"Close enough." She put a hand on her chest. "I can breathe again, at least until the next crisis. Now go to your rooms and get ready for the party. I'm off to get drunk."
She walked toward the bar. He pressed the up button on the elevator, then glanced at Katie.
She raised her eyebrows. "So...Ariel's an ex."
"How did you know?"
"The average guy doesn't have a former cake decorator on speed dial."
"She's on my contact list. That's different."
"Close enough."
The doors opened and they stepped inside. Katie pushed the button for the fourth floor.
"Bad breakup?" she asked.
"Actually an easy one. She left me. I thought I'd be brokenhearted and I wasn't." He'd gotten over her fast enough to make him realize that they'd be better off as friends.
"I guess that beats pining for months."
He looked at her. "Are you the type to pine?"
"I've had a sulk or two in my life, but not an actual full-on pine."
The elevator stopped and they stepped out. Katie led the way to his room.
"I'm across the hall," she said.
He moved his gaze from the door to her. "Can I trust you?" he asked.
She smiled. "If you'd been this fun fourteen years ago, I wouldn't have threatened to beat you up."
"If I'd been like this fourteen years ago, I would have wanted you to try."
They stared at each other. Katie blinked first, then glanced at her watch.
"The craziness starts in an hour," she said. "Brace yourself."
"I don't scare that easily. Besides, I'll have you to protect me."
"Just pray Aunt Tully doesn't take a liking to you."
"I can handle Aunt Tully."
"You say that now," Katie called over her shoulder as she left.
Three
There was something oddly fun about wearing a poodle skirt, Katie thought as she looked at herself in the mirror. Sure, the poofy style did nothing to make her legs look longer--always a challenge for someone from a long-legged family--but the layers of petticoats also made her waist look tiny. She twirled a couple of times for effect, then smoothed her skirts.
She'd pulled her shoulder-length hair back into a ponytail, tied it with a chiffon scarf, fluffed her bangs and added a string of fake pearls to complete the costume.
A knock on the door sent her hurrying across the hotel room.
She pulled it open and nearly swooned at the sight of Jackson in a very fitted white T-shirt and jeans. He'd slicked back his hair and rolled up the sleeves of the T-shirt. He looked both sexy and dangerous--a very tempting combination.
"West Side Story is one of my mom's favorite movies," she said with a laugh. "You're the perfect Jet."
He looked her over slowly enough for her toes to curl in her thrift-store oxfords. "Very nice. Like the skirt."
She twirled. "I've never worn a petticoat before."
"You look..."
"Wholesome?" she offered. "Virginal?"
"Like the kind of girl you give a class ring to."
His words gave her a little jolt in her belly. She did her best to hide her reaction. "That's me."
She slipped her lip gloss and her room key into her pocket and motioned for him to lead the way out.
As they waited for the elevator, he leaned against the wall and watched her.
"Touching?" he asked. "No touching? How do we show the world, or at least your family, that we're a couple?"
Sex, she thought unexpectedly. They could have sex. That would certainly do it for her. "Um, some touching. Courtney and Alex are all over each other, but at some point that just gets tacky."
"Agreed."
There was something about the way he was looking at her. As if trying to figure something out. His steady gaze made her nervous. She glanced at the floor, then forced herself to look at him. Was it just her or did it seem like the elevator was taking forever?
The seconds ticked past. Jackson straightened, moved toward her, cupped her face in his hands, then leaned in and brushed his mouth against hers.
The brief contact was soft, hungry and unexpected. Heat exploded inside her, making her strain toward him. He stepped back long before she was ready for him to, but kept his large hands on her skin, his thumbs caressing her cheeks.
"For practice," he said, his eyes bright with amusement and something she could only pray was interest. "So we get it right, if anyone asks."
She didn't think there would be a required kissing demonstration, but it was good to be prepared.
Just as she was about to suggest another practice session, the elevator doors opened. Unfortunately, Aunt Tully was the only occupant.
"Katie!" the older woman exclaimed happily and threw herself out of the elevator. "I've been looking all over for you." Tully shifted her attention to Jackson and raised her eyebrows. "Hello, gorgeous. Katie is very fond of me and likes to share."
Jackson immediately dropped his hands to his sides and took a step back. If the situation hadn't been potentially hazardous in more ways than Katie could count, she would have found it funny. Sort of.