In a matter of minutes, she had the kitchen in order and anticipated perusing Kyle’s books.
Shelby had filled her afternoon reading while Kyle labored at his desk completing the backlog of work.
After a light supper of soup and salad, he appeared wiped out.
“Time to get some rest, what do you say? Where are you going to sleep? Here on the couch or in your room. I can help you up the steps.”
He stretched. “Definitely in my own bed.”
Following him up the staircase, she braced her arms in the ready position in case he lost his balance. At the top, she whistled. “Wha-hoo! You go!”
He shook his head and his lopsided grin appeared. By the time he crossed the threshold of his bedroom, his features changed, first serious then focused. “Will you join me?”
“No. You need your rest.”
“You can choose from any of the guest bedrooms, make yourself at home.” He limped entering his room and closed the door.
Shelby exhaled a long sigh and she whispered, “Good night.”
“Night.”
She jumped when he answered.
****
Shelby’s hair fluttered from the crisp September breeze blowing through the library’s open windows. She chose another book from the plethora of novels. For a week now, she had avoided intimate conversations with Kyle and she thanked her lucky stars he never pushed her.
She bit her bottom lip, closed her eyes, inhaling a long breath through her nose and held the captive air in her lungs. Acknowledging, and to her surprise without remorse, she loved Kyle, but remembered he’d compared her to Christine. She exhaled. Her gaze found the man she had fallen for. He nodded at her perusal and returned to his work.
“Kyle?”
“Hmm?”
She closed her book and stood. “I’m going for a walk.”
His pen stilled then he set it down. “What’s bothering you?”
“Nothing. I just need some fresh air.” The breeze flowing through the room reminded her to pick another excuse. “I mean exercise.”
“Maybe when you get back, we can play cards and talk, if you’re ready.”
“Yeah, maybe.” She shifted to leave and the sound of a lawn mower blared inside and fresh cut grass wafted in the room. “You have a gardener?”
“Michael. Don’t be surprised or afraid if he introduces himself to you.”
“Why would I be frightened?”
“Sometimes he gets a little overzealous trying to help.”
“I don’t understand.”
“He has a heart of gold and one hell of a green thumb. I have a friend of a friend, you know how that goes, who told me his parents had divorced and then his mom passed away. He needed a place to stay and a job.”
“He stays here?”
“I bought and renovated a building downtown. Michael lives on the second floor, pays his own rent and collects from the others then gives it to me. I opened a retirement account for him and match the funds. It sounds like I’m tooting my own horn, but I’m not. He works for every cent he earns. When he learned how to count, you should’ve seen his face. I’ve never seen a man so proud.”
She remembered asking him while he was in the hospital about mowing his own lawn. Now, she had her answer and then some. “Pressley, I’m proud of what you did for him.”
“Michael does more for me than the other way around. Wait until you taste some of the fresh veggies from the garden out back.”
Shelby nodded. “Hmm, can’t wait. I’ll be sure to say hi to him. Be back shortly.”
As she closed the front door, the hum of the blades and engine were off to the side of the house. When she returned, she’d be sure and talk to Michael.
Kyle’s alpha-man exterior belied the tender spot he had inside. Shelby grasped the fact that if anyone crossed family or friends, he’d deal with them in one swift action. When it came to control, Kyle had exceptional discipline. Even with her, he’d exhibited patience and managed to restrain his inner tormoil.
That evening, Hilda peered into the library as Kyle shuffled the cards. “Is there anything else I should do before I head home?”
Kyle dealt from the pile. “No, thanks. See you tomorrow.”
Shelby pounded the table with her hand. “Hilda, you can tell Kyle to stop dealing from the bottom of the deck.”
“You kids keep me out of your disagreements and Kyle play fair.” Hilda winked at her. “Have a good evening.”
“Thanks, Hilda, you too.”
When Kyle slammed the deck on the eight-player-table top, she leapt several inches off her chair. “For Pete’s sake, what’s wrong?”
He pointed his finger. “You’ve got Hilda in your pocket.”
“No, she knows you better than you give her credit for.”
Kyle gathered the cards. “Yep, I’m sure she does. How did you know?”
Shelby stood in indignation. “Ah-ha, you admit it.”
He squared the deck, set them off to the side. “I’m ready for a break, how about you?”
She placed her hand on her cocked hip and offered a saucy smile. “Oh yeah, sure, now that you’re caught.”
Kyle snagged her wrist and pulled her to his lap. His hand smoothed her hair. His long fingers rested lightly at the base of her throat, and he gently applied pressure with his palm in the V of her blouse. He nestled his forehead against her temple. “What do you want from me?” She withdrew several inches, his face scrunched in question and yet…was there a measure of uncertainty?
Kyle’s words had haunted Shelby since August, when he likened her to Christine. “I don’t want anything. I’m only here to help you.” How could he doubt her again?
She tried to stand, but he held her to him. Her erratic breaths accelerated. She stumbled over her thoughts and blurted, “I guess…I didn’t make myself clear the last time.” Moisture welled, blurring her vision. “Oh my God, you’re still accusing me of wanting your money, and not handling Ten-Blue-Sun correctly.” He still mistrusted her. Pain splintered her heart. This time she successfully stood erect. “What do I want from you?” The back of her hand swiped the traitorous tear that escaped. “I didn’t realize I still threatened you.” She hurried through the open door. “I’ll call Jude and let him know I’ll be leaving in the morning.” She didn’t realize her soul could shatter, but it had.
“Wait. You took my question out of context.” Kyle stood.
Shelby paused at the bottom the stairs. “I don’t think so.”
She turned and scrambled up the steps. Numb from Kyle’s consternation, Shelby wondered why she had opened herself to another failure to add to the growing list. There were times she wished life were kinder and gentler, but in the end, she had no control over other people and their thoughts. How could she have been so naïve?
****
Kyle knocked and waited for Shelby to answer. When he peeked in the bedroom, he cleared his throat. “May I come in?”
Packing her suitcase, she acknowledged him over her shoulder. “This is your house.”
Quiet minutes followed and she must have misunderstood his silence.
“I can leave now. It won’t take me long. I’ll just be a few more minutes. I didn’t realize how uncomfortable you were with me.” She shook her head. “I should’ve known. Oh the hell with it, I’ll buy more damn clothes.” She zipped the luggage closed, headed for the door keeping her back to him.
His temper rose, the heat flushed his face, he curled his fingers into his palms. He’d waited a week for her to come to him, on her own accord, but this new revelation just flat out pissed him off. “Shelby. Stop right now.”
She halted.
“I’ve never seen a more stubborn, mule-headed filly in all my born days. Do you really think I don’t want you around? Why would I have asked you to stay with me? Why would I ask you to join me in my bedroom? I…Grrr.” He inhaled a full breath for control then released it. “Shelby Littleton, there are times when you exasperate me
and all I want to do is shake some sense into you.”
He inhaled fully again, then let the air flow between his teeth. “Then…I’d make sweet love to you.”
Shelby pivoted to face him. “You…would?”
He nodded. “How about you?”
“Yes…a thousand times over and I’d start again.”
Hot damn. He cupped his hand to his ear. “I’m sorry, I didn’t hear you?”
“I love you.”
Yee-haw. “Good because…I’ve waited a long time to tell you. I love you too.” He stretched his arms toward her and waited for Shelby’s response.
She released the handle of her bag. In two steps with tears streaming down her cheeks, she joined him. Shelby buried her uncontrolled sobs against his chest.
He stroked her back. “Honey, shh…sweetheart... everything will be okay, you’ll see.” Shelby calmed. Her tense muscles relaxed under his ministrations. He drew the small circles on her back crooning soft assurances. When she quieted, he lowered his lips to her ear. “Follow me.”
He led her to his bedroom, sat her down on the bed, pulled off her shoes and guided her to lie down. He discarded his tear soaked shirt, removed the boot-cast, leaving his jeans on, he eased down beside her. Taking the quilt from the bottom foot rail, he pulled the hand-made blanket over her. His arms embraced her, holding and comforting Shelby until they both fell asleep.
The next morning after breakfast, keeping warm by the crackling fire, Kyle lowered his book and waited for Shelby to acknowledge him.
From the other side of the leather sofa, her feet under her, Shelby must have sensed his heavy gaze.
She closed the paperback and locked her eyes onto his. “Do you need something?”
Kyle cringed. He had to tell her about issuing an investigation. Would Shelby understand why, would she respect his motivations, tolerating what he’d done? The ultimate question, would she capitulate to Pressley security protocols? “Have you projected anymore?”
“Not lately.”
He catalogued her comment to review later. “Do you still believe your husband was murdered?”
“Yes. Why?”
He cleared his throat. “You had several home break-ins. Did the perpetrators steal anything?”
“Not that I could tell…I’m not stupid, Pressley, where are you leading me?”
He let out a sigh and plunged into the topic he’d been putting off. “My reports indicate a possible connection although the PIs haven’t found any tangible proof.”
“Reports? PIs? Who initiated them?”
“Me.”
She scooted to the edge of the sofa, her back ramrod straight. “When and why?”
“When we first met…security. I received yours in a matter of hours, clean and your husband’s too. I asked for more research concerning his death and the doll. They’re still digging, but the preliminaries agree with the authorities.”
When Kyle stood and approached her, she sprung from the couch and paced to the floor-to-ceiling window, away from his grasp, away from him.
“Hear me out.”
Her gaze lingered on something outside, she crossed her arms. “Go ahead.”
Definitely not a good indicator. “I wanted you to know what I’d done, wanted to be truthful with you. And I want you to understand, I believe that you believe all of the conspiracy theories exist.”
“Thanks.” She faced him. “You should get some rest.”
He limped across the room and took her hand in his. “You’re right, I could use some.”
“I’m going to go to the public library.”
He questioned if he’d hurt her feelings. For a fractured second, she appeared put out then she drew her eyebrows together, squared her shoulders and a mask covered any indications of her thoughts. “Walk with me to my room.”
When he crossed the threshold of his bedroom, Shelby released his hand. “Penny for your thoughts.”
“I’m exhausted.”
She nodded. “You’ve been working close to fourteen-hour days since you’ve been out of the hospital. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Okay, till then.” He crawled on top of the bed and stretched out. God, he hoped she understood.
That evening, hypnotized by the fire-pit, Shelby kept an arm’s length away from him.
Kyle broke the silence. “How do you do it?”
“Do what?” Long lines furrowed across her forehead.
“You’ve been attentive and taking care of me while successfully pushing me away. I get it, Shelby, you’re unhappy. But I won’t apologize for hiring the PIs.”
“I didn’t ask you to…I understand. We live in a crazy world that dictates certain actions from you. Actually, I’m honored you were interested enough to check on me and ecstatic I’ve held up to your scruples.”
“Then why are you angry?”
“I’m not. I’m fine.” Shelby pursed her lips.
“Anytime I hear a woman say I’m fine, it means the exact opposite. Damn, baby, I’m not good at this. Something’s bothering you and I want to know so I can help.”
“I’m disappointed that’s all. No biggie. You can’t mend or fix me, okay? I need to be alone. I’ll be in my bedroom, if you need me.”
“Tell me why you’re unhappy?”
She worried her lower lip, her gaze shot to his. “The police report and your investigators concluded my husband committed suicide, never mind that I found a damn doll and his journals pointing toward something else entirely.”
Shelby rubbed her temples with her fingertips. “What bothers me most is I find this whole situation ironic. You believed me about the First Realm and spirit guides then hesitate to accept my hypothesis about his death. Maybe I am just a crazy lady from Texas who thinks her husband’s murder is related to Ten-Blue-Sun.”
She held her palm out to halt the discussion. “I need to be alone.”
“Don’t walk away. Listen, all the evidence points toward a man taking his own life.” He hesitated. Shelby needed him to trust and accept her word. “All right, I’ll redirect my investigators from your perspective.”
“I don’t know whether to thank you or tell you to stop for fear I’m a stark raving maniac.”
“Come here, Shel.” When she edged closer, he weaved his fingers in hers, maneuvering her to sit on his lap. His arms enveloped her, her face tucked in the lee of his neck while his hands soothed her tense muscles. “I want to hold you for a bit.” There were a multitude of other subjects that needed to be discussed between them, but he’d save them for later.
****
By the end of the second week, his endurance lasted longer. The bruises had faded into burnished yellows and the red angry cuts were reduced to a healthy pink.
To finish a perfect Indian summer day, he had grilled fresh vegetables and salmon for supper, then they relaxed in the Jacuzzi. The fire-pit shed an appreciable amount of warmth to stave off the chilly evening air. Wrapped in robes, he held her in the glider for two.
The sun had long since set when she shuddered and goosebumps rose. He helped her rise. They changed, and he led her to her favorite book-lined room.
Once the fireplace was lit, Shelby joined him on the couch, lying beside him. Her head nestled in the crook of his hip, her arm draped over his thigh while she cradled the paperback in her palm. His book about global economics balanced on his chest.
Shelby’s moist breath permeated through his jeans, sending chills across his skin. The last thing on his mind was how his business decisions affected worldwide commerce.
He caressed her shoulder. The pads of his fingers slid to her neck, massaging the sensitive area behind her ears. One of the many places he had wanted to sample when he first met her and he wasn’t disappointed. She tasted like honey, responded to him when his tongue grazed her curves. He fondled her ear, the soft swirls guiding his fingertips to trace the outline. His palm shifted to her jawline, his thumb brushed over her full lips. Lips he wanted wrapped around his c
ock.
Shelby was beautiful, attentive, and a caretaker. Since he’d been back from the hospital, tonight was the first meal he’d cooked for them. Hilda had offered, but Shelby told her to go home, be with her family, and get some rest. Hilda had let Shelby coddle her too.
He thanked the powers that be she’d come back into his life. These weren’t the circumstances he envisioned, but he wouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Right now, all he wanted was to make love to her. He bowed his hips.
She changed her position and her gaze met his. “Am I hurting you?”
“Yes, but not in the way you’re thinking.” He rose again.
Her hand coasted up his inner thigh. She palmed the outline of his throbbing hard-on.
His hand covered hers, adding pressure. Her book hit the floor and his followed.
She finagled off the sofa, knelt beside him and flicked the top button then unzipped his jeans, inching his pants and briefs down. Her fingertips retraced their path. Shelby’s fingers and palm found his cock and she stroked him while her tongue slid over his crown. The velvet heat of her mouth closed around him sending shivers to his toes.
Nothing seemed more important, not even his business or the outside world, only the sensation of her mouth making its way down then back up his entire length. Not even the reminders of unanswered questions concerning the doll or the temptation to mind walk, only the gratifying diligence she gave to his cock. He wallowed in the pleasures of her concentration.
Kyle groaned as she took all of him. He swept a stray lock of her hair from her face to watch while he weaved the length through his fingers. With every plunge, he twirled the highlighted fall colors of her mane. Not only did her soft tresses sensitize his flesh, but her wet, satin skin of her mouth harboring his cock carried him closer to the edge as she loved every stretched inch. He was in heaven. When her hand grasped his balls, erotic flames roiled inside him and the bliss of his release was imminent.
He closed his eyes to draw control, nearing the edge, he stopped her. “I’ve got a better idea.”
When he stood, he shucked his remaining clothes and draped a blanket on the floor. He removed Shelby’s, settled her on her back and nestled beside her. At the base of Shelby’s throat, he nuzzled planting wet kisses then ventured down the valley. Stopping to nibble and relish her taste, he nipped and smoothed her taut nipple. Crossing to her other breast, he suckled, eliciting goosebumps and shivers from her.
Walking Into Her Heart (A First Realm Novel) Page 14
