Chapter 8
“Kinley, are you going to be ok?” Donovan asks, the concern in his voice evident.
“Yes, I will be ok. I’m just worried about Megan.”
“Do you still want to come out for dinner? I can come pick you up if you would like.”
“That would be nice. I’m ready to go now if you are ready.”
“Ok, I will be there before you know it.”
The phone call ends and I pace around the house for a few minutes while I wait for Donovan. Beretta is watching my movements, and if I didn’t know any better I would say she looks at me with concern. I absentmindedly pat her head, rubbing her ear for good measure.
I see headlights flash across the front windows. That must be Donovan. I grab my purse from the kitchen island on my way out, making sure to put my phone in it. I don’t want to forget it in case Megan calls me.
I’m going to worry about her until I know she gets home safely, and even then I will still worry about her.
It just doesn’t sit right with me that she’s determined to see this through to the end by herself, not wanting to burden me or her brother—as if she could ever be a burden.
Megan once told me that she didn’t think she would be strong enough to do what needed to be done if she leaned too heavily on anyone else.
I absolutely don’t agree with her, but my feelings don’t matter.
I have to let her do what she needs to do.
With a deep breath to help clear my head, I pop out the front door, making sure to lock up the house.
Lock secured, I turn around in time to see Donovan opening his truck door.
He hops out and walks up the stairs to me, eating up the distance in a matter of seconds with his long legs.
Not even pausing to say hello, he wraps his arms around me and holds me close.
I sink into him, letting his warmth and comfort envelope me.
Why does it feel so good to be in his arms?
Donovan peers down at me with warmth and a hint of concern in his eyes.
“Hi there.”
Seeing his smile gives me warm fuzzies. If I wasn’t hungry and trying to be good, I would pull him inside and lock the door. This is a man that can definitely make me forget my worries. He brushes a lock of hair off my forehead, the gentle caress sends tiny shivers through me.
“Are you sure you’re ok? If you’re not up for going out, you absolutely don’t have to.”
His genuine concern is unexpected, but I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, nothing about him is expected. The way I’m drawn to him is something I never thought was possible.
“I’m ok. I promise. Getting out will help keep me from fixating on what I can’t do for her. Thank you for coming to get me.”
“No problem at all.“ His eyes drop to my lips, they are filled with wanton desire, and I bite my bottom lip in response. Oh my god, is he going to kiss me? Please let him kiss me.
His hand cups my cheek and his thumb slides across my lips. “Mmm so soft, I need to taste these perfect lips.”
He leans down, but it doesn’t register in my head until his lips meet mine.
God, his lips are the kind you can sink into.
They draw me in, making me want more. He takes my breath away.
When he gently nips my bottom lip, I gasp, and my mouth opens just enough for him to take the opportunity to deepen it further.
His tongue dives into my mouth, caressing my tongue.
I need this man, and I need him to kiss me like this often.
His arms draw me in closer. I cling to him, wrapping my arms around his neck. He is so tall that I have to stand on my toes to get closer, when what I really want to do is hop up and wrap my legs around him.I sigh into him, knowing that if he wasn’t holding onto me, I would melt into the floor.
We come up for air, and I get lost in his eyes. They are breathtaking, deep blues with hints of green. He places one more soft kiss on my lips before he straightens up, unlinking my hands from around his neck. He looks down at me intently—so many emotions swirl in the depths of his eyes.
“We better get to the diner before the guys start eating the table from hunger.”
All I can do is nod in agreement; he kissed me speechless. He takes my hand, his large fingers engulfing mine fully; he has such large hands. He leads me down to the truck, opening up the passenger door and helping me up into the seat. Such a gentleman.
Sitting in Donovan’s truck, I can’t help the small smile that stays on my lips, which are still tingling from that amazing kiss.
As Donovan gets into the driver’s seat, we just look at each other.
His answering grin helps wash away some of the anxiety from the last thirty minutes.
I relax back into the seat as Donovan starts the truck and heads down towards town.
The diner is busy, but as soon as we walk in the other guys zero in on us.
We might as well have a big flashing neon sign saying “just kissed.” Just that one look at the two of us gets Brent grinning from ear to ear.
We barely sit when he asks Donovan, “So, Don, does she taste as good as she looks?”
My mouth drops. Donovan moves to hit him, but Aiden beats him to it. Donovan gives my thigh a light squeeze under the table when he sees my cheeks stained pink. My blush deepens further as his touch sends tingles all throughout my body.
The guys settle down enough so that the waitress can take our drink order. As we all concentrate on looking over the menu, Aiden breaks the silence. “Kinley, is Megan alright?”
I put my menu down, instantly noticing the genuine concern in his face.
“Honestly, I’m not sure. She doesn’t want to talk about it much. She knows how sick he is and that he isn’t going to be around much longer. She has been taking care of him so long that I don’t think it dawned on her that it was going to end.”
“Tell her that I send my condolences.”
“I will; I’m sure she will be glad to hear that.”
“Yeah, tell her she is in our thoughts,” Camden adds.
“Thanks guys, it means a lot.”
Donovan gives my thigh another comforting squeeze, his thumb brushing my skin briefly before releasing me. I have to hold back a shudder; his touch just feels too good.
The rest of the evening is a welcome distraction. The guys are just great to be around, but I can’t help but wonder about Megan. I try to stay in the moment, periodically glancing at my phone to make sure I don’t have any messages, but my phone notifications remain zero.
It doesn’t go unnoticed, every time I look up from my phone one of them gives me a kind smile.
I’m thankful to have met them, especially Donovan.
They make me feel like I belong in their group.
I so rarely get that feeling from others.
I just really want to keep all of them; they feel like they are meant to be in my life.
“So most of you live around Knoxville, right?”
They all nod, giving me their full attention.
“Maybe if you are in my neck of the woods, you could all stop by for dinner. If we plan it with enough notice it would be a good excuse to drag Megan out of her hobbit hole, too.”
“Kinley, to sample more of your cooking, I will go anywhere,” Brent replies playfully.
Camden and Aiden second that, but Donovan leans close to me before responding, “Well, I plan on seeing you sooner than that.”
A blush pinks my cheeks, and the guys laugh. It’s getting a little embarrassing how much these guys are capable of making my face heat up.
It gets late, and the diner is emptying when we all make the decision to call it a night. Donovan drops the guys off first.
Thankfully his cabin is close, because I practically have to sit in Camden’s lap.
These guys are all well over six feet, not a one of them is skinny, and there is only so much room in Donovan’s truck.
We barely pull into the drive when the guys start piling out.
I can barely make out the cabin in the dark, but it looks like it is two stories.
“Don’t you guys turn outdoor lights on when you leave?”
Brent snorts at my question. “Why waste the energy when the cameras are all infrared and have night vision?”
I have no response to that, but I guess it makes sense that Donovan would have an intense security system with his profession.
On my way around to the front seat I get pulled into hugs from each of them; they all give good hugs.
Brent, the last one, lifts me off my feet and murmurs in my ear.
“You make sense, Kinley; be good to my boy.”
As he places me gently back on the ground, I look up at him, and even though it’s dark, I can see he is being genuine.
“You don’t need to worry about me, Brent. I don’t play games.”
That seems to satisfy him because he waves at Donovan and heads towards the cabin with the others.
The drive back to Megan’s is entirely too short, but before Donovan leaves, he walks me back up to the house. As soon as we climb up the porch steps he gives me another heated good night kiss. His lips are warm and soft against mine.
The only thing keeping me standing is the sturdy door behind me.
The grin on his face tells me he knows exactly how much he affects me.
I can’t help but think how easy it would be to just ask him in, but I also don’t want to run the risk of running him off by coming off as desperate.
I’m going to see him again. With as much chemistry as we have I just know it.
I have time to wait. Besides I can’t let myself get too caught up, I just met this man.
Even if he is stirring strong feelings, I can’t let that cloud all my senses. Why is dating so difficult?
Brushing a stray hair off my face that has fallen out of my messy bun, probably from his hand holding the back of my head as he kissed me, he tells me sincerely, “If you need anything, Kinley, don’t hesitate to call me.
If I don’t answer right away just text me and I’ll respond as soon as I can. Alright?”
“I will, Donovan. Be careful going home.”