Huge Deal - Lauren Layne Page 0,69

She heard the flush of the toilet, the running water of the faucet, and sat up, sheet clutched to her nakedness as she looked desperately at the door, wondering, What now?

She didn’t do this. She didn’t have afternoon sex with a guy. And definitely not with a guy she worked with.

Did she run off and deal with the aftermath later? Did she play it cool, like it was no big deal? Did she—

The bathroom door opened, and Kennedy walked to the dresser, pulling on a pair of black boxer briefs, then pulling out a T-shirt.

Kate said nothing as she watched him, then realized he wasn’t putting the T-shirt on. Instead, he tossed it her way.

She looked down at it lying across her lap. “What—”

He shrugged. “Or stay naked. No complaints.”

Well, when he put it that way . . .

Kate pulled on the shirt. It was gray, soft, probably expensive, and shock of all shocks . . . not even remotely wrinkled.

She took a deep breath and realized the benefit of sleeping with someone she’d known for years was that she didn’t have to figure out next steps in her own head. Instead, she handled it Kate style. No games.

“So now what?” she asked, looking him right in the eye.

He looked unperturbed by the directness. Hell, he’d probably been expecting it. The whole knowing each other thing went both ways.

“I usually want two things after sex: a nap and food. It just depends which comes first.”

“Depends on what?”

He looked at her. “You.”

“You want me to . . . nap with you?”

He shrugged. “Or eat. Your choice.”

Kate felt her heart squeeze, and she wasn’t sure if it was with hope or panic. But there’d be plenty of time to sort all of that out later. For now . . .

She smiled and flopped back on the bed. “Are you kidding? Nap. I mean, how much are these sheets? Be honest, are they more than my annual salary? They are, aren’t they? Did you know I got mine at Target? Thirty bucks.”

“You don’t say,” he said, coming around the side of the bed and lifting the covers to join her.

“They’re pretty nice,” she said, rolling toward him. “Not as nice as these. But good for the price.”

“Hmm.” His eyes were already drifting closed. “I’ll have to try them sometime.”

“Will you?”

His eyes opened. “Hmm?”

Kate swallowed. “It’s just that you sounded sort of certain that you’d be trying my sheets, and I was sort of thinking this was a onetime thing.”

He smiled and kissed her forehead. “Go to sleep, Kate.”

She couldn’t. Not after she’d just done the unthinkable and had no-strings afternoon nooky with Kennedy.

And yet she did.

And damn if it wasn’t the best sleep she’d had in weeks.

26

Saturday, May 25

“What am I looking at here?” Sabrina asked, picking up the wooden skewer of grapes and inspecting it.

“Anal beads,” Kate said around a stuffed mushroom. “Duh.”

“Nice,” Sabrina declared, dropping said “beads” into the glass of champagne she’d just poured.

“Here, dear,” she said, handing the flute to an approaching Lara.

“Oooh, pretty garnish,” Lara said. “I love grapes. They’re so elegant.”

“Mm,” Sabrina said noncommittally. “So elegant.” She reached out to adjust Lara’s crooked tiara. “How many drinks have you had, babe?”

In response, Lara pushed her glasses up her nose and then spun in a circle, the white tutu Kate had bought her for the occasional whirling fanning out around her. Impressively, she managed not to spill a drop of the champagne, despite the definite tipsy wobble she had going on. “I’m getting married in two weeks. Married!”

She shouted the last word, and Kate laughed at her friend’s uncharacteristic giddiness. “Guess those drinks took effect,” she said as Lara twirled away to join her best friend and former roommate, Gabby, on the couch.

Gabby had moved to London with her boyfriend a year earlier but had flown back to New York for the wedding festivities. The most recent of said festivities being one (or twelve) rounds of Moscow Mules from testicle-shaped cups. Kate had had two. Lara and Gabby? A few more.

“What’s this?” Sabrina asked, gesturing at a basket on the counter.

“Hangover kit for tomorrow,” Kate said, reaching out and pulling the basket closer. She pointed. “Excedrin, obviously. Bottled water. Gatorade. Saltines. Eye mask. Note card telling her that an egg sandwich on a bagel and coffee will be arriving at ten thirty a.m.”

“You already told her that.”

Kate gave Sabrina a look, then glanced pointedly at the couch where Lara and Gabby were singing a very off-key rendition of