He only asked me out to dinner, for crying out loud! Not back to his apartment for the night. She shook her head ruefully. I need to go. I’ll talk to you later, she typed just as a knock sounded at the door, seconds before Kyle popped his head inside, a slight smile on his lips.
“Everything good?” he asked.
“Yes.” She dropped her cell phone into her purse so she wouldn’t be distracted by any more “advice” from Claire. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to take so long. I’m ready to go.” She headed toward the door, which he opened wide so she could pass through.
“How’s your father doing these days?” he asked as they exited the reception area and he pressed the button for the elevator. “My mom tells me that he comes into the Family Diner for breakfast occasionally with the woman who cares for him and that he seems to be doing pretty well.”
Ella appreciated that Kyle wasn’t skirting around the personal stuff, that he genuinely seemed to care about her dad’s health. “He is, though he does have difficulty with his fine motor skills and he has to use a cane to get around,” she said as they stepped into the elevator and started their descent to the ground level. “And of course that makes him ornery, but for the most part, he’s good . . . except for being a little—okay, a lot—upset that you bought the building next to the market when I’d intended to buy it.” And now that her plans had fallen through, she wasn’t sure what her next move was going to be. She just knew there would be an alternative strategy soon, because she wasn’t giving up on her goal to expand the market and bring in the artisans.
Kyle grimaced. “Yeah, I can’t imagine that your father thinks too fondly of me, considering everything that happened back then.”
“He suffered a lot that night, Kyle,” she said, her voice soft. “He watched his daughter miscarry a baby and had a stroke himself. A lot changed after that night, for all of us.”
“I know,” he said quietly.
He’d already apologized for his part in it all, and honestly, Ella was ready to move beyond that tragic night and just enjoy the next few hours with him as friends.
She smiled up at him. “I’m sorry I brought that up again. No more rehashing that part of our past, okay?”
“That works for me,” he replied with a grateful smile.
The steel doors slid open, and they walked out of the elevator to the main lobby that led to the streets of downtown Chicago. When she’d arrived, she’d entered through the quiet parking garage, but as soon as Kyle pushed open the door for her, her senses were assaulted with the loud, anxiety-inducing sounds of the city and the heavy foot traffic on the sidewalk as people hustled to their Friday evening destinations.
She tried not to panic as Kyle placed his hand at the small of her back to ease her into the overwhelming flow of bodies and to keep her close so they didn’t get separated, which she appreciated. Between the crowd of people and the towering buildings looming all around her, she felt confined and boxed in. Her heart started to race in anxiety, and in an attempt to keep calm, she inhaled a deep breath—and coughed repeatedly at the polluted air that filled her lungs. Ugh.
“Are you okay?” Kyle asked in concern, while he seemed totally at ease with the fast-paced and incredibly noisy city life. He was completely in his element.
All she could manage was a jerky nod, and he frowned at her as they stopped at a red traffic light where they needed to cross the street, clearly not believing her.
The light turned green, and they walked with the rest of the pedestrians through the designated crosswalk. A young kid on a bike flew by them, then swerved out into traffic to avoid running into a woman in a business suit. A car laid on the horn as it drove by, fraying her nerves to the breaking point.
She flinched, and without thinking, she clutched on to Kyle’s arm with both of hers, one hand clamping tight around his bicep and the other around his forearm as she clung to him, certain she looked like a frightened monkey. As if he sensed something was majorly wrong, he anchored her closer to his side and pulled her into the first alcove they came across, which was a boutique that was closed for the evening. She gulped in a breath, feeling as though she couldn’t inhale enough oxygen into her lungs.
“Jesus Christ, Ella. You’re not okay,” he said, his voice gruff as he framed her face in his hands, his brows furrowed in worry. “You’re shaking and on the verge of hyperventilating.”
On top of everything else, she felt her cheeks heat with embarrassment that he had to see her like this. “It’s the city,” she wheezed out. “I hate everything about it. The noises, the people, the traffic.” She was starting to pant, which only increased her light-headedness and her panic. “Everything feels like it’s closing in on me.”
He immediately pulled her against his chest, and she went willingly. Wrapping one arm securely around her waist to hold her tight against his body, he pushed his other hand through her hair until his fingers were curved around the back of her head, which he guided down to his chest with her face turned away from the congested street. She desperately gripped his T-shirt like a lifeline.
“Close your eyes and concentrate on slow, deep breaths,” he ordered huskily. “Just relax. I’ve got you, Ella, and you’re going to be fine.”
She swallowed hard and concentrated on each inhale and exhale while he stroked his big hand up and down her back and gently massaged her skull with his fingers. Her cheek was pressed against his warm, solid chest, and she couldn’t remember ever feeling so safe and protected. For so long, she’d been the responsible one taking care of everyone else and putting their needs above her own. It had been that way for so many years that it had become second nature to her and a part of her daily life taking care of the market, her father, her sister . . .
But this comforting embrace . . . it was almost luxurious. Like a rare treat where she could let down her guard for a few minutes knowing that someone else had everything under control. She’d never thought that someone would be Kyle Coleman, or that being in his arms again would feel so good . . . or so perfectly right.
God, she’d missed him. So damn much.
She burrowed closer, stealing a few more moments with him. With her heart rate and breathing returning to normal, the masculine scent of him filled her senses—woodsy with a hint of spice—calming her jangled nerves and elevating her awareness of him as a man who was attentive, tempting, and becoming increasingly irresistible by the second.
While her body had softened against his, she realized that he’d gone tense, despite the gentle stroking motion of his palm along her back. Her breasts were cushioned against his muscled chest in the most sensual, arousing way, and through her skirt, she felt his thighs flex against hers as he shifted ever so subtly. She bit back a soft groan when the firm bulge in his jeans pressed against her lower stomach, telling her just how affected he was by this embrace, as well.
“Better?” he asked, his gruff voice reverberating through his chest and against her cheek.
“Yes. Much better,” she murmured, but made no effort to move just yet. Not until she was absolutely forced to, because this was sheer heaven. “Thank you for being so patient and understanding. I really do appreciate it.” Especially since the last trip she’d made into the city with Tucker, he hadn’t been all that sympathetic about her anxiety.
“Of course,” he responded, as if him taking care of her was a given. “I had no idea you had urban-phobia.”
“Urban-phobia?” She couldn’t contain the giggle that bubbled up inside of her as she lifted her head to meet his rich, dark brown gaze. “Did you just make that word up?”
“Maybe.” His eyes crinkled at the corners as he gave her a boyish grin that peeked through that trimmed beard on his face and was filled with humor. “But you’ve got to admit, it sounds official, doesn’t it?”
She laughed, the last of those jittery nerves ebbing into a slow, simmering warmth that settled in her belly just as everything and everyone around them faded away. They stared into each other’s eye
s, and with his arm still wrapped tight around her waist and his fingers still tangled in her hair, the atmosphere between them changed, their mutual desire growing into a nearly tangible thing.
Slowly, she released his shirt from her fists and splayed her hands on his chest so she could better span the impressive expanse of muscles beneath the soft cotton. He was solid and strong and well built, and so deliciously hard, she thought, as she dared to skim her hands a bit lower, until her thumbs boldly brushed across the upper ridges of what was undoubtedly the start of a spectacular six- or eight-pack abdomen.
A deep, tortured groan rumbled in his throat, and the fingers in her hair tightened. Holding her head immobile, he tipped her face up to his while his darkening gaze dropped to her mouth. His chest rose and fell much heavier now, as if he was trying to maintain a tight rein on his control, and right or wrong, she wanted to crumble that polite restraint.
She was suddenly dying to taste him, and the edgy, restless feeling swirling inside of her had nothing to do with being in the city and everything to do with wanting Kyle. Badly. While he watched, she slicked her tongue across her bottom lip, deliberately tempting and teasing him, and he accepted the invitation and lowered his head, brushing his mouth across hers in a soft, tentative kiss, as if he was giving her the chance to stop what was about to happen. Instead of pulling back, she parted her lips on a sigh and welcomed the bristling sensation of his beard against her skin, along with the seductive stroke of his tongue. Within seconds, sweet and gentle turned into hot, hard, and unapologetically deep.
With a low growl that sent tingles racing along her skin, he angled her head slightly and his tongue swept in and took over. His firm, sensual mouth molded to hers, commanding and demanding—and she could honestly say that she’d never been ravished like this before. The hunger and desire in his kiss were so powerful and heady they superseded anything that had been between them ten years before. This was an adult lust, filled with passion and pleasure and erotic promises. And he was a confident, sexual man who knew exactly how to make a woman ache in the best possible way and all the right places.
By the time he ended the kiss, that persistent pulse had made its way down between her legs, and there wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it but squeeze her thighs together in a futile attempt to ease the relentless pang. But later tonight, when she was at home and alone in bed with her trusty battery-operated boyfriend, she knew it would be the memory of this steamy kiss of Kyle’s that would eventually get her off. So, at least she had that to look forward to.
He loosened his hold on the strands of hair he’d fisted and brought his hand down to her cheek. His thumb skimmed along her damp, kiss-swollen bottom lip, a too smug smile curving his mouth. “I hope you don’t expect me to apologize for that kiss.”
She raised her brows, his touch of arrogance amusing her. “I wouldn’t want you to.” It was the truth. She’d been an active participant and the kiss had been nothing short of amazing, but she also knew it was most likely a one-time, heat-of-the-moment thing. She and Kyle were not meant to be.
His eyes glimmered with remnants of desire and heat. “Glad we’re on the same page, Sunshine.”
Sunshine. Oh, wow. For ten years, she hadn’t heard the nickname he’d given her back in high school, but the intimacy of it was swift and immediate—as was the memory of what it meant to him. That she’d been the one bright spot in his life.
But before she could respond, he let her go completely, his gaze searching her face more seriously now. “The restaurant is only a few storefronts down,” he said. “Do you think you can make it there okay?”
She finally glanced back out to the main street, which was still busy, but she was calmer now, and the pizza place was closer than his office, so her choice was a no-brainer. And since she’d skipped lunch, she was getting really hungry. They’d just have to stay there until the activity on the sidewalk and streets died down. Being with Kyle for a few hours certainly wouldn’t be a hardship.
“Yes, I’m good,” she assured him.
He took her hand in his and gave it an encouraging squeeze. “You got this,” he said with a smile that helped to bolster her determination. “And more importantly, I won’t let anything happen to you while you’re with me.”
The best part was, she believed him.
Chapter Five
On Friday nights, Moretti’s Pizza was always packed, so Kyle was glad he’d set up reservations while Ella had been making her call home earlier in his office. Since he and the guys came here often for beer and pizza after work, he knew how loud it could get, so he’d requested a booth in the back of the restaurant and away from the bar area so the noise level wasn’t insane, and the hostess was happy to accommodate him. After what had just happened with Ella and her anxiety attack, he knew she’d appreciate the quieter, more private area, as well.
After a quick discussion on toppings, Kyle order their pizza, along with a beer for himself while Ella requested a glass of Moscato d’Asti—a light, sweet Italian wine that was a house favorite. The waitress returned with their drinks, and he sat back in the booth across from Ella, watching as she took a sip of her wine. He tried not to give too much attention to those soft lips pressed against the rim of the glass or the pink tongue that peeked out to sample the Moscato. Because that only led to thoughts of that incredibly hot and intense kiss they’d just shared, which had only served to whet his appetite for more of her.
Now that she was out of the harsh and raucous city elements, she was much mellower than she had been during the tense walk over to the restaurant. Her adverse reaction had surprised the hell out of him. He’d truly had no idea how sensitive she was to the hustle and bustle of Chicago, or that it could trigger such fear and panic. Then again, other than their preferred pizza toppings not changing since high school, there was probably a whole lot he didn’t know about her anymore. But he wanted to find out.
He was mostly curious why Tucker Barnes hadn’t fought harder for someone like Ella and why he’d let her go so easily, even though, according to his mother, she’d been the one to end the engagement. It was like calling the kettle black, Kyle realized, and he hated to admit that his own reasons for letting her go all boiled down to immaturity and sheer fucking stupidity that had only morphed into a wealth of regrets over the years.
But now that a decade had passed, their lives had clearly veered off in different directions. He’d gone to college, and she’d lost out on the opportunity to further her education because of her father’s stroke. He was rooted and established in the city, where he lived, worked, and owned a thriving business with three other good friends, while tonight had proved that she was one hundred percent a small-town girl who preferred the quaint, cozy, and familiar. She was the responsible woman who wore jeans and T-shirts and ran the family market and still lived at home so she could take care of her father.
No, his Ella wasn’t city sophistication. She was sweet, ingenuous simplicity. Always had been, and it appeared she always would be. Mixing their lives now would be a complete and utter clusterfuck.
City vs. country aside, there was not a doubt in Kyle’s mind that her father despised any man with the last name of Coleman, and in some ways, he couldn’t blame him. It didn’t matter that Kyle wasn’t the brother who’d hurt and betrayed Charles’s elder daughter and lied about being the father of Gwen’s baby. Kyle had been involved with Ella, and he’d delivered a different but equally devastating kind of pain that any good, protective father would still hold against him.
“You look so serious,” Ella said, clearing the disheartening thoughts from Kyle’s head and bringing her back in focus. “Is everything okay?”
“I’m here with you,” he said without bothering to censor his words. “I’d say this evening couldn’t get any better than that.” Okay, that was a blatant lie. Taking her back to his place and continuing where that kiss left off would elevate the night to damn near perfection. Yeah, dream on, Coleman.
�
�Still flirtatious as ever, I see.” The corner of her mouth twitched with a humorous smile. “I bet you say that to all the women you date.”
“Actually, you’d be the first I’ve ever said that to and meant it.”
Yes, he’d wined and dined other women, but he’d never truly been content to just be in their company without any other expectations for how the night would end. With those dates, the final result was always sex. Casual and mutual. After he fed Ella, there would be no trip back to his condo. They’d go their separate ways, and he was already dreading the separation because of how much he was enjoying this time with her, just the two of them. He was pretty sure dinner with Ella, or being alone like this with her, for that matter, wouldn’t happen again anytime soon.
She bit her bottom lip for a moment, then gave in to the curiosity touching her features. “So, has there been anyone serious over the years?”
She was trying to act casual, but it was evident that she was just as interested in his relationships as he was about hers with Tucker. “Define serious,” he said, and took a drink of his beer.
Her shoulder lifted in a shrug. “Being committed to one woman for more than a few weeks?”
“Not since you.” He deliberately held her wide-eyed stare, wanting to make sure she knew what she’d meant to him. That seeing her again, being with her, made him realize why no other girl had ever compared, and that was because none had given him that complete sense of acceptance he’d felt with her or the certainty that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with them—as he had with Ella.
She ducked her head and laughed a bit self-consciously as her fingers played with the stem of her wineglass. “I certainly hadn’t expected that answer.”
“Don’t get me wrong. I haven’t been a monk,” he clarified, because he’d had his share of hookups, just not long-term relationships. “But right after leaving Woodmont, I came to the city and got a job working for a small construction company as an apprentice making minimum wage. I needed the money to help pay for the college and living expenses that my scholarship and tuition didn’t cover. Honestly, between working my ass off nearly every day and on the weekends, going to school, and studying for exams, the last thing I had time for was a steady girlfriend.”
The Book Boyfriend Series Box Set Page 39
