by Vicki Green
More laughter vibrates into the room. I open my mouth but before I can speak, he walks away and into the family room. Crap! I walk quickly into the room and see the three of them in some kind of standoff, or it appears to be one. “Charles.” He nods his greeting. He looks over at Kane, his brows furrow as his stance stiffens. “Head crew chief.” He continues to stare at Kane but talks to me. “I didn’t know you allowed the “help” over to your house, Brianna.” He sounds disgusted, turning up his nose. I hate the way he treats me, treats Charles, but I cannot stand for him treating Kane that way. I open my mouth to speak when Kane surprises me and walks over, putting his strong arm around me. He grins at Daddy and I have a feeling I know what’s about to happen.
“Actually, Mr. Daniels, may I call you Brad?” Daddy’s eyes widen, his face morphing into anger. “Bria and I are seeing each other, romantically.” I watch as Daddy’s hands form into fists by his sides as Kane’s grip tightens around me, pulling me closer. “It’s too bad you didn’t know that but I guess since you rarely speak to her with anything other than business matters you wouldn’t know. Sad really.” He leans down and kisses my cheek then looks into my eyes as he continues speaking to Daddy. “She’s a remarkable woman. Beautiful head for business and a wonderful designer plus a gorgeous body.” I hear a gasp and both Kane and I snap our heads towards Daddy.
Daddy storms up to me, fuming. “Brianna! How dare you! I’ve introduced you to so many men who are far more….” He looks at Kane, his eyes traveling down him. “Suitable for you.”
I take a step towards him, my anger almost past boiling. “Daddy!”
His head snaps to me as he takes my hand. “I just want the best for you.”
“Maybe he is the best for me, Daddy,” I whisper.
With a scowl he drops my hand and takes a step back. “No. He’s not good enough for you. If only your mother were still alive. She would talk some sense into you.” I cover my mouth with my hand, tears forming quickly. Kane steps in front of me, his body tense, protecting me from Daddy’s onslaught.
“It’s no wonder she looks for love with someone like me. You have no idea how to be a father.” Both Kane and Daddy move closer to each other, each one ready to fight. Kane would win because he’s so much stronger and Daddy only knows how to fight with words. I take a step when Charles moves in between them, a hand pressed against each of their chests.
“Okay. That’s enough.” He looks at both simultaneously. “Dad, I think you should leave.” He turns to him. “Isn’t Janine waiting for you in your car?” Daddy’s still glaring at Kane but finally his eyes shift to Charles and then to me.
He brushes Charles’ hand away and smooths his hands down his pressed shirt. “Yes. I should go.” He walks past me and I follow him to the door. I look over my shoulder at Charles talking to Kane, trying to get him to relax. When I get to the door, Daddy already has it open and is out on the porch. He turns to me and lets out an exasperated sigh. “You would do yourself a favor and keep better company. It’s a hard business and I would think by now you would know that we must represent it even with the company we keep.”
My brows lower, my anger building up once again. “Yes, like taking your secretary out.” That’s not fair to Janine, I know. I really like her but he makes me so mad. I shift my stance, putting my hand on my hip in defiance. “What must people think?” I say, mocking him.
He glares at me. “We had a business meeting is all I would say to whomever would ask. However, I’ve built up my business and persona so no one would dare question whom I decide to take out.” He turns and starts down the step, talking over his shoulder. “You’re not there yet and by the way you are acting, you’ll never be.” I stare in disbelief as I watch him walk to the driveway, around his car, and he gets inside.
I slam the door, my heart beating so hard that I can feel the vibration in my chest and the low hum in my ears. I turn and step right into Charles, who has his arms around me in an instant. “Hey!” My arms find their way around him. “You need to calm down. You know how he is.” I nod and look over his shoulder but don’t see Kane.
“Is he okay?” I whisper.
Charles’ face softens. I don’t know what I’d ever do without him. “He will be. He went to the restroom.” He leans down and kisses my forehead. “I need to go.” He pulls back and looks into my eyes, his full of concern. “Are you going to be okay?”
“I will be. I’m so glad you were here.” He grins and gives me a wink.
“I’ll always be here for you, Twinkles.” A small laugh bursts from my mouth. I walk him the few steps to the door. He turns and gives me a smile. “You know, you could always leave the company.” My eyes widen at the thought. “You could start your own business. I’d follow you anywhere and ninety-nine percent of your clients would too. You have a great head for business, sis, and a talent. Think about it.” He flicks my nose and I watch him walk down the porch steps. My own business.
Freedom.
Independence.
Stress.
I shut the door, leaning my back against it, and let out a sigh. That would make Daddy go over the edge. He’d disown me and probably Charles. Do I really want that to happen? Take that chance? What started out to be a perfect evening has ended so horribly. I just hope that the way Daddy acted doesn’t make Kane want to run for the hills. I wouldn’t blame him but at this point, it would break me. I knew this could happen, knew that something might come between us, or that Kane would come to his senses and regret being with me.
I walk into the family room and pick up the empty beer bottles and take them to the kitchen to put them in the trash can. After throwing them away, I turn and bump right into a very strong and hard chest. Large hands grasp my arms to steady me as I look up into those brown eyes that make my heart beat for a different reason. “I thought we could grab a cold one and take it down to the beach, that is if it’s not getting too late for you or if you have something else you need to do?” My mouth turns into a smile.
He’s staying.
Not running.
He still cares.
He still wants me.
“I think that sounds perfect,” I whisper. He grins, pecking my lips lightly, then walks over and opens the fridge to get the beers. He walks back to me, holding the necks of both bottles in his left hand and putting his right arm around my waist, leading me to my back door. I grab the blanket from yesterday, still folded on my kitchen table, and then open the back door, and we walk through. I stop and turn, sliding it closed behind us.
As we walk across the deck he looks down at me, still smiling. “I figured we need a little slice of heaven after all that.” My smile couldn’t get bigger as I nod my agreement.
We’re laying out on the blanket, on our sides facing each other, for what seems like hours, not talking about what happened, or really anything in particular. Just getting to know each other.
“Favorite color?”
We’ve been playing a sort of twenty questions game and laughing.
I yawn for the third time. “Crimson.”
He play punches my shoulder, gently. “That’s not a color! C’mon!” He laughs, his low, rough chuckle, and I giggle.
“It is too! It’s a shade of red.” I yawn again.
He takes my hand and as he stands, he pulls me up. “Let’s get you home. You’re tired.” He leans down and picks up the blanket, shaking off the sand. I follow him up the stone steps and onto my deck, yawning the entire way. Once inside I’m overcome with the anxiety that he’s leaving. He starts to walk from the kitchen when I walk in front of him and turn around.
“I’m not that tired. I don’t want you to leave. Quick movie?” I give him my best smile, hoping he’ll want to stay a bit longer.
He captures my face with his hand and smiles. “Are you sure? I don’t want to keep you up too late.” I nod quickly. “Okay, but only for a little longer. We both need to get up early.” My eyes widen and I relax, taking his hand and walking into th
e family room. We sit on the couch and I snuggle into his side, his strong arm wraps around me instantly. I’ve never felt safer.
* * * * * *
“Shhhh.” His voice penetrates my sleep but I’m too tired to open my eyes. “You’ll be more comfortable.” I feel the mattress below me and let out a comforted sigh. The feel of his lips against my forehead are tender. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” he whispers. My eyes open sleepily and I watch him stand up and turn to walk out.
I grab his hand and his head turns. “Don’t leave. I want….” My voice is groggy with sleep. He sits down next to me and brushes some of my hair away from my face.
“What do you want, Kitten?” he whispers.
Looking deep into his caring eyes, I squeeze his hand. “Hold me? I don’t want you to go.”
He doesn’t hesitate to answer, his voice serious. “I won’t sleep in my jeans, Bria.” I purse my lips, trying not to smile or laugh at his seriousness. I nod and he smiles, standing up then looking down at me. “Why don’t you get more comfortable?”
I stand and walk to my dresser, opening the drawer and grabbing my nightgown. It’s nothing fancy, but I’ll feel comfortable wearing it in front of him. I take it with me into my bathroom, change, and brush my teeth. Before walking out, I look at myself in the mirror, and drag my fingers through my long hair. “We’re not having sex. We’re just – sleeping together. That’s all,” I tell my reflection. Shaking my head, I walk out of the bathroom, flipping off the light and stop when I look at Kane. He’s in my bed, under the covers. Shirtless. Oh, my God! My heart starts racing. His eyes scan my body, slowly. How in the hell did I think I could just sleep with him?
“If this is a bad idea…. If you want me to leave, I can….”
He lifts the covers and I stop him quickly. “No!” His grin appears and he lays them down. I walk over to the other side of the bed and crawl under the covers. Reaching up, I turn off the lamp on my nightstand, the room darkens. I lay on my back, looking up at the ceiling, and stiffen. This is not what I expected. I don’t know what I was thinking when I asked him to stay. The mattress dips and I shift my eyes at him. He’s turned on his side, leaning on his arm, close. Very close.
“Hey,” he whispers.
“Hey,” I whisper.
His eyes soften. He leans down and presses his lips to mine, tenderly. It’s a chaste kiss. Sweet. “Come here.” He grasps my arm, rolling over onto his back. I lay my head on his strong chest and he pulls my arm across his stomach. “Just sleeping, Kitten,” he whispers. His free hand begins to stroke down my long hair. “Sleep.” My eyes don’t take long to grow heavy, his movements lulling me to sleep.
Chapter Eleven
Kane
She drifts off to sleep and I’m entranced by the sound of her light breathing. I don’t know what’s happening to me but apparently I’m too weak to stop it. I’ve found that I love spending time with her. She’s funny, smart, and so genuinely beautiful. I tighten my arm around her and she lets out a small sigh. Finally, I lay my head against the top of hers, feeling her warmth, and close my eyes.
Stretching my arms up over my head, I grin to myself, feeling like a million dollars. I slept with a woman. Bria. And we really slept. No sex! I might be growing up. And if you’re wondering, I wore boxers last night. I know! Opening my eyes, I look down and see Bria’s side of the bed is empty. Throwing off the covers, I go into the bathroom, do my business, and put on my clothes. I head towards the kitchen, pulling out my phone and look at the time. I see it’s early, plenty of time to get over to Ma’s for breakfast. As I get closer to the kitchen, the aroma of bacon overwhelms me. I walk in but stop and lean against the doorway. She’s already dressed. Nice black pants, a red short sleeved blouse. Her hair cascades down her back, tiny ringlets of curls flowing around her with her movements. She’s standing at the stove, her fine ass swaying to a beat only she can hear. How did I not tap that last night? I remember at some point in the night rolling over onto my side, my arm snaking around her slim waist, and I’ll be damned if I didn’t spoon her. I shake my head, grinning. Damn, if that wasn’t the most amazing thing.
She turns and stops when she sees me, a plate of eggs in her hand. Her smile takes my breath away. “I didn’t know what all you liked so I may have gone a little overboard.” She’s acting shy. Cute. She walks around the breakfast bar, sets the plate down on the table, and walks over to me. Her arms reach up and around my neck as she leans up on her toes and kisses me. Okay, not that shy. My arms wrap around her slim waist and I kiss her back, hard. She pulls back just a bit and smiles, her eyes lighting up. “Good morning.”
“Morning.” I smile back.
She moves back and takes my hand, leading me over to the table. I pull out the chair and sit, noticing a cup of coffee in front of the plate. Looking around I see hash browns, toast, sausage, and bacon. A feast. “I hope you enjoy.” I look up at her and grin.
“Aren’t you gonna eat?” I pick up the fork by my plate and dig in. Damn! Beautiful and a great cook. She walks away and I keep eating. I can’t help it. I’m starved and it’s so amazing. She comes back and sits down next to me with a small container of yogurt. My brows raise. “That’s all you’re gonna eat?”
“I try to watch what I eat.” I can see how she’d want to do that, being a woman, but really she’s the perfect size.
The meal is great, the company even better. We finish and I help her clean up then I kiss her goodbye, telling her I’ll see her at the site. There seemed to be no awkwardness about me spending the night but I’m finding I want to do it again. Soon. I go home and take a shower then head to the site. As soon as I pull in and park, my phone goes off. I pull it out of my pocket and notice it’s Mom. I wonder what’s wrong.
“Hey, Ma. What’s up?”
“Oh, my God! Kane? Are you okay?” Her voice trembles.
She sounds out of breath and worried. Not like her. “Yeah. I’m good. Why? Are you and Pop okay?” She’s never been the worrying kind so this is so weird. Mom and Pop both have always given us a wide birth, free rein. Oh, they’ve been there to give advice, when needed, but they normally left us to make our own mistakes and learn from them. When Brock and I were little, they were so busy getting the bar situated and then Pop’s construction business up and running that we were either helping out at either of those or goofing off somewhere, left on our own. But they weren’t neglectful. No way. They just raised us right, knew we could be trusted to do the right things. We might not have had much in the ways of luxury, but we had something better: love, caring, family. I’d rather have that than wealth any day.
“Oh, dear. We’re fine. I was just concerned because you didn’t show up for breakfast. That’s so not like you.” Oh, shit!
“Uh, yeah. Sorry about that. I should have called or texted you. I ended up eating over at Bria’s.” Dang. I swear I don’t know where my brain is lately. Oh. Yeah, guess I do. “Sorry, Ma. It won’t happen again.”
Silence.
“Honey, I’m just glad that Bria makes you happy. It’s been a long time that I’ve wondered if you’d ever meet the right girl.” She sighs. Oh, boy. “You know I’d never interfere but – I really like her. I think she’s good for you.” Silence again. Finally. “Well, I won’t keep you. Have a good day, son.”
“You too, Ma. I’ll talk to you later.”
That was kinda strange but I guess I’ve not really missed breakfast there before. Huh. I didn’t even think about going over there this morning, not when I could have breakfast with Bria. Guess there’s been a lot of firsts lately. I don’t see her car so I head over to the building and see the crews already getting everything set up for work. Brock’s bending over where he’s working and turns his head, giving me a look, and stands up then walks to meet me. “Thought you were sick this morning,” he says as he gets closer. He stops in front of me, a snarky grin on his mouth. “I was thinking maybe you’d died or something.” He play punches me on my arm and I give him my best smirk
.
“You too?” I push up my hard hat. My family. I love them but sometimes they do make me a little crazy.
He laughs. “You’ve never missed breakfast at Ma and Pops before. Like ever. Really, I was about to call the cops to go check on you.”
“You wouldn’t have come yourself?” I chuckle, loving the playfulness. Brock and I have always been close, had each other’s backs. After the fire at his and Taren’s shack, thinking I was gonna lose him, we became even closer, if that’s possible. You never know what you have in you until someone you love is in danger. I never thought twice about running into the burning shack to help him. Really scared the shit outta me though. Thought we were both done for until Caylan came in and dragged us outta there. He became part of the family instantly after that. Another brother. He taught me you don’t have to have the same blood to be brothers.
Brock puts his arm over my shoulder and play punches me in the stomach. “Seriously, bro. I’m happy for you. ‘Bout time you settled down some.” I look at him and smile. “I mean it. I like Bria a lot. She’s a great businesswoman and beautiful to boot. You’re a lucky man.”
Lucky.
I am, aren’t I? I have really everything. A great loving family, good friends, hard work, and now I have a woman that I can’t seem to get off my mind, out from under my skin. I guess I can see where Ma, Pop, Brock, Irish, and my friends are a bit surprised at this. I’ve sworn a life of being single, having any woman I want – whenever I want, as soon as I was old enough to date. I never wanted to be “tied down”, well not figuratively anyway. My mind goes off somewhere else until I feel someone smacking my arm.