Page 40 of Heavy Shot

They danced together as one song segued into the next, heat and sweat rising on their skin as they moved. He seemed to be remembering her, maybe waking up to her. Whatever it was, it was stoking something inside of her so that when he leaned down to finally kiss her, she was ready. Instead of her lips, though, he opened his mouth against her neck, flicking his tongue over that spot that always made her forget to breathe.

She started and he chuckled. “What did you expect?” he asked against her ear. “You can’t show me that throat and not expect me to want a taste.”

He tangled his fingers in her hair and then kissed her until she was dizzy. Somewhere in the back of her mind she scolded herself for thinking she was up to Kline Scott plus a decade of experience and growth in his own seduction game. Just barely she could hear herself say, “There are rooms…”

He slowed for a moment and took her face in both his hands, and she knew she had miscalculated. "Jill," he said seriously, looking her in the eyes, "I want you. I want to be with you right now, but I don't think this is the right time. If I'm with you right now, then we just have a repeat of our past. You understand?"

He swallowed hard as her eyes filled with tears, but she nodded and blinked them away. He didn't let her turn her face, though, and he kissed her lips softly. "I don't want to hurt you again. And I don't want to take advantage of you. You’ve had a really shitty day. When this happens…and I want this to happen…I want to know it’s a good day." He brushed away a stray tear with his thumb. "Okay?"

"Okay," she agreed.

"Good. Let me take you home before I lose all that resolve and drag you off into one of those back rooms by the hair. I'll go see if the car is still here."

"I can get home myself," she said. "You can take that car and go wherever you need. I'm okay here."

He looked at her for a long moment, obviously concerned, "Are you sure?"

She nodded, completely herself again, the Kit Kat character melting away with the heat of Jill’s embarrassment. She wished she could melt away into the floor. "It’s my club. I'm not ready to go home, but you're right, things were getting out of hand. I’m sorry.”

Kline leaned to kiss her forehead, then pulled her into his arms and swayed with her for a few minutes before releasing her, the sweat that had felt like a sexy sheen on her arms before, now just feeling clammy as he murmured. “No apologies. "I'll call you tomorrow."

"Don't say it if you're not going to," she asked of him.

"Baby, I will. I've got Colbert at two. I'll call you before then. No repeats of last time."

"Okay. Thanks for tonight. I’m sorry I…ugh." She hugged him tightly and said close to his ear before releasing him and hurrying away toward a door on the far wall, "I've missed you."

“I’ve missed you, too,” he called after her. “I think I just realized how much.”

CHAPTERTHREE

Kline Scott

Kline watched Jill walk away, disappearing behind a door and he wondered at the wisdom of leaving her alone there, deciding that she was more in her element than he'd realized. It was like old times again. Like no time had passed. It was all he could do not to follow her, but he managed. He meant what he said. He didn’t want her sleeping with him because she’d had a bad day and he was there. He wanted to know she was sleeping with him because she wanted him.

Likely the limo ride would have been more discomfort than either of them could have managed if they’d taken it together. With a sigh, he made for the exit and found the chauffeur leaning against the car, chatting with another driver. As he approached, the man hurried around to open the door for him. Once inside he told the driver to take him to the Bowery and instructed him to return to the club to wait for Jill after dropping him off. Kline checked in with the night clerk, glad of the quiet, deserted lobby, and made his way up to his suite.

After a shower he checked the clock. He wasn’t ready to go to sleep yet, and he was had all kinds of nerves about Colbert. He wanted something to take his mind off of that, and maybe boost his ego a little, and realized it was still early enough in LA for him to ring Rhiannon. "Hello there," he said when she answered. "You're not going to believe the day I had."

"I saw you on DeuxMoi," she said, and he could hear her shifting around in her bed. "How's Jill?"

"I was on DeuxMoi?" he asked, and then, "You read that?"

Rhiannon laughed. "Yes. How's Jill?"

"She's all right, I guess. The court thing was brutal for her." He went on to explain how Roland had called him, explained the situation and sent Kline to collect his newest client. "So, I took her to dinner and then went to a club. Now I'm back at my hotel. I'm knackered."

"I'm sure you are. You should get some sleep. Big interview tomorrow. Stephen can be tough."

"I suppose.” He didn’t want to think about that. “What did you do today? Anything good? Find a dress?"

Another rustle. "I was in meetings all day. We’re putting together our plan for our Emmy package, and everyone’s arguing," she said, holding the phone away to yawn. "It’s months away, but marketing plans in years. I did some shopping for the Oscars–if that’s still on–but I haven't found anything I like yet."

"Absolutely it’s still on! Maybe we can shop together? So, I'll see you when I get back?"

"Hopefully."

"You sound a little distant. Did I interrupt something?"

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