Powerful (The Driven World) - Kathleen Kelly Page 0,59
back up against the arm and Athena with her back against my front with her body between my legs.
“Comfortable?”
She doesn’t answer my question, she holds my hand to her lips and begins to speak. “I was undercover pretending to be a party girl, trying to get close to the head of the cartel. I was stupid…”
My arm goes across her chest, and I lean down inhaling the scent of her hair as she pours out the whole horrid story.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Athena
Exhaustion takes over as I sit nestled in his arms. It feels good to have talked everything out, even if, at times, it felt like I was going to split apart from the inside. Through it all, Kris held on, he cried with me and let me talk until I couldn’t talk anymore.
Protected in his arms, we lay like that for the longest time. Kris trails his fingers up and down my arm. I listen to him breathing, wishing we could stay like this forever. Then my stomach lets out a loud growl, and I feel him laugh.
“Hungry?”
“Depends… are we talking about food? Like real food?”
Again, I feel his body shake with amusement. “Yes, Athena, real food and a walk through Central Park.”
I twist, so I’m facing him. “Can you do that?”
With a smirk, Kris answers, “What? Walk?”
“Funny.”
“I’ll buy a baseball cap.”
Moving off him, I shake my head. “Will that work?”
“Sometimes it does.” Kris puts his feet on the floor. “Come on, let’s go shopping.”
Hand in hand, we walk out of the hotel. There are a few paparazzi outside, and Kris happily smiles at their cameras.
“Kris, who’s the woman?” yells one.
“Athena Goddess, author.”
“How long have you known her?” asks another.
“My whole life.” Kris kisses me then looks back to the paparazzi. “Now, fellas, we’d appreciate some space.”
“You got it,” says one, and Kris gives him a two-fingered wave. “We’re here for Oprah, anyway.”
Kris laughs. “Happy hunting.”
He walks up to a street vendor and buys a black cap with the initials NY embroidered on it in white and a pair of black wrap-around sunglasses.
“See now, I’m incognito.”
“What about me?”
“Who’s going to recognize you?”
Right on cue, Harriet and Harry walk toward us.
“Athena!” yells Harriet as she waves enthusiastically.
Kris chuckles and goes back to the vendor, “I’ll have another cap and another pair of sunglasses.”
“Oh, Athena, it’s so good to see you,” gushes Harriet.
“You only saw her last night,” reminds Harry.
Harriet slaps his arm playfully. “Hush now. So, Athena, what are you going to do today?”
Kris hands me a cap and some sunglasses and then takes my hand in his. “We’re going to go for a walk through Central Park.”
“Harriet, this is Kris. Kris, meet Harriet and Harry.”
Kris shakes hands with them. Harriet is polite, but she only has eyes for me.
“What are you doing for dinner tonight?”
“Well, Kris has a special night planned, but we’re still on for Thursday, yes?”
Harriet looks a little upset, but Harry puts his arm around her and pats her arm. “That’s fine, Athena. Come on, Harriet, let these two enjoy their walk.”
Harriet nods and kisses me on the cheek. “See you Thursday night.”
Harry waves as he drags his reluctant wife in the opposite direction.
“She didn’t even look at me.”
“Well, I am her favorite author.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Kris
Hand in hand, we walk into her publisher’s offices. Athena is wearing a red pencil skirt with a matching jacket and a white silk blouse. We went shopping yesterday, and I bought an assortment of Athena-approved clothing. I’m dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt, and a blazer, the type with patches on the elbows. She says it makes me look distinguished.
“Why are you here?”
“Raquel wanted a sit down with Multi-Media to discuss making one of my books into a movie.”
“Which one?”
“Like you’ve read any of my books.” Athena grins at me.
“I’ve read some. Come on, which one?”
“Ms. Goddess?” A woman in a black suit approaches us. “Ms. Storm said to put you in her office. She’ll only be a moment. If you will follow me?”
Absently, I hold Athena’s fingers to my lips and kiss them as we are shown through the building to her publisher’s office. When we get there, the woman in black looks at me.
“Jesus! You’re Kris Livingston.” She goes back and forth between Athena and me. “Are you endorsing the book for a movie?”
I hold up my hands, but Athena answers, “No, no, no. Nothing like that. Kris is my, well, he’s…”
Seeing that she’s having a hard time giving us a label, I finish her sentence, “I’m her boyfriend. I’m here