Chapter 7
Keith
Iwasn’t sure what came over me, but seeing her like that, having her pissed at me, just threw me for a damn loop. I hadn’t seen her without her smile, ever.
And I liked it far less that I didn’t get it throughout the day.
Was I a jerk for leaving the way I did?
Yes, I’ll own it.
I was.
But I also wanted to talk to her when I got my damn head on straight. Because the other head was begging for round three, and it couldn’t have it, not yet.
However, I was willing to fight her right now.
So, I walked back to the shop with Kylie, told the crew I was cutting out, figuring they were going to gossip anyway. Then I went home, grabbed a blanket, made some items, and then went to my garage, uncovering the bike.
“Everything okay?” Tim asked, watching me.
“No. I got something to take care of. Go see Kayla or whatever,” I grumbled, making him laugh.
He spends more time with her anyway, even though they don’t fit.
Maybe it’s like Brittani and I. We shouldn’t work together, but there was no way I could say that I didn’t have fun last night.
At the bar or with her. I just couldn’t do a repeat.
But I also didn’t like having the cold shoulder, so I had to fix it.
With a moonlight ride.
Followed up with a moonlight picnic while I explained why I did what I did.
I pulled up right as she locked up and she spun around, her eyes wide as she took in the bike.
“Should have known you’d have one,” she muttered, walking down the steps to me.
“Ever been on one?” I asked her, offering my hand.
“Once, with a friend. But it didn’t last long because I didn’t feel safe.” She hesitated for a moment before taking my hand and throwing her leg over the bike. Her hands rested on my sides rather than around my waist and I guess I deserved that. “So, taking me home?”
“No, I’m taking you on a moonlight ride,” I told her, nodding up at the full moon that was bright and vibrant and would only get stronger the further we drove from here. “Just trust me.”
“I did that once already, didn’t like the aftereffects.”
I winced at that, deserving it.
“Let me make it up to you.”
“Fine, only because being all grouchy is far too taxing for me.”
I wanted to fight the smile, but I couldn’t, because it didn’t suit her. She was sunshine and smiles, not frowns and grumpiness. That was all me.
I preferred her smiles more anyway. At least more so when they’re directed at me. I didn’t like getting the grump.
“So, where are we going on this most amazing and serene ride?”
“To one of my favorite places around here. I might have planned something else as well.”
“Yeah, and what is that, Keith?”
“Some food.”
I could feel her smile against my back, and I was here for that too. With a release of a breath, she leaned forward a little more and wrapped her arms around my waist. I rested my hand over hers, enjoying the feel of her being around me.
“Is this an apology?”
Was it?
Yeah, I guess so. Though I didn’t think about it like that. I just wanted to make it up to her, to show her that I wasn’t a complete ass, that I did have some feelings, even if I didn’t express the way that I should.
“I suppose. I don’t do it very often. Apologize. But I was wrong. And I wanted to make it up to you.”
“You know if you talk, it makes things a little easier for people.”
“Me, talk? Did you confuse me with someone else or something?”
I laughed it off, but she had a point. I couldn’t tell her that I ran scared, but that was just the case, I was scared because she made me feel things I hadn’t before. She also made me feel things I wanted to feel again, and that was what worried me the most.
I pulled off on a street that led around a trail, curling into the mountain before it stopped. I put the kickstand down and killed the engine before helping her off the bike. Grabbing the bags, then taking her hand, I led her to a spot not too far away and laid the blanket down.
“Wow, that view,” she said, sitting down and staring at the moon.
I followed her gaze before turning my attention back to her, finding that view to be far more beautiful, no matter how corny it sounded.
Because I could see the moonlight dancing off her eyes and it stole my breath away.
It wasn’t fair that she looked that beautiful just sitting there, soaking in the moonbeams.
Hell, I was so in trouble, and I didn’t know what to do about it.
“Hungry?” I asked, finally moving to unpack the bags. I grabbed a sandwich for her and a bag of chips, knowing it wasn’t the most romantic meal I could have made, but it was the sweetest. And after all, this was all about the location anyway.
“Sure. Thank you, Keith. You really didn’t have to go through all of this just for me.”
“You’re right, I didn’t. But I wanted to.” I took a big bite of my food, thinking over what I wanted to say and the best way to express it. “I was wrong to have left the way I did.”
“I agree.”
I gave her a side eye but she just grinned.
I swallowed my food and then nodded. “I felt something that I hadn’t before. And I’m not used to it. You made me want something that’s not good for me.”
“You think it’s good for me, Keith? It’s not. I didn’t want to want you, but here I am. How do I fix that?”
She didn’t want to want me?
What the hell did that mean?
“I guess we both had a problem.”
“Just one of us was man enough to admit and fix it rather than run away from it.”
Okay, yeah, I could give her that one.
“I’m really sorry, Brittani. You didn’t deserve that. I shouldn’t have done that. This is me just admitting I’m scared and I ran away like a child rather than owning up to it.”
She stared at me for a moment, her eyes holding mine for a second, then two, before she threw her sandwich back on the bag I had it in and crawled in my lap.
Her arms were around my neck, and her lips were on mine before I had time to think.
Hell, let’s be real, there was no thinking, just pure feeling, and I was here for it.
My hands held her by her hips as her tongue flicked against mine.
One of us moaned and then hands were grabbing at shirts, trying to yank them off.
“Keith,” she muttered as my lips trailed over her jaw and then down her neck.
“Yeah?”
“I want a do-over, but not here. Take me to a bed,” she sighed.
“Granted. My place is closer.”