Dirk: A Stepbrother Romance(4)
Although the fantasy was a guilty pleasure, she had to shake it off. The man seemed a little too self-absorbed to fantasize about. He didn't even say hello to the people at the bar, and he had just left her at the table as if he had forgotten she was there at all. And what was with the way he called her “Kate?” She hated it when people called her that. He wasn't the kind of man who was worth a second thought. Attractive or not, she had her standards. And her standards did not include being called Kate.
Katherine finished her bath and headed to bed, totally exhausted from her trip and emotionally drained from her confrontation with her mother. It would all be over soon, and she would never have to think about this island again. She thought once more about the handsome stranger before she let herself drift into a sound sleep.
Chapter 5
Dirk groaned as the alarm clock buzzed loudly in his ear. He had only been sleeping for an hour and awoke feeling surly and agitated. Tanner had helped him secure the rest of their accounts and move all sensitive information to a new network with tighter security, so at least that wasn't a concern anymore. Now all he had to worry about was making it through his father's wedding without nodding off into his cake.
As much as he abhorred tradition and ceremony, he felt obligated to put his best face forward. Despite his sleep deprivation, Dirk rolled out of bed and heading to the shower. He made it nice and cool to help him wake himself up, and tried to recall his dream from the night before. For some reason, it had involved the blonde woman he had taken to the bar. Her round, supple lips had been on his skin, tugging and pulling, sending tendrils of pleasure throughout his body.
There was something about her, something completely unlike any of the other women he had seen coming and going in the manor as he grew up. The women he was used to were cool and calculating, well accustomed to using their bodies to get what they wanted and instigating drama to seek entertainment in their sad, empty lives. There was something very much alive in Katherine, though. Something undeniably attractive.
If he got the chance to see her again, he would love to figure out what made her tick. She was mysterious and beautiful. Funny, too. Her company had been like salve to his wounds after the restless evening he’d been spending by himself. Yes, if she was within arm's reach anywhere on this island, maybe he would get a second chance to find out more about her.
What a hell of a night it had been. He stripped and stepped inside the shower, noticing his erection with amusement. He'd better take care of that before the ceremony. It was supposed to be his father's day, after all, and who could concentrate on him with Dirk's massive hard-on hogging the show?
Katherine was ushered into the room with her mother, where several women Katherine had never met were fawning over her and her wedding dress. Katherine begrudgingly admitted to herself that her mom did, indeed, look very beautiful, but who wouldn't in a million-dollar dress? Still, it was a happy occasion and she was determined to be as supportive as she possibly could. Maybe she was wrong and their marriage would last. She'd feel terrible for ruining her mother's happiness.
When her mother saw her, she beamed, and they chatted happily together as Katherine pulled her bridesmaid's dress on (shockingly, the least ugly bridesmaid dress she had ever seen). Eventually, the wedding was scheduled to begin, and her mother squeezed her hand excitedly before the bridesmaids lined up to lock arms with the groomsmen. Since she was the daughter of the bride, she went first, and caught the glimmering silver eyes of the man from the bar.
He looked astonishingly handsome, with his hair pulled into a neat ponytail. His five o'clock shadow was more pronounced, and the suit flattered his body in every way. He linked her arm, pulling her tightly to his side, and her heart skipped a beat. She was hit by a gentle fragrance of spicy cologne, and she snuck a glance at him. He was gazing down at her with a grin, and she felt again as if he could read her every personal thought.
Her face grew red, and his smile deepened. It was obvious that he knew she was attracted to him, and he seemed to be loving it. Katherine suddenly remembered the way he had left her sitting in the bar and recoiled. He was such a creep. And the way he seemed to relish in the attention she gave him – it nearly made her sick. The more she thought about it, the more she couldn't wait to get to the end of the aisle.
When they did part, though, the casual drop of his strong arm left her feeling lonely and vulnerable. She was suddenly aware of her solitary state as she made her way to her side of the stage. As the other bridesmaids filed in and lined up behind her, she tried to avoid the gaze of the man across from her. His eyes bore through her, though, and she felt almost naked in front of him. It was a terrible time to feel self-conscious. Still, her heart thudded in her ears, and a deep thrill secretly bubbled in her chest.
It wasn't until her mother and stepfather had said their vows that her mind began making the connection. She watched her stepfather as he embraced the cocky, muscular man behind him, and her heart dropped in horror. The silver-eyed man was now, officially, her stepbrother.
Chapter 6
The reception was the most awkward event she had ever endured. Dirk was like a glob of honey, and women, young and old and in between, were begging him to dance with them or help them to reach the finest morsel of food at the long banquet table. He was more than happy to help, giving some of the older women sly winks that sent them reeling with pleasure. Katherine was outraged. Not only was he cocky and rude, but he was also a playboy. She had been nothing but another of his random flirtatious whims.