Winning Moves (Stepping Up 3)

“He needs to explain that to you, Sheila,” he said, trailing his hand down Kat’s arm to rest his hand on the small of her back. “I doubt he’s capable of that right now, but know this. He’s not cheating, he’s not dying and he’s still very much in love with you. In fact, tonight was more about how much he wants to make you happy than anything else. Let him get the tequila out of his system though. He drank a lot for a man who doesn’t drink. Hell, he drank a lot for a man who does drink.”

Kat’s mother studied him a moment and then turned away, disappearing down the hall.

Jason immediately pulled Kat into the box-like kitchen immediately to Kat’s left, pressing her against the counter, his muscular thighs framing hers, the warmth of his body heating her skin. His gaze searched her expression. “What’s wrong?”

“You were on the news. I was worried sick.”

“That’s not what’s wrong.”

“I just… I…” She drew a breath and let it out, her hand settling on his chest. “Yesterday I was telling myself ‘I don’t want to want him again’ and already today it’s changed to ‘I don’t want to lose him again.’”

His fingers slid around her neck, his eyes darkened. “I don’t want to lose you again either.” He kissed her, a deep, sexy kiss, and she could taste the tequila and desire on his mouth.

Kat moaned and wrapped her arms around his neck, unable to fight the sweet, hot, warmth of his tongue against her, the feel of his hands running over her back, molding her closer.

“God, I missed you,” he murmured. “Your parents need time alone and so do we. Let’s get out of here.”

She swallowed hard, fighting through her need for Jason, to focus on her love for her parents. “What happened with my father?”

“He made a bad investment,” he said grimly. “Really bad. Enough so that he’s worried he can’t take your mother traveling like they’d planned.”

“Oh, no,” Kat said. “He’s so cautious. How did this happen?”

“Fraud by the investment firm,” he said, “but it’s handled, Kat. I’m getting my investment guy involved to make back the money they lost. In the meantime, I figure we can give them a trip for their wedding anniversary next month to start them off.”

Kat leaned back to study him more closely. “We?”

“We,” he repeated softly.

Kat studied him, her heart squeezing with the reference, with the “we” she wanted to be with him again. And while she might not have him forever, she knew one thing for certain, with all of her heart. She was so done fighting Jason. If this was truly their last hurrah, she didn’t want to waste a moment of it.

“Let’s get out of here, Jason,” she said, and pressed her lips to his.

* * *

AN HOUR LATER, after they’d been discreetly ushered out of the hotel by security, Jason followed Kat up the stairs from his garage again, on the phone with Calvin Newport, his long-time agent.

“I wasn’t drunk,” Jason said grumpily. “I wasn’t fighting.”

“You have a moral clause,” Calvin said.

Jason scrubbed a hand through his hair and stomped up the last step to his living room. “I know I have a moral clause. And like I said, I wasn’t drinking and I wasn’t fighting.”

“They want to talk to us in the morning,” Calvin said. “A conference call.”

“This is ridiculous,” Jason said, rubbing the ball of tension at his neck. He was concerned. He might not want another season with Stepping Up, but he did want this Vegas show to go well for him and Kat. “What time?”

“Nine,” Calvin said. “I’ll get them on the line and then dial your office.”

“Fine,” he said, his gaze lifting to find Kat watching him, her expression etched with more than a little worry.

“Fine what?” Calvin pressed.

Kat turned and walked toward the kitchen and he heard the balcony door open and Jason quickly tried to end the conversation. “I’ll expect your call, Calvin.”

“Try to get some rest so you won’t be this foul.”

“Goodnight, Calvin,” he said, snapping his phone shut to follow Kat.

He found the door cracked open and Kat standing at the wooden railing with her back to him. He stepped outside but she didn’t turn.

He walked up behind her, wrapped his arms around her, and held her close.

The stars were bright, the sky clear, the moon full and high in the night sky. It was warm, but there was a breeze off the mountains, lifting the silky blond strands of her hair off her slender shoulders. His gut, and his groin, tightened at the sight of her, and the soft feminine scent of her.

“Don’t turn this into an excuse to push me away, Kat.”

She turned in his arms to face him. “The studio’s all over you, Jason. Do you have any idea how much I regret letting you go to that casino tonight?”