Chapter 32 #2
In my peripheral, I can see her little head bopping up and down, but I can’t take my eyes off her dad. The man that has spent his entire day building not only custom bookshelves for his daughter but sticking what must be a hundred stars to her ceiling.
“Dad-of-the-year award,” I say, surprised to hear my voice is husky.
Something heats in his gaze at the sound of my voice, his lips tipping up into a crooked grin. “You like that, sunshine?”
My tongue is moving before I can stop it. “Very much.”
Emmy breaks the tension thrumming between her dad and me as she points to the door, reminding me.
“Oh, yes! Show me where your dad hides the Legos, Queen Emmy.” Rising, I let her pull me over toward Kieran. “Looks like I don’t have to cough up a confession after all,” I tease.
“You already did.”
I can’t help but frown as he follows Emmy and me into the hallway. What is he talking about?
Emmy tugs on my arm but I can’t drop Kieran’s gaze, not even when she comes to a stop at the end of the hallway, past her dad’s room and in front of one I haven’t ventured into before.
She stands on her tiptoes, trying to reach the handle but failing.
Kieran keeps piercing me to the spot as he moves forward, his lips all but brushing mine as, with pink-splattered hands, he leans forward and pushes open the door as he whispers huskily, “Welcome to my secret.”
My breath hitches, my body wanting nothing more than to sway forward into his, but Kieran’s looking at me like he knows exactly what I want and like he will make me beg for it. So instead, I turn to find a room, smaller than Emmy’s and yet still twice the size of my bedroom at home.
For the second time today, Kieran steals my breath. Inside, clear floating shelves house dozens, if not hundreds, of Legos.
Emmy twirls into the room, careful not to touch the work bench in the middle. This isn’t her first time being in here, if I had to guess. I’d say she’s been given rules by the way she’s considerate of her small steps so that she doesn’t knock anything over.
Spinning in the doorway, I’m surprised to see that Kieran’s cheeks are tinted slightly pink. No, that can’t be right. Kieran doesn’t get nervous. Confidence runs through his veins; it’s practically in his blood.
“Kieran Ashford,” I whistle low. “Are you a secret nerd?”
The pink on his cheeks blossoms into a full red tint and without warning, a full belly laugh escapes me. Suddenly, warm arms wrap around me, caging my back to his front as he bends his head low to whisper in my ear. “Keep laughing at me and you’ll give me a complex.”
I can’t help it, I can’t stop.
“All this time you had a secret nerd cave!”
I squeal as his fingers find my waist and tickle.
“You’ll pay for laughing at me, sunshine.”
“No!” I cry. “Stop! Ahhh! Kieran!” My screams are tinged with laughter as I wiggle in his hold and yet he doesn’t let up, his hold on me secure.
“Take it back. It’s a man cave.”
“Okay! Okay!” I relent, gasping. “It’s a man cave. A very manly…” I chuckle. “Nerd cave.”
He growls low and deep, pausing for a moment to let me catch my breath, before starting the assault again and so thoroughly I scream as I drop to my knees, Kieran coming with me. He tackles me to the floor, pinning me down, but not with his full weight.
I’m squirming beneath him, laughing and squealing as he continues to torment me.
“Take it back,” he demands, but his voice has a note of cheerfulness in it.
“If it’s not a nerd cave then why keep it a secret?” I ask between gasps, my cheeks hurting at how hard I’m smiling.
His blush deepens. “There’s nothing wrong with Legos,” he mumbles. “Now take it back, sunshine, or I’ll make this worse.”
He hits a spot on my side and I scream with vigor, probably cracking a window somewhere in his house. “Okay, okay, okay! It’s a man cave.”
Kieran stops, panting, as he looks down at me. “A very manly cave.”
“A very manly, colorful cave.”
He rolls his eyes, chuckling. “You’re a demon.”
“Am not.”
“Are too.” He bends low. “Admit it, you didn’t relent earlier because you love my hands on you.”
My eyes flare at the mischief dancing behind his, until the little pitter-patter of feet has both Kieran and I looking to Emmy. She’s standing beside the desk, a giant grin on her face.
Her lips part but snap closed again, and she glances uncertainly at Kieran.
He nods, his smile so encouraging it makes my stomach flip. “Tell me, sweetheart.”
She chuckles softly before whispering, “Do it again.”
Kieran’s smile turns devilish and he shrugs at me. “Sorry, Layla, but what Emmy says goes.”
I scream as his hands come down upon me again, and maybe Kieran was right. Maybe I do love his hands on my body.
Far more than I should.
This entire day has been eye-opening to say the least.
Two things have become crystal clear.
One: Emmy has made me realize how much I crave to have my own family one day.
Two: Kieran is not at all who I thought he was two years ago, and the more I find out, the more I seem to fall for him.
It’s late into the evening. Emmy’s fast asleep as I move to leave for the day but Kieran’s rough hands wrap around my forearm and stop me. A bolt of electricity strikes my body, my stomach flipping as I turn slowly, bracing myself for his riptide eyes.
He’s too handsome for his own good.
Swallowing thickly, I try to put it out of my mind, try to ignore the way my heart is skipping a beat at his touch, but it’s getting harder.
His gaze flicks back and forth between my eyes, searching…probing. And if there’s one thing about Kieran, he never misreads people.
“A confession for a secret?” he whispers.
I find, for once, I don’t want to tell him something from my list, but a secret of my own.
I think I’m falling for you, Kieran Ashford.
I pull out my phone, ignoring Kieran’s confusion as I type out a quick text message. His phone pings from somewhere in the house. “That will tell you everything,” I say quietly, my hands trembling slightly. “Your secret?”
Kieran tucks a lock of hair behind my ear, his voice as rough as gravel as he confesses, “You’ve ruined me for every other girl.”