The One

by Kristin Vayden

  “You’re not funny. And remember, because you’re technically my brother… again, you’re including your grandma in that too,” she shot back, crossing her arms.

  “Touché.”

  “Damn right.”

  “Are you two done yet?” I asked through my amusement.

  “Never,” they both answered at the same time.

  “So… I actually didn’t think of the write-up…” I leaned back in the sofa. “How do you want me to approach it?”

  Roxi leaned forward, her eyes taking on that scary glint. “I want it in story format. I mean, this is going to be huge. I want all the details about how you guys grew up together, were reunited in Scotland… it’s not as romantic as Paris but it’s super close.” She tilted her head. “Oh! And I need a video. Kirby? I want you on film talking a little about Meredith — I need your brogue, the grandmas are going to go wild.” She winked.

  “That’s just wrong.” He gave a shudder.

  “I’m kidding. Most of the demographics are between the ages of sixteen to fifty-five. So, not too far out of your league, old man,” she quipped.

  Kirby turned to me. “I thought we were calling to mess with her? How did this turn on me?”

  “It’s her gift,” I answered.

  “Her gift sucks.”

  I nodded in agreement. “You’re telling me.”

  “I’m right here, guys!” Roxi shouted, causing the phone speaker to distort slightly.

  “Pity that.” Kirby leaned in and kissed my neck. I leaned back slightly, giving him access while trying not to laugh at the gagging noises Roxi made.

  Kirby started to laugh against my skin, then just rested his head on my shoulder, his body shaking with laughter and making me laugh along with him.

  “Guys! Stop, it’s… just gross.”

  “Deal with it,” I shot back to Roxi.

  “I’m… trying?”

  “Liar.” Kirby sat up and smiled.

  Roxi sighed. “Meredith, one more order of business, and I’ll let you get back to… making that firstborn you’ll name after me.” She grinned.

  “Hurry up.” Kirby moved his hand in a circular motion.

  “Fine, fine. Seriously. Okay, Meredith, I need the write-up in the next two days, okay? The post is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. And because I’m kind, all you have to do is send the post and I’ll do the HTML, everything. Oh! And I almost forgot, I’m waiting to hear back from ABC about a special interview on GMA for this… I know we talked about it at the beginning but with the whole… development… between you and Kirby, I did a different spin and submitted it to my contact at the station. He seemed super interested so I’m waiting to hear the final approval. And uh…” She glanced away.

  Uh-oh. I turned to Kirby, but he wasn’t watching Roxi. His brow was furrowed as if thinking through something difficult.

  “So if the special interview is a go, I’ll need you back in the States in two days.” Roxi spoke super-fast, bit her lip, and offered an apologetic grin.

  Her words captured Kirby’s attention, and he leaned forward. “Say what?”

  “Monday. I’ll need her back on Monday. I know it wasn’t the original plan, but I promise it will only take a few days and you can have her back—”

  “Monday?” I asked again. That was… really not very much time.

  But that brought a whole new question. What exactly did we do now anyway? I mean, I didn’t live in Scotland, but Kirby did.

  We were literally oceans apart.

  Well this sucks.

  I swallowed, my chest tightening with the issue, with the simple idea of being away from him… far away. “Roxi, I’ll e-mail you later.” I ended the call even before she finished her goodbye.

  The room was silent except for the small crackle of the fire. I took a breath to speak, then stopped. Where did I start?

  Kirby’s arm tightened around me, and like the warm sunshine on snow, my fears started to melt.

  “One day at a time.” He turned to me, his smile resolute, kind yet determined.

  I nodded once, taking a deep breath.

  “Merry?” Kirby’s voice broke through my rising worries.

  I blinked then turned to him. “Yeah?”

  His face broke into a wide grin, his white smile bright against his dark beard. “It’s been twenty minutes.”

  I broke into a belly laugh, shaking my head as he leaned toward me. Teasingly I leaned back, but it worked to his advantage since leaning back really just meant lying down on the sofa.

  “And here you said I was impatient.” I reached out and grasped his neck, pulling him down with me and giving him a quick kiss.

  He nudged the line of my jaw with his nose, then kissed to just below my ear. “It seems your rubbing off on me.”

  The sofa cradled my frame as Kirby’s weight gently rested on top of me. “How terrible.”

  “For me.” He nipped at my shoulder.

  I rolled my eyes but still pulled him in tighter. “I think you’ll survive.”

  He chuckled against my skin, nudging my shirt up with one hand while the other reached around my back, pulling me flush against him.

  His kiss was tangy from the orange juice, and his hair soft from all the times I had run my fingers through it last night, over and over, tugging it, and pulling him in as close as possible. As I arched against him, he groaned and, with a speed I sincerely appreciated, he rid himself of all his clothing.

  I winked.

  He paused. “Why do I feel suspicious?”

  “Me?” I rested a hand on my chest, as I lay there still fully clothed and simply admiring the view.

  His eyes narrowed. “I dinna trust you.”

  “You really, really shouldn’t.” I grinned and rolled off the couch, scrambling so that it was between us.

  He tilted his head and regarded me. “I see how it is.” A playful grin tugged at his full lips.

  “Oh?” I walked around the couch as he approached me, keeping the couch between us.

  “You can’t out run me, Merry.” He shrugged as if the idea was insane. “I’ll catch you one way or another.”

  “Maybe, maybe not.” I glanced to the door — not because I was going to leave but just trying to think.

  His eyes shot to the door then back to me. “Don’t doubt that I’ll run bare arse out there after you.” He grinned.

  I burst out laughing. “You would.” I shook my head. “But…” My smile faded just a bit. A burning sensation started in my chest. I didn’t want anyone else admiring him. Mine. The words from last night echoed in my head as I memorized every line of his body.

  His brow furrowed slightly. “What is it lass?” He took a slow step toward me, but I didn’t run away.

  Just waited.

  Seeing that I wasn’t about to run away, he finished the short distance to me quickly and pulled me into a hug, his warm arms binding around me as his unique scent overpowered all other senses.

  “I don’t want to share,” I whispered against his chest.

  His hand brushed my hair down my back. “Share?”

  “You.”

  His hand paused, then resumed. “I dinna remember telling you that you needed to.”

  “I know, but…”

  “Feelin’ a wee bit possessive?”

  I sighed. “Feeling a lot bit possessive.”

  He pulled me back so that I could see his face, those blue eyes of his seeing right through me. “And what about that is a bad thing?”

  I took a breath. “Because… I don’t know? It just seems like—”

  “If you have a claim on my heart… it goes to say you have a claim on the body it holds, lass. And I know we tease and play… but I dinna make light of this.” He leaned forward and kissed my forehead.

  “But…it’s so far,” I whispered, all the fears of before coming to the forefront of my mind.

  “And?”

  “And?” I leaned back. “It’s Scotland and the United States an
d… and ocean.” I closed my eyes, hating how weak I felt.

  “And there’s the heart of it.” I opened my eyes and watched as he nodded once. “You think that it will change when I’m not always around to pester you.”

  I shrugged. “I think it will be hard, and I…” I took a deep breath. “I’m really just going to miss you.” I leaned forward and rested my head on his solid chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heart.

  “I’ll miss you too… but you’ll see. It will all work out.”

  “But… I want to know how. And I want to know it now.”

  “Impatient.” He kissed the top of my head.

  “Always.”

  “Of this I am certain.” He held me tightly.

  And didn’t let go.

  It was perfect and exactly what I needed — and I didn’t even know it.

  “I do have one request, though.” He released me just enough to watch my expression.

  “Yeah?” Anything.

  “Dinna go walking around bare ass either…”

  I covered my mouth with my hand as I giggled. “Deal.”

  “Good.” He gave me a lopsided grin. “Because I’m a little possessive too.” He bent down and kissed me, reminding me of why he was naked… and how I still was not.

  “Kirby?” I murmured between kisses.

  “Hmm?” He answered back.

  “Twenty minutes.” I broke the kiss and ran to the bedroom with him following close behind.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  WITH THE DEADLINE approaching for the blog, I had to go back to my hotel to get my laptop.

  Which meant that Kirby and I had to put clothes on and leave his homely little flat… adding to my list of why I was still slightly angry with Roxi.

  Kirby walked me to my room, making a show of sliding his keycard into the slot.

  “Mature.”

  “Never.” He gave his head a little shake and opened the door for me.

  “I’m going to be a while, is there anything you need to do?” I asked as I woke up my laptop and entered in my passcode.

  “Yeah, I should probably check on several managers. One has a renovation going on and it’s making the logistics of the pub a bit more difficult.” He rubbed the back of his neck.

  “Sorry.” I glanced to him. “You know, you never really explained to me what you do.” I sat back in the chair, curious.

  “I own several pubs and work in commercial real estate.” He shrugged.

  “As in you are a broker, sell homes for others, like a real estate agent?”

  He shook his head. “No. I simply purchase the property and develop it. The pubs I own are long established and have a loyal consumer base as well as a slice of the tourism in Edinburgh.” He shrugged. “It’s fun and a challenge.”

  “You’d look hot in a power suit.”

  “Maybe I’ll bring one home tonight.” He gave me a devilish grin, and headed to the door. “Because I do look damn good in black.”

  I bit my lip. “You look better naked.”

  He paused, his gaze raking over me. “Keep doing that and neither of us will get any work done. And I have no qualms about taking you up on that either.” He crossed his arms as if challenging me.

  I narrowed my eyes, glanced to the bed and back to him. “Let’s get something productive done and then we’ll… celebrate.” I hitched a shoulder invitingly.

  “Sex is productive,” Kirby countered.

  “Very, very productive,” I agreed.

  “But a little time will build up some additional anticipation and believe me… you’re worth the wait.” He opened the door.

  “Writing this article is all the anticipation I’ll need,” I whispered as I opened my application for the blog.

  The door didn’t click closed and I glanced over, seeing Kirby pausing before leaving.

  “What’s up?”

  He closed the door and walked toward me. “Merry… I have a question, and I dinna know how to ask it without sounding like an ass.” He sat on the bed and regarded me.

  “Honestly, Kirby, I doubt you could offended me more than you have in the past… and I’m still here… still sleeping with you tonight… still hating the thought of leaving you on Monday… give me a little credit.”

  He barked a laugh. “Truth enough.” He shook his head. “When Roxi asked for your blog post about us… what does that all mean?”

  I swiveled the chair so I faced him. “It means I post a headshot of you, your credentials, your job et cetera, and then how it was to date you. I’ll give details about where we went, the vibe I got from you… your sex appeal.” I bit my lip and blushed. “But no… uh, intimate details.”

  He nodded once. “But Roxi said something about a story format.”

  Shit. “I totally forgot about that. Yeah, that does change things. When she says story, she wants me to create an entire world around the idea… like telling a story only far more detailed than my original plan…”

  “Here’s the part where I sound like an ass.”

  I brayed like a donkey for good measure.

  He glared.

  “Sorry.”

  “Who’s the ass now?” He teased.

  “Jerk, go on.” I rolled my eyes but smiled.

  “I… I don’t want you to do the blog in a story format. I’m okay with the basic general write-up like all the other guys — not that I’m even in the same category.” He grinned.

  “Not even close.”

  “Good.” He glanced away as if slightly uncomfortable. “This… this is our lives.” He pointed between me and him. “I dinna want it publicized for all the world to see.” He folded his hands. “Merry, it would be easy to take that as if I dinna want the world to know that you’re mine, I’m yours and everything… but that’s not what I mean. I want this… to be ours… only ours. Does that make sense?” His blue eyes were concerned.

  I nodded, taking in all that he had said. It made sense. “I want it to be only ours too. I’ll just do the general write-up, but I have to warn you…” I bit my lip. “As much as I’ll try to keep it standard… the romance is going to bleed through.”

  He smiled. “I truly hope so.”

  “So you’re okay with that, just as long as I keep the story private?” I asked, just making sure I understood.

  He nodded. “Yes. Absolutely. When I tell the story to my grandchildren I dinna want them to be able to have found it already on the Internet.” He stood, walking to the door once more.

  “Grandchildren?” I repeated. Did he mean what I thought he meant?

  He turned. “All in time Merry, all in time.” Then left.

  I turned to my computer, the curser blinking.

  With a grin I couldn’t control, I started the writing — trying to keep my focus on my work, not on Kirby’s words.

  And when I finished writing the general write-up, I stared at it, re-reading it, and hating how it just fell so short.

  Because it wasn’t nearly enough.

  Because our story was amazing, the kind of thing romance authors wrote about…

  I opened up a new document and bit my lip.

  Sometimes your life changes so slowly you don’t see it coming until you’re on the other side wondering how you got there. And sometimes, you fall in love with your sworn enemy.

  Life is full of surprises…

  And the most profound happened in Scotland …

  The story.

  By the time I finished, the screen was blurry from my staring at it. A moment later, I heard the door open.

  “Hey.” Kirby’s voice had me scrambling to save the document and close it before he saw. It was going to be a surprise.

  “Hey.” I glance to him, turning back to the laptop, then did a double take. “Dear lord.”

  Kirby tugged on the cuff of his jet-black suit then grinned.

  “You approve?” He took a slow step toward me.

  My mouth went dry as I took in the sight of the perfect cut of his s
uit, accenting his broad shoulders, and the length of his firm legs. I whistled.

  “I’ll take that as a yes.” He chuckled.

  I nodded, still soaking in the sight of him. “You make that suit look really good.” I stood and walked over to him.

  He burst into laughter. “I love that look on your face. Also, I like the silence. I think I’ll wear this every day—”

  I punched him in the shoulder.

  “Hey, watch the suit.” He turned away, grinning playfully.

  “Yeah… hmmm… we wouldn’t want the suit to get hurt…” I tugged on the lapels. “We should probably just take it off.” I reached my hands under the jacket and over his shoulders, shrugging it off.

  “Is that so?” He leaned forward, capturing my lips in a kiss. “Are you finished with your work? Because I have a great idea—”

  “Shit.” I pulled away. “I forgot to e-mail the blog to Roxi. And…” I released him and walked to the chair, sitting down with an impatient sigh. “…I was super objective on us — to the point where I hated how it sounded.”

  He walked to me, tugged on my ponytail and then slipped his hand down the back of my shirt. “That couldn’t have been easy… thanks,” he replied with sincerity.

  I shrugged, but then turned to face him, his warm hand sending shivers down my body. “You’re welcome.”

  He bent down and kissed me. His spicy cologne wove it’s way around us as he dipped between my lips and tangled his tongue with mine. He pulled away slightly. “Hungry?”

  “Famished.” I kissed him again.

  “Then hurry up. I have reservations and we can eat then… play.” His hands traced down my side and tickled my hipbone just before he straightened.

  “Stupid Roxi,” I mumbled and then turned to the computer, blinking so I could make out the words. Damn I needed my glasses but I’d left them at Kirby’s.

  To make matters worse, Kirby stood behind me tracing lazy circles on my back with one hand while his other snaked around my front, teasing the edge of my bra and setting me on fire.

  “I can’t think with you doing that.” I opened up my mail and started to write the e-mail to Roxi.

  “When I do what?” He cupped me then bent down again and nipped my earlobe.

  I sucked in a tight breath. Attached the post and sent it, all but slamming my laptop closed once it sent.