Chapter 18: The Frontier

“Cat, How did you fall in love with me?”

The question hangs between us, surprisingly vulnerable despite my inebriated state. I feel her body stiffen slightly beneath my cheek, her breath catching in a way that’s almost imperceptible.

Her fingers continue their gentle stroking of my hair, but there’s a new tension in her touch. For several long moments, she says nothing, and I begin to think she hasn’t heard me or is choosing to ignore the question.

“It’s really stupid,” she finally says.

I pull back slightly, trying to focus my bleary eyes on her face. The room swims around her, but her crimson eyes remain fixed points in my swaying vision.

“Oh?” I prompt, curiosity burning through the pleasant fog of tequila. “Tell me.”

She hesitates, her crimson eyes distant as if looking into the past. Her free hand moves to mine, guiding it upward until my palm rests against the warm, soft weight of her breast. I exhale sharply at the contact, my fingers instinctively curving to cup her flesh.

“It was a few years ago,” she begins, her voice taking on a dreamy quality as her other hand drifts down to my lap. “At a work Christmas party.”

Her fingers find me through my pants, applying gentle pressure that makes my breath catch. Even through the fabric, her touch sends sparks of pleasure racing up my spine.

“You were standing alone,” she continues, her hand moving in slow, deliberate circles that make it hard to focus on her words. “Claire had wandered off to the slot machines, as usual.”

I moan softly as her thumb traces a particularly sensitive spot, my hand unconsciously squeezing her breast in response. She smiles at my reaction, her movements becoming more purposeful.

“I was on the second-floor balcony, surveying the party. All my employees in their holiday best, drinking my champagne, eating my food.” Her voice takes on a possessive edge that sends a shiver through me. “And there you were, looking so out of place in that ill-fitting suit, nursing a drink in the corner.”

My hips move of their own accord, seeking more pressure against her hand. She obliges, applying firmer strokes that make coherent thought increasingly difficult.

“I don’t know why, but I approached you,” she says, her voice dropping lower. “Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was the sad look in your eyes. Maybe it was just that you were the only person not trying to impress me.”

I pant against her skin, drunk on both tequila and sensation. My thumb brushes across her nipple, and she makes a small sound, not quite a moan but something softer, more surprised.

“We stood there together, looking down at all those people,” she continues, her rhythm never faltering. “And do you know what you said to me?”

I shake my head, unable to form words as pleasure builds in my core, her hand working magic through the fabric of my pants.

Her smile turns fond, almost wistful. “You looked at the crowd, all those people networking and schmoozing, and you said, ‘All these people, and not one of them is talking about Bionicle.’”

I break into a fit of drunken laughter. “You fell in love with me... because of Bionicle?” I manage to ask between laughs, my hand still cupping her breast.

Caterina’s hand stills on my lap, and she pulls back slightly to look at me properly.

“You made me laugh,” she says simply, tucking a strand of golden hair behind her ear. “Really laugh. Not the fake laugh I use in business meetings or the polite chuckle I give at bad jokes from politicians. A real, unexpected laugh that came from somewhere I thought had dried up years ago.”

She looks away, her profile sharp and beautiful against the dim light of the suite. “It was a really hard year, Adam. Along with the divorce, I was fighting off three different attempts to take over our territory. I hadn’t slept more than four hours a night in months.”

Her fingers trace idle patterns on my thigh, no longer stimulating but simply maintaining contact. “And then there you were, this adorable man with sad eyes, talking about little plastic toys with complete sincerity while the entire casino management team was downstairs plotting ways to climb the corporate ladder.”

I stare at her, trying to process this information through the pleasant haze of alcohol. It’s such a mundane reason to fall in love.

“Bionicle,” I repeat the word slurring slightly. “Mata Nui.”

She kisses me suddenly, her lips capturing mine with a fierceness that takes my breath away. Her hand slides up to cradle the back of my head, fingers tangling in my hair as she deepens the kiss. I taste tequila on her tongue as it dances with mine.

When she finally pulls away, we’re both breathing heavily. Her crimson eyes hold mine, pupils dilated with desire.

“After that, I don’t know,” she says, her voice husky. “A little light stalking bloomed into full stalking.”

I blink at her. “Full stalking?”

‘So fucking hot.’

She nods, not a hint of shame in her expression. “I had my people follow you. I learned your schedule, your habits. I watched security footage of you at the casino when Claire dragged you there.” Her fingers trace the outline of my jaw with gentle precision. “I knew Claire was gambling away your savings, but you never complained. You just kept showing up to support her, trying to get her to leave before things got worse.”

My eyes widen, a mix of shock and, something else flickering through me. The alcohol amplifies everything, turning what should probably terrify me into something thrilling.

“That’s so fucking hot,” I blurt out. “You stalked me?”

“I had a file on everyone you spoke to regularly,” she continues, her voice dropping to a seductive purr. “I knew your favorite cereal was running low before you did. I knew which romance novels you read when Claire wasn’t home.”

The idea of her watching me, studying me, wanting me so much that she’d invade every aspect of my life shouldn’t be arousing, but God help me, it is.

Caterina glances down at my lap again at the obvious reaction to her words. She shakes her head slowly, that amused smile never leaving her lips.

“You really are a weird guy. Most men would be terrified learning they’d been watched like that. But you...” Her hand cups me through my pants, applying just enough pressure to make me gasp. “You’re practically begging for more.”

I nod at her.

Caterina smirks mischievously. She looks at me and stands up.

“Come on then. Let me show you how much I want you.”