“Kalli, great work today. Thank you again for coming on such short notice.”
“It was absolutely no problem, my pleasure in fact. Thanks for the opportunity.”
“Listen, it’s really late and you’ve already put in more than a day’s worth of work. I’m fine with you coming back tomorrow to finish up everything. I know you’ve still got a few hours’ worth of cleaning up and organizing.”
“Really? I mean, that would be great.”
“The lot is open tomorrow, so you shouldn’t have any problems getting to your trailer.”
“Thank you. I appreciate it.” And I did. I’d much rather grab my purse and hit my hotel than stay there until nearly sunup finishing everything. He smiled then walked away, shouting something to someone across the soundstage. I made my exit, heading for my trailer. I walked in to find chaos. People shedding their costumes left and right, shirts and pants being flung every which way. Being in the costume design business, I was used to seeing people sans clothing, but seeing mostly naked people never got any less uncomfortable for me.
Through all the moving limbs I caught sight of Riot’s torso, shirtless and tan. My eyes strained unconsciously to see more, but my mind shut them down, pulling my head downward to look at the floor.
I wove through the crowd, searching for my purse.
“Everyone!” I called out into the packed trailer. “Just leave your costume in the trailer when you’re done and I’ll be back tomorrow to sort it all out. Thank you!” That was my best effort at getting the message across. I was exhausted and just wanted to go to bed.
I found my purse and snatched it up, then turned back around to make my way out. I was nearly to the door, one hand on it, when I felt a hand wrap around my upper arm. I turned to see Riot’s smiling face just a foot away from mine, his strong hand sliding down my arm, coming to rest at my elbow. He urged me forward with a nod.
We made it outside into the very early morning air, and I stopped, turning to him.
“You’re coming back here tomorrow?” Riot asked, eyebrows up.
“Yeah, well, I’m exhausted and George said I could clean up tomorrow instead of tonight. So I’m going to sleep.” I turned slowly, pointing myself in the direction of the parking lot and Riot turned, then fell into step beside me, walking me to my car.
“Do you want some help?”
“Cleaning up?” I couldn’t hide the surprise from my voice.
He shrugged. “Yeah. I mean, I don’t have anything to do tomorrow and I was hoping if I helped you clean up, then maybe you’d spend the rest of the day showing me the city.”
My steps halted and so did my ability to speak. My mouth opened, urging words to come out, but none did at first. I looked down at the ground, trying to organize all my thoughts. Riot wanted to see me tomorrow? Did I want to see him? I’d just spent the day watching him rub himself all over Lexi. I looked back up only to be assaulted by the boyish smile across his face, hopeful, waiting for my answer.
“Riot,” I started, intending to give him some excuse as to why we couldn’t spend the day together.
“Aw, come on, Kalli. Don’t ‘Riot’ me.” He sounded almost like a child being told he couldn’t go outside to play with his friends. “You’re gonna be here anyway, and I don’t have any place to be, let me help you.” He widened his stance, spreading his feet to an unusual distance, bringing his face level with mine. He sounded as if he sincerely wanted to help me and if I was being honest with myself, I could use the help.
“Fine, you can help me. But I can’t stay very late, I have to get home eventually.”
“Can I at least keep you for dinner?”
My breath snagged in my lungs at his words, gulping at the thought of Riot keeping me. I knew he was flirting with me, he had been the day before as well, but I didn’t want to lead him on.
“I should probably leave before dinnertime.”
“Got a hot date back home?” he asked, his tone joking, but the intensity of his eyes said something else; that he was curious.
“No,” I said, trying not to blush. “I just have a life I have to get back to.”
“Well, tell you what,” he said, standing up straight again, but moving closer to me so that I had to tilt my head back to maintain eye contact. “We’ll get you all sorted here, but then I get a tour of the city, and if you have to leave before dinner, so be it. But I’ll be spending the day trying to show you such a good time you won’t want to.”
He sounded very sure of himself, and his confidence was endearing. I narrowed my eyes at him, trying not to smile.
“Okay, you’ve got a deal, but I’m warning you: I don’t give in easily.”
His smile widened and I watched a dimple I hadn’t noticed before appear, and its effect on me was instantaneous. I inhaled as a wave of warmth rolled through me. Then he brought the back of his hand up and rubbed it on the underside of his chin again, just like he had the night before.
“I’m gonna go,” I mumbled, turning toward my car again. I had to get away from him before my body completely betrayed me and melted right in front of him.
“Should I meet you here tomorrow?”
I stopped and looked back to him. “Do you have a ride? I could drop you off at your hotel.”
He shook his head. “I found a place close by last night. I’m good. What time should I meet you here tomorrow?”
“Ten sound good? I’d like to get at least a few hours of sleep.”
“Sounds perfect. See you tomorrow, Kalli.” His voice went soft on my name, but the dimple came out again. Words failed me, so I just waved.
I made it to my Range Rover, but took a few deep breaths before I started the engine. I hadn’t expected to be so affected by Riot or his words. His body, sure. But not his words. Perhaps he was just punchy from the long day. I sighed, started the engine, and then headed toward my hotel just praying for a good night’s sleep.
Chapter Five
A Wonderful Wasted Day
I walked into the trailer the next morning and groaned. It was even more of a mess than I left it the night before and I was immediately regretting putting it off. I had taken a few more steps in, looking around, trying to formulate a game plan in my mind on how to best attack the mess, when I heard the door open.
Riot stepped in, eyes widening. “Holy shit,” he said with conviction.
“Yeah,” I said as I placed my bag on the table. “Feel free to back out. You don’t have to stay and help with this. It’s my job.”
“What kind of a guy would I be if I just left you here by yourself?”
I shrugged. “One with better things to do than clean up someone else’s mess?”
“Turns out,” he said with a dazzling smile, “I’ve got absolutely nothing better to do.”
I simply couldn’t help the smile that spread over my face, so I chose, instead, to turn away and focus on picking up the mess.
That’s how we spent the next two hours: picking up. We picked up the clothes, hung them on hangers, organized them into categories, then I rolled most of them on the rack back to the studio for their manager to deal with, and then put the few items I’d brought with me in the back of my Range Rover after Riot had kindly carried them out for me.
“Nice ride,” he said after he closed the trunk.
“Thanks. I need something big for instances just like this,” I said, smiling at him as I held my hand up to block the sun from my eyes. Something about the way he looked just then, the sun shining behind him, only allowing me to see the silhouette of his face, cheeks big from smiling, it made something inside me melt a little. Soften. I could feel something warm spreading throughout me, coating everything that had been solid and cold before.
“Shall we go get the last load?” he asked softly, forcing me out of my state of wonder. I blinked and looked down at the ground, allowing my eyes to adjust to the lack of light.
“Sure,” I said quietly, then started to walk past him. He turned to walk beside m
e and I felt his hand rest at the base of my neck, gently squeezing. After a moment or two of feeling his big, strong hand wrapped around the back of my neck, I felt the warmth leave as he removed it. The loss of his skin against mine left me breathless. I’d never been a huge fan of public displays of affection; I also had always shunned a lot of physical contact. I was usually more annoyed by being touched than anything. But having Riot’s hand on me hadn’t been even remotely annoying; it had been exhilarating. I tried to keep my reaction to his touch under control, letting out a slow and silent breath.
When we’d finally made the last trip to the car and I was positive we’d gotten everything that belonged to me out of there, I turned to Riot with a smile.
“So, I don’t know about you, but I could really use some coffee.”
“I’m up for just about anything.” He smiled and then gave me a wink. I tried to keep myself from blushing, but it was unavoidable.
“Great.” We both climbed in my car and I took off toward the center of the city.
Thirty minutes later we sat on the steps of Pioneer Courthouse Square, coffee in hand, enjoying the sunshine and watching the people pass by.
“This is kind of a cool spot,” Riot said just before taking a sip of his sugary coffee concoction through a straw. I’d had to stifle a giggle when he’d ordered his drink. Something about a big, tall, masculine man ordering a triple iced grande vanilla mocha made my eyebrows rise. I’d never met a man who drank anything except straight coffee before. He’d thrown another adorable wink my way and insisted on buying my iced latte.
“Did you ever see Free Willy?” I asked between sips.
“Uh, of course,” he answered, as if it were ridiculous to even ask. “I was a child of the nineties.”
I laughed. “Well, do you remember the opening scene where the homeless kids are asking for change?”
“Yeah,” he said, sipping again from his straw.
I made a grand gesture with my hand to the open square and to the light rail track behind me. He looked around, confused at first, but then his eyes went wide.
“Really?” he asked excitedly.
“Yeah. They shot that scene here. This is one of the first places Ella took me when we started hanging out.”
“Ella?”
“My best friend. She lives here, owns a boutique just a little ways away. She and her sister Megan are the only reasons I come to Portland so often anymore. Ella loved playing tour guide to me when we first met. She was going through some stuff and couldn’t work a whole lot, so when I had free time between work I’d let her show me her hometown.”
“She sounds cool.”
“She’s the best,” I said with a sincere smile.
“Well, she’s got good taste in friends,” he said, bumping his shoulder into mine gently, causing me to smile even wider. Riot was a complete flirt. But he flirted in the cutest, most innocent ways; it was hard to wrap my mind around. I was used to men being really forward, even aggressive. Riot was neither. He seemed sweet, relaxed, and completely in the moment.
“Man,” I said, looking up at the sky. “It’s getting really hot out.” The August sun was beating down on us and there was no shade in the square to protect us. “Ready to move on to our next destination?”
“Lead the way,” he said as he stood.
We started walking out of the square and down the city streets, the tall buildings offering shade on the sidewalks.
“So, would your boyfriend be okay with you spending the day with me?”
“Wow, very smooth, Riot,” I said, laughing. I looked over at him, noticing the big, shy smile on his face. “I don’t have a boyfriend.” I paused, wondering how much to divulge to him. “I’m not really the ‘boyfriend’ kind of girl.”
“Hmm. I must admit I’m a little surprised. It seems like someone should have claimed you by now.”
“I’m not looking to be claimed,” I said firmly.
“No, of course not, I mean, I’m sorry.” He turned to me then and looked utterly lost and contrite.
“Don’t worry about it. It’s not a big deal, I just don’t really get involved in relationships.”
“So, you don’t date?”
“I date, I just don’t really go out with someone more than once or twice.” I blushed, knowing what my words were implying, knowing I was admitting to sleeping with men on the first or second date, but then never seeing them again.
“Why?”
His question surprised me, but what surprised me even more was the tone with which he asked it. He didn’t sound judgmental or like he thought less of me, he simply sounded curious.
I shrugged. “I don’t want to be tied down.”
“A free spirit?” he asked, now smiling at me, and all the hackles that I’d put up in the last minute went slowly back down.
“Something like that.”
“But you’d see someone often if they were just a friend, right?”
I laughed, mostly at the fact that he was being cute again. “I suppose.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
We kept walking through the city and as we neared the waterfront, we had to weave our way through the throngs of people gathered for the Saturday Market. Portland had some pretty awesome summer weather usually, but if it was a Saturday and sunny, downtown would be packed. We tried our best to stay together, but eventually people started forcing us apart. Riot was at least a head taller than me so it was easy to keep an eye on him as I tried to keep close. Suddenly, I felt a big hand wrap around mine and then I was next to him, holding his hand. We were palm-to-palm, wandering, eyeing booths filled with people’s wares and goods. When I finally saw what I was looking for I tugged on his hand, urging him to follow me.
I walked up to the edge of the fountain, taking in the sight of all the people playing in the water. The fountain was huge, and could easily accommodate the hundred people frolicking in it at that moment. Water spouted straight out of the ground, ten or so geysers, surprising small children and adults alike. The fountain’s floor was slightly graded, so on one side water accumulated, making it the perfect wading depth for small children.
There were toddlers holding their mother or father’s hands, squealing with excitement over the water, there were older children running around, clearly enjoying the city summer activity, and there were also adults enjoying the water, albeit less enthusiastically. I immediately thought that Marcus would love it and I’d have to see if there was anything like it in Seattle.
“You up for it?” I asked, looking at him, only to see the biggest grin on his face.
“You wanna play?” he asked, turning to me, his voice lower and rougher. His question sent a prickling sensation through my body and I had to work hard to push the reaction down, to not let it steal my breath away.
“Yeah,” I responded.
Not letting go of my hand, he started walking backward into the water, grinning at me slyly, as if he had a secret. I couldn’t help but return the smile, trying to keep it to just my mouth, but feeling it creep into my eyes and heart. Our eyes locked and I felt pulled to him, which is why neither one of us spotted the giant geyser of water that shot out of the ground between us, drenching us both.
I screamed, trying to push the water out of my face, and I could hear Riot’s deep laugh rumbling on the other side of the plume of water between us. I took a step backward, trying to get out of the direct shot, then saw him run around the water, coming up behind me. I squealed as he wrapped his arms around my middle from behind, picked me up, and carried me right into the water.
I wiggled in his arms, trying to escape, but after struggling and writhing, I came to understand that his very strong arms weren’t going to let me go until he was good and ready. So, I did what any self-respecting woman would do in my position: I begged.
“Riot, no. Please put me down, please!” He was holding me near one of the bigger plumes of water, teasing me, inching me closer to the strikingly cold water. “Please, p
lease, please….”
“What’ll you give me to let you go?”
“Anything!”
“Anything?”
“Anything. Please,” I continued begging. Then his mouth was pressed right up against my ear.
“You’ll kiss me?”
My breath, which had previously been fast and frantic, stalled in my lungs. I could still hear the laughter of all the children playing around us, could feel the mist of the cool water being sprayed up into the air, but mostly, I felt my heartbeat pounding in my chest. He wanted to kiss me.
“Kal?”
Oh, my. He’d used my nickname. My head was nodding before I realized it and he was quick to respond, setting me down on the ground again, and then placing his hands on my waist, spinning me around. We were chest to chest, my wet shirt pressed against his, and my hands came to land on him. My eyes flitted down to the wet t-shirt hanging on his pecs and my hands absently roamed over him.
His finger came to my chin, tipped my face up to his, and again he was silhouetted by the sun. Then, even though I didn’t think it possible, he stepped even closer to me, sliding his hand up my jaw and back into my wet hair, gripping the back of my neck.
He was serious about this kiss.
My hands slid around him, running over his rib cage and I pulled him in to me.
His face moved down, slowly coming closer to mine, his eyes darting back and forth between my lips and my eyes. I couldn’t hear anything, couldn’t see anything, and was numb to the cold water lapping at my feet. All I was aware of was his hands on me and his mouth moving toward mine. When he was just a breath away, my eyes closed and I prepared to feel his lips on mine.
What I felt, instead, was a wave of frigid water splash onto my face.
I was startled and I sputtered, trying to breathe through the water running down my face. I laughed, only because I didn’t know what else to do, but when my eyes opened I noticed Riot was just as startled and drenched as I was.
I looked to my left and saw two small girls, both with empty buckets, staring at us and giggling. I laughed again, because obviously these two girls had doused us with water. Suddenly Riot took off after the little girls, chasing them, threatening in a totally non-threatening way to get them back. The girls were laughing, running away from him, and he was chasing them slowly enough to never catch them. Every few feet he would bend down, scooping up some water in his hand, and throw it in their direction.
Never Standing Still Page 5
