by Siera London
"I'm right here."
Kelby whirled around to stare at him. "Oh, I missed you," she said breathlessly.
He shrugged. "Good to know."
His face was a mask, and she wasn't sure what she should say to explain why she'd kept her past a secret.
A lot of the kids had cleared out, the concession stand and the pizza was gone.
"Dad can I ride home with Jamil? They're stopping by the arcade in Lincoln's Gap before heading home."
Hank gave his son a doubtful look, his lips thinned. “I thought we were driving Miss Kelby home?”
Kelby’s heart sank. He didn’t want to be alone with her. She pushed down the sob threatening to break free.
Elliott approached, his little brown eyes pleading with her.
“Miss Kelby, you’re okay to ride him with my dad, right?”
Great. Now she'd be alone with a pissed off man. Kelby had a perfectly reasonable explanation for why she'd kept quiet about her previous life. Hank not meeting her gaze, made her doubt everyone of them. After the divorce she'd needed a fresh start.
The entire three years had felt like a terrible mistake she wanted to outrun. She'd moved out of the house they shared. Most of her furniture had been disposed of during the honeymoon. Bradford had deemed her mother's dining room table of limited value and stored it on the backyard shed. The next time she'd seen her table, it had huge blotches of spray paint on the flat surface. One of his campaign volunteers, probably Connie, had used the antique table to make highway signs.
Kelby thought it over. “I better get used to my boyfriend driving me around,” she beamed.
Take that Hank Stewart. She’d held her tongue with Bradford because he made her life simple…for a while, a brief while. The roof over her head, the car she drove. His financial security provided her with a little breathing room, lifted a cement block she’d carried since childhood. After living her entire life under of weight of ‘never enough’—worrying about food, gas, utilities, rent, and medical bills—marrying Bradford had seemed a fairytale made real. He’d known about her childhood, her financial struggles. Had used it against her. She understood every day as Bradford Vance’s wife had cost her-and Tiffany a heavy price.
Elliott's fingers stilled, lips around the bread stick. "You're going to stay with my dad forever?” he questioned.
Kelby looked at Hank, spotted the small pulse thrumming at the base of his neck. Was he as unsure of her, as she was of him? She could fix this. Maybe not everything all at once, but she had the power to heal and not harm him.
Take a chance, Kelby. She swallowed before saying, “That’s up to him.”
She held her breath. Would closing her eyes and wishing on a star help?
Hank finally broke the silence. Not breaking eye contact with her, he said. “Ask Jamil’s dad to call if you can spend the night.”
Elliott waved goodbye and ran off. Kelby was left alone with Hank.
“Thanks for that.” She took a step forward. “I could give you a big kiss,” she cocked a brow in suggestion.
"I rather you had told me about your ex-husband,” Hank said, taking her hand, and leading her towards the truck. “But this doesn't change anything between us."
"You really believe that?" she questioned, not allowing the hope to drip into her voice.
"I do. Unless, dating a glorified handyman is too far beneath you.”
So, Hank had caught Bradford's dig.
Kelby remembered how much her ex- loved dropping his position on unsuspecting strangers. He loved the attention. She would go as far to say he craved it. If Bradford Vance had an ounce of good will towards his fellow man, Kelby was the next Mother Teresa. What he was good at... motivating others to do the grunt work and believing it was their idea.
Looking back, she recalled how he'd buttered her up to spend more time with Nicholas. The hints started small. You'd make a wonderful mother, Kelby, he would say. Or Nicholas asked about you today. At the end, she spent more time with Nicholas than Bradford. It had been his intention from the beginning.
"Whatever Bradford and I had, and it wasn't much. It's over." Hank gave her a doubtful look, but she pasted on a reassuring smile. If Bradford Vance ever came looking for her, it wouldn't be out of love. The man lived to humiliate others. And Kelby had been his favorite target.
"I believe you. But I don't trust your ex-husband. I know the type. Now that he's seen you with me, he'll come skulking around."
She more than knew. She had survived it. And thanks to a skilled therapist her friend, Dr. Vivianne Sloane had recommended, she was thriving. Which no doubt bothered the man she had once called her husband.
"You're right. Bradford may be a public servant, but nothing about him is trustworthy,” she snarled. “He promised we would be partners in our marriage. It wasn’t till after the vows, I learned I was to be a silent one. He’s a liar, a cheat, and a thief."
"Feel free to bash your ex as much as you want in my presence. I'll do my best to make sure I never remind you of anything about him."
"Hank Stewart… you're the perfect gentleman."
"Ah, darling. Why'd you have to go and say a darn fool thing like that? Now I have to prove you wrong.” He winked at her. "And make sure you enjoy it."
"You have bad boy genes, Hank. I had no idea you were such a sweet talker."
He laughed. She did too. They reached the truck.
"Don't sleep on us single dads. We're bringing sexy back."
With his chiseled physique, he apparently, had never let it go. Kelby could see herself sleeping on his broad chest all night. Or maybe, stretched bare on his muscled back.
Instead she said. “You might want to save yourself. Make a run for the mountains.”
He shot into the left lane. "Okay, let me make it easy for you. Regardless of what you decide, I'm with you. One way or another, we'll see this attraction between us through till the end.”
She let him see she was relieved. "And in return? What do you want from me?"
"I got to be honest with you, Kelby. I hate being blind-sided. That's what happened back there with Bradford and Nicholas. I need you to be upfront with me. Even if it's hard, look me in the eye and promise you won't keep me in the dark... especially when it comes to other men and the kids."
"I can do that, but…it’s hard for me to talk about everything that happened in my marriage. Bradford had me fooled for a long time. In the end, he kicked me out of his house, but not before he wiped out my accounts. He knew how bad it would hurt me. That’s why he did it.”
Hank cut eyes, stretched wide with anger, in her direction. “Boy howdy. The mayor is more of an ass than I thought,” he breathed, nostrils flared.
Kelby shook her head. “You don’t know the half of it.”
“I won’t push. But Kelby…eventually we have to talk it all out. I’ll tell you what you want to know about Jodi Ann and me, but you probably heard most of it through town gossip. We were kids. She didn’t want marriage or kids, I wanted both…still do.”
Kelby went stiff as a board beside him. “Talk to me,” he urged her. He deserved happiness and he wanted it to be with Kelby. “You don’t have to be scared of how I’ll respond.”
“I never got pregnant during my marriage.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. “Not once. Bradford blamed me…said I must be defective.” She'd been so stressed because she could never do anything right in his eyes. Shortly after they got married, he'd insisted on her becoming pregnant.
The campaign trail was empathetic to a pregnant wife touring around the country with her husband. Though she thought better of it, she stopped taking her birth control pills. The first three months Bradford had been supportive and understanding. That rapidly declined into blaming and name-calling when she wasn't pregnant by their first anniversary. “After all, his mistress had given him a son,” she trailed off.
The truck jerked as Hank slowed the vehicle before a turn onto Miramar Boulevard, the Endurance town limits. H
e turned to look at her, recognizing the pain she tried to hide.
“I’m sorry,” he said, apologizing that she’d married a poor excuse for a human being and for the hurt it must have caused to not have a child of her own. “I know that happened in your previous relationship, but let’s focus on being good to one another. I have faith nature will do the rest.”
Hank leaned over and kissed her temple, using his thumb to wipe away a single tear on her cheek. “And, one more thing."
She wiped at her face, and then rubbed her palms on her shorts. “What is it?"
"I want you to come home with me, Kelby. All night. Just you and me.”
Kelby pondered Hank's suggestion. Was she ready to cross over into the land of no return? One wrong move and she could sabotage the best relationship she'd ever had. Kelby noticed how other women eyed Hank. Kid or no kid he was a catch. He wanted her now, but what would he do if she said no?
Chapter 8
Hank's house felt lived in. Not in that Southern, “bless-your-heart”, she meant the exact opposite of the words spoken way. The first thing Kelby noticed when she entered the front door… the smell. Bacon. The whole house, scented of family, meals shared, and laughter. There were boots, big and small, on a rubber mat just inside. The great room was clean and spacious with a woven rug stretched in front of a stone hearth. A blanket, designed for someone much smaller than Hank was thrown in a wicker basket with what looked to be a coloring book, a rainbow of pencils, and a portable gaming console.
From the front porch with a swing big enough for three, Hank called. “Make yourself at home, Kelby.”
She wasn't sure what to do… sit, stand, or dance. Home would be: wrapped in his arms, his mouth pressed to hers. Should she come right out and ask for another real kiss? They'd gone all day and he'd done little more than to squeeze her shoulder, hold her hand, or swipe a quick peck. She on the other hand, was ready to sprint for the bedroom.
Hearing the door close behind her, she turned to find Hank with his back against the closed door. He dropped Elliott’s track gear on the mat and waited. His eyes, dark with desire, promised she was in for another adventure.
She smiled at him, shrugging her shoulders. “Can I help you with something?"
Anything to keep her mind off his gorgeous body. During the drive, the sun had finally relented, an airy night with a silky navy sky had guided them to Hank’s.
A wry smile spread across his lips. He rubbed at that stubble of his. A move she now found sexy. "You don't want me to answer that, darling."
Actually, she kind of did. Sex with Bradford had been okay. He was definitely a bigger legend in his own mind than in the bedroom. She had come to the relationship with limited experience at pleasing a man. After their first lackluster time together, Kelby convinced herself they would be a good match, eventually. In reality no one could ever be good enough for Bradford-but Bradford.
“Wasn't it you in the car who said you wanted honesty between us?”
“Yeah it was me,” he chuckled, lifting a hand to scratch his head. Don't tell me how stupid I am. But I don't want to run you off. I'm a pretty straightforward country boy and when we see something we want we just go for it. Not much for taking the slow lane.”
“I don't think you're stupid at all, Hank Stewart. I think you’re a wonderful man and since you’re playing shy,” she crossed the room and came to stand in front of him. “I’d love a real kiss."
He chuckled, “as opposed to the fake ones I gave you at the track meet?”
“Those were kid friendly,” she teased. “There are no kids around right now.”
He snagged her around the waist, and she went willingly into his arms. "I can do X-rated."
“Show me,” she whispered.
He hauled her up close, pressing her aroused body into his own. Dear heaven, her entire body shot out of the starting block running high on adrenaline. By the time his tongue slipped inside, she was ready to blast off like fireworks.
Hank caressed her in all the right places until her limbs melted like hot butter. She felt the tips of his fingers in her hair, the slide of his large palm over her backside, and then he cupped and squeezed.
“I’ve been wanting to get my hands on your delicious bottom all day,” he said into her mouth. “I love how you look in short-shorts.”
When they pulled apart, she asked, "You sure we're not moving too fast?"
“Darling, there is no such thing for a man.”
His small-town accent thickened, and so did other parts of him. She must've looked a little unsure. The hand in her hair loosened and he brought it around to cup her face.
“Kelby we can go slow as you need it to be. I'm not going anywhere. And I'm certainly not going to let you run off in the wrong direction. Not without me. There's not a lot of women around here. But even if they were…I’m not the type of man to play the field. I'm faithful. You know Elliott is my priority. I go to work. I come home. And, I'm a father to my son. But there's room in my life, our lives…for you.”
“It’s nice to hear you say that.” But Kelby had heard it all before.
“I can almost see the comparison chart running through your head. I'm nothing like your ass of an ex-husband. I don't need you to be a babysitter for me. I want you in my life, but I managed just fine.”
Somehow this conversation seemed to heat them both, rather than chill the mood.
“I really want to be with you too. I am a little bit nervous.”
“Don't be. You have all the time you need to be comfortable with us moving forward.”
“I hear you when you say that but there's a part of me that's so grateful I've met you. I’ve erected so many walls to guard my heart, but…you walked through everyone of them. I'm afraid you might be taken away. That somehow something will happen, and I'll have to give you up.”
“Boy howdy, I don't think I've ever had a woman say she’s afraid she’ll lose me. I can promise you this, there's no one out there lurking in the bushes that's gonna steal away with me or Elliott. We both adore you.”
“The feeling is mutual,” she said, nipping at his lower lip. “Now, where were we?”
“How about I plan something special just the two of us?”
She gave him a coy grin. “How much time do we have?"
Hank gave her wink. "Where I'm taking you...all the time in the world."
Fifteen minutes later they were in the backyard unrolling sleeping bags to lay in the flat bed of Hank’s truck.
“I can't believe you have an inflatable movie screen in your backyard,” she squealed, excited she and Hank would be under the stars and in each other’s arms.
“Have you ever tried to take a whole track team to the movie theater?” She stretched her eyes wide in horror. She wouldn’t dare try it. “It’s portable with a rear projector and worth every nickel.”
“This reminds me of going to the drive-in as a kid,” she said excitedly.
“Glad you like it,” he said lowering the tailgate. “How about some popcorn?”
She thought back to how often Bradford had done anything to make her feel special-loved. The occasions had been rare, even for her birthday or their anniversary. Looking at Hank, her heart opened a little bit more to love. He had the key, could she remove the steel bar securing the lock?
“You stay here and get the sleeping bags all set up. I'll find the kitchen.”
Kelby entered the kitchen. There were bags of microwave popcorn already on the countertop. She got the feeling watching the Jumbotron in the backyard while sitting in the back of the pickup truck was a normal occurrence for her two men. When had she started thinking of them as hers?
Probably when Hank had taken her in his arms after Bradford and Nicholas had gone on their merry way. All those insecurities, all those doubts had grown to monster-size during her marriage they all came back when she saw him. They’d been gaining momentum until Hank had taken her in his arms and said everything was okay.
“Di
d you find everything?" He called out.
Using her fingertips, she pulled the hot bag from the microwave. She grabbed a bowl from underneath the counter and popped the hot kernels into it. "On my way."
Bending forward, he hooked her around the waist, as if she weighed nothing, and lifted her into the flatbed. “I picked a movie every woman loves.”
She handed over the bowl. “Which one is that?”
He laughed. “A Star is Born.”
“Oh Mylanta, how did you know?”
“I told you, darling. Don’t sleep on your dumpling,” he teased. “I know things."
“Xenobia and I took one Saturday to drive over to Pine Valley to see it on the big screen. We cried like babies with colic.”
Hank grimaced. “That’s awful. I remember when Elliott cried for hours if the wind blew.”
They both lay flat on their backs, the popcorn bowl perfectly balanced on Hank's abdomen.
“You comfortable?” he asked.
Using Hank’s arm as a pillow, Kelby nestled her head, and curled into his chest, but she couldn’t find the right angle with the bowl in the way. Hank seeing her dilemma, deposited the snack on his right side, and pulled her on top of him. Now that was more like it. She sighed in pleasure.
“Better?” he whispered, his breath sifting through her hair.
“Perfect.” Wrapping her arms around his neck, she buried her fingers in his thick mane and lowered her face within inches of his. “Kiss me and don’t stop.”
She hoped Hank had seen “A Star Is Born”™ prior to tonight because when he moved that bowl and pulled her body flush with his, the only stars she saw were the ones bursting behind her eyelids when he slid his hand under her shirt. Above their heads, stars twinkled in the midnight sky. And with the way he touched her she was falling just like them.
Chapter 9
Hank flipped Kelby beneath him, lifting the small lantern and placing it above their heads. He needed to see Kelby, witness every response to his hands on her body. Never had he wanted to please a woman more. Though she’d voiced some concerns before joining him outside, her face held a serene glow. His hands shook as he traced the moonlight on her cheek with his fingers. “Soft,” he whispered.
