The Scheme

Finally, he stepped forward. “Come here.”

I wrung my hands together. Nervousness bubbled to the surface, though I didn’t know why.

When I didn’t move, he inched closer and cupped the back of my head. Then he bent down and kissed me, and I melted against his soft lips as smoldering heat rushed through my entire body. I pushed my body against him, my nipples pebbling with arousal. The effect this man had on me was undeniable, instant.

Damn. What this man could do with his lips. Hands down, the best kisser I’d ever encountered. He should teach a class he was so damn good.

When I tilted my head to feel the tip of his tongue, his lips slowed down.

He lightly brushed his mouth against mine then pulled away, leaving me with a burning desire, an aching need, for another kiss.

With one thumb, he grazed my cheek tenderly. “Did you have di

I blinked a couple times, in a daze and still high from his kiss. I took a slow, level breath to calm my stammering pulse and shook my head. “No, not yet. You?”

“No,” he replied, flashing me his sweet smile. “Let’s get di

Our eyes locked and I drowned in his. Warm. Sweet. The deep blue reminded me of a clear ocean, one you’d like to dive into, swim in, and never come out of.

My breath caught at the loving look in his gaze. “Okay,” I said softly.

His hand traveled from my cheek to my arm, interlocking our fingers and leaving a trail of goose bumps where he touched.

I peered up at him through my lashes, shying away as the warmth spread to my cheeks. “You know you don’t have to buy me di

He chuckled and then winked, wiggling our interlocked fingers. “Don’t worry. I’m feeding you so you can work it off tonight.”

I squeezed his hand back, offering him my seductive smile as my insides tingled with anticipation. Though, I had to admit I was looking forward to our di

Hanging out with Brian was easy, like breathing, effortless. It didn’t feel like work being in his presence; our conversations flowed easily. I craved his attention, and he always had a way of making me feel wanted, as though he also craved my attention.

Admittedly, a part of me would be sad when this arrangement came to an end.

***

BRIAN

After di

Luckily, we were still close by and could walk back to her place. It would have taken forever to hail a cab.

A few blocks from her apartment, she jerked us to a stop in front of a post office. “Can we stop in here?”

“Sure.” I followed her inside and into a booth, where she reached for a pen in her purse, took out her checkbook, and started filling out an envelope.

“What’re you doing?” I asked, leaning against the counter. I was strangely impressed by her neat handwriting.

She smiled her golden smile. “Sending my mama money.” Her eyes lit up as she said it, like it made her happy to send her mother money. “She works hard at the diner, but I’ve been sending her more money so she can cut back on her hours.”

I cocked my head, lifting an eyebrow. “I thought she was dating the boss.”

She slapped my shoulder before taking the paper and heading into line. “It’s Mama, and my mama is not going to take one thing from that man, even though Hank is sweet as pie. She’s not taking anything from him until he puts a ring on her finger.”

She stepped into the line and the guy in front of us eyed her up and down. Of course he did. Kendy was gorgeous. There wasn’t an ounce of makeup on her, yet she was captivating. Her summer skirt lay mid-thigh, accenting her shapely legs, and her fitted white tank top was short enough that when she moved in certain angles, you could see a small span of her stomach.

When she smiled her sweet smile up at him, he returned her gesture and then he eyed me up, most likely wondering if I was the boyfriend. My lips pressed together in a tight line, my eyes telling him to face forward and carry on, which he did.

This boiling feeling inside of me was foreign. It surprised me. I’d been protective of my sisters, and maybe of my girlfriends in the past, but never jealous. Something about Kendy brought out this new side of me.

I rubbed the base of my neck as tension rose to my shoulders. It was an emotion that made no sense, especially since we weren’t officially together.

She folded the check in half and then in quarters, like she was trying to hide it in her fingers.

“You’re going to stick it in the envelope like that?”

She shrugged. “Yep. Maybe she’ll think I sent her an empty envelope for once and then bam, it drops out like a nice surprise. I’m sure she wouldn’t put stuff past me. I’ve wrapped earrings in a small box before, and placed it in multiple larger boxes. Then I gift wrapped that baby in duct tape.”

I chuckled, displaying a wide smile. She and her mother seemed to have the best relationship. I wondered if she got her happy-go-lucky personality from her, too. “Do you send her money often?” I felt like a shitty son all of a sudden. I’d thought I was good, because I’d always remembered to send birthday and a

“Yep. Every other week, when I get my paycheck. I started doing it when I graduated and began working. The first time, she sent the check back and wouldn’t accept it. I just about flipped on her.” Her infectious laughter rippled through the room. “She’s so used to taking care of me. It’s just a great change to take care of her.” She peered up at me with pride in her eyes. “I love my mama. She’s been through a lot.” Her voice trailed off as her smile dimmed. “Being a single mom is hard . . . and I’m just happy I can finally give back.”

Behind the counter, the older attendant with a full head of grey motioned for Kendy to step forward. I stood behind her as my jaw tightened, a slew of emotions filling me. There were so many facets of Kendy’s life I didn’t know about. Her cheery exterior was a façade, holding in a young woman who’d been through her own struggles in life.

When she was finished, she strolled out the door and, once again, I followed.

She went on as we walked down the crowded street. “My father left us when I was eleven. From eleven to seventeen, I waited for him to come back. It wasn’t until that psychic told me to stop waiting that I knew he was never coming home.”

A sad smile passed over her beautiful face. “It’s hard waiting and wishing and thinking that every day I might wake up and he’d be right there beside me.” She shook her head as her chin trembled. “I hoped and prayed he’d come back, just to mend my mama, who would not stop crying. I never told her I saw the psychic, though. I didn’t have the heart. I didn’t know which was the lesser evil, breaking her heart or letting her hope with no future.”

She dropped her lashes to hide the hurt. “The next week, just like Evangeline had predicted, I saw him with his new girlfriend at a county fair, one town over. Fucking bastard. He saw me and just turned away.” She nodded once and, as she lifted her head, I sensed a glimmer of hope pass through her eyes. “That psychic was the best thing that ever happened to me. I stopped waiting for something that was never going to happen.”

As I stared at her profile, I noticed she looked lighter. Like a little bit of her shell had broken off. I reached for her hand, locking our fingers. If anything, our co

A tiny smile touched her lips. “Now I’m just waiting for this last prediction to come true.”

I nodded once, slowly coming to the realization and understanding why she needed everything she’d been told to come true. “It will.” I patted her hand to reassure her. What I said was meant to comfort her, yet it had an opposite effect on me as my stomach churned at my own words.