Heart-Shaped Hack(53)

She trailed a finger along his bottom lip. “Maybe a little less so.”

“Ah, it’s working.” He kissed her again, and Kate’s body relaxed.

Now that the threat of him leaving had been eliminated, she convinced herself there was nothing to worry about, and she lost herself in his kisses and his touch. He led her back to bed, but it was another hour before they slept. And when Kate’s alarm clock went off at eight and she awakened with his arms around her, she was no longer quite so exasperated with him.





CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Ian was sitting on the couch looking incredibly handsome in his dark jeans and sport coat when Kate walked into the living room on New Year’s Eve. She was wearing the black cashmere sweater dress he’d bought her, and she’d paired it with her black over-the-knee high-heeled boots, the ones she’d been wearing the day they drank champagne in the park. The dress hugged her curves, and the short length made her legs appear as if they went on for miles. She’d styled her hair in the messy French twist again, which had required a multitude of hairpins and quite a bit of patience. She stood in front of him, and his eyes roamed up and down as he studied her.

“I see what you mean now,” he said. “Not an outfit for Dad.”

“Nooooo,” she said.

Leaning forward, he lifted the hem of her dress, pulling it up until the lace of the thigh-high stockings became visible. He lowered it without saying anything. He already knew she was wearing the bustier because he’d laced her into it, but she hadn’t put on the stockings until the last minute.

“You weren’t supposed to see those yet,” Kate said.

“Sometimes I have poor impulse control.”

She grinned. “Sometimes?”

He pulled her down onto his lap, wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, and looked into her eyes. “I love you.”

“You do?” She nuzzled her cheek against his newly restored scruff.

“I never say those words unless I mean them.”

“I love you too.”

He smiled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Oh how she adored him when he smiled at her like that.

“I loved you first,” she said. “I just hadn’t told you yet.”

“Someday I’ll tell you exactly when I knew I loved you. Then we’ll see who was first.”

“Must you always have the upper hand?”

He cupped her face and kissed her. “Always, Katie.”



After his declaration of love there was a part of Kate that wanted to stay home, to keep him all to herself. She pictured him lighting a fire and them sipping drinks and snuggling on the couch. But she was also excited to introduce Ian to her friends. Certainly no one would think he was imaginary after tonight, and they’d have plenty of time to be alone when they returned home.

Kate slipped her arms into an A-line black wool cape with a hood.

Ian whistled. “Holy smokes, a cape.”

“A necessary purchase when you’re dating a superhero. I bought it when my mom and I went shopping the day after Christmas. Do you like it?”

“Yes. You look like Little Red Riding Hood’s beautiful—and more adventurous—big sister.”

“I am definitely open to new experiences,” she said, laughing.

What Ian didn’t know was that he was the one who was making her that way. He was as free-spirited in bed as he was in everything else, and she’d gone along for the ride eagerly, willingly. She had no reason to say no when everything he did felt so good. He seemed to love taking her out of her comfort zone, which was a bit of a misnomer considering nothing he’d done to her so far was uncomfortable in the least. Stuart had simply not bothered to explore that side of Kate, which was something she hadn’t fully realized until Ian had come along.

He grinned. “Would you be open to wearing the cape sometime without anything on underneath it?”

“Keep saying things like that and we’re not even going to make it out the door. But yes, I would.” Kate reached for her purse. “Okay. I think I’m ready.” She turned back around, worry creasing her face. “Are you sure my dress isn’t too short?”

“Sweetness, there’s no such thing.”



The New Year’s Eve party was being held at the W Hotel in the Foshay Tower downtown. Ian pulled up in front, gave his key fob to the valet, and opened Kate’s door, helping her out of the car.

“Paige made a bottle-service reservation,” Kate said as they walked into the hotel. “We’re supposed to meet everyone upstairs.”

Ian held her hand as they made their way to the second floor. When Kate spotted Paige, she pointed and said, “They’re over there.”

Paige and her husband, Jason, were sitting at one end of a large, circular booth. Audrey and her fiancé, Clay, were sitting in the middle, and after Kate introduced Ian—Smith because Bradshaw was a name she wouldn’t share with anyone—they slid in next to them.

“What’ll you have, Kate?” Clay asked.

She eyed the array of bottles and mixers. “Stoli and cranberry, please.” Clay poured the vodka, added cranberry juice and ice, and passed it to Kate.

“Ian?”

“Bourbon. Thanks.”

After the drinks were poured, Kate and Ian fielded the obligatory round of questions: where was Ian from, what did he do for a living, where had he gone to college, etc. It was not the ideal venue for Kate’s friends to get to know Ian because the DJ was already playing crowd favorites at an earsplitting decibel level, but Kate knew by their interested expressions and their smiles that they liked him.