Chapter 2: Chapter 2

Kurt was practically bouncing with anticipation to get back to Clara. She’d been on cloud nine since hearing about his potential promotion, and he knew she’d be waiting to celebrate in their favorite way—between the sheets.

As soon as he walked through the door, she did just that, pulling him into the bedroom for a passionate round of lovemaking.

Afterward, they lay tangled together, panting and grinning like fools.

“Wow, babe,” Kurt said, still breathless. “That was something else.”

Clara chuckled, her fingers tracing lazy circles on his chest. “You were quite the beast yourself. Our sex life has always been top-notch, but tonight was something else. I even called my dad to share the good news.”

Kurt frowned. “And what did he say?”

Clara rolled her eyes. “You know how he is—always the pessimist. He said he wouldn’t congratulate you until it was a done deal. I can’t wait to prove him wrong.”

Kurt propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at her. “You should’ve waited until it was official. I told you it’s not a sure thing.”

“But it will be,” she said, her hand reaching up to caress his cheek. “My boss is throwing a party this Saturday at the Plaza Hotel. Black tie. We have to be there.”

Clara’s eyes lit up at the mention of the party. “Oh, I’ll need a new dress!”

Kurt laughed. “You have a closet full of gowns, some of them still with the tags on. You don’t need another dress.”

“But darling, this is a special occasion. We need to impress Mr. West. I’ve been seen in all my other dresses. They’re not good enough for such a fancy event. I need something new.”

Before Kurt could protest, Clara was crawling on top of him, her lips finding his neck. He didn’t stand a chance.

***

Two days later, Clara got a call from her mother. Her father had suffered a stroke, and she needed to come home.

“I’m sorry about your dad, Clara,” Kurt said, his heart heavy. “But if we don’t go to this party, I could lose my job, let alone the promotion.”

“He’s my father, Kurt. He’s in critical condition. I have to go. Take someone else to the party. Take your sister, Kat. Once it’s over, you can join me in Texas. I’m sure your boss will understand.”

Kurt nodded. “You’re right. I’ll ask Kat. I just hate that you have to go through this alone.”

Clara gave him a small smile. “It’s okay. Just come as soon as you can. And tell Kat to take care of my new dress. It was expensive, and I want it back.”

***

The next day, after seeing Clara off at the airport, Kurt went to visit his sister. “Hey, Kat,” he said, holding up a bag of Chinese takeout. “Thought we could have dinner.”

Kat looked surprised. “Where’s Clara? Does she know you’re here?”

“She’s on her way to Texas,” Kurt explained. “Her dad had a stroke. It’s serious.”

Kat’s eyes widened. “Why didn’t you go with her?”

Kurt sighed. “There’s a party I have to attend for work. If I don’t go, I could lose my job. After the party, I’ll head to Texas.”

Kat shook her head. “Your boss sounds like a jerk. How can you work for someone like that?”

Kurt shrugged. “It’s my dream job. And I need a date for the party. Since Clara can’t go, I was hoping you would.”

Kat looked taken aback. “Kurt, you know I hate crowds. My anxiety…”

“I know, Kat,” Kurt said gently. “But Clara would kill me if I took another woman. Please, Kat. I’ve always been there for you. Now I need you to be there for me.”

Kat looked torn, but finally, she nodded. “Okay, Kurt. I’ll go. But I don’t have anything to wear.”

Kurt smiled. “Clara bought a new dress for the party. She said you could borrow it. It’s beautiful, Kat. You’ll look amazing.”

Kat looked worried. “What if I spill something on it? Clara will kill me.”

Kurt laughed. “Don’t worry about it. If anything happens, I’ll get it cleaned. She’ll never know. I’ll go get it from the car.”

While Kurt was gone, Kat sat down, her head in her hands. She hated the idea of going to the party, but she would do it for Kurt. When he returned with the dress, she stood up to look at it.

“It’s beautiful,” she said, “but it’s not really my style.”

Kurt shook his head. “Kat, you’re beautiful. You’ll look great in anything. And you won’t embarrass me. My boss probably won’t even talk to us. We’re just there to make him look good. I’ll pick you up tomorrow at eight. Goodnight, Kat.”

Kat hung up the dress and looked at the matching shoes. She wanted to make Kurt proud, so she made an appointment to get her hair and nails done. It was a luxury she rarely indulged in, but for this occasion, she would make it work.

On the night of the party, Kat put on the dress and looked at herself in the mirror. The dress fit perfectly and felt so soft and elegant. It was a bit more revealing than she was used to, but she felt beautiful.

When Kurt picked her up, he was surprised to see her so excited. “You look beautiful, Kat,” he said. “Are you sure you’ll be okay once we get there? I know you hate crowds.”

Kat nodded. “I’ll be fine. I took the pills the doctor prescribed for my anxiety.”

Kurt frowned. “How many did you take?”

“Just two,” Kat said.

“You’re only supposed to take one, Kat.”

“I know,” Kat said. “But I wanted to make sure I was relaxed. I didn’t want to embarrass you or freak out.”

“All right, but no booze for you.”

“Would one drink really be that bad?”

“Absolutely. It’s common knowledge that mixing those pills with alcohol can lead to nasty side effects. So, no drinks for you; you can stick with water or ginger ale.”

“Fine, I won’t drink. Can we go now?”

Upon reaching the hotel, he turned to her.

“Thanks again for agreeing to accompany me tonight. I promise we won’t stay long. Ready to head in?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

Once they were inside, he introduced her to a few of his colleagues. It was clear that she had made quite an impression on some of the men, who couldn’t seem to take their eyes off her.

He was equally impressed by how well she was handling the situation and engaging in conversation with them.

“You’re doing great.”

“It’s all thanks to those little pills. So, where’s this boss of yours?”

He spotted Kurt on the staircase, engaged in conversation with a couple of clients.

“He’s over there, chatting with two men,” he subtly pointed in Mr. West’s direction.

When she turned to look, her heart began to race at the sight of the tall, handsome stranger. She wasn’t sure if it was the pills or the fact that he was incredibly attractive. He was tall, with dark hair and just the right amount of facial hair to enhance his appeal.

“He’s quite good-looking. Where’s his wife?”

“He’s single, and it’s not surprising.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Because he’s a pompous jerk who treats people like they’re nothing more than dirt beneath his shoes. Nobody likes him, but he’s the boss, so we all have to tolerate him.”

“If everyone feels that way, someone should confront him about it. No employer should treat their employees like that.”

“Kat, that’s not how things work in the corporate world. Doing so would be career suicide. He has the power to make or break someone with a single phone call.”

As Xander’s client was speaking to him, his gaze drifted over the crowd. When he spotted Kat, he excused himself and approached his assistant.

“Munro, who’s that woman with Reynolds? Is she his wife?”

Munro glanced in the direction his boss was indicating and shook his head.

“No, Sir, that’s not his wife. I’ve met Mrs. Reynolds before. I’m not sure who that young woman is.”

“So, he’s here with someone other than his wife. I have no tolerance for cheaters. I think I’ll go have a word with him. I’m starting to question if he’s the right fit for the CEO position.”

Before approaching them, he stood back and observed Kurt’s interaction with the woman. He found it odd that Kurt wasn’t showing any signs of physical affection toward her.

He made his way toward them, his eyes fixed on her. Her hair was a light brown, and she had a stunning figure. The dress she was wearing accentuated every curve of her body. He was immediately drawn to her. He wanted to get to know her, regardless of her relationship with Kurt. After all, Kurt was a married man, so he was free to pursue her. And he always got what he wanted, one way or another.

Kurt noticed his boss approaching and quickly turned Kat to face him, whispering.

“Mr. West is coming over. Please be polite and don’t say anything that might upset him. My job could be at stake.”

“Bro, I would never do or say anything to jeopardize you. I’ll keep my mouth shut. Don’t worry, I’ll be nice to him, even though I’d love to give him a piece of my mind about his attitude.”

“I know how you can be, how your temper can flare up, especially when you’re on your meds. Promise me you’ll behave.”

“I promise.” She was sincere in her promise, but sometimes, things happen that you don’t anticipate.

Kurt took a few deep breaths as his boss approached. With a smile, he extended his hand to shake Mr. West’s.

“Mr. West, it’s a pleasure to be here tonight.”