Page 31 of To Teleport, or Not to Teleport?
“About what?” Kenny asked.
“Oh!” I peered around Kenny. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else.”
Kenny rubbed the back of his neck and smiled. “I’m not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.”
I waved his words away. “Forget about it. To what do I owe your visit?” Unannounced or without invitation, I wanted to say but didn’t.
Kenny’s gaze moved down my body, and I tried not to squirm. The action didn’t light me on fire like when Grayson did it. At the reminder of the panther, I attempted to peek around Kenny again but found that I couldn’t. He’d stepped closer, blocking my view of the street in the process.
“You look beautiful,” Kenny said, his voice deeper, seductive even.
I wondered where the hell Grayson or even Rita was. Lowering my gaze, I took a step back and hoped he didn’t notice. “Thank… you.”
“Where are you going?” Kenny asked.
“She’s got a date with me. Isn’t that right, baby?”
The air whooshed out of me at the sound of Grayson’s deep voice. Kenny looked over his shoulder, giving Grayson barely enough room to slip by.
“I’m sorry I was late. I wanted to bring you these,” Grayson said, offering a bundle of wildflowers tied together with twine.
I grinned as I raised them to my nose and breathed in. A vision of Grayson’s possessive kiss hit me a split second before he wrapped an arm around my waist and hoisted me against himself, and he pressed his mouth to mine.
Did ladies still swoon? Because the kiss was making me faint.
It ended as quickly as it had started, desire shining brightly in Grayson’s eyes. “You ready?”
I blinked rapidly at the sound of a throat clearing. Grayson tucked me against his side, and I was well aware he was holding me up as he faced us toward the voyeur of our moment. I should’ve been embarrassed at how quickly my knees turned into rubber under his kiss, but I couldn’t drum up the emotion. His kisses made me ache in the best possible way.
“Are we done here?” Grayson asked, a subtle note of aggression in his question.
The passion of his kiss started to fade, releasing its hold on my senses. “Gray, this is Kenny. We work together—”
“Her friend,” Kenny said, his tone insinuating our relationship was more than just coworkers.
“It’s after school hours,” Grayson said.
Darkness I’d not seen before flashed in Kenny’s eyes. “I’ll come by another time.”
My brows pinched together. I did not want him showing up willy-nilly. “We can wait another minute. What is it? Is your mom okay?”
Kenny nodded. “Mother is well, thanks for asking. I didn’t think you were seeing anyone. I wanted to see if you’d join me for dinner Friday night.”
Kenny had a set of coconuts on him. I felt Grayson stiffen at my side, but to his credit, he said nothing. It left me with the task of letting Kenny down gently… again. How the grown man wasn’t getting the hint, I wasn’t sure.
“Thank you for thinking of me, but I don’t date people I work with. It becomes too complicated.”
An awkward moment passed when his hands balled in and out of fists at his sides. The pressure from Grayson’s hand cupping my waist increased, and I knew he was prepared to pull me away in protection at a moment’s notice.
Kenny swallowed thickly and bowed his head. “Enjoy your evening,” he said, and the entryway filled with slate-blue smoke as he teleported away.
We stared at the smoke until it evaporated.
“I’m going to put these in a vase before we head out,” I said, needing something to ease the awkwardness of my date with Grayson and Kenny being his oblivious self.
“Graaaayson!” Rita purred as the door closed.
“Hi, Rita,” he muttered, without stopping to pet her as he followed me to the kitchen.
