Moments In Time: A Collection of Short Fiction (36 page)

I’ve never had someone captivate me like Kenzy does. I remember in high school being drawn to her smile, but she didn’t talk to anyone but Jessika. Those two were always inseparable. She was cute in the underlying way back then with a sweet innocence, but now she’s the whole damn package. She’s invaded my thoughts and my dreams. I need an opening and opportunity to make her mine. For once, I want something more than just a hookup. Looks like everything is changing, and not just for my dad.

Chapter Six

MaKenzy

My day shift at work passes quickly. Part of me wants to go straight home and climb into a bubble bath. However, I have a stubborn man to prove a point to, so I make the turn to get me to Maverick’s house rather than go straight to my apartment complex.

Pulling up, I see Mav’s truck in the drive. That’s good. If Richard is still in his mood, I may not be welcome here tonight. I’m not giving up on him, though. I’m sure he was embarrassed to be laid out on his shower floor, naked and injured. He was too weak to reach up for the grab rails that were installed before he came home from rehab.

When I walk in, I hear the two Collins men talking in the kitchen. Maverick is leaning against the fridge as I enter the room. The look of shock on Richard’s face when he notices me is priceless.

“What are you doing here?” he asks in surprise.

“Came to check on you.”

“I was a real asshole yesterday, yet you’re back here to check on me. I’m not your patient anymore, Kenzy. You don’t have to be here,” he says with real emotion backing each word.

“You’re someone special, Richard. Look, I don’t have a dad. He bailed before I was born. If I could pick one, I would want him to be strong, resilient, and stubborn just like you. And since I don’t know him, I hope whoever he is, wherever he is, that he’s a fighter like you.” I smile at him, feeling a little raw. This is more than I’ve shared with anyone in a really long time.

“Kenzy—” Maverick says, standing up with a beer in his hand and closing the fridge behind him.

“Well, you’re something special too, Kenzy,” Richard adds, cutting off Mav.

“You can’t push me away, even if you try. So get mad, yell, throw things, and let it out. I’ll be here to pick up the pieces with you.”

Mav stalks towards me in such a way that I start back out of the kitchen and into the living room, only I bump into the molding of the entryway. His body is only inches from mine as I lean against the wall on the other side of the living room.

“Oh, but you can push me away?” he asks firmly.

“I’m not looking for anything right now,” I whisper.

“You may not be looking, but it’s here. And baby, it’s happening.”

When I open my mouth to respond, his lips come crashing down on mine before I utter one word. I don’t think; I let my body give in to his. Before I allow myself to think about anything, I’m kissing him back with everything I have in me. His hands grab my hips, pulling me to him. My head falls back against the wall behind me as I bring my hands up to run over his bald head. I can’t get enough as I devour every millimeter of his mouth, our tongues dancing in a rough rhythm against each other. The fight, the battle to consume and possess each other goes on as our teeth clash. Yet neither of us can pull away.

Arching my back, I press closer to him as his hands roam to cup my ass. I feel his hardening erection against my belly. We’re both so lost in each other and our kiss, we forget where we are as one of his hands begins to move to the hem of my shirt.

There is a bumping sound behind us. “Shit,” we hear Richard mutter.

Maverick and I abruptly pull apart, both panting heavily. I drop my hands from him, trying to compose myself. Mav, however, moves his hands to my hips, keeping me tight to him as he drops his forehead to mine with his eyes closed. I can tell he’s trying to find his self-control to be able to go back to his dad.

After a moment, we both look into the kitchen to find Richard shaking his head back and forth as he’s trying to clean up the mess on the stove and in front of it. Noticing us, he smiles.

“Sorry to, uh, interrupt. I was hungry and you were, uh, occupied. I bumped the pan with the sloppy joe meat. It tumbled. I’ll clean this up. You two, um, continue or .
 . . yeah.” He’s blushing, which makes me blush.

Oh my God. I just made out like a crazed madwoman with Maverick in front of his dad. I try to push off Maverick to get space between us. This is embarrassing. Why do I lose control with him?

Maverick

Kenzy’s trying to get out of my grip, wanting to push me away. After she came alive under me with just a kiss like that, there is no way in hell either of us is walking away from this.

“I need to go. I just wanted to stop by and check on your dad,” she says barely above a whisper.

“No.”

“What do you mean, no?”

“I’m gonna help my dad clean up. We’re all gonna eat dinner together, then we’re gonna talk. You aren’t leaving. You aren’t running away. You aren’t gonna deny there is something between us.”

She nods her head in agreement. Honestly, I think she would agree to just about anything to have space from me right now. We clean up, salvage what we can, and eat dinner as if I didn’t almost take her in the living room, forgetting my dad was right there.

Pops wheels himself to his bedroom after we clean up. He’s doing better about getting around; the scratches and dents in the walls and baseboards may disagree, but he’s trying. We’ve ordered him an electric wheelchair, but have to wait on the insurance approval. He’s got more scar tissue and healing to do before we will know if there is enough left to be fitted for a prosthesis.

Once I hear him close his bedroom door, I take Kenzy by the hand and lead her into the living room. I sit on the couch, pulling her down close to me. Keeping my arm around her, I can feel her tense under me.

“Kenzy, I want you, that’s obvious. You want me too, so don’t waste my time or yours denying it.”

She clears her throat but doesn’t make eye contact. “Well, I won’t deny you’re attractive. Any woman would want a night with you. And, well, clearly from your nickname and your reputation, many women have had you.”

“What does my past have to do with any of this? I’m not claiming to be a saint. I’m a man telling you I want you. Right now, any other woman or the women of my previous encounters don’t matter.”

“My point is you want me now. Tomorrow, it will be someone else. I’m not that kind of girl, Mav. It’s okay, we can still be friends.”

“We’re far from
‘we can still be friends.’ I wanna be your lover, not your friend,” I tell her, my agitation growing.

“This may be a hard concept for you as a man,” she says sarcastically, “but I believe in monogamy and a real relationship.”

“Don’t take a condescending attitude with me. I believe in monogamy and a relationship with the right person. I’m twenty-nine years old. I’ve had my share of bedmates. I’ve never hidden that from you or anyone. When you’re around, Kenzy, I don’t think of anyone else.”

Her laughter interrupts me. “You haven’t had time to think of anyone else. I’m easy to target, I’m here, in your face, and you can’t escape me. You think you want something serious.”

“Are you in my head? No, so don’t claim to know what I want or why I do something. I’m here laying it out. I want you, however I can have you.”

“I know your type, Maverick.”

Ah, the truth starts to show. The scars from another man are showing—red, raw, and bleeding now.

“Tell me, what’s my type?”

“Unable to commit. Looking for the next conquest. Even if you have something good waiting for you at home, it’s not enough.” She sighs. “She’s not enough. You aren’t capable of being with just one woman.”

“Try me. Baby steps. Let me take you out. No sex. We can build something real. I’ll show you. You’re more than enough for this man. I don’t know who made you think otherwise, but it’s their loss on the beautiful woman inside and out sitting here in my arms.”

Finally, she makes eye contact. I take my thumb and first finger to tip her chin to me. Leaning down, I brush my lips against hers gently.

“Try me, Kenzy.”

She nods her head in agreement and I breathe a sigh of relief. Now, to show her I mean every word I’ve said. She’s it for me. My dad married my mom within three weeks of meeting her because he said he just knew.

With Kenzy, I know. She’s it.

Chapter Seven

MaKenzy

Six Weeks Later

Jessika is feeling neglected. My free time is spent with Richard and Maverick. When I’m on night shift, I don’t see Mav much, but I stop in to check on his dad. Richard is doing well and we’ve grown close. He is getting around better and better. My mom has even started checking in on him during the days that Maverick and I are both at work.

Richard has friends who come by, but they don’t know what to say or do for him. The thing is, they don’t need to do anything. He doesn’t want to be treated like an invalid; he wants to be the same Richard to them he was before. Some days are better than others, but we all go through that, only his challenges are greater.

“You know you don’t have to leave your schedule on the fridge, Kenzy,” Richard says as he’s getting himself a drink.

“I can’t always answer my cell. This way you know when you need to call the charge desk.”

He laughs at me. “It’s a rotation. I lost a leg, not my brain,” he jokes at me. “I know your schedule. I also know you’re off the next two days. Why don’t you and my son go out tonight?”

“He’ll be tired after work, and we like having dinner here.”

“Let me rephrase. Tommy is gonna come over for a poker game. He’s a widower, you know. He’s gonna have some drinks and stay over. So you and Maverick go out tonight, and how about he stays at your place?” Richard winks at me.

I gasp. “Ummm.”

“Look, I may be crippled, but I’m getting by. Between the two of you, you’re smotherin’ me. Tomorrow morning you can come over and we’ll all have breakfast. I was young once too. Go out tonight and keep him with you. I’m tired of listening to you two on the couch anyway.”

Oh my God. I didn’t think of Richard all those times Maverick and I have spent kissing on the couch. Please, would the floor just swallow me whole right now? Am I ready to have Maverick at my apartment all night?

Maverick

According to Kenzy, Pops has plans for the night so we’re going out to dinner. Since she’s already off work, I leave a little early. I have a dirty job; it takes some scrubbing when I get home to clean up.

Making my way to the garage, I decide tonight I want Kenzy close to me all night. Grabbing a spare helmet, I secure it and climb on my custom chopper. It’s decked out in chrome on a stretched frame; the gas tank and fenders are painted in a flat black, and it has a small custom seat for two, but no sissy bar, so she’s forced to hold on to me.

When I arrive at Kenzy’s, I find her dressed in jeans, boots with just enough heel to make her come up to my chest and almost to my shoulder, a black scoop-neck top that has just a little cleavage peeking out to tease me. She’s braided her hair over her right shoulder, which is perfect for the bike, and exposes her neck for me to kiss. Taking one look at her, I lean in and kiss her rather than say hello.

After breaking away, I hand her the helmet. “I brought the bike. Let’s go.”

She smiles excitedly at me. That’s a surprise. I wasn’t sure she would like to ride. We make our way outside and settle on the bike.

At the restaurant, we’re finishing up when she excuses herself to the restroom. This has been the best night I’ve had in a long time. I see Heath entering with his latest on his arm. I nod my head in greeting.

“Oh, Tapper’s been tapped dry,” he jokes. “Hey, I’ve seen your hot number. She’s certainly worth it in the looks department, man. No wonder you’ve been in hiding with her. I wouldn’t come up for air with that one either.”

“Shut the fuck up, Heath. She’s not like the others. She’s it, man, so cut the shit.”

“You’re really trying out a relationship. I mean, I know you’ve been faithful. Hell, you haven’t been with anyone that I know of since the night at Zanne’s. I’m happy for you. I’ve never seen you like this.”

“You wouldn’t get it, man. I’m not trying out a relationship. I’m with her, man. I love her, real shit kind of love. Period, hands down, no one else for me. I want her for the long haul. Let it go.”

A hand comes down on my shoulder. Looking at the gray nail polish, I know it’s Kenzy. How much did she hear?

“I’ll let you finish your night. Catch ya later, man,” Heath says, smiling his appreciation for Kenzy’s beauty.

I nod my good-bye as Kenzy sits back down across from me. His look stirs up jealousy I’ve never felt before. He’s lucky he’s my friend; otherwise, I might’ve felt the need to kick his ass.

Kenzy doesn’t let on that she was back in time to hear my conversation. We’ve shared a lot and gotten close, but I don’t think she’s ready to hear those words from me.

After paying the bill, I guide her back to the bike. Having her arms around me, her body pressed against my back as the wind blows against us, is the best feeling in the world. In this last year, my dad lost his leg, but I’ve gained my life with her.