Wendell smiled. “I have a younger sister, so I know how that can be, and I’m fine with it, as long as that’s all it is and goes no further.”
Wait a minute. Didn’t we just meet? Why is he trying to control things here? The last thing he should try to do is rattle my cage in order to bolster his ego. She leaned in close to him. “Are you questioning my friendship with Reese?”
There must have been something in the tone of her voice and the look in her eyes that alerted him that he was on shaky ground. “No, no. I just need to know where I stand. After all, I am an established neurologist.”
She smiled and took a deep breath. This was the first time she’d ever shown interest in a doctor, especially one who evidently took a great deal of satisfaction from being an M.D. There was nothing wrong with being proud of your accomplishments, but he was becoming a bit too much. How many times had he told her tonight what he did for a living, like it would open all kinds of doors, especially the one leading to the bedroom? Red flags were going off in her head, and she had a tendency to pay attention when they did.
“And I’m a gifted artist,” she said proudly. The handsome prince was turning into a jerk.
“Yes, I know. You’re a police sketch artist who will start working for the Houston Police Department in a few weeks.”
She frowned at the smirk on his face. Was he looking down on her, making light of what she did for a living? She was about to lean in closer and tell him she’d decided not to go boating with him after all.
“Come on, Kenna, we’re leaving.”
She swung her head around and met Reese’s dark, intense gaze. “What?”
“I said we’re leaving.”
She studied Reese’s features. He was upset about something. Had he been any other man she would have told him to go on and leave without her, she would find another way home. But this wasn’t any man. This was Reese, and something or someone had ticked him off. She looked past him and saw Alyson hurrying in their direction. The look on her face was furious, mutinous—downright bitchy. Kenna held her breath when Alyson stormed across the room.
“Go ahead and go with him, Kenna, since he won’t leave without you,” Alyson snarled, causing a scene. “And the two of you need to stop lying about your relationship, because you’re more than just best friends.”
Dr. Thomas cleared his throat and diplomatically said to Reese and Alyson, “Maybe the two of you need to take it outside.”
“We already have, and he refuses to admit the truth,” Alyson wailed.
Kenna blinked. There was nothing worse than seeing a grown woman whine. She figured a temper tantrum was next and Alyson would probably begin throwing things. She glanced over at Reese and caught his eye, read his thoughts and nodded. They were on the same wavelength. It was time to get out before the missiles start flying, especially since they both were targets.
“I think it’s best if Reese and I left now,” she said.
Dr. Thomas gave her a look that all but said, smart move.
Reese took her hand and was about to lead her to the door when Dr. Thomas said, “Umm, Kenna, maybe we should take a rain check on that boating date tomorrow.”
She smiled. “No problem.”
Reese tugged on her hand and together they turned and quickly left the party.
Chapter 10
Like two thieves in the night, they sped away from the scene of the crime. Reese made quick time getting to the interstate. It was only then that Kenna relaxed. “Am I wrong or did we just escape from The Twilight Zone?”
Reese shot her a quick glance. “Hell, I was thinking more like something from Friday the 13th.”
She chuckled. “What went down on that patio to get Alyson so hot under the collar?” Kenna asked, twisting around in her seat. “Talk about fireworks.”
Reese wondered how much he should tell her and decided she deserved to know it all, especially in light of the accusation Alyson had flung at them right before they left. “You heard her. She’s still not convinced we aren’t lovers instead of best friends.”
Kenna rolled her eyes upward. “Jeeze. What is it going to take for people to stop assuming that? Can’t they see that you don’t see me that way?”
Reese nibbled on the corner of his mouth, thinking if only she knew where his thoughts had been going lately she would hit him over the head a few times. “And you don’t see me that way either. Trust me, I think you’re beautiful, intelligent, smart as heck and successful. But we’re just friends and that’s all we can and ever will be,” he iterated, for his benefit more than hers.
“I agree, and thanks for saying that, especially since Wendell doesn’t share your opinion.”
“I didn’t like him,” Reese muttered under his breath.
She mustered a half smile when she heard him. “I think your dislike of him was obvious, Reese. What I want to know is why. He didn’t start acting like an ass until later, when he saw I wasn’t going to jump into his bed quick enough to suit him. He figured being a doctor afforded him certain privileges. Too bad nobody told me about them.”
He knew he should feel bad, but in all honesty he felt good knowing she’d found out about the man before it had been too late. He could tell she’d been taken with him. He had seen her flirt, which was something he’d never seen her do in all the eleven years they’d known each other.
“So, what all did Alyson say?” she asked.
He wasn’t surprised she wanted all the facts. He drew in a deep breath, deciding not to mention Alyson’s calling him a jealous lover rather than a best friend. “She thinks our relationship isn’t normal and that we act like people in love do.”
“In what way?”
“Like drinking from the same beer bottle without giving it a second thought…”
“Oh.” Kenna didn’t say anything else for a long while, which made Reese wonder if she thought there was something to it. He told himself there wasn’t, but wondered how many other friends did that.
“We also eat off the same plate sometimes,” she finally said. “Even share the same cookies a time or two.”
He nodded. “Yes, we’ve even shared the same fork and spoon.” But never the same bed, he thought quickly.
“Yes. But that only shows how much we trust each other.”
“It does,” he agreed.
“And that you’ll do anything for me and I’ll do anything for you.”
He totally agreed with her there as well. He would do anything for her and believed she would do the same.
“So, we’re into each other’s lives to a point. Is that such a big deal?”
“No,” he answered quickly, focusing his gaze on the endless stretch of interstate in front of him. Although he knew for some people it would be a big deal. But things were different for them, especially since they weren’t dating other people. During the time they were dating others, they never went into any details about their relationships. He knew when she was dating a guy and could usually gauge how much the guy meant to her by how much time she spent talking about him. She rarely talked about any of the men who’d passed through her life other than Terrence, Lamont and Curtis. All the others had been out of sight and out of mind.
“I think we should continue and not let anyone dictate what type of friendship we should have,” she said.
“I agree.” She didn’t say anything else for a while, and the more he thought about what she had said the more his mood lightened. Although he felt that Alyson didn’t have the right to behave the way she had, she had said how she felt and what she believed.
He glanced over at Kenna. “So you aren’t going boating tomorrow.”
“Nope. I’m sleeping late as planned.”
“When you get up will you ride with me over to Dex and Caitlin’s place?” he asked. “I need to go over a few details for a project before he leaves town.”
She smiled at him. “I’d love to.”
She didn’t say anything for a while and then she began laughing
. Reese glanced over at her. “What’s so funny?”
“Us, and the way we hauled ass out of that party. It reminded me of the other time we did something like that. You remember?”
Yes, he remembered and couldn’t help but smile. “It was when you talked me into taking you to that party on campus in the frat house only to discover there was an orgy going on in one of the back bedrooms.”
A smile touched the corners of Kenna’s lips. “I’ll never forget the look on your face. I stumbled on the naked bodies first and then went and got you to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.”
She hadn’t been. Reese shook his head as a wry smile touched his lips. “All I could think about at that time was a police raid and what would happen once my family’s name was smeared all over the newspapers.”
They had quickly left the party, which was a good thing, since one of the neighbors eventually called the police and everyone at the party had gotten busted and hauled off to jail. They read about it in the papers the next day. Not only had there been an orgy, but the police had arrested some of the partygoers for drug possession as well.
“That’s why if we’re ever at a party together and you say let’s go, I’m going,” she said. “No questions asked.”
“Like tonight?”
Kenna threw her head back and laughed out loud again. “Yes, all I could imagine were plates flying over your head and hitting mine instead.”
Reese chuckled. “That was a good possibility. And I would not have taken too kindly to anything hitting that pretty little head of yours.”
“Oh, you’re so sweet,” she said, giving him a glowing smile.
He smiled back her. “I am your best friend, and don’t you forget it.”
“We’re just friends and that’s all we can and will ever be.”
“I’m your best friend, and don’t you forget it.”
Kenna moved her head on the pillow as the words Reese had said floated through her mind, keeping her awake. What he’d said only reinforced what she’d known all along, but she had needed to hear it anyway. In fact, Reese saying it had propelled her back on course, and she knew it was the right one. Now it was up to her to make sure she didn’t veer off for any reason.
Okay, so she was back to square one. Reese didn’t have a significant other and neither did she.
When Alyson first introduced Wendell Thomas, she’d felt a surge of excitement thinking he would be a good candidate. But once the man revealed his true colors—coming across as arrogant and self-centered—she was disappointed.
Kenna refused to believe there wasn’t at least one man out there she could become interested in. All she needed was one. Especially now, since things hadn’t worked out between Reese and Alyson. She figured he wouldn’t be free for long, not with all the single women in Houston vying for his attention and affection. It was just a matter of time before one of them caught his eye. She drew in a deep breath, thinking she couldn’t muster enough enthusiasm about that prospect, even though in the end she knew it was inevitable. Things would go back to being like they were before between them.
Feeling restless and frustrated, she kicked off the covers. She refused to be defeated. She still had Luke’s rodeo school opening to look forward to next weekend, and chances were some of Luke’s old rodeo buddies would be there. Thinking there was possibly hope after all, she found a comfortable position in bed and tried drifting off to sleep.
She forced back the tears that stung her eyes. Giving up the man you love to another woman wasn’t easy, but it was something she had to do.
The man pretended to study the coffee in his cup while out of the corner of his eyes he watched as the woman grabbed her purse off the table to leave. She wouldn’t get far. He’d see to that. He appreciated the friend who’d taught him something about auto repairs—namely, how to make a car work and how to stop it from working.
He studied his coffee and wondered what she was doing out this late anyway. It appeared she had been waiting for someone and had been stood up. Oh, well. Her disappointment wouldn’t last long.
Deciding he had given her enough time, he put his money on the table and walked out of the restaurant. He never paid for anything with a credit card, since that could be traced.
Less than five minutes later he found her, standing on the side of the road next to her car with the hood up. He was about to slow down and offer assistance when he noticed another car parked in front of her.
Damn. Someone was already there. More than likely it was the same man she’d been waiting for earlier. Evidently he had decided to show up, which would account for him getting there so quickly. He was a husky guy, so the thought of taking him out and still dealing with the woman was pushed to the back of his mind.
He kept his eyes straight ahead as he passed both vehicles. He became angrier. Tonight wasn’t going as planned. But he was convinced there would be other nights. He could feel it.
Chapter 11
“So what’s this we hear about you and Kenna at that party Saturday night? I understand a lot went down.”
Reese rolled his eyes. Leave it to Blade to bring it up, and of course he could count on his cousins sitting beside him to be all ears. It was Monday, and the five of them were seated at a table eating lunch at the deli located on the ground floor of the Madaris Building.
“Tell me what you heard,” he said smoothly, deciding to put the ball back in Blade’s court. There was no doubt in his mind that Blade had heard something. When Reese had arrived at the party he had run into a couple of Blade’s cronies, all members of the Notorious Gentlemen’s Club. He doubted that any of them could be called a gentleman. But they were all notorious bachelors with just one thing on their minds when it came to women. Blade used to be the ringleader before settling down with Sam.
Blade leaned back in his chair and held his gaze. “According to Carter, Alyson all but accused you and Kenna of being lovers in front of everyone.”
Reese nodded, waiting to see if there was more. He figured there was.
“And Carter also mentioned something about you being in a bad mood most of the night, scowling from across the room at anyone who tried to get close to Kenna,” Blade added.
“That sounds like something you would do,” Nolan piped up, grinning.
Reese rolled his eyes. “I don’t recall scowling at anyone.”
“But you do admit to being in a bad mood?” Lee asked, leaning closer into the table and smiling.
Reese shrugged. “Possibly. Alyson deliberately invited more men than women.”
Corbin chuckled. “Hey, man, I think that was the point of the party, wasn’t it? To welcome Kenna to town and introduce her to people.”
Reese frowned at Corbin. “Yes, but the key word is people. There were three times as many men as women there. It was not a party to put Kenna on display in front of every horny man in Houston. I didn’t like that.”
There was no need in telling them that things weren’t any better since he was becoming more and more attracted to her each day. He knew it was crazy, but he couldn’t explain it. Yesterday when they’d gone to Dex’s and ended up staying for dinner he had watched how she had interacted with Dex and Caitlin, as well as their children. She loved kids. He’d always known that, just like he knew she would be a great mother.
“Well, the family is convinced there’s nothing between the two of you, but your actions don’t help matters. When you act like the big bad wolf whenever a man comes near Kenna, people will start wondering,” Lee said.
Reese took a sip of water. “Let them think whatever they want. That doesn’t bother me.”
“Evidently,” Blade said easily. “But what about Kenna? What if she meets someone she wants to become seriously involved with?”
Reese studied his glass. For some reason his heart nearly missed a beat at the thought of that. She deserved the best, and not the kind of man she’d dated in the past. He should be happy if she met someone and they got seriously involved, e
specially if he knew the man would be good for her.
“Reese?”
He glanced up to see four pairs of eyes watching him intently, waiting on his response. “If Kenna meets someone she wants to become seriously involved with, and if I knew the man would do right by her, I would give her my blessing.”
Since this was the week Dex was out of town, Reese spent a lot of late nights at the office or on-site. Most nights Kenna was asleep when he came in, and she usually wasn’t awake in the morning when he left.
In a way she needed the time to get her head back together and once again become the cool, confident, smart woman that she normally was. She figured what happened with Curtis didn’t count. She bet even his former teammates didn’t have a clue he was on the down-low. He wanted to keep things hush-hush and wanted her word that she wouldn’t reveal his secret.
She got up from the table where she’d just enjoyed a PBJ, cookies and milk for lunch when the kitchen phone rang. She reached out and picked it up. “Tall Oaks Ranch.”
“Hello, stranger.”
The deep, raspy sound of Reese’s voice had Kenna’s heart hammering against her rib cage. “Do I know you?” she asked teasingly.
He chuckled. “If anyone knows me, it’s you. What are you doing?”
She smiled. “I just finished eating a PBJ, cookies and milk. They were good.”
“I bet. Joe mentioned you had to go into town yesterday.”
She nodded. “Yes, I had a few more papers to complete at the HPD and to meet the people I’ll be working with. Some had taken the day off, so I’ll meet them on the first day.” She would have told him all that herself had she seen him. But even though they were living under the same roof, she hadn’t seen him since Monday, and today was Thursday.
“How did it go?”
“Good as far as I know. I have another week before I start work. I got to see my office, and it’s a lot bigger than the one back in Austin. I can see downtown Houston from my window.”
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