They entered the lobby and Jensen waved the senior guard away when he offered to escort them.
"This way," he said.
He strode across the atrium to the bank of lifts set against the east wall. She kept up, her heels clicking in tandem with his.
"When is the opening of the building?" she asked.
"Unofficially, it's open," he replied. "Businesses are moving in but the official ceremony is two weeks after your opening."
He stabbed the button for the lift, and waited for her to precede him when the doors slid open. She strolled to the back of the carriage, turned and rested her shoul-ders against the polished mirrored wall. She angled her body in a way that subtly thrust her chest and hips forward and it was all he could do not to drool at the lush display of her figure.
Damn, everything about her turned him on. It was going to be a huge fucking problem.
The doors opened directly into the store and, relieved, he stepped onto the polished floors. On either side of the entryway were already fitted glass and cabinets that would display her cupcakes and cookies come opening day.
"So cakes huh?" he said as they entered. "I remember you were really good at baking when we were kids. You used to bring them to my house. They were really good. Remember what I said the first time I tasted one?"
Katherine smiled. "You said... 'Hey... You should be a chef' and I said 'okay'. "
"I would really like to taste them again... I honestly can't wait to... If that's okay with you" he said. He tried not to think about the fact that it wasn't just her cupcakes he wanted to taste. He wanted to taste every inch of her body. But he didn't mention that.
They stared at each other and smiled at the memory. He stared at her hair. He wanted to grip handfuls of it and rub it against his face. He could smell her perfume in the air.
Katherine's hair. Katherine's perfume. He was far too aware of Katherine.
Then suddenly uncomfortable, he looked for something to distract him. He asked. "So have you moved into the new house?"
"No not yet. It's gonna be next week though. I wanna be through with the house so I can completely focus on this store".
"You need some help". He asked.
"No, not really. Jon is really taking care of almost everything. Plus my parents are going to help"
"I want to help, Kat". He said.
Katherine stared at him. Not knowing what else to say. "Sure Jensen. You can help. Thanks".
"Alright. Just let me know when" he said. "I guess I will leave now. I got stuff to handle"
"Yeah" Katherine said. She paused then added. "Actually, there is another matter I feel we should clear up"
She lowered her eyes. From his angle, her black, long eyelashes looked like they had been painted onto her cheeks with a fine brush.
"You shouldn't have kissed me that day at your office. It was... ermm.. Should I say unprofessional... What I'm trying to say is that... Nothing like that can happen again"
He deliberately waited to respond until she lifted her eyes back to his.
"I would have to be a blind eunuch not to notice that you are a beautiful woman, Kat. And just so you know, I don't go around kissing every woman I see" he said.
Her deep swallow was audible. "I understand..." She said,
"No you don't understand"
"Then why did you kiss me, Jensen?"
He smiled wryly, tilting up the side of his mouth.
"Because you pissed me off," he said.
"How?" she asked.
"I wasn't having a good day to begin with, thanks to your text" he said sarcastically. "Then you came along, dressed to kill and yelled at me. I don't appreciate being yelled at"
"And vice versa. You pissed me off too"
"Then you should have slapped me when I kissed you," he said.
"You didn't give me a chance."
Jensen sighed. The conversation had lasted ten times longer than the kiss, and he was ready to drop the subject. It made him uncomfortable. He didn't know what had motivated him to kiss her. The only thing he was sure of was that he didn't want to know.
"If the kiss bothered you so much, then maybe you should have gone to some other place for your store.. But you are still here" he said carelessly.
He regretted saying that immediately he did. She didn't reply, just stared at him.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that" he said softly.
"It's fine Jensen," Katherine said. "I'm trying to start my life here again and I don't want to bring back memories..especially those that could ruin things for the both of us. Can we just agree that it shouldn't happen again?" she asked.
"No," he replied.
Katherine stared at him.
"No?" she repeated, clearly surprised.
"Yeah that's right... No" he replied. He stepped closer. "Let's get this straight, Kat. I'm not sorry that I kissed you and I'm not going to promise you that it won't happen again."
Katherine opened her mouth to say something. But no words came out.
He smiled.
"See you later, Kitty," he said.
Then he was gone.
———————————————
Jensen parked his car in his driveway and walked to his front door. Before he could open it Rufus came running towards him, barking in delight.
Jensen smiled. It was nice to be welcomed home. At least someone was happy to see him. He thought. Thinking of Katherine. He looked at Rufus, then he bent and scratched the animals behind his left ear.
"Where the hell were you off to, Rufus" he asked. "Or were you on your way home? Were you out to see that pekingese again?. Rufus stopped panting and raised his eyebrows. "Oh yeah? Did you get any?.
Rufus whined. Ruefully, Jensen said. "I know the feeling buddy".
He remembered how he got Rufus.
—————————————
It was a few months after Katherine left town and he was still mad as hell — at everything. He had come home one day to find a dog curled on his front step.
And it had pissed him off even more. He had chased the dog away. But he had come home the next day to find the dog there again. It was being stubborn. Well, he could be stubborn too.