Thoughtful(15)

Kiera seemed uncomfortable under my scrutiny, but instead of telling me to go away or stop leering at her, she apologized. “Sorry about the water. I think I used all of the hot side.”

She turned and put her hand on the doorknob of her room, clearly using this moment as a chance to escape. I had to smile at her polite consideration of any potential problems she may have caused. It wasn’t an issue though. A shower wasn’t really what I wanted just now. Although, just by talking to her, the horror attached to the memory of my dream was fading. I should thank her for the distraction.

With genuine sincerity, I told her, “No problem. I’ll just use it tonight, before I leave.”

She mumbled, “See you later then,” before dashing into her room, almost slamming the door in her haste to get away. A small chuckle escaped me. God, she was cute. And sweet. A good match for Denny.

No longer needing water, I made a quick visit to the bathroom and then returned to my room for a few push-ups and crunches to get me going. Lyrics flashed through my brain while I exercised. Not wanting to lose the thoughts floating through my mind, I stopped my routine early and grabbed a notebook from my drawer. I had a ton of them spread throughout my house. It really wasn’t the best way to organize my thoughts, especially since lyrics for one song could be inside four or five books, all in different rooms. If anything ever happened to me, Matt and Evan would have a bitch of a time compiling my thoughts into a coherent song.

I could hear sounds of passion coming from Denny and Kiera’s room while I jotted down some random verses. I paused to listen for a second, then with a shake of my head and a chuckle, I blocked them out and continued working. Hearing people have sex through the walls was nothing new to me. Hell, I’d been at parties before where the couple was getting busy in the same room as me. I didn’t care. People were free to do what they wanted. And really, every morning should start off with a little nookie.

After immortalizing a few surprisingly peppy lines, I pulled on a shirt and some shorts, fixed my messy hair as best I could, and headed downstairs to make some coffee.

While it brewed, I went to the living room to find the newspaper. Thinking Denny might like to know what was going on locally, since he’d been gone for so long, I’d started picking them up. I heard Denny and Kiera walking down the stairs. Folding up the paper, I started heading toward the kitchen to meet them. Maybe they’d like to have coffee with me?

The article on the front page caught my attention, and I was busy reading about the future of Green Lake when I heard Denny’s voice. “Hey, man.”

I looked up, my grin uncontainable. It had been a long time since I’d heard that voice in person, and I’d missed it. And him. I was so happy he was back. “Hey, glad you guys made it!” I clasped Denny’s shoulder in a quick hug. A few steps behind him, Kiera was watching us with a small smile on her face, like she found us cute. Her tiny grin was captivating.

Denny looked back at her once we broke apart. “You already met Kiera, I hear.”

Her smile instantly left her at the memory of our scantily clad encounter. A small pout formed on those perfect lips, and I knew I was not going to be able to resist teasing this woman.

“Yes,” I murmured, imagining all the ways I could potentially make her blush. No, I wouldn’t. “But nice to see you again,” I said, as politely as possible. Resisting a laugh, I moved to the cupboard to get some mugs. “Coffee?”

Denny was making a face when I glanced at him. “Not for me, no. I don’t see how you guys can drink that stuff. Kiera loves it though.”

I looked over at Kiera as I set two cups on the counter. She was giving Denny the full, loving smile that I’d been hoping to see. Just as I’d predicted, she had an incredible smile. Just…beautiful. I could only imagine how it made Denny feel to have that smile directed at him. He must constantly feel like a million bucks.

“Hungry?” he asked her, his voice soft with caring. “I think there’s still some food in the car.”

“Starving,” she replied, biting her lip. She gave him a light kiss, then playfully rapped her fingers against his stomach. It was a quiet yet sensual display of affection. I couldn’t help but grin while I watched them.

Denny gave her a peck, said, “Okay, be right back,” then left the kitchen.

Kiera stared after Denny like she could somehow watch him through the walls. Did she miss him already? He was still inside the house, grabbing his keys. She was definitely attached to him. Shaking my head in delighted amusement, I walked over to the fridge and grabbed some creamer. I didn’t know how Kiera liked her coffee, but she seemed like the sweet-and-creamy type to me.