Kate looked at Ian. “You think?”
“I’m truly sorry. Is there anything I can do to make us even?”
“Well, I’d threaten to walk in on you in the shower, but we both know how that would turn out.” Kate handed her empty mug to Ian, who wisely returned to the kitchen to refill it.
When he came back with her coffee, she said, “I thought you left after you put me to bed.”
“First of all, I can’t lock your door from the outside without a key, and there’s no way I’d let you sleep in an unsecured apartment. Second, what kind of man would leave a woman alone when she was in such rough shape? I was worried. I even checked on you in the middle of the night. You were a hot, snoring, drooling mess, but other than that you seemed okay.”
“I did tell you yesterday that I wasn’t feeling especially pretty.”
“Even when you’re sick, you’re a solid eight point five.”
“How very sweet in a completely sexist way.”
“When you’re not sick you’re an eleven.”
She took a drink of her coffee to hide her smile. Ian walked over to the fireplace, crouched down, and began stacking logs. When the fire crackled to life, Kate wished her nose wasn’t so stuffy because the wood-burning fireplace was one of the things she loved most about her apartment. The fireplace in her and Stuart’s apartment had been gas, but in Kate’s opinion nothing compared to the real thing.
Ian stood up and brushed his hands together. “Who were you thinking about in the bathtub, Katie?” he asked, coming over to stand in front of her.
“How can you be so sure I was thinking of someone?”
“Your left nipple was noticeably erect, the image of which is now burned into my brain. Therefore I deduced there might have been a man on your mind.”
Her body temperature spiked suddenly, and it had nothing to do with a fever. “A girl needs to be able to keep some secrets from you.”
“Well, he’s a lucky man, whoever he is.” He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead.
“I said no kissing!”
“Oh, relax. I’m going home to shower and pick up some food. Don’t get off this couch.” He jingled his car keys, threw on his coat, and said, “Back soon.”
He returned an hour later, hair damp, wearing sweatpants and a long-sleeve T-shirt, which made him look especially cuddly to Kate. He was holding two large carryout bags. The sky had darkened even though it was only half past noon, and large white flakes were swirling through the air.
“First snowfall,” Kate said. “We’re supposed to get six inches.”
“I heard,” he said. “It’s getting slick already. I have got to get the Shelby into storage.” He set the bags on the kitchen counter. “Hungry?”
It had been over twenty-four hours since she’d eaten anything, and her stomach had started to rumble, which she took as a positive sign. “Yes.”
Ian threw another log on the fire and gave it a poke before disappearing back into the kitchen. The clinking of silverware and dishes followed, and he returned with two plates on which sat a grilled cheese sandwich and a cup of chicken noodle soup.
“This is perfect,” Kate said, taking one of the plates from him. “It’s actually the only thing that sounds good to me.”
“I thought it might. There’s plenty more to heat up for dinner later. I brought a few other things too, in case you want something different. And just so you know, it’s not exactly what I’d envisioned, but I’m still going to consider this our third date.” He ducked back into the kitchen for a glass of orange juice for Kate and a Coke for himself.
“What did you have planned for us?” she asked.
“I’d made three reservations: seafood, steakhouse, Mexican. When I went to the food pantry yesterday morning, I was going to ask what you preferred. Then after dinner we were going to see a movie—one of those romantic comedies you like so much. On our way home we’d stop for drinks or dessert—your choice. Naturally you’d choose drinks, and I’d ply you with chardonnay in a halfhearted attempt to convince you to change your mind about what might happen at the end of our third date.”
“I wouldn’t have changed my mind, but that sounds like a great date. I’m sad it didn’t happen.”
“That’s okay. We’ll go as soon as you’re feeling better.”
The gently falling snow and the fire’s glow made the room feel extra cozy. Kate sighed with pleasure. When they were done eating, she looked over at Ian and smiled. “You really are a superhero,” she said. “I feel much better.”
He pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. “I don’t need that fancy ear thermometer to know your fever’s gone, at least for now.” He took their plates into the kitchen. When he returned, he had a phone in his hand.
“I brought you something.”
Confused, Kate took the phone from Ian’s outstretched hand. “I already have a cell.”
“I only want you to call me from this one. My number is already programmed in.”
“Will this ping the Batcave?” She kept her tone light, but she knew this signified a turning point in their relationship.
He smiled. “It will ping me, and I will always answer you.”
Kate examined the phone. It looked like a smartphone, but it was stripped-down and very basic with no noticeable bells and whistles.
“It’s got data and a halfway-decent camera,” Ian said. “I can track it and wipe it remotely if you lose it or it gets stolen.”
“It’s disposable, isn’t it?”
His smile faded and his expression turned serious. “Only because I’m overly cautious.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s just that if you’re sick or you need anything, I want you to be able to get ahold of me.”
Kate nodded. “Ian, I understand.” She had come to the realization that being with Ian meant accepting him on his terms, and for now she was willing to do that. She was starting to suspect there might come a day when she’d have to reevaluate and make a choice.
“You were right. If I wanted to reach you, I could have called. Next time I will.”
She slid the phone into the pocket of her sweatpants and motioned toward the window. “Looks like it’s really coming down out there. You should stay here again tonight. I’d hate for you to be out driving in this. The kissing ban is still firmly in place though.”
“You don’t know how much I’m looking forward to that being lifted.”
“Me too, Ian. Me too.”
Kate’s fever came back that night, shortly after they finished eating dinner. She’d started shivering and her head throbbed. Ian watched as she reached for the bottle of Motrin on the coffee table, and as soon as she swallowed the pills, he pulled her toward him and stuck the thermometer in her ear.
“One hundred and two,” he said. “At least it’s not as high as yesterday.” After wrapping her in a blanket, he pulled her head into his lap, stroking it the way he had the day before. His large, warm palm skimmed softly across her temple and she sighed.
He held the remote in his other hand, and he flipped through the channels, stopping on Bridget Jones’s Diary. Pulling the blanket tighter around her, he draped his arm across her chest in a way that made her feel content. She’d never met a man who could be so infuriatingly intrusive yet so caring and tender.
When the movie ended, Kate slipped into the bedroom to get ready for bed. She also put on fresh sheets, and Ian appeared in the doorway as she was pulling on the last pillowcase.
“Comfortable as it may be, does this mean I’m not sleeping on the couch?”
“It’s up to you. If I haven’t gotten you sick already, sharing a bed with me will probably increase your chances of coming down with it. But if you do, I assure you I’ll be happy to assume the role of doctor.”
“Actually, I’d prefer you assume the role of nurse, in a low-cut uniform, of course. And I’m definitely signing up for the Vicks rubdown and the sponge bath.”
“I never
doubted that for a single minute.”
“However, I show no sign of any symptoms, which I find somewhat disappointing because that means you may not need to attend to me. Shame.”
“Damn your luck,” Kate said, crawling underneath the covers. Being upright had tired her, and she was ready to return to a horizontal position.
After Ian locked up and shut off the lights and TV, he returned to the bedroom and stripped off his T-shirt but left his sweatpants on. He turned off the lamp on Kate’s nightstand and climbed into bed. Nudging her onto her side, he spooned her, tucking an arm underneath her breasts. Kate might not have been feeling her best, but she wasn’t dead, and the sensation of Ian’s body pressed up against hers was more than a little arousing.
“Looks like I’m sleeping with you on the third date after all,” he said.
“You got me,” she said, laughing softly.
“If someone else messages you through that dating site and asks you out, are you going to say yes?”
Kate smiled in the darkness. “Maybe. But probably not.” She pulled his arm in tighter and said, “Night, Ian.”
When she woke up the next morning, he was gone. She hadn’t felt him get out of bed, but she’d slept better than she had the previous two nights. Whether that was because she was finally on the mend or because he’d been next to her, she wasn’t sure.
She padded into the kitchen to start the coffee. The phone he’d given her was sitting on the counter where she’d left it the night before. He’d sent her a text at 8:03 a.m.
Ian: Felt your forehead before I left, and you were cool. I’ve got some work to do, but call me if you need anything. The streets are a mess, so don’t leave the house. I’ll know if you do. Just kidding. Not really.
CHAPTER NINE
Kate and Helena were busy running through the checklist for Thanksgiving. “I feel bad abandoning you,” Kate said, although she knew Helena was more than capable of running things on her own as she’d recently demonstrated when Kate was sick.
“Your family wants to see you,” Helena said. “Go home and enjoy the holiday with them.”
Kate’s last visit home had been at Christmastime, and it had been almost six months since her mom and dad visited Kate in Minneapolis. She had a good relationship with her parents, and she missed them as much as they missed her. Though Kate was reluctant to leave the food pantry before a major holiday, they’d reached a compromise where Kate promised to come home for Thanksgiving if her parents would fly to Minneapolis for Christmas. Kate was leaving tomorrow, and she and Helena had a lot to get through before then.
Kate’s clients needed so many things at this time of year. In addition to their regular food needs, they also sought out warm clothes¸ boots, and coats for their children. Kate had been holding clothing drives since early fall, and now that Minneapolis had received its first snowfall, she and Helena had begun outfitting people in winter gear at a steady rate.
A little boy pushed open the door and made a beeline for Kate. He was two years old and his name was Georgie. He was followed by his mother, Samantha, and two older sisters, seven-year-old Alex and nine-year-old Emily.
Samantha had been a regular of Kate’s since she’d opened the food pantry. She was raising her kids alone after divorcing an abusive husband who had never paid a penny of child support. Even though Samantha worked as many hours as she could at her waitressing job, it was never enough to carry the four of them through to the end of the month. Kate was always there to make up the difference.
Because Kate had gotten to know the family well, she knew their sizes and had begun setting things aside as she received them. Fortunately, Georgie already had a winter coat, but Kate had held back a Curious George stocking cap with ear flaps and a pair of gently used navy snow boots.
She crouched down and slid the hat onto Georgie’s head. “This monkey has your name!” Georgie laughed as Kate swapped his worn-out tennis shoes for the boots. “You look adorable.” Georgie didn’t talk much, but he hugged Kate, took off his hat, and hugged that too.
For the older girls, Kate had managed to snag two parkas, one pink and one blue. They both had fur around the hood and were in excellent condition. Kate had gloves for both of them, and she’d also thrown some lip gloss into her cart the last time she’d shopped at Target.
The girls squealed in delight as Kate presented the items. “Thank you, Kate!”
Next to Samantha, Kate knew the family’s circumstances were hardest on nine-year-old Emily who was old enough to understand what was going on.
While Samantha and the girls filled their box with food, Kate pulled Georgie onto her lap and unwrapped a Hershey’s Kiss for him. He crammed it into his mouth.
“Someone likes chocolate,” Kate said, giving him a little squeeze.
He held out his hand for another.
“One more,” Kate said.
When Samantha was ready to go, she thanked Kate and told her good-bye. Georgie scooted off her lap and joined his mother and sisters.
“I’ll see you soon,” Kate called after him.
When she looked up, Ian was standing in the doorway. Now that he’d given her the phone, he texted her throughout the day, but the last time she’d seen him was two nights ago when he’d fallen asleep in her bed. Kate stood as Ian approached her desk.
“Hi,” he said.
She smiled. “Hi.”
Helena sidled up to them. Kate had shared quite a few details about the dates she’d gone on with Ian and how he’d taken care of her when she was sick. She might have forgotten to mention the hacking and that she didn’t know Ian’s last name, but Helena didn’t need to know everything.
“Hello,” Helena said. “We spoke briefly once before.”
“Helena Sadowski, please meet Ian Smith,” Kate said, emphasizing Smith.
“It’s nice to meet you.” Ian shook her hand.
Helena appeared ready to swoon. “It’s nice to meet you too,” she said. “Kate can’t stop talking about you.”
Ian looked at Kate and grinned. “Is that right?”
“Oh, yes. She goes on and on.”
Kate made a mental note to talk to Helena about the importance of keeping certain things to herself.
“Katie? A moment alone, please,” Ian said.
“I’ll be in the back for a second, Helena.”
Ian followed Kate into the back room and waited until she closed the door behind them.
“What is it?” she asked when she turned around. He looked so serious, and she wondered if he was going to tell her he’d decided to leave Minneapolis in favor of the next city. She was surprised by how much that thought bothered her.
He put his arms around her and pulled her close. “Now that you appear to be back to your former, healthy self, I trust that the kissing ban has been lifted?”
She tried her best to look as serious as he did. “I suppose since I haven’t sneezed at all today and my cough is intermittent at best, it would be okay for you to kiss me now.”
“Good. I need to get you out of my system so I can get some work done. For some reason, I’m having trouble concentrating.”
Ian backed her up against the door and tangled his hands in her hair. He kissed her lightly at first and then let his teeth graze Kate’s lower lip. He kissed her again and then tugged down lightly on her lip before pulling it into his mouth. He switched back and forth, nibbling gently and then kissing her more aggressively. It made Kate feel as though she’d fallen into some kind of kissing-induced trance. She wrapped her arms tightly around his waist and pulled him closer, delighting in his groan as he kissed her harder. If she and Ian were alone and had access to a bed, she’d gladly spend the rest of the day lying on it with him with their mouths attached.
“There. Is that better?” Kate asked when they stopped to take a breath.
He shook his head in frustration. “No. Not at all.”
“So this romantic interlude has not had the effect you desired?”
&n
bsp; “Quite the opposite actually.”
“That’s too bad. Is there anything I can do?”
“I don’t suppose you can take the rest of the day off?” he asked.
“I wish I could, but Helena and I have a lot of work to get done before I leave tomorrow, so I’ll need to stay here.”
“Damn.”
“What about later?”
“Unfortunately, I’m dealing with a cyberattack that will require monitoring throughout the evening and possibly overnight.”
Kate took a step back. “An attack? Are you serious? What does that even mean?”
He pulled her in again. “Nothing you need to worry about. Mostly it’s annoying. They’re very persistent.”
“Who?”
“The hackers.”
“So they’re like you?”
“I’m one of a kind, sweetness,” he said, deftly sidestepping her question.
Kate knew that getting information out of Ian wouldn’t be easy, but it wasn’t in her nature to remain in the dark forever. If their relationship were to progress to a certain stage—and Kate thought she should probably have her head examined for even contemplating such a thing—Ian would have to start opening up to her. But she didn’t need to worry about that right now because she didn’t have strong feelings for him yet.
At least that’s what she told herself.
“Sometimes I just want to crawl inside your head and poke around,” Kate said. “I imagine it would be fascinating.”
“How… unsettling. Although to be fair, I too think about being inside you and poking around.” He rocked his hips forward, thrusting gently. “Poking, poking, poking, poking a little faster. There’s a rhythm I’ve got going, Katie, can you feel it?”
Kate felt something all right, and that something was pressing against her hip. “You’re incorrigible.”
“I believe you started it.”
Kate was the one who rocked her hips forward this time, and Ian groaned.
“Stop sexually harassing me, or I’ll contact your board of directors and tell them about the pervy way this food pantry treats its clients.”