“I’ll pay for myself, thank you very much,” Kyra said. “I’m more than capable of doing it. I have a job, you know?”
“Well, throw on a coat, or you’ll be late,” Mark said.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were trying to get rid of me, Dad,” she said.
“I just want you to remember what it’s like to smile, sweetheart.”
The room fell silent while Mark and Kyra had their moment together.
She nodded her head and quietly left the room, silently acknowledging me with a small smile before she dipped out of the room. I watched her leave, trying to keep my eyes off the swaying of her lovely hips while she walked down the hallway. I already missed my time alone with her, especially with where it had all been heading. Never in my life did I ever think Kyra would initiate something like that with me.
But now that I knew where her head was at, it would be the only time she’d ever have to take the reins herself.
CHAPTER FIVE – ROWAN
I watched as Kyra glided across the dancefloor, swinging around in Blake’s arms while she smiled and laughed alongside him. Her dancing had gotten much better over the years, which I knew Blake would enjoy greatly, but I was admiring the way her body moved, the way the fabric of her shirt fluttered over the curves she was hiding underneath. Kyra always had this unassuming beauty about her, this complete ignorance of how incredible she truly was. I knew it frustrated some of the guys, but I found the trait endearing about her.
Her humbleness was something I’d loved about her ever since we grew close in high school.
I tutored her in math when she was failing Algebra II. She came to me crying her freshman year, saying that it had been a mistake for her to progress two grades up. She was sobbing and begging me to talk her parents into putting her back in middle school, but I told her I was having none of it. I’d always been good at math and I loved it. I loved the black and white truth that numbers always preached. I offered my tutoring services to her instead and I coached her all the way through high school.
Back then, she’d been too young for me. But the closer we grew, the more I grew to adore her. We kept up our friendship through college and she still called me with questions regarding her math courses. I was more than happy to get on a video chat and walk her through things and I was actually able to use the tutoring I did for her as college credit for myself.
The moment she told me she wanted to become a teacher, I felt a surge of pride well up in my chest. No longer was she the kid I considered her to be. No longer was she the small little girl, too young to be in high school and crying into my chest. Instead, she had grown and flourished into this beautiful, vibrant woman with a passion to help others in any way she could and I couldn’t help but think that I’d had a hand in that.
And when I finally saw her as a woman for the first time, the desire that crashed over my body took my breath away.
My desire for her continued to haunt me even now as I watched Blake pass her off to Harper. She was twirling around, her hair fluttering around her face, and all I could do was take deep breaths while I watched her supple body vibrate with happiness.
This was what she deserved. Not the bullshit her ex must’ve put her through.
I heard the song winding down, so I threw back the rest of my drink. I slipped in between her and Harper, drawing her close to me while she craned her neck back. I was much taller than her; her head barely came up to my chest. I pulled her into my arms and allowed her to step up onto my feet and, all of a sudden, she could press her ear to my chest while I worked us across the room.
The song was low and slow and the lights dimmed around us. I could’ve sworn I heard her sigh into my skin. The twinkling lights and the festive Christmas decorations littered the Grange, making the silent moment between the two of us feel even more special than I’d anticipated.
But I wanted to talk with her. I wanted to talk to the woman my heart had fallen for.
“So, I think my kids are learning more than math from me,” I said.
“What makes you say that?” she asked.
Her voice was so light against my ears, I didn’t want her to stop talking.
“They all banded together and pranked me just before Christmas break set in,” I said.
“Ah, so they are learning something from you,” she said, giggling. “What did they do?
“The first one was they put a bucket of snow up above the door that pegged me when I walked in. It fell all into my coffee and everything.”
“The first one?” she asked.
“Following that was them supergluing me to my chair, so I had to have a friend of mine break into my house and bring me a pair of pants I could change into at lunch.”
“What did you do until lunch?” she asked.
“I wheeled around everywhere,” I said, grinning.
“You did not.”