Page 54 of Family Bonds: Alana & Brennan
“And?”
“And what? He kissed me when he left.”
“How did it make you feel?”
She never talked like this with anyone in the past. Would it hurt all that much to do it now?
“Exciting. Hot. I didn’t want him to leave but wouldn’t tell him to stay either.”
“Because that’s not you. I’d do that if I was feeling it. It’s not like Brennan is a stranger, but I understand this is tricky. You’re not concerned about work, are you?”
“Not really.” She waited a second. “We wrote questions down and asked them of each other.”
“That sounds fun. I would ask them anyway and not need to write them down,” Kelsey said.
“Because you’ve got no filter. But I channeled some of you. I can’t believe I did it and was so embarrassed when it was the first of ten questions drawn. His face flushed more than mine.”
She wanted to rip it out of his hands and break the glass to throw it into the gas fireplace.
“What did you ask?” Kelsey was almost jumping up and down.
“I asked in his mind how many dates before he had sex?”
“Oh my God,” Kelsey screeched and pointed her finger. “You asked that? No way.”
“I did. He’s the first person I’ve dated that I think I can see a future with since Jonathan. I went on a few dates and they were a one-and-done. Did it to get it over with more than anything.”
“You never told me that,” Kelsey said with her hands on her hips.
She wanted to mimic her cousin, but took her coat off that she’d forgotten she was still wearing.
She hung it behind her door. “You haven’t asked. And it was nothing worth talking about. So if I don’t count them, and I was with Jonathan for seven years, plus the year apart. It’s been eight years since I’ve had to think or worry about this. I wanted to know.”
“What did he say?”
“He said he doesn’t have a number and never tries to even think of one. That it will happen when it feels right by both sides.”
“That’s a nice answer and the truth. I would have jumped Van sooner but didn’t want him to think I was a ho.”
“How long was it before you did?”
“Well, you know we had a few dates and then we didn’t see each other for a week and it was because he had to talk to my father first.”
Alana knew Van’s history. He’d inherited his grandfather’s estate and business ventures. He became partners with Kyle Raymond but told no one on the island about it. Hadn’t even let Kyle know he was here.
When Van realized he had a few dates with Kyle’s daughter, he sought him out first so that there were no secrets.
“True. So that slowed you guys down,” she said.
“Not that much but more than it would have otherwise. By the third date, I was ready to drop his jeans and ride him into the sunset.”
She burst out laughing. Kelsey never shied away from any conversation.
“It’s been a year for me,” she said.
She had her head down as she booted her laptop on her desk.
“And you’re feeling the itch, huh?”
