Scott

I needed to stop this. Resist the naughty temptation that was now on my lap. That was the last thought I had before tasting her lips. She’d been tentative at first, but then she’d slipped her tongue inside of my mouth and ignited something in me. I turned her body so her thighs were now straddling me, which was a hell of a lot sexier than sitting on my lap like I was Santa.

But it also meant that my hands, which had no choice in the matter, were down now on her ass. I took over the kiss, coaxing her tongue to dance with mine, then moved my lips, kissing down the column of her throat.

Knocking. Why did I hear knocking? Blood may be running south, but my brain was still somewhat functioning enough to recognize that there was an intrusion.

“I think someone is at your door?”

“What?” she asked in a dazed voice, clearly just as into this kiss as I was.

“Knocking. I hear knocking.”

“Maybe they’ll go away.”

She captured my lips again, quieting any objection I may have had. God, she was growing bolder, and I in turn, was growing harder.

“Kelsey, Scott, you in there?”

“Oh crap, it’s my dad.”

“Wh-what?”

I put my hands on her hips, lifting her up gently before adjusting myself. “It’s my dad’s voice. He’s at the door.”

The moment it sunk in, her eyes got big. “Right. Uh, you stay here.” Her glance flicked down to my lap. “And um, let things, you know, get back to normal, while I’ll get it.”

“Kay.” My father was just outside of the door and the erection still wasn’t fading. Fuck. Time to bring out the big guns. Time to think of Grandma. Worked like a charm, albeit, a bit slower than it normally did. Standing up, I took a deep breath hearing them talk at the front door. Thinking it might look weird if I didn’t join them, I walked over.

“Hey, Dad, what are you doing here?”

“Sorry to interrupt, but uh your old girlfriend is next door.”

“What?”

“She said she’d dropped by to help you pick out your suit for Friday.”

I was instantly irritated, but not as much as Kelsey who bid good night to the both of us without so much of a backward glance. “I’ll let you go then. Thanks for bringing dinner over. See you both tomorrow.”

The right thing to do would’ve been to tell my father I needed a few minutes. Talk to Kelsey. Apologize. Explain that I hadn’t invited Missy over. Something. But I didn’t because at the end of the day, I shouldn’t be doing this. Not only could it jeopardize things at work, it could potentially blow up with our father’s forty-year friendship. In all, I reasoned the interruption was for a good reason.

***

Kelsey

I became a complete voyeur looking out of the window and over at Scott’s house ten minutes after he left me to go to Missy. Although I wasn’t a virgin, having been with both my high school boyfriend, and someone I dated in college briefly, I didn’t have a lot of experience dealing with this type of emotion. Jealousy. I’d done the breaking up with my exes after things had fizzled. Any other time kissing a boy, I had never even remotely felt the way that I had with Scott’s kiss. Probably because he most definitely wasn’t a boy. Nope. He was all man. Except for the way he ran out of here.

Maybe it was the girl in me, hoping he would’ve followed me into the kitchen, instead of going next door. Maybe a woman would’ve taken it on the chin like a champ. So he’d kissed me, big deal.

Except it was a big deal, and that, in and of itself, was dangerous. We were neighbors, but most importantly I was leaving to go back to college, while he most likely was going to do anything to keep from settling back in town. He may not know it, but I could tell he was concerned what other people thought of him returning home after years in New York City. My future was here, that much I knew. I loved the Pacific Northwest. I missed it while I was away, and had every intention of moving back here once I was done with college.

The next morning, I woke up early. Going over the pass in a single day meant a way-too-early-to-bother-doing-anything-to-my-face-or-hair-kind-of-day. Laziness. It really is its own artform. Plus, I didn’t want to look like I was trying too hard for Scott. The route from Seattle to Yakima over the mountains normally took three hours by truck, if traffic and the weather cooperated. So that meant at least six hours in his company, and that was only in the truck.

It didn’t help that I was tired. I’d spied on Scott’s house until Missy left, roughly about thirty minutes after he’d departed my house. Ample time to pick out a suit I guess, but maybe not enough time to have slept with him. Then I stayed awake in my bed for a while, waiting for the knock that didn’t come, and the text that didn’t buzz.

Which mean that this morning was bound to be awk-freaking-ward. I smiled at Nell. The men may be afraid of her, but I adored her. From her bee-hive to her horn-rimmed glasses and smoker’s voice, it was all authentic and timeless.

“Hi, honey. I went by and saw your father last night. He’s looking good. Tried to get me to smuggle in a cheeseburger though.” She rolled her eyes. “I told him they’d probably send me to hospital jail for doing that. Anyways, how are you holding up?”

“Good. Good. Thanks for going by there. It keeps him in good spirits. I’ll visit again tonight. They said he should be out of the ICU by then. I know he probably still won’t be home for Christmas, but here’s hoping.”

“I’ll send up a little prayer. Now then, you’re going to Yakima today, right?”

“Yes ma’am. I need to wait for Scott though.”

She glanced up at me. “Actually, he came by this morning, and said you were doing it solo.”

I should be thrilled. Relieved. Overjoyed at the prospect of not having him bark at me over the entire pass. But instead, I felt rage. Yes rage, residual from last night, but now bordering on slightly homicidal. I was joking, but I was pissed. I managed a tight smile. “Thanks, Nell. Have a great day.”

Walking directly towards Scott’s office, I realized I had never been in it before. I didn’t bother to knock. Instead, I barged straight in and closed the door behind me. He immediately glanced up at the intrusion, looking way too good for five-o’clock in the morning.

“Why am I going solo today?”

“Because you’re ready.”

Liar. “You didn’t seem to think so yesterday.”

His jaw clenched. Well clench away. I was far from finished. “In fact, your opinion seems to have changed since last night, after you left me to go get a suit picked out for you by Missy.”

“I’m not doing this here, Kelsey, and this only serves as a reminder of why last night was a mistake. I’m sorry. I got carried away, and it won’t happen again.”

A punch in the stomach would’ve felt better. He was right, my coming in here was crossing boundaries. But mostly hearing him call our kiss a monumental mistake hurt like hell.

“Okay then. I’d better get going.”

I turned away, already fighting the tears.

“Kels. Wait.”

I kept my back to him, not wanting him to see my face. “It’s fine, Scott. Hell, if I’d known kissing would get me out of driving with you, I’d have done it sooner. See ya later.”

I didn’t break stride, fully intent on making it to the truck so I could have a proper cry. Now that would be a strange site, young woman crying while driving down I-5 in a semi-truck. I’d just about made to the cab when I heard Andrew’s voice.

“Hey, Kelsey. We still on for tomorrow? I thought we could go see the new Thor movie.”

I gave him my best smile. And heck, seeing Chris Hemsworth and not chatting sounded like a dream about now. “Sounds terrific. Um, I guess after work, okay? Tomorrow I only have a short round trip up north.”

“Yep. See you then. Be careful on the pass today. They’re expecting snow this evening.”

“Good to know. Yeah. See you then.”

I’d be back in six hours, beating the snow without a problem.