x

Good night.

She set the phone by her side. The odd sensation that had remained all night in her abdomen immediately bloomed and curled tightly. She placed her hand against it, trying to push it away.

How ridiculous.

Austin was great. He was a nice, safe guy, and there was no way she was going to let a silly inexplicable feeling stop her from having something that could be incredible. It had been too long since her last relationship—a three-month fling with a compulsive liar and cheater—and she deserved some happiness. Resolute, she reached for her apple juice and heard a light thud come from between her feet. She looked down to see the brown paper square Fred had given her.