Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
Kinsley
When he reached for the veggies, I startled. I jumped so that I wasn't touching him anymore. That one brief touch sent tingles through my body.
His forehead creased. "What has you so wound up?"
I shrugged. "We usually aren't alone."
A wolfish grin spread across his face. "Are you afraid to be alone with me?" When I didn't answer, he continued, "You can't resist me, can you?"
His voice was light and teasing, but it was a little too close to the truth for me. Instead of agreeing with him, I rolled my eyes. "You're ridiculous."
He winked at me. "You love me."
Warmth spread through my body as I imagined what it would be like if we were together, and this was our weekend to be alone.
Would he cook for me or take me out to a nice dinner?
Would we go for a swim or take a dip in the hot tub when we came home?
Would he have sex with me on the rooftop deck or his bed?
The image of us on his bed together had my entire body heating up more.
"We'll have dinner, maybe watch a movie, and if you're good, I'll let you watch the stars with me on the rooftop deck." He winked at me.
"That sounds lovely." I shouldn't be freaking out. He wasn't even thinking about the other possibilities because he wasn't interested in me. He wasn't distracted by thoughts of me naked.
"Let's switch up the music." He turned off the playlist on my phone and hit Play on his. A slow, sultry song came over the speakers on the patio, ones I hadn't noticed before. Then he gestured for me to join him. "Come on. Let's work the nerves out. I want you to relax and have a good time."
I stood without any conscious thought and placed my hand in his. He tugged me closer. So close, I was surrounded by his sandalwood scent.
His breath stirred my hair, and my heart beat rapidly. His palm felt strong and steady under mine as he held me in a traditional waltz position. He moved us easily around the patio, impressing me with his skills. "How do you know how to dance?"
"Mom made me take a class when I was a kid. She thought it would help me focus or something. I don't know. But it made me popular with the ladies." He grinned down at me.
I chuckled. "I bet it did."
"To be honest, it was never hard for me to get female attention." His comment could be seen as arrogant, but to me, it was an admission. "The interactions were surface level, or at least that's how it seems to me now."
"You never had a long-term or serious relationship?"
"I've had arrangements with women where we'd meet up and go home together afterward, but we didn't meet each other's families or anything like that."
"That could be seen as a relationship," I said as he continued to guide me expertly across the patio.
He nodded. "It felt empty to me at the time. I wasn't content, and I'm thinking it's because we were missing the rest of what comes in a relationship."
"And what's that?" I could barely breathe because this was the deepest insight I'd had into him yet, and I didn't want to miss a single thing.
He slowed, gazing down at me. "I never cooked them breakfast. We didn't look at the stars on my rooftop deck. I certainly didn't dance with them on my patio."
I shrugged, trying to keep things light. "Well, yeah, because it's your secret rooftop deck, and you don't bring women to your home."
He raised a brow, continuing without acknowledging my comment. "I've never sung to their kids before."
I wanted to ask if he'd dated a single mom, but I had a feeling he was talking about me, and that made my throat tight.
While we were playing house, he realized he should be experiencing this in a relationship, and he wanted it.
"There's no reason why you can't find that with someone.
" Even if it hurt to admit that out loud.
An unreadable emotion passed over his face. It almost looked like it pained him to hear me say that. "I'm not the commitment guy that women are looking for."
I winced. "Maybe don't meet them at bars. Take your time to get to know someone and ask them out."
"What would be a good first date?" he asked, his voice lower, rougher even.
"I liked going to the restaurant. It was romantic. But I like to stay in too, especially with this as your view." I let go of his hand, gesturing at the ocean.
"Was dinner romantic with Maya there?" He sounded like he was genuinely interested in what I thought.
I laughed. "You're going to think it's crazy, but it was attractive how amazing you were with my daughter."
His eyes darkened.
"It's what prompted me to want to date again. To find someone who could like my daughter as much as me. Most of the guys I've gone on dates with before… Their eyes glaze over when I talk about Maya. They make excuses to not see me again. They don't include Maya in our dates."
"You're dating the wrong guys then."
“Yeah, that's why I took a break for a while. But you made me see that there are worthy guys out there. You've given me hope."
He let go of my hands and stepped back. "I should check the steak and potatoes."
The intimate bubble we'd created between us seemed to have popped. Was it that I mentioned dating? He was talking about meeting someone, and he certainly wasn't talking about dating me.
He stood by the grill, seemingly farther away than ever before. "Would you mind grabbing the tray over there. I want to eat on the beach."
I glanced over and saw the wicker serving tray that was stacked with silverware and dishes.
"I'll bring the food and come back for the wine." He placed the steak and potatoes on the plate and led the way down a short path to the beach. Here there were palm trees and a little clearing before the beach and water.
He'd strung lights all around the area, creating a beautiful, cozy nook for us to relax in. He'd piled blankets and pillows in the middle with lanterns and candles flickering.
"This is so pretty," I said, not sure what to make of it. First, he'd danced with me on the patio, and now we were having a romantic dinner. Was he practicing for another woman, or was this meant for me?
He smiled as he placed the food on the blanket in front of the pillows. "I'm glad you like it. I'll be right back with the wine. Make yourself comfortable."
I sat on one of the large pillows, enjoying the view of the ocean. The lights provided a cozy glow to the space. A few minutes later, he returned with two glasses and wine.
He poured the wine and handed me a glass. "We should toast to something."
"How about a perfect Saturday night?" We'd spent all day working, getting a lot done. Now we could relax and enjoy the evening.
He lifted his glass. "I'll toast to that. To a perfect Saturday night."
I clinked mine against his. "To a perfect Saturday night."
I sipped the wine, feeling like it was going directly to my head. I felt warm and floaty while he plated the food and placed it in my lap.
He handed me a napkin and silverware. "Bon appetite."
"This smells amazing." It was the combination of the wine, the sound of the waves, and the twinkling lights that made me relax.
"You can't go wrong with steak and potatoes. It's a staple."
I cut my steak into pieces and opened the potato wider, letting the steam pour out. He'd already put butter and chives in the middle so it was ready to eat. "I can't tell you how nice it is to have someone cook for me."
"You deserve it."
I took a bite of meat, marveling at the taste. I couldn't remember the last time I had steak. It wasn't something I cooked for Maya, and we almost never went out to a fancy dinner. I was conscious of the need to be careful with money.
My eyes drifted closed, and I moaned. "Delicious."
When I opened them, he was staring at me with an unreadable expression on his face. "I'm glad you're enjoying the meal."
I waved my fork at him. "A man who can tile a bathroom and cook. You won't have any trouble finding a woman to be serious with you."
He grunted. "What if I don't want just any woman?"
"Oh? You have someone in mind?" I asked, my throat suddenly incredibly dry. I reached for my wine glass and drained it, which probably wasn't a good idea. I was going to start telling him how I felt very soon.
"I do."
My heart sunk. I knew this was a possibility.
I mean, what were the odds that he was interested in me?
I motivated him to find someone who wanted a serious relationship.
But he didn't want a kid added to the package.
He'd want kids of his own, not someone else's. "That's great. I'm so happy for you."
We ate in silence for a bit, and I relaxed into the cushions, no longer worried about how I looked and if my position was sexy enough. He wasn't here for me. This was a test run for the woman he was interested in, and it wasn't me.
When we finished eating, I set the plate aside. "I can't remember when I've had a better meal."
Shep jumped up. "I almost forgot about dessert."
I raised a brow as he poured another glass of wine for me, and then said, "I'll be right back."
I was curious about what the dessert could be. I was in the mood for chocolate cake, but I could eat anything. He was so sweet to plan this evening for us.
I should be content that he was so good to Maya and me and provided us with a place to live. He wasn't my forever guy, but he'd shown me that there were good guys out there.
Shep returned with a plate piled high with a white cake and strawberries. "It's a strawberry shortcake. I hope you like strawberries."
"I love them." But why was there only one plate? "Is this all for me?"
He sat carefully, still holding the plate, then handed me one spoon. "I thought we could share."
Did he share his dessert with just any woman? My mind was racing as I took the first bite. "This is amazing. Where did you get it?"
"There's a new bakery in town. I'm surprised you haven't heard of it."
"I don't get out much, especially now that I'm living with you." I didn't have a reason to leave his house except for school and work.