I liked that look on her, especially in response to seeing me.
“Hey,” I greeted.
“Hi, how are you?”
“Great.” Even better now that I’d seen her, although she didn’t need to know that. Not yet, anyway. “You almost done here?”
Serena nodded.
“Yeah, I just met with Sadie, and she suggested I go inside to meet the others, and then I’m free to go. You?”
“Yeah, I already met everyone, except Sadie, although I saw her … I’m off until noon tomorrow.”
“Me, too. Which is good, cause I can go get stuff done at the gallery.”
“I heard about Reardon and Chloe, congrats on being … well, I guess not an aunt, more of a second cousin?” I said, unsure of how that all worked out. “Anyway, congrats on another baby in the family.”
Serena smiled. “Thanks. He’s so small and cute. Have you seen him yet?”
I shook my head.
“Not yet. I always think hospitals are for the family. I’ll wait until they’re home, then stop by to congratulate the new parents and see little Skywalker.”
Serena laughed, and I really enjoyed the sound, and the look of laughter on her. She looked lighter, somehow, and looser than her usual ultra-composed self.
“You heard about that, huh?”
“Yeah, I gotta hand it to him, he’s really committed to his fandom,” I said with a chuckle. Then, unthinkingly, my hand raised to her face, and I ran my thumb gently across her cheek. I barely registered how silky soft her skin was, before I realized what I was doing and lowered my hand.
I didn’t apologize, not only because I wasn’t sorry, but because her lids had lowered and her breath had caught, and the ways she was looking up at me really made me want to kiss her.
“I know you have to work, but what do you say I bring dinner by the gallery,” I suggested, needing to see her again. “I promise to bring whatever you want, and not to stay long, just long enough to make sure you’ve gotten your nourishment for the evening.”
Serena nodded slowly, still dazed from my touch.
“I’d like that,” she murmured.
“Perfect, text me what you want, and I’ll bring it by. Say, six o’clock?”
“Sounds good,” Serena replied, and I gave her one last grin before moving past her to leave and go to my truck, a little happier than I’d been before I’d almost bumped into her.
“Great, see you then.”
“Bye,” she said softly, and I swear, I saw her gaze flit to my ass before she blushed and turned to go in the house.
Chapter Fifteen
Serena
Something about Jed made me giddy, and I’d never felt that way before. It was a young, girlish feeling, and as I rounded the corner with a small smile playing on my lips, I realized I actually really liked it.
It felt like the promise of something more.
I walked through the house, looking around and smiling at the people I passed, excited about … everything. Working on this house, opening the gallery, being back home, and, if I was honest with myself, seeing Jed again for dinner.
Life was going exactly as I’d hoped it would when I decided to finally move back to Cherry Springs.
I was floating on a cloud, content and happy, which was why I was caught unaware and totally unprepared for what happened next.
“Oh. My. God. If it isn’t little miss ‘too good for anyone else’ Serena, the teeny-tiny bean.”
I froze. Dozens of memories flooding me all at once as that voice triggered dread, misery, and, yes, a little bit of fear.
I spun slowly toward the sound of my childhood nemesis, my armor clinking into place with each movement, so by the time I was facing Kylie, all proof of my earlier excitement was gone, replaced by my mask of indifference.
I arched an eyebrow, crossed my arms over my chest, and looked at the blonde nightmare without saying a word.
“Whatever are you doing here … on my show?” Kylie asked, her beautiful face ugly with her sneer.
I mentally kicked myself for not watching a few episodes of Fix it Up before agreeing to work on it. Although, I’d never in a million years imagined that Kylie would have anything to do with it.
I’d hoped to go the rest of my life without ever bumping in to her again. Now, it looked like I’d be stuck with her for the next week.
“Ah, Serena, I see you’ve met Kylie, our host. Sadie told me she sent you in to meet everyone,” the producer said as he walked up to us.
The change in Kylie would have been comical, if she wasn’t the devil in disguise.
Her eyes brightened and her smile turned from brittle to dazzling. She instantly went from bitchy to flirty in one point five seconds.
I’m almost impressed.
“Dale,” she cooed. “How’s the most handsome producer this side of Hollywood?”
Dale chuckled and said, “You flatter me, Kylie.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, Serena, why don’t I take you to see the last few people, and then we’ll set you free until tomorrow?”
“Sounds good,” I replied lightly, then looked at Kylie and lied. “Nice to see you.”
“Likewise,” Kylie replied, with just enough bite for me to know I needed to avoid her as much as possible during my time on Fix it Up.
I finished up, then got into my car with a sigh of relief and turned it toward Main Street, all of my earlier lightness gone, replaced by a cement-like weight in my stomach. Out of all the people in the world I could run into, why did it have to be her?
I opened the gallery and got right to work, losing myself in the task. The construction and renovations were complete, so it was time for my favorite part, decorating and placing the pieces where I wanted them to go. Opening night was just two weeks away, and there was still so much to be done.
Laurel’s company, Party with Laurel, was taking care of the hors d’oeuvre, beverages, and basic catering for the event. The wait staff would be in black and white, and the only decoration needed were the pieces on display.
But first, I needed to figure out how I wanted to display them.
Mr. Tyson, the silent owner of the gallery, and the man who hired me, had given me carte blanche to open the gallery as I saw fit. He gave absolutely no input and trusted me to do it all myself, which was somewhat intimidating, while at the same time empowering.
I’d never even met the man. I’d been recruited from my old gallery and interviewed by his assistant. I wanted the position, and the opportunity to move back home so badly that I’d never even questioned it. At least not out loud. But there were times, like now, when I looked around the space and wondered why such a man would put so much faith in a woman he’d never even met.
And, sometimes, I wondered if he was involved in something illegal and kept me out of his dealings for my safety, but that was probably just my active imagination talking.
By the time I’d organized my office and gotten most of the boxes unpacked, I’d almost forgotten about Kylie and her unwelcome reappearance in my life. That’s when I heard a commotion out front and then a knock on the gallery door.
I dusted off my hands and crossed the gallery floor to get to the door. I could see Jed and Dillon standing out front. Curious, I opened the door with a smile, then looked down and saw they’d brought the river table, and my heart fluttered with joy.
“Oh, it’s even more beautiful than I remembered. Bring it in and put it right over there by the wall, I want it to be the first thing people see when they walk in,” I said, stepping aside and pointing to where I wanted it.
“Hello to you too,” Dillon said with a chuckle. “Sheesh, it’s like we’re invisible.”
“Sorry,” I said with a laugh, stepping over to give my cousin a kiss on the cheek. “Hi.”
He shook his head and looked to Jed. “Should we lift this beast before my back goes out?”
Once they had it in place, I stood there, admiring the table and trying to decide if that was definitely where I wanted it.
I paced the floor, looking around the room, then back at the table, then walked around the table, looking at it from all angles.
“She’ll be at that for a while,” Dillon said fondly, then put his hand on my arm to get my attention. “Rena, we can’t stay, we’re making more deliveries, but Laurel wanted me to tell you she’s finalized the plans for the opening and will be contacting you. And, that you need to come over for dinner one night, rather than working yourself to the bone.”
“I will, promise,” I assured him, then looked to Jed. “Thanks so much for bringing this by. It’s perfect.”
Jed gave me that grin that had recently started making my knees go weak and said, “No problem.”
I walked the guys to the door, thanked them again, and was about to close it when Jed said, “Still waiting on your text for your dinner preference. I’ll be back in about an hour and a half.”
Oh, shoot, I’d forgotten all about texting him.
“Sorry, does Chinese sound okay?” I asked, thinking it was best for me to just tell him, because I’d probably forget to text once I got back to work.
“What do ya like?” he asked.
“Beef and broccoli, kung pao chicken, fried rice … oh, and don’t forget the egg roll. Or the chopsticks.”
“You got it,” Jed said easily.
As I shut the door, I heard Dillon ask, “You’re bringing Rena dinner?” then I shut the door soundly before he could ask me any questions or start teasing me.
As I walked back inside, I almost felt bad for Jed. I looked at the river table, and as inspiration struck, I forgot all about dinner, Jed, and Dillon, and got back to work.
Chapter Sixteen
Jed
I finished up my deliveries, said goodbye to Dillon, grabbed a couple of things from my house, then I was ready to pick up Chinese and go meet Serena for dinner.
Dillon had given me shit about taking food back for his cousin, but when I told him it was our first unofficial date, he looked at me curiously and backed off. I wasn’t sure if he had an opinion on my dating Serena, but I didn’t really care.
At this point, I was just trying to scratch the surface and see if there was more to her than I’d first thought, and I wanted to know more about this chemistry we seemed to have.
I figured Serena and I had to see how we felt about each other first, before her family’s opinions would be a factor. Still, I would treat her with the respect she deserved, for her, and for her cousins, who I liked and respected. But that was as far as their input went.
I parked in front of the gallery, gathered what I needed, and went to the door. When Serena didn’t answer after a few moments, I knocked again, then opened the door and peeked inside.
“Hello?” I called when I saw the foyer was empty, except for my table, which I had to admit looked pretty damn good.
“Hello?” Serena called back, her tone distracted, then she seemed to remember me and added, “Oh, yeah, Jed, come on back.”
I tried not to let that deflate my ego and shut the door behind me as I let myself inside.
Since she was obviously still busy, I found a spot that was cleared and laid out the blanket I brought. I dropped my keys on the blanket and pulled the Chinese food containers out of the bags and set them out, then opened the bottle of wine I’d brought to let it breath. Finally, I pulled out the paper plates, plastic cups, napkins, and chopsticks I’d brought, then I got up and went to search for Serena.
I walked through the gallery. Everything was out and unpacked, but not yet showcased on the wall or wherever else these things would be showcased. The room was bright, clean, and very, very white. When I didn’t see Rena in the open room, I walked down the hall toward a series of doors, one of which was open. That’s the one I went to.
She was in a pristine and well-organized office, which almost looked out of place considering the chaos of the rest of the gallery. She was at the computer, tapping a pencil on her chin as she looked at the screen.
“Hey,” I said quietly, so as not to startle her.
Serena stopped tapping her chin and held the pencil up, as if to say, give me a minute, so I waited.
Once she finished what she’d been doing, she turned her face toward me and smiled.
“Hi, sorry about that, I just needed to get that down before I forgot.”
She rose from her chair and rounded the desk. She looked a little dusty, rumpled, and unlike her usually composed self, and I had no choice but to kiss her. She was just too adorable.
Before Serena could say anything else, I reached out and grabbed her hand, pulling her toward me until her small body was flush against mine. Her lips parted in surprise, which totally worked in my favor, as I lowered my head and brushed my lips against hers.
At first, she didn’t move, then her hands found my chest and she gripped my shirt there, as she tilted her head and I knew she was all in. I brought my hands to her waist, so they wouldn’t roam of their own free will, and happily took all that she offered.
It was hot and wet, the kind of kiss that swept you away, and if you weren’t careful, would leave you shipwrecked with no hope of rescue.
Her lips were soft and pliant beneath mine, and the little noises she was making caused the blood to surge through me and my body to heat. I deepened the kiss, needing more, even though I knew I had to stop soon before I took things farther than I’d meant.
When we were both breathless, I pulled back, keeping her body against mine, and looked down into her face. Cheeks heated and eyes lazy, she was impossibly gorgeous. The need to take her on her desk was great, but I kept my urges in check and squeezed her flesh softly beneath my palms.
“Hungry?” I asked, trying to catch my breath.
Her big brown eyes caught mine, and I saw her lips hitch up as she replied, “Starved,” and I knew she wasn’t talking about Chinese.
With a groan I pushed her firmly away from me and ran my hands through my hair.
“Then let’s eat,” I said roughly, ignoring her invitation.
I saw disappointment flicker across her face, before she smiled easily and nodded.
Taking her hand in mine, I led her out of the office and down the hall, to the makeshift picnic I’d made in the center of her gallery.
“What’s all this?” Serena asked, stopping at the edge of the blanket to look up at me with an expression that looked a lot like wonder.
That innocent look tugged at something within me, and I ran my thumb gently over her hand as I answered, “Dinner.”
“It’s lovely,” she said.
“You’re lovely,” I replied, then, unable to help myself, I pulled her in for another kiss.
Once her lips were swollen and her breathing was heavy, I lifted my head from hers and gestured for her to sit.
We lowered ourselves to the blanket and I picked up the wine and began to pour. I handed Serena the first glass, then poured my own.
“Thank you,” she said softly.
“You’re welcome,” I replied. “I hope you like red.”
“I do,” Serena said, then added, “But I mean for all of it. This is really sweet of you, and I have to say, it really makes me want to kiss you again.” Her voice lowered on that last bit, as if she were a little shy.
I bit back a growl at her statement, and another glimpse of her vulnerability and said, “So, what do you say we eat up and then make out on the blanket.”
Serena laughed and flushed prettily, before saying, “Sounds like a plan to me.”
Chapter Seventeen
Serena
Is this guy for real? Is he really the same sweaty annoying neighbor I met all those weeks ago?
It didn’t seem possible.
When he’d kissed me, I’d been shocked, surprised by our chemistry, but when I saw the floor picnic, I’d been completely swept off my feet.
No one had ever done anything like that for me before, and I was finding that I liked Jed more each time I was with him. He was definitely growing on m
e, and if his kisses were any indication, he was starting to like me as well.
“The place looks great,” Jed said. He was laying back, legs stretched out in front of him, propped up on his elbows, as he looked around the gallery and munched on an eggroll.
“Thanks,” I replied as I followed his gaze. “It’s not where I want it to be, but I can see it all starting to come together.” I leaned forward and plucked some broccoli up with my chopsticks. “This is really good.”
We sat there quietly for a while, eating and looking around the space. I’m not sure what Jed was thinking about, but I was mentally decorating, designing, and feeling out the space. It was nice to be able sit with someone and just be. No awkward silence, or need to fill it with small talk, just a lovely meal with a very handsome, very kissable man.
Once I’d eaten my fill, I downed the rest of my wine and crawled across the blanket to where Jed was sitting. He watched me, his eyes knowing and filled with mischief, as I took in his bright-blue eyes and the stubble on his chin that had darkened as the day grew longer.
God, had I ever really thought he wasn’t all that? Cause right in that moment, I was really, really feeling his dark good looks.
Jed’s lips turned up in a sexy smirk as I straddled him.
I placed my hands on his chest, enjoying the hard feel of his pecs, before moving them up and over his shoulders. I tilted my head and looked down at him.
“Didn’t you say something about making out?” I asked, momentarily hoping I didn’t have soy sauce breath, then thought … at least we’ll match, and went for it.
Our eyes were locked on each other as I lowered my mouth to his parted lips, but at the first taste of his soft upper lip, mine fluttered shut and I allowed myself to just feel.
We kissed until our lips were swollen and soft, our moans and whimpers filling the open space as I memorized every inch of him. The way his tongue felt against mine, the bulk of his shoulders under my palms, and the hard length of him pressed against my stomach.
Too Enchanting Page 6