Page 57 of Burn for Me
Kitty got so lost in the kiss that her world shrunk down to nothing more than the two of them. The world around them simply disappeared. Sight, sound, sensation focused on him and the magic he was creating with his lips alone.
After what seemed like an eternity and no time at all, Gray eventually lifted his head. And Kitty was grateful to see he was equally as affected by the kiss they had just shared. Resting his forehead against hers, his lips barely touching hers, he gave her another of those intense looks. But it was what he said that took her breath away.
* * *
Gray had felttheir kiss all the way down to his very soul.
Simple confirmation, unrequired but powerful nonetheless, that Kitty was the one.His one.
Resting his forehead against hers, lips barely touching hers, he looked deep into her eyes. Trying to convey all he was feeling but was unable to adequately express with words. The only words that would come were old as time, yet wholly fell short of encapsulating the depth and breadth of his feelings. But it was all he had to offer.
Cupping her cheeks, he stated simply, “I love you.”
He heard and felt her indrawn breath. She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she reopened them, he saw it. Before she even said a word, her eyes told him.
“I love you too, Gray.”
Music to his ears.
“Kits, are you planning on standing on the front doorstep all day? Or are you coming inside at some point?”
As she took a step back from him, Gray saw her roll her eyes.
“God, you’re still a pain in my ever-loving ass, Phil. Don’t you have anything better to do than harass me?”
Stepping to the side, she showed Gray to precede her down the passage.
Reaching out to take her hand, he turned to her.
“I want to make this evening special. It’s not often that we both get to celebrate cheating deathandhaving your brother here. So, I hope you don’t mind, I asked Morgan to get you a little something for you to wear.”
Excitement lit Kitty’s eyes up.
“You shouldn’t have. But thank you.”
“She should be here soon to help you get dressed. Seeing you in the outfit will be all the thanks I need if it’s anything like the little black number from our first date.” Gray smiled fondly at the memory.
“If I know Morgs, I’m sure it will be. She has sublime taste in clothes.”
Gray simply grinned in anticipation of the evening to come.
With his handon the small of her back, Gray guided Kitty into the restaurant. Her mom and Phillip had gone ahead to get everything ready, and they were the last to arrive. The hostess smiled at them as they stepped up to her station.
“Good evening, Mr James, ma’am. Welcome back.” Giving him a conspiratorial wink, she continued, “We’ve had a bit of a mix-up with the bookings this evening, and your table is no longer available. However, as such valued patrons, the manager has assigned the private dining room for your use to make up for the inconvenience.”
“That’s quite acceptable,” Gray replied. “Thank you.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Kitty look first at the hostess and then at him. Giving her his best innocent smile, he guided her as they followed behind the woman.
The hostess opened the door to the dining room and stood to the side to allow them entry. As they stepped into the room, Kitty saw all the people who waited inside.
Turning to him with a confused look on her face, Kitty asked, “Gray, what’s going on here? I thought this was a quiet family dinner this evening?”
“I was going to wait until you’d at least greeted everyone, but I should have known you’d be too impatient.” Gray laughed.
He heard the door close quietly behind them.
* * *
