by Erica Penrod
“Oh, she is?” He cautiously sat up and ran his fingers through his hair. He wondered if the novelty of Tori would wear off for Marcela and what would happen when she never saw Tori again. Kael rubbed his eyes. What would happen to him when Tori left? Life would go on, he was sure. But could he forget about the decorator and go back to the way things were before he saw her face? That was the question he couldn’t answer and didn’t want to.
“Yup. Grandma wanted me to ask you if you need anything.” She stood up, and he marveled at how grown-up she was.
“I could use some more ibuprofen.” He sank back down into the covers and pulled the sheets up to his neck. Exhaustion weighed heavily on him, and he closed his eyes until he heard someone come in. “Just set them on the nightstand. I’ll get them in a minute.”
“How about I help you now so the little pills can work their magic and you’ll feel better?”
Kael’s eyes popped open. Tori stood there with the bottle. He blinked, just to make sure this wasn’t part of the virus or the cold medicine fog. Her hair was piled on her head in a loose ponytail with strands fleeing here and there. There was a touch of paint above her right eyebrow and another to the side of her chin. She had on denim overalls with a pink T-shirt and sneakers. He must still be medicated, because he fought the urge to reach for her and pull her to him. “Okay.”
He tried to sit up, but whatever improvement he’d felt a few minutes ago was gone, and he felt like he’d been hit by a train. Tori was at his side in an instant. She sat down, twisted off the lid, and retrieved two capsules. Her hand took his hand and she helped him up. “Here you go.” Tori got the pills and the glass of water, handing him the medication first. He put them on his tongue and grasped the glass. A big swallow and the medication went down.
“I think we waited too long in between doses.” Tori glanced at the clock as he collapsed. “Make sure you take some more before you go to sleep tonight.” She went to stand, but he went for her hand.
“Thank you.” He didn’t let go and neither did she. Tomorrow he would wonder if this moment had ever happened. In that moment, he realized there was something between them, something more than attraction that waited to be discovered. But the best part was that as he looked into her eyes, Kael knew that Tori felt the premonition, too.
Chapter Eight
Design Tip
If you love a décor piece, grab it.
It might not be there when you come back later.
Tori almost wished for a small catastrophe to slow down the project. But no, everything was running right on schedule, and that meant she would run out of time with the Santos family long before she wanted to.
Kael got out of bed two days later, and he was like a new man in many ways. Tori wanted to believe that when he held her hand and felt something like magic transpire between them, the phenomenon wasn’t because of his fever, and that he truly felt what she did. The feeling simmered as she checked in on him several times the next day, and when Kael met her at the door on Wednesday morning with a huge smile on his face and an intensity in his eyes meant for her, she didn’t need to pinch herself. She was wide awake, and the man in front of her was clearly healthy and eager to see her.
Marcela noticed something was up. “What’s going on with my dad?” she asked Tori as they dried the dishes. “He’s been acting weird.”
“What do you mean?” Tori tried to keep the heat from rising in her cheeks. She and Kael had danced around each other like they were kids crushing in high school. A stolen glance here or there, the occasional brush-by in the hall or when he let his hand linger in the water when they’d washed the dinner dishes. Tori had stayed for dinner the last three nights—she couldn’t say no to Eve and Marcela—but on the fourth night, there was no need for an invitation.
“He’s smiling all the time and singing to himself, and he didn’t even swear when a mom pulled out in front of him at the school.”
Tori laughed. “He does that?”
Marcela giggled. “Just sometimes. He tries not to, and if he slips up, he reminds me never to talk like that.”
“That’s good.” Tori handed her a plate.
“I think he likes you.”
Tori froze. “Umm, yeah. I like him, too. He’s a nice guy.”
“Not like that.” Marcela rolled her eyes like she couldn’t believe she was going to have to explain this to Tori. “He likes you. Like I think he wants to take you on a date.”
“Oh.” She didn’t know what to say and glanced behind her. Eve had gone home, and Kael was in his home office. “I’m not sure about that.” Was it okay to lie to a teenager? Because Tori knew that Kael wanted to have a chance for them to be alone. They didn’t talk about going out, but words weren’t needed. Tori’s life had been completely made over in just over a week since she’d met Kael. His mother and daughter treated her as if she’d been part of the family for years, and the way that man moved her just by breathing was intoxicating.
“Well, I am.” She hung up the dishcloth and sat at the kitchen table to finish her homework. Tori let the conversation sit beside the girl, and she walked down the hall toward the office. She looked back over her shoulder, wondering if she’d said the right thing to Marcela, before she stepped into the doorway and ran right into Kael.
“Sorry.” She gazed up into his dark eyes, aware that their bodies were still touching, and the force between them was palpable. He stretched out his hand and cupped her chin. A smile tugged on the corner of his lips. Her mother’s voice echoed through her mind. Be sensible, Victoria, and look at the evidence. Get the facts straight before you act. Tori retreated, and Kael dropped his hand. His smile faded into a confused look. This was crazy. She didn’t know this man, no matter what she felt. Shouldn’t there be a date before she decided to kiss him in the hallway with his daughter in the other room? Her sensible side convinced her to take a recess. There was too much to deliberate.
“Are you okay?” Kael gave her a slanted look.
“I’m fine.”
“Okay.” He backed up and stuffed his hands in his front pockets.
“Thanks for dinner. I guess I better get going.”
Kael looked at her like she had just grown horns and a tail. “All right.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow.” She offered him a smile, hoping he understood this was all too fast for her.
But a line creased the flesh between his brows, and his eyes narrowed. “Sure.”
Tori kicked herself all the way to the car. There had to have been a better way to handle the situation. On the ride home, she imagined a hundred other scenarios that didn’t end with Kael looking like she’d thrown cold water in his face. Inside her house, Tori grabbed a tub of ice cream and headed to the couch. A call to Carley and she’d be feeling better in no time. Her friend would agree with her. This was all too rushed.
“So, you’re telling me that you could’ve kissed Kael tonight and instead you chickened out?”
“Not chickened out.” Tori dug her spoon into the medicinal treat. “Just needed to think. And anyway, I don’t even know if he was going to kiss me or not.”
“Are you an idiot, and did anyone tell you that you think too much? Maybe try listening to your heart and not your head.”
“I want to.” Tori thought of how her blood raced whenever Kael watched her. “But I’m scared. And none of this makes any sense.”
Carley laughed. “It’s not supposed to make sense. Tell me this. Do you care about him?”
“Yeah.”
“And do you want to kiss him?”
Tori remembered Kael’s hand on her face and the way he looked into her eyes earlier tonight. She swallowed the lump in her throat. “Yes.”
“Then go for it.”
Her heart pounded in her chest just like the day she decided to walk away from her law career. There were plenty of reasons to stay, but something inside her was determined to break free and follow her dreams. “Maybe you’re right.”
; “Of course I am.”
Tori grinned, and the weight she’d carried since she walked away from Kael was gone, because tomorrow she would fix everything.
* * *
She pulled into the parking lot of the sporting goods store the next morning and checked her reflection in the rearview mirror. Tori had watched a makeup tutorial last night and took extra care applying what she’d learned. Kael might need a little convincing after last night, and Tori wanted to look her best.
“Here we go.” A quick touch of gloss, and she got out of the car. She walked to the door and exhaled. An elderly man on his way out of the store held the door for her. “Thank you.” She smiled and passed into the shop.
“Hey, Tori.” Jeff greeted her from across the aisle.
“Hi.”
“Are you looking for Kael?”
“Um …” Her cheeks burned. “Yeah. Is he here?”
“In his office. Go ahead and let yourself in.”
“Thanks.” Tori wiped her hand s on her jeans and approached the office door. She knocked.
“Come in,” Kael’s voice called.
Tori pushed the door open, stepped in, and closed the door behind her. “Hi.”
Kael stood up from his chair. “What are you doing here? Is there something else I need to sign?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Oh.” Kael crossed his arms. “Then what can I help you with?”
Tori set her bag on the desk and moved towards Kael. Her body trembled, but she didn’t stop. “I’ve just got a question for you.”
Kael’s eyes searched hers like he was trying to read her intentions. “Okay.”
Tori reached out and took his hands in hers and pulled him close. She watched his shoulders relax and the corners of his mouth curve into a smile. “How do you feel about not kissing on the first date?”
“It’s overrated.” Kael let go of her fingers and stroked her chin with his thumb. He grinned, and her legs felt like rubber bands. “So how do you feel about not kissing before the first date?”
She stared up at him. “Overrated.”
Kael took her face in his hands and inched in slowly, studying her mouth. “Then we agree.” His breath reached her first, minty and crisp. He licked his bottom lip before he pressed them to hers. The kiss was soft, full of tenderness, but conveyed the emotion that drew them together. Her head spun, but the world stopped, and there was only the two of them. Her body, her mind, and her soul felt like she’d gone home to the place she’d always belonged.
Kael pulled back and grinned at her. Her heart beat in her chest like she’d just rearranged the furniture for an hour straight, and the desire to taste him again was unbearable, causing her body to shake with wanting. Kael extended his arms and she fell into him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. This time she kissed him, and the low flame that had been on a slow burn all week ignited. He responded with such a feverous need of his own that the power frightened Tori.
She’d never kissed anyone like this, never felt a hundred conversations pass between two people without saying a word. There was nothing to compare this to; she’d never been in love before. Was that what this was? Love? Could you fall in love so quickly? In her mind, her mother’s voice interrupted again. Tori needed to be reasonable and sensible. No one fell in love with someone they barely knew. Shut up, Mom.
Tori gave in and let herself feel the all-encompassing thrill of desire.
* * *
The next evening, Tori stood in front of the mirror and rotated from side to side. She’d chosen a pair of distressed denim jeans, a cream-colored blouse, and a pale grey jacket for dinner with Kael. The ensemble was about the fifteenth attempt to look like she’d dressed up, but not too over the top. She and Kael were headed out for their first official date, and her heart raced like she was sixteen, going to the homecoming dance.
The doorbell rang, and her stomach flipped in an involuntary somersault. She slipped on her sandals that had a good two-inch heel and hoped they weren’t going to walk too far. The shoes looked too good with the outfit not to wear them, even though her feet would be killing her by the end of the night. She walked into the front room and opened the door.
“Hi.” Tori swallowed back the lump in her throat. Kael wore a fitted sky-blue button-down dress shirt that he’d left untucked and dark washed jeans. He’d had a haircut, and his face was clean-shaven. His cologne floated into the air around her and she inhaled his scent of sandalwood and spice.
“Hello, gorgeous.” He leaned in and kissed her softly. “I’m sure glad you’re with me.”
“Me too.” She picked up a small clutch from the side table and closed the door behind her.
Kael cocked an eyebrow and stared at the small purse. “What? No Hagrid?”
Tori laughed. “Not tonight.” Kael and Marcela had nicknamed her bag after the half giant in Harry Potter. “I hope I’m going to be okay. It’s not often that I leave the house without him.”
“I know.” Kael took her hand. “That makes tonight feel pretty special.” They walked to his truck and he opened the door for her.
“I’m excited for our date.” Tori clicked her seat belt as Kael climbed in. “But I’m a little nervous.”
“You are?” Kael started the engine and looked at her with incredulous eyes. “I am too.”
Any trepidation she felt dissolved. Tori grinned at him.
“But I like the idea of having you all to myself.” He tilted his head and looked right into her eyes. Tori’s face flushed, wondering if he was aware of how she craved to be near him. Did he see the way her body gravitated toward his? Did he know she thought about him every second, and that going to her house to sleep was mechanical and just a means to getting back to him?
Tori squeezed his fingers. “You seem so different than the first couple of days I met you.”
Kael got a sheepish grin on his face. “You made me angry.” He shook his head. “You show up on my doorstep out of the blue, and all the sudden I’ve got this intense attraction to you. I’ve worked hard to make a life for Marcela and me with routine and stability, something I was worried she’d been missing with the divorce, and then you show up.” His eyes lit up. “You scared me, and I didn’t know what to do. I thought the sooner you got the room done and left, the sooner I could go on with my life and act like I’d never met you at all.”
She traced the edge of his fingers with her fingertips. “Is that what you want now?”
Kael lifted her hand and pressed her palm to his lips. “No. I don’t want you to go anywhere. I’m a single father, and my life is complicated in so many ways, but when I figure out what I want, I go after it.” He looked over at her. “And I want to get to know you.”
Chapter Nine
Design Tip
Create a focal point.
Candlelight flickered in Tori’s eyes, casting him under her spell, but heck, she didn’t need a romantic dinner in a quiet restaurant to do that. Tori had Kael the moment she stood on his front porch, ready to remodel his daughter’s room, and little had he known that Tori’s Taking Over was about to take over his heart.
“How’s the salmon?” Kael cut into his T-bone steak.
“Delicious.” She smiled as she chewed, then took a sip of her champagne. “I love this place.”
Kael had heard of the quaint little restaurant from Jeff, but he’d never actually been here. He might have to give his employee a bonus for the recommendation. The tables were set with white linens, candles, and fresh flowers. There weren’t more than ten tables in the room, but every one of them was full. The strategic arrangement of the tables, the soft background music, and the lighting created a sense of privacy and ambience. Their waiter kept their glasses full, and the food arrived quickly. So far, the evening had been perfect.
“Tell me about soccer.” Tori speared a piece of asparagus. “I know what I read about you online, but that’s about all.”
Kael laughed. “You googled me?”<
br />
“Of course. You really made a first impression.” She gave him a sideways glance. Her slight lips parted into an easy smile.
“I’m sure I did.” He wiped his mouth with his napkin. “Let’s see, where should I start?”
“How about the beginning?”
He picked up his fork. “Okay. Well, soccer is in my blood. My father played soccer in Brazil before my parents immigrated to the US. I was born a couple years later, and I don’t remember not having a ball in my hands or at my feet.”
“How old were you when your father passed away?” Her voice was deep with sincerity. Kael knew that his mother told Tori a little about his father, but he wasn’t sure how much.
“I was sixteen when the accident happened, and I guess soccer helped me cope with his death. I knew how much the sport meant to my father, and every time I played, I felt like he was with me and that he’d be proud of me.”
“So, you played in high school, and then what happened?”
“I played one season in college and was recruited from there.” His mind drifted to the boy he was back then. He had the world at his feet and envisioned himself playing professional ball for years to come.
“Actually, I have a confession to make.” She gave him a mischievous look.
Kael cocked his head, anticipating her revelation. “Oh?”