Merry Christmas! Here is the LAST chapter of The V-Day Aversion (Dom & Kate #2). It should warm you up a bit. *wink*

If you haven’t read Bird Day Battalion (Dom & Kate #1), grab a free copy in any digital format at these retailers:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The V-Day Aversion

by Genevieve Dewey

Copyright 2013 by Genevieve Dewey. All Rights Reserved.

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

(CHAPTER ONE)

(CHAPTER TWO)

(CHAPTER THREE)

(CHAPTER FOUR)

(CHAPTER FIVE)

(CHAPTER SIX)

(CHAPTER SEVEN)

CHAPTER EIGHT

“You sneaky bastard. I straight up asked you and you were all ‘duurr, I dunno’,” Dominic said as he grabbed Kyle’s arm to stop him.

He was torn between amusement and irritation. Penny and Kellie walked back over to them in obvious impatience.

“Yeah, well,” Kyle drawled, scratching his belly and looking like he was about burst from smug self-satisfaction. “I got top marks in Sneaky 101 at the Police Academy. Was thinking about going into undercover work once I make detective but I’d miss messing with you two too much.”

Katelyn dissolved into gales of laughter. She and Kyle stood there and just looked at each commencing with their usual habit of conversing entirely through facial expressions. Then Kyle shrugged and Kate cupped one of her hands on his cheek, and kissed his other cheek. Not one word was spoken, but an entire conversation was had.

Dominic shook his head. Twin-speak was a weird fluke of nature. One would think he’d be used to it by now.

“When did you orchestrate this?” Dom asked.

“He called me last week,” Kellie answered. “After the first time he heard Katie’d been ducking you.”

“Yeah, and note, that was before you even said anything about the other thing,” Kyle said.

“What other thing?” Katelyn asked.

“Nothing,” Dom answered.

“And he already filled me in about that,” Kellie said. “I can’t tell you how hard it has been this week keeping—”

“Shush,” Kyle interrupted. “He obviously hasn’t yet.”

Dominic rubbed his face. Katelyn was looking back and forth between her siblings with a look of deep suspicion on her face. Kellie looked positively gleeful and way more relaxed and human than he had seen her in years.

“He hasn’t what?” Katelyn asked.

“Taken you out on a date. We had to bail remember?” Dominic covered.

Kellie laughed softly.

“On second thought, Penny, you want to go help Kandace while I show them their room?”

Dominic looked pointedly at Penny who was watching the whole thing like they were dinner theatre. His initial awe that a human being could be so many incongruous things at once had worn off long ago, and now she was just one of three people standing in the way of his Valentine’s proposal to the woman he loved.

Penny cleared her throat.

“Sure. Before I go, can I get you two sweethearts anything? Extra lube? There’s Princess Leia and Bounty Hunter outfits hanging in the closet, his and hers for each, and I can get you the Darth Vader mask that changes your voice.”

“Oh, wow, um, no, that’s, uh…” Katelyn mumbled at her toes, obviously trying hard not to laugh.

“Not necessary; we’re good,” Dom said.

Penny made some thumbs up gestures at Katelyn while she walked backwards across the lobby. As they walked back to room 169, they could hear her husky loud laugh ring out and echo in the lobby.

Dom and Kate both stopped at the door and turned around to face Kellie and Kyle.

“You guys, I mean, this room, have you seen it?” Katelyn asked.

Kyle and Kellie shared twin looks of mischievous glee.

“Yep,” Kyle said.

“Come on, Kyle, let’s get out of their hair,” Kellie said.

She was starting to get a flushed look.

“I have a lot of pre-planning to do.”

“Carts. Horses,” Kyle said. “She might say no.”

“Shhh,” Kellie hissed and dragged him down the hall.

“What cart, what horse, and what are you two up to now? I’m not stupid, you know! I know you’re up to something,” Katelyn called after them.

Dominic grabbed her hand and pulled her into the room. He locked the door after them and released the tension in his shoulders. He leaned back against the door and just stared at the sight of Katelyn in a sea of pink and red.

“So…” Katelyn said in a sweet and endearingly shy way. “Who knew Kellie had so much sneaky in her? Kyle, we knew, but Kellie?”

Dom smiled and shrugged. He walked forward and cupped her face in his hands.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Katelyn.”

She reached up and covered his hands with her own and smiled in return.

“This is the best Valentine’s date I’ve ever had,” she said facetiously.

He snorted and leaned down to give her a soft kiss then moved to kiss the tip of her nose the way she liked.

“So you’re not mad?”

“Not even remotely.”

“So it was about the house?”

“Sort of. I still don’t get the point of the holiday. But you and Kandy are right, it’s just a house.”

He smiled at her as her eyelid twitched. He kissed her nose again.

“It’s just your house. I understand. But, let’s just forget about that for tonight and let me show you the point of the holiday.”

She scrunched her nose and let out a soft laugh.

“Dom? Do you really want to use any of this stuff?” she asked.

She didn’t sound averse to the idea, but not particularly eager either. He let go of her face and scooped her body flush up against his.

“Skate, since when do we need props to get ‘er done? But, the bed is still useful.”

She slowly smiled, somewhere between a smirk and a grimace.

“That’s true,” she whispered.

He could feel her hands tug at his shirt and he started leisurely undoing her top. They kept each other’s gazes as they undressed.

“And I’m not saying it wouldn’t be fun to try out the Boba Fett outfits,” he continued.

She laughed softly as her hands moved to his belt.

“You mean you don’t want to try out the his and hers Princess Leia outfits?”

“Only if I get to use the paddle,” he countered.

Her eyes widened and her mouth formed a shaky ‘O’. Her hand stopped and her eyes searched his face.

“I’m kidding,” he said.

Sort of, he finished inside his head.

Her eyes narrowed, but thankfully, she looked more amused than anything.

“Let’s try it old school first,” Katelyn finally said as she dropped his pants. “Just you and me.”

“Just you and me is my favorite way to be,” he whispered against her lips.

She started to shimmy out of her panties and he stepped back to watch. When she was naked, he ran his hands along the length of her. Her breasts rose up and down with her quickened breath. He bent his head and kissed each one before moving his mouth along her collar bone. He felt goose bumps rise along her skin.

Her hands ran lightly along his ass then one finger teased at the V of his spine and pelvis. He licked the half-moon at the base of her neck while he reached up and pulled her head back with her hair. She let out a moan and her knees gave out a little. He used his other hand to cup her ass and press her against his erection.

Her fingernails dug into his back and he worked his mouth up her neck to her jaw bone then opened his eyes to look in her face. Her eyes were shut and her mouth was parted and glistening as if she had recently licked her lips. He let go of her hair but she kept her head tilted back and the edges of her lips tilted just a bit as if in a smile of anticipation.

So he gave her what she wanted.

He took her bottom lip in his mouth, lightly nipped it, and then sucked on it. He stuck his tongue in her mouth, kissing her slowly and deeply then tracing the outer rim of her lips with his tongue. She made a noise somewhere between a whimper and moan. He’d learned this was easily one of her favorite forms of foreplay.

Just kisses. Slow, teasing kisses.

He could limit himself to just kissing her and she’d be good to go, but he never stopped there. As far he was concerned, a man wasn’t worth his salt if he hadn’t made his woman cum at least twice before taking his own. Tonight, he was hoping to break their personal record of four to his one.

He traced his lips along her cheek, then to her ear and nibbled on that for a while until her hands – more precisely, her vicious fingernails – had made their way back to his ass. He stopped kissing her earlobe and bent to one knee so he could tease the underside of her breasts and her stomach.

Her hands moved to his hair.

“Dom,” she whispered. “Let me pleasure you.”

He smiled a little as he moved up to take the tip of her nipple and bite it as gently as possible. She gasped. He liked it when she asked to suck his cock, even if ‘pleasure you’ was a little too flowery a way to put it. There was something about a woman asking if she could get a man off that made it even hotter. Of course, what man in his right mind would ever say ‘no’, but still…

“Not just yet,” he answered then pressed a quick kiss to her other nipple.

He got up and walked over to the music console and turned the system on. He could feel her gaze on his and he smiled in anticipation. Bruno Mars’ Locked out of Heaven started playing and she laughed a little. He figured she was remembering the way it had gotten stuck on repeat at his house on New Year’s – coincidently on the night they’d made their personal record for how many times two adults could have sex in one night.

He grinned at her and started dancing the White Man’s Overbite. She laughed even harder, and it was a good thing he had a fairly healthy ego, or he might have felt a little self-conscious dancing naked in front of a laughing woman. But he knew his Katelyn. Laughter and soft kisses were the key to her heart and soul.

She sat on the edge of the bed, shaking her head.

“Dominic! You complete dork—” she broke off as he skidded to a stop right in front of her on his knees.

“You bring me to my knees, you make me testify—”

“Stop… It,” she said slowly and fiercely, as she cupped his face and kissed him.

Her entire body was shaking in laughter.

“Cuz your sex takes me to paradise, yeah, your sex takes me to paradise…” he sang and ignored the burning in his knees from the carpet skid.

He stood up and dragged her to her feet then began dancing her around the room.

“Can I just stay here… spend the rest of my days here…” his breathless singing ended as she started kissing him in an almost painful manner.

Her hand reached down for his cock. Obviously, Kate was all about wanting action tonight but he wasn’t quite done yet with the wooing. She was going to get a romantic Valentine’s night to remember whether she wanted it or not.

He dropped back to his knees, wincing a bit at the sting.

“Oh, no, no—”

“Oh, yes, yes,” he answered with a quick chuckle.

Then he spread her thighs apart and half sat, half crouched to begin licking between her legs.

“Uh, uhhhh,” she gave a little wail.

He took two of his fingers and stuck them in her as he licked her clit. Her thighs began to tremble and she let out that sort of keen of a woman that didn’t know which end was up, or whether she wanted him to keep going, or stop. He knew Katelyn had a love-hate for this particular position; on one hand, she loved getting eaten out, on the other, she was completely unable to control her hips and the level of penetration he got the way she could on the bed.

Yeah, his Kate had some control issues, and yet, she seemed to have the best orgasms when he completely took it away from her. She had always been contrary that way. Good thing he had plenty of patience.

In fact, he thought he might try something new tonight. He got her just to the edge of a peak then he stopped. Her face showed her consternation and frustration as he stood up. She made a grab for his dick again but he caught her wrist, wrapped her arm around his neck and scooped her up off the floor.

She laughed in a flustered manner then shrieked as he tossed her on the big, gaudy bed. He crawled over her and gave her one long kiss then quickly flipped her over.

“Dom!” she exclaimed in surprise.

He squished her into the mattress with his body and rubbed his dick against her ass while he nipped lightly at her shoulders. She was panting into the satin pillow beneath her. He moved to kneeling, trapping her hips between his legs. She started to push herself up but he pushed her back down and began massaging her back. She groaned in obvious pleasure.

He worked his way down her back and scooted down a bit to massage her ass cheeks. He teased the crevice with his thumbs every time he squeezed, dipping a little further in each time. She started to rise up again, but he took one hand and lightly pressed her neck back down on the bed. He could just barely make out her expression under her wild hair flopped over the side of her face. He was worried she wouldn’t like it, but she seemed mesmerized and definitely not upset. He took his other hand and reached under to work her clit again while his thumb went in her pussy.

She sighed a long ‘ooh’. He could tell she was good and wet so he stopped and spread her legs wide, moved to kneeling, and raised her hips up enough to enter her. She raised her self on her hands enough to move to kneeling so he could finish doggy style.

He had no intention of finishing here, but he wanted her first cum.

“Touch yourself,” Dom demanded.

She reached under with one hand and beat off while he pounded into her. It only took a few strokes before he could hear her groaning her release into the pillow. He took a few more deep strokes, enjoying the tremors of her cum, then withdrew.

He nudged her now lax body so she would roll over. Her hair was all over the place and she had sweat all over her face. Her eyes were glazed and satiated. He smiled and moved to sitting.

“C’mere,” he said, helping her into a sitting position as well.

He lifted her up so she was sitting on him and he entered her again. She wrapped her legs and arms around him and nuzzled his forehead. He ran his hands up and down her back and started moving. One of his hands bunched in her hair and he kissed her teasingly.

He started moving their hips slowly at first then increased in speed. He knew he wouldn’t be able to come in this position which made it perfect for bringing her to another peak. He gripped her hips and moved them counter to the rhythm his own hips were making.

When he was sure she was nearing another orgasm, he stopped and took her face in his hands. She pushed against it but he held her still until he had her full attention.

“Marry me,” Dom asked.

She blinked and her eyebrows contracted. She stared blankly at him for what seemed like an eternity.

“What did you say?” she croaked.

He frowned.

“I planned to do it the right way at the restaurant on our date but—”

“That was why you wanted to go out?” she asked in a trembling voice.

He frowned more.

Why was everything a discussion with her?

She raised her hands and ran her fingertips lightly all over his face, which felt strange and yet comforting. She traced his lips and tilted her head. One single tear came out of her eye and he held his breath hoping it was a good female crying sort of tear.

“What took you so long?” she asked in a cheeky way, echoing his question on Thanksgiving.

He barked a short humorless laugh.

“Not the answer I’m looking for, Skate.”

“Ask me again,” she said with a bright, teary smile.

He took a deep breath. Yeah, it was a good thing he’d developed such a thick skin with her.

“Katelyn, will you please marry me?” Dom asked firmly. “And have six or seven babies with me, and move in with me, and—”

“Woah,” she laughed. “Yes, to the first, half to the second, and let’s just table the third and anything after for another day. Where we live will work itself out.”

He squeezed her into a tight hug and buried his head in her wild, fluffy hair. He wondered if she could hear or feel his racing heart. He couldn’t believe she had said yes. Of course, he had hoped she would say yes. He had even sort of expected her to say yes, but one never knew with Katelyn.

He also knew ‘where we live will work itself out’ meant she expected to win that conversation, but he didn’t much care at that moment. To think he had almost given up on them ever being together right before Thanksgiving and now three months later, they were engaged. He felt a little lightheaded from getting so many wishes answered in such a short time.

“Dom,” she squeaked. “Dom, I can’t breathe.”

“Sorry,” he mumbled as he let her go a bit.

She smiled that lopsided smile he loved so much and kissed him. Her hands moved to his hips and she ground her hips against his one quick time, squeezing his cock with her pussy muscles. He bent his head and pulled her close but she pushed him back and got up off his lap.

She flashed a quick naughty smile and bent her head to his cock. Another thing to love about Katelyn; she was one of those rare women that loved giving head. His eyes were beginning to roll back when she lifted her head abruptly.

“Did you bring the ring with?” she asked in an adorably girlish way.

He chuckled and pushed her backwards onto the mattress and disentangled himself enough to move on top of her.

“You haven’t finished earning it yet,” he answered.

“Oh, ho, earn it, my ass,” Katelyn said in mock outrage.

Her eyes were twinkling with leftover tears and happiness.

“Mmnn, that’s an option. But let’s try it this way first,” he said and swallowed her laughter.

He gave her a fast, deep thrust intent on teasing her, but the way she moved her hips in response, and stuck her hand between his legs under his ass, quickly killed his self-control. So, maybe he wouldn’t be able to make it to four in one session this time… but they had all night.

Hell, they had the rest of their lives. And Dominic was more than happy to spend the rest of his life showing Katelyn just how sweet being his Valentine would be.

~~~~ THE END ~~~~

Still need more Dom & Kate?

Never fear, a full length novel “The Good Life” is on the way!

–Copyright 2013, Genevieve Dewey.

Did you like The V-Day Aversion?

Please consider rating it at Goodreads!

For a limited time I am going to post The V-Day Aversion (Dom & Kate #2), chapter by chapter every Saturday. If you haven’t read Bird Day Battalion (Dom & Kate #1), grab a free copy in any digital format at these retailers:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The V-Day Aversion

by Genevieve Dewey

Copyright 2013 by Genevieve Dewey. All Rights Reserved.

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.

(CHAPTER ONE)

(CHAPTER TWO)

(CHAPTER THREE)

(CHAPTER FOUR)

(CHAPTER FIVE)

(CHAPTER SIX)

CHAPTER SEVEN

Katelyn tried to calm the twirling butterflies in her stomach. She wasn’t sure if it was from excitement at seeing Dominic handle those contraptions like it hadn’t been the first time he’d seen or used one, or simply from the worry they were running on borrowed time. She knew her sister, and there was no way Kandace would remain in that car much longer. When they got to the empty front desk she rang the bell several agitated times.

A petite, yet curvy, woman came out of the office adjacent to the front desk with a huge welcoming smile on her face. She had shoulder length jet black hair pulled back with two sparkly barrettes. It highlighted the shocking pink streak of hair over her right temple and the pearl choker she wore around her neck.

She had on a black, shiny leather skirt and a cashmere pink top that stretched across her well-endowed bosom. On her legs were knee high striped socks and black patent heels. She looked like a Fifties housewife fused with a Goth girl. It should have been too incongruous but the woman pulled it off somehow with an effortlessly sensual flare.

Pinned to her sweater top was a name tag that read “Penny”.

“May I help you?” Penny asked in a Jessica Rabbit voice.

There was silence and Katelyn looked to her left waiting for Dom to speak. He always made reservations or ordered at supper; he never waited for her to take the lead. But Dominic was staring at the woman with a dazed expression.

Katelyn stomped on his foot.

“Hey!” Dom protested and looked over at her.

Kate spared him only a brief annoyed glance.

“We’re looking for a couple that might be staying here,” Katelyn addressed Penny. “The man would have sandy brown hair, be about six feet tall, wearing a business suit, and the woman – girl – would be, oh, about here.”

Katelyn paused and put her hand up to her ear.

“And she would be wearing a completely ridiculously out of season dress,” she finished.

Then she flushed, realizing too late that Penny was as well.

Penny’s black eyebrows rose daintily. She nodded vaguely a few times then slightly tilted her head.

“Listen, I’d love to help you, but I can’t give that sort of information out unless you’re law enforcement or something,” she ended the sentence looking at Dominic.

She slowly licked her lips and winked.

Dominic made some choking sounds and Katelyn gritted her teeth.

“No, we’re not law enforcement. He’s my brother-in-law and she’s…”

A husky, infectious laugh startled Katelyn to a stop.

“I’m just messing with you,” Penny said. “I really couldn’t give you their room number if they were staying here, or I’d get fired, but I could totally tell you they’re in the dining room over there.”

She stopped and looked side to side then leaned forward over the counter, inadvertently giving them a full view of her cleavage.

“And between you and me, I don’t really need this gig. It’s just something to pad the customer base, you know what I mean?”

Katelyn’s mouth dropped open.

“You mean… are you saying you’re… I mean… I’m not judging or…”

The infectious laugh rang out again, surprisingly loud from such a feminine and petite woman.

“No, no, don’t be silly! I’m a relationship counselor.”

Katelyn shared a look with still-silent Dominic.

“Like a marriage counselor?”

“Oh, honey, I don’t restrict myself to monogamous state-sanctioned relationships. There’d be less clientele that way. There’s some seriously messed up people come to a hotel like this,” Penny continued. “I mean, there’s obviously vanilla folk like you—”

“I’m not vanilla! What does that even mean? Whatever it means, I’m not it,” Dom finally interjected, sounding offended.

Penny smiled and winked again.

“Sure, whatever. Don’t get me wrong, there’s all sorts of people come here, regular folk, experiential folk, and weird folk. I’m not talking the normal kind of weird—”

“Isn’t that technically an oxymoron?” Katelyn interjected.

Penny blinked and smiled.

“I like you. You and the boyfriend ever need any helpful advice, you just give me a ring,” Penny said with a deep chuckle.

She took a business card out of her bra.

Katelyn gently took the slightly moist, warm card from Penny and read it.

“Love Aversion Therapy? What’s that?”

“My partner and I specialize in counseling couples towards reaching their full sexual potential with each other. We believe in embracing the power of one’s own sexuality, and that starts with understanding and overcoming one’s aversions, as well as embracing one’s fetishes. Communication and trust are essential to a harmonious relationship.”

The words were all so clinical, but said with Penny’s husky phone-sex voice, it sounded incredibly naughty. This woman could probably read the phone book and make it sound sexy. Katelyn looked over to see Dom had that slightly parted mouth look again. Only now, he also had a light frown between his brows like he was concentrating hard on a math problem.

Katelyn gritted her teeth in irritation at his continued unhelpfulness and tugged on their still clasped hands. It seemed to snap him out of his fascination with the uniqueness of Penny.

Dom smiled at Kate, dropped her hand and raised his arm to her shoulder in an embrace then hitched her closer.

“Thank you, Penny,” he said with a calm, business-like voice. “While we’re here, we could actually use some help on another matter. Every year, her sister and brother-in-law stay here to celebrate Valentine’s Day and their anniversary. She said that she stayed in room 169.”

“Ah, yes, the Lover’s Lash Room, recently renamed The Red Room,” Penny interrupted. “It’s our entry level BDSM room. It’s for people who just want to spice things up a bit but don’t actually know what they’re doing.”

Penny stopped again, sighed, and looked side to side.

“Don’t tell the regular manager I said that. I’m
supposed to hype it up that we have it, what with the whole Fifty—”

“Don’t say it!” Dominic interrupted. “You will only invoke a long rant.”

Penny blinked and she looked like she wasn’t sure if she wanted to laugh or not.

“Well, with the popularity of this rhymes-with-Schmitty-Schmades thing,” Penny continued, “We’ve been asked to hype it, but it’s a total joke. I mean, if you were to actually use the restraints you’d have to be, like, six feet long. Not to mention, they’re fur lined which sort of misses the point,” Penny stopped again and rolled her eyes.

“And the complimentary toys we get from Dr. John’s are like… amateur hour,” she sang out in a playful way then started snorting in laughter.

Even that seemed endearing and oddly sensual at the same time.

“Well,” Katelyn cleared her throat and tried to bite the smile off her lips. “Between you and me, I’m a little tired of hearing about Fifty this and Fifty that, but I understand people like what they like.”

She turned to Dominic and raised her eyebrow.

“See? No rant.”

His lip twitched a little in humor.

Penny chuckled and raised her hand for a knuckle bump. Katelyn gave a short laugh as her knuckles met Penny’s.

“But, on the other hand, it has been good for my aversion therapy business and I’m always happy to hear couples are keeping things fresh and exciting. So, there’s that,” Penny said cheerfully with a shrug.

“Umm,” Dom cleared his throat. “Not to be picky, but, I don’t think Aversion Therapy means what you think it means.”

Penny raised one eyebrow and sent him a cold look.

“You telling me how to run my business?”

“So… the room’s always been like that?” Katelyn interjected.

“Mmnhmn. Well, it used to be less red, and mostly just bondage-themed with a heavy Star Wars emphasis. But, it’s always been designed for honeymoons with a little extra spice as long as I’ve worked here, which is five years this June,” Penny replied.

Katelyn and Dominic shared a look.

“And what’s the chance that is where the man we mentioned is staying?”

Penny moved her lips in a sort of upside down smile and her eyes twinkled, but she said nothing. Then her gaze shifted to something behind them.

Katelyn turned around and saw Kandace trying to sneak off towards the rooms.

“Kandace Marie! You stop right there!” Katelyn shouted and Dominic groaned.

They could hear Penny chuckling behind the desk.

Kandace sauntered over to them, twisting her long brown hair in front of her.

“I’ve waited long enough. I am not going to sit in that car like some child—”

“Here’s a thought: stop acting like one,” Dom said.

Katelyn gave him a quick swat on his abs. He didn’t even seem to notice.

“Kandace, he’s not there. No one was in that room when we checked just now,” Katelyn said.

She figured it was probably best to leave out the part where Penny indicated Steve was in the dining area only fifteen feet away.

Kandace let out a wail and gripped the top of her head.

“How could he do this? How could he hurt me this way?”

“Do what? Who hurt you?” Steve demanded.

Everyone turned as he walked briskly across the lobby. He grabbed Kandace by forearms, his face a picture of concern.

“You!” Kandace gasped.

Dominic grabbed Katelyn’s hand and yanked her back before she could interfere. She sent him an irritated look.

Kandace was looking at Steve in shock. Her gaze shifted to the young blond standing just behind him and her face twisted in fury. She yanked free of his hands.

“And her!” she said, pointing at the girl.

Katelyn started wringing her hands in trepidation, since Dominic had locked his arms around her waist to prevent her from moving. This was the second time in a week she was genuinely concerned about the possibility of her sister facing assault charges.

“You mean Caroline?” Penny asked in a deeply entertained voice.

Katelyn turned her head to gawp at her. Penny was leaning on the desk again with her arms crossed, looking like she was watching her favorite soap opera.

“Who?” Kate wondered.

“Caroline, Kellie’s new assistant,” Penny replied in a nonchalant manner.

The little blond waved perkily at Penny who crooked a finger at her.

“Kandace,” Steve said slowly. “You were supposed to call me. I mean, I was going to call you, and explain everything, but Kellie said I had to wait because there was some sort of complication—”

“The complication meaning your mistress!” Kandace shrieked.

Both Katelyn and Penny winced. Several people turned around. She could hear Dominic heave another irritated breath.

Caroline looked very concerned, but not at all guilty.

“This is my fault,” Caroline said calmly.

“You bet your ass it’s your fault!” Kandace said.

Katelyn could practically feel Dominic’s impatience with the whole situation behind her. Caroline put up her hands in a calming manner and sent a quick look at the main doors.

“If you’ll just be patient, I can explain, and it’ll all make sense. You just got here earlier than you were supposed to and so we weren’t ready for your surprise.”

“Mmnn, I would just like the record to show, I called that,” Dom said, his voice tickling in Katelyn’s ear.

“Doesn’t explain the strawberries,” Katelyn stage whispered back to him.

“What strawberries? What is going on? Steve, how could you take her to our spot?” Kandace asked.

“Kandy, I wasn’t taking her here to sleep with her if that’s what you’re implying. We’re here because we needed to lure you here, so they could lure them here, and then we could go away,” Steve replied with a head nudge towards Katelyn and Dominic.

“Who here? What now?” Dom asked.

“You here,” they heard Kellie’s voice call out accompanied by the clack of her heels on the floor.

Katelyn and Kandace stopped staring at each other in confusion and looked at the entrance. A very exasperated looking Kellie was standing there with a very amused looking Kyle right behind her.

“Sup, Valentini,” Kyle said.

“You lost, Officer Anderson?” Dominic replied. “Omaha’s that way.”

He nudged his head eastward. His tone had lost some of his arrogant smugness and sounded just as confused as Katelyn felt.

Kellie continued the rest of the way into the lobby and dropped an envelope in front of Penny, then turned back around. Kandace was looking at Steve with her head tilted forward and deep suspicion on her face.

Kellie put her hands on her hips and pointed at each of them in turn as if she were a teacher taking them all to task for various infractions.

“Caroline, you were supposed to make sure that Dom and Kate were still at supper when Penny made that call to Kandy so she would come alone.”

“I tried to call Kate! She turned off her phone, so then I called Steve—” Caroline stopped as Kellie gave her an impatient wave.

Kellie pointed at Steve.

“You were supposed to head off Kandace before they got here—”

“She didn’t show up until just now!” Steve said.

Kellie ignored him and turned to Katelyn and Dominic.

“And you two were supposed to stay on your date like any normal couple does on Valentine’s Day so Kyle and I could surprise you with your hotel vacation.”

“I don’t understand,” Kandace said softly. “If the room wasn’t for Caroline, and it wasn’t for me, why was there a reservation for Steve?”

“It was supposed to be for us, Kandy, but the plan changed at the last minute. Kellie’s assistant called and asked if I would mind giving up the room in exchange for a trip to Key West,” Steve answered.

“Key West?” she squeaked.

“Just like you wanted for our honeymoon, only we’ve never had a chance to go with my schedule and the kids, and then we were having problems, so when Kellie proposed the switch, I jumped at the chance. Only, trouble was, last week you weren’t returning my calls. Then you moved in with Katelyn, and please, I’ve known you long enough to know there is no such thing as a private phone call in the Anderson household.”

Kyle snickered.

“Steve – you – you did that… for me?” Kandace asked, eyes filling with tears.

Steve nodded solemnly. The blond assistant came and stood next to Kellie who had a self-satisfied smirk on her lips.

Kandace rushed forward and gripped the front of Steve’s dress shirt like a life raft.

“Steve, I’m so sorry about everything,” she said in a babbling rush. “I know I’ve been acting stupid and I’ve thought a lot about what you said and what the marriage counselor said and I miss the kids like crazy and I miss you like crazy. I promise I’m going to work harder. I put in five job applications today—”

“You don’t have to look for a job. I was just trying to make you happy. You were always going on about wanting to get out of the house, and I just figured if you really looked for a career, and not just what you thought people wanted you to be… Well, I just wanted you to decide what to be, and go be it. Even if it means you want to go do it without me,” Steve ended gently.

Kandace made a choked sound and shook her head. Tears streamed down her face.

“I don’t want to be without you. What I wanted was more time with you. Don’t you remember how it was in the beginning? I know having kids means more responsibility, and I promise I’m ready to settle down and be responsible, but I never thought it would mean we’d lose each other.”

“Um, maybe we should leave these two al—” Katelyn started to say.

“Shhh,” Kellie hissed.

Steve had looped his arms behind Kandace loosely and Kandace had her hands on his arms.

“We haven’t lost each other. Not yet,” he answered. “It’s going to take some work, I know. We both have things we need to work on. But I meant what I said at the counselor’s office. I’m willing to put everything behind us and start over. What about… what’s his name?” Steve asked with a grim, pained look about his mouth.

Kandace seemed to deflate like a balloon.

“There was no other guy. Brian was just a friend I met at the gym. I’m not even sure he likes women in that way. I literally just spent the night at his place. I just implied we might’ve gotten together because I thought you had been cheating on me, and I wanted to make you jealous so you knew what it felt like.”

Everyone stared at Kandace in horror. Even Penny looked dismayed. Katelyn saw her reach inside her bra for another business card.

“You made everyone think you cheated—” Katelyn started.

“Shhh,” Kellie hissed again.

Katelyn leaned back against Dom’s chest and he tightened his arms around her front. She could feel his chest moving in silent humor. She didn’t know what was so funny; in her opinion it was utterly outrageous what Kandace had done.

“Can you ever forgive me?” Kandace squeaked in a soft plea.

Steve frowned. He looked torn between vexation and relief.

“I’m sorry you had so little faith and trust in me. I know I travel a lot. But it’s just meetings, long flights, skyping in hotel rooms with committee members, lather, rinse, repeat. Hell, I wouldn’t have time to cheat even if I wanted to, Kandy.”

“I’m so sorry,” Kandace whispered.

Steve expelled a long breath and they stared at each other.

Kyle slapped his hands together and startled everyone.

“Welp, that’s settled then. No one cheated. Steve and Kandy still love each other. And everyone here is going to need a lot of therapy. Can we get on to the main course?”

Kellie snickered and Dominic finally let Katelyn go. Dom walked towards Kyle, and Kate walked towards Kellie. Steve and Kandace still seemed lost in each other’s eyes.

Penny grinned. Katelyn narrowed her eyes in suspicion at both Penny and Kellie.

“Main course?” Dom asked Kyle.

“The reason we lured you here,” Kellie answered with a brisk tone. “Let’s leave the love birds to their reconciliation. My assistant has their flight and bags and so forth. Penny would you like to lead the way to Kate and Dom’s room?”

Penny popped out from behind the counter like a bunny rabbit and hooked her arm in Kellie’s arm.

“Just hold up a second! Didn’t I just two second ago suggest we leave them alone and she shushed me?” Katelyn asked Dom.

“Yep,” he answered.

“Oh, get over it,” Kyle said with a poke. “Let’s go, love birds 2.0. I haven’t been putting up with Kellie’s bossiness all week to not get my pay off. It took a lot of work just getting you two on a date, much less here for your Valentine’s Day surprise.”

“Urrrgghh, noooo,” Katelyn wailed as Kyle tugged her by the arm towards room 169.

“Urrrrggh, yes,” Kyle replied.

–Copyright 2013, Genevieve Dewey.

Come back for the smexy conclusion… CHRISTMAS EVE!!