by M. S. Parker
“We were.” I glanced at her over the top of mine. “We changed it to a later one so we could all three fly first class.”
“You didn’t have to…” Kaleb went quiet at my look, miming that he was sealing his lips shut and tossing away a key. He'd already lost that argument.
Laughing, I patted his arm. “Figure out what you want to eat, okay?” A small market across the way caught my eye, reminding me. “Hey, I forgot my ear plugs back at the hotel, so I’m going to go grab some.”
It wasn’t the only thing I needed, but I definitely needed those, and gum. Hopping off the stool, I looked at Astra. “Order me an omelet and some bacon. I want something messy and fattening before I head to the reunion. I’ll be eating canapes and the rest of that crap that looks pretty and tastes like cardboard.”
“You got it. Don’t worry, PS. I’ll stay here and keep Kaleb company.” She gave me a serene smile.
Inside the small shop, I found a box of condoms and the ear plugs I needed for the trip. My ears always killed me when I flew. I also saw a book from one of my favorite authors and grabbed it. On impulse, I picked up an action thriller for Kaleb. I had no idea if he liked to read. If he didn’t…well, I wouldn’t hold it against him too much. After all, Astra and I were best friends, and I only nagged her about her lack of love for reading every now and then. Like once or twice a week.
As I made my way to the cashier, a voice caught my attention. Plaintive, young…almost desperate. “Please, can you try again? It’s the last credit card I have, and I'm out of diapers.”
“Ma’am, I’ve already tried twice, and I’ve got other customers.”
The young mom.
My gaze locked on her as she stood there, rocking her baby, and holding her credit card out to the cashier while a couple of other customers shifted restlessly behind her.
One of them, an older businessman behind her, said, “Can you move? I have a plane to catch.”
My temper snapped. Striding forward, I pulled out my wallet. “Here you go, sis.”
Heads whipped my way as I nudged the businessman aside, just as he had been trying to do to the young mom. I swiped my card, smiling serenely at the cashier and ignoring the surprise on the girl’s face. She really was just a girl. Nineteen, maybe twenty. “I need cash too. What’s the max?”
“Excuse me,” the dude in the suit snapped. “You weren’t next.”
I glanced at him. “Oh, I know. My sister was. The girl you were being so rude to? We'll be done in a second.”
I withdrew the maximum amount I could, then stepped out of line, holding out the diapers to the girl who was standing there, staring at me, still rocking the baby.
She didn’t take them. “What’s this?”
“Diapers, sweetie.” Nudging her out of the line, I continued to hold the package out to her.
“I…” She firmed her jaw. “I don’t need charity from some rich bitch.”
“It’s not charity.” I didn’t let the barb get to me. I was rich. I could be a bitch. And so could pride. I understood pride really well. “It’s called kindness…and help. Sometimes everybody needs a little.”
Her cheeks flushed hot and red. “I don’t–”
“Doesn’t your baby?” I kept my voice soft.
She deflated and reached out, slowly taking the diapers. “We’re going to meet her dad. He’s in the army, stationed out in Virginia, and I…” Her eyes filled with tears. “We’re getting married. I’m moving out there. All my stuff is already on the way, but it took all my money, and I’m about broke. My parents won’t help me.”
She looked like she wanted to just break down and cry.
“Then your parents kind of suck,” I said with a sympathetic smile. Gently, I turned her around and pushed the diapers into the bag hanging from one narrow shoulder.
Then I turned her back around to face me. “Here.” I started to give her the money I’d withdrawn, but then I stopped and pulled out my wallet, taking the rest of my cash. It added up to nearly three hundred dollars. Nothing I'd miss, and it'd make a difference to her. “Make sure you both have food and formula before you get on the plane. And put the rest of the money somewhere safe. The diaper bag is too easy for people to steal from.”
She gaped at me, dark eyes wide. “Why…why are you doing this?”
“Because I can. Because you need it.” I brushed a wispy lock of hair back from the baby’s forehead and then smiled at her. “Go on…I think she needs her diaper changed.”
I headed back into the store and almost walked into the businessman as he headed out. He glared from the girl to me. “Square things up with your sister?”
“Yep.” Breezily, I edged around him and took my place in line.
“That was nice of you.”
I jolted at the sound of Kaleb’s voice coming from just over my shoulder.
Whipping around, I met his eyes. “What…where did you come from?”
“Same place you did. I put my order in then came over here. I needed…something.” His gaze slid down and lingered on the box in my hands, his lips twitching in amusement. “Looks like great minds think alike.”
I flushed. “Well, I’m taking care of it. You can go back to the restaurant.”
“I don’t think one box will be enough,” he said easily, gaze heated. “Again, that was nice of you.”
We shuffled forward as the customers in front of us each paid and went on their way. It was down to the last one before he spoke again.
“Nothing to say?”
Huffing out a sigh, I said, “What’s to say? She needed a break. I gave her one.”
“Just like I needed one.” He didn't sound angry, but he wasn't happy either.
“No, you’re doing me a favor,” I said quickly, shaking my head.
“I’m the one getting paid to–”
Spinning around, I clapped my hand over his mouth. “Shh…” I didn’t give a quick look around, although I was tempted. “Be quiet, you…” Huffing, I dropped my hand and turned back to the counter just as the last person in front of me moved off. “Just hush,” I said grouchily.
I dumped my stuff down in front of the cashier, hoping she hadn’t noticed the interaction between Kaleb and me.
I suspected she had though.
If for no other reason than the fact that she was gaping at him.
He seemed to inspire that reaction quite a bit, not that I blamed any of them. He was gorgeous.
And for a while, he was mine.
Instead of making me smile, though, the thought made me a little sad.
He was mine…but only for a while.
“You can’t do that,” I said, focusing on my irritation instead of the thought that had been circling through my head since we'd left the store.
Astra had wandered off to check out some purses in the store we’d just passed, giving me the chance to finally talk to Kaleb about what'd happened.
We still had an hour to wait until boarding, and Astra couldn't sit still for that long, especially not with a plane ride ahead of us. I didn't want to talk to him in front of her, not when I knew she'd see more than I wanted her to.
“I can't do what?”
Kaleb was wearing a pair of sunglasses now, and I wanted to tug them off, look into his eyes.
“Say things about me paying you.” Self-consciously, I glanced around and then met his eyes. At least I assumed I was meeting his eyes. The lenses of his glasses were opaque. “I get recognized sometimes. Not as often out here, but if a person is a journalist, especially on the political beat, it’s not a stretch. I can’t have anybody hearing that I’m paying you. It will get back to my dad, and this is all for nothing.”
“And they might assume you’re paying me for something else.” He wagged his eyebrows.
I laughed even as blood rushed up to heat my cheeks. “My father would have a heart attack.” I was only half-joking about that. Offering him a smile, I said, “Just…don’t do it, okay?”
“No
problem.” He slung his arm around my neck. “Shall we find our gate, my darling wife?”
“We shall.” I pasted a smile on my face, hoping it would hide the hollow ache settling inside.
It was the shortest flight ever.
Or it felt that way.
As we collected our luggage, Astra watched me with gleaming eyes, and I had to poke her in the side and give her a death glare to keep her from saying something.
I didn't know what she wanted to say, but I had no doubt it would be something embarrassing. When Kaleb made a quick stop by the restroom, I found out.
“You two almost look like this is…real,” she said, her voice low.
“That’s the idea.” I managed a non-committal shrug.
“Except there’s no reason to play it so well right now. And I don’t think you’re playing.” She tapped a bright pink fingertip against equally pink lips. “You like him. I mean, really like him.”
“Well, yeah.” I kept my eyes on the restroom. “What’s not to like? We get along. He’s funny and sweet. He’s not into me because of my parents or my money.”
“All good things,” she agreed. “But this is just a temporary thing, remember? You don’t really know him. So why does it seem so not temporary?”
“You’re imagining things.” I waved it off and started to add something, but a tall, blond figure caught my eyes, and I gave her a quelling look to keep her from pursuing it.
She arched an eyebrow, but lapsed into silence.
A moment later, Kaleb joined us and took his luggage, a single duffel bag which he hefted over his shoulder with ease. He also took my suitcase and Astra’s, leaving us with our carry-ons and purses.
“It’s so nice having a big, strong man around the house,” Astra said, sighing lavishly.
“Stop it.” I smacked her on the arm and moved to his side, gesturing toward the exit. “Our car is on the way. Won’t take long.”
“Your car?” he asked.
“We always have a town car pick us up,” Astra said, checking her phone. “It’s so much easier than trying to deal with parking and lugging our own luggage around. Of course, if you asked Piety’s daddy, he’d insist that we take a limo.”
I rolled my eyes. “Astra, stop. Your dad isn’t much better.”
“Oh, I know. Sometimes, he’s worse.” She flashed a sunny grin our way. “That’s why we never tell anybody when we’re going out of town. Then we don’t have to worry about unexpected chauffeurs showing up at our loft.”
We moved past the crush at luggage pick up and got outside just as the driver texted that he was there. “Perfect timing,” I said, gesturing to the car. “It’s Roy.”
We had a favorite, a guy we usually requested and most of the time, we got him. His worn, friendly face creased in a smile as we waved him down, and he studied Kaleb with curiosity as he held the door for us. Kaleb hesitated, eying the bags.
“I’ll get them, sir,” Roy assured him.
“Come on,” I said, tugging on Kaleb's hand.
After another moment, Kaleb climbed in after me, sinking back onto soft leather, but looking uncomfortable. “He’s…”
“If you let Roy hear you calling him old, he’ll have your heart on a platter,” I said, keeping my voice low. “He thinks he’s still thirty-two. Besides, he likes his job. He does this so he can help with his granddaughter’s college. Doesn’t have to. He retired from the military, but he wants to help.”
“Sounds like you know him.”
I nodded, but I didn’t go into any detail as Roy slammed the trunk shut and came around to the driver’s seat.
Kaleb still looked like he wanted to say something, but when I took his hand, he twined our fingers and slowly relaxed.
“So…are you ready for this?”
He stared out of the window as we pulled away from the airport, the Philadelphia city skyline slowly revealing itself. “Ready as I’ll ever be, I guess.”
“Welcome home!” Astra threw back the door and stepped into the loft we shared.
I still stood next to Kaleb, holding his hand.
The doorman was taking care of the luggage, yet another thing Kaleb was clearly not used to.
My life must have seemed so strange to him.
I didn’t mind carrying my own luggage. I was usually the one carrying it down when I left – Astra too. But when we got back, the staff in our building, like Roy, made us feel like we were doing them injury if we didn’t let them handle it. Granted, I think they appreciated the tips, and I had a feeling we tipped better than most of the people here, so maybe that was part of it.
But Kaleb was clearly not used to having his luggage handled for him or doors opened, and the expression on his face made me re-evaluate every little thing, even though I always told myself not to take anything I had for granted.
I didn’t think I did. Many of the people Astra and I knew growing up didn’t know what to make of us. While they’d been partying and shopping and heading off to Cancun for vacations in high school and college, we’d wanted to get involved with Habitat for Humanity. We hadn’t been able to in high school, no matter how much we begged, so we’d done it in college, never even telling our parents.
Over the summers, we backpacked through Europe, staying at hostels instead of the lavish hotels our parents had pushed on us.
I knew I was a little spoiled, but I didn’t want to live my entire life never seeing beyond the silver spoon.
Astra and I got along so well because we both felt the same way.
Now, though, I felt like I was seeing my life through somebody else’s eyes and it was…weird.
I wasn’t sure I liked it.
Shaking off the feeling, I pulled at Kaleb’s hand. “Come on. Astra can wait for the luggage. I want to show you around.”
“Ah…yeah. Yeah, sure.” He looked a little dazed, eyes lingering on the huge windows that dominated one wall, facing out over the city, the river sparkling off to the east.
“We moved in the year before we graduated from college, handled all the designing, picking out the furniture.” We walked into the large, wide-open living room space. “Our mothers kept insisting we let somebody from their circle recommend a decorator. But we didn’t want a designer space. We wanted something comfortable.”
“It’s gorgeous,” he said. Then he smiled a little. “And comfortable. I could sleep on that couch for a month, I bet.”
“I’ve tried.” Then I laughed. “But Astra doesn’t do quiet well. That’s why her bedroom is on one side of the loft and mine is on the other.”
I took him through the entire place, room by room, although I only gestured toward Astra’s rooms. “She’s a bit of a messy roommate, and the lady who cleans for us has been on vacation in Puerta Vallarta this week. You don’t want to look in there.”
“It can’t be any worse than…” He stopped, trailing off and shaking his head. “Never mind. I’ll take your word for it.”
I paused by another door and opened it. “One of the guest rooms. We have three. Sometimes we have a party here, and we’ll let a guest stay over in case…” I rolled my eyes and mimed drinking from a bottle.
“You’re a good mate.”
“And this is my room.” I bit my lip as I led him inside, still holding onto his hand.
It wasn’t as large as my childhood room, but it was mine – decorated by me and only me. A rainbow of colors that shouldn’t have worked erupted around us, cheerful and chaotic and wonderful. Orange and red and pink, blended with the colorful carpet I’d bought from a street vendor on one of my trips out of the country with my parents. It had appalled my mother, which made me love it even more.
The silk comforter on my bed was pink and orange, and it might have been too much for some, but I loved it. The walls were the only thing lacking in color. They were a pure, soft white, but there were bits and pieces of art, pictures, silk wall hangings that echoed the color design.
“I feel like I’ve fallen into a flower,
” he said, smiling as he turned to look at me.
“Is that a bad thing?”
“No.” He smiled. “I like it. It’s kind of like…you. Crazy and wild and…soft.”
“Oh.” Something I didn't want to think about made my throat close up. “Well, I think I like that.”
“Good.” He cleared his throat and ran a hand through his hair. “Well, should I…um. Any particular guest room I should take or can I just pick?”
I moved closer.
His pupils spiked, getting a little larger as I reached past him and nudged the door closed.
“I was kind of thinking that you could just stay with me.”
Eleven
Kaleb
Stay with me.
Her words lingered with me all through that night, clear into the next morning.
Standing under the hot, pulsating spray of the shower, I braced my hands against the wall and told myself to quit thinking about it – about her.
I needed to be thinking about my problems, of which there were many.
I still hadn’t heard back from Camry.
I’d left more than a couple of messages. She should have called by now. I didn’t know if I wanted to be pissed or scared. I was a little of both, but I couldn’t do anything about it here. And I couldn’t leave until the bloody money was in my hand.
It was quiet, not even a whisper, but the brush of chilled air against my skin let me know that the shower door had been opened. I turned just as Piety pressed flat against me, her breasts warm and soft – everything about her was warm…and soft enough. She definitely had an athletic build. She had the look that made me think she could take a run down the beach and maybe even join me when I went out surfing.
It made me wonder if she’d ever gone surfing herself.
If not, I could teach her.
She pressed her mouth to my neck, and I reached out, gripping her hips. “If you need the shower, I can let you have it in a few minutes,” I said, head falling to the side as she bit down.
Fuck.
“Hmmm. But I climbed in here because you're in here.” She eased back, blinking the water out of her eyes. She pressed her hands against my chest and let them slide down, the path made slicker by water. “I was thinking we could engage in some…water conservation.”