CHAPTER FOURTEEN
A DETOUR to the plaza wasted time, but Keir couldn’t return empty handed. Sweat broke out when he saw it was after six on a Saturday and the strip plaza had closed.
Pulling into a gas station he lost hope until he spotted stuffed animals behind the counter. Of all the hours spent at the fair, they didn’t have one prize between them. The six-inch sitting puppies would be perfect, and appropriate if she chose to give it to Dylan. Keir pointed out the white one with black ears, black collar, and a lone black spot on one shoulder.
It may have been cheating due to his prize-less day, but he bought the brown one with the same features for himself. It kind of reminded him of Jolie when he’d first laid eyes on the little pup.
Several minutes later, clutching the soft keepsake and spitting his newly chewed gum into the bushes, he ambled to Myah’s door and rang the bell. A motion sensor clicked but no light came on. A shadow moved in the side window on his right. If she hadn’t seen him, she’d have seen his truck. He waited a few seconds while locks and chains scraped on the other side.
Keir raised his hands against the doorframe and listened. C’mon. His lids drifted close. The pause that followed meant she only needed to turn the handle. He waited. Waited. Waited some more. Weird that a shivery sensation squirreled down his chest. Anticipation of seeing her. The wonder of if she’d let him…
The door suctioned open and the brave man in him fought to hide behind the little boy. He couldn’t see much in the backlight of the kitchen and blue flashes of a television, but she’d changed into boxer shorts and a mismatched white, long sleeve, flannel pajama top. Her hair, let loose from its ponytail, shrouded her shoulders in a messy spill.
Keir supported the doorframe. Myah appeared surreal. Innocent. The unpretentious angle of her head and the serenity about her as she rubbed her bare feet together, looked totally at ease, undisturbed. That may soon change, considering all sense and sensibility drained from him by the second. The air grew thick and humid. He should explain himself.
“Uhm.”
“Keir.”
Y-y-yeah, forget sensibility.
He went for the kill, honing in on shocked, gasping lips that fit his perfectly. He didn’t waste time with an introductory kiss either. The soft petal of her mouth, an aroma he couldn’t recognize, and the sharp squeak escaping her throat into his, made him encircle her waist and retreat her over the threshold.
When her surprise yielded with relaxed neck and shoulders, Keir paused to check her receptive status. Safe. He held her gaze as the two of them caressed with only a look. Tested sanction. Consented. Drawn by the magnet between them, he kissed her again sure and deliberate. Myah made him feel like this was his first kiss ever, excited yet nervous.
Like a dance, he backed her up, shuffling feet and feeling his way along the wall with his free arm until the short entryway ended.
She remained with him. Even though her arms kept them significantly separated, folded on his chest, she didn’t hesitate her return. His low moan more or less growled his approval of her skills. Still, he didn’t want to seem like a sex-starved teenager, so he eased up again to give her room to recover.
He stepped away to let them catch their breaths while they stared at each other. Futilely, she attempted to tame her hair. Whatever. Keir reached out before he measured his action, wisped her hand away and dug his fingers through the exotic mess.
“Don’t,” he whispered.
Beautiful, unmade-up, all natural.
She stared at him, held his gaze; not the neat, prim, put-together Myah with perfect hair and makeup. The upheaval of her attire, the honest face in the darkened place, put her in dangerous territory. Short breaths and the aggressive kiss kept her lips primed for more. Keir committed the vision to memory. He let his eyes fleet over every inch of her.
As if self-conscious of her state, the barriers on his chest stiffened to push free.
“Don’t move,” he requested.
Though now that he did know what he was doing, he should be the one to shut it down. Pull away. Instead, he spread his fingers wide to cuff the back of her neck, and gently drew her to him, loving the feel of her body hot against his.
“Don’t move.”
Myah exhaled a jagged breath, all mint and soft curves in her flannel shirt. Hands gripped his sides as if to brace for impact and he didn’t resist. He covered her mouth in the draw of another pant, and moved them further into her house. This time, one hand and one plushy toy held her tight to him. Was he crazy? He’d never been so ardent to kiss a woman. But she elevated something in him.
He knew when the shift came in their union and he changed pattern to service her needs.
Investigative, taking his time, Keir moved in slow, long portions around her mouth with tender encouragement. In the unhurried exchange, a mix of play and study, they became familiar with each other. With gained knowledge, he led a delicate sensory expedition over her lips, giving exceptional care once she adapted his rhythm. This he could do forever; breathe Myah, anticipate her. Wild.
She jumped when the front door slammed. “We have to stop. Dylan isn’t here.”
He focused his groggy gaze. “Ah, that’s the idea.”
“We can’t.”
“I won’t take advantage of you. Promise.”
Startled, he remained stock still when a tight grip in his hair prevented him from getting closer. He thought it was cute, wanted to shake free of her take-charge grasp, but heeded her control.
“Who says I’m worried what you’ll try?” She spit his hair from her fingers with playful aggression, and he stepped back.
Yet another level of Myah. He grinned and ran his tongue along his teeth. “Yes, ma’am.”
She playfully gasped before they both turned away to chuckle at their situation. Glad she halted things before either one of them got gropey, he glanced around the TV-lit living room while he waited for her to regroup.
When Myah covered her face and a delayed groan rang of misgivings, he stepped over to see to her. He caressed her chin with the back of his fingers and thumb to coax her to look at him. “I’m sorry.”
A heavy breath came out as she shook her head. “I’m not used to this.”
That makes two of us. “Which makes me extra sorry, not to mention the way I left earlier. I wasn’t thinking.” He held up the little animal and rattled it. “Peace offering, also to make up for not winning you a prize today.”
Her face lit up with her laugh. “You didn’t have to. This is so sweet!”
He didn’t mind the word sweet, particularly when she hugged him, s-w-e-e-t was the only thing that groaned through his mind. Her unidentified scent caressed his senses. Keir smoothed his free hand down her back but didn’t hold on.
Releasing him with a flinch, she took the little dog. “He’s the cutest thing. Thanks.”
“It’s the least I could do.” Really, because she’d purchased black tea and stood partway through her farce debt.
“Now I’ll always remember today.”
An electric moment of clarity zapped between their bodies when the silence grew loud around them. No doubt they’d both remember this day for what it was, the first time they kissed. He’d looked forward to it all day, now it felt like it hadn’t happened. Any chance of a redo..?
MYAH turned away from the telltale look. She’d told him to stop, and now the urge to grab his jacket collar and mesh lips came on so strong, she didn’t know how to handle it.
She clutched the pintsized gift. A token of their day. A first for her. She turned to tell Keir her thoughts, but honed in on his lips and her skin tingled. She even missed the taste of him, all minty fresh and soda-pop-used at the same time. The corner of his mouth quirked on his nervous face.
Greg always feigned innocence after disappointing her. Every time.
The smile got bolder as his bottom lip curled between his teeth. “What are you doing staring at my lips, Myah?”
She tried for a casual air, but who was she kidding? The man was made for cuddling and kissing. Under a hopeless smile, she shuffled to the living room and sat on the arm of the single chair. Yeah, do that. Because to breathe the same foot of space meant she’d plant her lips on his collarbone and go to town.
“I can put the kettle on,” she offered as she jittered and swung her crossed ankles.
Keir came to stand in front and touched her cheek. “I got what I came for.”
Idle chatter from the news reported on suicide bombers and Easter festivities. She tried to concentrate on her situation, let her brain catch up to what her body had done. Maybe she’d build enough courage to ask him to sit, get comfortable, listen to the tragedies of the world.
His chest rose and fell. “I didn’t mean to scare you.”
She shook her head. “I don’t usually move this fast.” Usually? Never. The man had officially made her weak in the knees.
“I like you, Myah.”
“Glad you cleared that up, I thought that’s how you said hello.”
His tickled smile faded into a curious crease. Keir’s thumb swiped her cheek, lips followed in a feather light peck. “I’m gonna go.”
She blinked at a flashback of Greg’s rejection. Though she’d dated two men since him, Greg had been the last man she’d kissed. She hated that she missed him, thought about him often. Think someone’s attractive, share a few kisses, and that’s all there was to life. That mindset couldn’t happen again.
Keir brushed his lips over the bridge of her nose. She raised her hand to his chest, pressed into his warmth and the odd edges beneath his hoodie. Plucking her hand to hold it off, he broke away. She didn’t budge when he made his way to the door with a check back every few seconds to smile.
“I’ll call ya.” The door clicked behind him. Final. Vanished into thin air.
Greg all over again?
Myah slid down the chair to crumple in the seat. She’d kissed a man on the first date. Her body heated as shame took over. Sure he’d been fun today, but he could be a serial rapist by night. And she let him into her home via a deep, wild and sensuous kiss. Where was the wise, rational person who should rise up and keep her out of trouble?
The low rumble of an engine started in her driveway and disappeared to the east. Gone for good this time, with at least thirty minutes before he got home.
Keir Treasure. Good? Bad? Had to be bad. Look at her!
Hot, embarrassed, insecure, and happy at what she’d done, Myah covered her heated face and whined.
Would she see him again? Had she just been measured and thrown away?
No idea how long she sat there revisiting the memories of the day, sniffing her cuddly puppy, and palming her forehead, she groaned when her cell phone rang from the depths of her purse on the adjacent chair. She reached for it and pulled it out, then settled back into position and gasped at the sight of the latest name she’d programmed into her phone only a week before.
“Hi.” She grinned as the Midnight Child tune lost volume in the background.
“Hey.”
“You can’t be home already.”
“Nope. Never said I’d call when I got home. I just needed to get out of there before I unleashed the real KT on you. You couldn’t handle that.”
Her laughter may have been way too flirty. Myah closed her eyes and burrowed her body into the cushions. No one ever called this soon after a date. Head on the chair arm and legs dangled over the other, she enjoyed it. “You can handle me, though? Is that what I hear?”
“I think I can.”
She picked at a chipped button on her PJs, laughed again, then nearly choked as she took stock of her appearance. Old shirt, worn shorts, messy hair. Aaahhh! She’d let him see her like this? It’s a wonder he saw fit to kiss her. But he had kissed her.
“Myah.”
And him saying her name in that provocative, slow tone sent tingles through her like he’d kissed her all over again.
“You’ve gone quiet on me. What are you thinking?”
An involuntary chuckle rose now that anxiety and giddiness took over. “That I enjoyed the fair.”
“And what about afterward?”
“I enjoyed afterward.”
“Me, too. I had to come back and see you. To say good night properly. A little too strong, though, I don’t know what happened.”
“I didn’t mind. Just surprised.” She pushed out thoughts of Greg saying almost the same thing. Sorry to be so forward, I don’t know what happened, but that’s what you do to me. I lose myself in you, Myah. I’m just a man, after all. “Kiss a lot of girls, do you?”
She heard the incredibly bad joke come out different when it had played in her head. But Keir didn’t know Greg, and didn’t need a negative image of Amy.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean anything about...anything. I just…” she sighed. “Showing you what a sad sense of humor I have.”
“I was trying to think of a clever comeback of my own.”
“Oh. In that case, forget what I said.”
“I heard every word.” His smooth tone promised he did, that he’d be interested and attentive to whatever she had to say.
The attitude and assurance poured out in his voice made her want to sink into him, maybe get too close.
“Is that your way of asking if I’m seeing anyone else?”
It hadn’t been but, “It’d be nice to know.”
“I’m not seeing anyone else, Myah.”
“Okay. Thank you. Neither am I.”
“I didn’t think so. You’re definitely not the kiss around type.”
She closed her eyes. Her lips came to life. Her senses knew how he moved in his kisses. Keir had flown her into sweet outer space. Particularly toward the end; soft, and patient to tease her, but also learn her. The stupid grin on her face would be permanent in another minute.
“You’ve gone all quiet on me again. Does it bother you to talk about it?”
“I’m thinking.”
“About?”
Her stomach churned, and though on dangerous ground, she answered truthfully. “The way you kiss. I like it.”
“See, good thing I left.”
“You could have stayed.”
“Do you want me to turn this truck around?”
“No!”
“Right answer.” His light chuckle died to a heavy silence before he spoke. “I enjoyed being with you today. When can I see you again?”
She held the phone away and stared at it, then let out a silent scream while a jiggle shook her body in a happy dance. She held her breath and brought the phone back, the epitome of calm. “My sister is taking Dylan to an Easter egg hunt tomorrow at the hospital where she works. It’ll be during service, so I’ll pick him up after church about one if you’re free then.”
But Keir started work at four. She grabbed her forehead. Did she really just push a next-day date on him?
“Pick him up? Where at?”
Too late. “It’s close to your area. Why don’t I stop by your place for a bit?”
“I like that idea. I’ll text you directions when I get home. It’ll be fun.”
What? “Okay.” She heard her own voice echo in doubt. He agreed to a next-day date. With Dylan.