Chapter 6: Close Encounters
Summary: Sebastian tends to an injured Kathryn. Afterwards Annette tries to set Kathryn straight.
"Aaahhhhh" Kathryn screamed as she fell to the hard floor with a thump. It hadn't been a long fall from the tall step latter but on her way down her stiletto heel caught in one of the bars twisting her ankle. What was she doing on the stupidly high step latter in the first place? Well she desperately needed to get a pair of shoes that were on the top of her high closet. She had ordered one of the maids to do it but she was busy doing some errand for her mother and said she would get to it as soon as possible. Kathryn was sick of waiting around so she decided to get it herself. Stupid idea.
Sebastian had been in his own bedroom reading when he heard Kathryn's loud scream. He immediately ran into her room and called out "Kathryn." When he found her on the floor of her closet laying on her back he almost burst out laughing. Smirking he asked "what happened?"
Kathryn sighed "I fell brain trust what does it look like?"
Since there confrontation a week ago the step siblings hadn't been on the best of terms. In fact they had hardly spoken to one another. Kathryn was still pissed at the way he all but rejected her to go chase after Annette. She thought it was best to keep her distance until she ironed out all the kinks in her plan. Sebastian meanwhile was busy contemplating how to go about getting what he wanted. After witnessing James and Kathryn's little make out session he had decided he did in fact want her back. The question was not only how to go about it but what about Annette? Over the past few weeks he had been reexamining his feelings for Annette and he came to the conclusion that maybe it wasn't love after all. Oh he did feel something for her but he couldn't be sure what it was. He did love her but he was starting to realize he wasn't in love with her and it was possible he never was.
The thing was he knew he had feelings for Kathryn, feelings that went beyond lust but he wasn't really sure what to do with them. Sebastian wasn't sure she felt the same way about him. At one point he thought she might but after everything that happened with Annette he was unsure. So he decided to play it cool until the opportunity presented itself where he could tell her what he really felt for her. Until that time he would stay with Annette and try to keep Kathryn away from James the best he could.
"Can you move?" He asked as he kneeled down next to her.
Kathryn immediately got onto her elbows and tried to get up "of course, I'm fine."
Sebastian watched with mild amusement as she started to get up but couldn't. "Want a hand?"
"I can do it" she grumbled. Kathryn managed to get on one leg and she gave him a triumphant smile "see I can...owwww!" She almost immediately tumbled over and Sebastian caught her.
Shaking his head he remarked "yeah right. Come on" In one graceful movement Sebastian picked her up into his arms surprising Kathryn.
"I can walk" she complained even thought she was enjoying the attention.
"Well as amusing as it would be to watch you try to hobble over here I think this is quicker" he sat her down on the bed and pulled her leg up to rest in his lap. He gently touched her calf and asked "ok so were does it hurt?"
Giving him a skeptical look she asked "I'm sorry you got your medical degree when?"
"It doesn't take a brain surgeon to figure out it you have a sprang ankle or not. Does that hurt?" Sebastian asked as he gently massaged her ankle.
"Owwww!"
Nodding he said "I take that as a yes. Ok what about here?"
The second touch felt much better and she again had to remind herself who was doing it. "That doesn't hurt."
"Good" he said looking up at her with a smile.
There eyes locked for a minute before Kathryn asked "well am I going to live?
"Probably I don't even think you sprang it. You just need some ice and it will feel better in a day or two" he told her as he went to the bathroom. He came back in with ice wrapped in a towel. Gently he placed it on her ankle and held it for a minute. "So what were you doing anyway?"
She sighed "I was trying to get a pair of shoes down."
A smile came over his handsome face "since when do you get things for yourself?"
Glaring at him she said "the stupid maid was busy with mother. We should seriously have her fired."
"Well you can do that after this heels. Does it feel any better?"
All this concern over a little injure was throwing Kathryn. Since when did he give a shit weather she lived or died? "It's fine. What's with all the concern?"
Sebastian placed a hand on her leg and looked down "is it really that surprising that I care if you get hurt?"
"Well...yes it is. Just the other day you were-"
"Can we just forget about that night? Look I'm sorry for how I treated you I was just..."
Kathryn studied his face trying to figure out what he was trying to say. "You were just what?"
"Upset I guess that James was here. Tell me something...do you really like him?"
The question startled her slightly "yes he's all right why?"
"No reason"
A smile came over Kathryn's face as a realization came to her. Sebastian was jealous. She had thought so the other night but she thought it might have just been James. No he really was jealous of her and James. "Sebastian" she purred in a sexy voice "are you jealous?"
"No" he said a little too quickly. "Christ why does everyone keep saying that?"
"I don't know because it's true. Admit it your jealous of James that's why you were acting like such an asshole."
He laughed sharply "I am not admitting anything."
"Right. Well in answer to your question I like James."
"So I saw" he grumbled under his breath.
He didn't think Kathryn heard him but she had. "What?" She asked as she looked up at him suddenly "what did you see?"
He tired to cover "nothing."
Kathryn recalled how she saw Sebastian that night as he pulled up to the house. She was curious if he did in fact see her and James kiss. "Sebastian did you see me and James that night?"
Deciding he had enough pussy footing around he looked her in the eye and said "oh you mean did I see you two making out? Yeah I did."
Her eyes narrowed at him "we were not making out."
"It sure as hell looked like you were. So...did you fuck him?"
"How is it any of your business?"
A hurt look flashed over his face "i-it's not...I just-"
"You know I didn't" Kathryn interrupted.
There was an awkward pause between them with both of them avoiding the others eyes. Sebastian looked up at her as she smoothed out her black skirt. There was something that had been on his mind ever since he saw her and James on that balcony. "Did you like it?"
She looked up at him surprised though she didn't know why. Pre-Annette Sebastian always use to inquire about her conquests and she never thought anything of it. However now that he was going steady with little piss perfect he never seemed to care. "It was nice" she said with a shrug. It had been nice, nothing earth shattering but it had been more than pleasant.
"Nice?" Sebastian leaned over to her and with a smirk asked "since when do you settle for nice?"
Kathryn returned the smile and leaned in closer to him "since when do you care?"
Bringing his hand up he let it glide up her thigh. Shivering slightly at his touch she wondered what exactly he was up to. Perhaps a repeat performance of that infamous night together? She had to admit she was curious if he had the balls not to pull away this time. Sebastian's other hand went up and gently touched her hair. "I'm always curious about my sisters entanglements you know that."
Sebastian could sense Kathryn's uneasiness but he could also tell she was turned on. His smirk broadened when she brought her hand to the back of his neck and he moved closer. "Is that a fact?"
He nodded "yes I also believe I can do a hell of a lot better than nice."
Kathryn's eyes widened as he moved forward and there lips were a centimeter apart. He was waiting for her to give the ok but she was too surprised by all of this to do anything. "What about..."
He could feel her warm breath on him and it was driving him crazy. "What about her?"
Kathryn tightened her grip on his neck and pulled him to her. There noses robbed against one another and their lips touched lightly when a voice on the intercom announced "Mr. Valmont, Ms. Hardgrove is here to see you."
"Christ" Sebastian whispered.
Kathryn sighed and pulled away slightly. They were so close it was almost painful. Sebastian closed his eyes and leaned back into her as if he was going to just pretend the interruption didn't happen. Once again the annoying maid came back on "Mr. Valmont I'm letting her in."
Sebastian let out a frustrated groan and pulled away. This time however Kathryn wasn't angry because she knew he didn't want to. He honestly wanted her if it wasn't for that damn virgin. Closing his eyes and shaking his head he said "I'm sorry I didn't know she was coming over."
Kathryn tried to play it cool and leaned back in her bed. "It's fine."
He smiled slightly "I'm going to get rid of her then we can..."
She returned the smile "we can...you better go."
"Alright" he got up then looked back at her "I'll be back and I'll get you something for your ankle."
Sebastian left the room and headed to greet Annette. He really had no idea she would show up like that he was really pissed about her shitty timing. "Hey" he said giving her a light kiss on the cheek.
"Hi are you ready to go?"
"Where?"
"The library remember we were going to study?"
"Oh yeah" he said with fake enthusiasm. "Umm can we do it here Kathryn hurt her ankle and-"
Annette gave him a skeptical look "hurt it doing what?"
"Getting something out of her closet. You don't mind do you?"
She looked confused but said "yeah I guess but why are you so suddenly concerned for Kathryn?"
Sebastian realized he had to think fast so he said with a grin "keep your friends close and your enemies closer."
Annette smiled "are you up to something?"
Of course he thought to himself but he very well couldn't let Annette know what he was up to. "Maybe. I have to get her some gauze I'll be back in a second."
"Ok" Annette watched him leave and wondered what he was up to. She had been worried he was starting to drift back to Kathryn but maybe she was wrong maybe he was against her all along. Annette decided to go visit princess Kathryn.
Kathryn was flipping through a magazine when Annette walked in without knocking. She glanced up at her then back at her magazine "fuck off Skipper."
Annette smiled "I heard you hurt yourself."
"Don't get your hopes up it's nothing fatal."
"Sebastian's getting you a bandage."
Kathryn stopped reading and smiled up at her. "I know he's so sweet. He ran right in here after I fell and helped me." She paused a beat before finishing "gave me a massage and everything."
Annette normally would have been pissed at that comment but remembering what Sebastian said she smiled and shook her head. "Should I be upset by that?"
Kathryn shrugged "I don't know most girls would be a little angry if there true love was massaging another girl."
"Yes they would but lucky for me it was only you. In case you haven't figured it out Kathryn Sebastian can't stand you. I have nothing to worry about."
"Is that a fact? Could of fooled me."
Annette's smile widened "yeah I think that was the idea."
Her smile falling Kathryn looked up at her "what does that mean?"
Giving her an innocent look Annette told her "nothing."
Kathryn was getting upset. What was that little bitch up to? "No not nothing what the fuck did you mean by that?"
Annette shook her head at her like she was the stupidest person alive "Kathryn does the saying keep your friends close and your enemies closer mean anything to you?"
"What?" Kathryn was more than a little familiar with the term. At first Kathryn thought Annette was the idiot but as she thought about it, it began to make sense. Why was Sebastian so suddenly concerned and interested in her? He had been playing her the whole time and Annette was in on it.
Tilting her head she said "Kathryn do you really think he would ever have anything to do with you? I mean after everything you've done to him do you think he'll ever just forget about it? If you believe that your even more clueless than I thought."
As she began to process all this information Kathryn could feel her heart sink. He had been playing with her the whole time. Christ how could she be so stupid? She use to be so much better at this than him. Well no fucking way was she going to let him get away with it. She had to get away from there. From him and his little twit girlfriend. Even though her leg hurt like hell Kathryn stood up and walked out of the room, brushing past a smiling Annette.
Kathryn walked into the living room past Sebastian who gave her a curious look. "Kathryn were are you going? Your ankle-"
"Fuck you" she muttered as she stormed out of the house.
Sebastian looked back at Annette "what happened?"
Annette just shrugged "I have no idea."
* * * * * *
"Kat to what do I own the pleasure?" James asked as he greeted her at the door in nothing but a pair of paint stained jeans.
She gave him a sexy smile as she leaned against the door frame "aren't you going to invite me in?"
He smiled "of course."
Kathryn walked into the large loft on her ankle that was still killing her but she wasn't about to tell James that. After the scene with Annette at her house she had the driver drive around the city for awhile before she decided to find James for a little comfort. She was still reeling from Sebastian's betrayal and desperately needed something to make her feel better. When she went to James father's penthouse he told her he was working at his studio. The studio was actually a large loft in SoHo.
"So are you going to tell me what your doing here? Not that I'm complaining mind you."
She desperately didn't want to go into the day she had so instead she smiled and said "well I thought you wanted to paint me. Here I am."
He looked her over like he was considering it then shrugged "umm ok. You want to do it now?"
She slid of her coat and said "yeah were do you want me?"
By the expression on his face Kathryn could tell he was thinking of some smart ass answer but he just said "well how about the bed. My canvas is over there."
Kathryn nodded and headed over to the bed. There was a large messy bed in the center of the room bookcased by two end tables. Several large canvas were around it with paint cans scattered all over the place. Kathryn seductively climbed across the bed knowing that James was watching her every move. "How do you want me?"
James smiled at her before turning his back to fiddle with some brushes and cans. "However you want sweetheart."
Kathryn took this as the opportunity to show him exactly what she wanted. When James turned back around Kathryn was laying on the bed in only her underwear. He dropped is brushes and his mouth fell open slightly. "How's this?" She asked innocently.
"Fantastic"
"Good" she smiled as she crawled over to the edge of the bed. Although she never planned on sleeping with James in the past, after the day she had she desperately needed something or someone. She needed to block out all images of Sebastian from her memory and she thought James was just the man for the job. As he walked to the end of the bed Kathryn grabbed him and pulled him closer "because I so want to please you." They kissed fiercely before she pulled him down on top of her.
- to be continued (Please Review)