Overcoming Fear (Growing Pains #2)(10)

Krista spared him a glance as she ducked around a tree and crossed the grass.

“Excuse me, gentlemen,” Sean said, hating that he sounded like he was going to make a play. Realistically, he was going to try and talk to her and hope she didn’t give him a straight arm and take off running. That woman could embarrass the most confident of men.

As Sean was closing in, Krista noticed, having her hesitating for a brief minute, causing his chest to constrict in worry that she really would straight-arm him. Instead, miraculously, she slowed to let him catch up.

“This was the California I was longing for,” she said, falling in step with him toward the house.

“Then why are you heading indoors?” Sean asked, slowing the pace.

“Because I am under the impression Ray wouldn’t look too favorably on me peeing in his bushes.”

Sean laughed and slowed to a stop, facing her. She gave a quick glance to the sliding glass door that led inside, and stopped with him. She was barely staying relaxed, Sean could see the tension worming its way into her shoulders. But she was holding. She was giving him an in.

“So… you tricked me,” she said into his dumbstruck, focused gaze.

“Did I? How’s that?” Sean couldn’t stop looking at her mouth. He wanted to kiss her so bad he was having trouble thinking straight.

Krista must have noticed it, but for a wonder, she didn’t back away. “You said this was a work function.”

“Not true. I said I wanted Ray to meet your friends.”

“You tricked me into a date.”

Sean took a step toward her, watched her chin tilt upwards to meet his eyes, then stepped around her to lean against the wall. He very nearly pulled her back to rest against him, but knew that would be too far.

“Is that what this is? A date?”

She studied him for a moment. Analyzed. Checked out his posture, looked at his mouth, then shifted her weight. He was trying to stay neutral. Trying not to scare her away. But he wanted to pounce. He couldn’t help it.

She lost her fluidity of movement but stopped herself from taking a step back. “Trickery is the devil’s playground, and the Water Closet awaits.”

Sean backed off immediately. “The water closet, huh? Do you need a treasure map to get there?”

Krista grinned. Her eyes flashed, “I’m not sure I’d want to find the type of treasure that hangs out in a bathroom!”

He laughed with her. “Good point. Listen, I wanted to tell you—if you aren’t going to pee your pants that is—that Ben wasn’t trying to expose you earlier.”

Krista lost her smile as she looked away.

“He wasn’t thinking about psychiatry when he was painting,” Sean continued. “He was just going with the flow of his own brain. He didn’t realize it might embarrass you.”

Krista stepped closer and leaned back against the wall next to him. “You are talking like I haven’t known Ben for nearly a year and a half.”

“I just didn’t want you to think we were plotting against you. I know it wasn’t really me depicted.”

“It was.”

Sean looked at her in surprise.

She smiled at the scrutiny, “It was you. You have this smell about you—“

“Oh yes, the stink.”

“—that reminds me of the ocean.” Krista paused. “Truth?” Sean waited. “Yes, you did make me nervous when I first met you, okay?” She laughed and pushed away from the wall, “I know you’ve figured that out, don’t try to look all shocked.”

Sean chuckled, “I wasn’t sure until Ben told me about that painting.”

“I know. I realized that. It’s just…” Krista looked out towards the pool. “I don’t know. I gotta pee.”

Sean watched her walk away. It was a quick exit, followed by Ray’s quick entrance.

“Don’t look now, but there are two over-protective friends plotting an accident you won’t walk away from.”

Sean smiled and refrained from looking. “Told you.”

“She’s loosened up around you.”

“Ben painted this…truly remarkable painting. I offered to buy it before I was told, in so many words, that it was Krista’s internal struggle against falling for me.”

Ray turned to him slowly, not quite sure what to say. In fairness, Sean did sound slightly insane.

Sean smiled and told the whole story—everything Ben had relayed, including how long it took, the slow realization of what all the pieces meant, and all the things he alluded to, like Krista’s past being somewhat dark and disturbed.

“So she has been purposely steering clear in order to avoid repeated past mistakes…” Ray said quietly. “She’s a smart girl.”

“You don’t need to rub it in.”

“Her hesitancy is good for you. Always getting what you want was never good for anybody.”

“So you keep saying.”

“But you wanted the picture before you knew it was her?”

“It’s not a picture. It’s an abstract painting. There are no real images, or faces, or…abstract Ray. Like the one you have in your hallway. The purple one.”

“Oh. Huh.”

“Why did this not sound crazy when Ben was describing it?”