by Susan Stoker
Neither moved.
Finally, she asked, “What should I wear?”
Taco took a deep breath, then said, “This?”
Koren chuckled. “Um, you might like me looking like a slob, but I’m not sure anyone else would be impressed.”
“Not a slob—comfy,” he corrected. “And I don’t give a shit about anyone else.”
It was a good answer. “Seriously, Taco. Are we talking jeans and a nice top, a skirt and a nicer top, or that little black dress you mentioned?”
“You have a little black dress?” he asked, his eyebrows rising.
“Well, no. But I could go buy one today if I needed to. I’m sure Vicky or Sue would take a long lunch and go with me.”
Taco grinned. “You’d do that for me?”
“What? Go shopping?” she asked. “Unlike most women, I don’t particularly like to shop, but yeah, if you said you were taking me somewhere fancy and I needed to dress up, I’d dutifully go and find an appropriate dress and something classier than the ten-dollar flip-flops I have with sparkly flowers on the thongs.”
His eyes drifted down to her feet. “I’m gonna want to see you dressed up one of these days,” he said. “But tonight, I’m thinking jeans will be more suitable.”
“Okay,” she said. She willed her fingers to let go of his shirt. She looked down and saw that she’d wrinkled the hell out of the material. She tried to smooth it, with no luck. “Sorry,” she mumbled.
Taco chuckled. He covered one of her hands with his and pressed it against his chest. “You have a lot to do today?”
She shrugged. “A decent amount. I’m still catching up from the time I took off after the accident.”
“You’ll take it easy?”
Koren nodded.
“I should let you get back to it,” Taco said, but didn’t remove his hand from the small of her back.
“You want coffee?”
He groaned.
“What? You don’t drink coffee?”
“Of course I do. But I don’t want to do anything that might make you uncomfortable, and right now I’m thinking awfully hard about kissing you again.”
Koren bit her lip.
“Fuck, sweetheart. Don’t look at me like that. Maybe if you were wearing regular clothes, I’d stay. But if I sit across a table from you, with you looking like you do, I’m not sure I’d be able to control myself.”
“I trust you,” Koren said softly.
“And that means the world to me,” Taco said. “Do me a favor?”
“Sure. What?”
“Don’t answer the door looking like you just crawled out of bed if it’s not me on the other side, okay?”
“Taco, I don’t think you understand. No one cares.”
“You’re wrong. They care. You’re entirely too irresistible, looking like you do right now. I think I proved that.”
“It’s not like I’ve had any other guys back me into my house and kiss me until my toes curled,” she protested.
“Your toes curled?” he asked softly.
Knowing she was blushing again, Koren shrugged shyly.
“Okay, now I’m really going. I’ll be back at five,” Taco said. Then he dropped his hands and took a giant step back from her. He looked her up and down once more and took another deep breath. Then he backed away toward her front door. “Lock this behind me,” he ordered.
“I will.” Koren followed him at a distance as he kept backing up. He reached behind himself and grabbed the handle of the door when he got near enough.
“I want this to be exclusive,” he said abruptly.
Koren frowned in confusion.
“Us,” he gestured back and forth between them, “dating. I want to be the only one you’re seeing.”
“Oh…of course. I don’t date more than one man at a time. Um…do you? With women, I mean? Are you seeing someone else?”
He huffed out a chuckle. “No. So…it’s settled. We’re exclusive.”
Koren nodded.
“Good. And for the record, this’ll be the last time I leave without giving you a goodbye kiss. I don’t think my heart could take kissing you again right now. Besides…I’m giving you time to get used to me.”
“This is giving me time to get used to you?” Koren asked incredulously.
He grinned. “Yeah. See you tonight.” Then he turned and strode out the door toward his pickup.
Koren watched until he pulled out of her driveway and headed down the street. Then she shut the door and leaned against it again. She brought her fingers up to her mouth and traced her lips. Smiling, she screeched and did an impromptu little dance right there in her foyer.
Chapter Six
Taco pulled into Koren’s driveway at five minutes ’til five. He’d been driving around the neighborhood passing time for the last ten minutes. He didn’t want to be too early. He’d spent the day doing errands and looking forward to getting to know Koren.
Now that his brain had gotten past the blockade of wanting to date someone, he was one hundred percent all in. And seeing Koren in her house looking like she’d just tumbled out of bed had been a huge wake-up call for him.
He’d never seen Jen looking like that. She’d always worn makeup, day and night, and he’d never seen her with a single hair out of place.
And when he’d kissed her, she’d never, ever reacted the way Koren had.
He could still remember the way her hands clenched his T-shirt, how the material tightened against his back. She’d been as into that kiss as he’d been. And it had been one of the hardest things he’d ever done to pull back and step away from her.
She had no idea of her appeal. None. And that in itself was a huge turn on. He’d been honest with her; he didn’t want his woman to be coveted by every man they came into contact with. He knew himself. It would drive him crazy trying to make sure everyone knew she was taken.
Koren was perfect, as far as he was concerned. She wasn’t beautiful in the traditional sense. She wasn’t tall and boney like most models, and she had a lot of laugh lines around her eyes and healthy curves on her body that the masses might not fawn over. But all those things increased the appeal for Taco. She made him think of relaxing evenings at home, cuddling on his couch. The laugh lines around her eyes drew attention to the fact she’d led a happy life. He definitely got the impression she wasn’t afraid to be herself.
And that’s exactly what he wanted. Someone real. A woman without secrets. Someone who would support him, and who he could support in return. He wanted someone who wouldn’t be afraid to go mudding one day and out to a fancy dinner the next.
Taco was well aware he also wanted what all his friends had found. Beth, Adeline, Sophie, Blythe, Quinn…even Penelope…they were all very similar. Down to earth, supportive, but with ambitions and goals of their own. He didn’t want to marry someone who thought the man should be the sole breadwinner in the family. He wanted a partner.
And he had a feeling that Koren just might be that person. It was too early to know for sure, but some of the signs were there.
Feeling at peace with his decision to date again, Taco knocked on her door. It opened within seconds, as if she’d been waiting for him.
Not able to help the comparison that sprang to mind, he remembered always having to wait on Jen. He’d never been invited to her home, and she was always late in meeting him when they went out.
“Hi,” she said somewhat shyly.
She looked great. Jeans with a dark purple V-neck shirt that showed off a hint of cleavage. When he looked down at her feet, he grinned. “I take it these are the infamous sparkly flower flip-flops?”
She returned his smile and held out a foot. “One and the same.”
“I like ’em,” Taco told her.
“It’s a good thing, because you’ll probably be seeing them a lot. They’re comfortable and somewhat dressy, so I wear them anytime I can get away with it.”
Taking a step toward her, Taco leaned close. Her hands came u
p and grabbed hold of his biceps as his lips brushed hers.
She sighed, and Taco could smell the minty scent of her toothpaste. She also smelled like peaches. He wanted to bury his nose into the space between her shoulder and neck, but he controlled himself. He loved the way her fingers tightened on his arms when he pulled back, as if she wanted to hold him close.
Once again, thoughts of Jen reared in. She’d frequently turned her head when he’d tried to kiss her. As if she couldn’t bear his touch. And she never gave any indication that she actually liked him being near. Unlike Koren, who seemed to grab hold of him whenever he got within reach.
“Ready to go?” he asked.
“Yeah. I just need to grab my purse. Taco?”
“Yeah, sweetheart?”
“I…thank you.”
“For what?”
“For giving us a shot. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this excited about going out with someone. And I’m not saying that to pressure you. I mean, we might find that we don’t click, or that we don’t have enough in common. I know you weren’t all fired up to go out with anyone after that bitch, and I don’t blame you, not in the least. But thanks for taking a chance on me.”
“I won’t lie,” Taco said. “You’re a surprise. I was all ready to be done with dating for the foreseeable future. But there’s something about you that I’m drawn to. And I admire you for having the guts to go after what you want. I have a feeling that we’re going to click quite nicely.”
She licked her lips, and Taco wanted to lean down and taste them once again. She turned to get her purse, and Taco waited by the door, undecided. He wanted to follow her inside again. Back her up against the wall and take everything he’d been thinking about all day. The kiss he’d stolen earlier had been hotter than anything he’d experienced in recent memory.
He could easily imagine her looking at him exactly the same way she had after he’d kissed her…but from next to him in his bed. Hair mussed, no makeup, just her.
He didn’t tell her this morning, to avoid freaking her out…but something seemed to overcome him the second he’d seen her, after she’d opened the door. A vision of Koren in his kitchen, wearing exactly what she’d been in that morning, cooking breakfast for him—and their three kids.
It was just a flash, but it had been so vivid, so real, that Taco’d had to touch her. Had to kiss her. It was completely unlike him, but equally unavoidable.
He knew those thoughts were crazy. They’d just met, for God’s sake. But he couldn’t help but feel as if she was important to him for some reason. That she’d been put in that car, at that crash, so he’d find her again. Why, he hadn’t figured out yet. But Taco wasn’t a stupid man. He knew quality when he saw it. Why some other man hadn’t snatched Koren up and put a ring on her finger yet, he had no idea. But he’d be damned if he didn’t snatch her up now.
No, he certainly wasn’t about to pop the question anytime soon; Jen had taught him to be extremely cautious. But from what he could tell, Koren was pretty much the opposite of that bitch in every way. And that was what he needed. Wanted.
“I’m ready,” she said, appearing in front of him.
Without a word, he stepped out of her condo and watched as Koren locked her deadbolt before she turned to him with a smile.
Just to make small talk, he said, “This is a nice area.”
“Yeah. My dad helped me with my house search. I know it’s a condo, but I can’t stand doing yard work, and here, it’s all taken care of for me. I’ve got awesome neighbors too, which is a bonus.”
“I never really thought about getting a condo. I don’t particularly like yard work either, but I can’t stand the thought of having someone share a wall with my place.” He shrugged. “Fire hazard and all that. I rented an apartment for years, but was never comfortable with it. I finally bit the bullet and bought a house a few months ago.”
She chuckled. “Yeah, I thought about the whole sharing a wall thing too, but honestly, the pros outweighed the cons for me. And I don’t really cook, so it won’t be me who’s causing the place to go up in smoke.”
Taco eyed the building. It looked like there were eight or nine condos in a row, in one huge building. Then there was a break, and another six or seven condos. The buildings across the street were a mirror image to this one. The condos were two or three stories tall, and looked like they had plenty of room. There were a few kids’ toys in a yard down the street, and for the most part, things were quiet and peaceful. It definitely had its appeal.
“You don’t cook?” he asked as he followed her to his truck.
She shrugged. “I can cook. I just don’t enjoy it. My mom can stay in the kitchen all day making dinner and dessert. I’d rather order out or stick a pizza in the oven or something. My brothers’ wives love cooking, though.”
Taco helped her into his truck and walked around. When he climbed inside, he continued the conversation. “What if I told you I was having some friends over and wanted you to help me put something together?”
Koren was silent so long, Taco finally looked over at her. She was staring at him with an unreadable look on her face.
“What?” he asked.
“I’m not sure what you’re fishing for,” she admitted.
“It’s just a question,” he said a little defensively.
“I don’t think it is. But fine. If you said you’d invited a bunch of people over and asked for my help, I’d first want to know what your friends liked to eat. Were they a beer-and-pizza kind of crowd, or did they prefer something from the grill? Then I’d probably go to the grocery store and pick up a bunch of easy appetizers. I’d suggest that we keep things simple and get paper plates and napkins, because they’re easier to clean up. I might even suggest that you ask your friends to bring stuff over too. Someone could bring chips, someone else a dessert, that sort of thing. Then I’d help you prepare what needed to be prepared. But if you expected me to slave away in the kitchen all day while you did…whatever…then I’d be pretty pissed.”
Taco grimaced. “Sorry. You’re right. It was a loaded question, and I didn’t even realize it. Your answer was perfect.”
After a moment, she said, “I take it that’s not what happened with Jen.”
“Not even close,” he confirmed.
Koren looked down at her hands, then took a deep breath. “Look. I can cut you some slack because she really did a number on you, but I’m not her. And there are only so many times I can reassure you of that. I can’t be afraid every time I’m with you that I’m going to say or do something that will remind you of her. It’s not fair to either of us. I’m me. I can’t say I’m perfect or that I won’t do something that’s going to irritate you, but I’m not interested in you because of some ulterior motive. I’m attracted to you, Taco. I don’t know what else to say or do that will make you believe that.”
“I know you’re not her,” he said. “I can’t say there aren’t times when I don’t compare you to her. But, Kor, I’ve already come to realize there is no comparison. You are head and shoulders so far above her, I’m kicking myself for staying with her as long as I did.”
Koren nodded.
“And, for the record, I didn’t sleep with her. And I only kissed her twice. That’s all she would let me do. She didn’t seem to like me touching her, I never met her family or friends, never went over to her place. I was just so stuck on the idea of having a girlfriend, I didn’t open my eyes and see what was right in front of my face. And your idea of a dinner party sounds heavenly. It was a perfect answer. I’ll try not to be a dick for at least the rest of our date.”
She smiled at that, and Taco relaxed a fraction. He hadn’t meant to put her on the spot, but she was absolutely right for calling him out on it. Koren wasn’t Jen. Period.
“I’m a toucher,” Koren admitted. “I can’t imagine not touching and being touched. If you don’t like that, or if it makes you uncomfortable, then let me know. I can try to curb it, but I’m not sure I’l
l be all that successful, if this morning was any indication.”
Taco put his right hand on the console between them. She looked at him, then down at his hand, then back up to his face. Then she slowly brought her left hand up and placed it in his.
Wrapping his fingers around hers, he used his thumb to brush back and forth over the back of her hand. “I like you touching me, Kor. And I don’t care if you do it in front of my friends, either.”
“Do you have family?” she asked.
Taco sighed. He didn’t really want to get into the crap relationship he had with his parents this early in their date, but it was probably better to get it out of the way. “Yeah, but I don’t talk to them much.”
“Brothers? Sisters?”
He shook his head. “No. I was an only child. And nothing I did pleased my father. He was super strict, and the harder he pushed me, the more I did the opposite of what he wanted me to do. I joined a local volunteer fire department when I was in high school, and he hated that I spent so much time at the station, shooting the shit with the guys.”
“What did he want you to do?” Koren asked.
“I think he wanted me to follow in his footsteps and work in finance. But I hated math. Hated accounting. Sucked at it. I didn’t particularly like school all that much. We fought throughout most of high school. I managed to graduate, but my grades were shit.”
“And your mom?”
Taco shrugged. “I think she was disappointed because my dad was disappointed. She never really said much one way or the other.”
Koren’s lip curled, and Taco couldn’t help but grin. “You don’t like that.” It wasn’t a question.
“I mean, I think it’s great that she supported her husband, but moms are supposed to always want the best for their kids. If they want to be a trash collector, she should give them the tools to be the best damn trashman the city has ever seen. And if he wants to be a professional skydiver, an accountant, or the President of the United States, it’s her job to be as supportive as possible.”
Her words seemed to patch a hole in his heart that Taco hadn’t even realized was there. He’d always felt a little resentment toward his mother for not sticking up for him when his dad harangued him for his low grades. Neither had come to the fire station when he’d been honored as junior firefighter of the year. And neither said a word when he’d been recognized by the city for doing CPR on one of the lunch ladies when she’d collapsed at school.