That First Special Kiss

“I think my dad has a lot to do with that.”

“Maybe,” she agreed, “but I think it has as much to do with who you are. You could have turned out badly, could have been bitter and angry, but you chose to be better than that I admire you very much, Shane.”

He looked endearingly embarrassed. “Your childhood was no easier than mine. You’ve had a rough time since. But you’ve never given up on your goal of getting your education and you’ve done it with a positive attitude. I’ve never heard you complain. I admire you, too.”

“Why would I complain?” she asked logically. “I’ve had some setbacks, but I’ve been more fortunate than a lot of people I know who were raised in foster care. Do you know how few foster kids are able to go to college? How many end up homeless after the system cuts them loose as soon as they turn eighteen?”

“I know the statistics,” Shane replied. “My father grew up in foster homes. He was so unhappy with the system that he worried constantly that I would end up there if anything happened to him. That was when he and I were on our own, after he found me in Memphis, before he knew he had family to turn to. When he first found out his siblings were looking for him, he wasn’t sure it would be a good idea to be reunited with them after so many years. He changed his mind for my sake, mostly. He wanted me to have family if I ever needed them.”

“We’ve both been fortunate to have ended up where we are when so many things could have gone wrong.”

Shane suddenly smiled. “As a matter of fact, I feel very fortunate to be exactly where I am. Here, tonight, with you.” His slid his hand slowly down her bare side to her hip.

Kelly shivered in renewed pleasure. “Speaking of where you are,” she said, her voice suddenly husky, “shouldn’t you be going? What if someone notices that your truck is sitting in front of my apartment this late? We don’t want to start the tongues wagging.”

His leg moved against hers. “I don’t care if the whole world knows I’m with you tonight,” he said frankly.

The thought of anyone else finding out that she and Shane had become lovers was enough to send chills through her. She’d been unable to imagine how everyone would react if they’d suspected she and Shane were dating. But this...

Shane exhaled deeply. “You’re going to insist again on secrecy, aren’t you?”

“For now. Please,” she added. “I’m still not ready to talk about this with the others, Shane. Let’s just keep it between us for now, okay?”

“I’ll try,” he conceded grudgingly. “But it isn’t going to be easy.”

“Just for a little while longer.”

“How long? When will you be ready to drop the pretense?”

“I...” How could she tell him, especially while they were lying

together in her bed, that she still had doubts about whether this relationship would last? That she still worried something would go wrong and that she would be the one who paid the price for getting in too deep, too fast?

“How long, Kelly?”

“I don’t know. Just...let me deal with my father first, okay?”

He hesitated only a moment before giving in. “All right. I won’t push you. And I’ll do my best to keep anyone else from finding out for now. But we’ll have to tell them eventually. You know that, don’t you?”

She bit her lip and kept quiet, thinking that Shane would agree this was the best choice if her prediction came true and they did decide this was all a mistake. He would realize then that she had saved them from a potentially awkward situation, and he would be grateful.

As for her...well, she didn’t even want to think about how she would feel if Shane changed his mind about wanting her. She wanted to believe she would still be able to socialize with his family and their friends without letting a broken heart get in her way.

She shifted against the sheets as his wandering hand incited a new restlessness inside her. “Shane...”

His hand closed over one of her breasts. “Mmm?”

Her pulse rate accelerated. “You were going to leave?”

“Mmm-hmm. In a minute.” He scooted farther down on the bed, replacing his hand with his mouth.

Kelly closed her eyes. “I suppose you can stay awhile longer,” she murmured.

Shane didn’t reply—at least not with words.

It was nearly three in the morning when he prepared to leave her apartment. She worried that he was too tired to safely make the hour-long drive, but he assured her he was wide-awake. No one would know what time he got home, he added. He’d deliberately built his house far enough away from his father’s home to give himself privacy.

He kissed her lingeringly at the door. “Get some rest,” he murmured. “I’ll be back tomorrow to take care of your car.”