Hometown Love (27 page)

“If you want something exceptional, Kiera’s the one you want cooking for you.” Her mom looked around as if to make sure her husband wasn’t within hearing. “Her culinary skills surpass even her grandfather’s now.”

Kiera heard the pride in her mom’s voice, and even though she didn’t agree, the praise pleased her.

Gray looked her way. “Doesn’t surprise me.” He paused, than got a mischievous glint in his eyes. “Do you still specialize in chocolate cupcakes?”

“Of course. What else?”

Gray’s comment brought up a long-forgotten memory. She’d been perhaps five or six and had made cupcakes with her dad. Once they’d cooled, he’d let her decorate them on her own. Like any good kid, she found a bag of double chocolate cookies and gummy worms. She’d crushed up the cookies and added them and the worms to the frosting on the cupcakes. Once finished, she’d snatched three and brought them to Trent and Gray’s tree house, only to find that their younger sister, Allison, had followed them that day. None of them had wanted to share the treats, so she convinced Allison that the cupcakes were covered with real worms and dirt. Allison believed her and ran off to find a more suitable snack, leaving the three of them alone to enjoy their cupcakes.

“And now that you mention it, I think I’ll bake some tonight.”

“Any chance I can get a few?”

Kiera patted his hand. “For you, I’ll even add extra worms.”

Gray laughed a deep rich sound that shattered the serious expression she struggled to maintain.

“Perfect. I’ll be by first thing tomorrow to pick them up.” Gray tilted his head toward the dance floor. “How about a dance?”

She lifted each of his hands and examined them. “You’re not holding any snakes, so I guess it’s safe.”

Gray threw back his head and laughed again. “You’re never going to forgive me for that, are you?”

“Nope.” Thanks to Gray and the garter snake he’d dropped on her head one day, she still got uneasy around snakes.

He helped her up. “I promise no snakes. Besides, I’ve learned women prefer to be surprised with jewelry instead.”

Together, they joined the other dancers already on the dance floor.

“I’m warning you, I haven’t danced in a long time.” Kiera rested her palms on his shoulders. Shoulders that were a bit wider than she remembered. Of course, the last time she’d danced with Gray, they’d been about fourteen. His mother had brought a professional dance instructor to the estate so that Trent, Gray, and Allison, could learn to dance properly. Short one female dance partner; Gray’s mom had invited her to join them.

Gray’s hand settled on her waist. “I’ll be careful.”

Like an expert, Gray moved them across the dance floor. When they approached the happy bride and groom, she watched them for a moment or two.

“Trent’s married. Blows the mind.”

A dancer behind them bumped into her, and Gray moved them away from the couple.

“I always thought he’d end up living in a mansion maybe on a private island surrounded by beautiful young women, she said. “I pictured Jake that way, too.”

“Me, too?”

Kiera looked away from the dancers, so she could see his face and discovered they now stood much closer than before. When had that happened? Had she moved closer or had he pulled her up against him? Either way, they needed space between them because she suddenly found it difficult to think.

“Never.” She met his eyes, an easy feat thanks to the height she’d inherited from her dad, but then she wished she hadn’t because she couldn’t look away.

Gray waited for Kiera’s answer. How she pictured him or anyone else in his family shouldn’t matter, yet it did. A lot.

“Then how do you picture me someday?” The question spilled out and he cursed himself. What a ridiculous question.

“More like your father, I guess.” Kiera titled her head. “You know, married to someone like your mom or one of your aunts, with a house full of light-haired, blue-eyed children.”

Relief, or something close to it, seeped through his body. If the media or strangers wanted to believe he was a carefree partier traveling around the world, dating different women, he didn’t care. His family and close friends were another story. Technically, Kiera wasn’t either—at least, not anymore. They hadn’t talked in years. For some reason, though, her opinion still mattered to him.

“That’s a relief.”

Kiera rolled her eyes. “I’m sure you would’ve lost sleep it if I had said something else.”

“Perhaps.”

The slow song ended and another started up.

“Wow, your feet survived that whole dance. I guess I remember more from those dance lessons than I thought.” Kiera turned to head to the edge of the dance floor.

“How about another dance, then?” He kept his eyes on her face—the safest place for them. Or, rather, he tried. His eyes had ideas of their own.

He could honestly say he hadn’t thought of Kiera in years. Even still, he knew she’d be the only thing he thought about tonight and perhaps tomorrow.