Damn, she hated her own weakness.
“Okay.”
“Okay?” Kyle seemed genuinely surprised.
“Yes. I – I would like some help. Can I come over to your place?”
“My place?”
“Yeah.”
She could practically see the wheels turning in his head, trying to reason out her request. Yeah, it had been bold to invite herself over like that, but getting him alone in his own environment might be the only chance she had. He cared for her; he wouldn’t be here, otherwise. She just needed to make him see that, too.
“Johnny doesn’t know, does he?” he finally said.
Lina didn’t answer, willing to let Kyle believe that was the reason she’d suggested his place. It wasn’t completely a lie. Johnny really didn’t know about the tattoos. Apparently every other man in town did, though, given the gawkers who’d started hanging out at Tiny’s. It was only a matter of time. Nobody wanted to be the one to run to her brother and enlighten him; it was a clear case of the messenger not wanting to be shot. No, forget shot. Johnny would rip out the messenger’s still-beating heart right from his chest and feed it to him before he died.
“All right. Want me to pick you up?”
“No. I’m having dinner with my friend Amy tonight. She lives fairly close to you, I’ll just walk.” She wasn’t about to tell him that he was the reason she’d needed to seek out sanctuary at Amy’s; he already had far too much power over her. Besides, it had been a smart decision. Amy needed the help and Lina liked working in the bookstore a lot better than the library.
He nodded, accepting that. Or maybe he realized she wasn’t going to say any more. “Text me when you’re ready to leave, and I’ll come walk you from Amy’s.”
Lina looked at him like he’d grown two heads.
“What?”
She shook her head in disbelief. “How could you be such a gentleman one minute, and a complete tool the next?” He grinned, a boyish, sexy grin that had her clenching her thighs together against the rush of heat that threatened to run down her legs. Yep, far too much power.
“It’s part of my dichotomous nature.”
She gaped at him. “Did you just say ‘dichotomous’?”
“Yeah.”
She laughed, in spite of herself. This man had given her a one-way ticket to complete insanity, with no rest stops along the way. “Okay, I’ll text you.”
Kyle turned the corner toward the library, but Lina kept going straight. He jogged a few steps to catch up. “Not going back to the library today?”
“No.”
“Took the day off?”
“I quit.”
“Why?”
“Why do you care?”
Kyle opened his mouth, then wisely closed it again. Maybe there was some hope for him after all.
Chapter Nine
Lina’s friend Amy turned out to be the proprietor of Amy’s Book Shoppe, which was only a few blocks from Kyle’s place on the edge of town. A quaint, old-fashioned colonial, white on the outside with glossy black trim and shutters, it had what realtors liked to call curb appeal. Welcoming lanterns gave the outside a nice, cozy feel, and the scent of freshly-brewed gourmet coffee and pastries wafted out from the open windows.
The climate changed when Kyle entered through the coffee shop at the front of the building. Conversations ceased as female heads homed in on him. Within a matter of seconds, one or two women stealthily slid back their chairs, presumably to offer him “assistance”.
“You have to be Kyle,” said an attractive brunette with a mischievous grin. Kyle looked down at the woman who had spoken. Her hazel eyes drank him in from head to toe, though not hungrily like those of the other women’s. Her gaze was far more critical. For several long moments, he had the distinct impression he was being inspected.
Kyle kept a safe distance between himself and everyone else, including her. He was only interested in one woman – one who was barely speaking to him – and he had no intentions of getting himself into any more trouble.
“I’m Amy,” she said, grinning up at him. “Lina told me to keep an eye out for you.”
He relaxed slightly. “You’re Lina’s friend.”
“Guilty as charged. Lina’s not quite ready yet,” she said, looping her arm around his. It was a warm, friendly touch, and she gently but insistently pulled him toward the doorway at the far end of the room. “Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour.”
Amy’s arm dropped from Kyle’s the moment they were out of sight. She exhaled noticeably. “Does that happen to you all the time?” she asked, shaking her head.
“Thanks for the save.”
“Well, I couldn’t very well leave you to the she-wolves,” she informed him good-naturedly. “It’s the quiet ones you need to be wary of, and honey, you wouldn’t stand a chance. The latest Salienne Dulcette hit the shelves today, and those ladies are fired up, if you know what I mean.”
Kyle had never heard of Salienne Dulcette, but he got the gist. He knew horny women when he saw them.
He followed Amy as she wove her way through the home-turned-business. The place was much bigger than it appeared from the outside. The entire first floor boasted several large rooms, each containing floor-to-ceiling shelves packed with every kind of book imaginable. Laptops sat unobtrusively off to the side upon small desks, readily available but barely noticeable. Overstuffed chairs and sofas were placed throughout, inviting people to take a load off and escape into the printed world of their choosing.
“This is something you will probably appreciate,” Amy told him with a grin. Kyle’s eyes lit up when she showed him to a room with a section devoted entirely to motorcycles and muscle cars. The décor was more masculine here, but no less welcoming. A few undisputed biker types huddled around one of the laptops, intent on an episode of a popular cable Chopper show. They kept pausing the video and pointing out specifics. Kyle recognized them as regulars at Mo’s. Who would have thought they’d be in a place like this?
They worked their way around the first floor. Towards the back of the building, huge French doors opened onto a beautifully landscaped patio, with comfortable-looking wicker seating sets and big fluffy cushions. Colonial style lanterns highlighted a path off into the spacious back yard, where patrons were encouraged to curl up under one of the sprawling maples and lose themselves for a while.
Kyle couldn’t help but imagine how nice it would be to sit under one of those trees, Lina tucked against him, completely absorbed in one of the romance novels she’d shyly admitted she had an addiction to, while he quietly envisioned turning the words on the pages into reality for her.
He quickly turned his mind to something else when he felt himself starting to harden again – a common problem whenever he thought about Lina. He focused on the cobbled walkways and Amy’s cheerful banter instead, until they re-entered the building and Amy ended the tour at the base of a wide, curved staircase tucked away from the public area.
The second floor was Amy’s private living quarters, she informed him. It was from there that Lina appeared with her small pack slung over her left shoulder and smiled down at him, making him forget everything else.
“It was a pleasure meeting you, Kyle,” Amy said. “I think it’s wonderful how you are walking Lina back to your place, just like a proper escort.” She sighed. “Most men don’t do romantic things like that anymore.”
Kyle blinked. Romantic? He shot a glance at Lina, who was blushing furiously and refusing to meet his eyes.
He felt Amy’s hand skim his bicep. “At least I know she’ll be safe.” Amy’s voice dropped from open and friendly to a deep purr. She was teasing him, he knew, and he watched Lina’s reaction carefully. He was not disappointed.
Lina’s eyes were pinned to Amy’s hand on his arm, and they were full of fire. Amy smiled a brilliant smile and chuckled, patting Kyle’s arm affectionately. “Oh, relax, hon, I’m just having a little fun with you.”
Lina’s face relaxed t
he moment Amy released him. Son of a bitch. Kyle’s chest puffed out just a little.
“Hey, Lina, before you guys go, do you mind if I borrow him for a bit?”
Lina blinked, and just that fast the hardness in her eyes returned, flashes of silver clearly visible beneath hooded lashes. Oh, man. She was jealous! He could feel it pouring off of her in waves. To her credit though, she simply turned her eyes to Amy. Damn. And she thought his eyes looked like ice?
Amy lifted up her hands, giving a wink and a mischievous smile. “Well, you’re running out on me and I’ve got these huge boxes that need to be moved into the back.” Amy’s eyes raked over his chest and arms again. “He could make short work of them, I’m sure, then I would be able to get everything stocked in time for tomorrow, while you’re off doing ... whatever it is you’re going to be doing.”
Lina blushed, and Kyle felt his already-hard shaft turn to granite.
“I’d be happy to help,” he offered, keeping his eyes solely on Lina. He saw the ice melt and the Lina he knew returned in full force.
“Are you sure you don’t mind?” Lina asked. Her voice stroked him as tangibly as the fingers she placed lightly on his forearm, the ones that had fire shooting up through his shoulder and back down into his groin. Just a simple touch and his whole body screamed for her. No one else had ever affected him this way, and he was at a loss to explain it. He only knew he craved it like nothing else.
* * *
As anxious as Lina was to be alone with Kyle, Amy really could use the help. It would take the two of them forever to move all that stuff; the boxes were far too heavy and they would have had to empty the contents and move them piecemeal. Plus there was definitely something to be said for the chance to watch Kyle put those muscles to use. Amy must have been thinking the same thing, because she gave Lina a sly wink.
Kyle did look good enough to eat in those snug-fitting jeans; they hugged his ass and did nothing to downplay his generous endowment. Lina swallowed hard at the sheer size of him. His black button-down stretched across his chest, cuffs rolled back to his elbows, showing his muscular forearms. His clear blue eyes were hypnotic when he pinned them on her, which seemed to be most of the time. Lina licked her lips and tried to breathe past the raging hormones sending tsunami-force waves down to her core where they slammed powerfully against the walls of her womb. With any luck, she would be with him, soon, and he would have those strong hands on her.
In the meantime, she’d get to watch him lift, and stack, and bend over ... oh my. And she knew that despite Amy’s teasing, her friend would never make a real move on him, because she’d been listening to Lina cry her eyes out for the past two weeks.
“Not at all,” Kyle said. “Lead the way.” He grabbed Lina’s hand, making sure that she was coming, too. And damn it if she didn’t almost melt into a puddle right then and there.
* * *
“So, where shall we do this?” Lina asked, and every thought in Kyle’s head just stopped. She looked around his small rancher casually as if trying to find a comfortable place. Placing her hands around the hem of her dress, she started to lift as she took a step toward his sofa.
“Best to lie down, I think,” he said, but he barely recognized his own voice. It sounded deep and gravelly. Strained. Or maybe the thundering of his heart and the roar of blood in his ears was distorting it.
“Sofa?” she asked.
“Bed.” That’s it. If you keep your answers to single syllables you can do this. He pointed to the closed door off to the right.
Without another word, she swung her backpack over her left shoulder and went in the direction he’d indicated. Kyle hesitated. Was he really going to do this?
His conscience prickled. Jamie really liked this woman.
But she’s in your bedroom, a little voice reminded him. And she doesn’t want him, she wants you.
That did seem to be the case. He didn’t know the details, but it was pretty clear that Lina and Jamie weren’t exactly couple of the month. She was a grown woman, capable of making her own choices. And she chose to be here. In his house. With him.
Kyle took a deep breath and followed in her wake.
He watched from the doorway as she slipped off her sandals and curled her toes into the deep pile carpet. That – and the bed – were his only extravagances - outside of cycles, that was. For the most part, his place was typically male - based on function, not fashion - but he had splurged on his bedroom. At the end of the day, he liked a comfortable place to crash.
“This is nice,” she said, and he could hear the pleasure in her voice, see it in her face. Why was it that everything came through so clearly with her? Happiness, anger, sadness – she displayed them all so openly. Did she even know how to hide her feelings? She had to be the worst poker player ever. Good thing he had other activities in mind for her.
“Glad you like it.”
“Maybe we should go back out to the living room, though,” she said, biting her lip uncertainly.
Kyle raised an eyebrow in question.
Lina held up the jar in her hands. “I’d hate to mess up your bedding. Mo said new tattoos can be messy until they heal.”
“I don’t mind.” He was familiar with fresh ink after-care, and to have her here was totally worth a few stained sheets. That’s what they made bleach for.
“No, I suppose they’ve seen a lot worse.” Her words were spoken softly, but they hit their target. Of course she’d think that.
“Not really, no,” he said honestly.
She looked back at him, surprised.
“I never bring women here,” he explained. It was her turn to raise an eyebrow.
“Don’t want them to know where you live, huh?”
A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Something like that.” Actually it was exactly like that. He’d never brought another woman to his house. Never invited one to share his bed with him. But this wasn’t just any woman. This was Lina.
Kyle walked past her and pulled down the corner of the comforter, revealing the inviting looking linens beneath. Giving himself a mental thumbs-up for having the foresight to change the sheets, he swept his hand, indicating she should climb in.
“You’re sure about this?” she asked, and he wondered if she was asking him or herself.
“Yes.” No. I don’t know if I can handle seeing you in my bed. He’d already given this a lot of thought. Even if, by some miracle, he was able to keep himself to just smoothing the salve on her back, her scent would remain on his sheets, his pillows. And then, when she was gone, he would bury his face in them for as long as he could.
Despite his assurances, Lina pulled a beach towel from her backpack and smoothed it out atop the sheets. Then, without warning, she lifted the loose-fitting sundress over her head, and Kyle learned quickly that she had absolutely nothing on underneath. He sucked in a breath when his lungs refused to expand on their own.
Holy Christ.
He knew he should turn away, but he couldn’t. Her breasts were every bit as round and perfect as he’d imagined. Her waist curved in so beautifully, and when she turned, that sexy navel ring winked at him. His eyes went down farther – he was finally going to know if her hair color was natural - and he could not stop the oaths from crossing his lips. She was bare. Completely smooth. Brazilian wax job, all the way. No tan lines, not one. Just one continuous, perfect expanse of gleaming bronze satin.
Oh. Fuck. Me.
Lina only hesitated a few seconds, enough for her image to burn itself permanently into his retinas, before climbing into his bed and laying down on her stomach. She propped herself up on her elbows so that her body formed the most incredible curves.
“I can’t do this,” he whispered, more to himself than her.
“Oh, come on, Kyle. I know you’ve seen it all before. I’ve learned quite a bit about you these last few weeks.”
Kyle clenched his jaw and picked up the jar of salve, choosing to ignore that last remark. Chances were, a lo
t of what she’d heard was true, and for the first time, that bothered him. He wasn’t about to apologize for his chosen lifestyle – it was what it was – but that part of his life had no place here, not with her. If he could shield her from all that, he would.
He had to be careful with his movements when he sat down; his erection was so big and hard it ached like a bitch against his jeans. It was a monumental effort to pull the sheet up over the most delicious looking ass he’d ever seen and concentrate on her tat, but hell, he couldn’t think straight with it exposed like that.
You’re a fucking angel. There is no way you can be human.
“Put your head down and relax.” Don’t look at me. I can’t control myself when you look at me like that.
Satisfied that her eyes were closed, he took a deep breath to steady himself. He felt light headed, and a persistent hum buzzed in his ears. With shaking hands, he opened the jar and dipped two fingers in. He kept his touch light as he began to smooth the salve on her skin, tracing the design. She moaned and lowered her shoulders, stretching out beneath his hands.
Damn. She’s melting beneath my touch.
“Does it hurt?” Of course it did. He knew exactly how tender her skin was. He had a few tattoos himself.
“It did. But you make it feel ... good.”
He said nothing more. He finished applying the clear lotion, coating everything twice. Now what? Did he somehow find the strength to do the right thing and step away? Or did he do what every cell in his body screamed for him to do and make her see God?
Kyle placed the jar on the nightstand and stood up. Lina sighed softly, but made no move to get up. No, she remained naked and prone on his bed, looking relaxed and happy and fucking perfect. Seconds ticked by in silence, and still, she didn’t move. Had she fallen asleep?
Celina (Connelly Cousins #1) Page 9
