Next Door Knight

by Nicole Flockton

  When he spied her settled with another veteran, he opened the door and walked out into the darkness. The song of the night birds sounded foreign to his ears after the loud buzz of conversation. He breathed in a large lungful of air, before blowing it out in a rush.

  “Was it getting too much for you? Are you doing okay?” A familiar voice sounded to the left of him and he turned, seeing Kerry standing in the shadows cast by the building.

  Drawn by the invisible thread between them, he made his way to where she stood. “No, I came out to see you,” he murmured.

  This close, he was able to see the way her eyes widened. Hell, he’d even surprised himself with his words.

  “Does Dad need me?” she asked, a hint of worry entering her voice.

  “No, Ron’s fine. I left mid-hand, but he’s been cleaning everyone out. I think Eric regrets inviting him here.”

  Her husky chuckled rippled over him like the night air. “That’s Dad. I probably should’ve told Eric—before Mom needed constant monitoring as her condition deteriorated, he’d go out with some construction buddies and play poker until all hours of the morning.”

  “I’m sorry about your mom,” he said.

  She shrugged, as if brushing off an annoying bug, but he’d seen the grief fill her eyes. “Thanks. I still miss her.”

  “Let’s take a walk.” The last thing he wanted was for someone else to come out and spy them together. Not to mention overhear their conversation. He couldn’t explain the need to have her all to himself. He’d never experienced this need with any of the women he’d dated.

  Her gaze darted to the door as she twisted away from him. If that wasn’t an indication she wanted to stay far away from him, he didn’t know what was.

  “Please, Kerry, take a walk with me. If you’re worried about Ron, he’s with Eric, and Willow’s there too.”

  In the muted light he saw her brow furrow for a heartbeat before smoothing out.

  “Um, sure.” She shoved her hands in her jeans pockets.

  One hurdle jumped, but, damn, he’d wanted to take her hand. Instead, he settled for placing his palm on her lower back, guiding her away from the building.

  They walked for a few minutes before he spied a wooden bench beneath a large oak tree. “Shall we sit over there?” he asked.

  “Sure, I don’t think there are any squirrels around who’d like to play hit the human on the head with a nut.”

  He chuckled as he sat down beside her. “Had that happen to you often?”

  “No, but it happened to a friend of mine.” She leaned back, and he placed his arm across the back of the bench. Her hair brushed against his arm.

  “They’re aggressive little creatures. I don’t know why people think they’re cute.”

  “Well, they can be when they want to be.”

  Talking about squirrels was the last thing he expected, although he supposed it was better than the weather. What he really needed to do was apologize again for ignoring her this morning. After flirting with her in her kitchen, he could understand why his coldness annoyed the crap out of her.

  “I know I said it earlier tonight, but I want to say sorry again for what I did this morning. There are no excuses for treating you with such disrespect. It’s not who I am. Or how my parents raised me. Nor what I learned in the air force.”

  She adjusted her position so that she was facing him. His hand now cupped her shoulder; the silky fabric of her blouse teased his fingers. “You’ve been looking after my dad for a while now. I’ve seen you often enough. So, yeah, I was a little angry with the way you treated me. It made no sense.”

  Caleb shifted to curl a few silky strands of her hair around his finger, trying to avoid answering her for as long as he could. “I’m at a crossroads with my life. Things have happened that have thrown me into a spin, and I’m still struggling to get out of it.”

  As far as explanations went, that wasn’t very clear, but there were things he didn’t want to go into. Events in his past that hurt to even think about, let alone tell a woman he’d only known for a short time. He willed her to understand. To accept his explanation and trust him that when the time was right and if things progressed with her, he’d expand and tell her everything.

  “I get that. I’m going through a lot of changes myself, but it doesn’t give me an excuse to be rude to a friend. And I thought we were getting to be friends, Caleb.”

  Friends was such a bland word when her fresh citrus scent was wafting around him. Her lips still had a light sheen from the gloss she must have put on before she’d headed out.

  She shifted again, obliterating the inches of space that had been between them.

  God, he wanted to kiss her. Had wanted to kiss her in her kitchen when they’d flirted over what was in the pastry box. Visions of them sharing the contents had pummeled his brain that day. Her feeding him a morsel and then him returning the favor.

  None of those visions had scared him then, unlike seeing her in her exercise clothes with Willow this morning.

  Her eyes drifted shut, remained that way for a half a heartbeat, before opening again, drawing him into their gold-brown depths. A flash of pink darted out to moisten her lips. The signs were there that she wanted a kiss as much as he did. And yet he hesitated. He didn’t want to be too presumptuous.

  The last woman he’d been with had thrown herself at him and he’d taken what she’d given him. They both were aware of what the other could give. Amy had turned out to not be a nice person, but Kerry was becoming important to him in a way a woman hadn’t been before.

  The timing couldn’t be more wrong.

  “What are you thinking, Caleb?” she whispered, her hand cupping his cheek.

  “I’m thinking I want to kiss you.”

  A slow, smile worked its way across her face. Her hand against his cheek trailed down until it rested on his shoulder. “Good.”

  His heart rate skipped up a few notches. “Good?”

  “Yes.” Kerry shifted her position again and he curled his arm around her, pulling her tighter against him.

  Lowering his head, he arrowed in on his target. The second their lips touched, a sigh rippled through him.

  The kiss was light and explorative. Her body melted against him, and he traced the seam of her lips with his tongue. She opened beneath him, deepening the kiss. She tasted faintly of the sparkling grape juice that was being served.

  He drew back softly, reluctant to break the connection but not wanting to get too heavy at the same time. This was a first kiss he’d never forget.

  Her fingers squeezed his shoulders, once, twice before she leaned in again and placed two soft kisses against his lips. “I should go back in and check on Willow and Dad.”

  “Yeah, I suppose you should.” Kerry hadn’t made any moves to extricate from his arms, and he wasn’t doing anything to help her. He liked having her close, and he wanted to taste her again.

  He lowered his head to hers, but this time instead of a sweet getting-to-know-you kiss, this was deep and carnal.

  She practically crawled onto his lap, and he had to tighten his hold on her so she wouldn’t fall. Her mouth almost devoured his, and he was happy to let her take the lead. This time their tongues dueled and he ran his hands down her back to her ass, squeezing the firm flesh through her jeans. Her breasts were crushed against his chest, the tight peaks of her nipples brushing against him.

  He’d dislodged her shirt and slipped his fingers beneath the silky fabric to trace the waistline of her jeans. Her skin was warm beneath his touch.

  Eventually the need to breathe overcame the need to explore her lips. This time when they parted, she buried her head into his neck, her breath coming in hot pants against his heated skin.

  His dick pushed against the confines of his jeans. Moving was going to be difficult for him for a little bit.

  With deep reluctance, he lifted her off and placed her back on the seat beside him. In the past, he’d race off to have meaningless sex with an
y other girl who’d kissed him like that. But not Kerry. When—well, if—they pursued a relationship and ended up in bed together, he wanted it to mean more than any other liaison he’d ever had. And the thought made little sense to him.

  The last year had shown him how fragile life could be. How it could be taken in a flash, that loving someone wasn’t enough to keep them safe. But he didn’t love Kerry, and that was a ridiculous notion to even consider. He hardly knew her.

  Still, the kiss they’d shared sparked reactions he hadn’t had before. His heart still pounded and his fingers itched to pull her against him. This time, he wanted to take it slow and explore whatever it was growing between them, but it also scared the crap out of him.

  He so wasn’t ready for this. And he wasn’t sure if Kerry was either.

  Chapter Eight

  The restaurant was buzzing with people and Kerry was doing her best to make sure everything was running smoothly by helping out at the front of the house. It hadn’t helped that sleep had been elusive the night before. She touched her lips, imaging Caleb’s pressed against them.

  “Kerry, Rocco needs to see you. He said it’s urgent,” Leanne, the hostess, said.

  Sheesh, she needed to keep her mind on her job. Just the other day the owner of the restaurant had called her in for a special meeting. At the time, she’d been panicking she was about to get fired, but he’d told her he was happy with how she was managing the place and waived the rest of her probation. She was now a full-fledged permanent member of staff.

  Relief had been instant, but now that she didn’t have that hanging over her head, it didn’t mean she had to slack off, because everything could change quicker than a blink of an eye. With her employment secure, she could start a savings account. Have a nest egg to fall back on should she need it. Maybe even plan an overseas vacation. She’d always dreamed of going to Paris.

  But not today.

  “Let me go see what’s wrong.” She stood.

  “He probably cut a tomato the wrong way,” Leanne grumbled under her breath.

  Kerry swallowed a laugh and weaved her way through the tables toward the kitchen. Rocco was an emotional chef, but his food was out of this world and every night there was a line of people waiting to get a table.

  The rich aroma of garlic, tomatoes, and basil assailed her senses. San Antonio was known for its Mexican cuisine so opening an Italian restaurant was always a risk, but Max, the owner, had taken the plunge and it had paid off. It also helped he’d lured Rocco, now rushing toward her, away from a high-end restaurant in Houston.

  “Hey, Chef, what’s the problem?”

  “Kerry, ma belle, you under ordered the salmon. I don’t have enough to cover the special tonight.”

  “What? Let me get the order form you completed. I know I got the required amount off the list.”

  She rushed out the side door from the kitchen and headed down the hallway to her office. There was no way she under ordered. She always triple-checked the order with the suppliers. While the restaurant hadn’t been open for long, Rocco’s particular reputation had made the rounds around town quicker than a jackrabbit racing away from a pot of boiling water.

  She riffled through the colored folders on the desk and picked up the purple one. A minute later she was back in the kitchen. “Okay, here it is.” She pulled out two sheets of paper—one was her order and the second was Rocco’s order. A quick perusal showed the numbers matched.

  Relief flowed through her.

  Rocco snatched the papers from her hand. “Hmph. Well, okay. Just tell the staff that the salmon special is now unavailable.” He tossed the papers at her and turned back to his station. Kerry caught them up before they hit the floor. As she put them in the folder, she caught the sous chef’s eye, who mouthed thank you and went back to work.

  She guessed that life in the kitchen just got a little better. Triple-checking paid off.

  Kerry had just sat down at her chair when a knock sounded on her doorframe. She looked up and saw Leanne standing in the doorway.

  “Oh no, what now? Is Rocco still fuming? I just left him.”

  Leanne laughed lightly. “No, nothing like that. Someone’s asking to see the manager.”

  Her triumphant mood deflated quicker than a balloon. This was her job, one high followed by three lows. She pushed back from her chair. “Okay, which table, and were you aware of any problems before they asked to see me?”

  Leanne shook her head. “Trudy just told me that the guy at table fourteen is asking to see the manager. As far as she could remember, she hadn’t mucked up their order or drinks.”

  “Did they want to order the salmon?” she asked. Some people got very annoyed when they found out one of the specials was no longer available.

  “Nope. Both he and his date ordered the pasta special.”

  “Okay, let me see what the issue is.” They were almost back into the main seating area when she halted Leanne’s progress. “What’s the wait time now for a table?”

  “What it always is. Twenty minutes.”

  “You’re doing a great job getting the tables turned over in a reasonable time. I know part of our success is due to you.”

  “Thanks, Kerry, but we’re a team, and when you’re the manager on duty, everything is always running smoothly. Not to say Jon doesn’t do a good job, you just do it better.”

  Kerry absorbed the praise and let it fortify her for what she was about to find out when she visited table fourteen.

  The man at the table in question was facing away from her approach, so she was able to study his date. She was a lovely woman. Her hair curled artfully over her shoulders and her makeup was impeccable. Kerry’s own hand wandered toward the neat knot at the nape of her neck before she halted its movement.

  Why the hell was she comparing herself to a complete stranger? Beautiful women and handsome men weren’t uncommon in the restaurant. But her sixth sense was tingling, and she didn’t want to ignore it.

  The way the man sat in the chair was familiar to her. Perhaps it was a repeat customer and he wanted to sing the praises of his experience to the management.

  She approached the table and pasted a welcome smile on her face. “Good evening. My name is Kerry and I’m the manager. You asked to see me?”

  Her smile froze into place as her gaze connected with Winthorn Hartigan the third. The last man she ever wanted to see again.

  Why the hell was he visiting a restaurant on the Riverwalk? More to the point, what the hell was he doing in San Antonio? He lived, worked, and socialized in Dallas.

  “Well, Kerry, this is a nice surprise and happy coincidence. How are you?”

  There was nothing surprising or happy coincidence about this at all. After being in a relationship with the guy for more than seven years, she was well aware that everything Winthorn did was premeditated and very calculated.

  “I’m well, thank you. And, yes, this is a surprise.” No way was she going to let on that being around him made her uncomfortable. She would rather withstand the tongue-lashings Rocco gave his kitchen helpers than show any sign of weakness around her ex. “Is there a problem you wish to discuss?”

  His eyes narrowed, as if he were annoyed she remained calm in his presence. Did he want her to embarrass herself at her job by yelling at him? Or did he want her to crumple into a pile of wet noodles like she’d always done around him and beg him to take her back? Well, he was jack shit out of luck. She had no plans to do any of those things.

  “The matter I want to talk to you about, Kerry, is personal. Perhaps we could go somewhere and talk?”

  Seriously, he wanted to talk to her about a personal matter when he was on a date? Kerry flicked a glance at his companion. She was busy studying her phone, but her cheeks carried a slight shade of pink.

  His date was as uncomfortable with the turn of events as Kerry was.

  “I’m afraid unless this personal matter is related to the restaurant in some way, it will have to wait.” Damn, that felt
good. Never before had she had the courage to stand up to Winthorn and go against his edicts. Early in their relationship, she’d answered him back, but over time, without her even being aware of it, her backbone had been whittled away until it was too late.

  “It’s not a good idea to dismiss me, Kerry.” His tone was hard and menacing.

  “And I don’t appreciate being threatened either. Now, if that’s all, I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening.” She looked over at his date. “Can I get you another drink, on the house?”

  The woman looked up from her phone. “No, thank you.” She threw her napkin down on the table and stood. “I think I’ll be going, and it’s not because of the food or service. It’s because of the company.”

  Kerry bit back a smile at the way Winthorn’s date strode toward the exit. If only she’d had that sort of confidence to walk away from him all those years ago. Then she might have really lived. Had a close group of girlfriends to go out with. Decided what she wanted to do for herself, and if it was the wrong thing, well, she lived with the consequences. Instead, she’d had every decision made for her and she wasn’t allowed to make her own friends.

  “This isn’t over, Kerry. I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be in San Antonio for the next couple of months conducting some business. Mark my words, you’ll regret not taking the time to talk to me tonight.” He tossed some bills on the table and stomped out.

  A breath whooshed out of her, and she reached down to collect the notes, hoping he’d left enough to cover the tip for his server. If not, she’d make sure she did.

  “Are you okay, dear?” Kerry turned to look at the couple seated adjacent to the table. Of course the whole restaurant would’ve witnessed the scene. This was the last thing she and the restaurant needed; a bad Yelp review could kill the buzz that had been created.

  “Yes, I am. I apologize for the disruption to your evening. Can I get you anything? Maybe a complementary dessert?”

  “Oh, dear, I don’t need anything. I’m impressed at how well you handled that jerk. You were very professional. I’ll be telling all my friends to come here. The food is delicious. The service outstanding.”