Kiss by Kiss (Riggins Brothers #3) - Kaylee Ryan Page 0,25
who speaks up. “You tell us when and we’ll make it happen, brother.”
“How about we get married on the beach?” Owen asks her.
“I do love the beach.” She smiles up at him. There is so much love and devotion shining through in that one look. It hits me deep in my gut. I want a woman to look at me like that. No, not just any woman. I want Aurora to look at me like that.
“Call Mom,” I tell Owen. “She’ll be all over this.”
“Lay?” he asks.
“I would love nothing more than for her to take care of it all. I just want to worry about this little guy.” She rubs her belly. “The rest is just semantics. I know your mother will make it a day we will both remember. I’ll help with anything she needs, but honestly, I don’t even know where to start.”
Owen drops to his knees and wraps his arms around her waist. Royce and I share a glance before stepping away and going to our own offices, giving them a moment alone. Pulling my phone out of my pocket, I set it on my desk while I fire up my laptop. The urge to send Aurora a message is strong, and I’m not sure that I should in this moment, for fear of what I’ll say, but I do it anyway. Grabbing my phone, I type out a message. She wants real. I’m going to give her real.
Me: How is it possible that I miss you already?
I hit Send before I can think better of it. It’s cheesy as fuck, and if my brothers were to read this message, they would crucify me. However, it’s also a valid question. I want to know how I can miss her already. I barely know this woman, but she’s under my skin. She has me thinking about things I’ve never thought of before. Dreaming of a future that I once thought was so far beyond me in years, that it would be a while before they ever came to mind. Not now. Not after meeting Aurora.
Aurora: Is this a trick question?
I can’t hide my chuckle.
Me: Not a trick. I just… can’t wait for our date tonight.
Aurora: Some date I am. I have to be home by eight to go to bed.
Me: I’ll take any amount of time you’re willing to give me.
Aurora: There they go again.
Me: What? Who are they?
Aurora: The butterflies. You’re always making them flutter around.
Me: I give you butterflies?
I’m smiling like a fool. I can’t help it. It’s been difficult to get anything out of her. This is progress.
Aurora: Every day.
Every. Day.
Me: I’ll be there at three-thirty.
Aurora: I thought we agreed to four?
Me: I can’t wait that long.
Aurora: I’ll be waiting.
I have to force myself to shove my phone in my desk drawer to keep from texting her again. I need to get some work done, especially since I’m leaving early. I have a date that I refuse to be late for.
“You win the lottery or something?” Conrad says from my door.
“Nope. Just having a good day.”
“Does it have anything to do with these?” He holds up his half-eaten red velvet cupcake.
“Not so much the cupcake as the creator,” I admit.
“No, shit. You’re joining them on the other side?” he asks.
“By them, I assume you mean Royce and Owen? And on the other side, I assume you mean a relationship?”
“That,” he says, shoving the rest of the cupcake in his mouth.
“I hope so.”
He swallows and wipes at his mouth with a napkin. “Didn’t expect you to admit it.”
“Why? I have nothing to hide. She’s incredible.”
“You barely know her.”
“That’s why we’re dating to get to know one another. And what I do know, she’s incredible.”
He begins to sing “Another One Bites the Dust,” making me laugh. I grab a highlighter from my desk and toss it at him, hitting him in the chest.
“We’re all going to fall, Con. It’s just a matter of when and for who.”
“Yeah,” he agrees. “But not for a while. I’ve got more wild oats to sow.”
“These are so good,” Marshall says, stopping to stand next to Conrad. “I think I might ask her to marry me. Can you imagine living with someone who can create these?” he asks. There is a light in his eyes that tells me he’s picking a fight, and he’s going to get one.
“Fuck off. She’s taken.”
“And then there were two,” Marshall says dramatically.
“Go.” I laugh, waving them out of my doorway. “I have work to do.”