Love Remotely: An Unexpected Series Short Story (The Unexpected Series) Read online

  We talk for a few minutes, until I hear the bathroom door swing open, revealing a very sexy Kyle. His navy swim trunks leave nothing to the imagination, with his naked chest on full display. Not that I have to imagine what’s under them. I lost my virginity to him our senior year of high school. Yes, we were young, but I’m glad it was him, not some random hookup.

  “Like what you see, Kenz?” He waggles his eyebrows at me, and I chuckle.

  “Nope.” I pop the P, and I stand to my feet before grabbing my bag with my towel and keycard.

  “Liar,” he mumbles before swishing a mouthful of Listerine. I feel bad that I’m dragging him to the pool after a busy day of traveling. Between the layover and both flights, I know he has to be exhausted. “Ready?” He pulls the room door open and I walk out to the hall.

  I feel like I should pinch myself to see if I’m dreaming, but I don’t want to make an idiot of myself.

  We spend the next couple hours switching between the pool and the hot tub. It’s surprisingly not busy tonight, so we’re able to have a conversation without the shouts of little kids interrupting us. I love all of my brothers, but I don’t know how Dad and Sierra do it with all the endless chaos.

  “Want to go grab something to eat?” Kyle asks as he shakes his hair out once he steps out of the hot water. Dear God, he’s so delicious to look at. His muscled arms and chest would bring any living, breathing thing with a vagina to their knees. At that thought, I remember all the nights we spent together under the sheets. Me on my knees, him in between mine, and him making slow, sweet love to me.

  Once I snap out of my lust-filled memories, I finally answer him. He grins at me, and I’ve obviously been caught ogling him.

  “We could just order room service instead. I’m sure you’re tired after traveling all day.”

  He hands me my towel after I climb up the few steps. “I’m up for anything, but that sounds good.”

  Forty-five minutes later, I’m putting moisturizer on my face when there’s a knock on the door. The damn butterflies that I always used to experience around him take up residence in my stomach.

  “Hey,” I say breathlessly as I pull the door open. My mouth nearly hits the floor at the vision of him. He’s dressed in a burnt orange polo and brown khaki shorts. Simple, yet delectable. Although, no matter what he wears causes me to get a major lady boner.

  He pushes on my chin to close my mouth.

  “You’re gonna catch flies, Kenz,” he whispers in my ear before he pushes past me into my room, leaving me standing in the doorway.

  I take a few deep breaths, trying to calm my inappropriate thoughts, before turning to him.

  We order room service… him a double cheeseburger, and me, a Cobb salad. I’m not one of those girls who only eats healthy in front of guys, but a salad really does sound good right now.

  Once we’re both finished eating, Kyle throws both of our trash away, before plopping back down and grabbing for the remote.

  “Want to watch a movie?”

  I’m thrilled that he doesn’t want to run off to his room. Before today, I hadn’t talked to him in a couple months. I have no idea what he’s been up to besides school and working at his dad’s car shop. Does he have someone new? No, surely not if he came all this way to be with me, right? I shake the thought out of my head, not wanting to go down that road, at least not with him sitting beside me.

  We settle on a Will Smith movie. We always watched things like this when we were together, and I like to think that that’s a good sign. But am I even ready for a relationship again? I broke up with him because we didn’t want the same things. No, that’s not right. I want the same things he does, but I’m not capable of giving him the life that he wants or deserves. Thank you, Jasmine.

  When we finish the movie, he starts to get up, but I grab his arm.

  “Will you stay with me?” I feel ridiculous asking the question, but I really don’t want to be by myself tonight. Especially knowing he’s in the same building I’m in.

  “You sure?” He eyes me.

  “Yeah, I just don’t want to be alone. You can have the bed.”

  He shakes his head. “No way. Go do what you need to.” He signals toward the bathroom. “I’ll sleep in that big bed beside you, and promise not to touch.” He winks, causing my panties to nearly melt. They clearly haven’t gotten the memo that I shouldn’t be having these feelings for my ex-boyfriend. But my heart hasn’t either because I feel like I’m falling in love all over again, and I’m not sure I’ll be able to do anything to stop it this time.

  5

  “So, uh…” I start as the Ferris wheel takes off, ascending into the air.

  “What’s up?” He crosses his ankle over his other knee and turns to look at me before pushing a stray hair behind my ear.

  Last night was one of the best I’ve had in a long time. Since we broke up. He stayed all night with me, and as he promised, didn’t touch me, but we stayed up until two talking about anything and everything.

  “Never mind.” I shake my head, embarrassed with the question that’s been at the forefront of my mind.

  “No way,” he whispers in my ear, and I shiver at his nearness. I’d love more than anything to lean into his mouth, capturing it with mine, but we’re not the only ones in the car.

  I scoot to the corner of our bench, as far as I can get from him and sigh heavily.

  “I was just wondering if you had moved on since we broke up.” There, I said it. And now that the words are out, I can’t take them back.

  He looks like he’s just been slapped on the face by my words. “Are you serious right now?”

  I shrug. “I mean, it’s fair to ask, isn’t it?” Hope rings through me at the way he reacted to my question. Hope that he is indeed single still. I should have known better, but I had to ask.

  He shakes his head. “Yeah, I guess, but do you honestly think I would have flown out here to be with you if I had another woman at home warming my bed?” The thought of him with anyone else makes me cringe, but I’m relieved by his answer.

  “No.” I look up at him. “But I wouldn’t blame you if you did.”

  He scrubs his hands down his face, and I can see the frustration he’s clearly feeling. “Kenz,” he starts, “the day you told me you didn’t want the same things I did was honestly one of the worst days of my life.”

  I can feel my throat clogging with emotions.

  “I’m sorry. I hate that I made you think I didn’t want those things.”

  He tilts his head in question. “I thought that was why we broke up. Because you didn’t want to settle down.”

  “I…” I clear my throat. “I wanted those things, and with you, but I was scared.” I’ve never told anyone this before. Jess knows that I’m still in love with him, and never understood why I broke things off with him, but this is the first time I’ve voiced exactly why I was scared.

  “Scared of what, Kenz?” he asks in a gentler tone. “It’s okay to not be ready, but you pushed me away. I would have waited until my last dying breath for you.”

  “That’s the thing!” I say, louder than I should, and I see the people across from us turn their heads at us in annoyance. I ignore them, only able to focus on the man beside me. “I didn’t want you to stick around for me, because you deserve better.”

  He shakes his head, not understanding what I’m saying. “I don’t know why the fuck you think that, but that’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard in my life, Mackenzie Harris.”

  I smile at his usage of my full name. I’m usually Kenz or Kenzie to him, but I don’t care what he calls me.

  “What if I’m just like her?” I whisper my biggest fear to him.

  “Who?” He shakes his head, but then realization is evident on his face. “Jasmine,” he says matter-of-factly. He’s always been more than open about his feelings about the woman who was supposed to love me unconditionally, and I loved him even more for it. “Kenz, you are nothing like her, and never will be.
Do you hear me?” When I don’t respond, he continues, “You have the biggest heart of anyone I’ve ever met, and you don’t have an evil bone in your body.”

  “My dad thought that of Jasmine too.”

  “Come here.” He wraps me in his arms, and I finally feel like I’m where I belong again. He kisses the top of my head, and I melt into his touch. “I can’t predict what the future will bring, but I do know that if we love each other like I know we once did, anything is possible.”

  I stare up into the blue eyes I could easily get lost in and feel something I haven’t in the year I’ve been away from him.

  “I still love you.” I pause and see the megawatt smile he always used to give me. “I never stopped.”

  He doesn’t let me say another word, his mouth landing on mine in a crushing kiss that nearly makes me lose my breath. It’s definitely far from friendly, but I don’t care. I forget that we’re not alone and get lost in him. I wish we weren’t on this damn ride but back in my bed— this time under the sheets, and both naked.

  We pull away from each other to catch our breaths, and he grabs my face between his big, calloused hands. Hands of a man who has worked hard for everything he has.

  “Damn, I missed you.” He pecks my lips. “Please tell me you want this as bad as I do.”

  “More than anything. But I’m going to need you to be patient with me.”

  “Thank fuck.” He captures my mouth again, and then seconds later, we’re on the ground. “Let’s get out of here.”

  I don’t think I’ve ever been happier in my life, and for the first time, I have my mother to thank for that. If she had shown up at the airport to get me the other day, he wouldn’t have been brought back into my life.

  Moments later, we’re walking along the boardwalk when he pulls me off to the side, letting other tourists pass us.

  “What are you doing?” I ask as I look up at his eyes that match the ocean.

  He grabs the sides of my face, and the look on his is nothing but awe.

  “I love you, too.” He bends down to my level, his wet lips meeting mine. This kiss is full of tongue and promises of what the future holds.

  6

  As soon as we’re through the door to my room, Kyle pushes me against it, kissing along my neck.

  “God, I can’t get enough of you,” he mumbles into my hair.

  “Mmm,” I moan in response, which encourages him more.

  He slightly lifts my shirt, caressing my stomach, which causes goose bumps to erupt all over my body. I don’t think I could ever possibly get enough of this man.

  He pulls away and stares into my eyes. “Kenz, I want you so fucking bad right now, but if you’re not ready, we don’t have to do anything.”

  I grab his hand, ignoring his words, and lead him to the king-size bed that sits in the middle of the room. I lightly push at his chest, encouraging him to lie on it, and he does as I want.

  “What are you doing?” he rasps out, which causes the pulsing between my legs to intensify.

  I once again ignore him but respond by unbuttoning his pants, slowly dragging them down his toned legs. I pull his shoes off his feet before ridding him completely of them. I straddle his body with mine and cup his hardness through his boxer briefs and am immediately gifted with a sharp inhale of breath.

  “Kenz, you’re killing me.”

  I chuckle as I make my way toward the hem of his shirt, lifting it up his delectable stomach. He helps me by sitting up so I’m able to pull it over his head, leaving him only in his underwear.

  I pull myself from the bed, taking in his delicious, god-like body.

  “I’ve missed you so damn much,” I’m nearly losing my resolve.

  He stands up, meeting me at the foot of the bed, and pulls me into his arms. I instantly melt into his embrace.

  “Don’t cry, baby. Everything is fine now.” He uses the pad of his thumb to dry my face, and I grace him with a small smile.

  I sniff. “We were about to sleep together for the first time in a year, and I just ruined it, didn’t I?”

  “You absolutely did not ruin anything. You’ve had a lot happen in the last couple days. I would be more worried if you weren’t a bit emotional.”

  “Thank you.” I pull away from him. “Thanks for still wanting me.”

  He doesn’t respond with words, but instead, grabs my face and his mouth descends on mine. I fall against him, and the only reason I’m able to stand is because he’s holding me.

  “Make love to me?” I ask softly as I stare up at him.

  “You sure?” He strokes my hair and I lean into his touch.

  “Yes. I’ve never been more certain of anything.”

  He leads me back to the bed, and this time, he’s in charge. He removes my clothes, leaving me only in my baby blue bra and panty set.

  “God, you’re beautiful.” He straddles me, caresses my side with his thumb, and then stares down at me with longing in his eyes. “Kenz, once we do this, there’s no going back for me.”

  I nod, not needing to tell him with words how I feel. I would much rather spend the night showing him exactly how much I want this with him.

  He stands only long enough to pull his boxers off, releasing his hard cock from its confines. My God, he’s just as gorgeous as I remember. Before he joins me again, I take my panties and bra off in record time, not wanting to wait another second before he’s in me.

  “I don’t have any condoms.” He hovers over me, worry on his face.

  I rub my hand along his short stubble. “I’m clean, and I’m still on the pill.”

  “I’m clean too, there hasn’t been anyone since you.” He looks away as if he’s embarrassed, and I feel a pang of guilt shoot through my chest.

  He’s always been able to read me like a book, so it doesn’t surprise me when he notices. “Kenz,” he says and pecks my lips. “It’s okay.”

  “I’m sorry. I was trying to get over you, but it didn’t work.”

  “I’m glad.” He kisses along my neck and his hardness slides through my wetness, causing me to pant beneath him. If he doesn’t stop teasing me, I’m going to erupt like a volcano.

  “Please,” I beg.

  Without saying anything else, he sits up a little so he can see his length disappearing inside me, and it’s the most erotic thing I’ve ever seen.

  “Oh, God!” I chant, encouraging him to move, and thankfully he takes the hint.

  “Fuck, baby. You feel just like I remember.” He bends down, taking one of my nipples into his mouth and then the other.

  Once he pops the hardened bud out of his mouth, he sits back on his haunches, and pulls my legs farther apart, giving him access to reach even deeper inside of me.

  He looks down at me with nothing but love and desire in his eyes, and I hope this image of him is what I get to look at for the rest of my life.

  “I’m gonna come.” I pant, and he strokes at my juices and tweaks one of my nipples with his other hand.

  “Do it, Kenz,” he says as he leans into my ear, “I want to see you lose control.”

  His words are my undoing, causing fireworks to explode behind my eyelids. I’ve never come so hard in my life, even when we were together before.

  “Open your eyes,” he demands, and I do as he requests.

  I’m still coming down from my orgasmic high when he pumps one last time into me, followed by a string of curse words that fly from his mouth. He’s always been very vocal during sex, and this time is no different.

  Once he’s emptied himself, he collapses on top me, careful not to hurt my much smaller frame.

  “God…” is all he says, but I feel the same way.

  “Yeah.” I sigh in contentment.

  He looks down at me and smiles.

  “I’ll give you an hour, and then I want to do that again.”

  I swat at his naked chest, the best I can from our position and chuckle.

  I don’t know how I ever thought I could possibly live without th
is man.

  7

  “How’s the shop?” I ask as we stroll along the beach. The sun is starting to go down, and there aren’t many others around tonight.

  He strokes his thumb along my hand as we sink our feet into the wet sand. I’ve always loved the beach. I was terrified to swim in the ocean as a kid and preferred drawing pictures in the sand and watching the tide sweep them away.

  “It’s good. Dad took on a new intern who’s been doing all the office work, which frees up a lot of our time.”

  “That’s great. How’s your mom doing?” Dana was always so sweet to me and included me in family things when my dad was busy with work and couldn’t be home.

  He smiles as he looks off into the water. “Good. Although I think she may be planning our wedding as we speak.”

  I stifle my laugh. His mom always wanted us to get married.

  “I told her not to be crazy.”

  I gasp. “You didn’t! She just wants you to be happy.”

  “I am, but if you don’t want to get married, I’ll take you in any way I can have you.”

  I stop, causing him to halt in his tracks. I watch our footprints drift away as the water sways in front of us.

  “I want to get married.”

  He turns to me, shock on his face. “What?”

  “I want that. I want to get married and have lots of little Kyles running around our yard.”

  He steps closer to me and grips my head between his hands as I stare up at him.

  “I’ve only been here with you for two days. You don’t have to decide that now.”

  “No. I’ve always wanted that. I think it just took you coming back to me for me to pull my head out of my ass.” He chuckles and then an absurd idea crosses my mind. “Let’s get married before we go home.”

  As soon as I say the words, he shakes his head at me, and I sigh in defeat.

  “Kenz, there’s no hurry. If you still feel the same way in a year, I’ll bring you back here and give you a beachside wedding if that’s what you want.”