Sinnerman

Chapter 41 Lost & Found

Evie likes seeing Kylo like this; if not relaxed, then something awfully close to it.

Or, resembling it at least. When he's all at ease and calm like this; she lets slip of the fact he's a sociopath. Maybe he's convincingly lying. Perhaps he's actually feeling it. She'll never know. She's happy letting him be.

But she hopes anyway. Hopes he is happy. Hopes prays dreams. Then again. Maybe she was getting all sentimental. Sat there, with her full white wine glass brimming sherry-gold in the candlelight. Watching him laugh and smile with Todd.

She feels her cheeks blush, burning bright. Watches the rare sight of dimples crease his cheeks. The way his hair catches light. Somehow shimmering silver. The ends tipped with varying shades of walnut, rust and burnt ember. She can see where the dark black of his locks bleeds into brown. Candlelight flickers off cutlery when he moves his big hands.

A staccato voice pipes up to her left ear. "Put them moony-love eyes away Winslow. Save that til after to dinner and pass me some of that chicken..." Flo grins.

She's brought back down to earth with embarrassed rosy cheeks and a smile. Handing Flo the platter of chicken. Sinking back into her, Anna, and Bobbi's conversation about Thanksgiving.

Dinner was an ongoing success; the table groans with food. A huge serving of Flo's Meatloaf. Platters of Evie's roast chicken. Mashed potatoes. Sautéed string beans. And the cakes - all three of them - are waiting fir dessert in the kitchen. All the friends who love and support Kylo and Evie are sat around her table, talking, laughing fondly. No one notices how some of the chairs are mismatched - wobbly too some of them. And how they're all amazingly crammed into her tiny dining room. Cramped and knocking elbows there's so many of them. The table is higgledy and there's wildflowers picked fresh from her garden in mason jars.

Evie briefly considers, wondering how on Earth this can compare to Kylo's usual habits of five star dining. Michelin kitchens. Flawless front of house. And he's here perched on a wonky wooden chair like a giant stuffed into a Victorian dollhouse.

It feels homey. It feels natural to Kylo. Natural in a way he struggles to rationalise.

He tries to - but then gets so swept up in talking and eating and it just passes him by. He lets it. He... actually enjoys himself. And he doesn't try to rationalise with that thought at all. He eats his way through three plates of his favourite food - classic meatloaf and potatoes like grandma used to make it.

He looks up and steals a glance at Evie, she's laughing with Anna and Bobbi. Pouring more wine for them and he watches that rosebud smile crease up her beautiful cheeks. Let's his eye linger lovingly for a second. Tears his gaze away to answer a question Arthur asked about his company. Evie almost swore she felt Kylo's eyes on her. Made her heart do something insane and squirmy in her chest. They were stealing looks at each other over the table like two lovesick fools.

Only It didn't feel very foolish at all.

Everyone's happy tonight. And it pleases Evie to know she can count Kylo among that. Even if there's sexual tension simmering under the surface of it all. Fuelled up by one too many glasses of wine and laughing with her friends.

That didn't stop Kylo letting her know what would happen when they're alone again later. When she's putting some plates on the side to wash later. Kylo softly walks up behind her, body caging hers in the counter by the sink, brushing ever so lightly as he puts two used wine glasses in front of them.

She can feel his body. How his dark red Valentino shirt crinkles as he moves. His belt buckle brushed her hips. Presses her skirts. The heat of him, his spicy masculine citrus scent, makes her so woozy. Lightheaded.