Laughter—and a friendly bark—erupted from the living room, and she dried her hands on a towel before she went back out to see what was going on. She had to pause when she caught sight of them.
Tim was on top of Jensen, laughing. and Jensen was laughing along with him. Rufus was in there, too, tongue lolling and tail going a mile a minute. Lego towers had collapsed and scattered—maybe due to the tail—and she thought there was a block under Jensen's hip, but he never let on.
Tim laughed gleefully, full on belly laughs that made her smile even as her heart stuttered. She made herself walk in there, and hoped her pounding heart wasn’t obvious to Jensen.
“Wow, Tim, what are you doing to Jensen?” she teased, and he caught her eye with a wink. Her mouth actually went dry. If a man playing with her kid could make her all mushy inside—and it wasn’t as if there weren't other people to play with him—what did that mean?
“I've got him, Mom!” Tim shrieked, and laughed his big baby laugh.
She opened her mouth to say something about indoor voices, but then closed it again.
“I see that. Don’t hurt him, Tim,” she said instead, and he laughed harder.
She sat on the couch and tucked her feet under her and watched the show, amusement warring with worry. This...bonding. It bothered her for some reason. Rufus came over and sat in front of her, his big head cocked to the side. She gave in and rubbed him between the ears. She felt all warm inside.
She clapped her hands to get Tim's attention. “Okay, Tim , pick up. Time to get ready for bed.”
Tim was becoming so emotionally attached to Jensen, which meant he could get hurt. Jensen must have heard the slight edge of panic in her voice, because he looked up and caught Tim in a hug.
“You heard your mom. Let’s get this cleaned up.” Over the grumbles, Tim picked up, then Katherine directed him toward his bedroom to collect his jammies and get ready for a bath.
“Thanks for coming,” she said, knowing she was being unspeakably rude to practically shove Jensen out the door like this, but unable to stop herself.
They both stood up and he walked towards her. Katherine felt her heart begin to beat faster.
“Thanks so much for dinner, Kat,” he said, and she couldn’t meet his eyes. "It was delicious and I'm glad you invited me"
“You’re welcome,” she managed to reply. This was the time when he was supposed to turn and leave, but he didn't move. He just stood there and stared at her, his eyes so intense. The raw desire flaring from his eyes made her stomach quiver in anticipation.
"I'm glad you came," Katherine said. She stood on her toes to plant a kiss on his cheek. His skin was warm and Katherine inhaled the sweet, intoxicating scent of him.
She didn't know which one of them moved first, but the next second she was pressed tightly against his hot body and he was kissing her.... hard.
He stepped even closer. One of his hands lifted, its fingers raking through her hair, dragging her head back so that it was tilted up to his.
He wanted her so damn much. He wanted her completely. In every way.
He didn't need to tell her how much he wanted her. He showed her. His mouth crashed down onto hers in a passionate plundering that incited an equally passionate response, want poured into her need to taste this man, have him tasting her, wanting more of her.
She wound her arms around his neck, stretched up on tiptoe, pressed closer, trying to lock in every possible physical contact with him, reveling in the exciting heat of his big strong body, the tension in his muscles.
He kissed her as greedily and urgently as she kissed him. When he sucked in air, she did, too, her pulse racing, her breasts heaving to the same rise and fall of his chest. Though even the slightest pause in this hectic intimacy hit a panic button. She didn’t want him to stop, to pull away from her, have second thoughts about what he was doing. She kept a tight hold on him, her fingers thrusting through his hair, curling around his head, rabidly encouraging continuance.
He kissed her some more, with a deepening eroticism that stirred her desire for him into a chaotic frenzy, every nerve in her body sizzling for the fulfillment of all he promised. His hands roved over her back, following its curves, curling over the taut mounds of her bottom, squeezing, lifting, fitting her more closely to him. No doubt about how strongly he was aroused. She felt his erection against her stomach and exulted in the blatant physical power of his desire for her.
Then he tore his mouth from hers and buried his face in her hair, rubbing his cheeks over it, breathing in the scent on it, tasting it with hot sensual kisses. And she pressed her own face into the warm hollow of his neck, savoring the smell of him, her sensitized lips picking up the rapid throb of his pulse beat there, enclosing it, sucking on it, excited by his excitement and wildly wanting to drive it higher and higher.
They had to stop. She thought.
"Kat…" The hoarse whisper carried the sound of raging need, making her heart leap with fierce exhilaration. His throat moved in a convulsive swallow.
"Kat…" A stronger tone, harsh with urgency. "Tell me—" intense command "—will you go out with me.... On a date? I want to have you to myself. Even if it's just for one night. I want... I need you. Tell me you want the same thing"
Katherine nodded. Unable to say anything.
He nodded. "I will be busy tomorrow," he said. "I don't know about you but just let me know which day you will be free. And I will come pick you up. Just make it this week because I don't know how long I can... You know"
She knew. And she smiled up at him.
"Mom!" Tim's call knifed through the sound of their breathing. "Aren't you coming?"