Chapter Five
Kellan
Russ and I finished the deck by three o’clock that afternoon, after stopping only briefly to scarf down some pizza he’d had delivered. There were no more sightings of Layla, but I couldn’t resist bringing her up to her brother. I figured I’d broach the subject casually.
“I’m glad you called your sister to come out last night. It certainly sent a message to Carly.” It might be petty to take satisfaction from the performance we’d given, but I wasn’t above relishing it.
He chuckled. “Glad it did. Looks like you two hit it off well enough.”
I didn’t want to get into just how well we’d hit it off. “We did. Are you happy she moved up here?” I figured that was a safe enough question.
“Yeah. I am.”
That was the extent of his reply. So much for getting more information.
It was very out of character for Russell not to expand on any sentence.
His brevity made him seem as guarded as she appeared.
Or maybe it was awkward for him that I’d brought up the subject of Layla at all.
I was ninety-nine percent certain he knew we’d spent the night together.
Deciding I needed to drop the subject, I switched to football. A safe topic.
During the two-hour drive south from Bellingham to northern Seattle, the place I called home, I was thankful that traffic cooperated.
Immediately upon arriving home, I went to work trying to clean up the place.
It was a three-level townhouse a few blocks from Green Lake.
I’d bought it as a project when I’d first moved here and was in the midst of renovations.
The idea was to flip it. The housing market in Seattle was hot, and this area was especially appealing with the lake within walking distance.
It was a challenge, though. When you work all day fixing up houses, the last thing you feel like doing is going home to do more of the same.
This was the reason my basement was sheetrock, my kitchen remained without countertops, and the adjoining living room had no flooring.
But at least both the master bedroom and bath on the top floor were finished.
Making the most of that fact, I scrubbed the bathroom and changed the sheets on the bed.
By eight o’clock that evening, I became nervous she’d changed her mind. It was tempting to text her, but I resisted the urge, not wanting to come off as desperate. But the truth was I’d spent the whole day looking forward to seeing her. My eagerness was crazy considering I’d only just met her.
I’d settled in to watch pre-season football, only halfway interested in the game, when my phone rang with a number I didn’t recognize. Because I used my cell phone for both personal and business, I answered in my professional voice. “Hello, this is Kellan McNeal.”
“Hi, Kellan. It’s Carly.”
After last night with Layla, I’d put out of my mind the fact I still had to deal with my ex. “Hello.” I tried not to say it with the dread I was feeling that Carly had my phone number.
“You didn’t mention last night you had a girlfriend.”
“It wasn’t pertinent to our conversation. What do you need?” As much as I wanted this house to be the job putting me on the Seattle map with my business, I wasn’t about to kiss her ass for it.
“I called to confirm we were set for Monday morning.”
“I have a meeting at the house with your stepfather.”
“Yes, and I’m the one coordinating it. I told them we were old friends, and it would be nice to catch up.”
I swallowed my retort as I looked at the text that was buzzing through on my phone. It was from Layla. “Carly, I need to go. I’ll see you Monday.” Whether I wanted to or not. Right now, I had better things to focus on—such as the gorgeous woman texting me.
“Fine. I’ll see you then.” Carly sounded annoyed.
I was already hanging up.
“Stuck in Seattle traffic. Probably won’t make it there for another hour at least. Is that too late to come by?”
Typically, I was in bed by nine in order to wake up by four each morning. Driving to the jobsite early made it so I missed traffic. However, for more hours with her in my bed, I’d gladly sacrifice some sleep.
Already smiling, I responded to her text. “Not too late. See you soon.”
But not soon enough. Once the knock came, almost ninety minutes later, I jumped up and was down the stairs in a shot to open the front door.
“Hi,” I greeted and noted she was dancing around almost as though she—
“I’m sorry. This isn’t remotely sexy, but can I use your restroom? It was a very long drive in traffic.”
I threw my head back with laughter. “Of course. Come on. You’ve gotta go up one flight to the half bath. And try not to judge; the place is being renovated. I promise the top floor is better than the rest.”
I tried to view the place from her perspective, hoping she could see the potential, but considering the haste in which she bounded up the stairs, I doubted she saw anything. “Second door on the left.”
“Thank you.”
She came out a couple minutes later while I was pouring wine in the second-floor kitchen. Her face appeared much more relaxed. “Sorry about that. So, this is home, huh?” She glanced around the open space that consisted of a large living room with a fireplace and the not-quite-finished kitchen.
“It is. For now. This floor is half done. You could say I’m working my way down in my free time.”
“Must be hard to renovate houses all day, help friends with their projects, and then come home and still want to do more of it.”
I loved that she got it without me saying anything. “It is. But the plan is to flip the place come next summer. That means I need to make the time.”
She walked over to the large picture window. “Nice area. How far are you from the lake?”
“Couple blocks. I swear everyone in the neighborhood has a dog they take for walks around it.”
“No dog for you?”
“Wouldn’t be fair, considering the hours I spend working, but someday.”
She walked over to the kitchen island where I handed her a glass of red wine.
“Hope a Malbec is okay?” I queried.
“It’s perfect, actually,” she responded with a smile and took a sip.
I did the same, drinking in not only the robust wine, but also the vision of her dressed casually in jeans and a silk blouse. Her fashion sense appeared effortless and natural, as did the way she wore her black hair down on her shoulders.
“You’re beautiful.” I couldn’t help the words.
She grinned. “You’re sweet. And thank you. Are you planning to show me the upstairs?”
“If I do, you’re most likely not coming down until morning.”
She tipped back the remainder of her wine. “You’re really into this spending-the-night thing, aren’t you?”
Evidently, with her I was. I moved closer to her, caging her against the cabinets and wishing like hell I had the granite countertops installed so I could finish what we’d started earlier in her brother’s kitchen.
I dipped my head to drop a kiss behind her ear, something that caused her to shiver.
“There’s not enough time for me to spend exploring your beautiful body. Is your bag in the car?”
“Yes, but only because I came straight from visiting my family. I haven’t said I’m staying here.”
My teeth tugged gently on her earlobe. “You haven’t said you aren’t, either.”
“Don’t you have to go to work early in the morning?” Her voice was already breathy, her body arching into my touch as I cupped her breast.
“I do. But that’s not what I’m thinking about right now. Give me your car key, and I’ll bring your bag in while you head upstairs to the bedroom. We’ll discuss the logistics of you staying after.”
“After I’m naked in your bed and not wanting to get out? I see your game.”
Still, she handed over her key fob.
“No game. I’m very clear about my intention to have you in my bed until morning. I’ll be right back.”
Adrenaline coursed through my veins as I jogged downstairs and out to the driveway to retrieve her bag.
Just knowing she was in my house, about to be in my bed, filled me with possessiveness.
It was an emotion I had never experienced, let alone thought I’d welcome.
Once I had her duffle bag in hand, I took the stairs two at a time and didn’t stop until I reached the third floor.
What greeted me made my jaw drop and my footsteps halt.
Layla stood in the middle of my master bedroom suite in nothing but a black lace bra with a matching thong. She flashed me a sexy smile. “I like your bedroom. Especially the flooring.”
It was Brazilian cherrywood and gorgeous, but it had nothing on the woman in front of me. “You’re stunning.”
My steps ate up the distance between us quickly. I had to touch her. My hand rested on her cheek in an intimate gesture.
“I bet you say that to all the girls.”
The sliver of uncertainty made me think she could be convinced to make this more than a two-night stand.
“What if I told you I didn’t? And that you’re the first woman ever to be in this bedroom?”
“I’d ask you if you’re the type of guy prone to telling the truth or if you’d rather tell a girl what you think she wants to hear.”
“I always tell the truth with the hopes it’ll be something you want to hear.”
We both lay in my king-sized bed naked. She had her head on my chest and her leg over mine while we caught our breath after another incredible round of sex.
If I’d thought last night had been good, tonight was better since I’d learned her body and what drove her crazy. The sound of rain pounded on the roof.
“Do you miss LA, where it’s sunnier?”
“Yes and no. Rain is so rare there that, now I’m back in Seattle, I appreciate it. How about you? Do you miss the East Coast?”
“No. I was out there for experience, but I don’t miss the weather. Especially the winters. But the falls were beautiful. All those colors on the trees.”
She expelled a long breath. “It’s on the bucket list to see someday. Fall in the Northeast.”