Moira answered with her patented eye roll. “He wasn’t bothering me. I was thanking him for this amazing party.”
“Oh.” She handed Kevin a beer. “I figured you’d need this.”
He smiled. “Great minds,” he said, and showed her the drinks he’d grabbed for them. “Guess we need to drink fast.”
“They’re seating us for dinner now. They have a huge table set up for the bridal party.”
Kevin grabbed two beer bottles by the neck in one hand. His other hand rested on Kathy’s back. “After you.”
* * *
Kathy held tight to her glass of wine. While she had no intention of getting drunk, she’d need the alcohol to get through the night at Kevin’s side. Every time they were together, it was getting harder and harder to know why she didn’t want to give him another chance. Dinner was delicious, but went by too quickly. The DJ started playing dance music, and Kathy was shocked to see how many of the guests were already paired off.
No wonder Moira was fine with having a joint party. While many of them weren’t married, these people were far from single.
Unlike her.
And Kevin.
She looked at Kevin, who was currently dancing with a woman who was laughing at whatever he was saying. There was a respectful distance between them, and he’d done nothing to flirt with her.
The Kevin in her memory had flirted with everyone, even if he wasn’t interested. Kathy had assumed that was just his personality. When the song ended, he waved at his partner and beelined for Kathy’s position.
“Can I have this dance?”
“Sure.” She took his hand and as soon as they got to the dance floor, the rhythm shifted to a slow song. “Did you plan this?” she asked as he pulled her against his body.
“Nope. I’m just lucky like that.”
They didn’t talk during the song. Their bodies were pressed together in a way that was more intimate than she’d consider with a stranger, yet it felt good. It had been a long time since she’d had a steady boyfriend. She’d dated some since Ray, but she was experiencing a relationship drought. Maybe that’s why Kevin was so appealing.
“You’re thinking too loud. Can’t you just enjoy the dance?”
“I am. Too much, I’m afraid.”
She felt his chuckle more than heard it. A deep vibration through his chest sent more wild thoughts through her. She couldn’t decide if she needed more alcohol to be able to ignore those thoughts or if they would just get worse.
She did what she could to block out her hormones and enjoy the dance, and the two that followed. They took a break to get a drink, and Kevin surprised her by ordering a water for himself.
When she stared at the glass, he said, “I’m designated everything tonight. No way will Jimmy relax if no one is sober to keep people safe. I have to make sure no one fights, falls overboard, or drives home drunk.”
Kathy had never thought about how sexy responsibility was, but Kevin had certainly introduced the idea. He guzzled his water, slammed the glass back on the bar, and said, “I gotta go. Time for entertainment. You coming?”
“Nah. Not my idea of entertainment, but thanks for asking. You go have fun. I think I’m going to go for a walk out on deck. Tell Moira to text me if she needs anything.”
Kevin made a quick announcement to the partygoers and then led a large group to a private room. From where she stood at the bar, she could see Jimmy grumbling and giving Kevin dirty looks. Moira, on the other hand, threatened that if there was nothing for her to enjoy, he was in trouble. Jimmy grabbed her ass and whispered something in her ear that made her pale skin go red.
Although the crowd around the bar and on the dance floor had thinned, there were still a lot of people. Kathy needed a break from all of them. The cruise would be over soon. They’d already taken their turn to circle back, so she wanted to go outside to enjoy the fresh air and the view of the city from the lake.
She walked out and leaned into the rail, closing her eyes and raising her face to the wind off the lake. When she reopened her eyes, she looked up at the moon and sighed.
“Couldn’t imagine a more beautiful sight.”
She spun at Kevin’s voice. “I thought you were doing the entertainment.” She cringed. “That sounded bad, but you know what I meant.”
“I had to get the entertainment started, but a moonlight walk alone with you sounded much more appealing.”
She licked her lips. For as much as she’d thought she wanted to be alone, she liked the idea of being with him. “There’s not far to walk.”
“We can do a circuit or two of the deck.” He reached for her hand, and they walked in silence toward the back of the boat.
When they got there, they were alone in the shadows, the only sound the sloshing of the water against the boat. The scene was perfectly romantic, and Kathy’s heart thundered in her ears.
“Heart and mind still at odds?”
“More than ever.”
“I know I said I’d give you time, but I’m an impatient man. So unless you tell me not to, I’m going to kiss you now.” He released her hand and moved it to her cheek, using his thumb to tilt her chin upward. Staring into her eyes, he waited a beat, cocking one eyebrow in question.
She should stop him, but she wanted to feel his mouth on hers, so she said nothing.
He moved in slowly, using his other hand to shift her body and pull her flush against him. He kept his eyes open and on hers as his lips met hers softly, a gentle stroke. He parted his lips, and she felt his breath whisper across her mouth before their lips reconnected.
Kathy wrapped her arms around his back, anchoring him to her, as she closed her
