“I dinna have a—”
“Shit… I’m not on anything either.” I closed my eyes, mentally assessing the risk…
Kirby slid to the side, no longer on top, but beside me… of all the rotten luck.
I shot up, turning to Kirby. “Wait. Hold on.” I slipped from bed and rushed to my purse, finding my “emergency kit” from Roxi. I brought it back to the bed as Kirby watched me with both a both hopeful and curious expression.
“Do I dare ask?”
I tugged on the zipper. ”Roxi gave me this ‘emergency kit’ but knowing Roxi, it won’t just be band aids.” I tugged on the zipper harder.
“Let me help, you’re going to break it.” Kirby reached out his hand, waiting.
I handed the red leather pouch to him and sat down.
“When did she give this to you?” he asked as he slowly maneuvered the zipper so that it started to move.
“The day I left for here.”
“Hmm.” The zipper stopped moving, snagging on something else.
Kirby growled. “Are you attached to this bag?”
“No.”
“Good.” He slipped his fingers through the small hole the zipper had allowed and broke the bag open.
And like a piñata, it burst open with condoms rather than candy.
“Holy shit.” Kirby whistled as condoms of every shape and size littered the bed.
“Uh… I think we’re good?” I blinked as I picked one up. “I don’t even want to know…”
“Just what was she sending you over here to do again?” he asked, his brow understandably furrowed.
“Apparently she thought I’d sleep my way through Scotland. Lovely.”
Kirby chuckled. “Or maybe she knew you’d fall for me.”
“Or maybe she knew you’d need a little help,” I shot back with a grin.
“Merry?” Kirby picked one up.
“Yeah?” I watched as he tore it open.
”Stop talking.” He guided me onto my back and kissed down my neck, pausing at my collarbone and nipping at it playfully. I shivered with both desire and a little chill. His body covered me, searing me with passion and heat as his lips traveled lower, causing me to arch against him.
But this time, rather than pull away, he moved forward.
He broke the kiss and watched my eyes as we slowly became one. I bit my lip with desire as he moved, filling me. I pressed against him, needing more, but also wanting to prologue the pleasure — not wanting it to end. Because this was more than just sex.
This was making love.
This wasn’t a one-night stand… it wasn’t a drunk decision.
It was a choice… and I knew he meant it when he said he wasn’t giving me back.
I wasn’t giving him back either.
This… was knowing.
This was an act of… love.
His weight was erotic, every line of his body pressing into mine, marking it. He captured my lips, arching into me, his shoulders bunched with tension as he continued the rhythm, my hands trailing up and down, biting into his skin as I couldn’t hold back any longer.
Kirby met me, shuddering against me as we both lost the final shred of control. My heart pounded wildly against my chest… against his chest. I could feel the race of his pulse against his neck as he rested against me, his whole body warm and still rigid from our passionate lovemaking.
He slowly rose up on his arm and, with his other hand, moved a strand of hair behind my ear. Deliberately, he bent down and kissed me, sweetly… longingly. Almost so faint I just about missed it, he whispered against my lips. “Mine.”
I leaned forward, capturing his lips, returning the kiss. “Mine too.”
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
“TOLD YOU YOU’D know if I bedded ye.”
I chuckled and pulled the sheets up a bit, covering the blush I knew was splashed all over my face from just thinking over the last night. So much had changed. I mean, the night before I woke up beside him scared that I’d slept with him… now, here I was, wondering if I could ever wake up without him beside me.
“Merry… dinna be embarrassed. This doesn’t change anything.” Kirby rolled over.
My stomach sank, along with my heart. I pulled the sheets back. “What do you mean?”
“No, no… not that.” His expression took on a slightly panicked look before he quickly reached over and pulled me in close against his gloriously naked body so that I was in a cocoon of warmth.
“You going to elaborate?”
“Impatient.”
“Yes, we’ve covered this.”
“What I mean… is that this, you and I. Who we are… how we react to one another, how we’ll fight and argue and bicker and call each other names… that’s part of what makes us… us. That’s not going to change. Just because I slept with ye, doesn’t change the friendship we had first.”
I blinked, trying to follow yet really… all I could think about was how hot he looked in the morning, and how I really hoped he loved me even just a fraction of how much I loved him…
I stopped that thought cold in its tracks.
Love? Thankfully, Kirby kept talking and distracted me enough to push the realization to the back of my mind… for the moment.
“What I’m saying is… I’ll still be a pain in your ass… but I’m your ass.”
“That… that I understand.” I giggled, pulling him in close. “Kirby?”
“Hmm?” He asked as he nuzzled my neck and lower.
“Can’t think when you do that.”
“Good.”
“I’m really glad you’re my ass.”
“I know… I’d have to say my plan worked quite well.”
“Wait… what do you mean?”
“Lass… what do you think I’ve been doing this past week or so?”
“Irritating me?”
He patted me on the head. “I was getting in your head… so that I could get in your heart. Maybe unconventional, but remember, Merry, I know you. I knew it would work. And it did.”
“So you’re saying…” I bit back a giggle. “I had you at hello?”
“No. And never quote that again.” He rolled his eyes. “But you did have me at the airport.” He leaned forward and nipped me on the earlobe. “Merry… you’ve had me since seventh grade,” he whispered, pausing.
“What?” I froze.
“Seventh grade.”
“But… but you hated me.” I rose up on one arm, watching in rapt awe.
“Here’s another quote for you: ‘A thin line between love and hate.’”
“So all those pranks…”
“Were just immature… see? I perfected my game.”
“Holy shit.”
He started to chuckle.
“I can’t believe it.”
“Why?” He shrugged and pulled me down from my elbow so I was nestled in bed with him.
“Because… it actually worked…” I blinked.
“Of course it did,” he boasted. “You shouldn’t be surprised.”
“I know but…”
“Merry?”
“Yeah?”
“Shut up.” He rolled over on top of me and kissed me into silence.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
“IOU — BREAKFAST IN BED.”
Kirby’s voice broke through my blissful state.
“Say what?” I asked, blowing my hair from my face and narrowing my eyes. I was so comfortable… just resting in the crook of his arm. The bed was soft and welcoming.
“My IOU… the first one that is. I’m cashing it in. I want breakfast in bed.” He rolled onto his side, a lazy grin on his face, beautiful enough to distract me from the hard planes of his chest.
“Now?” I asked with a disbelieving tone.
“That would be preferable.” He rolled onto his back and folded his hands behind his head, completely at ease.
“It’s a Saturday! Something about this feels wrong,” I grumbled and rolled out of bed.
�
��As I see it, I did plenty of work last night… and this morning mind you.”
Rolling my eyes I leaned down for my clothes, but blushed furiously because well… he did have a point.
“Ah, ah, ah. Nope. Naked,” Kirby called from the bed.
I paused with my jeans and shirt in hand. I opened my mouth then shut it. Okay, challenge accepted. “Fine, but you have to watch and keep your hands to yourself the entire time.” I placed my hands on my hips.
His eyes narrowed, then smoldered as his gaze raked across my body. “Deal.”
I nodded once and left the room, trying to ignore how chilly the living room had become overnight. “Can you please build another fire? It’s freezing in here!” I called back as I wedged myself between the counter and small refrigerator.
“Sure.” Kirby’s voice came from the living room, and I glanced then frowned.
“You’re dressed.”
“It’s cold.” He shrugged, but I saw a smirk before he turned his head.
“So mean.” I shivered in front of the fridge and quickly pulled out eggs and some orange juice.
Kirby’s chuckle sounded closer and I turned to glare at him. “Not talking to you.” I turned and started searching the cabinets for a bowl. “Wait, one question first and then I’m not talking to you. You still hate scrambled eggs?”
He narrowed his eyes and leaned a hip against the counter. “Yes…”
I grinned widely. “Scrambled eggs it is!” I started cracking the eggs in a bowl.
“And here I thought sex would sweeten you up.” He chuckled.
“Nope.” I checked the drawers for a fork and mixed the eggs and then pulled down a skillet from a shelf. I studied the single electric burner and carefully turned it on. “High tech.”
I could almost hear Kirby’s eye roll.
After heating the skillet a bit, I poured the eggs in and started slowly mixing them with a spatula I’d found next to the fork.
“Merry?” Kirby called just as the eggs were almost done.
Distracted by trying not to burn the eggs, I didn’t even glance to him. “Yeah?”
“I’m warm,” he taunted.
I slipped the eggs off the skillet and onto a plate. “You suck.” I handed them over.
“Merry?” He gave me a lopsided grin that showed off his dimples.
“Kirby?” I replied, wishing that he was only wearing that sexy smile, but trying not to sound like it.
“I’ll share.” He held his arms out in a hug gesture, flicking his fingers.
A smile broke through as I shook my head. “I’m good.” I brushed past him to the living room.
“Playing hard to get?” He baited.
“Trying to get me back in bed?” I shot back, grinning over my shoulder.
“Yes. Yes I am.” He nodded sincerely.
I laughed, loving how his expression was completely unguarded, open and… light. “Don’t I get a break for food and water?” I teased.
He held out a plate of eggs. “I can share?”
“I want orange juice.” I sat on the sofa, patting the spot next to me.
“Done.” He disappeared into the kitchen and came back with a plate in one hand and two glasses of orange juice in the other. He handed me one and then slipped two forks from his back pocket.
“Nice.”
“Thank you.” He sat next to me and rested the plate on his knee. The eggs were nice and fluffy — exactly the way I loved them.
He lifted a forkful of eggs to his mouth and chewed. “I love scrambled eggs.”
“Liar. You hate them.”
“Nope. I only told you and Roxi that because I knew you’d make them all the time then.” He lifted a forkful of eggs and saluted me.
I paused mid-chew. “No.”
“Yup.” He took another bite.
“So… all those Saturday mornings when we’d wake up early to scramble all the eggs in the house so you couldn’t have any… ”
His laugher shook the sofa.
“I’d be angry except that was really brilliant. I have to — as much as I hate to — give you credit for that.” I set down my fork and clapped twice.
“Thank you, thank you. I had to be quick on my feet with the two of you.”
“Hell yeah, you did,” I said as I took the last bite of eggs.
“What shocked me was that you never figured out that I ate the eggs, I mean. They were always gone…”
I shifted to face him more fully. “In our defense, we thought you tossed them to the dog. You always took the skillet out to the garage—”
“And ate them.”
“Oh. Yeah… we missed that.”
He shook his head. “I’d sit on the concrete steps and eat right from the skillet with a fork I’d slip into my jeans pocket when you weren’t looking. Poor Brady, he would watch me and drool so I’d always share.”
“Way to have mercy on the poor dog.”
“We were tight.”
I rolled my eyes. “Right.”
After finishing my orange juice, I picked up the plate and Kirby’s empty glass and walked to the kitchen.
When I came back to the living room, Kirby was watching me with a sort of torn fascination.
“You look… pained.”
“Is it wrong… to really want to freak Roxi out?”
“Yes. Yes it is.” I nodded. “Let’s do it.”
I ran to the bedroom and put on my clothes. “I’ll get my phone.”
“It’s probably all lit up with green again. Seriously, it’s like she doesn’t think I’m doing my job.”
I paused. “Your job?”
He poked his head in the bedroom. “I promised her I’d watch out for you, remember? You told her if I didn’t back off, you’d never get her a present again. Thanks for that by the way, I had to deal with her.”
“You were being… you!”
“I am still me!” He lifted his hands in surrender even as his dark brows knitted together. “Yet you were not complaining last night… or this morning… and you won’t be complaining in about twenty minutes.” He winked.
“How do you do that?” I studied him, honestly curious.
“Do what?”
“Make me want to both sucker punch you and kiss you senseless.”
“It’s part of my charm.” He hitched a shoulder unapologetically.
I let my gaze travel down his body and back. “Oddly, it really works for me.”
“I know.” He grinned wickedly.
“Okay, no more inflating your ego. How do you want to do this?”
“Well… I personally am a fan of the position where we—”
“No.” I lifted a hand and blushed. “Calling Roxi.”
“Oh. Hmmm.” He rubbed his beard. “Okay, first check your phone to see if she’s called you. He walked over to me, leaning over my shoulder as I pulled out my phone. Oddly, I had only one text.
Roxi: If you’re with Kirby, just make sure that when you finally call me and tell me what the HELL is going on, I don’t see his naked ass again. I had nightmares.
Kirby’s chuckle had me grinning too. “Poor lass, probably did traumatize her.”
“I’ll never hear the end of it.” I sighed.
“You? What of me? I’m the one that was visually violated.” He playfully shoved my shoulder with his.
“Visually violated? Whatever. You’re fine.”
“I need therapy.”
“No question there.” I smirked then walked into the living room.
I could hear Kirby following me. “Not what I meant.”
“So face time or just a phone call?” I asked as I settle on the sofa.
Kirby sat next to me, his hip touching mine, his arm going around my shoulders.
It was so natural.
“Is it weird that this is not weird?” I gave him a side-glance as he tugged at a loose curl from my messy ponytail.
“Nope.”
“Is that all you’re going to say about it?”<
br />
“Yup. Now stop being such a girl and kiss then tell.” He leaned in and captured my lips, silencing all my other thoughts.
“Now.” He leaned back slightly, his blue eyes studying me. “Let’s mess with Roxi’s head.”
“You know the way to a girl’s heart.” I giggled. “She so has this coming…” I mumbled as I sent her a face time request.
“Going for the visual. I like it.” Kirby squeezed my shoulder with his hand.
“All or nothing.”
The phone barely rang when Roxi accepted the request. When the window popped up, it was her closing her eyes.
“Uh… hi?” I asked, sharing an amused glace with Kirby.
She squeezed her eyes closed tighter. “Is it safe to open them?”
“No,” Kirby replied just as I said, “Yes.”
“Ack! Which one, which one?” She turned away slightly.
Kirby’s laughter had her opening one eye and then the other, glaring. “Not funny.”
I snickered, holding back my laughter. “Not at all. Bad Kirby.”
“Really, really bad… punish me again?” He asked with a smile.
“No, no! Stop there. I… really am still trying to wrap my head around this.”
“This?” I asked, biting back a smile.
“Yeah, this… thing.” She waved her hands in front of the phone.
“Thing?” Kirby echoed.
“You’re not an idiot though you come close. You know what I mean.” She rolled her eyes.
“I think you need to spell it out,” I added.
Roxi paused, glared at the phone then took a deep breath. “Honestly, I don’t want to know all the details. I… saw enough last time.” She glanced away.
“Well, we blame you,” I added.
“I get full credit and the namesake of your firstborn. Plus the most killer write-up for the blog ever. I mean, ever.” She gave me a pointed looked.
I tilted my head. “Write-up? On Kirby? Yeah… that will be one long list of sins.”
“Dear Lord, I’m not ready for this.” Roxi pressed her temples with her fingers. “Keep it classy. My grandma reads the blog.”
“Which one?” Kirby asked.
Roxi glared. “All of them.”
“That must account for your entire senior citizen demographic.” Kirby shot back, his dimples twinkling at me again.
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