"That smells delicious."
Kylie's curiosity got the better of her, and she leaned over Patrick's shoulder as he stood attentively at the stove. He smirked at her comment.
"I'm glad you think so. I hope you like chicken curry."
"Mmm. Love it," she grinned. "I can't believe that you know how to cook," she exclaimed.
"Well, you've met my mom, right?" Patrick turned his head to look at Kylie.
"Sure, she's fantastic," she beamed.
"And she's a total foodie. You couldn't grow up in our home without learning to cook. It was kind of a prerequisite."
The room was silent for a moment, and Patrick was baffled by Kylie's dropped jaw.
"You mean Mia can cook?!?!" she shrieked.
Patrick couldn't help the hearty chuckle that escaped his mouth as Kylie continued her rant.
"She always wants to go out to eat! I've never even seen her make toast!" Her eyes were wide with shock.
"Actually," Patrick began. "Mia's cooking puts even mine to shame. Everything she makes tastes like it came from a five star restaurant."
"I feel deceived," Kylie pouted playfully. "My best friend is a gourmet chef, and in the last three years, she's never once blessed me with a taste of her talent."
Patrick laughed again at Kylie's dramatics. He turned to the stove to continue stirring his curry and to check the rice.
"I guess you'll just have to settle for second best today," he teased. "Her curry kicks mine's ass."
Kylie blushed, feeling suddenly silly for her outburst.
"Well, I think yours must be better than hers, because it actually exists." She giggled. "Mia's never sees the light of day."
Patrick stepped across the kitchen to collect plates and utensils from the cabinet. He smiled to himself as he watched Kylie leaning comfortably against the counter on the other side of the kitchen. She looked peaceful and at home. He had to admit, he liked that she looked so good in his home. He wouldn't mind keeping her there.
"Would you mind grabbing us something to drink?" he asked her. He walked back to the stove and began plating their food. "I'd just like a beer, but you can have whatever you want."
"Your wish is my command," Kylie teased. She didn't hear Patrick's "I wish" muttered under his breath.
After she retrieved Patrick's beer and a cider for herself, Kylie scanned the kitchen. It was beautiful, with top of the line appliances and marble countertops. It looked expensive, but aside from that, it looked used and loved. Watching Patrick as he moved so effortlessly around the kitchen, she could tell that he truly enjoyed spending time in the room. The fully stocked pantry and refrigerator provided additional proof that he cooked regularly. A sigh escaped her involuntarily, and Patrick looked at her in concern.
"Everything okay, Sweet Pea?"
Her cheeks heated at the new nickname. He'd called her that several times that evening, and she was trying not to read anything into it.
"I'm fine. I was just thinking about how I wish I could cook as well as you do. Alec always complained about my cooking." Her lip curled in disgust at the use of her ex-husband's name. "Guess I' m no Betty Crocker." She shrugged her shoulders.
"That's not what I hear," Patrick replied. "Tom was really impressed with your chicken and dumplings the other night." He winked at her. "And don't forget, I got to eat the leftovers. I thought it was delicious."
"You don't have to say that, Paddy. I know you're trying to be nice, but just like the other night when you told me I'm beautiful, you don't have to say things that aren't true just to make me happy."
Kylie sighed again and turned to the counter to grab the drinks and carry them to the dining room. Before she had a chance, however, a strong hand grasped her elbow, and she turned to look at Patrick in surprise.
"What did he do to you?" he whispered, his eyebrows scrunched together in thought.
"Wh-wh-what do you mean?" she stuttered in reply, suddenly unable to catch her breath.
"That man filled your head with such lies," he growled. Patrick's eyes flashed with anger, and Kylie tried to retreat from his intense stare, but the counter at her back kept her caged. "Do you know how amazing you are?!" he bellowed.
Kylie stared at Patrick, awed at the vehemence in his tone. He hadn't missed the fact that she flinched when he raised his voice, which only served to make him angrier. He didn't want her to feel scared of him. He focused on deliberately softening his voice. Slowly, he lifted his hand to cup her cheek.
"You are beautiful, Kylie," he whispered. "You are smart and funny, and your husband was an absolute idiot to have missed that."
"You don't have to say that, Patrick," Kylie murmured in response.
"I know I don't. I want to." Silence filled the air as Patrick gazed into Kylie's gold-flecked hazel orbs. Her eyes seemed to be pleading with him to be truthful.
"Kylie, you are gorgeous, and you don't even know it. It kills me to be in the room with you and not be able to touch you."
"What?" she whispered.
Patrick's only response was to lift his other hand to Kylie's face. He tucked a stray hair behind her ear and began to lean forward.
Time seemed to move in slow motion as Kylie watched Patrick close the distance between them, however her mind was racing at top speed. How could this delectable man find her the least bit attractive? Her breaths became shallow as his lips grew closer to her. She wondered how he would taste. Was he a gentle or aggressive kisser? He smelled so delicious.
Kylie's eyes fluttered closed as she waited for Patrick to close the final distance between them. She could feel his warm breath on her lips, and her heart lifted at the thought that he was finally going to press his lips to hers.
"Hey guys!"
Johnny's loud voice filled the room moments before he stepped around the corner into the kitchen. Patrick and Kylie wore matching looks of bewilderment, and Patrick had stepped away from Kylie at the sudden interruption. She couldn't explain the sense of loss she felt at Patrick's retreat.
"I brought some people over. We're going to watch a movie, if you guys want to join us."
Johnny grinned at them and looked between them knowingly. Patrick cleared his throat, trying to break the tension.
"Th-that's great, Johnny. Who all is coming over?" Even to himself, his voice sounded strained.
"Abby, Jaron, Pauleen, and Gabe. And they're already here," he chortled. "Are you two coming?" He looked expectantly at them.
"Yeah," Patrick replied. "I've just got to finish serving our dinner."
"Sounds good. See you guys in a minute." Johnny left the kitchen as quickly as he had arrived.
Kylie watched in silence as Patrick finished serving the curry. As if he couldn't feel the tension in the room, he looked at her playfully.
"You ready?" He smirked, holding up the plates, and nodded his head toward the living room.
"Sure. Totally," she answered, hoping her voice didn't betray the confusion she was experiencing. Had she imagined the 'almost' kiss?
Her hands shakily grabbed their beverages and she followed a grinning Patrick from the kitchen. As he held out her dinner plate, she handed him his beer.
"Kylie! I saved you a seat!"
Kylie grinned at Pauleen and headed her way. She carefully balanced her plate of food and her cider as she stepped around the coffee table.
"You can sit in between me and Jaron," Pauleen enthused.
Once Kylie was comfortably seated between Pauleen and her friend, Pauleen began making introductions. Jaron was the attractive guy seated to her right. Like Johnny, he had many tattoos, but unlike Johnny, Jaron seemed to have them everywhere except his face. His hair was a light reddish brown, and he had hazel eyes similar to her own. On the other side of Pauleen was a girl named Abigail. She was petite with long dark hair and gorgeous crystal blue eyes. Gabe was a muscular blonde currently seated on the love seat across the room. He had dirty blonde hair and a mischievous grin. Johnny took the seat next to him, and Patrick was seated in the recliner on the other side of the couch.
Kylie was impressed that everyone was so friendly. It seemed that Gabe was the only one that wasn't "in the business." Instead, he was the manager of some medical sales office, but he'd been Jaron's college roommate, and he seemed to fit in perfectly with the artistic group. Jaron, Kylie remembered, was a writer on Blood Feud, and was scheduled to direct his first episode of the show during their current season.
"So what do you do, Abigail?"
The dark-haired beauty grinned. "I'm finishing my first screen-play right now. I've written others when I was younger, but this is the first one I consider the real thing. I plan to shop it to the major production companies once it's complete."
Kylie could see the excitement in her eyes. It made her long for the days when she was able to use writing as a creative outlet.
"It's a really great script," Johnny interjected. "I've been helping Abby by reading it, and it sucks you right into the plot."
Abigail blushed. "I like it. I'm just hoping others do, too," she admitted.
"I'm jealous," Kylie teased. "I used to dream of being a novelist, but my ex told me that it wasn't a real career. I work in a business office instead." She couldn't hide her frown.
"What a jerk," Pauleen exclaimed. She glanced between Kylie and Abigail. "I'm going to move so you two can talk without having to lean around me." She stood and crossed the room to the love seat, and everyone laughed when she threw her body across Johnny's and Gabe's legs.
"Ooh. You write?" Abigail's eyes sparkled at the earlier revelation. "Jaron writes pretty good scripts, but his heart is in directing. I'd love to have another writer around here."
"Well, truthfully, I haven't written anything in years, and now that I'm a single mom, I don't think it's in the cards for me."
"I'd love to read something that you wrote in the past," Abigail encouraged.
Patrick watched from across the room, noticing Kylie's sudden discomfort. He knew that Abigail was trying to be nice, and he loved that his friends included Kylie immediately, but he didn't want her to feel uncomfortable.
"Why don't we get the movie started?" he suggested innocently. "What movie did you guys bring to watch?"
Pauleen squealed.
"We are going old school scary movie tonight." She paused as she looked around the room dramatically. "Nightmare on Elm Street."
While everyone else cheered, Kylie held back a groan. She hated scary movies. She was such a wuss when it came to them. Alec used to love taking her to see them, because he knew that she'd hide her head in his chest, and she'd never let go of his arm. He found it hilarious. Nightmare on Elm Street was a personal demon of hers. The next couple of hours were going to be sheer torture.
Her new friends watched her in amusement as the movie played. True to form, as the movie progressed, Kylie gripped Jaron's arm tighter and ducked her head into his chest. Rather than teasing, he placed his arm around her shoulder and held her close. When she'd whimper, he'd whisper encouragement in her ear, and when she shivered nervously, he ran his fingers through her auburn hair.
The movie was equally torturous for Patrick. His eyes never focused on the television, as his gaze continuously wandered to Kylie and Jaron's location on the couch. He saw them grow closer as time passed, and he cringed when he noticed Jaron's arm comfortably resting on Kylie's shoulders. When he noticed Jaron whispering to her, Patrick felt his fists tighten, and when Jaron's fingers caressed Kylie's silken tresses, Patrick almost roared in anger. He couldn't deny the hot jealousy he felt watching another man hold her close. Jaron was his friend, but Patrick was ready to challenge him to a fight.
When the movie finally ended, and everyone headed home, Patrick went to the kitchen to distract himself and to drink another beer. He needed to relax. He had no claim over Kylie, and she'd be heading back to Florida in a few days. There was no use in becoming attached. After several minutes had passed, and he'd finally gotten his breathing under control, Patrick decided to head to bed.
When he entered the room, Kylie was already tucked under the covers on her side of the bed. He paused at that thought. Why did he already view that side of the bed as belonging to her? Thinking she was asleep, Patrick headed into the closet and quietly changed into a flannel pair of pajama pants and a fitted grey t-shirt. He crept to the bed, carefully turning off the bedside lamp and climbing into bed.
"Paddy?"
Kylie's voice was so timid, Patrick thought he'd imagined it.
"God, this is so embarrassing," she muttered.
"Is everything okay, Kylie?"
"No," she murmured. "Promise not to laugh?"
She sounded so vulnerable, Patrick was frightened that something might be terribly wrong.
"I won't laugh, Sweet Pea." He reached out and placed a hand on her soft hair. When she turned to face him, her eyes were glistening with tears, and his breath caught in his throat.
"I hate scary movies," she confessed, and she lowered her eyes in shame. "Your friend, Jaron, probably thinks I'm crazy, since I latched onto him tonight like a lunatic."
"You guys weren't snuggling?" Patrick cursed himself for letting the words slip from his lips. Kylie's eyes widened at the comment.
"What? No!" She giggled, but her eyes remained watery. "That movie scares the piss out of me every time."
"So what's wrong now?" Patrick asked gently.
"Would you hold me tonight?" Her eyes were pleading, begging him to say yes. "It's just, I always have trouble sleeping after that movie, and it might help if..." Her words gradually died on her lips. She was too embarrassed to continue.
"Come here," Patrick replied softly, his voice suddenly low and gravelly.
He held his arms open, and Kylie scooted closer to him. When he closed his arms around her, he felt like his life was finally perfect. When she settled her head on his chest, he was sure she would be able to hear his racing heart.
"Thank you, Paddy," Kylie murmured. Her body relaxed, and her eyes grew heavy.
"Any time, Sweet Pea. All you've gotta do is ask."
As the two fell into slumber, both had a soft smile painted on their face, and for the first time, Kylie had only happy dreams after watching such a terrifying film.