Beautiful Chances (The Beautiful Series) (32 page)

He grabbed it, crossed his arms over his chest, and leaned his hip against the counter. Clearly, he was not going to give me the can until I clarified.

“Lily,” he said, his voice soft, “I can tell when something is bothering you. Your diversion technique won’t work with me. Tell me, please.”

My pulse kicked up a notch as I decided to be open with him. “It’s a lot to ask you to commute back and forth like this for me. It’s not like it’s an hour-long car drive. This is a plane trip across the country, and that’s expensive.” I sighed before continuing my little rant. “And I’m keeping you from your work, your family, and your life.”

Kyle’s posture tensed, and he dropped the can on the counter. He pulled me in close, and he brushed his hand along my jaw. His thumb gently tilted my chin up until my gaze met with those brownish-green eyes.

Oh, how I could get lost in those eyes.

“This is where I want to be, Lily. I couldn’t leave after I first laid eyes on you, and I certainly can’t leave now. I know you feel it, too.” His eyes looked deeply into mine. “Traveling and money are of no concern, so I don’t want you to stress about that again,” he said, his tone firm.

I shifted on my feet, deciding not to argue since I had no solution anyway. I sighed in defeat. “Okay.”

“Hey,” he said, his voice soft, “we’ll figure it out together.”

His lips gently kissed my forehead, making me smile, and then he pulled away all too quickly.

“Now, please feed me, beautiful, before I starve.”

I laughed. “Right.”

We chatted here and there about our day while the enchiladas baked. I tried to wash as many dishes as I could, so there would be less to clean up after dinner. Kyle helped by drying them all.

Once dinner was ready, we enjoyed a quiet meal together before Kyle rose to start clearing the table. He had such gracious manners, and he always pitched in. I stood to help, but he shook his head.

“You cooked and already washed earlier, so I’ll clean up.”

I sat back in my chair and watched him as he rinsed the dishes in the sink. For only two people, cooking dinner sure made quite the mess. My eyes roamed over Kyle’s body, admiring his back muscles and the way he moved. As he put away dishes and wiped the counters, I noticed how his large physique made my kitchen look small. It was still a very new sight to see a man in my space, but what surprised me more was that it didn’t freak me out. On his second swipe of my counter, I chuckled, realizing that he was a compulsive clean-nut like me.

At hearing my laughter, he turned to face me. “What joke did I miss?”

“Oh, it’s nothing really. I’m just admiring your cleanliness. I like how you wiped my counters twice.”

“I had to make sure I didn’t miss a spot. That enchilada sauce and cheese sure made a mess.”

My phone rang, ending our conversation.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Lily. I hope it’s okay to call you.”

“Hi, Jeanine. Of course.”

“I was wondering if you wanted to try a phone session this week. We could even maybe try to Skype or Facetime. I know it’s not the norm, but I was thinking about you today, and I wanted to help as much as I could. Or if it would make you more comfortable, I could refer you to someone in your area.”

My heart sped up as I thought about what to do.
Do I want to speak with Jeanine again? Talk more?
Last week had gone better than I’d expected, but it still felt new and raw. Not to mention, it was overwhelming.

Kyle had stopped cleaning when he noticed my hesitation, and he gave me a reassuring smile as he came to sit by me.

“Oh,” I started, trying to find my voice while still pondering.

“I know this is very hard for you, Lily. I thought you might have had some thoughts over the weekend that you would want to talk about,” Jeanine added kindly.

Kyle grabbed my hand, and he softly stroked his fingers up and down the top. It was such a sweet, supportive gesture that he had sensed my nervousness.

I took a deep breath, hoping to inhale some of Kyle’s strength. “Sure, we could do tomorrow afternoon,” I replied. “I pretty much live on my laptop, so maybe we can try to Skype first.”

“Sure, that sounds good. Are you free tomorrow between one and two in the afternoon?”

“That sounds great.”

“Okay, talk with you then.”

After I hung up, Kyle waited patiently for me to speak while he continued caressing my hand, making slow circles on my palm.

“Thank you,” I whispered, not needing to tell him that I was happy to have him here with me during that conversation.

“You’re welcome,” he replied softly. Leaning forward, he placed a soft kiss on my cheek.

“Jeanine is going to call me tomorrow…to talk again.”

Kyle gave me a gentle, loving smile as his eyes glowed with admiration. “That is great, Lily.” He squeezed my hand and kissed me again. “I am so proud of you for taking this step.”

I took a deep breath, trying to keep myself under control.

His hands came to hold the sides of my face, pulling me closer. “You can do this, Lily. You are so strong. You just have to believe in yourself.”

“I know.” My voice was quiet. “And I am ready,” I said more confidently, trying to reassure us both.

We sat in silence for a few moments.

“Do you want to take a walk on the beach and clear your mind?” he asked.

I smiled at him. “That sounds perfect.”

He leaned forward and kissed my cheek. “Then, let’s go.” Kyle stood and took my hand in his as he led me through the back patio door.

We came up to the shoreline and began walking along it. I loved the feeling of the sand in between my toes as I inhaled the fresh air. I would always want to live off the water or very close to it. I guessed everyone had preferences, and that was one of mine.

We came up to a bend, and I decided to dip my toes in the water. Florida water was so warm, and I just loved it. I pivoted, letting go of Kyle’s hand, as I playfully splashed water up his legs.

“So, you want to go in the water?” He raised his eyebrows. “I can help you with that,” he added with a smirk.

“No!” I changed my voice to sound sweet and innocent. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to.”

“Yes, you did. Remember that you don’t have a good poker face.” He started to stalk toward me.

I took a step back for every step he took, but his were larger. Once he was in reach, he quickly grabbed my waist. Kyle effortlessly lifted me off the ground, and I wrapped my legs around his waist, hoping that would save me.

“How about I bake you more of those delicious brownies?” I asked, switching my tactic again.

“Not going to work this time, beautiful.” His eyes sparkled with amusement…and victory. “I already ate, and I’m stuffed.”

Oh crap!
“Oh no! I was just going to put my toes in the water. I don’t have my swimsuit on.” I glanced down at my tank top and shorts.

“That’s okay.” Kyle walked deeper into the water. It was almost up to my waist. “We can change.” He gave me his drop-dead, sexy grin.

I licked my lips, wanting to lean forward and kiss him. While I was mesmerized by him, I didn’t have time to scream before he dunked us underwater. I came up and pulled my long blonde hair off my face just as Kyle’s head started to surface. I jumped at him with all my weight to push him back under, and I ended up going with him. We were laughing and breathless by the time we were done playing.

“Come here.” Kyle reached and gathered me in his arms as my legs circled around his waist.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, digging my fingers into his wet, soft hair. I could not wait one more second to kiss him. His thoughts mirrored mine, and he took my mouth delicately at first. Our kiss quickly deepened, like we couldn’t get enough of one another. As his tongue embraced with mine, my heart pulled him inside. I knew I would always want more of Kyle—one more kiss, one more touch, one more playful laugh. I never wanted to let him go.

He broke our kiss, his eyes piercing mine. “You are so beautiful, Lily, inside and out. I could stare at you for days. Every day I ask myself, ‘How I did I get so lucky to have you in my life?’” he said softly, his voice full of sincerity and gentleness, as he caressed my cheek with the backs of his fingers.

“I feel the same way, too,” I whispered. I blinked back tears as his last words tore through me, fusing him into my heart and soul. “Except I’m the lucky one.”

We changed quickly and headed back down the beach, hand in hand.

“Where do you want to watch it from?” he asked. “I’m sure you know the best spot on the whole beach.”

I grinned, knowing he was right. “Of course.”

I tightened my grip on his hand and led the way. His large hands made mine feel so small in comparison, but his strength and size always made me feel safe.

“It’s just between those tall sections of rocks.” I pointed in the general direction of the secluded spot. “Not many people come this way,” I commented as we made our way.

He looked around, taking in the view. “Wow, this is quite a sight.”

Kyle sat down, leaving his legs wide open, as he gestured for me to sit in between them. He gathered me in his arms and turned to kiss my cheek. He was so affectionate. It was another one of his amazing qualities. The list kept getting longer and longer.

“Why do you think not many people come this way?” he asked while we both gazed out at the waves.

“There’s a higher tide on this side, so most kids
can’t
come over here. The seclusion, view, and the waves crashing drew me in.”

“I can see why you like the view,” he said, his voice quiet, “and why you love to take sunset pictures. It adds so much color and reflection off the water. I know you love writing, but do you think you’ll eventually do more photography in the future? Maybe balance the two?”

“Some days, I think yes, and some days, no. Right now, writing takes up so much of my time, and I really love that, too. There is just something about being able to write a story, telling how you see it and feel it. When I have writer’s block though, I turn my mind over to the lens. I love to capture photographs and edit them to their full potential.” I laughed at my own indecisiveness. “So, I guess I haven’t really figured that part out yet.”

“I can understand that. It wouldn’t be easy to have two careers at once.”

“I just take it one day at a time. My dad always told me, ‘You are doing exactly what you are supposed to be doing in that moment. Cherish it, and don’t rush it because it will soon be over.’”

Kyle’s hand found mine again. “That is very good advice. I feel that way about real estate. I get the same satisfaction I did when I was a kid working with my dad and brother. It’s an awesome feeling to buy a rundown building and make it into something great.”

“Do you ever picture yourself doing something else?” I truly wondered.

“No, not really. I might branch out a little more in my field.” He hesitated, deep in thought. “I’ve thought about renting and leasing as well as buying and selling regular homes instead of just businesses. Someday, I’d like to offer both.”

“Do people ask you to do that now?”

“Sometimes but not often.” He was quiet for a moment, his gaze on the water. “I have even thought of designing homes for some people. I had never considered it before, but then I built my house, and I really enjoyed it. Once I started to sketch, I found it hard to stop making up several drawings of different possibilities. I had to remind myself that I was building only one house.” He laughed softly.

“That sounds like it would be really neat to design your own house and decide how each room was placed.”

“It was.” Kyle shifted us, leaning me back farther, so I was more comfortable. “Let’s keep cherishing this moment.”

I woke up as strong arms wrapped around my waist and lifted me off the ground. Feeling a firm chest against my cheek, I tensed as my eyes darted open, but then I relaxed quickly when I saw Kyle’s smile.

“It’s alright. I got you. Time for bed, sleepy.” He chuckled softly. His chest rose and fell with his steady breathing. “You fell asleep again while watching the sunset,” he teased, walking toward my back patio door.

“Sorry. It’s just so relaxing and peaceful to watch.” I leaned my head on his chest once again, breathing in his scent, as I thought about the first time he had held me in his arms like this when he was just a stranger to me. This time, I knew his unique aroma, his firm hands and chest, and that sexy tousled hair. They were all familiar to me now.