Page 83 of Until Tomorrow Comes
“That’s not it at all, Linda. Jackson isheredespite his own discomfort and feelings, simply to makeyouhappy.”
My mom opens her mouth to say something, but Kat shakes her head and holds up a hand to silence her.
It takes a moment to place it, since it rarely happens, but I realize that Kat isangry.
“You’re their mother, so it’s fair that you want them both to be happy and in turn that would makeyouhappy. But you need to realize that one son’s happiness is a result of the other’s pain. You can do whatever possible to be happy right now, today, but you should also realize that not everything is about you.” Kat sucks in a deep breath, her eyes closing while she calms herself before continuing on. “Jack sacrifices so much for everyone else’s happiness, but who is looking out forhishappiness?”
She doesn’t give my mom a chance to answer, turning on her heel and walking toward me. Her steps falter, only for a second when she spots me in the doorway.
Smiling timidly, she stops a couple paces in front of me. I’m aware of my mom watching from where she stands, but I don’t take my gaze off Kat.
“How much of that did you hear?” Kat asks quietly, fidgeting with the sides of her dress and causing the slit up the side to reveal her smooth leg. Stepping forward, I extend her wine toward her.
“Enough,” I say, closing the distance and stepping up to her side. Placing a hand on the small of her back, I motion for her to come with me.
I lead her out of the cocktail hour, nodding at a few estranged family members on our way, but not stopping to talk with any of them. When we pass a table in the hallway, I pause to set my glass down, taking her glass from her and setting it next to mine. Then continue the few more steps down the hallway to the room I spotted earlier.
Scanning our surroundings, when I see it’s clear, I nudge her into the coat closet, flip the light on before shutting and locking the door behind me.
27
Jackson
“I didn’t mean to overstep, I just couldn’t—” Kat tries to say, but I kiss her before she can finish. I cup her cheek for a moment before sliding my hand back and tangling my fingers into the hair at the nape of her neck, most likely messing up her hairdo. Using my hold, I tilt her head back to deepen the kiss, stepping into her and wrapping a hand around her waist.
I had already been thinking about when I would be able to kiss her again. Overhearing her standing up for me was more than I could take and the need to touch her, to taste her, was almost overwhelming.
Kat kisses me back, her hands landing on my chest before moving to the back of my neck and tugging me closer to her.
As if I’m letting go any time soon.
Turning us, I press her into the door, bending down slightly and finding the slit of her dress. Pushing the fabric to the side, I teasingly trace from her knee and up her thigh, groaning when I meet her hip.
“I have been thinking about you bare beneath this dress non-stop.” I grip her hip, holding her to me and pressing my erection against her lower stomach. Capturing the gasp that escapes with another deep kiss and getting lost in the feel of her in my arms.
“Do you know how awkward it is to have a hard-on while talking to my family?” I question, trailing kisses along her jaw and grabbing her ass in the palm of my hand.
She breathes heavily, hands moving to rest on my chest as she meets my gaze, humor dancing in her shining diamond eyes.
“Nowthatis entirely your own fault.”
I nip her ear, chuckling lightly in response, but continue talking as if she hadn’t spoken.
“Then, you had to go stand up for me like that.”
I drop my other hand, kissing her neck and reaching between us. Shoving my hand inside the opening of her dress, I wrap my hands around her thighs and cup the cheeks of her ass in both palms. Her legs lock around my waist when I lift her, allowing me to step into her. Once I have her against the door, my lips find hers again, diving in and claiming her mouth.
She breaks away to catch her breath, letting her head fall back and hit the door with an audible thud.
“You’re not mad?” She questions breathily. I kiss down her neck, pushing her up a little more to continue open-mouthed kisses down her chest. She moans when I nudge her dress to the side with my nose to gently bite the top of her breast.
“Mad?” I pull my head back and wait for her to meet my gaze. “Fuck no, Kitten. You did something no one has ever done for me. I am amazed, grateful,lucky…”
I dip my head down to nip her chest again, realizing she’s not wearing a bra. “And so incredibly turned on right now.”
Kat grinds her hips against me and I press against her, pinning her in place.
“It’s taking what little self-control I have left to not fuck you against this door right now. So if you don’t stop—” I’m cut off when she wiggles her hips again, attempting to move her hips against me.
