I keep my eyes on my lap. I can’t believe I just said all of that.
“Kenna.” His voice is soft. I know he wants me to look at him, but I can’t. It’s not until I feel his index finger under my chin that I give in and lift my gaze to his. His brown eyes flash to my mouth, and I lick my lips.
I think he’s going to kiss me. I really want him to kiss me.
He leans in a little closer. “I really want to kiss you,” he says, his voice gravelly.
“Yes, please,” I reply, breathless with anticipation.
He moves in closer. He’s so close yet so far away. I’ve missed him and his kisses. His lips molded to mine for longer than I can even remember. I lean in, and he curses under his breath before pressing his lips to mine. They're soft and tentative. I’m about to reach out and hold him to me when a knock at the door has us pulling apart.
He gives me a smoldering look before pushing back in his chair and standing. I watch his every move so I don’t miss it when he adjusts his hard length before making his way to the door. “What’s up?” I hear him ask.
“Let’s go grab dinner,” Corbin says. “I was passing by on my way home,” he says, explaining why he’s here.
“Can’t. I’m in the middle of something.”
“Well, finish up, and we can go.”
“Nah, I already ate.”
“Then come with me. We can catch up.”
“I have a lot of paperwork to finish.”
“What’s going on, Rip?” Corbin asks.
“Nothing. I have company,” he confesses. “We’ll grab dinner at the Silver Star tomorrow. First round’s on me.”
“Fine. See you then, old man.” Corbin chuckles. I listen for the door to close and stand to start clearing the table. I don’t know why, but I wanted him to tell Corbin he was with me. I know that our friends would be fine with it. Hell, Laramie already suspects, and she’s happy for me. For us. But that’s just it. If “us” is really what Rip wants, then why wouldn’t he tell Corbin? Maybe he isn’t as sure about us as he wants me to believe. Maybe I’m jumping into this too fast because it’s what I’ve always wanted. I definitely need to slow down and protect my heart. He’s just proven that. He was caught up in the moment. He’s being nice by making me dinner, and it’s a romantic setting. We both got lost in the moment. That’s on me. I wanted him to kiss me—more than I’ve ever wanted anything.
“You don’t have to do that,” Rip says, taking our now empty plates out of my hand.
“Of course, I do. You made dinner. I clean up. It’s the least that I can do.”
“No, Kenna. That’s not how this is going to go.” He places the dishes in the sink. Turning, he rests against the counter, his hands braced on either side of him. “The dishes can wait. You’re taking the night off, remember?”
I nod. “Thank you for dinner.” Turning on my heels, I head for the door. A walk home is exactly what I need to clear my head. I’m so focused on leaving, on my foolish heart for thinking that this was something that it wasn’t, I don’t hear him until he has his arms around my waist, pulling my body into his.
“Stay.” One word whispered into my ear, and I’m putty in his hands. A single nod and he releases me, but not fully. His hand on the small of my back guides me to the couch. We sit, with him pulling me into his arms and handing me the remote. “You pick.”
“It’s your house.”
“Your choice, Kenna.”
I don’t care what we watch. I won’t be able to pay attention anyway with his arms around me, holding me close. I settle on Law and Order, and he chuckles when he takes the remote and sets it on the table next to us.
Pulling my bare feet up on the couch, I’m careful to cover my legs with my dress. Once I’m settled, he pulls me a little further into him. “Better,” he murmurs, kissing my temple.
I try to focus on the television, but I can feel my eyes getting heavy. I barely slept last night, so excited for dinner with him, and now, here in his arms, with a full belly, I don’t ever remember a time I felt more content.
Chapter 11
Rip
“What crawled up your ass?” Corbin asks, pointing a fry at me before shoving it in his mouth.
“Nothing.” I pick up my burger and take a bite. “It’s just been a long week.” That’s not entirely untrue. It has been a long week of me waiting for more time with McKenna. Last night was the best night I’ve had in, well, ever. I had her all to myself, and got to spend time kissing her, which is now my favorite pastime. She dozed off in my arms, and I wanted nothing more than to carry her upstairs to my bed. I would have, too, had it not been for my sister calling her phone and waking her up. I wanted to hold McKenna and wake up with her. I wanted to be able to compare it to the first time I held her all night. Compare the two and dissect this crazy intense need I have for her.
“I hear you.” He nods, eating another bite.
Shaking out of my thoughts, I pull my head back into the present. “The homeowner still giving you shit about the budget?”
“Every damn day,” he sighs. “How hard of a concept is it? You change the design, the materials change, which means the price changes.”
“You think any more about hiring someone to deal with them?”
“Yeah. Colby and I talked to Dad about Laramie taking over the office, and he and Mom agree that it’s a great idea.”
“Have you talked to her about it?” My sister is strong-willed. Always has been. When she graduated, my parents and I offered her a job working for the family farm. She refused and said she wanted to forge her own path. I personally think it had something to do with her best friend leaving for college, leaving her behind. That was five years ago, and I have a feeling she’s going to be joining James Construction. It might take some persuasion, but I think she’ll take it. That’s fine, as long as she’s happy. There will always be a spot for her at Callahan Farm, and she knows that.
“Mom’s having us all over for dinner tomorrow night, and the four of us are going to gang up on her.” He laughs.
“Ah, so your brother knows his future wife pretty well then.” It’s going to take some convincing for Laramie to believe that she’s needed, and the job isn’t just being handed to her.
“No offense, but we all know that your sister is bull-headed.” He shrugs.
“True story.”
“What are you two gossiping about?” my sister asks, appearing beside our booth.
“Nothing much. What are you doing here?” I look around the bar for McKenna. They’re supposed to be hanging out tonight.
“Stopped to grab some wings to go. We’re having a girls’ night at Mac’s.”
I nod. I guess she doesn’t know that I already knew that information. I texted McKenna today and asked her if she had plans. I had no qualms canceling on Corbin to see her.
“What’s my brother doing?” Corbin asks her.
“When I left the house, he was ready to fall asleep on the couch,” she says with a smile. “He works too hard.”