Kisses In The Sand: Blame It On The Kiss Part 22

"She's everyone's kind," he said proudly, resuming their stride. "And there she is." With a few more steps they reached her.

"Grandma, this is Honor Mitch.e.l.l. Honor, my grandmother, Ruth Bishop."

"Honor." She took Honor's hands in both of hers. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"You, too."

"Your gown is resplendent." She held onto one of Honor's hands and lifted it up and out to the side.

"Thank you. I bought it in a small boutique. The owner designs and makes dresses and this is one of them. Your dress is also stunning."

His grandmother lowered their arms and gave a little wink. "We both like a little sparkle."

The smile Honor gave his grandmother did a number on his insides. "We do."

"And what is this?" Grandmother turned Honor's wrist over and narrowed her eyes at the tattoo. "Faith. I like that. Does it have special meaning?"

Honor's eyes flicked to his for a charged moment. "It does. It was my best friend's middle name."

"Was?"

"Grandma."

"It's okay," Honor said. "She pa.s.sed away almost a year ago."

Bryce put his hand on the small of Honor's back even though from the strength of her voice, she didn't need any comforting.

"I've been thinking about getting a tattoo myself," his grandma said, a twinkle in her eye. "One of those cute skull and bones, I think."

"Not the bada.s.s one?" Bryce teased, used to his grandmother's youthful vim and vigor.

"Don't tempt me, mister."

"Excuse me, Mrs. Bishop? A quick word before we begin?" said the woman Bryce thought was head of public relations for the foundation.

His grandmother smiled warmly at Honor. "Excuse me, would you? We'll talk more during dinner." She cast Bryce a quick look of affection-and approval-and took her leave.

"I like her," Honor said with tenderness.

"I'm pretty sure she loved you." He watched Honor's eyes widen just enough for him to know his use of the L word affected her. "So listen, I'd like another date with you after this."

She swallowed. He did, too. Her brother stood between them, knots of uncertainty deep in his gut, too, but he was powerless to stop himself from asking for more.

"I want to keep seeing you. I want to learn everything about you and have lots of amazing, sweaty s.e.x." d.a.m.n, her blush turned him on. "I want to go places, do things, see the world through your eyes, too. What do you say?"

"I..." She took his face in her hands. "Okay."

His new favorite word. He grinned. From somewhere over his shoulder, he heard his name being called. They broke apart, and he led her toward their table.

Danny, Zane, Liv, and Sophie were already sitting. His parents walked up at the same time as he and Honor. Bryce made introductions, his mom gushing over the Roseville pottery Honor had helped select. His father cornered him about work, asking questions Bryce didn't have all the answers to yet, but that felt strangely okay.

During dinner he and the guys talked sports while Honor and the girls talked other stuff. They ate, laughed, shared stories.

And whenever possible, Bryce held Honor's hand under the table.

Honor couldn't ever remember feeling so much a part of something. Sitting with Bryce and his family and friends-her friends too-a sense of belonging filled her. These people didn't know about her past, they knew her present, and their interest and kindness made her feel good. Made her feel like she was good.

As everyone finished their flourless chocolate cake, her stolen conversation with Sophie after dinner last night flitted through her mind.

"I'm so far from mastering who I am, Soph. How can I possibly be good to someone else?" Honor had said.

"You're good to everyone," Sophie answered.

"Not all the time. I eventually screw up."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"Yes you do."

Silence, then Honor said, "How do you know?"

"How do I know you know or how do you know?"

"This is one of those moments where you've gone way over my head, Ms. Smarty Pants."

"I know you know because we can all answer the question, why? It's just a matter of being honest with yourself."

"Bryce deserves someone who doesn't have to ask why."

"You should let Bryce decide what he deserves. I personally think it's you."

"I'm terrified that I'll hurt him."

"So don't."

"He wants babies."

"He told you that?

"Did you see him tonight?"

"You don't want kids one day?"

"I don't know," Honor said frustrated. "I don't know anything right now."

"Mr. Bryce Bishop," said a disembodied voice over a microphone. Honor let her recollection go.

Bryce gave her hand a squeeze and flashed that amazing smile of his before standing. Applause filled the ballroom.

He stood at the podium so handsome and confident. Sincerity sounded in his every word. Compa.s.sion. Grat.i.tude. Honor couldn't take her eyes off him. All night he'd been carefully attentive with subtle touches and whispers in her ear. He'd included her in conversations, asked her opinion on things, praised her.

His gaze landed on hers once again, and she imagined starting every day looking into those gorgeous dark pools.

I love you.

No, no, no.

Yes, yes, yes.

She did. She loved him.

In all honesty, she'd loved him the second she'd laid eyes on him. But getting stuck in a closet with him had sealed her ultimate fate. She blamed his kiss. One touch of his lips on hers and he'd cast a spell she couldn't break.

He ended his speech and returned to the table. Pride overflowed inside her like a living, breathing thing. She couldn't help but lean over and kiss his cheek, which freaked her out. Because his family and friends watched them.

Sophie touched her arm. "I'm not feeling very well so Zane and I are going to head out. I'm a.s.suming Bryce will bring you home?"

All of a sudden the weight of Honor's realization brought her blood flow to a crashing halt. Her palms got sweaty, her face burned. Her breath came at an abnormally rapid rate. She needed air and time to think.

"Actually, I'm not feeling that great either. Would you mind if I caught a ride with you guys?"

"Of course not."

"Hey," Bryce said softly. "Everything okay?"

She turned to face him. "Yes, but I'm feeling a little out of sorts so I'm going to head home with Sophie and Zane."

"I'll take you."

"No." She put her hand on his thigh. "You should stay."

Disappointment marred his handsome features and she felt horrible for lying. But if she didn't hurry and leave there was a good chance she'd blurt out her affection for him and she didn't want to do that.

She wasn't sure she'd ever have the courage to do it.

Bryce watched Honor walk away with Zane and Sophie and his heart hurtled to the back of his throat. She had made his evening better. She made every minute of every day better. And even though he wasn't sure he could trust her not to break his heart, he didn't care.

She'd kissed him in front of everyone. That had to mean something.

So she'd run.

He understood her fear. h.e.l.l, he felt it, too. His self control took a nosedive when he stood anywhere near her.

His parents and grandmother wrapped him in compliments and said their good-byes. "She's a keeper," his grandma whispered in his ear. The Bishop matriarch held the best judge of character of anyone he knew and he murmured back, "Thanks."

Not "I think so, too," because he didn't want to get his grandma's hopes up. Or his own.

"Bar," Danny said. "We're not through with you."

"Now," Olivia said, hooking his arm.

The two of them had always teamed up. He could say no, but they wouldn't listen.

They sat at a tall, round c.o.c.ktail table in the dimly lit bar. A waitress stopped to take their order. "Three vodka tonics," Danny said.

"You got it, sugar." Her southern drawl drew a smile from his friend. Danny was a sucker for a girl with an accent.

"d.a.m.n." Danny watched her walk away.

Olivia rolled her eyes. And that's all it took to get the compet.i.tion on. They'd played the accent game countless times before, and Bryce was grateful for the distraction. Danny started with his best attempt at an Irish brogue. It sounded like he needed to be put out of his misery. Liv laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes. She nailed a Bronx accent next. Bryce did his Crocodile Dundee. They kept at it until a guy sitting at the next table ambled over and declared Liv the winner. He also asked for her phone number. Danny told him to get lost. Serious American accent.

An hour later they were home. Liv took Danny's room, Danny the couch. Bryce thrashed around in bed as sleep eluded him. He couldn't get Honor out of his head. He sat up and lifted his phone from the bedside table.

Legend says when you can't sleep at night it's because you're awake in someone else's dream, he texted to Honor. She probably wouldn't see it since it was well after midnight. But she'd wake in the morning and know he'd been thinking of her.

Shame we're both awake then, she texted right back.

He smiled at the phone. Something had shifted in her eyes tonight while he'd stood up on stage and he'd wondered if she'd changed her mind about them dating. If it was emotions she wanted to hide from, then fine. He'd stick to their physical connection. Anything to keep her close for as long as possible.

A d.a.m.n shame since I know exactly what I'd be doing to you in dreamland.

Oh? What's that?

Bryce's pulse picked up. Other parts of him tightened as he pictured Honor naked in her bed. How about you pretend your hands are my hands and I describe in detail what to do with them?

Only if you play too.

He pushed the covers off his overheated body, more than ready to play. Two seconds later she answered her phone practically before it rang.

"Honor's Hidden Pleasures. How may I serve you?" His smile grew impossibly wide. Her soft s.e.xy voice made him ache. Her playfulness relieved his worry about the two of them.

"Take off everything you have on," he instructed, his tone gruff.

"Yes, sir."

Bryce had no idea how much time pa.s.sed, so absorbed in Honor and their dirty talk that it did feel like a dream. They were in perfect sync, hit the mark and came at the same time. Her gasps of pleasure kept him semi-hard.

"Best dream ever," she said in a soft, s.e.xy voice.

If only they didn't have to wake up.