Page 33 of North
When we walked back into the gallery, Melanie and Elijah had their backs facing the entrance while they laughed quietly, sitting side by side. Close enough to put their heads together. I smirked at the sight.
Kane nudged my arm and pointed at them. He shared my goofy grin. As long as Melanie wasn’t pushing up on my man, I didn’t have any problems with her.
“How long before they notice we’re here?” He whispered. When his lips brushed against the shell of my ear, I didn’t want them to ever realize we were there. I wanted to bottle that sweet moment and hold it close to me forever.
“If we stay perfectly still, I think we might be able to see them kiss,” I snickered into my hand. I took a moment to peek up at Kane through my lashes and god he was a beautiful man. I understood exactly what he meant when he said he didn’t want to keep quiet about us. I wanted to shout it from the rooftop how amazing he was and that he was mine.
Fuck, I was claiming him and he hadn’t even stuck his dick in me.
“I know y’all are back there,” Elijah finally said. He turned around to look at us incredulously.
“We were waiting to see if we’d catch you guys making out.” Kane took his coat off and leaned against the counter. Thick muscles flexed under his shirt and I fought the urge to bite my lip at the sight.
“You’re about two seconds too late for that,” Melanie laughed.
“So you two…” I walked around the counter and looked at Melanie because I knew I couldn’t look at Elijah. He’d lie his ass off.
“What about it, North?” Elijah asked, trying to get me to look at him. I wasn’t falling for it.
“I wasn’t talking to you. I know who to get information from.”
“I’d give you information if you’d bring me mochas from work.” Elijah moved away from Melanie and started busying himself with a display of hand-painted greeting cards Kane made.
“We’re in the feeling it out stage,” Melanie finally answered, standing to her feet. “Oh, and Kane, I’m having Elijah over for dinner and drinks and to celebrate my new job. Also, I’m happy to have a working stove. If you want to join us, feel free. You have to come over to meet with me about the progression of the paintings anyway. We might as well make it tax-deductible and have dinner too.”
“Sounds like a plan.” He turned to me and said, “You feel like coming along?”
“Me?” I blinked. It felt like the invite to Melanie’s was turning into a double date. Nerves nibbled away at my insides.
“Yeah. I’m not going to leave you out. If you go, I’ll go.” Just like that, it was me and Kane alone in our bubble. The air crackled to life between us as our gazes tangled together. I skated over his lips then up to his beautiful eyes. Those deep green eyes and glimmering golden flecks were enough to steal the air from me. One side of his mouth lifted in a smile that made my heart race.
He must have noticed the fire in my stare. He was much more discreet when he looked at me but I still caught his gaze. It lingered around my mouth then slipped down to my throat. Heat surged through my veins.
“Yeah, sure. If it’s okay with Melanie.” I tried to divert the attention in the room to something else or Elijah and Melanie would see the way Kane and I looked at each other.
Her smile was pulled too tight. It brought reality crashing down around me. I was standing in the middle of Fitzgerald’s Fine Art Gallery gawking at my father like I wanted to fuck his brains out. Prickles swept up my back and across the apples of my cheeks. I had to do something else or my beet-red face would tell on me.
“Yeah, why not? But North, honey we’ve got to get you some friends. You don’t want to keep hanging out with your father and Elijah. They’re twice your age.” She meant it as a joke and her laugh was lighthearted but it felt like a gut-punch.
“He’s not my father,” I said, tipping my nose up slightly. Melanie stopped laughing long enough to gawk at me like I’d grown extra eyes.
“He’s not?”
“No. He used to be my stepfather.” I don’t know exactly why the words tumbled out of my mouth but they did. I needed her to know.
Kane eased the awkwardness in the room with a low chuckle. He tossed his arm around my shoulders and I felt sheathed in armor. “Doesn’t make her any less mine,” Kane said. It was meant to show everyone that blood didn’t matter but I heard the undercurrent in his tone. I knew he was telling me I belonged to him no matter what the circumstances were. I reached up and squeezed his pinky discreetly as possible to tell him the feeling was mutual.
…
“How do I look?” I stood in the middle of Kane’s bedroom smoothing imaginary wrinkles from the sweater dress I decided to wear. He looked over his shoulder at me and a devilish smile pulled at his lips.
My knees turned to mush.
He let out a high-pitched whistle and walked over to me with his hands in his pockets. He was sex on a goddamn platter.
“You look amazing, North. Almost too damn pretty for me to let out of this house.” He grabbed me and sat me on the dresser knocking over bottles and picture frames.
“Kane,” I giggled into his neck.
