Chapter 6 #2
They were out the door before she spoke again, this time to Stan. “Should you have done that?” Kalliopi asked.
“What do you mean? Fill him in on the mission status? Believe me, Richard appreciates it. He hates meetings as much as the next guy.”
“No,” Kalliopi contradicted. “I mean the kissing-my-hand thing. That wasn’t exactly professional… unless that is just how you greet all women at briefing meetings.”
“It’s not,” he quickly replied. “But I couldn’t help myself with you. I promise you don’t have anything to worry about, though. Richard was there when I carried you into the hospital. He knows that there’s something a little more than professional between us.”
“There is?” Kalliopi lowered her gaze. She didn’t figure he’d be this bold about his feelings.
“Hey,” Stan said as he lifted Kalliopi’s chin. “What’s wrong? Have I made you uncomfortable? If so, I’m sorry.”
Kalliopi put a palm on Stan’s chest and placed some distance between them. “I just don’t want to cause any trouble for you. After all, I’m only here for a short time. I don’t want you, or anyone we work with, looking at us like… well, like we’re an item.”
“Oh.” Stan’s face fell, but only briefly. “Does that mean we can’t have a little fun while you are here? I like you, Kalliopi, and as difficult as it is to admit, I’ve been looking forward to your visit. To spending time with you, for however short a time that might be.”
“So, you aren’t looking for something permanent?”
“Kallie, you said it yourself, you are only here for a short while. Why don’t we just make the most of the time we have together and leave it at that?”
Kalliopi took a step back, putting even more distance between them.
“You’re right. I mean it’s not like we are getting married or something like that.
So, how about before you show me to where I’m staying, we get through the first task on our list and then maybe look toward having some fun later on in my stay? ”
“Yeah, I’d love to do that.” Stan’s face lit back up with his sexy smile. He placed a palm on the small of her back. “Let’s head out now.” His hot breath almost seemed to cradle her cheek as he spoke. He was so close to her.
Her response sounded more like a low guttural growl than a reply to his command.
His body gravitated closer to her side as they walked out of the offices and onto the campus grounds.
Heat radiated within her as his now-searing fiery touch radiated between the small of her back and coccyx.
It was so good to have someone touch her like this again.
Heat pooled in her core, causing her to let out a soft, steady breath.
She hadn’t had sex in a year and a half.
Not that she hadn’t tried to date to have it!
But the men she’d tried to date were just too aggressive.
Especially in their thoughts of bedding a woman.
She’d decided that wasn’t for her. Neither were the dating apps.
They really sucked for a woman her age. Why was she expected to have sex on date one?
Or even date two if they were willing to wait? Yeah, that sucked, too.
Kalliopi let out a sigh at the thought. Why should she care at this point?
Men didn’t want her for anything more than her pension and sexual companionship.
Not that she didn’t understand it. In her past, men of power in her life only wanted sex from her in the dating world.
And given how they were, she was glad she’d never settled with any of them.
But Stan?
How could she not melt into goo the minute he carried her one and a half miles to the hospital?
The man was made of the material she’d been looking for on the dating apps.
The apps she really, really hated. Seriously, how many times did she have to be in dating hell?
It seemed perpetual. She’d had enough of that when she was in college.
“Is it okay if we take my car? I’m kind of a control freak about driving. Plus, you might like the cruise.”
“What do you mean?”
He’d led her to a 1969 Chevy Corvette and opened the passenger door to help her in.
Does he really think I’m this old-fashioned?
Either way, the car was beautiful, and Kalliopi couldn’t help but caress the seat with her palms. Stan smiled as he saw her do it.
“Like what you see?” Stan asked as he put the car in gear. The purr of the engine came to life as he drove.
“Very much. Did you restore this car yourself?”
“Down to the last spark plug.”
“That’s amazing. My dad used to take me to car shows when I was younger. I had a lot of fun looking at all the cars with him.”
“Sounds like you and your dad were close.”
“Not really. Cars were the only thing we ever bonded over. Even though he was in the military, you’d have thought we could bond over that, but he always thought I should strive for a higher rank.
He expected me to be a five-star general.
But a lot of my assignments are top secret, and I couldn’t do what I do with a higher rank.
Besides, I feel more comfortable in the field than behind a desk. ”
“I enjoy the field, but I also enjoy administration too.”
“Really? Why?”
“Well, for one thing, we wouldn’t be working together right now. So, from where I’m standing—or rather sitting, I guess—I’m enjoying the assignment.”
“I guess you have a point.”
Before Kalliopi could say anything else, Stan was pulling into a parking lot.
“Here we are. I already swung by to make sure it was ready for you and dropped off your things. I placed your bags in the main bedroom at the foot of the bed. The fridge and cabinets are stocked with some essentials. If you need anything else, I’ll be a text away. ”
“Sounds good,” Kalliopi said as she reached for the handle of the car door.
“Let me get that for you.”
“Oh, that’s not—” Before Kalliopi could finish her sentence, Stan was already out of the car and heading for her side of the door.
He extended his hand to her as she got out, and as Kalliopi clasped it, electric heat shot through body like a bottle rocket. He guided her to the door and let her in.
“Here are the keys,” he said to her, not crossing the threshold.
“Did you want to come in for some coffee?”
“No, thanks. I’d be late if I stayed chatting with you.” He winked at her before continuing. “So, do you think you’ll want to go out for dinner with me tonight? Maybe around 7:30?”
“Okay.”
He smiled at her once more before closing the door.
Now that she was alone with her thoughts, her eyes grew heavy. All she wanted to do was take a bath and a nap before meeting up with Stan.
She opened up the fridge and found a few bottles of her favorite chardonnay wine, which was a high-test for shifters. It was even a good year, 1991.
The year my sister graduated and we shared our first drink together.
Kalliopi took a bottle from the fridge and smiled. She placed it on the kitchen counter and went on a search for a bottle opener. Once she found it and opened up the bottle, she shook her head.
It’s just got to be a coincidence that he knows I like this year.
She reached for a wine glass and poured the deep golden-yellow liquid into the glass. When she reached a full glass, which was two fingers from the top, no matter what the bartenders said these days, she brought it to her lips and took a sip.
Yeah, maybe she should have swirled the thing and inhaled the rich scent, but as a hybrid stork/wolf shifter, she really didn’t have to be a human wine snob to coax her five senses.
She’d already relished the rich undertones of oak, butter, and cinnamon once she opened it.
It was like a sip of heaven in a bottle.
She took another sip before padding into the main bathroom and turning on the faucet to the clawfoot tub.
She might technically be on assignment, but that didn’t mean that she couldn’t spare a little time to relax, and a good soak in the tub was just the thing.
When she opened up the linen closet to grab some towels, she noticed it was also stocked with bath salts, and they were her favorite scents of lavender, eucalyptus, mint, and vanilla infused into separate Epsom-salt jars.
She reached for the eucalyptus jar and opened it.
As she took in the soothing scent, a calmness washed over her.
She hadn’t felt this way in years. She was always on the go, trying to get everything on her to-do list done, so she never stopped to relax.
Sure, she was built that way, but part of her knew that if she stopped even for just a minute, she’d fall apart.
Whether or not she cared to admit it to herself, her ex had deeply hurt her, and she wasn’t sure if she could bounce back from it.
When she dumped some of the Epsom salts into the tub, the room filled with the eucalyptus scent, and Kalliopi couldn’t help but smile.
Regardless of how she was feeling about her life, she knew one thing.
Stan was scoring wicked high points in the first-impression department.
Kalliopi shot a text off to Treasure before getting into the tub.
Girl—did you give Stan intel about my life? This might sound like a pun, but this place is filled with a few of my favorite things.
Treasure responded: Stan may have asked me a few things. So… how did he do?
He scored a 10 out of 10. I don’t know what you said to him, but thank you.
Don’t thank me—thank him! Have a good time!
I will!