Kyle: Hi. I wanted to make sure you were good.
I read the text a couple times trying to figure out exactly what Kyle meant. Was he concerned that I was freaking out about what happened? Was he worried I was upset with him for some reason? I didn’t want him to worry so I sent a reply.
Me: I’m good. Thanks for checking. And thanks for letting us all stay at your place last night.
I spent entirely too much time second-guessing and over analyzing what I had just sent. His text had been vague and so had mine. Finally, he texted a reply, which I had to read a few times.
Kyle: Any time. : )
Any time?
What in the world did he mean by that? Was that an invitation to spend more time with him? Did he want that?
Confused, I set my phone down and headed to my bathroom, deciding a nice soak in the tub would help me relax before I headed over to Marla and Jim’s for dinner. I couldn’t spend any more time thinking about Kyle. All it was going to do was cause me to start fantasizing about things that could never be. Instead, I sank down into my tub, closed my eyes, and tried to think of anything other than the tall, handsome man who had rocked my world last night.
*****
Around six, I knocked on the front door and Jim answered, greeting me warmly with a hug. “Hey, kiddo,” he said with affection in his voice.
I hugged him back without hesitation, feeling like he was the dad I’d always wanted. “Hi, Jim,” I replied, smiling big. As I walked into their home, I could immediately smell the fried chicken and mashed potatoes we were having for dinner. “How was Stella today?” I looked around but didn’t see her in the living room. But I followed Jim toward the kitchen.
“She was wonderful as always,” he said over his left shoulder. The twinkle in his eyes made me happy, because he truly loved his role as grandpa. “She seemed to enjoy the zoo, especially the monkeys.”
When I walked into the kitchen, I laughed. Stella was sitting on the island watching Marla put together a salad while holding a brand new stuffed monkey.
Jim and I shared a grin.
“Okay, she really, really liked the monkeys,” he said, and chuckled. Jim and Marla didn’t go overboard spoiling Stella. They were already helping me out enough as it was, but I did appreciate that they could give her things that would be difficult for me to do.
“That’s an awfully big salad,” I commented, looking at the bowl in front of Marla. “Is Brad joining us?”
Technically it was his visitation day but I couldn’t remember the last time he saw Stella. I had no desire to see him, but I would deal with it if he showed up.
“No, honey, he’s not coming,” she answered with a sad look in her eyes. I knew how disappointed she was in Brad. I did think she continued to hold out hope that he would eventually change his ways. “But Trent and Kyle are coming over for dinner.”
“Oh, really?” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. I wasn’t ready to come face to face with Kyle. My thoughts had been all over the place since I left his house this morning. Now I was going to have to pretend that he didn’t affect me and I was going to have to do it with the Thompsons in the same room.
As if on cue, the front door burst open and in walked the two guys I had just seen a few hours ago.
“Where’s my favorite niece?” I heard Trent yell from the doorway. When Stella was around, no one else existed in Trent’s mind. In every way that mattered, Jim and Trent completely filled the father role in Stella’s life. For me, it made the sting of Brad’s continued apathy toward his daughter just barely tolerable.
“Unky Trent!” Stella squealed.
“There she is,” he said as he rounded the corner, scooping her off the island and moving over to kiss his mother on the cheek. Then he moved to me and repeated the gesture.
Kyle greeted Trent’s parents and then turned his gaze on me. “Hello, Simone,” he said, a bit formally. He didn’t give me a hug or a kiss like Trent had but the look he gave me was smoldering.
I quickly averted my gaze. Last night was all that had been playing in my head. I had to stop those thoughts, though, or I’d be blushing all through dinner. “How was surfing?” I asked, focusing on generic conversation.
“Cold,” Trent said, giving a mock shiver. We all smiled when it made Stella giggle. “I was thinking of doing a bonfire out on the beach, but Kyle wanted to come over and crash your little party here instead.”
“Just to deliver something,” Kyle said quickly. From behind me, he placed two envelopes on the island right next to me. “Since we didn’t know we would end up seeing you last night.”
I stared at the envelopes in surprise and turned, looking at him. “You didn’t need to get me anything, but that was very sweet,” I said, ridiculously pleased at the gesture.
“Well, one of the cards is from me, y’know,” Trent said teasingly.
I grinned at him. “You’re the best,” I proclaimed, which seemed to appease his ego.
“You all ended up at the same place last night?” Jim asked, overhearing my conversation with Kyle.
“Yeah, at a club,” Trent explained.
“I hope you boys didn’t keep the girls from having a good time,” Marla admonished lightly.
“I’m pretty sure they had a good time. Didn’t you, Simone?” Kyle asked, smirking at me.
I blushed furiously and said, “Um yeah, I had a good time.” I couldn’t even look over at him afraid that I would give everything away with just one look.
“Okay, kids, the food is ready,” Marla announced as she and Jim headed to the dining room.
Trent, still holding Stella, eyed the two of us a little too long before leaving the kitchen.
Kyle looked at me and smiled, and then he held his hand out in front of him and said, “After you.”
As I passed in front of him, he placed his hand on the small of my back gently guiding me out of the kitchen. As we came into view of everyone, he removed his hand from me.
Trent had taken the seat next to Stella and was already dishing up food on her plate. That left the two seats that were next to each other for Kyle and me. He pulled out my chair for me and once I was settled, he again placed himself just inches from my left.
Dinner was quite enjoyable with everyone chatting with each other but Kyle constantly distracted me. Every time he shifted in his seat, or his leg bumped into mine, or his elbow brushed against my arm, it sent little sparks along my skin. After a few ‘accidental’ touches I looked over at him, but he never looked back at me. Instead, he stayed engaged in the conversation. I knew it was just in my head. I was putting myself on edge over nothing. Just my imagination in overdrive and it was annoying.
“Stella and I have a surprise for you,” Marla announced when we were all done eating. I was actually relieved that dinner was coming to an end. Sitting next to Kyle was becoming torturous.
“Cake!” Stella exclaimed, moving her chubby legs and arms in the air and causing all of us to laugh.
Marla stood up. “Stella helped me make a cake for your birthday. I’ll go get it.”
When Marla returned, she was carrying a double layer chocolate cake that had twenty-two candles on it. Jim quickly got up to turn off the lights and then Marla led the guys in singing to me.
“Make a wish,” Marla said.
I took a moment to look around the room before making my wish. Seeing everyone’s smiling faces made it easy for me to decide what to wish for. I wished that I would never lose this family I had come to love with every part of my heart. I smiled and then blew out my candles.
After indulging in a very large piece of chocolate goodness, I started to pack up so Stella and I could go. Leaving everyone in the living room, I ran up to the guestroom to get her favorite blanket. I found it in the crib that Jim and Marla had set up when Stella was just a newborn. When I turned to head back downstairs, I ran right into a solid brick wall. Kyle’s hands reached out and gently grasped my shoulders to steady my balance and my hands landed
on his torso, gripping his shirt. It took my brain a moment to realize it was actually a person and I looked up and met his darkening gaze.
“You startled me… I-I didn’t know you were there,” I stuttered.
“I’m sorry, I just needed to have a minute with you…” he said, his voice low and urgent. His expression was intense and the same single-minded focus I’d seen last night echoed in his eyes right now. All he saw was me.
You’re gorgeous.
He’d said that. To me! And he had meant it. Two words that had made me feel like I was the most desirable woman in the world. And while I didn’t see myself that way, I trusted Kyle to tell me the truth, a trait he practiced in his business and personal life. He’d proved that to me over the past six months.
I almost took a step back, but I was rooted to the spot. I let my hands drift off his body. He released me too, excruciatingly slow, to the point where just his fingertips danced across my skin until he was no longer touching me. I exhaled the air I’d been holding, caught up in the moment. I was anticipating his next move, wanting that light touch again. It was confusing—he was confusing—but it was also exhilarating. I’d never had this kind of attraction to someone before. Kyle’s very presence was heady.
“I needed to talk to you before you left,” he said, looking over his shoulder briefly before resuming. “I was going to try and pretend like nothing happened between us since it appeared that was what you wanted—but I can’t do that. I can’t stop thinking about last night. About you.”
I took a moment to process what he was saying. At the real possibility that Kyle wanted me, wanted to be with me and something more.
“I can’t stop thinking about it, either,” I finally said. I needed to be honest, though. “This is… complicated. I have Stella and she thinks the world of you and… it could be really confusing for her.”
He nodded, sighing. “I know that, I do…” He paused, wearing a grim expression.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Trent.”
I frowned, confused. “What?”
“Sisters are off limits. Kind of like a universal code.”
“Oh…” I said slowly. Trent was super protective. “You’ve been friends with him for over twenty years.” I bit my lower lip, all these complications multiplying. “Jim and Marla see you like another son, but I just divorced their actual son and… This could get really messy in an instant by moving too fast before everyone has gotten used to the new way of things.”
“I just thought that same thing, too,” he returned, brows furrowed.
I thought back to my conversation at lunch with Kayla and Addie. But I didn’t voice the fear that they all might think Kyle was taking advantage of me. Even though he wouldn’t be, I knew perception was just as dangerous as one’s actions. I also had no idea how Brad would react. While his opinion didn’t matter anymore, he knew how to hurt people, especially his family. And I knew he’d hate the idea of Kyle and me together. He’d lash out, just to spite us all. Why invite trouble when everything was calm and easy right now? Why risk rocking the boat, even if I wanted Kyle, and he wanted me?
Kyle was quiet for a minute and I think we were both second-guessing what he’d come in here to say. “You’re right, there are some complications but none of them are making me want to stop pursuing whatever this is between us, and I know you feel it like I do. This back and forth has been going on for months, Simone. I back off, you back off, and we tell ourselves it’s nothing or we let our fears get the better of us but last night proved our connection is real. It’s special. And it’s not going away,” he paused, cupping my jaw with his hands. “We don’t have to tell anyone right now. We could just explore things and see where they lead. I just know I want to spend more time with you and Stella. I’m hoping you want that, too.”
He gave me a whisper-soft kiss on my lips and dropped his hands from my face, waiting for my response. Everything he’d said had caught me off guard. He was right. I had spent the entire day telling myself that what we shared had been nothing more than a one-night stand. That his interest in me was purely professional, and then just as a friend. Nothing romantic, no attraction, all those quiet looks and lingering touches, his hugs and his attention, that all those signs were innocuous. Innocent. I had enjoyed the time we had spent together these last few months, but I never thought he truly felt the same. Between seeing the kind of women he dated up close and the stories I’d heard, I knew I didn’t quite meet the standards he was used to. What if I didn’t measure up? But what if everything I was afraid of risking ended up being the best decision I could ever make?
“Simone?” Kyle gently prodded and I realized I hadn’t responded to him yet.
I took a deep breath. Kyle was different from every man I’d been with, just as I was different from any woman he’d been with. “I would love that,” I said honestly. “But are you really willing to take that sort of risk on me if people find out?” I had to ask it. I wanted no regrets and I wanted us to be on the same page.
“First of all, you don’t give yourself enough credit. You are definitely worth the risk. But I think you’re worrying about something that might not even be a big deal. Jim and Marla love you. Sure, it might be weird for them to see you with someone else, it’s just because they had hoped that your relationship with Brad would have worked out. They aren’t going to be mad at you for moving on.”
He sounded so confident in the Thompsons’ reaction that I had no choice but to believe him. I smile up at him. “Okay,” I whispered, nervous and excited, so freaking happy, and really scared.
His smile lit up his whole face, like I just gave him the best present ever. “So how about having dinner with me this Wednesday?” he asked.
My mind immediately went to my daughter. “Uh, I don’t have anyone to watch Stella,” I stated, making it obvious this wasn’t going to be easy. Even without the other complications I still had Stella to think about. My priority was always going to be my daughter. I hoped Kyle could handle that and not in a theoretical way.
“In case you haven’t noticed, I like hanging out with that munchkin. She can go to dinner with us,” he said.
The smile on my face couldn’t have been any bigger. Here was a really amazing man who not only wanted to date me, but was willing to spend time with my daughter.
“That sounds great,” I responded, beaming. “I better get back downstairs. Why don’t you text me with the details?”
Just as I was about to move around him to leave, he reached out and grabbed my wrist lightly. “I can’t wait for Wednesday,” he said, his smile almost blinding me. Then he leaned down and placed a soft kiss on my lips.
He let me go and I went back to the living room so we could say our goodbyes. I drove home with the biggest grin on my face.
Chapter 12
Kyle
Mondays were usually busy for me in the office, but today was rather slow. That gave me plenty of time to think about my date with Simone that was coming up in two days.
I had spent the entire day on Saturday at war with myself over Simone. I didn’t have much experience with the whole relationship thing. And while I didn’t think she was looking for marriage right at this moment, I could guess that was her endgame. She wasn’t going to be interested in the type of relationships I usually had, which were basically occasional dates, some sex, and nothing deeper than that. But there was something about her that made me willing to try to have an actual relationship. I could not screw this up.
When I thought about why I was willing to try this with Simone, I realized it was because I trusted her. That was a big deal for me and what had held me back from pursuing other relationships. I was so afraid of having a toxic relationship like my parents that I never completely opened myself up to another person when it came to dating. But I had seen how strong Simone had become, and I knew that we could communicate and work through things together.
I was definitely looking forward to spending some time w
ith her, albeit a little apprehensive. Sure, I had seemed confident when I was trying to convince her to go out with me, but she was right when she said there would be complications regarding us seeing each other. However, unlike her, the Thompsons were the least of my worries. Simone was a mother and I knew stability for her and her daughter was of the upmost importance to her. I would be lying if I said dating a woman with a child didn’t make me a little nervous. What if I wasn’t so different from my own parents and didn’t handle the responsibility of such an important role in a child’s life very well?
But when I thought about Stella, I was excited to spend more time with her. That was a feeling I hadn’t quite expected. I hadn’t been around kids much until Trent became an uncle. He loved spending time with that little girl which resulted in me spending time with her. She was so easy-going and adorable. Keeping her entertained never felt like a chore; she was just fun.
As I sat staring out my office window, I heard a quiet knock on my door. I spun around in my chair to see Addie standing in the doorway.
I picked up my pen to give the impression that I was actually working. “Hey, sis, what’s up?” I asked.
“I was going to ask you the same thing. I’ve walked by your door three times now and each time you were just staring out into space. Something on your mind?” she asked.
Addie knew how to read me. Trent, Ian, and Erik may have been my best friends, but she was the one person who knew me better than anybody. I don’t think either of us would be the people we were today if it wasn’t for the love and support of each other.
That was why Addie’s reaction to what I was about to tell her mattered so much to me. I knew Simone and I had talked about keeping this to ourselves for now. I just couldn’t hide anything from my sister.
“Yeah, I’ve got a bit on my mind,” I said.
Falling for the Unexpected (Life Unexpected Book 1) Page 19