Page 17 of Twice as Tempting

Chapter 7

Kelly braced herself for Emma’s phone call, which came as expected a short time later.

“What in the hell happened between you and Damian?” Emma began.

“Oh, so it’s ok for you to swear, but not me?”

“Answer the question, Kell.”

Kelly gave her the short version and ended the story with, “I don’t think I can do this, Em.”

“Do what?”

“Stand up in your wedding with…him!”

“I’m not hearing this. I am not hearing this,” Emma repeated emphatically.

“I’m sorry. You know I love you, but if Damian and I can’t be in a room together for more than fifteen minutes without blowing up, how are we going to make it through your wedding day?”

“I’ll tell you how. You two are going to suck it up and behave like rational adults, that’s how! I will not have either one of you ruining my wedding.”

And then the phone went silent. Emma had hung up on her. Perfect. Now Kelly was the bad guy, and Damian had probably gotten off scot-free.

Kelly did the only thing she could think of to relieve stress (that didn’t involve alcohol or men). She retrieved her iPod from the bedroom, stripped naked, and poured herself a steaming hot bath. She sank into the water up to her neck and let herself get lost in the tunes of yesteryear. She could always count on the boy bands to make her feel better, and when she finally stepped out of the tub, she felt like her old self again.

Kelly wrapped the towel snugly over her breasts and padded out of the bathroom at the exact moment that her doorbell rang. Now what?

She glanced at the kitchen clock on her way past—nine o’clock—flicked on her outside light, and peered through the peephole. Damian stood there, looking skittish as he transferred his weight from one foot to the other. He reached his arm out like he was about to ring the bell again, but he stopped when she said, “What?”

He looked straight into the peephole and muttered, “Can I come in?”

Kelly glanced down at her towel and then back through the hole. “I’m kind of busy right now.”

“Please. I’ll only stay a minute.”

Well, when he put it like that and when he gave her that sheepish look… She yanked open the door, making sure to keep her body shielded behind it, and once he was inside, she quickly slammed it shut.

Oh boy. This is a big mistake. Damian looked her over like he might have with a new car, inspecting all the nooks and crannies. By the time their eyes met, his were fogged over; a look that she was intimately familiar with.

Now who’s in the driver’s seat? “What do you want?” she asked, fully aware of the double entendre.

Damian swallowed hard and shook his head as if to clear it. Kelly was still warm from the bath, and she felt a trickle of perspiration roll down her back. She waited somewhat impatiently for him to speak.

“I…um…came over to…apologize.”

Progress. “Go on,” she said, aware that her towel was starting to slip. She quickly placed one hand above her breasts to keep the towel in place, which drew Damian’s attention right there.

He swallowed again and said, “I didn’t mean to imply that you’re…difficult.”

She started to soften—damn it! For Damian to set aside his pride and apologize to her when she hadn’t made it easy on him… ok, so maybe she was a little difficult.

“Ok,” she replied and gave him a slight smile.

“Ok?”

She nodded. “Ok.”

“So, we’re good?”