She leans toward me a few inches, then seems to realize what she's doing and straightens.
“I can't.”
And … a knockout in one punch.
“You can't?”
God, I should shut up. She said no. I should take that hint and spare myself further misery, but I don't. Because there's something in her eyes, the way she tracks my movements just as obsessively as I do hers. I remember how vulnerable she'd looked that night when I'd started asking questions about what had happened to her earlier. I see that same vulnerability in her now, and I think she's hiding. I think that's why she said no, and I'm just enough of a masochist to attempt changing her mind.
“You should,” I say. “You should go out with me.”
“Oh, I should, should I?” Her tone sounds offended, but there's the barest tilt at the corner of her mouth that gives me hope.
“You should. You see, I know me. And I'm a pretty fun date.”
“I'm sure you are.”
“I'm also a good kisser.”
“And how do you know that?”
I step closer, closing the distance between us, until she has to tilt her head up to meet my eyes.
“I've been told once or twice,” I say. “Would you disagree?”
My eyes drop to her lips, and her tongue peeks out for just half a second, wetting her bottom lip.
“Wilder.”
I close my eyes. It's surreal hearing her say my name again. I'd never thought it would happen.
“Kalli,” I return.
Our eyes meet again, and that vulnerability is back tenfold. She looks scared. Of me? And before I know what I'm doing, I've reached up and skimmed my fingers along her cheek. I want to comfort her, take away whatever it is that has her worried. For a moment, she turns into my touch. Soft, warm skin against my calloused fingertips. I keep my touch light even though I'm dying to tunnel my fingers into her hair and taste that full mouth again.
Then she pulls away, and practically dives into the dressing room before shutting the curtain between us. I groan and press my forehead into the wall between the two rooms. This is all going so wrong, and I don't know how to make it right. What the hell is wrong with me?
I don't hear Lennox return until she says from just over my shoulder. “Hate shopping that much, do you?”
“No, it's not … it's nothing.”
She surveys me for a moment; then her eyes flick to the curtain separating me from Kalli. She presses her lips together in contemplation. Then Gwen comes running out with her chosen dress in her hand.
“That's the one?” Lennox asks.
Gwen's nod is vigorous.
“You don't want to try on any of the rest?”
She shakes her head. “Kalli says this one is special.”
Lennox's eyes shoot back to me.
“Okay then. Let's get you two checked out.”
I don't want to go to the front register, but I don't have much of a choice. Lennox is walking away with Gwen's dress, and I'd look a little crazy waiting outside Kalli's dressing room just so I could talk to her again. So with one final glance at the closed curtain, I head toward the front.
While Lennox rings us up, she asks, “So. Do you know Kalli?”
“We've met before. But I don’t think I’d say I know her.”
Unless knowing the way she tastes counts. And the way her back arches when she comes. The little panting breaths she makes when she’s almost there. I know those things. Fat lot of good it has done me today.
“Tell me about it. Girl has more secrets than Lost. She's hard to pin down.”
So it isn't just me then.
Lennox moves to slip a plastic garment bag over Gwen's dress and says casually, “You should come to Christmas at my place.”
“Uh. I'm sorry. What?”
“Not like … alone or anything. Jesus, I'm not crazy. I'm having an Orphan Christmas for all the people who can't afford or don't want to visit family. Kalli will be there.”
“Really?”
She nods with a knowing smile. “Took me days of prodding to get her to agree to come.”
I’m tempted. So damn tempted.
“I can’t. I’ve got family stuff.”
“So come after. We’re doing a big pot luck dinner, and then we’ll probably stay up late drinking and playing games and watching terrible holiday-themed movies.”
“Yeah?”
In answer, she prints out some extra receipt paper from the register, grabs a pen a writes down her address. We exchange numbers, too. “In case you have any issues,” she says.
She holds the paper out to me, and I take it. “Are you going to tell Kalli I’m coming?”
She scoffs. “Yeah, right. I do know one thing about that girl, and it’s that she goes out of her way not to let anyone too close. And I’m just about ready to strangle her for it. But I think you’re probably a more preferable option.”
“So, you’re helping me? You don’t even know me.”
She shrugs. “I don’t see a lot of dudes come here with little kids. And of the ones that do, there are two kinds. The ones who would give anything to be somewhere else. And the ones who are here because they would give anything for their little girl.”
“She’s not mine,” I remind her.
“Still applies. Even more so considering you’re her brother. I have a brother. A good brother, but I guarantee he would never take me shopping.”