Alpha Mine (The Alpha Council Chronicles) (37 page)

Every time he neared, her blood heated with desire. Her heart raced, cheeks flushed with wanton need. Her body knew what it wanted, even if her mind had yet to get on board.

Marcus turned up the stereo and the drinks flowed like the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, even Kat genuinely enjoyed herself.

But her mind kept wandering to Stephan. Nicholai’s words ran through her head leaving soft footprints of consideration. If Stephan was her true love, didn’t they both deserve for her to give him a chance. She might not remember him, but she could get to know him if she dared take a chance on love.

As the evening wore on, she found herself more and more drawn to Stephan. She appreciated how he and Marcus seemed to be giving her some space—time to think. She could tell by the way his eyes were always on her, that it was a struggle for Stephan to give her room. She treasured the effort, it endeared him to her.

After looking at the photo album, she had resigned herself to the fact that there had been a history between them, and if the smiling faces in the pictures were any indication, it had been a happy history. She didn’t doubt any of the stories the men told her. She just wished she could remember. It was like looking at pictures of someone else’s life where her head had been Photoshopped in. It seemed surreal.

As she worked the room, she found herself having a good time with all of the men. Kat enjoyed the way they treated her with courtly respect. Talking with Alex and laughing with Marcus helped her relax. Even Vlad and Demetri no longer seemed scary.

One by one the men took turns dancing with Kat. They twirled and dipped her with ease. She never would have guessed these big burly men could be so graceful. Being the only woman in the place, made her feel as desirable as Venus De Milo herself.

As she danced with Demetri, she found a smile tugging at her lips. He moved like a professional, gyrating his hips in time with the fast music. With his old world demeanor, she could imagine him waltzing in a high court of old, easily picturing him in a time long ago. But the sexy way he moved to the modern music amazed and surprised her.

Her gaze however, did not remain on her dance partner for long, but instead her eyes were drawn to Stephan. She couldn’t help but glance over at him, taking note of the look in his eyes that made her stomach tighten.

He stood across the room, braced against the wall with one leg crossed over the other at the ankle and his arms crossed over his thick chest—a chest accented by the black dress shirt he wore tucked into his gray dress slacks. He looked like sin and lust combined into one gorgeous package. The dark possession in his sapphire-blue eyes when he stared at her set every nerve on fire. She felt his gaze roam over her as her body moved in time to the music.

It was clear that the other men had also noticed the possessive way Stephan looked at her, for none of them hesitated to hand her over, when he cut in on them dancing. All of them seemed to bow to his will, as if they did not wish to challenge his authority.

When the music came to an end, the next song to play was much slower. In the blink of her eye, Stephan suddenly stood beside her, his hand proffered. “May I have this dance?”

Demetri backed away as she answered, “I’d like that.”

Kat smiled wide, and Stephan took her into his arms. It felt so right, felt good and safe to be with him.

She laid her cheek against his shoulder and breathed in his masculine, woodsy scent. A quiet, contented sigh escaped from her lips and she closed her eyes, allowing the moment to take her. It did not escape her attention that every time a slow song played, Stephan ask her to dance.

While the two of them swayed slowly to the music, Kat contemplated all Nicholai had told her. Though she could not remember her time with Stephan, somewhere deep within her, she felt connected to him. Being held in his strong arms as they had danced together seemed comfortably familiar.

It couldn’t be love
her thoughts denied, but he was definitely handsome, the most beautiful man in the room, and he’d treated her well. After all, he risked his life to rescue her from the kidnappers. He must be a good man, given how all of his friends had helped not only him, but also her. Obviously they wanted the two of them to be together.

While they rocked slowly in time to the music, Kat decided to accept all that everyone had told her of her past, especially what Marcus had said to her about she and Stephan being in love. She would remain at the penthouse in hopes that something might eventually restore her memories and if not, then more time with Stephan would allow her time to get to know him, even love him. She owed him that.

Owed herself that.

The love coming from Stephan wove a path through her body and wrapped around her heart, warming her from the inside out.

“Kitten,” he said, interrupting her thoughts. He waited until she raised her eyes to meet his gaze. She could feel herself falling into his gaze as if mesmerized. Kat closed her eyes slowly and shook away the vertigo. When she opened her eyes again he had stopped moving and looked at her with anticipation.

“Kitten,” he repeated softly. “I promise you I will do everything I can to make you happy if you stay. Tell me you will remain with me and give us a chance.”

She thought back to the picture of the happy couple riding on the gondola. “Yes, yes I will give us a chance,” A look of relief took his gorgeous face.

Abruptly the song playing changed and the mood was broken by the upbeat music. As the tune blared, their attention left one another to focus on Marcus who wrenched his underwear up, making it look like a thong appearing overtop of the kaki waist band of his pants. He began shaking his booty as he sang along to the song, “’cuz she was livin’
la vida loca
.
”

Kat laughed at the show. Stephan leaned over and against her ear whispered, “I love the way you laugh.” His sexy voice caressed her ear, tickling it with his hot breath when he spoke. Her body reacted instantly. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Her blood warmed from the heat of her desire.

Kat’s top teeth tugged at her bottom lip nervously. “I think Marcus has had too much to drink.”

“Perhaps just not the right kind of drink. I think he might be a pint too low,” Stephan muttered, as he too watched Marcus spasm about.

Kat glanced up at him questioningly, catching him wince as if he realized how strange his comment sounded. Before she could question him about what he had said, he lowered his lips to hers and captured them in a kiss.

She was tentative at first, this was their first kiss—at least that she remembered. His lips were feather light. They skimmed across hers, driving her desire for him higher with the tease.

She relaxed into him and her hands snaked up his arms encircling his neck. Her lips parted in invitation, which he RSVP’d by sweeping his tongue in her mouth. Stephan moaned against her mouth, his passion stirred. Yearning built between them, encasing them in a spell of ecstasy until Katrina felt herself slipping away to ride on a cloud of delight.

The sound of Vlad calling out brought her back down to earth. They broke their kiss. And when she looked around she realized that Marcus had apparently wiggled a little too hard and backed into the coffee table. Catching the backs of his knees, he crashed down on top of the drinking glasses sitting on the table. It shattered under his weight, slicing through his pants.

“Are you okay?” Alex asked, making his way to Marcus.

“Of course, I am.” Marcus brushed the shattered glass off his legs. “I’ll be fine.”

“You are bleeding,” Demetri observed.

“I’ll be fine,” Marcus repeated, still nestled within the remnants of the table. “Don’t worry your pretty little head about it.”

Demetri quirked one eyebrow. “I wasn’t going to, smartass.” He crossed his thick arms over his chest.

With Marcus injured, the mood instantly sobered. The men seemed relatively unconcerned, but the accident was enough to dampen their spirits and no one appeared to be in a partying mood any longer. Stephan seemed clearly put out by the incident as he hauled Marcus up from the mangled table.

Demetri looked down at the mess under Marcus with disdain. “I think that is a sign, it’s time for us to call it a night and take our leave.”

Vlad quickly agreed and Stephan escorted the group to the door where Kat watched as one by one they all said goodbye, sending each other off with a valediction of “Safe travels.”

When it was Nicholai’s turn to leave he paused, one hand on the door, and turned to Katrina. “Do me a favor.”

She looked up into his serious eyes. “What?”

“Give love a chance. True love is a rare gift, something to be cherished. Don’t throw it away.”

Katrina moved forward and gave him a hug around his waist. “You know, you really are a romantic at heart.”

Nicholai’s arms wrapped around her in a steel embrace as he leaned down putting his lips to her ear. “Shhh, don’t tell anyone. They all think I’m a badbutt.”

Katrina giggled as he drew back. “I think you mean badass,” she bantered, amusement sparkling in her eyes.

Nicholai chuckled. “Goodbye, sweet Katrina. Remember what I said.”

His long strides took him out the door, leaving her alone with Stephan and Marcus to face the future.

Chapter 45

As they moved into the living room, Stephan watched Katrina try to stifle a yawn. He was not fooled, she was obviously quite tired. He moved closer and slid one arm around her waist. Into her ear he whispered, “Kitten, I can feel how tired you are. Why don’t you go up and get some sleep?”

Katrina looked at him. The look on her face said she didn’t want the evening to end, but she reluctantly acquiesced. “I guess I am tired.”

Stephan nodded and escorted her up the stairs watching her bottom swish back and forth in front of him, swaying in time to the music that still played on the stereo in the living room. As she did her nightly ritual in the bathroom, he took advantage of the time to slip into his own pajamas, waiting patiently for her to finish. She emerged dressed in a shear pink nightgown and Stephan couldn’t help but notice how the shade complimented her cheeks. He smiled and drew back the sheet and comforter. “Climb in,” he instructed.

After obliging, he tucked the sheets up to Kat’s chin, then under the mattress. Music playing downstairs drifted softly into the room while she snuggled into the comfortable sheets.

“Good night, Kitten.” He bent down to give her a light kiss on her forehead.

Her honeysuckle smell engulfed him, like an aphrodisiac making his body instantly hard. Her enticing scent cocooned him in its delicate aroma. He longed to take her in his arms. Only the thought that she no longer knew him, kept him from the bed. He turned on his heels to take his leave, trying to escape before he gave into temptation.

“Wait! Where are you going?” Kat sat up in the bed and grabbed his hand.

“I was going to leave you to your dreams. I need to go down and help Marcus finish cleaning the living room, so I too can go to sleep.”

“Oh.” The smile fell from her pretty face. Stephan noticed the disappointment in her eyes. Hope filled his heart.

“If you’d like me to stay for a while, I’m sure Marcus could clean up without me.”

“I bet Marcus wouldn’t mind if you stayed with me for a few minutes. In fact…” She hesitated as if not wanting to appear too brazen. “If you wanted to you could sleep here tonight.”

Stephan’s face dropped in shock. Kat smiled and patted the empty bed on her other side. “Why don’t you lie down? I know you must be tired.”

Stephan didn’t move, afraid to say or do anything that might ruin the invitation.

“I know we were a couple and this is your room. You shouldn’t have to sleep on the couch downstairs when this bed is plenty big enough for the both of us.” Kat looked up at him with expectant eyes.

He wanted nothing more than to join her, but he wasn’t sure lying beside her was the best idea, especially in his current state of arousal. He didn’t know if he could trust himself to keep his hands off her.

Stephan hesitated, his gaze troubled. “Are you sure?”

Katrina nodded her head. He pushed into her mind and discovered she wanted him to lie down beside her and hold her close. She didn’t want intercourse, but she needed to feel his strong arms around her to help her feel safe and cherished. He could not help but give her that. He wanted to make her feel safe and loved as much as she wanted to feel it.

He struggled with his decision a moment, then ruthlessly pushed his lust aside and succumbed to the invitation, crawling under the sheets. He lay down beside her, careful not to jostle her as he lay on his back resting his head on his arm. Once he stilled, Kat rolled over and cuddled against his warm body, laying her head on his chest.

“Be careful, Kitten, you’re still healing.” Stephan brought his arm down, circling around her back. “You didn’t overdo tonight with all the dancing, did you?” Concern thickened his voice, giving it a husky quality.

“No. I’m fine. I don’t hurt anymore. I think I’m mostly healed,” Kat reassured him, snuggling against his chest.

They lay together silently, his fingers running through her soft strands as she ran her fingers along his chest.

“I am so sorry we couldn’t restore your memory,” he murmured.

“It’s okay, Stephan.” He winced when she said his name without a hint of love or tenderness. “Who knows maybe one day something will trigger my memories.”

As they lay together listening to the song,
In the Air Tonight,
drift softly up the stairs, Stephan caught Kat under the chin and brought her face to his. Ever so softly he pressed his lips to hers. She responded immediately, rubbing her mouth back and forth, across his. His tongue darted out, licking along the seam of her lips. Her mouth instinctively opened at his teasing. Only then did he taste the sweetness of her kiss. He poured everything he had into that one kiss, his passion, his love. His hands roamed over her back, pulling her gently against the hard evidence of his desire.

The kiss was liquid sex. Her hands roamed over his body until one landed behind his neck and the other in his hair.