Mia turned and stared at Colby, her face blank. “You will eat some of your salad, young man.”
Colby dropped his arms and said, “Okeydoke, Mommy.”
“Wow, that was a real mom-like moment.”
“What did you expect? I am a mother.” Mia retrieved the salad from the refrigerator and placed some in each bowl.
That you are. Keylan rose from his chair. “Isn’t there anything we can do to help?”
“Well, Colby can get his dinner wrap out and you can help him put it on,” she instructed as she prepared another pan to grill their buns, toasting Colby’s. “Is two good?”
“Two what?” Keylan questioned as he watched the way Mia moved around the kitchen so effortlessly, loading the dishwasher as she went.
“I’ll get the wrap, Mommy.”
“Thanks, son. Two sloppy Joes,” she answered.
“Sure.” Keylan smiled at the joy that suddenly came over Colby’s face. He clearly enjoyed helping his mother.
“Colby, your usual three?”
“Yep,” he replied, handing Keylan a folded cloth before returning to his chair.
“Three? You have a big appetite,” Keylan replied, examining the cloth he held. “What is this?”
“My wrap. It’s for my mess,” Colby said, sitting straighter in his chair.
“Just snap it around his neck,” Mia instructed her guest.
Keylan unfolded the wrap and placed it over Colby, covering the front part of his whole body, snapping it at his neck. This is a giant bib.
“Thank you,” Colby replied.
“He wears this every time he eats?” Keylan asked, frowning.
“Usually,” Mia replied, flipping the buns onto a platter and turning off the stove burner.
“Why?” he murmured to himself.
“It protects his clothes from mess.”
“But he’s supposed to make messes. He’s a four-year-old boy.”
Mia laughed. “Is that a rule or something?”
“If it isn’t, it should be,” Keylan mumbled. His mind flashed back to all the proper and clean dinners he and his mother had had when he was Colby’s age.
Mia placed meat on three mini and three large buns. She handed the plate of minis to Colby. “Here you go, little man.”
Colby smiled up at his mother as he accepted his plate. “I’m going to need about twenty of those,” Keylan said.
Mia smiled, turned back to her counter and retrieved two more plates: one with two large burgers, the other with a single. “Well, we have plenty, but how about we start with these?” She handed Keylan his plate and smiled.
“Thank you, this looks and smells great.”
“You’re welcome. It’s just one of our quick Saturday night meals before movie time.”
“Grace, Mommy,” Colby reminded her, placing his palms together.
“I know.” Mia and Keylan bowed their heads as Colby led them in a short grace that he ended with “Let’s eat,” which they did.
Keylan ate as he listened to Colby dominate the conversation with his version of what had happened at the bowling alley earlier in the day. Mia threw her head back and laughed at Colby’s impersonation of how his uncle Rudy and Keylan had acted at losing to him at Skee-Ball.
His body stirred at the sound, at the loving way she ran her hand through Colby’s hair and the teasing looks she gave him. He was struggling to keep control because no matter what he’d said to anyone before, Keylan wanted Mia.
Colby’s bowling story was one of many embarrassing ones he shared that Keylan denied between bites and bits of laughter. He also noticed that Colby not only ate most of his salad, but drank two juice boxes, ate all three burgers and hadn’t dropped an ounce on his “wrap,” as Mia insisted on calling it.
“All done?” Mia asked Colby.
“Yep.”
“Why don’t you go wash your hands and pick out the movie?”
“Will do.” Colby pulled off his wrap, jumped down and ran out of the room.
“That’s a great kid you got there. Although you really should talk to him about his tendency to exaggerate. He didn’t beat me at Skee-Ball. I just didn’t win.”
Mia laughed. “Oh, really?”
“Really.” Keylan picked up a napkin, moved to the seat now abandoned by Colby, leaned in and wiped some sauce from the corner of Mia’s mouth.
“Thanks. Did you get it all?” Mia used her tongue to circle her lips. It was a move that sent Keylan’s body into a frenzy and he lost all control. He captured her face with both hands and devoured her mouth. It was a kiss of pure desperation. He pulled and sucked her tongue and lips as if his life depended on it. Just as quickly as he’d taken her, he forced himself to stop.
“I’m sorry,” he said, leaning away from her.
“Why?” she whispered, bringing her left hand to her lips.
“I probably should have taken it a little slower or at least asked.”
“Permission granted,” she whispered.
Keylan watched as her breasts rose and fell quickly and he could see the desire in her eyes. He was sure it couldn’t compare to his own. He leaned forward when Colby announced, “Got one.”
Mia and Keylan turned to find Colby had changed out of his clothes and was now wearing his pj’s, waving his favorite superhero movie in the air.
“Nice pj’s, man,” Keylan observed.
“Thank you. Mommy bought them.”
“Colby, I’m not sure Keylan has time for a movie, too.”
You’re not getting rid of me that easily. “I sure do. I have all evening,” he explained, his eyes jumping from Colby to Mia. “All evening.”
“In that case, why don’t you two go start the movie while I tidy up in here?”
“Yay.” Colby ran from the room.
Keylan stood, leaned down and passionately kissed her on the lips before leaving a trail behind him as he made his way to her right ear, where he whispered, “Don’t take too long. Our evening is far from over.” Keylan straightened to his full height and went to join Colby in the living room.
Chapter 14
Mia stood at her island, trying to calm herself. “What the hell was that?” Mia shook her head as if she needed to wake up from some dream. “That was the most incredible kiss you ever had, is what that was. It was just a kiss. He kisses lots of women like that, I’m sure. You’re probably in this by yourself. So get it together and stop talking to yourself.”
She moved to her pantry, pulled out a package of popcorn and placed it in the microwave. Mia finished cleaning her kitchen while waiting for the popcorn to get ready. After retrieving two bottles of beer and a water for Colby from the refrigerator, the microwave stopped. Mia removed the hot pouch and emptied its kettle-flavored contents into a bowl. She dropped the trash in the can, grabbed a few napkins and placed everything on a serving tray. “It’s just a movie,” she repeated as she walked into the living room.
“Popcorn!” Colby cheered.
“Let me get that,” Keylan said as he rose from his place on the sofa.
“Sit here, Mommy,” Colby instructed, patting the empty space between him and Keylan.
Mia smiled at her son. If she didn’t know any better, she’d think he was playing matchmaker. She sat as instructed and accepted the throw blanket that she usually wrapped herself in, which was now being shared by her extremely handsome visitor.
“Shouldn’t you change that dressing?” he asked, glancing at her hand.
“I will...later,” she said.
“Popcorn, please.” Colby held out his hand.
Keylan picked up the bowl and passed it to Colby.
He then twisted the tops off both beers before handing one to Mia. He raised his bottle and said, �
��To an amazing day.” He tapped his bottle against hers.
“An amazing day.”
Keylan took a drink from his bottle, sat back and stretched out his left arm, resting it on the back of the sofa. Mia sat straight as she sipped her beer. “Sit back, Mommy. I wanna lie down.”
Mia glanced over at Keylan, who gave her a wolfish grin. If this wasn’t their normal practice, watching the movie while Colby laid his head on her lap, she’d know these two were in cahoots. Mia sighed, placed her bottle on the table and sat back. Colby smiled at them both before laying his head on his favorite human pillow.
“Much better,” Keylan said before bringing his arm down, placing it around her shoulders.
Easy for you to say. Mia was overwhelmed by all the emotions she was experiencing. Desire was one thing that she could handle. This was something else...a feeling of security, trust...family. Mia felt Keylan’s hand rise from her shoulder and land in her hair, where he removed the clip and placed it on the small table that sat behind the sofa, allowing Mia’s hair to fall free.
“What are you doing?” she whispered, trying not to disturb Colby, who had his eyes closed.
“I prefer it this way. Do you have a problem with that?” he asked, running his fingers through her curls.
“No,” she uttered, looking up into his passion-filled eyes. She raised her chin, offering herself to him, and Keylan didn’t hesitate.
Keylan leaned down and kissed her gently on the lips. He cupped Mia’s face with his right hand and the kiss became more passionate. Colby stirred and Keylan dropped his hand and leaned his forehead against hers. Mia whispered, “I thought I was in this alone.”
“Not hardly...”
“I better go put this little guy down. He falls asleep at the exact same spot in this movie.”
“I’ll take him.” Keylan rose and picked up Mia’s sleeping son. When he snuggled him in his arms, her heart melted. “Which way?”
“Down the hall to the left.”
Mia followed Keylan into Colby’s room. She laughed at the look on his face as he examined all the images that lay before him. “Wow, this kid sure has a thing for superheroes.”
“I know,” she replied, pulling back his covers.
He placed Colby on the bed. “Good night, little man.” He leaned in and kissed him on the forehead.
Keylan stepped away from the bed and Mia sat next to her son. She ran her hand through his hair and said, “Sleep well, my little man. Mommy loves you.” Mia kissed him on the cheek, rose and tucked him in. She followed Keylan out of the bedroom, closing the door slightly behind her.
They returned to the living room and Keylan’s phone beeped, indicating he’d gotten a text message. He checked the screen before returning the phone to his pocket. “It’s getting late. I should go.”
“You sure you wouldn’t like to stay a little while longer? It’s barely ten.”
“I think it’s best if we call it a night,” he said.
Mia lowered her head. “Okay,” she replied, heading toward the door. She wanted to kick herself for sounding so pathetic.
Keylan reached for her hand, stopping her progress. “Mia, don’t overthink this. I had a wonderful time and I’d like to see you again. How about you and Colby join me tomorrow afternoon at the opening of my pop-up shoe store?”
“Are you sure you won’t be too busy?” Mia was trying to hold back her excitement.
“For you two, never,” he promised before leaning down and capturing her mouth in a mind-melting kiss. “We’re in this together.”
Mia smiled. “Okay.” She walked him to the door and said good-night. Mia looked at the cleaning that needed to be done and decided she needed a shower first...a cold one.
* * *
Keylan drove the relatively short distance to his apartment. He parked near the front entrance and walked into his building’s lobby. He was greeted by his nervous-looking doorman. “Good evening, Mr. Kingsley. I’m sorry I had to bother you but I figured you’d want to know if someone was going into your apartment, no matter who it was.”
“Thanks, and you did the right thing. How long has she been here?”
“They arrived about thirty minutes ago,” he informed him.
“‘They’?” Keylan frowned.
“She had her key and Ms. Bella was with her. I hope that was okay.”
Keylan sighed. “It was, and you didn’t need to do anything more.”
He walked to the private elevator. After inserting his access card into the security pad, the doors opened. He hit the button to the top floor and, after a brief ride, the elevator opened to the short distance that led to his front door. Keylan pulled out a different card key, ran it over his electronic lock and opened his door. He took a deep breath and released it slowly before crossing the threshold.
He entered the apartment, closing the door behind him. The room was dimly lit. The only light fighting against the darkness was that from the city skyline shining through the wall of windows that led out to his balcony. “Lights on,” he ordered. His eyes scanned the room until he found his target.
He walked over to his sunken living room, surveyed the area and shook his head. Two beautiful women, clearly dressed for a night of partying, were asleep on his sofas. There was one electric cigarette, two pink wigs, an empty bottle of Don Julio 1942 tequila and two shot glasses sitting on his coffee table. “Some smart house you are. You let these two in and allowed them to finish off my tequila,” he chastised the quiet room.
He walked to the closet next to the door and pulled out two light blankets from the top shelf. Keylan returned to his unexpected guests and covered them both. He walked into the kitchen, removed two bottles of water from the refrigerator, reached into a nearby cabinet and pulled down a bottle of aspirin. He returned to the living room and placed everything on the coffee table and said, “Sleep well, ladies. Lights off.”
Keylan walked down the hall and into his bedroom. “Lights on.” His extra-wide and long bed sat against a wood-planked wall, which, acting as both a headboard and decorative piece, dominated the room. The bed could sleep six people comfortably and was the crown jewel of his apartment. Not even the city’s view from his wraparound balcony could compete with it.
After emptying his pocket contents onto a silver tray that sat on the dresser, Keylan removed his Hublot Big Bang Ferrari watch and placed it into an oscillating box. “Blinds close,” he said as he picked up his phone, hit two numbers and listened for the call to connect.
“Good evening, sir.”
“Good evening. Well...?”
“All’s quiet here. Shortly after you left, the house went mostly dark. There were a couple of cars that circled the block and we ran their plates.”
“And?”
“Paparazzi. After they realized you weren’t here, they left.”
“Great. Is everything set for tomorrow?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. Now tell me how these two ended up in my apartment and you better warn your bosses, because when my mother and Aunt Elizabeth find out, there will be hell to pay.”
After receiving a full report from his security, Keylan changed into his workout clothes, walked down the hall to his home gym and put himself through a grueling workout. However, no matter how hard he punched and kicked his boxing bag or how many push-ups and sit-ups he did, his body was screaming for a release that only Mia could satisfy. He pushed himself until he was exhausted.
Keylan returned to his bedroom and walked into his large bathroom. “Shower on.” He undressed and dropped his clothes in the hamper before walking into a shower that could hold several people at once. He stepped under the contemporary rain showerhead, raised his head, closed his eyes and enjoyed all sprays that punched his body. After fifteen minutes, emerging more relaxed and exhausted
, he dried off and climbed into bed, forgoing clothes.
Keylan rolled onto his back and stretched out his arms, realizing immediately he was not alone. He opened his eyes and sat up.
“Good morning. So, who is Mia? You called out her name a couple of times in your sleep,” asked a short-haired beauty wearing his robe, drinking a cup of coffee and sitting next to him on the bed.
The only woman I want in my bed. Keylan ran his hands down his face and through his hair. The last thing he wanted was to have to deal with his ex-girlfriend and unwelcome houseguest, wealthy socialite Bella Weatherspoon. “What are you doing here, Bella?”
“I came with your cousin Kristen. Want some?” she said, offering him a wicked smile and her cup.
Kristen Kingsley was Aunt Elizabeth’s eldest child and vice president of operations for Kingsley Oil and Gas.
He could see she was offering him more than her coffee. “No thanks, I’ll get my own. I’m asking why you are in my bedroom.”
“Well—” she sipped her coffee, eyeing him over her cup “—I thought you might like a little Sunday morning loving, since your cousin is sound asleep.”
“No, I’m good.”
She offered a sly smile. “Oh, really?” Bella pulled back his covers, exposing his naked and erect body. Her eyes zeroed in on his sex. “I can help you with that, you know.”
“No, thanks. Shouldn’t you be getting dressed so you can go?” Keylan got out of bed and headed to his bathroom.
Bella put her cup on his nightstand and blocked his path. “You sure about that?” She opened the robe, exposing her naked body. “You know you want to,” she declared, reaching for him.
Keylan couldn’t deny how beautiful and desirable Bella was, but all he could think about was Mia.
He blocked her hand and took a step back. “No, I don’t.”
Bella closed the robe and crossed her arms. “Mia?”
“Mia.” He walked around Bella and into his bathroom.
Chapter 15
Mia stood at the kitchen sink with her aunt as they washed the Sunday brunch dishes. While she might not have been big on the Christmas season, her aunt certainly was. Since last week’s visit, their three-bedroom, traditional-decorated cottage had turned into a winter wonderland all centered around a nine-foot frosted Christmas tree placed in the corner of the room.
An Unexpected Holiday Gift Page 10