leave.”
“That was the day you went to the bar after Brett went back to work,” she remembered.
“So you did notice.” His grin was audible. “Henry did too. He gave the bartender a break and we talked.”
“About your intentions?”
“Yes, about my intentions. Want to know what I said?”
“I should say no since Henry obviously was satisfied with whatever you told him.”
“But you’re curious,” he concluded.
“Of course. And maybe this would be the right time for me to admit that I had Dee ask Brett some things about you.”
“I know. He told me.” Another groan. “We’ve been friends since first grade, Kiley. We look out for each other. Brett didn’t tell me right away though. He waited until a particularly frustrating day when you wouldn’t even look in my direction and then mentioned your questions as a way to bolster my spirits.”
“Oh.” She was amazed.
“Anyway, back to Henry. He knew why I was reluctant to leave. He assured me anyone working for him was guaranteed his protection. I said I was glad to hear that and expressed my concern for you specifically. So did he in regards to me, so I admitted my personal interest in you. I assured him that I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. I also stressed I wouldn’t rush things to give you time to get to know me. Afterward, Henry confided that you’d never reacted to anyone the way you do to me. He admires the way you adapt to everyone who comes in, the way you make each of them feel comfortable, in case he never told you.”
“Everyone except you,” she snorted.
“So we’re back to that again.”
“I’m sorry, Jordan. I can’t help it.”
“Don’t be sorry. I kind of like it. It makes me feel unique, knowing I get to you.” Without hesitation, he continued, “Do you have any idea how much I want you?” In the silence that followed, Jordan realized what he had just said. “God, Kiley, I just blew it, didn’t I? I guess I’m not as in control of my reaction to you as I thought I was.” More silence. “Kiley? Are you there?” He waited as the seconds ticked by.
“I’m here,” she finally answered in a small voice. She wanted to tell him that it couldn’t be any more that she wanted him but the words wouldn’t come out. Here was the perfect opportunity. He had given her an opening and she let it pass by.
“Damn.” He sounded frustrated. “I could have sworn I’d actually made a little progress in putting you more at ease with me and then I go and blurt out that.”
“It’s okay. I pretty much guessed that already anyway. It was just a bit of a shock to hear you say it so directly.”
“I am so sorry. I—”
“Wait,” she stopped him. “It’s nice to know that you’re not completely together all the time.”
At that, Jordan laughed. “That’s hardly the case.”
“Maybe but you give that impression, like there’s nothing you can’t handle.”
“Nothing except you.”
It was Kiley’s turn to laugh. “I think I’d like to hang up now.”
“You mean quit while I’m behind?”
“Yes, no, well maybe something like that.” She was still giggling. “This was fun, Jordan. Can I call you again sometime?"
“Anytime, Kiley. I’d like that. I had fun too.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Certainly. Will you talk to me?”
“I’d like to. I do always try. It’s just…”
“It’s just obvious that I want you and knowing that makes you nervous?”
“Jordan,” she sighed. “I-I…”
“I thought maybe if I said that often enough you’ll get used to the idea.”
“That may take some time, especially with your voice…oh!”
“You’ll find that I can be very patient. We’ll take all the time you need.”
“Thank you. Good night, Jordan.”
“Good night, sweet Kiley. Pleasant dreams.” Jordan heard Kiley sigh just before she hung up. He put down the phone and stretched out his legs, propping them on the coffee table in front of him. He laced his
“That was the day you went to the bar after Brett went back to work,” she remembered.
“So you did notice.” His grin was audible. “Henry did too. He gave the bartender a break and we talked.”
“About your intentions?”
“Yes, about my intentions. Want to know what I said?”
“I should say no since Henry obviously was satisfied with whatever you told him.”
“But you’re curious,” he concluded.
“Of course. And maybe this would be the right time for me to admit that I had Dee ask Brett some things about you.”
“I know. He told me.” Another groan. “We’ve been friends since first grade, Kiley. We look out for each other. Brett didn’t tell me right away though. He waited until a particularly frustrating day when you wouldn’t even look in my direction and then mentioned your questions as a way to bolster my spirits.”
“Oh.” She was amazed.
“Anyway, back to Henry. He knew why I was reluctant to leave. He assured me anyone working for him was guaranteed his protection. I said I was glad to hear that and expressed my concern for you specifically. So did he in regards to me, so I admitted my personal interest in you. I assured him that I would never do anything to intentionally hurt you. I also stressed I wouldn’t rush things to give you time to get to know me. Afterward, Henry confided that you’d never reacted to anyone the way you do to me. He admires the way you adapt to everyone who comes in, the way you make each of them feel comfortable, in case he never told you.”
“Everyone except you,” she snorted.
“So we’re back to that again.”
“I’m sorry, Jordan. I can’t help it.”
“Don’t be sorry. I kind of like it. It makes me feel unique, knowing I get to you.” Without hesitation, he continued, “Do you have any idea how much I want you?” In the silence that followed, Jordan realized what he had just said. “God, Kiley, I just blew it, didn’t I? I guess I’m not as in control of my reaction to you as I thought I was.” More silence. “Kiley? Are you there?” He waited as the seconds ticked by.
“I’m here,” she finally answered in a small voice. She wanted to tell him that it couldn’t be any more that she wanted him but the words wouldn’t come out. Here was the perfect opportunity. He had given her an opening and she let it pass by.
“Damn.” He sounded frustrated. “I could have sworn I’d actually made a little progress in putting you more at ease with me and then I go and blurt out that.”
“It’s okay. I pretty much guessed that already anyway. It was just a bit of a shock to hear you say it so directly.”
“I am so sorry. I—”
“Wait,” she stopped him. “It’s nice to know that you’re not completely together all the time.”
At that, Jordan laughed. “That’s hardly the case.”
“Maybe but you give that impression, like there’s nothing you can’t handle.”
“Nothing except you.”
It was Kiley’s turn to laugh. “I think I’d like to hang up now.”
“You mean quit while I’m behind?”
“Yes, no, well maybe something like that.” She was still giggling. “This was fun, Jordan. Can I call you again sometime?"
“Anytime, Kiley. I’d like that. I had fun too.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow?”
“Certainly. Will you talk to me?”
“I’d like to. I do always try. It’s just…”
“It’s just obvious that I want you and knowing that makes you nervous?”
“Jordan,” she sighed. “I-I…”
“I thought maybe if I said that often enough you’ll get used to the idea.”
“That may take some time, especially with your voice…oh!”
“You’ll find that I can be very patient. We’ll take all the time you need.”
“Thank you. Good night, Jordan.”
“Good night, sweet Kiley. Pleasant dreams.” Jordan heard Kiley sigh just before she hung up. He put down the phone and stretched out his legs, propping them on the coffee table in front of him. He laced his
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