A Million Kisses or More

by A C Warneke

  She blinked her eyes as he butchered the song, his gravelly voice making it nearly impossible to understand the words or discern the tune. Slowly, her lips curved into a smile as she focused on him and sang with him. This time, he blinked because she had a beautiful voice, pure and true. She even managed to make him sound almost human and less like a bear.

  Her gaze dropped to his lips as they sang about love and kisses and eternity. His blood began to heat in his veins and if they were alone, he would have swooped her up into his arms and kissed her until she didn’t know where she ended and he began. He’d kiss her until time ended and they were the only two people left in the universe.

  Fuck it, she was here and she was his. Dropping the mic with a loud, echoing thud, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her, taking her song into his mouth. As always happened when they kissed, she melted against him, offering him everything. Sliding his hands into her hair, he pulled back just enough to whisper against her lips, “Let’s go home.”

  “Yes,” she managed to reply, her eyes glazed as she licked her lips. Other than that, she continued to lean against him and made no effort to move.

  Brushing her hair away from her face, cupping her cheek, he asked, “Do you need me to carry you?”

  “Yes,” she said, her lips curving into a slow smile. She shook her head and made to step back but he bent down and scooped her up into his arms. The crowd cheered and she startled, glancing around the restaurant and blushing to the roots of her hair. He had to say that red was definitely an improvement over the green. “Oh.”

  “You managed to make it through without getting sick,” he grinned, stepping down and heading over to the table with his laptop. A shudder worked its way through her body and she made a face, making him laugh. “Now you know why I never wanted to be a rock star.”

  Tilting her head to the side, she looked at him in confusion. “But you have a wonderful voice.”

  “I know they say love is blind,” he grinned. “I just didn’t realize it was also deaf. Can you walk yet?”

  “I could always walk,” she grinned at him, her fingers toying with the ends of his hair. “But someone likes to carry me.”

  Guilty as charged, he shrugged his shoulders as he reluctantly set her down. Keeping his eyes on her, he packed his laptop away and said, “I hope you’re done for the night.”

  “I think I’d quit if I wasn’t,” she admitted, her cheeks turning red again as she looked around the restaurant. Her lips parted briefly as she let out a soft gasp, “I dropped a tray, didn’t I?”

  “I believe so,” he said, putting on his coat and dropping his free arm around her shoulders. Pulling her against his side, he added, “I think Maris had Dan clean it up.”

  “Everything from the time Maris said my name until you started singing is a blur,” she said, her eyes troubled. “If you weren’t here, I’m pretty sure I would have died up there.”

  “Nah,” he said, touching the tip of her nose. Hoping to make her smile, he added, “I think you would have fainted before that happened.”

  She nodded her head in agreement. “You’re probably right. But then I would have landed on the front table, taken out two or three customers and Maris would have had to kill me.”

  “Then I would have had to arrest her,” he said, arching an eyebrow. Even though they were just joking around, he had to fight the urge to give Maris a dirty look for potentially killing Ana. “Then I would put her in solitary and throw away the key.”

  “Then it’s a good thing I don’t plan on killing Ana,” Maris said from behind him, making him jump. “Where do you think you’re going? You don’t get off for another fifteen minutes.”

  “Harrison is taking me to the hospital because I think I had a heart attack,” Ana said, leaning even more against him. “There’s a reason I don’t get up on stage.”

  Maris’s brows drew together as she glanced around the restaurant before looking at Ana once again. “But Asher said singing karaoke was one of your many talents.”

  Fury welled up inside of Harrison when he realized Asher was behind Ana’s distress. “I’m going to kill him.”

  “He left when you got up on stage,” Maris told Harrison, pursing her lips as she struggled to come up with something to say. “Not that I blame him, of course. You have a very… unique singing voice.”

  “It’s beautiful,” Ana repeated, putting her hand over his heart and giving Maris a fierce glare as if she would use her fists to prove her point.

  Wrapping his arm around her head to cover her ears, he leaned towards Maris and winked, “Love is blind and deaf.”

  “Apparently,” Maris snorted. Shaking her head, she took a step to the side and said, “You might as well go before I change my mind. And I’m only allowing it because Harry is one of my favorite cousins.”

  “Thank you!” Ana beamed. Standing up on her tiptoes, she gave him a quick kiss before she left to grab her stuff.

  Turning to Maris, Harrison cringed, “I’m really sorry about that but I didn’t see any other option. She was petrified.”

  “I know,” Maris agreed, watching Ana disappear into the back room. Facing Harrison, she crossed her arms over her chest and frowned at him even as her eyes danced with amusement. “So, you stole Asher’s girlfriend?”

  He snorted, “Ana was never his.”

  “That’s not what he’s telling anyone willing to listen. I mean I know the truth since that idiot is my brother and all and he behaved like an immature asshole three years ago,” she said, scowling at nothing in particular. “But I still hoped the two of them would get married. You’ve completely ruined that for me because I’ve never seen her look at him the way she looks at you. And I’ve never seen you look at anyone the way you look at her.”

  “She’s my Ana.” Harrison couldn’t help but smile when she appeared from the backroom, her grin lighting up the entire restaurant. Still speaking out loud, he confessed, “I love her.”

  Chapter 11

  Almost two weeks later while lying alone in Harrison’s bed, Ana realized she had all but moved into his house. All of her clothes were in his closet, her toothbrush was on his sink, and she slept in his bed. Even the damn cat was living there, his litter box hidden in the laundry room.

  Within the walls of that house, it was easy to forget the outside world even existed. In the evening, he’d spend a few hours writing while Jolie did her homework and Ana read or worked on her resume or tried to figure out what she wanted to do with the rest of her life, especially if she was going to be spending it in Minnesota. Now that he was back on day shift, she managed to switch hours as well. Even though it meant less in tips, it meant more time with Harrison and Jolie.

  But the nights were all hers and Harrison’s. She loved the nights.

  Stretching, Ana smiled as she thought about the day ahead. She vacillated between sheer dread at having to feed Harrison’s entire family and terror that they secretly hated her and they were counting down the days until she left so they could convince Harrison that she was the wrong girl for him. Whenever she voiced her concerns, he always gathered her up into his arms and assured her that his family loved her, with the exception of Asher. Apparently, he was pissed she hadn’t dumped Harrison yet and gone running back to him despite all of the overtures he had made and gifts he had sent (and she had returned.) Harrison was so convincing, she almost believed him. No, she did believe him. She just really, really wanted them to like her, especially since she was leaving Harrison for an entire year.

  But she wasn’t going to think about that until the moment she packed up her car and left.

  After a quick shower, she pulled her hair back into a ponytail and skipped down the stairs with the knowledge that she had Thanksgiving dinner under control. The turkey was ready to be thrown into the oven, all of the sides were prepped, and the pies were all baked. She had a plan of attack for the dinner so theoretically everything would be ready around the same time. All in all, she was feeling pr
etty good about the Thanksgiving dinner ahead.

  When she entered the kitchen, Harrison and Jolie were already there eating breakfast, both of them eyeing the pies that the three of them had made the night before. Going over and wrapping her arms around Harrison’s shoulders, she gave him a kiss on the cheek. “Hey, you two. You didn’t have to let me sleep in.”

  “You looked so peaceful I hated to disturb you,” he told her, turning his head just enough to give her a kiss on the lips. Because Jolie was sitting there watching with too much interest in her eyes, it was only a brief kiss. “Besides, I know how late you stayed up last night.”

  “I went to bed barely ten minutes after you two did,” she said, leaving a hand on his arm as she sat down in the empty seat next to him. She loved the peaceful mornings with him and Jolie. It was one of the best parts of her day. Snagging a piece of fruit from his plate, she popped it into her mouth as she added, “It was hardly all night.”

  He wagged his eyebrows at her as he bent his head and whispered in her ear, “I’m talking about after you came to bed.”

  Heat climbed into her cheeks as she looked away, afraid that if she said anything at that moment, it would be totally inappropriate. Clearing her throat, she took a few moments to corral her wayward thoughts before she finally managed to say, “Well, I’m heading across the street to cook the bird. Once I get that started, I’m going to take care of a few other things but then I’ll be back so the three of us can finish up the rest of the food. What time is everyone planning on showing up?”

  “Four,” he said. “We have plenty of time to make sure everything is cooked and the table is laid out.”

  She beamed, excitement and nerves battling in her stomach since this was going to be her first traditional Thanksgiving meal in forever. With a squeak, she gave him a quick kiss before she stood up and said, “This is going to be wonderful, Harrison.”

  “Mreeow,” the cat said, reminding her that he was living there, too. The little beast was happier than she had ever seen him, loving the attention that Jolie showered upon him. He was positively spoiled at Harrison’s house and Ana wondered if the cat would be able to go back to a normal life once their time there was over.

  “Angelico!” Jolie gushed, scooping the cat up into her arms and hugging him. The loud rumble of his purr filled the kitchen. Maybe her aunt and uncle would consider letting the furry creature stay. If they didn’t have to worry about taking care of a cat, they wouldn’t need her to watch the house when they traveled.

  But then, if they had given Jolie the cat before, Ana never would have met Harrison and the thought of never meeting this incredible man left a hole in her heart. Pressing a hand against the stupid organ, she smiled, “I’ll be right back.”

  As she started to leave, he grabbed the back of her shirt and pulled her back to him, spinning her around as he did. Wrapping his arms around her, he bent his head and gave her a slightly more thorough kiss, using the fact that they were both standing to his advantage. In a rough voice, he rasped against her lips, “Hurry.”

  “Okay,” she said dumbly, tasting him on her lips. God, she loved his kisses even if they intoxicated her. Especially because they intoxicated her. Stumbling out of the house, still a little drunk off his kiss, Ana managed to snap out of it when the cold wind smacked her. It would have made more sense to keep the turkey at Harrison’s but she hadn’t wanted it to get in the way of making pies. It took up too much space in the fridge and there had been nowhere else to put it. Plus, they were planning on baking the side dishes at his house so it just made sense to keep it and cook it at her aunt and uncle’s house. It was only a twenty second walk between the two houses.

  With a skip in her step, she let herself into the house and immediately went over to the thermostat and turned the temperature up because it was a little weird to cook while wearing a winter parka. Huddling in her coat, hoping the house would warm up to a comfortable eighty instead of a frigid sixty, she made her way into the kitchen and grabbed the bird out of the fridge. Pressing her finger into it, she frowned because there was barely any give. She thought she had given it plenty of time but it wasn’t all of the way thawed out. Maybe the house was too cold for the turkey to thaw out properly.

  Maybe if she turned the heat up a little when she cooked it, it would make up for the frozenness.

  A few hours later, she rang Harrison’s doorbell, too distraught to realize she could just walk right in. When he opened the door, the tears that she had been fighting broke free and she started babbling, “I ruined the turkey, Harrison. It wasn’t fully thawed so I cooked it at a higher temperature but then I burned the outside and the inside is still partially frozen and I realized too late that I forgot to pull the insides out and it’s ruined.”

  His eyes widened with every word she spoke until he finally grabbed her shoulders. “Ana, is there any way to salvage it?”

  “No,” she sobbed. “It’s black on the outside and my oven is smoking and it’s awful. What am I going to do? Your parents are going to hate me for ruining Thanksgiving.”

  “I have some frozen chicken in the freez….”

  “But it’s not a turkey,” she interrupted, visions of the perfect Thanksgiving dinner going up in flames.

  “But it is poultry,” he offered, sounding almost desperate. Wiping the tears from her face, cupping her cheeks in his hands, he continued, “They thaw quickly, Ana, and if necessary I can grill them or we can fry them up or bake them in the oven…. Please, Ana, please stop crying. It kills me to see you cry. We’ll figure it out.”

  She blinked her eyes up at him and found herself falling into the chocolate depths. Calmness washed over her as Harrison matched his breathing to hers and then slowed his breaths down. How had she survived panic attacks before him? Catching her lower lip between her teeth, she began to accept an alternative plan. “Are you sure you don’t mind grilling? It’s freezing outside.”

  A slow, relieved smile spread across his lips as he nodded, “It’s never too cold to grill. An hour before everyone is set to arrive, we’ll fire up the old girl and you’ll get to witness a master in action.”

  She bit her lip to keep from laughing but it didn’t work. Draping her arms around Harrison’s neck, she grinned up at him. “I adore you, you know.”

  “I know,” he returned, bending his head and kissing the tip of her nose.

  *****

  Ana’s heart pounded furiously in her chest as Harrison’s family started arriving, beginning with his mom and dad, Jillian and Paul Miller. His mom spared her a glance and an almost-smile before she turned to Harrison and said, “So, I’ve read your books.”

  Harrison’s brows drew together as he tilted his head to the side and Ana saw the effort it took him to remain calm. “Uh, what did you think?”

  “Why didn’t you ever say anything?” Mrs. Miller scolded, frowning at him. Ana’s nerves were vibrating in sympathy, and she was dying to hear what his mom thought.

  “I just didn’t,” Harrison said slowly, a look of panic crossing his face. Smoothing his tongue over his lower lip, his eyes darted to Ana as he carefully asked, “How did you find out?”

  “Um, I might have spilled the secret,” Ana admitted in a voice that squeaked, taking a step away from the small group. Harrison’s hand shot out and snagged her wrist, preventing her escape. With a gentle tug, he pulled her back against his side.

  “Yes,” his mom continued, spearing her with another glance. Her gaze dropped to the hold Harrison had on Ana and she made a strange face, not entirely disapproving, but definitely concerned. “And if it weren’t for your friend, I never would have known what a genius my son is.”

  “I was under the impression that parents always thought their children were geniuses,” Harrison said, his tense shoulders easing a bit now that he knew his mother approved of his stories. Subtly, he tugged Ana even closer and before she knew his intentions, his arm was around her shoulders and he was hugging her against his body. “I mean I k
now my daughter is a genius.”

  His mom smiled as she patted his cheek, “Of course she’s a genius. She’s my granddaughter.”

  “Well, I’m looking forward to having a traditional Thanksgiving dinner,” his dad boomed, smoothing his hands over his slight paunch. Grinning at Ana, he said, “There’s nothing better than a perfectly cooked bird with all of the traditional fixings.”

  His words were a dull blade right to the heart and she gave him a stricken look. It must have been truly desperate because his face fell and he rushed forwards and clapped his hands on her shoulders. “I’m teasing, Ana. Harrison called us earlier and told us about the mishap. Turkey is overrated; I’d much prefer eating grilled chicken any day.”

  She nodded her head but she still must have looked wounded since Harrison’s dad looked like he was about to bolt if she started to cry. Trying to make him feel better, she gave him a shaky smile and said, “I hope the rest of the food makes up for the lack of turkey.”

  “Sweetheart, everything smells wonderful,” the older man said, desperately trying to reassure her. “I’m sure dinner will be delicious. The one and only time Jillian tried to cook Thanksgiving dinner was the first year we were married. She was pregnant with Tanner so she was already emotional but then she burnt the bird and undercooked the potatoes and pretty much destroyed the kitchen. The next year, I tried cooking and I fared much better.”

  “Because you had your mom make everything,” Mrs. Miller snorted, wrapping an arm around her husband’s waist and resting her other hand on his stomach. Smiling at Ana, she added, “Obviously our talents lie elsewhere.”

  At that moment Dan and Ellen walked in, the pair of them in addition to Harrison making an insanely attractive group. Ellen was a feminine version of her brothers, with dark hair and brown eyes and a smile that seemed to light the room. Harrison’s smile was warm as he held out his hands, “Ellie, you made it.”