Evie's Knight

by Kimberly Krey

  She was surprised by the sudden twist in the mood. The warmth of his hand around her waist, her back pinned against the cool wall. The ever-present chemistry surging between them.

  “Thanks. It’s a lip stain. It lasts all day and it doesn’t smudge,” she said, mimicking the commercial.

  “That’s good.” He leaned in closer and breathed her in. “It smells good, too. Is that mint?”

  “Yeah. It’s mint and vanilla actually. ChapStick.” She gulped again.

  “Nice.” His warm breath flittered across her cheek.

  The beat of her heart came thicker, heavier, as the fever built in her chest. She worried that, at any moment, Calvin would step away, end his flirtatious teasing, and lead her back to the Jeep.

  Unwilling to let the moment slip, Evie forced herself to speak. “I could share.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  She nodded slowly in reply. “But, I don’t have it with me,” she lied, the heat of the moment fueling her desire. “We’d have to get creative, find a way to get it from my lips to yours.” She licked her lips, leaving them parted.

  Calvin’s eyes were intense. As he leaned in, she watched his mouth, beautifully perfect and full. She let her eyes shut as he closed the gap between them. Gently, he pressed his lips to hers–soft, smooth, and warm. The sensation had her weak, melting. She breathed him in, completely alive and in the moment. The simple kiss was entirely right.

  He pulled back and met her gaze.

  Evie’s breaths came rapid. “Did it work?”

  Calvin rubbed his lips together before pulling one side into a crooked grin. “Not yet.” He tilted his head, gently parted her lips with his own, and came in for a longer, stronger kiss.

  Passion roared inside her, consumed her entirely as she tuned into every spellbinding detail. She wrapped her arms around him and reveled in the incredible sensation–the masterful movement of Calvin Knight’s lips on hers. She felt his fingers squeeze around her waist as he pulled himself closer, the intensity growing.

  A pool of warmth encircled her heart. She couldn’t think about how this was not normal behavior for her, about how this kiss was one she might work up to after a month or two of dating. She could only think of the sweet taste of his lips, of how the push and pull of his perfect kiss was like kissing for the very first time.

  Calvin brought his hands up to her face before pulling away, and then gazed at her. He leaned in again and brushed his lips gently along hers, back and forth, before giving her one last, sensual kiss.

  “Mmm,” he moaned, brushing her cheek with the back of his fingers. “Let’s get you home before I really take advantage of you.”

  As he took her by the hand, led her toward the Jeep, Evie basked in the glorious knowledge that she had just been kissed–really kissed–by Calvin Knight.

  Chapter Thirteen

  “Is it your move?” Evie asked, eyeing the chessboard between them. She already knew the answer–it had been Calvin’s move for the last three minutes–but she couldn’t resist giving him a hard time.

  “Yes,” he answered, eyes pasted on the board. He reached for his bishop and slid it along the diagonal path toward her queen. The dining room light dangled above the board, warming the space between them with its yellowed glow.

  Evie moved one of her knights forward and to the left. Closer to his king. “I love that your last name is Knight,” she said.

  Calvin’s brows creased. “You do?” His eyes didn’t leave the board. He slid a pawn forward.

  “Yeah. The association with the word is so positive. A knight is fierce and courageous, steadfast and strong. He protects his lady and destroys her enemies.” She moved the knight once more, taking out his pawn. “Check.”

  Calvin studied the board. “You do have me, don’t you?”

  She tried to hide her amusement as he made a vain effort to escape the threat, shuffling his other bishop into the mix.

  She took that piece out as well. After he scooted another pawn, Evie moved in with the knight again.

  “Checkmate.” She bit at her curved lip as he scrutinized the board. “Sorry.”

  He nodded. “I knew you were dangerous.”

  She chuckled, sliding the board to the side. “Did you say you had an interview?”

  “What was that?”

  “Earlier, when you got here. You were saying you had an interview somewhere.”

  He tipped his head back in acknowledgment. “Yes, with Colin Web. They do graphic design.”

  Evie propped her elbows onto the smooth surface of the table. “And how’d it go?”

  “Well it was a second interview.” He shrugged, a smile spreading across his face. “I start next week.”

  “That’s awesome, Calvin.” She wanted to tell him that she wasn’t surprised. She’d seen his art and could barely believe how talented he was. But the moment seemed to pass before the words came. “What will your hours be like?” It might not have been any of her business, but she had to know.

  “It’s a freelance position. So I’ll mostly be working on projects from home during my free time.”

  “That’s,” she stopped herself from using the word awesome again, “sounds like the perfect job.”

  “I know. I’m pretty happy about it.” He let out a soft chuckle before looking at her. “Hey, I’m going camping next weekend with my dad and Parker, but I’d like you to come out to my place when we get back. Meet my dad.”

  What? His statement thrilled and surprised her all at once. “You would?”

  “Yes. We get back Sunday afternoon.”

  A massive celebration erupted inside her, like a cool rush of tingling fizz bubbling through her veins. “I’d love to do that. Why don’t I make you guys dinner?”

  “You wouldn’t need to do that.”

  “I know, but I love to cook. Plus my dad’s going to Boise to visit his brother next Sunday. I’ll be on my own all day.”

  “Oh, Parker might be there. Is that alright?”

  Great. The Jackass. “Of course.”

  Calvin sunk a hand into his pocket and pulled out his phone, glancing at it briefly. “I should get going.” He came to a stand, and she did the same, smiling as he reached for her hand. She secretly hoped her dad would stay in the office and give her privacy as they said goodbye. Not that she should kiss him again. In fact, she probably shouldn’t.

  As they walked toward the door, Evie glanced up at his handsome face, recalling their kiss like a treasured secret: The strength and warmth of his mouth, the passion behind his heavenly lips, and the force of his hand as he’d gripped at her waist. She’d never known kissing could be like that; she wanted to do it all over again.

  A cool draft seeped through the crack along the front door as she stopped at the entryway. Calvin turned to face her, his dark brows straight and tense. He placed one hand on her hip and slowly traced the other up her arm, over her shoulder, and around the back of her neck, his fingertips teasing her skin.

  She released an unsteady breath as goose bumps rose in a ripple over her body.

  “Looks like you fulfilled your mission tonight,” he said in a low voice.

  “What?”

  “Saving the entire planet from destruction.”

  “Oh yeah. I guess you need to work on your seduction skills,” she teased.

  “You’re right.” His warm breath flittered across her cheek. “You know, I’m going to think about your face, your laugh, and your smile every minute until I see you again.”

  Whoa–that was seductive. An overwhelming rush of delight spilled over her. She’d never had anyone speak to her so boldly. So beautifully. With tentative movements, Evie slid her hands up his lean, muscular arms, reveling in the warmth of his body. She sighed when his lips ran softly along her jaw. Back, forth.

  “And those lips…” His mouth brushed, ever so lightly against hers, taunting, teasing, inviting.

  Evie tipped her head back, desperately wanting to feel the heat of his mouth on h
ers. It was more than a desire; it was a need.

  “Bye, Evie.” His lips tickled her mouth as he whispered against it.

  Near the state of unraveling, she opened her eyes and loosened her grip as he turned toward the door.

  Calvin looked over his shoulder. “I’ll call you.”

  She loved the sound of that. “Okay. And thanks again for tonight. That was exactly what I needed.” A rapid blush made its way onto her cheeks. She was referring to the batting cages, yet all she could think about in that moment was the kiss.

  He smiled. “It was just what I needed too.”

  ***

  The sleek, hardcover top on Calvin’s Jeep kept the breeze away nicely. Better than Evie had imagined it would. She pulled the buckle over her lap and steadied the crock-pot at her feet.

  Calvin rested his hand behind her as he backed out. “That smells great.”

  “Thanks. My grandma used to make the most amazing spaghetti sauce, and I finally got the recipe a few years ago.”

  “So you’ve enjoyed cooking for a while, huh?”

  “Yeah. I started taking cooking classes in Jr. High and, I don’t know, I just loved it.” The afternoon sun made Evie squint as Calvin pulled out of the cul-de-sac and onto the main road. She turned toward him. “So how was the camping…” Evie let the sentence die, her final words clinging to the air as an object within the Jeep seized her attention.

  Strapped to a strand of leather, resting at the hollow of Calvin’s throat, lay a pendant. Gripped by a sudden need, Evie reached for the piece, securing it in her hand. An intricate bronze carving was centered in the quarter-sized pendant. Along the outer rim, strange-looking letters spelled unreadable words.

  “What does this say?” she asked, her voice no more than a reverent hush.

  “It says, Caballero Valeroso. It means courageous knight.”

  Evie would have guessed the inscription to mean desire–fierce and demanding; she couldn’t remember wanting a simple object so badly. She circled the outer ring with her thumb and looked up at him. “Courageous knight?” The phrase appealed to her.

  He nodded. “My mother gave one to each of us. Parker and me.” His warm breath grazed her cheek as he spoke, making her take notice of how close she’d gotten.

  In a rush of embarrassment, Evie tried to release the medallion, but it didn’t fall, not right away. Instead, the pendant reached out for her fingers and thumb, stretching for her touch as she moved her hand. Once it dropped back to his throat, Evie gasped, certain that her mind wasn’t right.

  “What’s wrong?” Calvin shot her a surprised glance before setting his eyes back on the road.

  His question made her realize she’d jerked away, frightened by the impossible scene. She nearly spoke up, was tempted to reach out and toy with the charm once more. Yet with her next breath, a certain flavor drifted across her tongue, strong and invasive. She closed her mouth and swallowed, trying to place the familiar taste. Salty, metallic. Blood.

  A rash of chills broke over her skin. “Uh, I thought … I mean, my mind’s just being… weird.” She put her fingers up to her ear lobe and twisted the silver stud. Part of her was anxious to dismiss the incident, like she had done with the art and the strange hissing in her head. But the other side of her, the more dominant part, was working to replay it in her mind. Solve the strange mystery surrounding him.

  Over the last week, a day hadn’t passed without a call or visit from Calvin. In some ways, she felt closer to him than she did Kelly, especially with the way Kelly had been distancing herself. Evie cleared her throat. “That phrase you spoke–that was in Spanish, right?”

  “Right. My mother’s Spanish. And though her parents raised her here in the US, they insisted she know how to speak Spanish as well as English. She did the same thing with me and Parker.”

  “So you can speak it?”

  He nodded. The warm smile on his face, the sheer kindness in his eyes worked to melt the tension in her throat. She relaxed a bit, let her dismissive side win.

  “Say something else.” She was hoping he’d distract her from the darkness that had crept into the space between them.

  With his gaze set on the overcast sky, he cleared his throat. “Mientras que la cena huele delicioso, no creo que nada puede saber mejor que tú, mi pequeño melocotón.”

  She was distracted already, melting in the warm bath of his handsome voice. “I love the sound of that. Seriously, I could listen to you all day. What was it you said?”

  “I said, while dinner smells delicious, I doubt anything could taste better than you, my little peach.” He smiled, seeming to enjoy the way she gasped in surprise.

  “Can’t believe you took a bite of my arm,” she said, loving the memory of it. “But since I know you love peaches, I made something special for you for dessert.”

  “What is it?”

  “If I tell you, will you say it back to me in Spanish?”

  He gave her a nod. “Si.”

  “Peach cobbler with whipped cream.”

  Calvin ran a hand along his jaw. “Let me see, it’d be melocotón pastel con crema de leche, I think. I’ve gotten a little rusty over the years.”

  Evie gave it a shabby attempt, repeating what he’d said. “Ugh, it sounds better when you say it.”

  He reached over and took hold of her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. The sensation caused a flash of heat to spread through her body. She closed her eyes, rested back into the seat, and tried not to think about the fact that something didn’t seem right. That no matter how fantastic Calvin Knight seemed to be, there was a certain darkness that lingered in his presence. She only wished she could make it go away. Until then, perhaps she could ignore it.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “We need to have this little lady over more often,” Calvin’s father said, nodding to Evie. “Honestly, Hon, that was the best meal I’ve had in a long time.”

  “Well, thank you,” Evie said.

  “We don’t get enough home-cooked meals around here,” he continued. “Not unless boxes of mac and cheese count. Right, Cal?”

  “True,” Calvin said.

  Evie smiled at him, taking a drink from her glass. She’d been nervous about meeting Calvin’s father, yet he put her at ease the moment she’d walked in the door. Upon insisting she call him Jack, he’d given her a tour of the home, bragging about his son’s talent for refinishing hardwood floors. “I figure that if I can find enough projects around here to keep him busy, Calvin will stick around to house-sit while I’m out on assignment,” he had said.

  Parker stood up and stepped away from the dinner table.

  “You taking off?” Calvin asked him.

  “No. I’ll stick around for a while.” Parker glanced at Evie before disappearing into the front room.

  Jack stood up and started clearing plates from the table. Calvin did the same. Evie reached for an empty pot, but Jack stopped her.

  “Don’t you worry about cleaning up, Hon,” he said. “Let the gentlemen do that.”

  Calvin gave her a wink, hints of a dimple showing on his olive-toned cheek. “You can go kick back on the couch. I’ll be there in a minute.”

  Evie smiled. Calvin had obviously gotten his father’s charismatic demeanor, among other things. The resemblance between Jack and his sons was unquestionable. Calvin had his jaw-line, square and chiseled. Parker had his dad’s blond hair, and the three of them had the exact same nose, perfectly straight and slightly squared.

  Parker sat sprawled on the couch in the front room. Must not consider himself to be a gentleman. He grabbed the remote, flipped through the channels, and started cracking his knuckles.

  Evie opted for the love seat and turned her attention to the screen.

  “So, Calvin has said a lot of nice things about you,” Parker said.

  “Hmm. That’s good to hear,” she said warily. He’d been fairly quiet throughout dinner, and his statement took her by surprise.

  His eyes remained focu
sed on the mounted flat screen. “Yeah, he didn’t actually mention that you were as uptight as you are. Maybe he just hasn’t noticed yet.”

  Angry heat rushed in a wave over her skin. “Are you referring to my reaction to you at the party?”

  Parker tapped down the volume on the remote and gave her a cold stare. “That was a major over reaction on your part. Don’t you think? I mean, what are you, a drama major?”

  “Actually, I was restraining myself if you want to know the truth. I wanted to deck you.” She fought the urge to back away as he leaned toward her.

  “I’ve never, ever had a girl do that to me before. Not once,” he boasted.

  She held his gaze. “Parker, the only girl that welcomes that kind of groping from a complete stranger, is one who comes equipped with her own personal package of STDs.”

  “You are such a priss.”

  “Yeah, well you’re just,” she looked him up and down, “dirty.”

  “Dirty?” He laughed. “Baby, you have no idea.”

  They stayed there, locked in an unrepentant glare until Parker tapped the volume back up, muttering under his breath.

  “Excuse me?” she asked.

  “I said… I got further with you in one night than your ex-boyfriend did after six miserable months of dating you.”

  Evie looked down at her hands, cursing stupid Tyler and his big idiot mouth. “I’m sure you and Tyler have a lot in common.”

  “Not really. I wouldn’t have stuck around in a relationship like that for six days. I’ve already warned Calvin about it, not that he cares.”

  “About what? That I’m not someone he can just use and then throw out when he’s done? Good.”

  “Calvin’s not as great as you think he is, Evie. He says that he likes how pure and innocent you are, but I’m sure that will change.” His eyes narrowed. “You should know that his last girlfriend, Kate–who’s extremely hot, by the way–had no problem putting out. Just a little something to think about.”

  The ex-girlfriend thing stung, but Evie was determined to see past it. She focused on the other detail Parker revealed–Calvin had said he liked how she was–as in, he already knew where she stood, and he was still interested in her.