Quit Playing Games

Chapter 17

Kat and David had been going out for almost two months, gradually getting closer. But she couldn’t shake that feeling that there was something just not right about him.

There was nothing to point a finger at. He was dedicated to his job and had been more than willing to introduce her to his friends. So he wasn’t ashamed of her or hiding her or anything. He was always a perfect gentleman, and never pushed her faster than she wanted to go. If anything, he was more than willing to take things very slow.

So what was it? Was she just afraid? It was hard to open up to any one. She was still wary of her doctor. And when a very attractive man suddenly wanted to spend so much time with her…. Well, it made her nervous. She wasn’t a beauty. She wasn’t rich. So why?

Maybe it was just that she was distrustful of any man, especially after what had happened with Howie and the Boys. Could she trust her instincts? She had been so sure that they were good guys.

She had been so wrong.

How could she trust someone else? Especially with her heart? It had been through a lot recently.

Maybe she just wasn’t ready for a relationship. She had a lot of things to work through, and while she was enjoying having someone to talk to, the rest of it…

Sure his kisses were wonderful, and having his arms around her felt good. But anything more than that made her nervous. And it wasn’t just because she was scared of sex or anything. Still, it would be hard for him to compete when she’d spent as much time as she had around Kevin. Sure nothing had happened. But being around him for so long… the very idea of having another man touch her….

Perhaps if she hadn’t run she could have….

NO! That would have been wrong in so many ways. What kind of demon was Howie? Offering her every thing she wanted, but at the price of her soul. She had fought so hard, for so long, to retain it. To never slip over that thin line. To never give into the pressure from outside forces.

Damn Howie!

She had fallen in love with the Boys’ music. With the way it touched her soul. With the way it strengthened her. And she had fallen in love with them. With all of them. With the way they played off each other. Five different personalities that meshed. By the love and friendship they had for each other.

And it had all been exposed as a lie.

Maybe that is what kept her from being with David. Or maybe it was…. She wasn’t sure. It just… It was something about him. Something telling her not to get too close.

She supposed that maybe it was because when she was with him she was never really free from the Boys. David was fascinated by the fact that she knew them. Always asking questions about them. He backed off when she started to get upset, but, as he said, he was just captivated.

He had never met anyone who had been close to famous people before. And to people who were doing what he had always dreamed of doing… What were they like? Did they ever get stage fright? Did they have to work very hard to perfect their sound? How did they manage to live with all those fans? How did she know them again?

It was perfectly understandable, his curiosity, but she didn’t want to talk about it. Was angry with herself for mentioning it in the first place. All she wanted to do was forget. To get on with her life. Have a new start. Maybe even a new start with David. But the Backstreet Boys just wouldn’t seem to get out of her life.

"These are for you," David said as he presented her with a bouquet of roses, and kissed her cheek.

"What are they for?" she asked warily.

"Well, first off, because it is our two month anniversary," he grinned. "I know, not since the first time we went out, but the first time we met. In the coffee shop. That somehow seemed more important to me. Like the fist day of the rest of our lives, or something."

Kat smiled back at him. He really was the nicest man.

"And also, because, well, I know I have been trying to move things along a little faster recently. I shouldn’t have been. I just want to be with you, and miss you when you aren’t around."

He had been pushing? Really? That wasn’t what she thought. Strange. Okay, so he had been a little reticent about leaving her apartment the other day. Seemed to be determined to find out the story behind everything in her place; what is the story behind this vase? Or this chair? She’d asked similar questions when they had been at his place, not as many of course, but similar.

"David, I didn’t think you were pushing," she gave his hand a squeeze and he took that at a sign that he could move closer, sidling his chair around to her side of the table.

"You aren’t angry with me?" His smile lit up his face. "Oh baby, I am so glad." He leaned over and kissed her, moving it deeper when she didn’t draw back.

He was a great kisser. The way he moved his tongue around her mouth, sucking gently on her bottom lip, always started a slow fire in her belly. And the way his hand would slowly move up her back to her neck… Well, it felt good. Really good.

He pulled back slowly, his eyes slightly glazed. "I better stop doing that. You don’t know what kind of effect you have on me." He scooted back around the table before she could think of a response.

 

The dinner had been pleasant. The couple who had joined them, friends of David’s from work, had been entertaining and the evening was considered a great success.

"Thank you so much for that. It went better than I could have ever hoped," David said as he drove her home.

"It was fun."

"Perry and Melissa can be a bit of a bore, but you really made them sparkle. You really bring out the best in people."

"I thought they were quite interesting. I didn’t realize that stamp collecting was such a competitive activity."

She glanced over at him and their eyes met. Both started to laugh at the same time.

"Okay," Kat gasped as she wiped tears of laughter away from her face. "So they aren’t the greatest of conversationalists. But they mean well."

"They are as boring as watching paint dry. But Perry may be the swing vote on that promotion I am pushing for, and I think we made a good impression. I mean you made a good impression." He sighed. "Thank you so much Kat. I couldn’t have managed through the night without you."

He pulled up in front of her building and was around at her door, opening it for her, before she knew it. She put on the kettle as soon as they got into the apartment, and he went to the pile of videos that she had on her table.

He had one of them on, a romantic comedy, when she returned with peppermint tea for the both of them.

"Do you mind? I haven’t seen this one yet. I hear it is quite good," he asked as she sat beside him on the couch.

"It’s okay. I hadn’t gotten around to seeing it yet."

He pulled her into his arms, laying there, stroking her hair as they watched. There was something satisfying about snuggling up with someone as they chuckled deeply at the antics on the screen. What was she so afraid of? David had never done anything to hurt her. Even his queries about the Boys were just harmless quizzing.

He shifted and she sat up a little to accommodate him.

"Ouch."

"You okay?" he asked worriedly.

"Just pulled something when I twisted. Its okay."

"No it’s not. Here, turn around. Where did it hurt? I’ll rub it."

Kat would have protested some more, but he had all ready started to massage her back. She sighed, leaning into his fingers, enjoying the feel.

"Poor thing. You are really tense."

"I was bent over the computer a lot today. Doing a lot of writing and research. That article on the local film industry."

"You should have stopped and stretched more. What about those exercises I showed you? Did you do any of them?"

"Ummm…"

He chuckled. "I’ll take that as a no. Lean forward." His strong hands continued to knead her back and neck, slowly making her relax.

Then the hands were replaced by his lips. Kat tried to repress a soft moan: that felt even better than his hands had.

"Kat, I…" he pulled her face back slowly, and kissed her.

They fell into a familiar position; arms around each other, lips locked, bodies pressing closer.

Only this time it didn’t stop. She didn’t pull away, and never did he.

Somehow they ended up in her bedroom, slowly, carefully undressing each other.

"We don’t have to do this," he whispered as his hands glided over her breasts. "I can wait."

She moved her body slowly against him, lightly caressing his erection. "You can?"

He groaned, capturing her mouth again. "Yes." He chuckled, "not long. But if you need more time, I can do it."

Kat thought for a moment, pushing her fears and insecurities away. "Don’t leave me now, David. Stay with me. Be with me."

"Oh baby," his hands roamed over her, causing her breath to catch. His mouth moved down her chest, suckling on her nipples, making her arch more into his grasp.

He moved lower, licking her belly and nibbling on her upper thigh. She ran her hands through his hair, enjoying the feel of him. He pulled away for a moment, reaching down in to his pants and pulling a condom out of his pocket. He saw her eyes follow him movement.

"I hoped," he said sheepishly and she chuckled softly. Then moaned as his fingers started to stroke her wetness.

Slowly, carefully, tenderly he entered her. Rocking her body slowly, then more rapidly with his. The feel of his mouth on hers, his hands clutching at hers, his body thrusting in her…. Kat revelled in it. Enjoying his onslaught, and holding him tightly to her when he groaned, moving deeply and rapidly in her, cumming fiercely and calling out her name.

Chapter 18

(c) Kat Morgan