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He liked the feel of her against him.
The crowds had grown thinner as the evening wore on, with fewer kids darting from side to side on the walkway. They passed under strings of decorative, white lights and along yachts moored in the lake. Her hand felt good in his, but he gave in to the urge to wrap his arm around her shoulders again. She slipped hers across his back, and their thighs brushed together while they walked.
He didn’t want the night to end. He wanted to take her home with him, make love to her, sure, but also hold her sleeping in his arms, talk to her over breakfast, maybe plan their Saturday together.
The vision prompted a wave of guilt. She was open and fresh and genuine, while he was a fraud, hiding the most basic of information from her.
Determined to get them on a better footing, he found a clear spot in the crowd. Then he urged her toward the rail, turning her there so they were face to face.
“What now?” Her smile was in place, but she was searching his expression with obvious confusion.
“It’s Ellis,” he said, ignoring his own hesitation. “My last name is Ellis.”
Her smile faded, and she peered at him intently. “Are you in the witness protection program?”
“No.” Where had that come from?
“I thought maybe you’d testified against a crime boss or something.”
“I’m not a criminal.”
“You said you were a thief.”
“Ethanol. From an institution. Probably about ten bucks worth of the stuff.”
Her smile came back, and her voice went sexy and low. “Riley Ellis.”
Something shifted inside him.
She repeated his name.
He kissed her. It was fleeting at first, but then deeper and longer. He loved kissing her. But they were in public, so he forced himself to stop.
He rested his hands on the rails, arms around her, slowing his breathing down. “I promised you fireworks.”
Her eyes were wide and clear, her lips dark red. “You meant in the sky, right? Not the ones going off inside my brain right now.”
His hands twitched. “You have absolutely no sense of self-preservation.”
“And you have no sense of humor.”
“You are not a good girl.”
“I said I was once a good girl.” She planted a quick kiss on his mouth and then ducked under his arm.
He immediately caught her and wrapped his arm around her as they walked. “Okay, now you’re taking all the fun out of the chase.”
“There they go,” she called out as the first red and yellow starbursts banged through the air and lit up the sky.
They quickened their pace, laughing as they went. Riley found them a table at the beer garden, ordering beers and a savory platter.
He angled his chair toward her. He’d seen the fireworks before, but he’d never watched Kalissa watching them. The bright colors reflected off her skin and flashed in her shinning eyes. She was so much more beautiful than the display in the sky.
She caught his gaze and did a double take.
“Hey,” he said softly.
“Hey.”
“How do you like them so far?”
“They’re stunning.”
“Stunning,” he agreed, his gaze fixed on her.
She glanced back at the sky, but then returned her attention to him.
“Want to know what I did yesterday?” she asked.
“Absolutely.” He wanted to know everything about her.
She traced a line along her plastic beer cup. “I met Darci.”
Everything went still inside Riley.
It took him a minute to respond. “Your sister?”
“Yes, my sister. Who else would I be talking about?”
He sat back in his chair.
He’d known this would happen. At one point, he’d even thought it might be good for him. He’d considered that Kalissa might give him some inside information on Shane.
But that was days ago. Now he didn’t want Kalissa talking to the Colborns at all.
Riley definitely wanted to see her again.
But now that she’d met Darci, well, sisters talked, even estranged sisters were likely to talk eventually. And when they did, it was game over for him. Because the minute Shane knew Riley was in her life, he’d do everything in his power to turn her against him.
“How did it go?” he managed to ask.
“It went well, really well. They seem terrific, very down to earth, way more down to earth than I expected.”
“Great,” he said, covering his expression with a drink of his beer.
The fireworks popped and cracked in the distance, and the crowd oohed and aahed. Riley wanted to put his fist through the table.
* * *
Kalissa could tell something had changed. It was subtle, but Riley was quieter during the drive home, and he wasn’t making any jokes. He drove directly to the Mosaic Landscaping storefront, swinging his sports car to the curb.
He hadn’t suggested stopping at his place. Not that she’d wanted to stop at his place. Not that she would have said yes to stopping at his place. But there was something weird about him not even asking.
He pulled on the emergency brake, leaving the stick shift in neutral and the engine running as he exited the driver’s door. He moved to her side of the car, opening the door and taking her hand while she stepped out.
“Thank you,” she said, wishing this feeling of dread would go away, wishing he’d say or do something to reassure her. “I had a very nice time.”
“I did too.” His expression looked sincere.
What was she missing?
She took another stab. “I’m sorry I can’t invite you upstairs. Megan’s there and, well, it’s a pretty small apartment.”
The opening was a mile wide, but he didn’t suggest an alternative to her place.
“I understand,” he said instead, easing a little closer.
“Is something wrong?” she couldn’t help asking.
“Everything’s great. You’re great.” He tucked her hair behind one ear, sliding his palm to the back of her neck.
Anticipation warmed her skin and increased her pulse.
“Goodnight, Kalissa,” he whispered. His lips came down on hers, soft and hot. But the kiss was slightly different. It didn’t hold the burning passion of the ones on the Ferris wheel.
She slipped her arms around his waist, and he did the same with his free hand. Angling her body against his, she deepened the kiss. He followed suit, and she could feel his muscles hardening against her.
His hand slipped downward, splaying over her rear, pressing her into the vee of his thighs. He kissed her deeper, his tongue plunging into her mouth. She welcomed the passion, answering back, arousal growing in waves inside her.
Her imagination took flight. If not his place, maybe a hotel. His car didn’t have a back seat. And she was too old for that anyway. But it had to be somewhere. He was a powerful, sexy, virile man, and the chemistry between them was all but combustible.
Then he broke the kiss, drawing back no more than an inch.
She waited for his suggestion, his solution. He had to be thinking the same thing as her.
“Goodnight, Kalissa.”
As his words registered, she bit back the yes waiting on the tip of her tongue. She swallowed instead, letting her arms go loose around him.
“I’ll see you next week?” he asked.
It was clear he meant when she came to work on his yard. “You will.”
“Great.” He gave her a nod. Then he stepped further back, and his gaze went meaningfully to the small door across the sidewalk.
It took her a minute to react. She opened her purse, fumbling for her keys, keeping her head down as she crossed the narrow sidewalk.
Beneath the streetlight, she pushed the key into the deadbolt lock, turning it full circle before twisting the knob and pushing the door open. As she worked up the strength to turn around, he gunned the engine, peeling away from the curb, accelerating down the empty block.
That was it. He was gone.
“Kalissa?” Megan called from the top of the stairs.
“On my way,” Kalissa managed in return, swallowing her disappointment and confusion as she secured the door behind her.
Megan came down a couple of steps. “How did it go?”
“Good,” said Kalissa, starting up the staircase. “Fine.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I don’t know.”
“Did he try something? Was he a jerk?”
“No, nothing like that.” It was nothing even remotely like that.
Megan turned, and they filed into the one room apartment.
Kalissa tossed her purse on the table and plunked down on the worn sofa.
“We had a great time,” she said, walking through it in her mind.
“And?”
“He kissed me. He kissed me on the Ferris wheel, then again while we walked on the pier, then he kissed me goodnight.”
Megan took the other end of the sofa. “So, why do you look so bleak?”
Kalissa was starting to question herself. “Okay, it’s not like I wanted to fight him off with a stick. But he didn’t make a move.”
“You just said he kissed you.”
“He didn’t try to get me back to his place.”
Megan grinned. “Let me get this straight. You’re upset because he was too much of a gentleman?”
Now, Kalissa was starting to feel embarrassed. “It’s always nice to be asked.”
“But you would have said no.”
“Yes.” Kalissa paused. “Maybe. Probably. Yes. I would have said no. But he seemed really into me, and then pfft, this little kiss goodnight.”
Megan peered at her. “Your lips are red and swollen.”
Kalissa’s fingertips went to her mouth. They were hot to the touch, and they did still tingle.
“He might just be a nice guy,” said Megan.
