Finding Kyle(18)

Kyle moves to the Adirondack and sits down with a sigh. He leans over, pulls a beer from the bag, and gives a slight grimace. “You have shit taste in beer.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers,” I reply softly as I watch him open the bottle.

“So, you just thought you’d come over and share a neighborly beer with me, huh?” he asks, and I feel like that’s amusement in his voice. And that’s very nice, because he normally speaks in short, clipped tones that are completely lacking any humor. In fact, that could be the longest sentence he’s ever said to me unprompted.

I reach into the breast pocket of my cardigan and pull the money out. Sliding my hand across the table, I hold it out to him. “Actually, I came by to give you your fifty dollars in change for that ridiculous painting you bought from me.”

He ignores the money and looks out over the ocean. “I told you to keep the change, and it’s not ridiculous.”

“Kyle,” I say in exasperation as I wave the money at him. He refuses to look at me. “It’s a ruined painting. It should go straight into the garbage. I feel terrible—”

“Look, sunshine,” Kyle growls as he turns and pins me with a fierce glare. “I’m not in the habit of throwing my money away. I bought the fucking painting because I liked it and I wanted it. It’s hanging over my goddamn mantel right now if you don’t believe me.”

My jaw drops as I just stare at him in disbelief. First, because he sounds pissed and that scares me just a bit. But secondly, and more importantly, because he actually hung that stupid thing up. I mean, I just thought he was being chivalrous, but maybe he’s being more than that.

“And put your fucking money away,” he snaps at me as his gaze goes briefly to the fifty dollars in my hand before coming back to me. “And let me drink my damn beer in peace.”

“God, you’re grumpy,” I mutter as I tuck the fifty dollars back in my pocket.

I don’t miss the fact his lips curve upward over my sentiment.

We sit in silence for a few moments as we sip at our beers and watch the ocean. But I didn’t come here to just sit quietly. And I really didn’t even come here to make sure he got his change. I came here to try to learn more about him, and I did so on the hope—slim as it may be—that since he was so enraged over what Craig had done to me, that perhaps he’s not as cold as he seems. Clearly, he has some capacity to care, and, unfortunately, that made me more curious about him than ever.

It also made him superiorly more attractive as well.

“So, bet you’re wondering what the deal was with that guy, huh?” I ask out of the blue to make conversation.

“Not really,” Kyle mutters before taking another swig of his beer.

I ignore that comment. “Well, it turns out we have a very sordid past together. We were together and really in love. Engaged to be married. But he got me involved in drugs. Soon after that, it was petty theft. My life was just spiraling—”

Kyle’s head snaps toward me, his eyes narrowed. “You’re fucking kidding me, right?”

“Yes,” I say teasingly. “I’m just kidding, but it proves to me that you’re at least interested enough to listen to my ramblings.”

“Nutty as a fruitcake,” he mutters, but his lips are definitely tipped upward as he turns back to the ocean.

And because he’s at least listening, I do tell him the truth. “Actually, we broke up a long time ago, but he just can’t stop being an asshole around me. I mean, I caught him cheating with that tramp, yet he has the gall to be pissed at me for breaking up with him. How’s that not the definition of insanity?”

Kyle doesn’t respond for a moment, but then he says in a low tone, “I imagine his insanity is in the fact he cheated on someone like you with that tramp.”

And wow… just wow. That was really nice. And sweet. His voice was all kinds of sexy with that deep rumble, and it really sounded like he meant it.

I want to hear more, so I prod him. “You can’t say that. I mean… you don’t really know me or anything.”

“Know enough,” is all he says, which does nothing to continue to stroke my bruised ego.

“Well, I know absolutely nothing about you,” I say, taking the opening that he just gave me. “Except that you were born in Maryland.”

To my immense surprise, he asks, “What do you want to know?”

“Are you married?”

“Nope.”

“Ever been married?”

“Nope.”

“Do you speak in more than one-word sentences?”

“Sometimes.”

I giggle and then ask, “Okay, serious question… how old are you?”

“Thirty-four,” he says, and then actually extends his sentence. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-six,” I tell him, pleased he’s interested in something about me personally. “I’ll be twenty-seven in November.”

“A babe,” he says gruffly.

“Not really,” I disagree with him primly. “I know things.”

For the first time, Kyle gives me a genuine smile as he turns to me and asks, “Oh, yeah? Like what?”

“Hmm,” I ponder thoughtfully, tapping my index finger against my chin. “Well, you’re a very interesting guy. You’re dark and mysterious. Reclusive yet very intriguing. I’d say you’ve got a haunted past, and I’m kind of drawn to that.”