“You’re on time,” Granddad says as he walks into the office .
“Yes,” I say as I stop pacing. I immediately lose any thoughts of Killian. I know my face is flushed, so without having to look up, I walk to the corner of the room where there is a container of water. I take one of the white plastic cups and fill it with water before walking slowly back to my chair that is pointed at the desk .
I slowly sip my water, trying to drain my face of its overly pink color, while stalling from giving my speech. I’ll wait just a few minutes longer. No need to rush the speech and get it wrong .
“He should be here soon,” he says, staring at his watch, as he sits behind the desk my father used to .
I don’t think I could ever sit there. That’s Dad’s chair, not his .
“Last time I spoke with him, he was just wrapping up a meeting .”
I nod and drink my water faster. I don’t have much time then .
“Granddad, I’ve been thinking. I, uh…how do I say this?” I start talking, but I have no idea what I’m saying. “I, um…I don’t think marrying whoever is going to walk through that door is the best idea. I think…I think I should have a say in who I marry.” I make the mistake of looking up to see Granddad frowning at me with his eyes raised, but it doesn’t stop my mouth from spilling every dumb thought on my brain. “I think I’ve already found someone whom I could fall for. He’s smart and handsome, and I think you will like him. He’s a businessman. And he’s a great kisser.” Damn it, why did I say that ?
“Hush, girl,” he says .
But I don’t hush. I keep talking. “And I don’t think I even want to get married anytime soon. I want to find more boys to kiss. I’m young, much too young to get married this year. I need to live a little first. And if I’m honest, I think I could run the company by myself without a husband by my side. I think that’s what Dad would have wanted .”
“Hush,” he says more sternly this time .
I stop, mainly because I can’t believe the words that just came out of my mouth. What the hell has come over me? I don’t want to run the company myself, do I ?
I grab my cup of water sitting on the edge of the desk. I take a long sip, waiting for the lecture .
But it never comes .
I hear a deep voice clear his throat from behind me. I don’t have to look up to know the man I’m supposed to marry is standing in the doorway. I just hope he wasn’t standing there long enough to hear that embarrassing speech .
“Come on in, son,” Granddad says, standing from the desk with a huge smile on his face .
I’m screwed. He just called this man son. He’s probably more in love with this guy than he is with me. And after that epic speech I just gave, I have no doubt that I’ll be marrying this man behind me .
“I would like to introduce you to my granddaughter, Kinsley,” he says, as he walks toward the man behind me .
I take one last sip of water before I plaster on the biggest fake smile I can manage while I turn to meet my future husband. I wonder if he knows. Has he already been told that, in order to get complete control of the company, he is going to have to marry me? Or is he blissfully ignorant to that fact ?
I bring my eyes up to face my future husband. The man standing in front of me isn’t my future husband. It isn’t a complete stranger. It’s Killian .
I choke. That’s what stupid thing I do in response to seeing the man who had his tongue down my throat only hours earlier. I cough and choke on the remnants of the water that still clings to my throat. That’s what I do while I watch my grandfather place his hand on the shoulder of the man who just brought me my first orgasm that wasn’t given by a vibrator .
“Are you okay?” Killian asks .
I nod as I choke again. I grab my throat, trying to get it to stop. It doesn’t, not until I get three more coughs in, causing my cheeks to turn an even brighter shade of pink .
When I finally lift my eyes back up, I see two pairs of eyes intently staring at me. One pair looks at me with concern. The other looks at me with shame .
I try to recompose myself by bringing back the smile I wore moments earlier .
“Let’s try that again,” Granddad says. “I would like to introduce you to my beautiful granddaughter, Kinsley Felton .”
“Kinsley, this is Killian Browne .”
Killian steps forward and extends his hand to me. I slowly place mine in his, already anticipating how his strong handshake is going to start off tiny fireworks inside me. It does the second his hand touches mine .
“Pleasure to meet you, Ms. Felton .”
I narrow my eyes but nod anyway. He’s not going to let on that we have already met. I’m grateful .