Chapter 11
CHAPTER 11
W hen they walked out into the cold, dark night carrying boxes of leftovers, Kyle said, “If you’re up for it, I have one more thing planned for us.”
“Not dessert, I hope.”
“No. Something the art gallery inspired me to do.”
Scarlett was intrigued. This date had turned out to be like none she’d experienced before, and it was all due to Kyle. Although the gallery had been one of the most uncomfortable places she’d ever been in, the art had been worth it anyway. It was rare that she was able to appreciate human artistic expression, and she’d found herself breathless more than once. That Kyle had bought her a print of one of the pieces had made the date all the more special.
Regardless of how their friendship ended down the line, this would be a night she would never forget.
“Okay. I’m game.”
“We’ll need to get in the car for this part.”
“Let’s do it.” Soon, they were getting into Kyle’s blue Charger. The door on the passenger side squeaked as he opened and closed it but at least she couldn’t feel the cold seat on her legs and butt, thanks to the long coat. She’d purchased it at a consignment shop one block east of Tequilaville just two weeks ago and was glad she had.
Something she hadn’t expected from Kyle was how he’d shut the door for her before walking to the other side of the car. It was gentlemanly, a trait she hadn’t counted on. They’d placed their boxes of food and she’d also put her print in the backseat before getting in, and now she debated if she wanted to put her purse on the floor or hold it in her lap.
When Kyle got in on the other side, he started up the engine, revving it a couple of times, and said, “The heater will take a little bit to kick in. It’s better when I drive.”
“Sounds good.” She noticed the radio was on but it was so low, she couldn’t hear it over the defroster blowing. “So where are we going?”
She could see Kyle’s face spread into a grin, thanks to the light from the dash and the streetlamps shining in the windows as he drove west on Main. “It was going to be a surprise, but I might as well tell you. You know that painting on the wall above where the coat hangers were at the gallery?”
“Yeah.”
“That’s the view of Silver City from Razor Ridge Drive. Have you ever been there?”
“No. I don’t even know where it is.”
As the end of Main curved so that it ended at a stop sign where it met the highway, Kyle braked the car and looked both ways. “It’s just outside of town, and it gives you a hell of a view all the way around. And if you thought the painting of looking down at Silver City during the day was cool, wait’ll you see what it looks like at night.”
“How far is it?”
“Just a couple of miles. You can actually see part of the road from town if you look at the hills to the west. It’s not a huge tourist attraction, but when people find out, they drive to the top for the view.”
She was sold. “I can’t wait.”
In less than two minutes, Kyle had followed the highway so that they were now in the hills just to the west of Silver City, and they were cut off from much of the light. Scarlett knew there was a college campus over here somewhere, but she’d never had a reason to be out there. As they drove past the campus, though, there was no mistaking it. There were also a few scattered houses out this way, but they were now clearly out of the city limits.
It was another few miles and several minutes before Kyle slowed the car and turned to the right. A large sign announced that they were at Razor Ridge Drive, and there was a smaller sign with a lot of text that Scarlett assumed Kyle was familiar with. The only thing she caught as they drove past it was that the drive was a one-way road.
As they began the climb in near darkness, she asked, “Has anyone ever gone the wrong way on this road?”
“Not that I know of. There are huge signs on the other side that lets people know not to go that way.”
Because she noticed a lack of guard rails, she was glad she couldn’t see much on the side of the road—or, rather, the side of the hill—as they went higher and higher. The road in front of them was illuminated by the car’s headlamps and, as she looked out the passenger side window, she could see the college campus not far off.
It wasn’t long before they reached the top and the road curved so that the car began driving north instead of south, but the way was now almost flat—and everything all around, all the lights, were visible.
And breathtaking.
“Oh, wow!”
“I told ya.”
Kyle slowed his speed even more, and she thought it might be so she could appreciate the view for longer. After a short distance, a streetlamp appeared as if out of nowhere, and she was able to see just how sheer the drop off was.
Don’t look.
Forcing her eyes to look at the lights below, she also took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Ahead, they passed between two walls of rock that disappeared shortly after, again leaving an unimpeded view.
It wasn’t long before Kyle slowed the car more, and Scarlett took her eyes from the city lights to the road. He was pulling into a small parking area with another streetlight above, something that seemed extremely out of place. There was another car there, but Kyle seemed to park as far away as he could without having his car hang in the road—or off the edge.
Then he shut off the car.
“Pretty cool, huh?”
Scarlett noticed right away that the heater in the car had been doing something . With it shut off, the cool air seemed to descend immediately, but the quiet was worth it. “Yeah.”
“C’mon,” he said, opening his door and getting out before she could even respond. But she followed suit, stepping out by the time he got to her side, and he led her to the front of the car. “Check it out.” Kyle leaned against the hood of the car, inviting her to do the same. If her coat had been light colored, she wouldn’t have done it for fear of getting it dirty, but the dark fabric could handle it. She rested against the hood next to Kyle, again aware of how tall he was. Even without standing, his height was obvious.
But she turned her attention back to the view and drank it in. Silver City was not so large that the lights seemed to disappear beyond the horizon. There was a definite fringe to the east where the buildings thinned out before stopping altogether, the direction she’d entered from months earlier. Straight ahead, there were paths of light, lined up like soldiers in formation, definite patterns that outlined streets. As her eyes took it all in, she realized something and she pointed. “That’s Main Street, isn’t it?”
“Yep.”
There she could actually make out buildings, and she suspected that, in the daytime, she would be able to see much more detail. Kyle said, “And if you look just a little to the right, that’s the highway.”
“Oh, yeah.”
“For a long time, I didn’t come up here as much as I used to, but I’ve started doing it again over the past year. It’s a great place to kind of clear your mind.”
“It’s even better than the painting.”
“That’s why I had to bring you here.” Kyle’s voice grew softer, but she had no problem hearing it in the still evening. “My therapist tells me I need to find a way to connect with nature at least once a week. I don’t know if this counts, ‘cause we’re looking at the city, but it kind of feels like the best of both worlds.”
Therapist? Of all the people she knew—and there weren’t many in this neck of the woods—Scarlett would not have pegged Kyle for the kind of guy to seek counseling.
But, of course, she was assuming. For all she knew, he was talking about a physical therapist or something else she hadn’t thought of. If it was for mental health, she had to give him credit. Tommy could have used a lot of that but the one time she suggested it, he’d gone into a rage…confirming, of course, that she’d been right.
“This definitely feels like we’re in nature but observing the city.”
“Yeah—that’s how I see it. So I was up here last week before work after I went to the music store on Main. Do you know the place I’m talking about?”
Scarlett had seen it on the other end of Main during her walks. “Franklin Music?”
“Yep. They have this sweet Les Paul—it’s a standard 60s design. I go by there every now and then to admire it. But they’re selling it to the tune of three thousand bucks. I like to look at it for inspiration, but it’s a little out of my price range.”
“I get that. Kind of like that painting I was drooling over.”
“At least you got a miniature version to look at. There’s no such thing as a miniature version of a guitar.”
Scarlett laughed. “Yes, there is. It’s called a ukelele.”
Kye joined in the laughter. “Let’s see how a ukelele goes over at our next concert at Tequilaville.”
“You’ll have record executives begging to sign you up.” As their laughter died down, she asked, “Do they even do that anymore—show up at concerts like yours and sign bands?”
“I don’t think so. But I know a few people have been discovered because of shit like YouTube and TikTok.”
Scarlett said, “You guys should do that.”
“We’re working on it. Adrian’s sister takes care of our social media shit.”
They grew quiet again and, even though the cold remained and a slight breeze chilled her cheeks, her heart felt warm. There was something about this man beside her that made her feel as if everything would be all right.
Everything.
Why did she feel that way?
She struggled to make sure he could hear her, because she felt like what she was going to say next should be quiet, solemn…reverent. “I can see how this could feel like therapy. I take a lot of walks for the same reason, but here…you’re removed from the noise and the stress. There’s an extra layer of peace.”
He didn’t say anything for a long time, and she was certain she’d crossed a line she shouldn’t have. She’d assumed too much, gone too far, and she’d made a grave error.
Just when things had finally been going so well.
But she was wrong.
He finally spoke. “I lost my brother over a year ago. He’d been one of our band members and, um…it’s been pretty fucking hard without him. I lost my way for a while. I started seeing a therapist, and she’s given me a lot of good advice. Coming up here has helped me in a lot of ways.”
Scarlett waited, because it felt like he was going to say more, but his words faded in the breeze that was picking up just a bit.
Instead of saying anything, she removed her left hand from the semi-warmth of the coat pocket and touched his hand. He’d been resting it on his thigh, but, as he turned his head toward her, he shifted his hand and wrapped it around hers. Although his hand was cool, the strength she could feel in his fingers was undeniable. Still, he said nothing, but it was then, in the ambient light of the streetlamp, that she could perceive that he was far more than met the eye.
And she wanted to get to know everything about him that she couldn’t see.
Then he took a deep breath and smiled as if the last few breathtaking moments hadn’t happened. “I need to get you back inside before you freeze.” Squeezing her hand, he stood, walking her to the passenger side of the car.
And it turned out he was right. By the time she sat down, she realized she was starting to shiver. The cold had seeped through her boots to her toes so that they felt like little icicles attached to her feet.
Kyle got in the car and started it back up, revving the engine, and then he turned the heater on full blast. The air blowing was loud, but Scarlett could feel the warm air circulating and welcomed it.
“I’ll have to come back in the summer when I can stay longer.”
“And come during the day too. The view is just as spectacular, only in a different way.”
“I will.” As Kyle began to slowly reverse the car back onto the road, she asked, “Do you know if people walk here?”
“You mean from town? I’ve heard there are trails around here, but I’m not sure.”
“Oh, yeah. I keep forgetting you don’t live in Silver City. You live in Charlotte, right?.” The only reason she’d remembered the name of the town was because it rhymed with Scarlett . Otherwise, she might have been just as likely to call it Charlene .
As Kyle began driving down the road again, she noticed a sign posted at the end of the small parking area. It gave the elevation and, underneath, it mentioned that Razor Ridge Drive was 900 feet higher than Silver City. Below that was a lot of text, what looked like, perhaps, a history of the drive or maybe interesting facts. She’d have to check them out sometime.
“Wow.”
Kyle nodded, eyes on the road as it began to slope. Then the road slanted even more and the descent was drastic. Fortunately, Kyle wasn’t driving too fast, or she would have gotten nervous again. It wasn’t far before he had to turn the car sharply one more time with another hairpin turn. By that point, Scarlett looked out to the side, the view beginning to be obscured by small hills on the side of the road. Not long after, descending even further, treetops and homes announced that they were almost off the hill. Kyle turned the car once more, and it wasn’t long before they passed another pull-off area with a sign that announced the “Razor Ridge Open Space Recreation Area” parking lot.
“I think this is where those trails are.”
“Yeah,” Kyle said. “I bet you’re right.”
“I’ll definitely check them out sometime.”
Just a little farther and they were driving between houses again as if they hadn’t had that magical view just minutes earlier.
Kyle paused at a stop sign before turning right. “I hope this has been an okay first date.”
Thinking back over their few hours together, Scarlett could give him an honest answer. “It was far more than okay. I can honestly say I’ve never had a date like this.”
“Is that good or bad?”
Smiling, she turned to look at him, although they were between street lights and it was dim, so he probably couldn’t see her expression. “Definitely good.”
By the time the car passed a lighted area, she could see the grin spreading across his face, and he glanced over at her. “I’m glad you said that.” Then he returned his eyes to the road and was silent for just a moment. Although Scarlett still wasn’t too familiar with Silver City, she could sense that they were getting close to the downtown area. There were more vehicles in motion just a few blocks away, not to mention a traffic signal and fewer trees. “I would have given myself an A for effort, but the outcome—”
“Was perfect. Would I go back to an event at the art gallery? Probably not, but I would never have known about it if you hadn’t taken me there. And if the people could have been removed and it was just you, me, and the woman at the counter, it would have been great. The art was amazing. Dinner too—and not just the food. I figured out there’s a pretty nice guy hiding in there, Kyle. So thank you for a wonderful time.”
They drove past the public library and then Scarlett knew exactly where they were, because she’d walked by that building plenty of times on her walks. They only had a block to Main Street and then another block to Tequilaville…prompting her to say, “I’m sad it’s almost over.”
As Kyle turned the car onto Main, he said, “It doesn’t have to be.”
While he drove down the block, Scarlett contemplated it. What she’d told him was true—that tonight had shown her a glimpse of the real man underneath the aspiring rock star, and she liked who she saw. But she also knew her track record. Kyle was hot and if she were going to have sex with anyone right now, she wouldn’t hesitate to pick him. But she had no business getting into bed with anyone.
Quietly, she replied. “It does, though. I really like you, Kyle, but…”
“No, I get it.” He pulled into a diagonal parking space, this time closer to her apartment door. “Can I at least walk you to your door?”
Relief caused her taut muscles to relax and she smiled. “I’d love that.”
When Kyle got out of the car, Scarlett picked up her purse. Before she could open the door herself, Kyle got it, holding his hand out to her as she placed her feet outside his car and stood. Then he opened the back and handed her the print and her box of leftovers. “It feels even colder than it was on Razor Ridge Drive.”
“Yeah, it does.” Kyle offered his elbow. “Can I carry any of that for you?”
“Sure.” While they walked the short distance to the exterior door to the apartments, she fished her keys out of her purse and slid them into her coat pocket. Soon they were inside and climbing up the stairs.
“This reminds me of my old apartment.”
“What does?”
“This stairwell,” Kyle said. “Four of us in the band used to live in some shitty apartments on the west side of Charlotte and we lived on the top floor.”
“Oh, yeah.” She’d forgotten him mentioning it earlier in the evening.
“The stairwell was a lot like this, only wider—and the lighting wasn’t so good.”
“Well, trust me…these apartments aren’t the best, but the landlord’s a decent guy and seems to want to fix stuff quickly.”
“That seems unusual.”
“Yeah. I guess so.” Scarlett actually hadn’t had much experience with landlords, so she was glad to know she seemed to have a decent one. “I wonder if that’s why the apartments are mostly furnished—because I can’t imagine hauling furniture up these stairs.”
“That’d be a pain in the ass.”
As they reached the top step, Scarlett said, “Yeah. And my stove seems fairly new. I wonder how many people it took to get it up here.” They walked down the hall halfway and Scarlett stopped at the door with the number 3 on it. “This is me.” Then she braced herself, expecting Kyle to ask to come in for a minute—and her brain scrambled to find the best response.
Instead, he surprised her again. “I had a great time with you, Scarlett. I hope you did too.”
“Oh, I did.”
“Maybe we can do it again—but without the snooty people.”
She started laughing. “We might get used to them if we keep exposing ourselves.”
“No, thank you.” His grin made him all the sexier. Scarlett had seen his brooding expression when he took the stage and, even though he’d smile on occasion, he’d perfected the look of rage a lot of metal musicians seemed to master. He was hot on stage…but somehow his lighter side was even sexier.
But she was not going to invite him in, regardless of what her feminine parts were begging her to do.
He asked, “Can I kiss you goodbye?”
“I wish you would.”
Without hesitation, Kyle bent over, placing her box of food and the print on the floor, and then he cupped her cheeks in his hands. She’d expected them to be cold but they were only slightly cool. His pupils had dilated, signaling an ancient response deep in her belly, and her stomach fluttered as he lowered his lips to hers. In response, she closed her eyes as his warm lips brushed hers. As his tongue flicked her lip, she felt his stubble against her cheek, and she opened her mouth to invite him in.
It was like the hit of a drug.
Her entire body ignited, tingling and alive, as their tongues danced together for the very first time. He tasted much like she’d expected, delicious and masculine, and the way his hands held her face made her feel…protected.
And how would she be able to say no when her body was screaming hell, yes ? Her heart was thudding in her chest as if she’d just run around the block, and her panties had grown so wet, it almost felt like she’d peed her pants.
How long had it been?
When Kyle removed his lips from hers, it took her a moment to open her eyes and try to breathe normally.
He was even better looking than before.
But no.
“I’ll call you tomorrow.” Bending over again, he picked up her things and handed them to her.
“Okay.” The word had barely come out as a breath, but his eyes understood.
She didn’t go inside until, down the hall, he turned to take the stairs, giving her a quick wave of his hand before disappearing into the stairwell. It wasn’t until then that she inserted the key into the lock, difficult because her hands were trembling.
How had he had that effect on her?
She didn’t know but one thing she knew for certain: Kyle Horton was a good guy, completely the opposite of Tommy. He’d just proven it by respecting her wishes. And so she knew, despite her plans for the future and despite her best judgment, she would most definitely say yes to a second date.