“Without a doubt. Take all the time you want, pretty lady. And no matter what happens tomorrow or next week or next month, I’m glad I met you.” He smiled and got a smile in return.
<><><>
Sitting in the porch swing after supper, Chloe enjoyed the cool evening breeze, even when it made her shiver. Kyle put his arm around her shoulders, sharing his warmth, along with a feeling of protection and safety. If only her feet weren’t turning to chunks of ice. Tomorrow, she’d have to buy some thick socks!
Other “nesters” wandered in and out, but eventually, Chloe and Kyle had the porch to themselves. Night creatures serenaded them as, one by one, lights blinked off all over town and the residents of Ouray settled into sleep. Stars winked above, friendly and familiar.
Kyle remembered wondering when he’d have someone to share the stars with him and felt a wave of gratitude for Chloe beside him, content to let conversation lag in favor of comfortable silence.
A yawn caught her off guard. “Excuse me. I guess I’m ready to call it a day.”
“A good day.” One of the best he could remember.
“Yes. Thanks again for inviting me here.”
“My pleasure.” Truly. “What time will you be ready to tour in the morning?”
“How about ten? After all the driving I’ve done, some extra sleep would be heavenly.”
“Ten it is. Byrdie serves breakfast between six and eight, but I’ll get her to save you a biscuit or two.”
“Thanks.” She pushed out of the swing and went to the door, wondering if Kyle would follow. When he didn’t, she glanced back.
“Aren’t you coming in?”
“Not yet. I promised, remember?”
“So you did.”
Upstairs, she completed her nightly ritual in record time, then eased between the sheets with another shiver, pulling her feet up into her gown for warmth. The comforter and quilts soon warmed her perfectly—even her feet!—and she eased into sleep with a sigh and a smile.
<><><>
Kyle sat on the porch another half hour, letting his mind wander. He had to decide whether or not to pursue a relationship with Chloe—serious pursuit, instead of friendship only. He knew better than to expect her to fall in love with him over the weekend, but he knew how his feelings for her had escalated in the short time they’d spent together. Being with her made him happy. But that wasn’t love.
Was Chloe Llewellyn a woman he might want to spend his life with? A smile spread across his face when he thought about the answer.
Chapter 7
Chloe didn’t open her eyes the next morning until eight-thirty. She stretched, but didn’t hurry to get up, knowing Kyle wouldn’t expect her to make an appearance until ten. After having a shower, she chose a pair of jeans, a pink long-sleeved knit shirt, and tennis shoes and went downstairs at nine-thirty.
She followed the sounds of furniture being moved, coming from the bedroom at the back of the house on the ground floor, and found Kyle shoving a four-poster bed against a wall.
“Good morning!”
“Chloe! Rescue me! This woman will have me moving the house to another block if I don’t escape soon!”
Byrdie swatted Kyle with a cup towel she had draped over one arm. “He makes me sound like the Wicked Witch of the West. I’ll bet you’re starved, Chloe. I’ll fix your breakfast.” Byrdie glanced quickly around the room. “I’ve been wanting that bed moved to that other wall for weeks. Thanks, sweetie. That’ll do for now.”
“For now?” Kyle groaned.
“I could wait for lunch, Byrdie. I hate to put you to so much trouble.”
“No trouble at all. Kyle told me you’d be sleeping late this morning. Feeling rested?”
“Wonderfully.” Her stomach growled. “Oh dear, excuse me.”
“Music to the cook’s ears. Kitchen in five minutes.”
Kyle straightened the pillows on the heavy bed, then stood for a moment, eyeing her appreciatively. “You look beautiful this morning, and I don’t have to ask if you slept well. I can tell you did.”
“Thank you, kind sir. Sit with me?”
“Nowhere else I’d rather be than Byrdie’s kitchen. I might just have another biscuit or two myself.”
After bacon, eggs, scratch biscuits, homemade wild plum jelly and fresh fruit, they walked toward town. Kyle credited his ability to eat a second breakfast to brisk mountain air and Byrdie’s being such a great cook, and promised he’d be hungry again by lunchtime.
“I’m afraid I’ll be eating cottage cheese and pears for the rest of my life if I stay here too long,” Chloe told him.
He hesitated. “Does that mean you’ve decided not to settle in Ouray?”
She let the idea settle a moment before answering. “I’m not sure yet. If not Ouray, then somewhere else in the mountains. I can’t imagine a more peaceful place on earth, though, than right here.”
“You’ve got that right.” He tried to analyze his reaction to Chloe’s statement. Thinking about her leaving Ouray bothered him.
“What have you been doing since your first breakfast this morning? Moving furniture all that time?”
“Nope. I help Byrdie with her bookkeeping once a month. She’s terrible with numbers. She roped me into the job two years ago. Gives me an excuse to get by here once a month.”
Kyle reached for her hand. She adjusted her gait to match his, loving the feel of his hand in hers. Greg always had his briefcase in one hand and his phone in the other, talking endlessly to someone other than her. He hadn’t always been so stiff and stuffy, though. Back when they were dating in high school, he held her hand all the time. She tried to remember when he’d stopped.
Kyle squeezed her fingers. “Hey, it’s me, remember?”
She jolted out of her thoughts. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t listening, was I?” She glanced up at him, feeling guilty for being caught, once again. “I was thinking about something that happened a long time ago.”
“Houston, right?”
She nodded.
“I know you’re going to make comparisons. That’s normal. I don’t mind it too much, unless I’m coming out on the short end of the stick.”
“In this instance, you came out on top.”
“That’s what I like to hear. Was it something to do with this?” He squeezed her hand.
She nodded. “Greg used to hold my hand a lot when we were in high school. But, through the years …”
“If it bothers you—“
“Not at all. In fact, I like it.”
“I’m glad.”
“You’re being so sweet, Kyle, I know you’re expecting more than I can give right now.”
“The key words in that sentence are ‘right now.’ Just enjoy, okay? Enjoy Ouray, the weather, the fun stuff we’re going to do. And try to enjoy being with me.”
He looked at her so wistfully, it brought tears to her eyes.
“That’s the part I enjoy the most.”
“Good.” He kissed the back of her hand, wishing he could kiss her lips instead.
Several hours later, having traipsed over half the downtown area, in and out of shops, meeting a dozen of his friends, she and Kyle sat eye to eye, nose to nose, lips pursed around two straws jutting from a chocolate soda. A loud gurgle erupted from the bottom of the glass.
“I haven’t had an ice cream soda in years.” She reached for a napkin to dab at her mouth, but Kyle caught her hand, pulled her closer, said, “Allow me,” then proceeded to kiss the chocolate from her lips.
“Now, Kyle—“
“Now? We’re right smack dab downtown, but if you insist.”
He nibbled at her lips, making her want to nibble back. Desire flooded through her, but she leaned back, just out of reach. “I’m sorry—“
“It’s all right. We’re just having fun, remember? Taking your mind off troubles. But forget that part about me treating you like my sister.”
Time to get moving again.
“We haven’t seen the ot
her end of town.”
“We’ll see it before the weekend is over. There are a lot of romantic places in Ouray I want to show you.”
“I’m sure you know all the romantic spots,” she teased, casting about for a new subject. “Tell me about your sister.”
“I don’t have a sister.”
“But you just said—“
“I did, didn’t I? Cindy. Sort of my sister. We’ll see her at the Festival.”
She stared at him for a minute, trying to figure out what he was talking about. When his smile reappeared, she felt better. This relationship sometimes felt like a walk through quicksand. Running away meant sinking over her head in a hurry. But, standing still only prolonged the inevitable. The only way to stay on top seemed to be to hang onto Kyle until she could get her feet on solid ground again.
“This one’s worth a quarter. I can see those wheels turning faster and faster.”
“Quicksand.” She laughed at the funny face he made, but didn’t try to explain.
Back at the Nest, she begged for an hour to rest. She had to get her priorities identified and back in order. She kicked off her shoes, pulled on the thick socks she’d bought, then stretched out on the bed. When she closed her eyes, she found Greg lurking in the darkness. With Kyle.
She gave in and studied them both carefully, listing good and bad qualities. Greg seemed heavy on the bad side, while she couldn’t think of a single bad thing about Kyle. He couldn’t be perfect. In time, she’d discover little idiosyncrasies that drove her crazy. He just hadn’t shown her any of them yet. She tried to be more objective.
Greg’s smile had been as free and easy as Kyle’s, years ago. Lately, tight and sometimes forced, Greg’s smile revealed the pressure and turmoil dominating his thoughts. Business had become his whole life. Well, not his whole life.
Chloe had repeatedly avoided thinking about Ellen, but she’d witnessed his deception. She took a deep breath. She had to take part of the blame for Greg’s wandering. He needed more than she could give. He needed someone with the same drive he had for making money and moving up the corporate ladder. He had no time for silly hobbies or vacations.
Then, there was Kyle. She knew his smile, as open and unfettered as a mountain breeze, hadn’t always been so easy to find. She detected deep sadness in him at times, hiding behind the laughter and clowning, tugging at his thoughts. Their having experienced the same pain gave each of them a special ability to understand what the other was feeling.
She already loved his sappy grin and playful eyes. But, even more, she longed to delve into the serious side she’d glimpsed only a couple of times. She knew one thing for sure. If she stayed here too much longer, she wouldn’t be able to resist his boyish charm, those long, liquid stares, and his offer of sweet kisses.
At times, she felt as though she were sinking, with no clear way of bobbing to the surface again. If only she could find a lifeline, before she bogged down. If that lifeline was Kyle, she’d soon feel comfortable reaching for him, and she knew what would happen when she did.
<><><>
Smothered steak, broccoli and rice casserole, cornbread and several other delectable dishes filled the Susans at supper. Chloe’s appetite had come back in force. She’d have to do a lot of walking to burn off so many calories.
After supper, sitting in the porch swing, Chloe thought about her first full day in Ouray and how many fond memories she’d collected in such a short time. As a memento of her first visit to the city, Kyle had given her a piece of handmade pottery, made only in Ouray. The slender necked pitcher had been imprinted with Aspen leaves, then glazed with red orange and dark brown on a malt background. It was the epitome of grace, beauty and artistic excellence.
Kyle said the slender, graceful handle reminded him of her—dainty and curved just right.
Chloe felt totally peaceful and happy after their wonderful day together. Swinging gently, Kyle’s arm around her shoulders felt exactly right. She couldn’t remember ever sitting this way with Greg. He’d never had time to “waste,” sitting and swinging, when there was work to be done.
“A bright shiny dime for your thoughts.” Kyle tickled her ear with his nose, then kissed her earlobe. What’s on that pretty mind of yours this time?” He kissed the back of her hand, then the palm, then the tip of each finger.
She shivered, but not from the cold. “You haven’t had a chance to see what’s in my mind yet. How do you know it’s pretty?” Thinking straight was increasingly difficult with him nibbling on her fingers.
“Everything about you is pretty, Chloe. Your hair, your eyes, your hands, your lips—”
She dodged another kiss. “Your memory is awfully short.”
“Guilty as charged. I throw myself on the mercy of the court. Are you going to tell me what you’re thinking or not?”
If she mentioned Greg now, the evening’s magic would shatter. She wondered how she could think of Greg at all, after the lovely day she and Kyle had shared.
“My mind’s a perfect blank. Let’s just sit and enjoy, all right?”
He let out a long sigh. “Houston again, am I right?”
“You brought it up. I didn’t.”
“Since I’ve tried to forget about him, I guess I keep expecting you to do the same.”
She decided to be honest. “He’s been part of my life too many years to simply forget about him in a week’s time. You have to remember, Greg and I loved each other once, but things changed. I’m scared to death I’ll make the same mistake again.”
Kyle perked up when he heard that. He knew she was attracted to him, but he had no idea she’d come far enough to actually think of him in terms of a successor to her heart. “I’m not Greg, Chloe. I might have been a workaholic once, just like him, but from what you’ve told me, our personalities are completely different. I hated working that hard. All I ever thought about was getting out of the rat race and back to the mountains.”
She ran her fingers along his jaw, over his lips—he kissed them as she trailed across—then back again. “Still, though, in many ways you’re the same. Years ago, Greg laughed easily, the way you do now, but time—and the pressure of promotion after promotion—changed him.”
“I’ll never have a job like that again.”
“I understand. But if—and you understand, this is only hypothetical—if you and I were to fall in love, I wouldn’t be happy sitting home alone while you ran all over the country.”
“Trucking was a great way to run away, but I’m tired of running. I’ve known for months I’m ready to settle in one spot. I just haven’t had a reason to do it.” Until now, he thought. If she’d just ask him to stay— “So what would you do instead?”
Kyle didn’t answer right away.
“See? You’d have to have a job, and there’s no guarantee it wouldn’t monopolize your time to the point everything else would be second on your list. I can’t take that chance, Kyle. I have to be certain I won’t be left alone again. I deserve more.”
“You bet your life you do. I know how you feel. I just hadn’t thought about what I’d do after trucking, because there wasn’t a good reason to quit. I could go back to being a CPA, but not in a big city.”
“The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But I have to think this way when I start thinking about a relationship that might be worth keeping.”
“Am I getting close?”
“More than close. In fact, you scare me a little. You seem too perfect.”
“Me? I guess you don’t know me that well after all.” He shook his head. “Perfect is the last word to describe me.”
“We need to know each other better. I’m not perfect, either. A month from now, we might drive each other crazy.”
“I can’t imagine that ever happening, but you’re right.” He trailed his fingers over her face. “Kiss me, Chloe?”
She didn’t have to think long to answer that. “All right, as long as you remember that a kiss isn’t a commitment.”
“Deal.” He pulled her closer, until he could feel her heart beating, kissed her closed eyelids first, then each cheek, before touching her lips with his.
Feeling his breath on her skin, Chloe relaxed and enjoyed the sensations elicited by the kiss. She wanted this so much. She tried to think only about him, about how soft his skin was next to hers, how warm, about his hand caressing her face as his mouth moved over hers. She moved her hand to the nape of his neck and heard him groan with pleasure when she touched him.
His tongue swirled over her lips, then pushed between them. She trembled, and pulled him closer, her tongue playing with his, loving the swirls of desire turning her resolve to mist.
“Take your hands off her!”
Still intoxicated by the kiss, Chloe stared at the man standing in the yard.
“Greg—”
Kyle stood and faced Greg Reynolds. “She doesn’t want to see you or talk to you. Just head right back out of town the same way you came in.”
“Chloe belongs to me. You stay out of it.” Greg’s lips tensed into a straight line. He took one step closer to the porch.
Kyle’s hands clenched into tight fists. “Belongs? Like a piece of luggage? No wonder she left you.”
“I didn’t come here to argue with you about it. If I ever see you touch her again, I’ll—”
Chloe stepped between them. “Stop it! You’re talking about me as though I weren’t here. But I am here! And I don’t belong to either of you.”
“Chloe, we have to talk.” Greg reached for her arm.
She backed away. “No.” Escape. She had to escape.
“I love you, Chloe.” Greg moved closer, but she backed further away.
“Don’t you get the message, Houston? You aren’t welcome here. So hit the road.”
“And leave her here with you? I don’t think so.”
“Stop it!” She staggered, feeling almost faint, her heart pounding. She reached for the door just as Greg strode onto the porch to intercept her.
“Chloe, you can’t abandon our dreams.”
Byrdie came out on the porch, her face red with anger. “I don’t have any vacancies. You’ll have to go somewhere else.” She took Chloe’s hand.
Kiss Me, Chloe Page 6