Until Next Time (The Shooting Stars Series) (50 page)

They reached their hotel and Katherine once again found herself in awe. She hoped she didn’t look as out of place as she felt as they made their way to their suite. The bedrooms were off either side of the living area and they went opposite directions to get settled. Katherine traded her jeans and top for her sleep clothes and entered the living room to find Adam looking through several gossip papers.

“Case mentioned something about these; I hadn’t even seen them,” Adam shared as he showed her the cover of one.

Katherine grabbed the magazine from him; there she and Adam were wrapped in each other’s arms at the premier. Inside were more pictures, her with Adam, her with Joel, and her seated opposite Mia while Mia glared at her, Adam standing beside Katherine. She and Adam were all over the papers.

“This will be all the buzz at work when I return,” Katherine mused aloud.

“I’m sorry, Kaitlyn,” Adam offered.

“Nah, it’s no biggie,” she assured him. “It’ll only win me popularity points anyway,” her eyes sparkled when she smiled at him.

“You going to taunt everyone with all the people you met?” he smiled back at her.

“Maybe a little.”

“I could probably get you a date with anyone of them; you’ve turned a few heads out here.”

Katherine’s smile faded. “Do not try fixing me up, Adam.” She stood and Adam grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving.

“It was a joke.”

“I do not need you fixing me up with dates.”

“I was trying to compliment you by letting you know you’d been noticed,” he informed her as she sank back onto the couch.

“Sorry, Adam,” she sighed.

“You okay, Kaitlyn?” he asked her.

“I’m tired,” she admitted.

“So go to bed,” he urged.

“In a minute,” she lingered.

Adam tugged her into his arms and she settled against him with a soft sigh.

“Thank you for all of your help today,” he told her.

“You’re welcome,” she assured him. “Thank you for an amazing evening.”

Adam held her until she was just about to drift off.

“You need to go get in bed before you fall asleep,” he told her.

“I don’t want to,” she admitted.

“You can barely hold your eyes open,” he pointed out.

“So?”

Adam chuckled and lifted her as he stood. He carried her to her room and laid her on her bed.

“G’night, Kaitlyn,” he kissed her forehead.

“Night,” she sighed.

Adam shut her door behind him and turned off all the lights before entering his own room and getting ready for bed.

Katherine bolted up right in her bed as sobs wracked her body. She blinked at the room around her in confusion; reality slowly registered. She wasn’t in Nashville all alone in her apartment as she cried. Even better, Adam was in the room across the suite. Katherine threw aside her covers and rushed from her room to Adam’s; she never paused to knock. She scrambled onto his bed.

“Adam,” she shook him lightly; tears still coursed down her cheeks as she leaned over him.

“Kaitlyn?” Adam sounded confused. A sliver of light spilled into the room from outside and gently illuminated the room. Adam frowned up at her.

“Are you okay? What’s wrong, baby?” Adam reached up to push a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I had to see for myself that you’re okay,” she admitted as she lay down beside him and laid her head on his chest to listen to the reassuring sound of his heartbeat.

“I’m fine; what happened, Kaitlyn? You’re shaking like a leaf. Why are you so upset, baby?” Adam wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back.

“You were missing, only instead of you calling me from rehab; they called to tell me that you were dead,” she shuddered again as she spoke. “It was so awful!”

“I’m right here and thanks to you standing by me, I am just fine, Kaitlyn,” he assured her.

“It was so awful,” she repeated. “It was so real. You had taken too many drugs and chased it with alcohol and you were dead. I was so scared when you were missing, Adam. I was terrified that you were hurt.”

Adam kissed her forehead and pushed her hair back from her face, before tangling his hand in her curls as he held her. He loved this woman so fiercely that at times it was hard to breath. Holding her now as she cried, was one of those moments. Knowing that she had been scared when he had disappeared made his chest hurt. He had hurt her so many times. He wanted so badly to have a future with her but the last thing he ever wanted was to hurt her again.

“I’m right here, Kaitlyn,” he reassured her before rubbing his cheek against the top of her head.

“Will you hold me; just for a little?” she requested.

“I’ll hold you as long as you want,” he promised. He brushed her hair back from her face again, and trailed his fingers lightly down the arm she had across him. He felt her shudder again and hugged her tight.

“Adam,” she leaned up on her elbow.

“What?” he reached to brush her curls back from her face.

She studied him for several moments before she pressed her lips to his. Adam tangled his hand in her curls and kissed her back. Everything in him responded and opened, here was the only woman he had ever loved she was kissing him. He broke the kiss and studied her; her eyes glowed in the light that made its way into the room. He kissed her again and tugged her closer as she kissed him back.

“Kaitlyn,” her name was a whisper on is lips as she pressed closer. He couldn’t find the words to tell her all that was in his heart. Instead he kissed her, his pent up emotions spilling into it as he leaned up, trying desperately to get closer, kiss her more deeply, and soak her in. He shifted her onto her back and rolled to lean over her as his hand began to trail along her hip, teasing the sensitive flesh there as he knew she liked. She whimpered; pressed closer and desire slammed him like a tidal wave.

“Kaitlyn,” his voice was strained. “Perhaps you should go back to your room.”

“No,” she shook her head, arched against him again, and tugged him closer.

“My control is slipping,” he admitted.

“Good, then I’m succeeding,” she smiled before she kissed him passionately.

“Kaitlyn,” he groaned, “I admit, I want you but…”

“Then take me.”

“You’re being bossy again,” he informed her even as his hand slid up her side exploring the feel of her.

“I know what I want. I want you; make love to me, Adam,” she was running her hands across his bare chest; he sucked his breath in on a hiss when her hand trailed lower.

Adam cupped her face, kissed her, and then made himself rein it in enough to seduce her as she deserved. He enjoyed rediscovering what made her squirm and gasp and knowing that he was the last man who had touched her. Selfish of him, he admitted, and he wouldn’t have held it against her if it weren’t true. He wasn’t going to deny, however, that he liked being the only man to know the passion she was capable of.

“You are so beautiful, Kaitlyn, in your looks and in the ways that matter most.”

“You’re the only man I’ve ever wanted to touch me this way, Adam,” she shared; Adam felt the impact of her words all the way through him.

“You’re the only woman who has ever meant anything to me. I suppose that speaks badly of me.”

“Enough talking.” Katherine pulled his mouth back down to hers. Adam was happy to oblige her.

Katherine lay with her head on Adam’s chest listening to his heart pound beneath her hear and his breathing slowly start to level off. She had forgotten just how much she enjoyed this man’s touch. She supposed that tumbling across the bed with him when there were so many questions as to where they stood was foolish but she didn’t regret it.

“I’m sorry you were scared when I disappeared, Kaitlyn,” he finally spoke.

Katherine sighed. “It was scary, Adam, but I know you’re okay now. I’m so glad you’re okay,” she kissed his chest.

“I hope you don’t regret tonight in the light of day, Kaitlyn, because I’ve never felt more content and happy than I do at this moment.”

“No regrets,” she assured him. “I didn’t regret last time and I won’t regret this time.”

“When I leave here tomorrow, Kaitlyn, you are going with me. Knowing I am not walking away in the morning makes this all the sweeter.”

“It does,” she agreed, her voiced content. “I feel so relaxed.”

“I could change that,” he teased.

“I’d challenge that idea but I remember very well how true that statement is,” she lifted her head to smile at him.

“Sleep is overrated, right?” he asked before he flipped her onto her back; Katherine laughed and wrapped him in her arms.

“Kaitlyn.”

Katherine woke to Adam leaning over her. She blinked up at him.

“Breakfast is here,” he smiled at the way she was blinking.

“Okay,” she nodded and sat up. Katherine looked around and then accepted the robe Adam offered her.

Katherine followed him to the dining area and sat down at the table as she accepted the cup of coffee Adam prepared her.

“So it’s later at home, getting up should be easy,” she informed him.

“Yes, except that we stayed out late by west coast time meaning really late by home time,” he reminded her.

“True,” she sipped her coffee. “What are we doing today?” she asked.

“After you eat, you need to dress in the jeans and t-shirt I recommended you bring, pack your bags and leave them by the door and trust me,” he grinned. “Oh, and put your hair up.”

Katherine smiled at him and took him at his word. When he led her outside and handed her a leather jacket and helmet, a Harley in front of them; she hesitated. She had never been on a motorcycle before.

“It’ll be fun,” Adam promised.

“I hope you’re right,” she smiled.

Adam drove her through some of the historic neighborhoods and smiled when her eyes lit up, especially in Alamo square where the old city and new city met. He wondered if she was even aware that much of their actions were being photographed. If she was, she was ignoring it.

He took her to lunch at one of his favorite seafood restaurants before they rode the cable cars down the California Street line. A walk across the Golden Gate Bridge capped off the afternoon. Katherine had taken so many pictures she had been forced to buy more film.

Later that afternoon, Katherine freshened her hair and makeup before they prepared to check out of their room. Adam had gone downstairs to make arrangements and she was making use of the restroom before they left for their room in Hollywood. She smiled at the healthy glow in her cheeks and the light in her eyes. She was happy, happier than she had been in a long time.

“Hey, you ready?” Adam tugged her into his arms.

“Ready,” she smiled.

Katherine allowed him to lead her from the room and held her questions when they didn’t head toward the lobby. She was even more confused when Adam took two helmets from a man before they entered a parking garage.

“What are we doing?” she demanded.

“We are going to put these on and sneak out of here while two people who look enough like us to throw off the press leave the front door and head for the airport. We’ve been trailed most the day,” he explained.

“Oh,” she blinked in surprise and then smiled. “I don’t mind being seen with you.”

“Nor I with you but I’d like this evening to only me and you,” he kissed her lightly before he pulled on his helmet.

A few minutes later they were leaving the parking garage and leaving San Francisco on Highway One. As the sun began to set, Katherine wrapped her arms more tightly around Adam and laid her head against his back. She was unable to do anything more than drink in the view. Adam pulled off just as the sun was making its final descent and led her to the beach where they sat, Katherine in Adam’s arms. Katherine she sighed in contentment.

“I don’t think this moment could get any more perfect,” she said dreamily.

“I hope it can,” Adam told her.

“What?” she twisted to frown up at him; he smiled at her. She turned back around and gasped. Adam had produced a ring and held it with the box open.

“Kaitlyn, there is a lot I don’t know. I don’t know for certain that this business will last or that I’ll never struggle but I do know I love you and that you drive me to be a better man. I promise you there will be no more boxes kept in the closet for a quick move.”

“Adam…” her eyes came to his.

“I love you, Kaitlyn, marry me?”

“Yes,” she nodded as tears slid down her cheeks. “Yes!” she twisted to kiss him. “I love you so much,” she whispered when she pulled back.

“I know it isn’t the usual solitaire but I really think it suits you,” he said of the stunning emerald ring in his hand.

“I love it,” she assured him.

Katherine found that the view in front of her paled compared to the man behind her and turned to kiss him deeply. By the time they came up for air, the sun had set and darkness descended.