Kathleen’s eyelids lost the battle to shut out the bright sunshine as consciousness slowly took hold. She had forgotten to close the curtains. Stretching, she felt slightly sore between her legs and realized she’d also forgotten something—or someone—else.
Russell.
With a gasp, she rolled over, expecting to see an empty pillow next to hers. His twinkling brown eyes met hers.
“Good morning, Irish.”
Kathleen rubbed her eyes. “I thought you might have gone.”
“Do you want me—”
“No. I want you to stay. You can stop asking me that question. Trust that if I want to kick you out, I’ll do it.”
He nodded his head, his overnight stubble rasping against the pillowcase, reminding her of the night before and their late-night confessions. “Okay, then.”
“How long have you been awake?”
“Less than an hour.”
“An hour? Weren’t you bored?”
“No.”
“What were you doing?”
He looked off to one side, no longer meeting her gaze. “Is it weird or creepy to say that most of the time I was watching you sleep?”
She thought for a moment. “If I didn’t know you…If we hadn’t spent half the night getting to know each other—and not just in the carnal way,” she said as a wicked smile began to light his eyes, “then yeah, it might be. As it is…it’s kind of sweet.”
“Okay, then.” He rolled onto his back and appeared to consult the ceiling, then looked sideways at her. “Can I get a kiss good morning?”
“With morning breath included?”
“Closed mouth. For both our sakes.”
Kathleen scooted over and pressed her lips chastely against his. His eyes dipped down as she pulled away and she realized her hair was brushing against his chest.
“That feels almost unbearably erotic,” he whispered.
Kathleen melted. Her knees pressed together, intensifying the sudden surge of heat, pressure, and moisture between her legs. “Okay, what should we do about that?”
Three sharp raps sounded on the hotel room door, making her sit up abruptly, her palm slamming into her chest, heart pounding.
Wendy’s voice, muffled by the door in between them, rang out. “Kathleen, breakfast is only served for another hour. If you want to eat, you’d better get a move on.”
Kathleen gulped air, trying to slow her hammering heart. “Damn it, Wendy, you scared me to death.”
“Sorry. You coming down?”
She glanced at Russell, and his stomach emitted a sudden, unmistakable growl. He gave her a stricken look and she suppressed a giggle. “Yeah. Be down in a few. Save me a muffin or something in case I’m too slow.”
“Okay.”
“Thanks, Wendy,” she called brightly. Go away now, please.
“You want me to save something for Russell too?” Wendy’s sly tones penetrated the wood.
Russell’s hand slapped over his eyes, his mouth stretching in a grimace. “Yes, please,” he called out. “Something far more substantial than a muffin. Thank you.”
“You got it.” Wendy’s cackle receded along with her footsteps.
So this is the walk of shame.
Russell couldn’t get to his own room without crossing the lobby to get to the other wing of the little hotel. His shirt was wrinkled and untucked, his tie was rolled up in the pocket of his jacket—no, one of his jackets. He had two: the one he had loaned to Kathleen for their chilly walk outside two nights ago, and the one he’d worn last night.
Wearing one jacket and carrying the other only heightened his sense of the ridiculous. But he’d far rather take the first wave of ribbing than subject Kathleen to it. He felt protective of her, of their night together.
“Russell!” Colin’s voice boomed out of the dining room and Russell’s eyes squeezed shut. He forced a smile onto his face and faced his friend, who strode into the lobby with a broad grin on his face.
“Hey mate. Sleep well?” Colin asked.
“Yes. Did you? Now that you’re a happily married man?”
“My slumber—once achieved—was outstanding.” Colin’s grin shaded towards smug.
“Good. I need to get changed.”
“Indeed, you do.” Colin’s grin, if anything, only stretched wider as he surveyed Russell’s crumpled appearance.
Russell moved to go, then turned back to his friend, a finger leveled at his chest. “Don’t give Kathleen shit.”
Colin raised his hands, his eyes alight with interest. “I have no intention of giving anyone shit. I’m merely happy for you both. Kathleen’s a good egg.”
Russell’s pointing finger dipped and he shifted the extra jacket on his arm. “Yeah. Yeah, she really is. The best.” One corner of his mouth twisted to the side. He felt like a goofy teenager who had just found out his first crush returned his feelings.
Colin waved him away. “Okay then. Off you pop. The sooner you change the sooner you can see her again.”
Kathleen whipped a tee shirt over her head and tugged on a soft, old pair of jeans, rolling the cuffs a few times before jamming her feet into flip flops and heading for the door. Grabbing her keycard, she looked at her reflection as she passed the bathroom.
The world’s fastest shower, with only time to twist her wet hair into a bun on top of her head and no time at all for makeup wasn’t exactly her best look, but she was starving. It would have to do.
Running down the curving staircase, her sandals flap-flapping, she steeled herself for the inevitable jokes. She was used to them by now. There were few secrets in any production and fewer inhibitions. Lewd jokes and sly comments about who was hooking up with who was practically a requirement, something issued to you along with your union card.
But Russell wasn’t used to that. He was a professor. He wasn’t anything like her dad, but he had to feel something for his position. Law professor. A big deal. She was pretty sure ribald, explicit teasing about his latest date wasn’t something that happened in the faculty lounge.
Or if it did, it probably came with a lawsuit attached.
No, he wasn’t ready for that.
Slowing her pace as she walked through the lobby and into the dining room, she schooled her features into an open, innocent expression. No guilt, no shame—not that she felt any about last night, but she did feel guilty that she may have opened Russell up for ridicule.
Maybe they should have gone to his room instead of hers. That way she could have been the one to walk across the lobby, maybe catch the attention of the other guests, deflect their jokes and blunt them.
Anyway, no help for that now. She looked around at the people left in the dining room. The tables that had been pushed together for their dinners to create one long table were now scattered about the room, which was only about half-full. Some people must have risen early and gone out. Maybe left altogether.
Kathleen felt a pang. She was scheduled to leave this afternoon. She guessed Russell would have to leave today too. But how soon? How much more time did she have with him?
Well, she would just make the most of whatever time she had left. Turning to the buffet, she put scrambled eggs, bacon, and toast onto a plate and poured herself a mug of coffee.
“Kathleen, join us.” Alicia’s voice floated over the quiet conversation in the room.
Kathleen moved over to where her friend was sitting at a small table at right angles to her husband instead of across. They were holding hands.
“You don’t want a third wheel on the morning after your wedding,” Kathleen said, eyeing the other tables, looking for one that was empty.
“Nonsense,” Colin said, giving his wife a mischievous glance. “We have our whole lives now, don’t we, darling?”
Alicia pushed the chair nearest to her out with her toes. “Sit.”
Kathleen sat, placing her breakfast on the table and spreading a napkin across her lap. “Well, thanks. And good morning…Mrs. St. Cyr.”
“Good morning to you.” Alicia’s mouth curved provocatively.
“Get it all out of your system now, 'Lis. And fast.”
Alicia gave her a curious look. “What do you mean?”
“Russell’s not an actor. Don’t give him stick for last night.”
“I didn’t mean anything. I hope you two had a good time.” She glanced at Colin, who seemed to be suppressing a smile. He looked at Kathleen with twinkling eyes.
“We—well, I did. What’s eating you, Mr. St. Cyr?” Kathleen asked, taking in his smug look while shoveling eggs into her mouth and taking a bite of bacon.
“Just that you’re so protective of him.”
Kathleen chewed and swallowed, looking him over carefully. “Yeah?”
“He appears to feel the same way, given what he told me when I saw him just a few minutes ago.”
Russell took a deep breath and held it before letting it out slowly as he entered the dining room. Scanning the tables, he saw Kathleen sitting with Colin and Alicia. She appeared surprised by something—she was staring at Colin, her eyes round.
With dread squeezing his heart, Russell went down the buffet, filling his plate until it practically groaned with food. Walking it over to the table where Kathleen and the others sat, he drank in the sight of her, all freshly scrubbed, no makeup, no fancy clothes, just Kathleen. Her hair was twisted up, giving him a view of the nape of her neck. He wanted to press his lips to that sensitive place. Instead, he settled himself in the empty seat at the table and gave a forced smile to the others. It felt weird to pretend like nothing had happened, but he wasn’t about to presume to touch Kathleen in front of their friends, let alone kiss her. “Everyone good this morning?”
“Lovely, thank you.” Alicia drained her coffee cup. “Didn’t you want coffee, Russell?”
He realized he’d forgotten to get any in his haste to get back to Kathleen. “Oh, yeah…” As he started to rise Alicia waved him to sit again. “Stop. I want more so I’ll get us both a cup. Cream, no sugar, right?”
He nodded. “Thanks.”
As Alicia walked away, Russell looked sideways at Kathleen and caught her looking the same way at him. Colin burst into laughter.
“What?” Russell said in unison with Kathleen.
Colin wagged a finger at them. “The two of you. Terribly stealthy. Terribly protective of each other.”
“What are you talking about?” Russell asked, his fork hanging useless in his hand.
“Eat your breakfast, both of you. You’re obviously in need of it. And that isn’t a joke or innuendo. It’s just late morning. You must be starving.”
Russell sliced off a bite of sausage. “You still didn’t tell me what you meant about how we’re protective of each other.” His eyes slid to Kathleen, whose telltale cheeks had reddened.
“My wife”— Colin’s eyes glittered with appreciation at being able to say the word—“and I have both been on the receiving end of little lectures from each of you about how we shouldn’t tease you about your activities of last night.”
“It’s sweet,” Alicia said, rejoining them and putting a cup of coffee in front of Russell. “Honey, would you like to walk around the gardens with me?” She held out the hand that wasn’t holding a coffee cup to Colin. He took it and rose.
“If you’ll excuse us.” The newlyweds moved off.
“Subtle,” Kathleen said, her mouth losing the all-too-obvious battle against a rueful grin.
“Like a brick through a window.” Russell took a bite of eggs, thinking. “So why did you think you needed to protect me?”
Kathleen rolled her eyes. “Actors. Not exactly a polite bunch when it comes to…this kind of thing.” She waved the knife in her hand back and forth between them. “Why did you think I needed protecting?”
“Ah, well.” Why did he think he needed to protect her? Colin was as polite as they came. He knew this. And yet his immediate instinct at seeing his friend’s knowing smile was to leap to her defense.
He came to the realization at the same time as Kathleen’s face split in a broad smile.
“Russell, were you being chivalrous?”
His face ablaze, he ducked his chin. “Seems so. And apparently on pure instinct. Colin is incapable of being crass, I think. Why I would think I needed to warn him against being a jerk…”
Kathleen’s hand touched his forearm, her cool fingers sliding around in a gentle grip. “I think Alicia was right. It’s sweet.”