Page 43 of Twice as Tempting

Chapter 15

“Open wide,” Damian said with a spoonful of cherry pie poised in mid-air.

Kelly opened her mouth wide and relished the mix of flavors from the tart cherries, the flaky crust, and the cold vanilla ice cream. “Umm…so good,” she said and licked her lips with satisfaction.

“Again,” he demanded, and she immediately complied.

Suddenly this seemed less like eating pie and more like a seductive dance. After the third bite, Kelly licked her lips more slowly and observed Damian as his eyes glazed over with desire.

“I want you to lick me like that,” he said, dropping the spoon with a clatter.

“I want that too,” she said. The next thing she knew, she was being lifted off the chair and into Damian’s muscular arms. She flung her arms around his neck and let him carry her into his bedroom. He laid her down gently in the middle of the luxurious mattress that they had picked out together and placed his hands on the hem of his t-shirt. Before he pulled it over his head, Damian said, “We’re not stopping this time…”

But then, the familiar blast of her radio woke Kelly up, and she rolled over to shut it off just like she did every morning. “When am I going to finish this dream?” she whined to her empty bedroom.

The rest of the week flew by, and Kelly didn’t see much of Damian, although they had texted back and forth a few times. He had explained that he was working extra hours because Jim was going out of town for the long holiday weekend. Damian was going to be handling the shop by himself over the weekend, so he wouldn’t be freed up until Labor Day.

That was fine with Kelly, because she was busy at the bookstore preparing for her first romance book club meeting, and since Jill was also going out of town, Kelly had to cover her hours too. Being a native Michigander, it was expected that just about anyone who could would travel Up North for the long holiday weekend. The coastal towns and beaches would be packed, and the hotels would have been booked months in advance.

Kelly had made the annual trek Up North many times herself, but not as often in recent years. There was nothing like the crisp, pine-scented air of upper Michigan, and she made herself a promise to visit again soon. She allowed herself to daydream about what it would be like to travel there with Damian. What kind of traveler would he be? Would he want to be active all day and night, or would he be content to simply sit by the water and enjoy the scenery? Surely, someone who had lived in Southern California would enjoy the sun and the sand, right?

Thinking about sun-drenched days on the beach reminded Kelly that she hadn’t spoken to her parents in a few weeks. She had been so wrapped up with work and with Damian that she hadn’t made her customary weekly call. The bookstore was particularly slow on Sunday, so she sat down and dialed her parents’ number.

“Hello, my beautiful daughter,” her mother answered cheerfully.

Her mom sounded happy every time she answered the phone, and Kelly thought that it was no wonder given where she lived. Her parents lived in Naples, just a few short blocks from the ocean. They often took their daily walks on the beach, and Kelly could picture the beautiful scenery in her mind’s eye.

“Hey, Mom. How’s everything?”

“Everything’s good. Your father went to the doctor last week, and he checked out fine.”

Last fall, her father had suffered some health problems that were directly attributed to him having been a smoker for so many years. He had ditched the habit, but he occasionally experienced shortness of breath. Kelly was relieved to hear that he was doing well.

“When are you going to come down and visit?” Maria asked.

Her mom asked the same question every time they spoke, but this time, Kelly came up with an answer. “How about over Thanksgiving?”

“Oh, we would love that,” her mom enthused. “But what about Emma’s wedding? Isn’t that cutting it close?”

“The wedding isn’t until the first weekend in December. The details will be wrapped up well before Thanksgiving.”

“Ok, then. What’s new with you, sweetie?”

Kelly hesitated for a moment. She could tell her mom some benign stories about work, or she could fill her in on Damian. There was no contest! “I’m dating someone,” she blurted.

“Well, that’s not really new…”

“No, Mom. I meant that I’m dating someone special.”

“Oh. Then tell me all about him.”

Kelly gave her mom a summary, purposefully omitting certain details, and ended with, “I think that you and Dad would really like him.”

She should have known that her mom would jump all over that one, and sure enough, Maria said, “Well, then why don’t you bring him down for Thanksgiving.”

“Um… I don’t know, Mom. I’ll think about it.”

“Whatever you decide. Just let us know.”