He entered my place, putting a hand around my waist and dipping his mouth right to mine for a light kiss. It startled me so much I began to back up as he approached, but realized that was stupid and allowed the brief touch of lips.
“You look good, babe. Love your hair wild anytime but pulled back away from your face gives me a great view of your pretty hazel eyes,” he said and then proved it as he spent a good thirty seconds admiring them.
I couldn’t help the beaming smile I gave him. “Brunch is ready. I hope you’re hungry.”
He inhaled and his eyes heated. “Starved.”
I patted his chest and stepped back to find he’d been holding his arm behind his back. With a flourish, he presented me with the most stunning bouquet of wildflowers. The bright orange, blue, purple, deep red and soft pink flowers were tied in a wonky bow with yellow satin ribbon.
“Cut these from my ma’s yard this morning. She’s got the greenest thumb and her garden is the best I’ve seen around.” He held them out to me. “Figured you’d appreciate flowers I chose and cut for you instead of the standard bouquet I could easily pick up at the store.”
“Wow, these are incredible.” I pushed my nose into the bundle and breathed deep. Lovely. I took in his happy smile, stretched up onto my toes, put my free hand to his shoulder and showed him how much I liked them with a sweeter, much wetter kiss than we’d started with. The kiss went crazy the moment I touched my tongue to his. Those powerful arms I liked so much wrapped around me, so I had no choice but to wrap both of mine around his neck.
He kissed me as though I hadn’t seen him in a month, and we’d been together for years instead of having first kissed me only three days ago. When he was done, he pecked my lips softly and rubbed his nose along mine in a silky caress. I inhaled his earthy leather-and-citrus scent and sighed at the contentment I felt being in his arms.
“Damn, woman, you can kiss.” He grinned.
I was certain my cheeks were flushed and my eyes a bit dazed as I steered the conversation to something safer. “So uh, your mother grew all of these in her yard?”
He nodded. “I’ll show it to you sometime. I keep tellin’ her to submit pictures of it for those home-and-garden contests, but she won’t. Ma’s sweet and likes the focus of attention to be on the ones she holds dear. Me, my brothers and uh, all of our family members.”
I lifted the flowers and inhaled their floral scent once more, letting it soak my senses, reminding me of picnics in the park with my fathers growing up. I sure missed them.
“Well, they are lovely. I’d like to see her garden and meet her sometime.”
He smiled back and my knees felt a little weak.
“Food smells amazing. What do you have planned?” He followed me to the kitchen and sat on one of the stools at the bar.
“A feast for the senses. I hope you like eggs benedict.” I brought the flowers into the kitchen and found a beat-up vase in the cabinet above the fridge. Looked like I’d be adding a vase to my list of things to find in town.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. Never had it.”
“Really?” I gasped and brought the flowers and the vase to the counter and noted the ends were already cut at a slant. I added the flowers to the vase and filled it with water. “These are beautiful.”
“Nothing compared to your beauty, Isabeau.”
My cheeks heated even more, and butterflies fluttered in my stomach. “You are quite the flirt today.”
He cocked his head to the side and put his elbows on the countertop, clasping his hands in front of him. I’d already set out the new placemats Jasper and I picked up, along with my set of matching silverware. Suda Kaye was definitely into recycling. A lot of her stuff was mismatched to the extremes, but I wasn’t about to complain. I’d decided to simply replace what I wanted to and ask her if she’d like it returned or boxed up and donated when I was done with it.
“I have a lot to make up for. Especially with the way I bailed a few nights ago.” His tone dropped and I could tell from his body language that he felt crummy about what had transpired.
I clenched my teeth and took a breath while stuffing my hands into the pot holders in order to retrieve the main course. Once I set it on the counter, I turned on the stove and started heating the hollandaise, whisking away to ensure it didn’t burn and kept its creamy consistency.
“It’s none of my business but I will admit to feeling rather embarrassed by the whole thing,” I answered truthfully.
He sighed and he did it deeply. “If I didn’t have to go, I wouldn’t have. I hope you understand that is the God’s honest truth, seeing as I’m right back here now, exactly where I want to be.”
I nodded. “Mmm-hmm.”
“What’s the mmm-hmm mean in this context, honey?” He interlaced his fingers together and leaned his clean-shaven jaw on top of them. I hadn’t noticed he’d shaved when he entered. It did not take away from his allure in the least. Shaven, scruffy, I’d guess even a full beard and he’d still set my heart pounding and my lady bits tingling.
I took the pot off the heat as I got the plates out. I shrugged. “Just that I’m not the type of girl who does that on the first date.” I chanced a look at him and watched his lips twitch.
“And what type of girl are you, Isa?” His voice dipped to a more sexy, deep-throated rumble that I had to work hard to ignore or my wanton side might have made another appearance.
“The type that has a strict six-dates-until-sex rule!” I admitted with a hint of frustration in my tone.
Kyson tipped his head back and laughed heartily. “Six dates to sex, eh? That was not the vibe I got from you the other night, sweetheart.”
I groaned under my breath as I served him double the portion of eggs benedict than I did for myself and covered it in the creamy sauce. Once I’d finished that I reached for the salad and took up the tongs to sift the brightly colored greens, making sure I got just enough of the feta, almonds and apricots into the matching bowls I’d set next to the plates.
“Honestly?” I asked as I dropped the tongs into the larger salad bowl and curled my fingers around the bullnose edge of the countertop, needing to get my concerns off my chest.
“With me you can always be honest.” His voice was low and serious.
“You make me want to throw all caution out the window with your sexy self.” I waved my hand up and down, gesturing to his body and face. “The body, the smile, gorgeous eyes, thick, silky hair, and the way you look at me...drives me nuts. I feel like I’m constantly in a state of want around you and it’s annoying because I’ve never been like that in my entire life! Not with anybody.” I ended on a huff, letting it all hang out.