The Stranger - Unexpected Love: Keri's Story #1 (Short Story)

by Maci Grant

  Keri met his eyes and winced at his words. “Does that cheesy line work on anyone?” she asked. Trevor reached across the table and took her hand gently in his. He ran his thumb across the curve of her knuckles and slowly raised his eyes to hers. His expression was no longer charming, or playful, but completely serious.

  “It's not a line,” he said calmly and trailed his thumb in a slow circle along her soft skin. Keri shivered involuntarily, there was just something about him that made her react in surprising and unpredictable ways. In all the time she was with Daryl she had never felt so easily swayed by just a subtle touch. “I know I'm coming on a little strong, the thing is, I'm not in town for long, and I honestly want to get to know you better.”

  Keri found herself wanting to believe him, even though she told herself she should know better. Take it slow Keri, she warned herself, don't buy into this.

  “So you're from out of town?” she asked, attempting to change the subject, but not drawing her hand back from his.

  “Yes, visiting for a few days,” he nodded casually as he continued to study her eyes.

  “Friends, family?” Keri asked as he released her hand and sat back to make room for their dinners being delivered to the table.

  “Work,” he said without offering any more information. Keri noted how cryptic he was being but she was distracted by the waitress pouring her a drink.

  “What do you do?” she asked, and he cringed as he took a sip of his wine.

  “It's really pretty boring, and you, do you enjoy bar tending?” he quickly changed the subject.

  “It has its perks,” Keri tried to sound optimistic.

  “Hm,” he said as he smiled a little. “Sounds like you're trying to convince yourself.”

  “I had other aspirations,” she replied with a half shrug.

  “Like?” he leaned forward a little, ignoring his meal.

  “I wanted to get my business degree,” she said rather wistfully.

  “Wanted to?” he repeated and furrowed a brow. “Or want to?”

  Keri looked down at her food and couldn't help but feel as if he could see right through her.

  “What are you twenty-four?” he asked as he took a swallow of his wine.

  “Twenty-seven,” she said wishing to herself that she were a few years younger so that she didn’t feel like such a failure when it came to her career. From what she could tell Trevor was probably in his late twenties or early thirties.

  “So why are you giving up?” he asked gently.

  “It's more like I'm taking a break,” she replied and busied herself taking a bite of her food.

  “Well no matter what you decide to do, bar tending, or owning your own business, I am sure you will be successful,” he smiled with confidence.

  “You barely know me,” she pointed out, though her tone was warm.

  “I hope to change that,” he promised, his green eyes shimmering when they sought hers.

  Keri felt her heart melt as she wanted to believe him. In the span of one dinner she had gone from certain that she would never fall in love again, to wondering if she could ever forget the way his eyes shone so beautifully.

  When they finished their meal, Trevor suggested a walk by the marina which was close to the hotel he was staying in. It was a clear crisp night, the stars filled the sky, and the moonlight cast a milky path along the walkway. As they walked, Trevor slid his hand into hers and held it loosely. Keri smiled to herself when she felt his physical connection again. The moment she felt it, she realized how much she had missed it.

  “It's too bad you're only here for a few days,” she found herself murmuring as the sweetness of the moment warmed her.

  “I'm here as long as you'll have me,” he said as he paused and pulled her gently closer to him. “I know it's fast, but I'm serious Keri, from the first moment I've never felt so much so quickly for someone before,” he met her eyes and Keri could see that he was hoping that she would believe him. She wanted to, his eyes were full of honesty, his expression was open and accepting, he was everything that Daryl hadn't been. He drew Keri a little closer to him, so that their bodies brushed together, and his eyes never left hers. He gazed down at her as one hand slid along the small of her back, and swayed her body even closer to him. Although his touch was firm, it was not forceful, Keri knew if she pulled back even a little he would let her move away, but in that moment she did not desire to be anywhere but in his arms.

  “I don't mean to scare you, by asking for too much, too fast,” he said quietly as he studied her. “Just tell me, if you're uncomfortable,” he murmured, the sweet spice of his breath drifting lazily across her features. Keri didn't say a word, instead she crossed the distance between her lips and his, and drew him into a tender kiss. Trevor did not resist, he deepened their embrace, and Keri found herself drifting away from all of her thoughts of hesitance, all of her uncertainties, and her need for control. When their lips finally parted, she was smiling wider than she had in weeks.

  “Wow,” he whispered as he continued to hold her close.

  “What?” she asked with confusion.

  “Your smile is amazing,” his grin was a mixture of charming and playful. Keri was suddenly aware that all of this was too good to be true. She had fallen under his spell so easily, despite her determination not to.

  “I should go,” she said quickly.

  A flash of disappointment crossed Trevor's face, but he nodded slowly as he released her. “I'll take you home.”

  “No,” Keri shook her head as she stepped back from him. “I'll take a cab, really it's fine,” she insisted when he began to protest. As she walked away from him, she knew he was watching her, she could feel his confusion and could not blame him as she had never felt more confused.

  Chapter 5

  When she arrived at the bar the next day, Marilyn was there to greet her, but she was not smiling. “Listen Keri, I need to talk to you,” she said swiftly and tugged her cousin aside.

  “What is it?” Keri asked, wondering if Marilyn had finally decided to fire Leo.

  “I ran a background check on Trevor,” she said and showed her the display of the report on the tablet she held.

  “Oh wow,” Keri said with a laugh. “That was fast,” she smirked, but she didn't really mind. She knew that Marilyn was only looking out for her. Marilyn did not smile.

  “It can't be that bad,” Keri grinned as she began to sweep her eyes over the tablet. It was worse than bad, actually. There were several arrests on the report for assault.

  “I'm sorry Keri,” Marilyn said honestly. “I could tell that you really liked him.”

  Keri was disappointed. She had spent most of the night trying to convince herself that Trevor was worth taking a risk on. Now she knew that her instincts were really off, she was falling for a dangerous man with a history of violence. This was definitely not what she needed.

  “Thanks Marilyn,” she sighed as she brushed her crimson hair back over her shoulders. “I knew it was too good to be true.”

  Marilyn frowned sympathetically, but members began filling the bar. Keri took her place behind the bar and began fixing drinks, but she was not very talkative. She was relieved she had found out before things went any further, but she just could not get the memory of his touch off of her mind. An hour into her shift, the door swung open, and Trevor walked in. Leo bristled and began walking toward him, but Keri waved him off. She thought it would be better if she made things clear.

  “What's going on?” Trevor asked with a frown as he glanced at Leo who was glaring at him. “How can he hate me more today than yesterday?”

  Keri kept her expression stern. “Trevor, I don't think this is going to work out, I'd really rather you didn't come in here.”

  Trevor stared at her, his eyes wide. He was not expecting her to jump on the bar and dance, but he was certainly surprised that after their kiss the night before she could be so cold.

  “What happened?” he asked with a hint of desperati
on. “Did I do something wrong?”

  Keri bit into her bottom lip, as she was still so easily swayed by his presence. “No, I'm just not interested,” she said firmly.

  “You're lying to me,” he said, his jaw rippling as he tried to hold back his frustration. “I know you are.”

  Keri looked down at the top of the bar, not trusting herself to look directly at him.

  “Keri please,” he said and reached for her hand. Leo was there in a flash to grab his wrist before he could touch her.

  “She said leave, pal,” he growled and hoped the man would give him a reason to be more aggressive.

  “Fine,” he said shortly and jerked his hand away from Leo. “Fine,” he turned and stalked out of the bar.

  Keri spent the rest of the afternoon trying to ignore her regret. She had not even given him the chance to explain, but what explanation could there be for the arrests? She was certain she didn't want to be with a man that violent or with such a checkered past. She just about had herself convinced when she recalled the way he had held her in his arms. She had felt so safe, so secure, in his grasp. She did not even have the slightest twinge of fear. When her shift was over she decided to visit him at the hotel. She would give him a chance to explain his past. What harm could that do? She would soon found out.

  Chapter 6

  When she arrived at the hotel and stepped off the elevator on his floor, she was surprised to see him in the hallway with another woman. She was very pretty, but wearing very little clothes. She looked more like a prostitute than a model. Keri felt sick to her stomach as she realized he had not bothered to wait a day before conning another woman. Only the woman he was standing so close to, wasn't being conned. In fact, Trevor suddenly turned her roughly and pinned her against the wall.

  “Trevor!” Keri cried out as she rushed to the other woman's aid. “Get your hands off of her!” she demanded, as Trevor wrenched the woman's hands behind her back. He glared in Keri's direction.

  “Stay out of this,” he barked. With the fury in his eyes it was easy for her to see why he had so many arrests on his record. She really had not gotten to know him at all. Keri was never one to stand aside when she saw someone being harmed. Growing up, Marilyn and Leo had always taught her that no one should turn a blind eye to a person who was in trouble, and this did not feel any different to Keri. She was not just going to ignore him assaulting this poor woman.

  “Let her go,” she growled, and lunged at him, ready to strike out at him. She did not notice at first the flood of cops that began to pour off the elevators, out of the stairwell, and even out of some adjacent rooms. Before she knew it there were guns drawn all around her.

  “Hands in the air,” a gruff voice commanded, and Keri knew this meant that someone was pointing a gun directly at her. She froze. Keri's heart was in her throat, as she slowly raised her hands into the air. She watched with surprise as Trevor accepted a pair of handcuffs he was handed, and cuffed the woman he had pinned. He wasn't the criminal at all, but the one making the arrest. Keri was mortified as she realized she had gotten in the middle of what must have been a sting operation.

  “It's okay,” Trevor insisted as he gestured for the other officers to lower their weapons. “She didn't know, she was just confused,” he explained swiftly. Keri nervously lowered her hands. She could not look directly at Trevor.

  “Keri,” Trevor tried to get her attention once he handed off the woman to another police officer. “I need to take care of a few things, just give me a chance to explain, okay?”

  Keri was too embarrassed to even look at him. She fled the hallway milling with cops, hoping she wouldn't be reprimanded for interrupting the arrest. She found herself outside near the marina, trying to calm herself down. She had been through so many emotions in such a short span of time that she could barely take a breath without panicking. One moment she was expecting Trevor to be a criminal, the next an abuser, and now she was faced with the knowledge that she had been wrong the entire time.

  “Keri,” his voice reached her when he was still a few feet away.

  “Why didn't you just tell me?” she demanded as she turned to face him. “Why would you lie about something like that?

  When he started walking toward her, his green eyes imploring, she backed away. She still was not sure what exactly had happened, but what she was certain of, was that he had not told her the truth about anything.

  “Okay,” he said, and paused where he was. “It was an active investigation,” he explained calmly. “I couldn't risk telling you the truth, I never expected that I would actually meet someone here, someone like you.”

  “Were you undercover?” she asked with surprise.

  “Yes,” he replied and dared to take a step closer. “I'm a detective, and sometimes I do some undercover work.”

  “So your name's not Trevor?” Keri assumed as she watched him move a few steps closer to her.

  “That is my cover name,” he said honestly. The operation was over, the arrests had been made, he could tell her the truth.

  “And the arrests?” she asked when he paused right in front of her. The heat of his body so close to hers, made her ache for him to pull her into his arms.

  “That's what this was all about?” he asked with a grimace. “Did you run a background check on me?”

  Keri shrugged and nodded, still trying to avoid his penetrating gaze. “My cousin did,” she admitted sheepishly. He smiled faintly as he brushed a tendril of her hair away from her eyes so he could easily meet them with his own.

  “No arrests,” he promised in a whisper.

  “But you did lie,” she reminded him, intoxicated by how close he was.

  “Not about what mattered,” he promised, letting his fingertips linger on her cheek. “Never about that.”

  “Are you really just visiting?” she asked and took a sharp breath as he slid his arm around her waist.

  “I'm here to stay,” he replied firmly. “I was just staying in the hotel for the investigation, I actually live across town.”

  Keri shook her head as she stared up at him. “I guess I was wrong,” she sighed, regretting that she had jumped to such a conclusion.

  “Not about what mattered,” he said softly, letting his lips drift closer to hers.

  “Never about that,” she replied and touched her lips to his. The moment Keri felt the caress of his kiss she knew there was no use fighting it. She wanted to resist, she wanted to remind herself of how tragic her relationship with Daryl had been, but this man, whose name she did not even truly know, had crept deep inside of her, and found that place she had built a wall around. He had slipped inside when she was trying so hard not to let him, and she was certain, that he was there to say. Perhaps her cousin had been right, love will always find you when you least expect it.

  “Unexpected Love: Keri's Story” is a short story series with the remaining titles to be published on a regular basis.

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