Kellen’s tone is paternal. “And now you have another arrest.”
“Does it lessen your attraction to me?” It’s a low blow, changing the subject that way, but his tone, while not quite censuring, has what sounds like slight disappointment.
“Not at all,” he replies smoothly. “I’m just trying to understand if I need to start saving for bail and attorney fees.”
“You don’t have to do any of that for me, Kellen,” I admonish. “You just happened to be in the wrong place at the right time today. I would’ve gotten arrested just fine on my own, and I would’ve had Christy come bail me out.”
Kellen sets his bottle on the table and rises. He comes to me, bends at the waist, and puts his hands on the armrests of my chair, effectively caging me in. With his face hovering before me, he says, “The problem is, I’m already complicit by taking Princess. I’m already invested because I find what you’re doing endearing. And I am most definitely attracted to you, which means I’m not going anywhere. So indulge me when I have these concerns.”
The low rumble of his words causes my skin to prickle, and I’m lost to the intensity of his stare. “You hardly know me.”
“I’d like to change that too,” he murmurs, gaze dropping to my mouth before coming back up.
All I can think about is him closing the distance between our faces and kissing me. We’ve flirted, admitted attraction, and I’m not a shrinking violet.
I’m a rebel, for fuck’s sake, and always have been, much to my family’s chagrin.
If he kisses me, I’m going to kiss him back. I’m going to kiss him back in a way that might lead to other things. This, despite the fact that this isn’t really a date, and if we were playing by regular courtship rules, a kiss would come possibly at the end of the first date.
But I’m not sure dating is on his mind, or mine.
I know kissing is.
At least on my mind.
Kellen glances down again to my mouth and then smiles as he straightens. The loss of his presence all up in my space leaves me cold, and a little confused. Why is he playing this so safe?
“Do you have plans next weekend?” he asks casually, picking up our empty plates.
I scramble out of my chair to help him clear the table. I nab our beer bottles and the discarded napkins. “Um… Friday night, I’m free.”
Saturday is a no-go because I do, in fact, have plans that Kellen wouldn’t approve of, and they have everything to do with my next level of attack against Levi Hellman.
Kellen heads for the patio door. Bubba and Princess lift their heads, and upon noticing the exodus from the world of indoor living, get up to follow him.
When he reaches the slider, he pushes it open and lets the dogs precede him. He glances back at me. “Would you be up for me taking you out to dinner?”
Next weekend? That’s like… ten days away. We have a weekend coming up, and I have to wonder what’s wrong with this weekend? Perhaps he already has a date set and is just filling up his calendar.
I’d thought we had a connection… a definite attraction.
Hell, he’s hiding property I stole and has put himself at risk for me.
But he wants to wait until next weekend?
Thoroughly confused and irritated that I’m feeling a tiny bit rejected, I start to disconnect. I push away the breathless excitement this man brings, and I refuse to wonder about what could be between us. This isn’t going anywhere. “Actually… I totally forgot that I’m on call Friday night at the clinic. One vet has to be available for emergency calls and to administer medications or treatments to the boarders.”
Kellen’s expression flickers with disappointment before he heads into the house. “Well, damn. I wish I could take you out this weekend, but my parents are coming to visit.”
I follow behind him, shutting the door. And just like that, I’ve managed to misread the situation entirely and have boxed myself into a corner.
Setting the plates on the counter, Kellen reaches for the bottles. He rinses and puts them in the recycle bin in the pantry. “Maybe we can do something the weekend after that.”
“That would be great,” I chirp, sounding overly enthusiastic, which makes me wince at myself. But I relax my expression, and Kellen turns to face me, wiping his hands on a towel.
He tosses it onto the counter, bringing his gaze to mine. “I like you, Abby.”
I frown at that bold statement. “You confuse me.”
Kellen tips his head. “Is that so?”
“Little bit.”
“Good,” he says with a grin. “That will keep you on your toes.”
Narrowing my eyes, I ask, “Why is that a good thing?”
“Because I know damn well I’m going to have to be on my toes around you. It’s only fair, right?”