He doesn’t say anything, just cocks an eyebrow at me through the screen door.
I tilt my head to the right, indicating the beer on the table. “I’m commandeering your back porch. I’m going to drink a few beers and enjoy the amazing ocean view that’s blocked by your house when I’m on my front porch. Join me if you’d like.”
I don’t wait for an answer, just turn and serenely walk to the furthest Adirondack chair from the door. I ease down into it and perch my feet on the bottom of the porch rail, tucking my skirt in around my ass so it keeps my legs covered.
I have no clue what Kyle will do. If I go on past experience, he’ll shut the door, lock it, and ignore me. But I can’t worry about that. I truly am here to borrow his ocean view and drink a few beers because I fucking deserve them after what happened with Craig earlier.
Reaching into the plastic grocery bag, I nab a beer and twist the top off. I’m not a big beer drinker, and most definitely not a connoisseur, so I went with Miller Lite because it was on sale and I don’t have all the money in the world. I would normally be drinking wine, but in deference to Kyle, who does not seem like a wine drinker, I bought beer.
I’m surprised when I hear the screen door open with a creak. I turn my head to the right to watch Kyle step through. Sadly, he put clothes on his upper body—a white t-shirt with a red-and-gray flannel shirt over it. Same thing he was wearing a little over an hour ago when he rescued me from Craig.
Kyle moves to the Adirondack and sits down with a sigh. He leans over, pulls a beer from the bag, and gives a slight grimace. “You have shit taste in beer.”
“Beggars can’t be choosers,” I reply softly as I watch him open the bottle.
“So, you just thought you’d come over and share a neighborly beer with me, huh?” he asks, and I feel like that’s amusement in his voice. And that’s very nice, because he normally speaks in short, clipped tones that are completely lacking any humor. In fact, that could be the longest sentence he’s ever said to me unprompted.
I reach into the breast pocket of my cardigan and pull the money out. Sliding my hand across the table, I hold it out to him. “Actually, I came by to give you your fifty dollars in change for that ridiculous painting you bought from me.”
He ignores the money and looks out over the ocean. “I told you to keep the change, and it’s not ridiculous.”
“Kyle,” I say in exasperation as I wave the money at him. He refuses to look at me. “It’s a ruined painting. It should go straight into the garbage. I feel terrible—”
“Look, sunshine,” Kyle growls as he turns and pins me with a fierce glare. “I’m not in the habit of throwing my money away. I bought the fucking painting because I liked it and I wanted it. It’s hanging over my goddamn mantel right now if you don’t believe me.”
My jaw drops as I just stare at him in disbelief. First, because he sounds pissed and that scares me just a bit. But secondly, and more importantly, because he actually hung that stupid thing up. I mean, I just thought he was being chivalrous, but maybe he’s being more than that.
“And put your fucking money away,” he snaps at me as his gaze goes briefly to the fifty dollars in my hand before coming back to me. “And let me drink my damn beer in peace.”
“God, you’re grumpy,” I mutter as I tuck the fifty dollars back in my pocket.
I don’t miss the fact his lips curve upward over my sentiment.
We sit in silence for a few moments as we sip at our beers and watch the ocean. But I didn’t come here to just sit quietly. And I really didn’t even come here to make sure he got his change. I came here to try to learn more about him, and I did so on the hope—slim as it may be—that since he was so enraged over what Craig had done to me, that perhaps he’s not as cold as he seems. Clearly, he has some capacity to care, and, unfortunately, that made me more curious about him than ever.
It also made him superiorly more attractive as well.
“So, bet you’re wondering what the deal was with that guy, huh?” I ask out of the blue to make conversation.
“Not really,” Kyle mutters before taking another swig of his beer.
I ignore that comment. “Well, it turns out we have a very sordid past together. We were together and really in love. Engaged to be married. But he got me involved in drugs. Soon after that, it was petty theft. My life was just spiraling—”
Kyle’s head snaps toward me, his eyes narrowed. “You’re fucking kidding me, right?”
“Yes,” I say teasingly. “I’m just kidding, but it proves to me that you’re at least interested enough to listen to my ramblings.”