The Heart That's Meant to Love You

Chapter 17: Admission

Naomi didn't know how she managed to fall for this trick, but she didn't regret it. Observing Kieran Colburn in close proximity sounded like a much better plan than internet stalking. It helped that Claire had tagged along. Naomi didn't think she could deal with Kieran alone.

No, that wasn't the right metaphor. She could handle him. Naomi just didn't know how well she could handle herself around him. For the first time in forever, she had found someone who made her nervous.

Naomi poked at an overcooked vegetable with her utensil. She had always been good with words under pressure, but she didn't know how to pry without sounding nosy.

Kieran had an aura about him, all shimmering starlight and mysterious darkness. Two things that shouldn't coexist but somehow found a home surrounding one man, like a magic spell pulling Naomi closer.

A spell she had every intention of breaking. No one should hold that much power over anyone.

Claire nudged an elbow against Naomi's side. "Say something."

"I have nothing to say."

"It's fine." Kieran sent Claire that signature grin of his. "If Naomi wants to eat silently, she can. What about you? Do you prefer silence or conversation?"

"I prefer observation." Claire studied some fried puff she had picked up at the end of the line. "And you?"

Kieran chuckled softly. "I prefer observation, as well." His gaze landed on Naomi, as intense as it had been outside the botanical gardens.

Clunk, went his elbow against the table. His chin rested in his hand, creating one of those cheesy scenes Naomi had only ever seen on television. No one looked at awoman like that in real life.

Naomi pointed her fork at him. "Stop."

"I'm observing you."

Naomi gave a huff. She couldn't threaten him. That wouldn't go over well with anyone, including herself. So she dropped her fork. "Please. Stop."

"What if I don't want to?"

Try as she might, Naomi couldn't help but wonder, "Why are you being like this?"

"What do you mean?" Kieran asked.

Naomi jutted her chin toward the hand supporting his head. "Why do you keep looking at me like that?"

Claire snorted, almost choking on her soda. "Oh my gosh, you really are dense, aren't you?" She snatched at a napkin. "Sweetie, he's flirting."

"No, he isn't," Naomi denied. She had nothing he could want. No beauty or fame or anything else to give. Nothing that would entice him to want her. Kieran wouldn't flirt with a nobody like Naomi.

Kieran tapped a long finger against his cheek. "Your friend is blunt, but she's correct."

Wait, what? Naomi's brain spun, gaining no traction and only creating smoke. Confusion didn't have to battle anything, it won. It wrapped around her mind and heart so quickly that Naomi didn't have a chance to prepare. Even if she wanted it to happen, and she wasn't sure she did, Kieran Colburn wouldn't go for the likes of Naomi Rowe.

"You're lying," Naomi accused.

Kieran pouted his lips and shook his head. "You don't seem like the type of girl that takes kindly to lies."

"That's why you should steer clear of me." Naomi lifted her chin, hoping to either intimidate or infuriate him.

Neither happened.

Kieran leaned back in his seat, probed at the meat on his plate, and shrugged a shoulder. "It's not really your business what I do, now is it? You're entitled to push me away all you want. I'm entitled to try that much harder to get close to you. What's wrong? You scared?"

Scared? Her? Naomi refrained from rolling her eyes. If she ever succumbed to fear, she wouldn't have the courage to stand up to her mother. Afraid? Naomi didn't know the meaning. Especially when it came to obnoxiously stubborn people like Kieran. But, Naomi wasn't stupid, either. Kieran had to have an ulterior motive, or else why would he choose her?

"It's your business what you want to do with your free time." Naomi returned her attention to her meal. Kieran didn't deserve her time, not after that stunt. Naomi had no time for things like puppy love.

But part of her wished she didn't have to push him away.

Claire cleared her throat but Naomi had known her long enough now to recognize the concealed laugh. If Claire thought that Naomi would care, she had another thing coming. Naomi didn't have to get involved in anyone's life. These two had chosen their own path, and they could both do whatever they wanted. She wouldn't stop them but she had no intention of encouraging their behavior, either. From what Naomi had seen so far, both Claire and Kieran verged on manic.

"You're more interesting than I thought you would be," Kieran admitted.

Naomi mirrored his earlier move and shrugged a shoulder at him. "Thank you for the vote of confidence."

"I mean it." That dark gaze turned serious. "It isn't often that I meet someone that I want to get closer to."

"We can settle as friends, if that will stop your ridiculous plans."

Kieran leaned onto the table, bracing his hands to balance him as he leaned as close to Naomi's side ashe could manage. "I don't want to be friends."

"Then I suggest you leave me alone."

Naomi had never been the flirty type. She had never been the one to overstep her boundaries, and she knew her boundaries well. Kieran's bravado made her forget that, only for a brief moment. Naomi planted her pointer finger in the middle of his forehead and pushed him out of her personal space.

Kieran's eyes flashed again, filled with thoughts that Naomi didn't dare to try to decipher. Fine. Let him do his worst. Naomi could hold her own, or so she hoped. She wouldn't fall for him, no matter how hard he tried. Because Naomi may like him, her heart may flutter for him, but she had learned long ago how to be suspicious.