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"And that has something to do with you not wanting me to eat cold eggs?" he questions, taking another huge bite. I look down, shocked to see that he's almost done eating.
"Just reminded me of some stuff."
Shane nods and then the silence stretches on. I continue to eat, but even with a much smaller helping, he's done well before I am. I look up when he picks up his drink, my eyes glued to his neck while he swallows. Who would have thought that a man drinking some juice out of a girly pink cup would be so dang hot, but as his throat constricts with each swallow, I find myself getting more and more turned on.
When the last of his juice is gone, he calmly places his cup down and rips a paper towel off the roll in the middle of the table and wipes his mouth. I put the last bite of toast in my mouth and wash it down with some of my drink, trying to calm my horny body down.
"I don't care if it's cold, hot, or some creation you slaved over that tastes like shit. If you make it for me, I'm going to eat it. My mama might not have been able to give us much growing up, but she taught us respect and how to give that to those in our lives. I'm not your ex, and fake or not, you'll have my respect without question."
"Uh, wow."
"Try not to be so shocked that I have manners, cherie. I know how to treat a woman."
"Thank you," I finally say with a shrug, not really sure what to do with all that. "Your mother sounds lovely," I add awkwardly.
"She was."
"I'm sorry," I tell him, seeing how much he cared for his mother clear as day as a shadow crosses over his face.
He lifts his shoulder, not looking away. "She lived a hard life. By the time she got sick, there just wasn't any fight left in her. I miss her, but she's in a better place."
"Your dad?"
"Not in my life. Just me and Libby now. Her dad took off right after she was born." The frown lines leave his face, and a small smile curls his lips. "She's one of the greatest things I have. When I moved here, she transferred schools so we wouldn't be hours apart."
"I always wanted a sister. It sounds like you guys are really close. How old is she?"
"We are. She just turned twenty-one. Pain in my ass, but I would do anything for the brat."
My gaze roams from his eyes to his lips--now fully smiling with his teeth showing--and I don't think I've ever seen him so open. His strong jaw even more pronounced, the beard that he keeps trimmed short only emphasizing his features more.
"I like you like this," I blurt, groaning when I realize that my filter has once again failed me in life.
The corners of his eyes crinkle, his lips curving even more. "Like what?"
"I don't know ... open?" I lift my hand and wave it around, biting my lip. Oh, come on, Nik, you've never been shy before. Just speak your mind. It's not as if this is a real relationship where you have to impress him. But what if I want to impress him? "I've known you for a few years now, and I've learned more about you in five minutes than I have in all that time. You always just seem so ... closed off. I like this a lot more than the heavy shield that I always felt like you had up whenever I would come around."
"Doesn't make much sense if we're supposed to be in a relationship and we don't know much about each other, does it?"
"So you'll do it?"
"Mon colibri, you would be shocked at just how much I would do for you."
"You don't know me," I remind him, his confession warming something deep inside me.
"Yeah, I do."
"No, you don't."
He settles back in his chair and crosses his arms. The cocky expression he gives me a second later makes me narrow my eyes, waiting to see what kind of game he's playing. I meant it when I said I had learned more about Shane Kingston in this small time here at my kitchen table than I have since he moved to town. Over two years and he's been some enigma that kept pulling me closer but never gave anything to encourage the pull I felt.
"You work at Rosefield Prep, second-grade teacher for the past three years, got the job right out of college. Only child. Parents not in the picture. Not because they're shit parents but because they had you late in life and you've never been close. You've had one boyfriend, the douche, since you were in high school. You prefer vodka with orange juice but will settle for cranberry if that's not an option. You'll drink until you can't walk but, somehow, can still dance. You're more like a sister to your best friend than she is to her own sister. Your loyalty to her is something, I imagine, anyone you allow close gets. And," he whispers, leaning forward. "When you're about to come, you make this sound that I swear to Christ sounds like a hummingbird is trapped in your chest."
My eyes are just as wide as my mouth, my jaw hanging loose from shock. "How, what... are you kidding?" I rush out.
"Like I said, I know you."
"Are you a stalker?"
If I thought he was the hottest man on this planet before, when he tips his head back and a deep laugh booms from him, I know he's the hottest man in the universe. That rusty hilarity getting even richer as he continues to chuckle in the most manly of ways. When he focuses back on me, that golden hue has returned to his gaze, and I melt.
"I mean, I'm thinking I could deal with it if you were," I continue, wanting more than anything to hear that sound again. "I'd just like to know what I'm working with, is all."
"I'm not a stalker, Nikki."
"Oh, well ... okay."
"Fuck, you're cute."
My face heats as I choose to ignore him. I stand and collect our dishes, walking to the sink and rinsing everything off before placing them in the dishwasher.
"How do you know all that?" I finally ask, closing the door of the dishwasher and drying my hands off on the hand towel next to the sink.
"Nate's my best friend. He talks a lot. Most of the time I ignore him, but I didn't when you would come up."
"Why?"
He frowns, not answering. I walk to his side and lift my hand to his face to smooth out the wrinkles between his brows. The sensation of his skin against mine making my body burn, drunk for more of the feelings touching him brings. I trail my hand up, raking my fingers through his thick, dark hair. I repeat the motion, bringing my free hand up to mirror the other. The buzz cut at the sides of his scalp tickling my skin. His eyes close, just as lost as I am.
Get the upper hand.
The thought filters through my mind, and without pause, I move my hands to frame his face, giving a twitch of my wrists to tip his face up--going from soft petting to forceful direction. His eyes snap open, hands moving lightning fast to my wrists, holding tightly. I can see he wants to take over, but he doesn't.
"I like how it feels knowing you didn't ignore him."
The fire in his eyes making the flecks of gold come alive. His hold on my wrists just shy of painful. I bend; the position I've got his head in being the perfect angle for me to get nose to nose with him. If he hadn't been sitting, I never would have been able to gain this kind of advantage. I don't think he'll let me have it for long either, so I might as well take what I can.
"You're going to let me get to know you, Shane Kingston. While you're mine and I'm yours to the world, you'll let me in. When this ends between us, I want to be able to look back and know that, while it lasted, I had all of you."
