25

[Kat]

The roach motel was a nice one level establishment with a pool and proximity to the highway, and if we got bored, there was a long list of things to do. After all, this was a college town.

We ended up ordering Chinese takeout and sat on the floor watching the Padres game on a big screen TV.

Both of us were dog tired and laughing hysterically at stupid shit when the commercials came on.

I suspected that our all nighter had caught up with us in a big way, and nobody would be hitting it out of the park except the Padres.

In fact, Adrian Gonzales cracked a bat in half in the bottom of the ninth and won the game for Patrick's team.

We flipped and Patrick got the first shower. "Try not to use all the hot water."

"Not possible, unless you join me."

He leered and I snapped a towel at him. "Listen, I have only one thing in mind, and it doesn't begin with an F."

Patrick brought up his hands to his face. "Is that what we've been doing?"

Last night's series of romps definitely qualified for that status. With a laugh, I said, "Try to keep it down in there. I have to call my Dad."

I waited for the door to close before dialing. It rang a bunch of times, and I got Dad's voice mail.

"Hey, Dad, it's Kat. Wanted to let you know that we've landed safely in Santa Maria for the night. We stopped for a break in Santa Barbara and I got to walk on the waterfront. Hope you and Miss Tharp are having fun. Hope to talk with you tomorrow."

After I clicked off the phone, I wondered if Dad and Miss Tharp had also taken that next step. It had been way more than seven years since Dad had dated or had sex, and he really needed that release. With a smile, I turned off my phone and sat back on the couch and switched to CNN for my daily dose of Christine Amanpour.

Awhile later, someone shook my shoulder and my eyes fluttered open. Patrick was sitting next to me, his curly hair matted down with water and clad only in a towel. "Hey, it's your turn. How did it go with Wally?"

I made a face at the nickname, wondering when Dad had graduated to Wally status. "He wasn't home."

Patrick found that amusing. "Hmm, think they're knocking boots yet?"

"Maybe." I couldn't help but notice the way water droplets gleamed on his chest hair and wanted desperately to brush them away. Trouble was, I didn't have any energy left to put my thoughts into action, so I stumbled into the bathroom and blasted myself with alternating bursts of cold and warm water to clear my head.

It took me a long time to finish, because I think I dozed off a few times. When I finally made it out of the shower, Patrick was waiting for me. "Looks like you could use a little help in here."

I shook my head hard and winced when my wet hair slapped my face. "Can't. Too tired."

He pointed to the vanity chair, where he'd laid down a towel. "Just as I figured. Sit down."

Patrick found my comb with the wide teeth and started combing out my tangles. He was gentle, and the pads of his fingers massaged my scalp as he worked. It felt so good that I moaned, which he immediately jumped on. "Changed your mind, Stratford?"

I smiled as he finished with my hair and started toweling me off, his movements so gentle that I swayed against him. "Mmm, so good. Where'd you learn to do this?"

He shrugged. "Here and there."

"Lucky me," I said without a trace of sarcasm.

Patrick wore only some gym trunks and he tossed an oversized shirt (his) and panties at me. "Hurry up and finish before I die of boredom out here," he said good-naturedly.

It took about ten more minutes to clean my teeth, and I decided to leave the retainer in its case for possibly the rest of the trip. Because I might be too tired for sex, but there was no way he was letting me sleep without his quota of kisses.

[Patrick]

Brushing her hair and drying her off was possibly the sexiest thing I'd ever witnessed. Kat practically writhed under my touch, and watching her body react to my touch was a huge turn on. Kat finally finished in the bathroom and I think my eyes bugged out when she walked slowly out, half hanging out of my white button down shirt. I watched her lean over her suitcase and was rewarded with a full display of her best assets. The shirt dropped to the floor and she slid on a camisole which left nothing to the imagination. Her body told me she was aroused, even if her brain was too tired to act on it.

She slid under the covers and immediately snuggled against me, inviting my arms to surround her as she rested her head against my chest and sighed in contentment. "So, I shared something with you today."

"I know." I tightened my hold on her. "What do you want to know?"

"Who's the guy in the cube?"

"That was my Dad."

"What happened to him?"

Only Roy knew my whole story. "Hit and run."

Kat turned in my arms and touched my face. "I'm sorry."

"It was a long time ago." I tried to reassure her, but I had never gotten past it completely.

She kissed my cheek softly. "Doesn't matter. Some wounds never heal."

Like losing her mother at such a young age. "Yeah."

"So what's your aunt like?"

That was hard to answer, because Rachel was an enigma. I knew she was kind, and more than generous with her money, and was utterly committed to the green movement. But beyond that, I had no clue about her personal life, or what her hobbies were, or even what music she listened to. "She's interesting."

Kat smiled. "That's how you first described me."

"And that still stands."

"Ah, nice to know I haven't lost my edge."

"Or your Taser." It had tumbled out of her purse, which meant I better not piss her off.

"Don't worry, you're off my black list."

"Good to know."

"So what will she think of us?"

Rachel and Kat would definitely get along. "She'll like you."

"That's good, but I meant the part where we're having sex."

She had a big, rambling house with more than enough room for everyone. "She'll offer us separate rooms, but won't care if only one bed is used."

"Really? She's that enlightened?"

I liked to think so, because there was no way I was sleeping alone. "Usually."

"But maybe if we keep it to ourselves, she won't have to know."

"Oh, she'll definitely know as soon as she sees us."

Kat raised herself up and looked at me with a twinkle in her eyes. "Oh, yeah? How's that?"

I trailed my hand from her shoulder to her elbow. "Other than not being able to keep our hands off each other? I can't think of a thing."

Her cheeks colored slightly and I was so enchanted that I kissed her. It started soft and gentle, but her continued nibbles on my lower lip quickly deepened it to one of those kisses that had to end in sex. Only, tonight it couldn't. Kat finally rested her hand on my chest and kissed me one more time before whispering, "Sweet dreams."