Winning Moves (Stepping Up 3)

She wasn’t going to rush things now. She needed to know they could find a way to make their careers and love mix. No matter what he’d claimed about his career not being important, it was. It mattered and it had to matter to make this work. He’d worked hard and he’d earned a call like that from the studio. She wasn’t going to take that away from him.

Suddenly, Jason was behind her, having ended the call much sooner than she expected, but then it was the middle of the night in Thailand. “You okay, baby?” he asked, his breath warm on her ear.

Kat turned around, letting her hands settle on his chest, knowing now what was bothering her. “I need you to know that I don’t blame you for us breaking up. We were young. We made mistakes. I probably didn’t deal with what bothered me the way I should have, and certainly not like I would now.”

“It wasn’t your fault either, Kat,” he said. “I would have done a million things differently myself. And believe me, I’ve replayed far too many of those things over and over in my head.”

“That’s just it,” she said. “The past is the past. And Jason, I’m proud of your accomplishments. I’m so very proud. You of all people deserve success. You’re the same humble person you always have been when I’ve seen plenty of others in your type of role get carried away with arrogance and ego. If you get a great opportunity, you have to take it, and I’ll be excited with you, I promise.”

“Kat—”

She kissed him. “It won’t destroy us. We’re both at different places in our careers and our lives. If you turn down something wonderful to make me happy, you won’t make me happy at all. We’ll work this out. We will. I know we can.”

He studied her, his gaze keen. “What was on my voice mail that brought this on?”

“It wasn’t the voice mail,” she said, and then reluctantly admitted, “Not entirely. You had a call from a studio executive named Sabrina something. She complimented you on the show’s ratings last night and wants to talk about your contract renewal for the television show.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist. “I’m done with television, Kat. I’ve meant that every time I’ve said it. I want out of the spotlight. But yes, I want to direct. It’s my second passion and you’re my first.” He brushed the hair from her eyes, his expression turning grim. “I’m dreading the day I have to get on a plane for auditions. I have the gut-wrenching fear that it will be the end of us.”

“It won’t,” she promised. “I won’t lie to you and say I’m not nervous about it, but it’s necessary for all kinds of reasons. I think…I think we both need to know we can survive a separation and be okay. I need to know you’ll be back. You need to know I won’t be gone when you get here.”

It would be the ultimate test of their relationship.

* * *

LATE THAT EVENING, Jason was in the passenger seat when Kat pulled her shiny new black BMW into her garage. They’d been all over the city, and he’d found her many excuses to keep driving more than a little adorable. Ending the night at their favorite Chinese restaurant had been a walk down memory lane in a good way, but then, that wasn’t unexpected. He and Kat had far more good memories than they did bad.

Kat killed the engine and ran her hands up and down the steering wheel. “I can’t believe I finally bought this car. I think I might have to sleep out here.”

“Oh, no,” he said, shaking his head. “I’m not sleeping in here, and you’re sleeping with me.” He tried to open his door. She locked it.

“Oh, no, you don’t,” she said, grinning. “You’re my captive and I want to celebrate.”

Jason arched a brow. “What have we been doing the rest of the day?”

“Celebrating,” she said. “But not enough.” She pushed her seat back and then climbed onto his lap, straddling him.

Jason laughed, and by the time she had that sweet backside of hers nestled against him, he was hard and more than willing to participate in her celebration.

She tugged his shirt up and pressed soft, cool hands against him with a scorching effect. He reached for her and she leaned back, a teasing glint in her eyes before she moved her finger back and forth.

“I’m the director of my celebration,” she said. “You get kissed when I want to kiss you.” She sighed and laughed. “Which would be now.”

Jason chuckled, wrapping his arms around her, and welcoming her mouth against his, her tongue’s soft caress. She tasted like honey and tea, and like forbidden fruit no longer forbidden. He twined his fingers in her hair, deepened the kiss, hungry for more of that taste and more of her.