Stay With Me (9 page)

Can’t. Think. Body. On. Fire.

“Give me a second. Your whole speaking to me in Greek threw me and I’m trying to get myself back together.”

His head dropped back and he let out a roar of laughter.

After adjusting his hands into the right position, I showed him how to take the correct steps. He was catching on pretty good and I was honestly impressed with how fast he was learning. There might be hope for him after all.

We stopped after two songs and got a drink. “You’re learning pretty fast.”

Thano flashed me a sexy-ass grin and said, “I’m a fast learner.”

I bet.

When LOCASH’s song “I Love This Life” started, I jumped up.

“I love this song!”

Thano finished off his beer and took my hand. “Then let’s go dance.”

A part of me was bummed out because I loved cutting up the floor with this song and was kind of hoping to hook up with another dancer. Thano pulled me into his arms and we took off.

He guided me around that dance floor like he’d been two-stepping all his life. Then he spun me and pulled me back to him without missing a beat. I’d never danced with anyone who knew how to lead like this guy was.

Giving him a look only a mother could give, I yelled, “You already knew how to two-step, didn’t you?”

He winked and spun me again. Laughing, I let it go and enjoyed being in his arms and listening to my song as we danced our asses off. We were a force to be reckoned with as Thano spun me around, dipped me, and even did some fancy move where he whipped me around his body.

I’d never had so much fun.

A slow song came on and I quickly headed to our table where Claire and Blake were. Any closer contact with Thano and I was positive I’d be begging him to make me scream out his name.

Trying like hell to catch my breath, I dropped in my seat while Thano reached across the table and shook Blake’s hand.

“Sorry!” I shouted. “You remember Claire, right? This is her husband, Blake.”

Thano smiled and gave Claire a friendly nod. “The cooking queen.”

Claire laughed. “That’s me! And part time interior decorator as well.”

Thano looked between us. “You work together?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Claire mainly handles everything after the designs have been approved. The contractors and such. She also designs most of the kitchens, since that is her thing.”

Thano stared at me with a goofy smile. “What?” I asked.

“It’s just, someone your age to have your own company and already be so well-known in what you do . . . it’s impressive. Very impressive.”

I could feel my face turn hot. Looking away, I couldn’t help but notice the shit-eating grin on Claire’s face. “She started her company when she was still in college. Kilyn somehow talked one of her professors into letting her design her new house. It was supposed to just be the paint color but when Kilyn started making suggestions, the professor hired her on the spot.”

Needing to change the subject, I turned to Thano. “Let’s forget about that. Do you want to explain to me why you lied?”

He jerked his head back in surprise. “What do you mean? I haven’t lied to you about anything.”

I shook my finger at him. “Oh, oh please. You clearly knew how to two-step, Mr. Drivas. You probably do it better than me!”

Leaning closer to me, I felt myself pull back. “I never said I couldn’t two-step, Ms. O’Kelly. I said I didn’t like country music.”

My head was spinning. “You said you didn’t listen to it! If you don’t listen to it, how in the world can you dance to it? Plus, you asked me to teach you.”

He lifted his beer and took a drink. I watched as the muscles in his throat worked while he swallowed.
Why in the hell is that turning me on?

Placing the bottle on the table, he looked directly into my eyes. “My mother started all her sons in dance class at age six. I can probably dance to any type of music you asked me to. My favorite is ballroom dancing.”

Claire leaned forward and shouted, “If I wasn’t married, I’d crawl over the table and have sex with you right now.”

My head snapped over as I yelled, “Claire!”

Blake laughed and chimed in. “That’s my cue to get my wife out onto the dance floor and take her for a spin. Clearly, I’ve been neglecting her.”

I watched as Blake and Claire took off toward the dance floor. When I turned back to Thano, he was staring at me with black eyes. My entire body trembled from his intense stare.

Luke Bryan’s “Strip It Down” started and Thano took my hand and pulled me up.

“Let’s dance, ladybug.”

That was twice he called me that, and I had to admit I kind of liked it. It was cute, but still made me feel . . . sexy. But why ladybug?

Pulling my body up against his, I buried my face and tried to pretend I was dancing with someone who didn’t drive my body crazy and make my stomach feel like I was on an endless roller coaster.

His thumb rubbed against the skin on my hand, leaving a trail of fire in its path. Every time he moved his hand across my back, my breath caught and my stomach dropped.

For crying out loud. I’m not in high school. What in the hell is up with these feelings?

I prayed for the song to end and a fast one to start. When Garth Brooks “Friends in Low Places” started, we danced hard and by the time it was over, I was gasping for breath. Clearly I was out of shape and Thano was so much better at two-stepping than Cody ever would be.

I wondered if he would be better in bed, also.

Stop this, Kilyn.

“You want to stop for the night?”

My heart dropped as I looked at Thano and asked, “What makes you think I want to stop?”

He looked confused. “You said to stop. I assumed you meant you were ready to stop for the night.”

“Are you ready to stop?”

His eyes turned dark again. “Baby, I could go all night long.”

Feeling my heartbeat increase, I whispered, “I bet you could.”

A
NYTIME I WAS
with Kilyn, the walls I’d built around my heart felt as if they were shaken. A small crack was made each time she smiled at me or laughed that beautiful laugh of hers. Tonight was no different.
I hadn’t felt this happy in a very long time.

“Stop this, Kilyn,” she whispered.

Feeling a tightening in my chest at her words, I didn’t want the night to end. “You want to stop for the night?”

She looked at me with an incredulous stare. “What makes you think I want to stop?”

Okay, did I hear her right? “You said to stop. I assumed you meant you were ready to stop for the night.”

“Are you ready to stop?”

Warmth radiated throughout my body at the idea of holding her close to me again. Maybe it was time for a bit of meaningless flirting. At least I would tell myself it was meaningless. “Baby, I could go all night long.”

Her eyes glowed and she unknowingly licked her lips slowly before whispering, “I bet you could.”

My breath stalled as I looked into her eyes. There was something about Kilyn that brought a piece of my heart to life. I wanted desperately to let my guard down, but did I dare open myself up to that kind of heartache again? Was it a risk I was willing to take?

Another song played and I couldn’t help but notice how Kilyn’s eyes lit up. It was clear music was important to her. Taking her hand, I kissed the back of it. Her mouth parted slightly before I led her out to the dance floor. Pulling her closer to me, she buried her head into my chest as we started dancing.

Something was holding Kilyn back as much as it was holding me back. A part of me wanted to know what it was.

Placing my finger under her chin, I lifted her eyes to mine and softly said, “Se skeftomai sinehia.”

Her eyes lit up and she smiled. “What did you say?”

I wasn’t sure why I kept talking to her in Greek. I never did that with Savannah. Not once did I ever utter a word to her in Greek.

Swallowing the lump in the back of my throat, I said, “I’m constantly thinking about you.”

Kilyn came to a stop as she stared into my eyes. Placing my hand on the side of her face, I looked deep into those beautiful green eyes while I ran my thumb over her soft lips. “I’m fighting the urge to kiss you.”

She sucked in a breath of air and dropped her eyes to my lips. “Ti Káneis gia ména?”

Swallowing hard, she asked, “What did you say?”

My stomach was in knots as I answered, “What are you doing to me, ladybug?”

Her eyes closed as she whispered my name, “Thano.”

I needed to see what she tasted like more than I needed air to breathe. Pressing my lips to hers, she gripped onto my shirt tightly while letting out a soft moan into my mouth.

Slipping my hand behind her neck, I grabbed a handful of her hair and pulled, causing her to open more to me, deepening our kiss.

She tasted sweeter than honey and I forced myself to pull my lips away. If I kept kissing her, I’d want more. Need more.

When I opened my eyes, hers were still closed. Releasing her hair, I ran the back of my hand down the soft skin of her face. My God she was beautiful.

Opening her eyes, Kilyn smiled and took a step back. She drew her lip in between her teeth. “We should probably call it a night.”

My heartbeat was pounding against my chest so hard I was sure Kilyn could hear it.

With a slight smile, I replied, “We probably should. Do you want me to give you a ride home?”

I regretted asking to take her home the moment it slipped from my lips. The attraction I felt for Kilyn was almost too strong to deny. Yet, I wasn’t sure if I was ready to move on.

No. I’d never be able to move on, but I also didn’t want to lead her on. Use her like I’d used the other women to try and forget for a bit.

“Are you sure? Claire and Blake live in the opposite direction of me and it would help them out if you could drop me off.”

It wasn’t lost on me how she stressed me dropping her off. Maybe Kilyn wasn’t any more ready to take the next step than I was.

Giving her a soft smile, I replied, “Sounds good.”

After telling Claire and Blake I was taking her home, Kilyn grabbed her small purse and coat. We walked in silence out to my car. Walking up to the passenger side, I unlocked it and opened the door for her.

With a huge grin, she shook her head and whistled. “A BMW M2 Coupé. Very nice.”

“Very stupid,” I replied with a chuckle. “My parents told me to go sensible and I didn’t listen. I pay more for the car than my rent, I swear.”

Kilyn laughed, leaving my body feeling strange in its wake.

“Well, I’d take yours over mine any day.”

She slipped in and I couldn’t help but notice how damn good she looked in my car. Shutting the door, I raced around the front and quickly jumped in. Putting it in drive, I took off toward Manitou Springs.

“What kind of car do you have?” I asked.

“Honda Accord two door.”

Glancing over to her, I asked, “You don’t like it?”

“I do. I let Claire talk me into it when I wanted something else. It still pisses me off I let her do that to me.”

She turned and looked out the window, wringing her hands over and over.

“Why do I get the feeling Claire talks you into, or should I say out of, things often?”