KIT POV
"Ok, I need a cup of coffee, and I need it strong." I said as I walked into the local diner the next morning. My best friend Amanda, who was working behind the counter, laughed as she set and empty mug in front of me.
"Big day?" she asked while she turned around to grab a fresh pot of coffee before proceeding to pour me a cup.
"Today starts the first day of hell." I exaggerated as I added sugar to my coffee before taking a sip.
"This wouldn't have to do with the new tall, blonde, and handsome that now works at your ranch, would it?" Amanda asked as she leaned over the counter toward me.
"I, literally, embarrassed the hell out of myself when he showed up at the ranch yesterday. He came speeding up the driveway on his bike yesterday when I was finally riding Aengus…"
"Oh, that's right! You said that you were going to do that yesterday. How did that go?" she cut me off.
"I fell… because Aengus spooked." I finished as I drank down the rest of my cup.
"Uh oh. Please don't tell me that you got all… stubborn and moody afterward." She said, pouring me another.
"Yes, and I feel so terrible about it. He probably thinks I am a complete bitch now." I responded with a groan and leaned my forehead on my hand.
Amanda patted my shoulder in comfort as she looked up when the door chimed behind me. Instantly she straightened up before saying, "Well, I guess we will find out now."
"Wha…" I began to ask as I turned around but I stopped when I saw who had just walked in the door.
Steve was looking around the diner and when his eyes finally met mine, he made a beeline for me. When he got to where I was sitting, he gave a small nod in Amanda's direction before speaking to me.
"Good morning, Kathryn. Your father got held up in his meetings this morning so sent me out here to pick you up and take you back to the ranch." He explained, in a rushed manner. I could tell he wasn't sure how I would react to him and I cursed myself, once again, for letting my temper get in the way yesterday.
"Yeah, sure. I'm just going to finish up this cup of coffee and then I will be ready." I said as I gestured to the seat next to me. Steve took a seat next to me and Amanda turned her attention to him. I knew my father was meeting with the bankers this morning and the fact that things were taking so long was starting to make me worry. Maybe our financial problems were worse than my dad was letting on.
"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked.
"No thank you, Miss…?"
"Amanda. Berkshire. Kit's best friend and confidant." she introduced herself holding out a hand for him to shake.
"Steven Rogers." He said as he returned the handshake
"So, Steve, since you just got into town, you probably don't know about the party tonight." Amanda said cheerfully.
I finished off my second cup of coffee quickly before setting my payment down on the counter. "Shall we?" I asked Steve as I stood up, preventing Amanda from saying anything else. "Thanks, Amanda." I added pointedly.
"Sure, Kit. I'll see you tonight. Nice to meet you, Steve."
"Nice to meet you, ma'am." He nodded before following me out.
When we stepped outside of the diner, I looked around for the sardine can that I had thought Steve would have driven into town. Steve stepped over to his bike and I froze in my steps. It wasn't until he was holding a helmet out to me that he noticed my hesitation.
"Is something wrong?" he asked with honest concern.
"I just didn't expect…"
"The bike." Steve finished and I nodded. "I'm sorry. I didn't even think…" he began to mutter but I stopped him by grabbing the helmet and placing it on my head.
"It's okay." I said with a small smile as I fastened it to my head. "So… now what?" I asked.
"Uh… well…" Steve stuttered as he pulled on his own helmet before climbing on the bike. "Just… climb on behind me."
I climbed on behind him and hesitated putting my arms around him as he started the bike.
"You're… you might want to hang on…" he said over the hum on the motor.
I loosely wrapped my arms around his chest but as soon as he began to move the bike, my grip tightened instantly. As I felt the rush of the bike beginning to speed up, I closed my eyes in fear. I could feel Steve's muscles beneath his shirt and I had a hard time swallowing the lump that was forming in my throat. Steve was well built… at least it felt like it. The steady pulse in his chest helped me relax and I slowly opened my eyes. Fields were rushing by us as we sped along the road that took us home and before I knew it, we were pulling into the front yard.
Steve turned off the bike and I climbed off from behind him and took off the helmet as he removed his own. "Thanks." I said as I passed it back to him, a small smile on my face.
"You're welcome." He said returning my smile. "Kathryn, I really am sorry about yesterday." He apologized.
"Actually, I should be the one apologizing. I'm not always the best at controlling my temper. It was unfair of me to snap at you." I responded as I crossed my arms in front of me, grabbing my elbows and kicking at the gravel beneath my feet.
"No apologies necessary, ma'am." Steve said reassuringly.
"Right… well… I have chores I need to get to." I stumbled out awkwardly as I gestured to the barn behind me. "Thanks for bringing me back." I added as I turned around and walked off.
I had only made it a few steps when I thought about what Amanda had said earlier. "Hey, Steve?" I called over my shoulder as I turned my head to look at him.
"Yes?"
"There's a party tonight out at the old bar in town. You should come… I mean, if you want to."
LATER THAT NIGHT
"Staring at the door isn't going to make him magically show up." Amanda spoke loudly as she placed a fresh pitcher of beer on the table before climbing onto the bar stool across from me.
"I know. I just feel bad that I left him with so many chores to do." I practically had to yell across the table at her as the music in the bar was blaring.
"You seriously need to just chill out and have a good time, Kit. He will show up eventually." She replied, flipping her blonde locks over her shoulder before pouring me a beer.
I took a small drink from my cup as I gazed around the bar. Amanda and I had snagged a table near the back where we could avoid the main throng of the crowd. Many of the other party goers were beyond drunk and I was glad that Amanda and I were not further into the crowd. There would definitely be plenty of gossip to circulate around town until the next party. Despite my eyes roaming the party, I hadn't noticed Steve walk into the bar until Amanda snapped her fingers in my face.
"Earth to Kit. Come in Kit, are you there?" she was saying as my attending was drawn back to her.
"Hmmm?"
"Your wonder boy has finally arrived." She said as she gestured her head to the door.
Sure enough, Steve had walked in, wearing a dark blue t-shirt and a pair of old jeans. Our eyes met and I smiled before holding up my beer in greeting. Steve began to make his way to our table but his path was blocked by none other than the Mayor's daughter, Alyssa Hanley.
"You know, I wonder if there will ever be a day when Alyssa doesn't try to sink her raptor claws into a new guy." Amanda muttered as she took another sip of her beer, watching as Alyssa ran one of her well- manicured hands down Steve's chest.
"Well as the daughter of the Mayor, it is her responsibility to welcome everyone to town." I responded, mocking Alyssa's high, nasally voice.
Amanda snorted into her beer, "You imitate her so disgustingly well that sometimes I am terrified of you."
I laughed as my eyes flicked back to where Steve was still deep in conversation with Alyssa. With a sigh, I ran my right hand through my hair, my fingers getting caught in a few of the tangles. Leave it to Alyssa to ruin someone's night.
"You know, all it would take is one guy to reject her to bring her down a peg. I guess no guy is immune to her charm." I said with a hint of disappointment in my voice.
"Oh. My. God. You like him!" Amanda exclaimed when she noticed how my mood had changed.
"You're drunk." I responded in defense. Steve had only been here a little more than twenty-four hours, there was no way I had any interest in him.
Or do I? I wondered as my eyes wandered back to him. I couldn't deny that he was good looking and he seemed like a decent guy, but I hadn't had very much interaction with him to say whether or not I liked him.
"Oh please, I have hardly had anything to drink." Amanda responded but dropped the subject instantly.
A guy approached our table as a new song began to blare in the bar. "Could I interest you in a dance?" he asked me, his blue eyes roaming up and down my body before meeting mine. He made me uncomfortable.
"I don't…" I began but Amanda cut me off.
"Yes! She would love to!" she exclaimed as she pulled my arm from across the table, making me stand up. I glared at her for putting me in this position.
With a sigh, I downed my beer before placing my cup on the table and allowing the guy to pull me out to the dance floor. I didn't recognize the guy as anyone from town as I held him at an arms distance while we danced.
"My name is John." He said as he pulled me closer to him his hands slowly beginning to inch their way down my back.
"Kathryn." I said, not meting his gaze.
The song ended and another song began, the heavy bass thrumming a suggestive rhythm. I don't know how, but John managed to pull me even closer to him, his hands grabbing my ass. Disgusted, I tried to pull his hands away from me but he held on tightly.
"Please, let go." I said, still struggling to move his hands. Instead, he brought his mouth down to my neck and began kissing me.
"Come on. You know you want it." He said as he tried to kiss me but I turned my face away from him.
"No, I don't. Now let me go." I said with more force but he still would not budge.
"I don't think I will." He said with a sinister smirk as he grabbed my chin and turned my face so that I couldn't move it.
Slowly, he leaned in and placed a kiss on my lips that I held tightly together. I struggled against his arms but his grip was not relenting. My heart began to beat faster, I was both angry and scared that no one was paying any attention to the situation. I just wished that someone would notice what was going on and help me. Where the hell was Amanda?
My wish was granted as I felt John's hold on me broken. I found myself being protectively blocked by a muscular arm. Glancing up to my side, I saw Steve, a calm look on his face as he addressed John.
"I believe she said no." he spoke evenly. "You should just leave."
"Who are you to tell me what I should do?" John spat at Steve.
"That does not matter. When a lady says no, you respect that."
"She liked it." John said with a smirk as his eyes met with mine as if challenging me to say otherwise.
"Amanda, will you take Kit to gather her things?" Steve addressed Amanda as she had appeared at my side out of nowhere.
I felt her arm around my waist as she guided me back to our table as if I were a child. Glancing over my shoulder, I could see that John had moved until he was chest to chest with Steve. However, no matter how close he got, he couldn't measure up to Steve. Not only was Steve taller than him, but he was obviously more muscular. The music had stopped and the entire population of the bar was silent as they watched the scene unfolding in front of them. Tonight would not end well.
Steve must have said something that John didn't like because the next thing I knew, John's fist was flying at Steve. I used my hands to cover my eyes and waited for the sound of the punch landing but it never did. Peeking through my fingers, I saw that Steve had caught John's punch and now had his arm pinned behind his back. He guided him to our table and as they neared, I took a step back, not wanting to be any closer to John.
"Apologize to her." Steve instructed.
"I'm sorry." John said bitterly.
"Say it like you mean it." Steve said forcefully.
"I am sorry for not respecting your personal space." he said through clenched teeth.
With a nod, Steve released John's arm as he pushed him back into the crowd. "Are you ready to go?" he asked, turning his attention to me.
"Yes." I said softly. I gave Amanda a small smile before I followed Steve out of the bar, whispers following us the entire way.
The music had started up again as we exited the bar and I followed Steve over to his bike in silence. Not another word was spoken as we took off into the night and back to the ranch.