Katie ducked from under Cain’s arm, raced across the street, and up the lighted steps of her apartment building. She needed to get away from him. To get her equilibrium back. Her thoughts were scattered and her emotions were raw. She could feel him watching her desperate escape from the shadows.

“Good night,” she called, pulling her keys from her pocket as she mounted the stairs.

“Katie, don’t be afraid.” His voice carried clearly on the night air. She didn’t want to look. Told herself she wouldn’t look. But when he called her name again, she was unable to resist the lure of his voice. “Just spend some time with me. We’ll wait until you’re sure, because there’s no going back.” She could feel the heat of his stare even from this distance.

Katie didn’t even try to formulate an answer. Jamming her key into the lock, she turned it and charged through the door, slamming it shut behind her. She fled up the stairs, not stopping until she gained the safety of her apartment. He’d made no move to follow her, but still she felt compelled to run. Her breathing was ragged, and tears stung her eyes.

Whether she was running from him or from herself, she wasn’t quite sure. All she knew was that her life had changed. She was not the same woman who left this apartment this morning. Cain had tapped into a wanton side of her that she hadn’t known existed. The lure of sexual pleasure was great, and for the first time in her life she wasn’t sure she could resist its call.

Chapter Five

Katie scrubbed the bathroom with a vengeance. The white porcelain of the bathtub gleamed and the chrome taps sparkled in the morning sun. She’d tossed and turned all night long, unable to get Cain out of her mind. The sun was just rising when she dragged herself out of bed, determined to put him out of her mind and get some work done. It was now just before noon and the small apartment had been swept, scrubbed, and dusted from top to bottom.

Katie sat back on her heels and surveyed the bathroom. She peeled off her rubber gloves and swiped her hand over the sweat on her forehead. Images from the night before flashed through her mind. She still found it hard to reconcile the woman from the night before with the woman she normally was. She’d been reckless and somewhat stupid in venturing off with an unknown man. And what she had done with him! Just thinking about it made her feel hot and tight all over, as if her skin no longer fit her properly.

Rising from the floor, she picked up her bucket of dirty water and dumped it down the toilet. Giving the handle a quick downward push, she watched as the dirty water swirled around for a few seconds and then disappeared, leaving cleaner, fresher water in its place. She wished her own thoughts could be discarded as easily. Sighing deeply, she picked up her rubber gloves and sponge and dragged it all to the kitchen closet where she stored her cleaning supplies. The fresh smell of lemon cleaner and the bright glow of winter sunlight filled the air. Her apartment was clean and tidy, but she was a mess.

Katie stared out her small living room window. For once, she was not noticing the sights and sounds of the neighborhood that usually enchanted her. Street vendors enticing people to their carts with the savory smell of food, children playing on the sidewalk, the colorful display of the newsstand on the corner, and the varied groups of people rushing down the street. This was usually a source of unending inspiration for her painting. She was only vaguely aware of it, as a sort of hazy vision off in the distance, but she couldn’t seem to focus her attention on any of it today.

More often than not, she found the mundane housekeeping tasks almost restful. There was something soothing about the repetitive chores of sweeping and cleaning that allowed her mind to drift into a state of almost artistic meditation. Unfortunately, this morning it hadn’t worked.

Katie felt restless. She was startled to realize that she was waiting, but wasn’t sure what for. Cain had left her uncertain last night. Would he contact her? She didn’t know how to reach him even if she wanted to. The real question was did she want him to? Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back and allowed the fatigue to wash over her. She didn’t know what she wanted, but she had an unsettled feeling in the pit of her stomach that she had to find out where this thing with Cain was leading. If she didn’t explore it, she’d regret it for the rest of her life.

She rolled her head from side to side to loosen the tension in her neck. One thing was for sure, she was finished moping. It was a beautiful winter day, crisp and clear, and she had things to do. First, she would take a shower and then she’d take herself to lunch at Gino’s Italian Deli before she went grocery shopping. Thoughts of spicy Italian food started her mouth watering and her stomach growling.

The painting on the easel caught her attention as soon as she opened her eyes. It was no longer complete, but rather was the beginning of what she feared would be a series of works. The dark shadow from this painting now had substance. Cain was real to her now and no longer a night phantom.

Her emotions always found their way onto the blank canvas and already her brain was picturing and discarding many possibilities. Idly, Katie picked up a dry brush and tapped it against her chin as she was drawn into the painting. She needed to see more of him this time. Removing the finished canvas, she propped it next to the wall where she had a clear view of it. She grabbed a fresh, blank canvas and positioned it on the easel.

A loud knock on the door made Katie scowl. She hated to be interrupted when she was working. It was probably just as well, she thought as she lay the brush down. She really needed groceries. Katie opened the door, but kept the chain on as she peeked through the opening.

“Delivery.” A young man in a delivery uniform tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for her to respond.

“But I didn’t order anything,” Katie answered suspiciously. In all the years she had lived here, she had never had a delivery of any kind. “Are you sure you have the right apartment?” It had to be a mistake of some kind.

The young man glanced at his clipboard. “You Katie Wallace?”

Katie nodded hesitantly.

“Then it’s for you.” He laid the box on the floor when she still made no move to open the door. “Look, I just need a signature here.” He thrust the clipboard through the small opening. “The tip has been taken care of. Just sign on line three.”

Katie scribbled her name on the proper line and pushed the clipboard back towards the deliveryman. Glancing down to make sure his paperwork was in order, he turned and hurried away. “Have a nice day,” he muttered as he disappeared down the stairs.

Katie waited until his steps faded and then she cautiously unlocked the door and picked up the large white box. Propping it against her hip, she relocked the door and then carried the package to the coffee table. Carefully, she removed the cover and peeled back the crisp, white tissue paper. She forgot to breathe as she peered down into the box.

Her fingers tentatively reached out to touch the flowers, tempted by their lush, burgundy petals. The box overflowed with long-stemmed roses. There had to be at least two dozen of them and their heady scent filled her nostrils as she took a deep breath. The blood-red roses were a sharp contrast to the one perfect orchid that lay in the center of the box. Its white petals and pale pink center looked all the more fragile surrounded by the roses. It was a gift of sensual promise. Of passion.

A white envelope was tucked into the tissue paper and Katie plucked it out. She didn’t need to open it to know who had sent them. Still, she was curious enough that she opened the envelope and drew out the plain white card. The writing was bold with a masculine bent, making her think that he’d written the message himself. “I’ll call you at midnight,” she read aloud. Nothing else. Not even a signature.

Katie placed the card carefully on the coffee table. She couldn’t decide if the message was more threat or promise. The gift was an extravagant one. Katie didn’t even want to contemplate the cost of the exotic flowers. They were hers and she planned to enjoy them. Grabbing up the box, she hugged it and laughed out loud. She danced her way into the kitchen, her feet shuffling as she swung her hips from side to side. Setting the flowers carefully on the counter, she rummaged around the cupboards for a container to put them in.

Settling on two Mason jars for the roses, she carefully positioned the flowers one at a time in the containers until she was satisfied with their placement. The thorns had been removed and that made the task much easier. She floated the orchid in a Depression glass bowl that she’d found at a thrift store. The pale pink of the glass matched the center of the exotic bloom.

Katie stood back and admired the flowers, enjoying the rich texture and color, and slightly drunk on the heady perfume of the roses. She hugged herself in glee, feeling like a kid on Christmas morning. One at a time, she moved the containers into the living room and placed them in various positions until she found one she was satisfied with. One jar of roses sat on the windowsill, their beauty framed in the morning sun. The other one sat in solitary splendor on the coffee table and the orchid bowl perched alongside her easel so she could admire it while she worked.

Her stomach growled, reminding her that she’d promised herself a spicy Italian lunch. Katie glanced at her watch and was surprised to see that almost an hour had passed. It was almost one o’clock.