Always Been You

“You left with Mitch because you wanted to get back at me?” Jensen asked.

“No… Why the hell would you even think that. I’m not you. You are the one who has been holding a stupid grudge. I left with Mitch because I thought he cared about me and I wanted to try to make things work between us. Just like I told you that night. I wanted something meaningful with someone and he was there… And you weren’t”

“You should have stayed when I asked you to,” Jensen said. “You knew you wanted to be with me. You went against your every instinct and left with that bastard.”

Hurt lanced deeper through Katherine.

“How dare you?” she said.

“Oh, come off it. I know you. Sometimes maybe even more than you know yourself. You think I didn’t see the doubt on your face when we talked that night? You knew he was wrong for you, that you were making a mistake. And you left with him anyways”

“Oh really?” Katherine asked. “So I was supposed to stay and then do what? Join your endless list of women? No thank you”

He stared hard at her. His eyes seemed to bore into her. “Mitch was a fucking asshole and he didn’t fucking deserve you.”

“Oh… And you did?” she asked. She looked right back at him. Daring him to answer. “You were too busy for what I wanted…. And you stepped up at the wrong time.. Expecting to abandon everything for you”

He exhaled harshly. “Damn it, I don’t have time for this.”.

“Oh really you don’t?” she asked. “Then I ask you again, Jensen. Why did you invite me here? I may be stubborn but I don’t trespass where I’m not wanted. If you don’t have time for me, then why did you agree to see me? You could have ignored my message, you could have continued your grand empire building. So why didn’t you?”

He stilled as if her words had turned him to stone. For the longest moment, they stared at each other. When she was sure he wasn’t going to say anything to her, she decided to leave. She had already done the one thing she didn’t want to do. Talk to him about their past, she hadn’t come to see him for that. But she was already so angry she wanted to hit him.

“You know what?” she said. “Fuck you, Jensen”.

She tried to walk away from him but he moved so suddenly. He grabbed her arm, stopping her movement. Katherine didn’t know what she expected from Jensen but she sure as hell didn’t expect what he did next.

He cupped the back of her head and hauled her against him. His mouth covered hers in a hard kiss. He thrust his tongue between her lips, spearing deeply but briefly, before immediately releasing her.

“You can have the space, Kat. Whenever you are ready” he said. “And I apologize for the rudeness. I sometimes do that without thinking. It’s a bad habit of mine”

He stepped away from her and walked back to his chair behind his desk, leaving her speechless.

Katherine just walked out of his office. Her lips still damp and throbbing from his kiss.

—————

The days seemed to fly past.

Katherine had a lot to do, from shopping for her new house, to finding a new school for Tim, to buying equipment for her new cupcake store.

Right now she was in front of Jensen’s building, waiting for him. They had agreed to meet there like thirty minutes ago, and yet he wasn’t there. She had called him and he said he was on his way. A part of her was beginning to think that he was late on purpose. She also hadn’t been able to stop thinking about the last time she saw him and the fact that he had kissed her. A part of her dreaded seeing him again, but she knew she had to get used to it because there was no way she could avoid him entirely now that they were in the same town and she was taking a store in his building.

She had to admit the kiss had felt really good. It reminded her of the good times they spent together and she had tried so hard to keep him out of her mind.

Fifteen minutes later, Katherine watched a gleaming navy blue Bentley that looked brand spanking new drive into the compound.

She watched Jensen as he got out of the car. Looking really good – as he always looked.

She wore a filmy black blouse dotted with coin spots of pale grey over a black camisole and a fitted black skirt that came to just above her knees. Her legs gleamed smooth and long beneath sheer stockings.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

She rested one hip against the boot of her car, her head slightly cocked as she watched him, the corners of her incredible lips slightly tilted as if he amused her.

“Wow!” she said as Jensen got closer to her. She couldn’t help gazing at his car admiringly, her ire dissolving somewhat.

“I don’t know much about cars but this is something else!” she said.

“Yes, a beauty, isn’t she?” Jensen replied. “So damn classy-if she were a girl I could marry her.”

Katherine had to laugh.

He watched her. He had missed hearing her laugh, watching her face light up. Her hair was tied into a ponytail, though some tendrils had escaped. She reached out and brushed a runaway curl from her cheek. He was jealous of that curl. She noticed him watching her and straightened.

“Ermm… Thank you for accommodating me, Jensen” she murmured, tucking a clutch the same color as her shoes under one arm. “I know you probably have more important things to do right now.”

“It’s alright” he replied.

“I will try not to take much of your time”

“It’s fine, really, Kat”

“‘It’s a beautiful building, Jensen,” Katherine said.

Sincerity oozed from her and for a moment she was the woman that was once his close friend.

“Thanks,” he said. The word emerged gruff.

She smiled and that illusion grew. What the hell was he doing wanting to smile back? He thought. She had ruined them. Ruined what they had.

He stared at the truck beside her car. “What’s in there?” he asked.

“Oh just equipment,” she replied. Then she added when he stared at her. “Oven, mixers, pans, molds, stuff like that”

“Yeah I get that”. He said. “You are not planning on doing all the moving yourself, are you”

“Are you saying that you don’t think I’m

strong enough?” she asked jokingly.

“No I’m not. I just think it’s going to be a bit too stressful for you”

She laughed. “Jon is coming with some guys to do all that.. But thanks for your concern.”