by Cindy Kirk
Katherine lifted a brow. “Will he be coming to Good Hope?”
“He and my mom can’t wait to see Kyle’s new house.”
Katherine cleared her throat. “New house?”
For a second, Lolo looked confused. “This house.”
Katherine slanted a glance at Eliza, which she ignored. “Lolo, do you want to shuffle?”
The girl did a passable job, then, like Katherine had done, fanned out the cards for Eliza to pick.
Please let it be an easy one.
Eliza pulled out one and read, “Do any of your friends have a nickname for you?”
Olive Oyl.
The name flashed in the front of her brain like a neon sign in a sex club. Ignoring the image, she brought up a more recent one. “Kyle calls me E.”
Being known by an initial had rankled at first, but she’d grown to like it. Coming from his lips, it sounded like an endearment.
“He calls me Lo sometimes.” The smile that had blossomed on the girl’s face faded. “Prudie used to call me Rainie.”
“I imagine she still does when you speak with her,” Katherine said and waited for Lolo’s nod of agreement.
“What about you?” Lolo pressed the older woman. “Did you have a nickname?”
“Verna, Eliza’s grandmother, and Ami Bloom both used to call me Kate.”
A knife plunged then twisted in Eliza’s chest. Katherine had asked her not to call her Kate.
“I didn’t much care for the name.” Katherine spoke in an offhand tone. “But Verna called me that since we were small. When Ami began calling me that, I didn’t have the heart to ask her to stop.”
“Eliza calls you Katherine,” Lolo pointed out.
“That’s because I felt like I could be honest with Eliza and she would understand.”
Eliza sat back against the red brocade fabric, stunned. All these years, she’d thought Katherine had asked because they weren’t close.
“I believe we have time for one more question,” Katherine announced with a pointed glance at the deck.
“I like this game.” Lolo’s gaze slid from Katherine to Eliza. “I thought it might be stupid and boring, but it’s not.”
Taking the deck, Eliza shuffled the cards. When she held them out to Katherine, she realized she agreed with Lolo. The game wasn’t half bad.
Katherine tilted her head back so she could read through her bifocals. “If you could spend a whole day just having fun, what would you do?”
Lolo’s hand shot into the air as if she were in a classroom, the answer poised on her tongue.
Katherine pointed to her.
“I’d spend the day with Prudie.” The words tumbled from Lolo’s lips as if the vision was right in front of her. “I’d have Mom and Dad take us to Kentucky Kingdom. We’d ride the roller coasters, then spend the rest of the day in Hurricane Bay. We’d have snow cones and hot dogs and…”
Lolo’s voice trailed off as she no doubt thought about how close she’d come to losing her friend. She shook her head as if banishing the negative thoughts. “What about you, Katherine? Do you like roller coasters?”
Katherine only smiled. “I did when I was your age. Now, I think my special day would begin with sharing coffee and conversation with Eliza, then cards and dominos with my friends.”
Lolo appeared unimpressed. She turned to Eliza with a hopeful expression. “What about you?”
Eliza couldn’t stop herself. She slanted a glance at Kyle then back at Lolo. “I’d sleep late, take a long shower, then enjoy a leisurely breakfast.”
“That’s it?” Lolo frowned. “That doesn’t sound fun.”
“That’s only the beginning.” Though Eliza didn’t look in Kyle’s direction, she felt his gaze on her. “I’d take my kayak and go to Cave Point. I’d hike and explore some of the thousand-year-old caves by water.”
“Cave Point is beautiful.” Katherine practically sighed the words.
“Hiking? Kayaking?” This time, Kyle didn’t pretend to not be listening. “I never pegged you as the outdoorsy type, E.”
Eliza’s lips curved. “You know what they say about assumptions, Kendrick.”
“What do they say?” Lolo demanded.
Katherine patted the girl’s hand. “That it isn’t good to assume. Isn’t that right, Eliza?”
Eliza couldn’t stop the full-out grin. “That’s right.”
An hour later, Katherine and Lolo headed upstairs to bed. Lolo was excited to attend church—or rather, youth group—in the morning. Eliza knew she should follow. The alarm would go off way too early in the morning.
Instead, she returned to the parlor with wine and two glasses. She caught Kyle’s eye and lifted the bottle.
He shook his head, gestured to the laptop. “I’ll pass. I don’t drink while I’m working.”
“A pity.” Eliza splashed some into one of the glasses, then took a seat. Instead of returning to the chair she’d recently vacated, she chose the sofa. Crossing one leg over the other, she sipped the most excellent Cab and watched him work.
Kyle’s dark head was bent slightly, his eyes narrowed on the screen. As she let her gaze linger, memories of how it had felt to run her fingers through the soft strands surged.
She continued to sip her wine and watch him work. Eliza wondered if he’d noticed the electricity humming in the air. How long had it been since they’d made love?
An eternity. Her desire for a repeat performance was odd considering she’d once been convinced she was frigid. The accusation had been tossed in her direction many times when she’d fended off advances.
Eliza regretted saying she wouldn’t have sex with Kyle while his sister was in the house. Lolo was always in the house.
Still, a smart woman knew when to reconsider. There could be no harm in inviting Kyle to her bed, as long as they were discreet. Her bedroom suite was at the opposite end of the house from where Lolo and Katherine slept. As long as she didn’t cry out in ecstasy, they should be fine.
A warm flush infused her body, one that had nothing to do with the wine she’d just consumed. She could almost feel his hands sliding up her sides, callused fingers brushing the tips of her—
The feel of lips on her neck had Eliza jumping.
Kyle’s low chuckle had her bristling. “What do you think you’re doing?” she asked.
His innocent expression didn’t fool her. “Giving you a good-night kiss?”
“On my neck?” The spot where his mouth had lingered still tingled.
“Bad aim.” He dropped beside her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close. His blue eyes were as dark as the skies before a storm. “Let me try again.”
When his mouth closed over hers, Eliza wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him with all the passion she’d been storing up over the past fourteen days.
One kiss quickly morphed into two. Then she lost count. She was drowning in sensation. She wanted—needed—to be close to Kyle. Cursing the clothes that separated them, Eliza slid her hand under his shirt, dipping her fingertips beneath his waistband.
His hand clamped around her wrist.
“Not here.” The look he shot her was filled with regret. “Lolo could come down at any moment.”
“Seeing her brother naked might scar her for life.” In an attempt to lighten the mood, she chuckled. “But that’s what I want.”
“To see Lolo scarred?”
“No, silly.” She trailed kisses along his jaw. “To see you naked.”
“Let’s make that happen.” In one fluid movement, he was on his feet, pulling her up with him. “Just not here.”
She couldn’t keep from smiling. “My room happens to be available.”
The blood, which had been flowing through her veins like warm honey, sizzled when he pulled her to him for a long, lingering kiss.
Satisfaction surged. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
They held hands as they climbed the stairs. Eliza had never been one to hold hands with guys sh
e dated. But she found she rather liked the feel of her fingers entwined with Kyle’s.
Neither spoke until they were in her bedroom with the door locked.
“I’ve missed you.” Kyle brushed a lock of hair behind her ear with one finger. His gaze never left her face.
“We see each other every day.”
He took her hand, once again linking his fingers with hers. Then, bringing their joined hands to his mouth, he kissed her knuckles. “Not like this.”
“I missed the sex, too.”
His eyes were like dark pools. “I missed kissing you. Holding you tight. Talking without feeling others are listening.”
“Me, too,” she surprised herself by admitting. She closed the last of the distance between them. “But we’re together now.”
Kyle slowly undressed her, stopping frequently to kiss and caress. Then she reciprocated. Though electricity snapped in the air, it was different this time, sweeter somehow.
They knew each other now. Knew the places where a simple touch could have the breath catching in her throat or cause him to groan out loud.
The familiarity wasn’t the only difference. This wasn’t simply two people who respected and liked each other satisfying physical desires. Not for her, anyway.
She loved Kyle. Loved everything about him. His intelligence. His optimistic nature. Even the way he cared about his family. He was confident without being arrogant, strong without being a bully. And she loved the way he made her feel so special.
The bedside lamp added a golden glow to the room. There was no rush, no hurry. His hands stroked, teased and tormented until Eliza wanted nothing more than for him to bury himself inside her and end the sweet torture.
“Kyle.” She moaned his name. “I want—”
His hand was between her thighs, talented fingers bringing her to the verge of shattering.
“What do you want?” he whispered in her ear as those fingers continued their ministrations. “Tell me what you want.”
“You.” The word came out on a half sob as she tightened her grip on him. “I want you.”
Chapter 23
By Tuesday, Eliza felt confident that she and Kyle had succeeded in keeping their nighttime romps under the household radar. If Katherine was aware of anything sexual going on between her and Kyle, she’d have mentioned it by now. Or at least bestowed a couple of sly winks.
Life settled into a routine. Eliza was so busy she didn’t have time to worry about the fact she’d fallen in love with Kyle.
With the details for Ready, Set, Wed firmly in place, Eliza turned her attention to the next project—the upcoming fundraiser for the Giving Tree. Cherries members had been adamant about hosting the black-tie event at the community theater to celebrate its reopening.
When members had first expressed interest in hosting the red-carpet gala, Eliza had been skeptical. Good Hope wasn’t a black-tie community. But the others had argued, with Cherries President Lynn Chapin leading the charge, that it never hurt to mix things up.
Besides, they’d simply make it clear that suits and pretty dresses were also acceptable. They dismissed Eliza’s concerns that the theater renovation might not be completed on time. Although Lynn did follow Eliza’s suggestion and book Rakes Barn as a backup venue.
Eliza had initially planned to use the night of the red-carpet event to announce she would donate the money Good Hope was paying her to oversee the Ready, Set, Wed project to the Giving Tree.
She was glad now she hadn’t made the announcement. Eliza would need every penny she could get her hands on to eventually qualify for a home loan.
With a sigh, Eliza tried to concentrate on the written report presented at yesterday’s Cherries meeting, but her mind kept wandering. Her parents had let her know yesterday that they were coming to visit. She wondered how long they would be in town.
Eliza wasn’t sure why they were coming to Door County. Her father’s excuse about having business didn’t ring true. While he still had numerous ventures in the area, in the past if something needed to be handled personally, he’d simply sent her brother.
Never her. Eliza slapped her laptop closed. No. Never her.
She wished her father wasn’t coming. After what he’d done, Eliza didn’t want to see him. Would he expect to stay here, in the family home that was no longer hers?
The mere thought was ridiculous.
No doubt, he’d secured the finest suite at the Bayshore. That was just fine with her.
The front door creaked open, and Eliza wondered if Katherine would be interested in sharing some tea on the porch. Perhaps Eliza would sweeten the deal by mentioning the lemon and blueberry scones she’d picked up at Blooms Bake Shop this morning. “I’m in the parlor, Katherine.”
“It’s me.” Kyle appeared in the doorway. His expression gave nothing away, but there was something in his eyes that had Eliza rising to her feet.
He crossed the room and dropped down on the sofa.
Going with instinct, Eliza ignored the chair she preferred and sat beside him. She took his hand, a gesture she saw surprised him, but he didn’t pull away.
His breath came out in a whoosh. “Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m home so early?”
Feeling the tension in his hand, Eliza smiled and kept her voice easy. “Okay, I’ll bite. Why are you home so early?”
“Jeremy stopped by the job site.” His expression didn’t change, but his fingers tightened around her hand. “He got the results of the DNA test.”
“What did it show?” Eliza figured he wouldn’t have brought up the subject if he didn’t want her to ask.
“Because I sent in my mother’s DNA as well as my own, they were able to conclusively report that Jeremy and I are brothers.”
His voice gave no hint of turmoil, but Eliza wasn’t fooled. She tilted her head and kept her tone light. “Why send in your mother’s DNA? It’s not as if she’s Jeremy’s mother.”
When his shoulders relaxed, she knew keeping him talking had been the right move.
“Using my mother’s DNA allowed them to eliminate her portion of the DNA from my genetic profile.” She must have still appeared confused, because Kyle continued. “I don’t understand it fully myself, but supposedly it allows the lab to focus on the other parent’s contribution to the ‘genetic code.’”
Eliza put her other hand on top of their joined ones. “How do you feel about the results?”
“It’s good to know.”
That didn’t really answer her question, so Eliza probed deeper. “Does it bother you to know that Ed Rakes is your father?”
“Biological father.” Kyle emphasized the word, then appeared embarrassed. “Like I told Jeremy, that fact doesn’t change who I am. I wanted to know for sure. Now I know.”
Eliza didn’t believe it was that simple, but now didn’t feel like the time to press. His responses told her he wasn’t ready to share his feelings.
Not with her.
Not with himself.
Still, he could have gone anywhere. He’d come to her.
While he might not be able to verbalize exactly what he needed right now, Eliza had a good idea what would ease those lines between his brows.
Love welled up inside her. She leaned over and gently kissed his cheek, then whispered a suggestion in his ear.
He grinned and gestured to the sofa. “You propose to do that here?”
The light was back in his eyes, and Eliza could have cheered. She rose and stepped back when he reached for her. “Let’s take this upstairs. Katherine’s schedule is unpredictable.”
“I’m glad I came home.” Kyle surprised her then by tugging her into his arms. He cupped her face with his large hand. “I…I adore you.”
Then he scooped her up and carried her upstairs to bed.
“We should have stayed in bed,” Kyle grumbled, but it was only for form. Though he hadn’t done much gardening—okay, never—when Eliza asked for his help, she’d been naked. At that moment, she could have
asked him anything and he’d have said yes.
“Katherine might arrive home any second. Plus, I really want to get my potatoes and onions in the ground.” Eliza lifted her face to the sun, closing her eyes.
Kyle was sorely tempted to drop his pitchfork and pull her against him. But he’d promised to help. That didn’t mean he couldn’t pause from digging in the earth to look and admire.
Had he ever known a more beautiful woman? And not just on the outside. Eliza’s beauty went far deeper. Each day, he saw something new. And he liked, loved, what he saw.
Like today, she’d pulled on a cotton shirt and a pair of worn jeans. “I didn’t know you even owned a pair of jeans.”
She turned, and those gorgeous gray eyes met his. A familiar electricity snapped in the air. He took a step forward.
“Digging in the dirt.” The amused masculine voice had Kyle stopping. “Going to make me a mud pie?”
Out of the corner of his eye, Kyle saw pleasure flash across Eliza’s face. She scrambled to her feet.
“If I make it, you have to eat it. Those are the rules.” Then she was sprinting across the dirt Kyle had just mixed with mulch to fling her arms around the stranger in the dark suit. “Ethan. You didn’t tell me you were coming.”
The tightness in Kyle’s shoulders eased. So this was her brother. Now that he had time to study, Kyle saw the resemblance. The same dark hair, gray eyes and lean build.
Ethan grasped his sister’s wrists before her dirty hands could settle on his suit. “It’s good to see you, too.”
“Sorry.” Eliza dropped her hands. She stepped back, as if embarrassed by the effusiveness of her greeting. “You startled me.”
Kyle moved to her side, wiped his hands on his jeans and extended one to Ethan. “I’m Kyle Kendrick. It’s good to meet you.”
With obvious reluctance, Ethan shook it. A muscle in his jaw jumped. “Ethan Shaw.”
“My little brother.”
A pained look crossed Ethan’s face, and Kyle hid a grin.
“You’re the one who bought the house.” Ethan’s eyes remained steady and cool.
“Not realizing I was stepping into a family feud.” For some reason, Ethan’s coolness didn’t bother Kyle. Perhaps because the guy reminded him so much of Eliza, he couldn’t help liking him.