Chapter seven
Lenny sat staring at the kitchen door, struck dumb by what had happened....again. Only this time it had been even more intense, at least for her. Kevin, though, had looked as if he had hated every second of it, almost like he had found it disgusting. She pressed a hand to her mouth and sighed, wondering what was wrong with her. Had she absolutely no control over her body? she wondered, because it certainly didn't seem like it. Not that she could recall ever feeling like that before, but still. She sighed again and stood up, pleased to find her legs felt a little more steady now, and then she went about clearing up the incredible mess the flour had made. At least the work would keep her mind occupied, she hoped.
Rachel walked in just as she was sweeping the last of the flour out of the back door. "Everything okay in here now?" she asked, smiling.
"Yeah, it's all cleaned up," Lenny muttered, blushing again at her own clumsiness.
"Well, I wasn't actually talking about the mess," her sister-in-law said. "I was talking about you."
Lenny looked at her and shrugged, giving a sigh. "Oh, well, I'm okay."
"Are you sure? You look a bit....odd."
"No, I'm fine," Lenny said again, looking down at herself. "I guess I'd better go and get changed."
Rachel nodded, lifting lids of pans and stirring. "I guess you should. Sam went to get Kevin, so he'll be back soon and dinner won't be much longer either."
"Kevin...? He's....he's coming back?"
"Well, yes, we did invite him to dinner." She looked at the younger girl and smiled gently, seeing the way she fidgeted nervously. "Will you be alright with that?"
"I guess so," Lenny mumbled, thinking that she'd be anything but. She gave a small smile and made her way upstairs, nervous of the coming meal and wondering how to act in front of Kevin now he had kissed her twice.
*****
When Lenny returned downstairs, dressed now in a loose summer dress that it really wasn't warm enough for, she heard voices and realised Kevin had returned. She hesitated in the hallway and wondered whether or not to go into the living room, but she couldn't quite pluck up enough courage. Instead, she went back into the kitchen, seeing Rachel clattering around in there getting things out of the oven ready to serve up.
"Need help?" Lenny asked quietly, instantly starting to do things before Rachel had answered.
"It's all ready, we just have to get it on the table, and get that apple pie in the oven," the older woman said, giving Lenny a sidelong glance and then smiling. "Feel okay now?"
Lenny shrugged. "I guess."
"Think you'll be able to sit at the same table as Kevin and not feel like running away?" she murmured.
Lenny frowned at that and swallowed the lump of fear in her throat. "I don't know," she admitted softly.
Rachel glanced up at the odd tone and her face softened with sympathy. Lenny looked hopelessly confused and almost threatened by the way Kevin had been acting. "It'll be fine, don't worry," she said reassuringly. "Come on, let's get these things on the table and then we'll call them in."
Lenny complied with her orders and they set the table. She moved about restlessly as Rachel called the men in and then she found herself sitting down next to Kevin, closing her eyes briefly when she realised the damage she could do at this one meal. Her hands were already shaking and she knew that if she picked anything up it would end up all over her or him or everybody else. So as everyone started serving themselves, she sat there chewing her lip, wondering how she could get out of this without eating anything.
Sam looked across at her and his lips pursed, a knowing look in his eyes as he watched her dilemma. Kevin saw the look and glanced at Lenny, wondering why she hadn't put anything on her plate yet. "Aren't you having any?" he asked, frowning at the way she turned huge eyes on him and then quickly looked away again.
"I...er....I guess so..." she trailed off as she felt all eyes on her and her cheeks flushed prettily. She knew they would think something was wrong if she didn't serve herself, so she reluctantly stood up and spooned a single potato onto her plate, relieved when it stayed where she had put it. She risked a second one and that also stayed put, so she started putting some vegetables on as well, then some meat, sitting back with a relieved sigh when she was done. She glanced quickly up at her brother and saw him trying to smother a grin at her actions, and she gave him a glare as she reached for the gravy. Even that didn't spill anywhere it shouldn't and she felt slightly more relaxed as she began to eat. Until she tried to cut one of the potatoes and it shot off her plate and landed on Kevin's, making his own huge puddle of gravy slop over the edge of the plate and splatter on his shirt. He looked down at himself in surprise and then his eyes speared into hers accusingly. Before he could say anything he noticed the way she was staring at the small mess with utter horror and he finally realised how nervous she was. His mouth quirked into a smile and he glanced pointedly at his plate. "I already had enough potatoes, but thanks for the offer," he murmured, using his fork to pick it up and placing it back on her dinner. "Besides, I don't need the extra weight."
Sam smothered a laugh and so did Rachel, trying not to stare at Lenny's by now bright red face as she struggled to retain her composure. "I'm sorry," she murmured in Kevin's general direction, not meeting his eyes and fixing her own firmly on her dinner. She carefully ate some of her food, hardly making a dent on her meal even though it had been small to begin with. Everybody else ate theirs with gusto, although Kevin kept watching her, a fact she was uncomfortably aware of. When the others had finished, she got awkwardly up and grabbed her plate, carrying it out into the kitchen and putting it on the counter before anyone could say a word.
Kevin watched her go and frowned again. "She hardly touched her dinner," he murmured, looking troubled.
"She was probably worried she'd end up making more mess, I expect," Sam said, shaking his head and sighing.
"Yeah, but she didn't eat anything," the bigger man continued, his eyes going to the doorway where Lenny had disappeared. "Do you think she's okay?"
Sam stared at his friend in silence, his head cocking to one side. "You seem pretty concerned about her well-being," he said slowly, studying Kevin's expression.
"She seemed a bit nervous," he said, narrowing his eyes and then looking at Sam. "Is it me?"
"Making her nervous?" Sam asked and then smiled, nodding his head. "Yeah, but then, you know that already. And you know why."
Kevin stared down at the table briefly and then frowned again, his lips twisting thoughtfully. He shoved his chair back from the table and stood up, walking towards the door without saying a word.
"Honey, shouldn't we stop him?" Rachel whispered, watching as the big man disappeared through the doorway. "Lenny's feeling shell-shocked enough without..."
"It'll be okay," Sam murmured, taking his wife's hand. "In fact, I think it'll be pretty interesting around here from now on."
"Yes, but Lenny..."
"Charlene needs something to liven her up a bit, and I think Kevin's that something. He's attracted to her, whether he wants to admit it or not, and she is to him as well. I won't let him hurt her," he reassured her. "I just want her to live a little."
Rachel smiled and nodded. "Her life has been a bit dull lately," she agreed.
"Hmm, I have a feeling it won't be for much longer," Sam said, grinning at the thought.
*****
Lenny was standing in the kitchen gazing out of the window, her mind blank. She had checked on the apple pie and when she found it wasn't ready, she had stayed put, not wanting to go back in there and make a fool of herself again. So caught up in feeling miserable was she that she didn't hear Kevin come into the room and move to stand behind her, not until he spoke and then she almost collapsed from shock.
"Why didn't you eat your dinner?" he asked abruptly, watching her swing around to face him, a frown on his face as he caught her eyes.
"What?" she gasped out, trying to take a step backwards even though there was no room.
"I said," Kevin said, a slight smile tilting the corner of his mouth, "why didn't you eat your dinner?"
"I...didn't...er...I wasn't hungry," she said quietly, taking a side-step to try and get past him. His hand shot out and grabbed her arm, stopping the movement.
"Not hungry, or not comfortable in my company?" he asked, raising one eyebrow.
Lenny swallowed hard and looked down at the big hand gripping her upper arm, the fingers closed completely around it where they were so long. She swallowed again and then frowned, summoning up some anger and glared up at him, far more comfortable with this emotion. "Choose one," she said sullenly, watching as his smile disappeared and his eyes narrowed.
"You're in a fine mood," he said quietly, cocking his head to one side as he studied her sulky face. His eyes ran unconsciously down her body, seeing the way the material skimmed her curves and made her look petite and feminine. Her hair was cascading over her shoulders and down her back in a long silky curtain, and he frowned, wondering why he hadn't noticed these things about her before.
"Gee, I wonder why," she muttered between her teeth, trying to pull her arm away from him when she saw the way he was looking at her.
"Now, now, little girl, better watch your tongue. Sarcasm can get you in deep trouble," he said with a raised eyebrow, a half smile tilting his lips again at her anger. "After all, you only have yourself to blame if you don't like my company. You did invite me to dinner."
Lenny's mouth fell open. "No, I didn't! Rachel and Sam did, I would...never..." she trailed off as he bent over, his face getting closer to hers and her eyes widening.
"You would never...what?" he asked softly, moving in the inch needed to press his lips to hers, his eyes closing as soon as the contact was made.
Lenny's own eyes closed as he kissed her again, and she felt herself go boneless as his arms closed around her, his tongue stabbing deep into her mouth and tangling with hers. His hand lifted and tangled in the endless silk of her hair, gripping it and using it to tilt her head to an angle that suited him. She heard a faint moan come from his throat as he explored her warm mouth, but she couldn't lift her eyelids to look at him, caught up in the dizzying sensations flowing through her as he held her close to his enormous body.
Kevin frowned as the noise left his throat, and it drew him back to sanity somewhat, giving him the strength to end the kiss and pull back to look at her. He couldn't help smiling at the dazed expression she wore. It was something he had seen before, on many women's faces, but it had nearly always been faked for his benefit. Lenny was totally different. He was quite sure that she didn't know her own name right now, and his smile widened when her eyes drifted open and stared at him drowsily. As reality intruded on his own dreamy state, the smile left his lips and he frowned again, realising that he had just kissed her yet again. He sighed and closed his eyes, letting his arms fall to his sides so she could get away from him. He felt like a dirty old man when he thought about the difference in their ages. He was twenty years older than her, for God's sake. But none of that made any difference when she was close to him, and he wondered how he would be able to keep his hands off her now he knew what she tasted like, what she felt like as he held her. Without even trying, she was sexier than any hundred women he had ever met, and it troubled him deeply that he couldn't control himself.
When he opened his eyes he saw that she had withdrawn to the other side of the breakfast bar, keeping it's width in between them like it could protect her if he really wanted to go at her.
"I think I'd better go," he murmured, guilt written clearly on his features, making Lenny frown.
"Why?" she blurted out, her eyes slightly misty.
Kevin raised his eyebrows and gave a small smile. "Why? You really need to ask?"
"Sam will wonder where you went," she said lamely, finding herself reluctant to see him go, where only a few short minutes ago she had wished him anywhere but here. "He won't want you to leave."
He studied her for a long time, his eyes narrowing on her flushed face. "And you? Don't you want me to leave?"
She shrugged, not looking at him. "I don't...I'm....you haven't had dessert yet."
He felt his heart suddenly beat faster and frowned again at his unstable emotions. "I guess I would like some apple pie. After all," he said, smiling and his eyes twinkling as he looked at her, "I've already tasted one of the ingredients."
When she realised he was referring to the flour and not her, she gave a hesitant smile, ducking her head. "Yeah, I guess you did. Why don't you go and sit down and I'll bring it in."
He nodded and moved to the doorway, looking back at her briefly before disappearing out of the kitchen.
Lenny breathed a sigh of relief and chewed on her lip. Why hadn't she wanted him to go? She didn't even like him....did she?
****Bit short, I know, but I have SO many stories going on right now.....it's hard to keep them seperate sometimes!! Anyway, hope you are enjoying it so far!****
