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My footfalls were silent. Just around the corner, my brother had the girl, who was probably blushing based on her posture, pinned against the wall. It brought back so many memories. I couldn’t help feeling like a hypocrite, but Father was here. Both our hides would be skinned figuratively if he caught Jake.
Something stopped me—the look of absolute happiness on the girl’s face. She wanted this. Hadn’t I back then? The fact that we could be caught hadn’t scared me. It only made things more exciting.
I turned back, taking a few steps to the mouth of the opening to hide my presence. I looked to see if anyone had followed.
He was coming for me, but no one else. I turned and saw that Jake had made contact. My focus was split between the man chasing me and my charge. When I heard the girl giggle, I faced them again. Clearing my throat, Jake and the girl looked to where I was standing. I gave them the sternest look I could muster in the midst of wanting to smile. It was the best impression of parental disapproval I could do at the moment given that I’d been just like them at their age.
Jake looked resigned and took her hand. He marched back in my direction toward the dance. His face had shut down. He knew he’d been caught. However, he probably assumed he could get away with this with me here. He’d probably asked me just for that reason.
I sighed when he reached me and gave him a half-smile in apology.
“Father’s here, so be careful,” I warned.
He stiffened and the poor girl looked on the verge of tears, fully understanding the consequences of their actions. Suddenly on alert, they peered around the corner first before making a dash back inside to the dance. They passed him on the way.
Not wanting to be far from my post, I headed back toward the side door I’d exited.
He hadn’t moved, standing like a sentry posted at the door.
“You’re a sight,” he said, taking a different approach from earlier.
His accent was thick. It felt like years since I’d seen him last. Yet, it had been minutes and before that only a week maybe, if that. My brain was clouded with the details. I was busy trying not to combust.
“I could say the same.” It wasn’t what I should have said, but I wasn’t thinking clearly.
Clouds of frost puffed out as we both breathed.
“Am I now?”
We were now a little over two feet apart. The urge to touch him was becoming overwhelming. “Kalen, why are you here?”
I should have urged him inside. We both stood without coats, and I should be freezing if not for his heated stare keeping me warm.
The door opened and Turner stepped out.
“Bailey, there you are. I’ve been looking for you. I see you met our visitor.” Turner came to my side and possessively put his arm around my waist. With his free hand, he held it out. “You must be Jeremy. I’m Turner. I’ll be showing you around.”
Jeremy? It hit me. I’d forgotten the man wasn’t Kalen. Jeremy was his first name. This night couldn’t get any worse unless Turner figured out Jeremy was Kalen without me explaining things first. That would be disastrous.
Tuner gave Kalen a congenial smile. I noticed Kalen’s hands clenched at his sides. I stepped away from Turner on reflex. Kalen’s eyes crinkled with amusement at my action. I turned to Turner who looked confused.
“I’m sorry to cut our night short,” he said slowly. I would bet he was trying to figure out what was up with me. “Your father wants me to give Jeremy a change of clothes and a quick tour. I’ll come to Vi’s later.”
All of his words were tentative and snapped me out of my Kalen fog.
I gave him a smile that was genuine and Turner took it as a good sign. He stepped to me and placed a chaste kiss on my lips. He turned back to Kalen and didn’t catch my eyes flicking to him. The man’s expression had darkened like a winter storm.
Together, they walked inside to get their coats. From there I watched them leave together, all the while wondering how this was my life. Kalen shouldn’t be here. My past and my present together couldn’t be good.
Twenty-Four
Kalen
My craving for the lass hadn’t abated. With an instant addiction, I still wanted her like no drug ever known to man before. Worse, I didn’t want to be cured.
I drank in the sight of her covered neck to foot. The dress wasn’t the deterrent it was meant to be. Instead, it made my eyes linger longer, wanting to peel it off slowly to enjoy every inch as it was uncovered. A few fire strands of her lovely hair had escaped whatever held it back and away from her face. I pictured releasing it and watching it tumble down her back.
