Not What I Expected

I tried to hide my grin, but Kael barked a laugh and tipped his head back.

Luckily, I was next to place my order, so I didn’t have to think of any response. As I waited off to the side for my soup, Jan grabbed a seat when a table opened up just as her friend Paula arrived.

“Come here often?” Kael asked with a smirk as he tucked himself next to me in the corner of the crowded cafe to wait for his to-go order as well.

Pursing my lips, I tried to hide my grin, keeping my eyes focused on the busy employees prepping orders. “That sounds like a cheesy pick-up line, but I know you mean it very literally. So, yes. I come here a lot.”

“Nope. I totally meant it as a cheesy pick-up line.”

“Stop.” I shook my head and let my grin have its way, but I still didn’t let my gaze get anywhere near his face. “I’m a little too old for you.”

“You mean you think I’m a little too young for you.”

“Same thing.”

“No. It’s only for me to say if I think you’re too old for me. Which I don’t. So for you to say it, it’s just your backward way of saying I’m too young for you.”

“How can you say you don’t think I’m too old for you when you don’t even know my age?”

“I didn’t say it. You said it.”

On a sidelong glance, I murmured, “How old are you?”

“I’m legal.”

I coughed a laugh. “Legal. Wow … that’s not as comforting as I think you meant it to be. It sounds like a defense for a statutory rape claim.”

“I’m not too worried about you raping me, Mrs. Smith.”

“Stop …” I giggled as they called my name for my order. “You’re obnoxious.” Before he could say anything else, I hustled to the counter to snag my bag of food. Then I took the long way around the line to the exit—anything to avoid Kael.Chapter SevenI miss him, but only because there are fifty unfinished projects around our house.* * *Sex dreams.

Forty-two years without having sex dreams—at least that I recalled.

Then Kael Hendricks made a few borderline inappropriate comments, threw out the cheesiest pick-up line ever, and I woke up in a hot sweat with my hand down the front of my panties and my legs scissoring back and forth.

What if Bella would have peeked into my room? I never fully closed my door. Was I making noises? In my dream, I made all kinds of moaning sounds. So there I was, still panting, eyes wide and focus stuck to the ceiling while I contemplated finishing what I apparently started in my dream.

“Mom?”

Whoosh!

Bella’s voice drifting closer to my room ended that thought in a heartbeat as I yanked my hand out of my panties and jumped out of bed. I ran into the bathroom before she saw me in my hot-mess state.

“In the bathroom, sweetie.” Turning on the cold water, I scrubbed my hands and splashed water on my face.

“I have a headache. If it goes away, I’ll go to the late service.”

After blotting the water from my face, I opened the door.

“Sorry, babe. Did you take something for it?”

Bella nodded, yawning then grimacing as she pressed her fingers to her temple.

“Well, you know I can’t go to late service. So if you don’t feel better soon, just stay home and rest.”

“Okay.” She turned and dragged herself back to her bedroom.

I showered and dressed for early church service in record time. The idea of skipping crossed my mind, but Jan was right—church family had a special gift for guilting absentee members upon their return. And … I needed a little prayer time to seek forgiveness for my naughty dreams.

Wearing my red, cowl neck sweater dress and black boots, I hurried off to church in my dirty Tahoe. We sang hymns, prayed for our wellbeing, guidance, and dreamless sleep. Okay, one of us prayed for dreamless sleep. Then I had to sneak out a few minutes early (as usual) to get to the store in time. To my knowledge, no one ever judged my need to leave early because I did tithe well every week.

A real live customer waited at the door to my store as I walked down the sidewalk. “Good morning! Let’s get inside where it’s warm.”

Then … he turned around. Kael really needed to stick to one jacket and one beanie to make himself more recognizable.

“I like the sound of that.” Mischief spread along his face.

My smile faltering, I brushed past him to unlock the door. The sex dream made it really hard to keep eye contact. “Both of my employees for the day called in sick, so I might not have time to chitchat with you today. Feel free to look around and brainstorm while I get things opened up.”