Stripped Raw (24 page)

Kenzie’s head shoots up. “Tessa!”

“What? I’m knocking on death’s door here. I don’t have time to dilly dally.”

“Tessa, I swear, if you had any hair, I’d pull it out.”

*

I’m not sure
why I bothered to bring the stroller on my walk with Zoe. The little girl prefers to be held. I don’t know why I fight it. She’s too cute to deny, anyway. But holding her while pushing the stroller along the sidewalks of Dallas is no easy feat. Thank God, we are almost back to Kenzie’s store. Tessa looked so tired this morning that Kenzie offered to watch Zoe for the day. And since Kenzie is trying to work, Zoe and I have been hanging out. “Do you think Kenzie will put the shoes on anytime soon?” I ask Zoe. She blows some bubbles through her slobber and giggles. I blow a raspberry on her cheek, and her screech is so loud. I swear only dogs can hear it.

I’d hoped that I’d be an engaged man this morning. Things didn’t turn out that way, but I know Kenzie just needs a little time. Her conversation with Tessa this morning proves that much. “We can be patient, right?”

Zoe makes a face—a face I learned to recognize really quickly. The poop face, as Kenzie calls it—focused, serious, almost stern looking. Why it takes such concentration for this little girl to shit, I have no idea? But suddenly, I am in a big hurry. I didn’t bring the diaper bag with me.

I hurry up, pushing the stroller, taking out anyone in my path. Then I hear it. It sounds like the raspberries that I give Zoe, only these are coming from her diaper, and I can feel the vibration against my hand. Shit! I stop right outside the door to Kenzie’s shop, and Zoe laughs. If I didn’t know better, I’d think the little girl tricked me. It was only gas—foul, nasty, kill any living thing gas, but at least it wasn’t explosive baby diarrhea.

I push open the door then kick it slightly with my foot, trying to get the stroller through. Kenzie comes to my rescue, her eyes wide. “Dimples prefers to be held for. . . .” Then my eyes land on my mom’s face. “Mom?”

Kenzie lifts her eyebrows and smiles. “Your mom just stopped by.”

I look over at my mom, wondering what prompted the visit. Her eyes are tearing up. “Mom, is everything alright?”

She shakes her head slightly. “I’m sorry. It’s just I never got to see you hold. . . .” She lowers her head and wipes her eyes. Kenzie takes Zoe from me, and I give my mom a hug. “I’m sorry,” she says, patting her eyes and glancing at Kenzie.

“It’s alright,” Kenzie says. “Kane told me. I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“Thank you, it was the most terrible. . . . There are no words.”

I squeeze her again and feel her posture straighten. “You didn’t tell me you were coming by.”

“I need to talk to you.”

“Okay,” I say, tickling Zoe a little.

“Perhaps this isn’t the best time.”

“I can take Zoe in the back,” Kenzie offers.

I take Kenzie’s hand. “Stay. What is it, Mom?”

“Lily called me,” my mom says, quietly.

“Okay, I know you two still talk,” I say. “What’s the big deal?”

“She called me from your house.”

My head darts up. “What?”

“She checked herself out and flew back to Dallas last night.”

Kenzie slips her hand out of mine, but I take it right back. “And she’s at the house?”

“She didn’t have her keys and called me to let her in.”

“Did you?”

“Of course, it’s still her house,” my mom says. “You really had no idea?”

I shake my head and look down at Kenzie. “I swear I didn’t know.”

“She was upset about the house selling—the nursery.”

“I know that,” I say. “I sent her some pictures.”

“Well, it wasn’t good enough because now she’s back, and she didn’t look well enough to be out of treatment,” my mom says. “Fresh teeth marks on her hands from making herself throw up.”

I feel the tension in my entire body. “Did she say anything else?” I ask my mom.

“She wanted to know if you and Kenzie were engaged.” My mom flashes a look to Kenzie’s hand. “Said you told her that you wanted to marry Kenzie.”

“She asked. Should I have lied?”

“I guess not, but she’s fragile.”

I slip my hand around Kenzie’s waist. “Thanks for letting me know about Lily.”

She nods and walks over to Kenzie. “I’m sorry.” She kisses me on the cheek and walks out the door.

I feel like the rug just got pulled out from under me. Kenzie pats my hand. “Let me put Zoe in her playpen. Be right back.”

I lean over and lower my head to my hands. What a fucking mess! Kenzie’s fingers run though my hair, and I turn my eyes to her. “I’m sorry about all this.” I stand up and take a deep breath.

Kenzie steps away. “Go ahead. Go to your house.”

“No,” I say.

“You won’t calm down until you see her,” Kenzie says. “Go make sure she’s alright.”

I don’t know what to do. Kenzie is right. I do need to go talk to Lily, to find out what the hell is going on, but I know Kenzie doesn’t really want me to go. I know this is her trying to be brave. “What about you?”

“I’m fine,” Kenzie says then shrugs. “Actually, I’m not fine about you going to see her. But you need to go, so I’m trying my best here.”

I wrap my arms around her and kiss the tip of her nose. “I won’t be gone long. I’m coming back here to you.”

KENZIE

The damn clock
is ticking away happily, like I’m not freaking out at all. It’s almost two in the morning. Kane has been gone much longer than he said. He texted once to say he’d be later than he thought, but that was it. And that was hours and hours ago. I know he’s not coming back. He’s spending the night in that house with his ex-wife. It’s time to brace myself for goodbye. I’m all too familiar with this ending. It’s the only thing I know.

Time to start sewing. There is nothing else to do but work. But I can’t seem to get the needle threaded, the water in my eyes blinding me. I close my eyes tightly, drawing in my tears, placing them back inside the box they belong in. There is too much to do to allow myself to get stuck crying over a man.

A few seconds later, I hear his key hit the door of my shop. I can tell he’s trying to be quiet, not wanting to wake me—not wanting me to know how late he is. I look down at my needle and thread, hoping my hair hanging down over my face is enough to hide from him. I push on my eyes one more time as I hear the door softly close.

“You waited up?” he asks.

“I was working,” I say, hoping he doesn’t notice not a single piece is finished.

“Is Zoe still here?”

“No, Michael picked her up.” I try again to thread the damn needle, needing to look busy, wanting to bury myself in something else.

Kane slips his arms around me from behind. “Good, let’s go to bed.”

He has to be kidding. I can’t help the sarcastic laugh that slips out. “Go ahead.”

“Kenzie, baby,” Kane says sweetly. “You told me to go. You can’t be mad at me now.”

“Yes, I can,” I scream. “That was like ten hours ago. You spent all night with your ex. I most certainly can be pissed about that.”

“You really want to fight about this now?”

“I think I deserve an explanation, a phone call, something. Not just one stupid text.”

“I was hoping you went to sleep. I didn’t want to wake you.”

“Please, you thought I’d be able to sleep while you’re off with another woman?”

“I wasn’t
off
with another woman,” he says. “Lily wasn’t even there when I got to the house, so I waited for her. She didn’t get home until a few hours ago.”

“So?”

“So, she’s acting out. We got in a huge fight,” Kane says. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to do.”

“What do you want to do?” I ask.

“I want her to go back to treatment, but I can’t make her do that. I called Lily’s therapist while I was waiting on her. She told me I have to let Lily self-destruct.”

“Can you do that?”

He takes my hand. “I’m not sure if Lily will be staying at the house until it goes to act of sale or if she’ll be going to her parents. But either way, I won’t spend a night there. I won’t disrespect you. I packed my things. They’re in my car. That’s why I’m so late. I’ve got a lot of crap.”

Relief floods my heart. “You came home to me?”

“Of course,” he says. “Can I stay?”

I leap into his arms, kissing him hard on the mouth. Suddenly, I don’t care about any of that. The only thing that matters is he chose me.

*

I don’t know
how many trips Kane made back and forth between his SUV and my apartment, but we finally have most of his things moved in. It looks like we are hoarders, the place is packed so full. And Kane is putting a bunch of stuff in storage too, but the rest is piled to the ceiling. I guess it’s time to start looking at a new space. Kane is right about that.

But for now, I’m glad he’s here. It makes me feel secure, safe, wanted, but I know it’s only temporary. Well, it might not be that temporary because I can’t stop thinking about what’s in that shoebox on top of my television. Every morning, I wake up and fight with myself about whether or not to put the shoes on. Something stops me each time, but I know my heart is going to beat my head one of these days, and I’ll be brave enough to trust in what Kane and I have. But for now, I’m just going to be happy.

I hear Kane yell and look up from my sewing machine. He peeks his head out of the back apartment and mouths, “I’m sorry.” I get up and walk towards him, and he reaches his hand out to me while continuing to yell into his phone.

“No, I’m not coming in. I’m on vacation. . . . I don’t care that I’m still in Dallas. . . . That’s fine. You do what you have to.” He slams the phone down on the table. “Fuckers think they own me.”

“They need you at the office?” I ask, and Kane nods. “You’ve got me in good shape the past week. Why don’t you go in for a few hours? You can meet me at Michaels’s for Halloween later.” Kane tackles me to the bed, and I laugh. “What’re you doing?”

He tears off my shirt and slides down my shorts. “Following your advice. I’m going in for a few hours.”

I start to laugh harder, and Kane slips off his clothes. My eyes lap over the rippled muscles of his chest and stomach, down to the path of hair leading to his dick, poised and waiting for me. It’s amazing how one lustful look from him can make all my insecurities fly out the window.

I push him down to the bed and straddle him. His royal blue eyes darken, and his hands go to my hips. I feel his cock twitch under me and lean forward, slipping him inside. His eyes close at the first feel of me, his body tightening in need. I lean over and subtly nibble his bottom lip, and he pulls me tighter to his mouth, wrestling with my tongue, the length of him pulsing inside me, but I don’t move. I pull back slightly, my hair falling around his handsome face, my breasts pushing just slightly against his chest. “Hours,” I whisper. “You promised me hours.”

The corner of his mouth turns up in a sexy half-smile. “I’m all yours,” he says, his voice low. “Make yourself come, baby. Do whatever you need to.”

Without even realizing it, I start to move. Everything about the man is intoxicating, even his voice. His hand cups my breast, pulling it to his mouth, and his tongue circles my nipple, sucking it, gently biting it. I sit up all the way, thrusting hard.

“That’s right, baby. Ride my dick.” He holds my hips as I bounce up and down on him. He never takes his eyes off me. I don’t care that my hair is flying around, or that my boobs are jiggling every which way. It’s impossible to care with him looking at me like that. I clench him tighter.

“Oh, God,” I moan.

“Fuck, get there Kenzie,” Kane growls. He slides one hand over, pressing his finger to me, circling me. “Come for me.”

My legs tighten, my mouth drops open. “Kane!” I scream out, my muscles vibrating all around him. I can’t feel my legs, weak from my orgasm ripping through me. But I’m not about to stop. I look down at Kane, his blue eyes locked on me. I push harder, deeper—wanting to make him come like this, wanting to know I have the same kind of power over his body that he has over mine. His fingers dig into my ass—his chest and head arch. The warmth of him releases inside me. He pulls me down into his hard chest, wrapping his arms around me. We lay there panting, waiting for our breath to return to normal, our heartbeats to fall into rhythm. His fingers graze my hair.