“So, how was it?” I hear the smile in my dad’s voice.
“It was incredible.” I sigh, leaning against the railing of the terrace. “I still can’t believe you and Kane did that and neither one of you said a word.”
After skydiving, Kane treated me to the most incredible lunch at a small outdoor eatery before leading me two blocks away to a group of houses all bunched together at the top of a hill. I didn’t realize where we were at first. That is until I saw it. The tall yellow house that my mother posed for a picture in front of all those years ago.
Apparently Kane had called my Dad a couple days after we arrived in Italy. After pulling some strings, Dad was able to track down an old friend who got him in touch with the new owner of his grandparents’ old house. A small frail looking woman by the name of Everett, who readily agreed to let us visit after Dad explained to her what it would mean to me.
“I like him,” my dad interjects without commenting on my statement. “He seems like good people.”
Kane’s ears must have been burning because he chooses this very moment to push his way through the door, a takeout bag in one hand and a bottle of wine in the other, his smile lighting up the room the moment his gaze meets mine.
“Yeah, he is,” I admit, my focus trained on Kane. My stomach is a mess of butterflies as I watch him deposit the food and wine on the small table in the corner before stalking toward me.
“You sound good, honey,” my dad regards, pulling me from my haze. I try to snap out of the fog Kane always seems to cast over me.
“I feel good,” I admit, turning when Kane steps up next to me and drops an arm over my shoulders, his lips instantly connecting with my temple before his gaze goes out to the view of the water.
“Good. I knew this trip would be good for you.”
“Per usual, you were right,” I tell him.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of hearing those words.” He chuckles and it instantly brings a smile to my face.
“To stand where she stood,” I say, redirecting the conversation back to the main reason I called him–the trip to my family’s old house. “It felt like she was right there with me,” I admit, emotion swelling in my chest like it had the very moment I stood on those steps and looked up at that yellow house on the hill.
“Because she was,” he says moments before I hear his hand slide over the phone and his muffled voice speak.
“Dad?” I question, unsure of whom he could be talking to.
“Sorry, honey.”
“Who were you talking to?”
“It was nothing. Just Jenson next door asking a question.”
“Right,” I say, thinking he could have come up with a better excuse than Jenson, who never speaks to anyone, asking him a question outside when less than three minutes ago he claimed to be in the kitchen making stir fry.
“Is Kane there right now?” My dad switches gears and my eyes immediately shoot up to the man standing next to me, his muscular arm draped around me.
“He is,” I confirm, smiling when he looks down and meets my gaze.
“Put him on, would you, dear?”
“Uh, sure.” I hesitate for a moment before handing the phone up to Kane who instantly drops his arm from my shoulders and takes the device, holding it to his ear.
“Sam.” Kane greets my father like they’re old buddies and my expression turns even more confused. “Yeah. Uh huh.” He pauses, listening to my father. “She did.” He chuckles, smiling down at me. “Absolutely. Will do.” He responds to something else, his gaze falling to me seconds before he says, “Bye, Sam.” And disconnects the call.
“What the hell?” I shoot up at him, taking my phone out of his hand.
“What?” He grins, chuckling as he follows me inside the room.
“Sam? You and my father are on a first name basis now?”
“Well, that is his name, Elara.” His laugh deepens, clearly amused.
“You know what I mean. And what the heck? You didn’t even let me say goodbye,” I point out.
“He said he needed to go. Told me to tell you he loves you and you’ll talk soon.” He crosses to the table and slides into one of the rickety chairs, gesturing to the other one before speaking again. “Sit.” It’s not an order, more like a gentle request.
“I’m still mad at you.” I huff, dropping down into the seat across from him.
“I didn’t realize you were mad in the first place, so I certainly don’t understand why you’re still mad.”
“Smart ass. It’s going on the list,” I say pointedly.
“After the day I’ve had, not even your lists are going to damper my mood.”
“The day you’ve had?” My heart does a little flip in my chest and my false agitation quickly evaporates.
“I got to jump out of a plane for the first time in my life, only to be attacked in the best way possible the minute my feet were back on solid ground.” My cheeks heat up and I know pink is spreading across my face even though I can’t see it. “And after that, something changed,” he continues. “The wall was gone and for the first time I got to see you. You, Elara. Not the person you try to pretend to be or the one you think you need to be. But you. The real you. And damn if you aren’t even more beautiful than I ever imagined you’d be.”
My breath hitches in my throat and I honest to god have no words to say.
Not a single one.
So I blurt the first thing that comes to mind, “You gonna open that bottle or what?” I point at the wine still sitting unopened in front of him.
He gives me a knowing smile.
“Anything for you.” He tips his chin and gets to work on uncorking the bottle before pouring a generous amount of red wine into both of our glasses.
I lift mine and instantly suck a large gulp back, needing something to calm the nervous energy pulsing inside me. I don’t know when or how things changed so rapidly. One minute we’re strangers on some crazy trip across the world. The next we’re laughing and smiling like it’s always been this way.
“So what did you get?” I point to the bag between us, which smells so delicious it’s a wonder I’m not salivating.
“Pizza.”
“Pizza?” I question. “All the incredible places you could have gotten food and you picked pizza?” Despite how good it smells, I curl my nose.
“This isn’t just any ol’ pizza, babe. Just wait.” He pulls two containers from the bag and opens both in front of me.
One appears to be a small veggie style pizza topped with a variation of tomatoes, peppers, and mushrooms. The other has fresh herbs, spinach, and something crumbly over the top. Both look incredible and my stomach instantly grumbles. Okay, so maybe pizza wasn’t the worst call in the world.
Kane laughs at my reaction as I moan around my first bite of the herb pizza and then each bite after that. He’s right, it’s not your average pizza.
I smile and enjoy his company more than usual once the wine starts to take effect. Not that I don’t always enjoy his company, but the buzz of the alcohol relaxes me more and I’m able to enjoy him without all the other noise in my head.
I swear I could listen to Kane talk for hours on end and never get bored with a thing he says. Broaching the subjects of ex-girlfriends was the only time I became slightly uncomfortable during the course of the evening, but only because the little green jealous bug in my belly wouldn’t stop dancing.
Needless to say that conversation ended quickly, but not before I learned that he has never had a serious relationship and while he has dated here and there, he hasn’t met anyone that stuck enough to move into what he considers a “real” relationship. Secretly I hope I can change that but then quickly second guess myself for even thinking it.
It’s after midnight before we finally decide to call it a night, by which point my eyelids are so heavy it’s a wonder I’ve been able to keep them open this long. While it’s been one of the best days of my life, it’s also been emotionally draining. Kane makes me feel so many various emotions that by the time my brain is able to process even half of them it’s already overheating and starting to shut down.
I exit the bathroom after washing my face and brushing my teeth, wearing a similar pair of pajamas as the night before.
Kane is already in bed, stretched out on his side, no shirt, eyes locked on me. Great. As if it isn’t hard enough to control myself around him, he now has his beautiful chest and abs out on display and I swear it’s like each ripple of muscle is calling “Touch me” with every step I take.
Not sure how to proceed, I hesitate at the edge of the bed.
Last night was easy. Kane shut me out and turned his back on me. And while it bothered me at the time, I now secretly wish he’d do the same thing tonight so I wouldn’t have to stand here looking at him, trying to convince myself of all the reasons this is such a bad idea.
“Come here,” Kane says, sensing my hesitation. He reaches out his arms and I find myself instantly going into them.
He pulls me into a deep embrace, my back to his front, his face nuzzled in my hair, arm locked tight around my waist.
I’m surprised by how easy I find myself relaxing. How quickly sleep starts to muddle my head. How incredible it feels when he whispers in my ear, “Night, babe,” seconds before I peacefully doze off, thinking there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than exactly where I am.
****
I wake abruptly when a cool breeze whips over my body. Blinking into the early morning light, it isn’t until I look around that I realize the breeze is coming in from the open terrace where Kane is once again standing, bare back to me.
His stance is easy, relaxed. I can tell immediately that he’s lost somewhere inside his head. Mainly because when I climb out of bed he doesn’t turn toward me like I expect him to. Deciding a visit to the bathroom can’t wait, I quickly slip inside and do my business – brushing my teeth and splashing some water on my face before re-entering the room to find Kane still standing in the same spot as before. Only this time when he hears me, he turns, a slow grin pulling up the corners of his mouth.
“Mornin’.”
“Good morning.” I grab a throw blanket from the foot of the bed and wrap it around my shoulders before going to him. It may be hot during the day but the morning air is crisp with the cool breeze coming in off the water.
He opens his arms for me and I go right to them, breathing in his scent the moment he wraps me in his embrace.
“You sleep okay?” he murmurs into my hair, turning our bodies so we’re facing the water.
“I did. You?”
“Better than I’ve slept in a very long time.”
I don’t know why but his admission does something funny to my insides. Maybe because I like to think I’m the reason he slept so good. Like maybe somehow I bring him the same semblance of peace that he brings me.
“Good.” I lean my head back and smile up at him. Within seconds his lips find mine, brushing them in a whisper of a kiss that sends my heart once again galloping full throttle inside my chest.
“What’s the plan for the day?” I ask when he pulls back and turns his gaze back out to the sea.
“It’s our last full day here. I thought maybe we could just see where the day takes us.”
“I like that plan.” I tighten my arms around his middle and squeeze.
“You hungry?” he asks, his hand trailing lazily through my hair.
“Starving,” I admit.
I’m one of those people who’s ready to eat breakfast five minutes after waking up. I’ve always been that way, even when I was really little. Kam used to say I was inhuman – that people need at least an hour to wake up before they eat. I always gently reminded him that just because he needed that long did not mean everyone else did.
“I spotted a little restaurant on the corner while I was out getting pizza last night. Thought we could swing in there this morning, get some coffee and a muffin before figuring out the day.”
“Sounds perfect,” I say, before adding, “Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.” His hand is still in my hair and I instantly rethink what I’m about to say. If I ask what’s on my mind, I’m sure it will most likely put a damper on this perfect morning, but because I’m me and the queen of word vomit, I ask anyway.
“What exactly are we doing here?” I lean back slightly just in time to see his expression shift, a shadow passing through his eyes which disappears almost instantly.
“I don’t really know,” he answers after a long beat.
“I just mean…” I hesitate. “You know what, never mind.” I step out of his embrace and quickly go back inside the room, going straight to my duffel bag.
“Elara?” Humor is clear in Kane’s voice and when I flip my gaze up to him, I’m surprised to see he’s smiling. “What are you doing?” He looks at my duffel bag before turning his gaze back to my face.
“Getting clothes to change into,” I say like it should be obvious.
“I mean, why are you all the way over there when you should be right here?” He points at the spot directly in front of him.
“If we’re going to go to breakfast I have to get dressed,” I say, slightly embarrassed that after one incredible day together I’m already pushing him to know where this is going when I’m not entirely sure I know where I want it to go yet.
“Elara,” he repeats, his smile firmly intact. “Come here.” He once again points to the ground in front of him.
Letting out a slow exhale, my feet shuffle toward him before my mind has time to process the action. The next thing I know I’m back in his arms, my cheek pressed to his bare chest.
“I don’t know why I asked that,” I admit, keeping my arms at my sides.
“I do.” He drops a kiss to the top of my head before tipping my face up to look at him.
“You do?” I ask..
“You’re wondering the same thing I am. Is this about Kam or is this about us?” His expression falls serious, his hand snaking around the back of my neck to hold my head firm so I can’t look away. “And the truth is, Elara; at first I worried it was about Kam for me. A way for me to feel closer to him because well, you make me feel closer to him. The night before last, after I kissed you, I realized it had nothing to do with Kam and that made me feel so guilty I couldn’t even look at you afterward.”
Well I guess that explains him shutting me out.
“But then yesterday, when you launched yourself at me and kissed me, all I could think was guilt be damned because there was no way I wasn’t going to explore this with you. Whatever this is.” He runs the back of his other hand down my cheek, his thumb skirting against my bottom lip.
“It isn’t about Kam for me,” I admit, but quickly continue, “I mean, at first it was. But now, I don’t know. Yesterday when I looked at you, you were no longer Kam’s brother. You were Kane. And I liked what I saw.”
“Then keep your eyes open, babe, because it’s about to get a whole lot better.” His smile once again graces his face just moments before he’s bending down and laying a light kiss to my lips.
“Guilt be damned,” he mumbles against my mouth before deepening the kiss. His tongue sweeps against mine in the most delicious motion making my knees wobble slightly.
When he pulls away moments later I’m breathless, captivated, and completely consumed by a man I barely know and yet can’t seem to get enough of. And while there’s still that knot in the pit of my stomach, the one that tells me I shouldn’t be allowed to feel this way, it’s currently being silenced by a pair of incredible dark eyes looking at me in a way I’m quite certain no one has ever looked at me.
My stomach and my heart flip flop in unison.
Oh boy.