“Emma, it’s okay,” Kyle said, hoping he sounded reassuring. She was clearly starting to panic and people were looking at her, including one guy in his sixties who leered at her chest. “I’m sure I have something in the car you can cover up with, and hey, we don’t even know that our clothes are missing. What are the odds?”
But the odds were not in their favor. It figured. As organizers bustled around trying to sort out the situation and quickly process people whose possessions were intact, it became clear that they were two of about forty people whose bags had disappeared. Kyle felt more than a little annoyed now that he had confirmation it was their stuff, and now that he had time to think about it. Those were eighty-dollar jeans in that bag, plus his favorite blue T-shirt, which chicks said brought out the blue in his eyes.
It was kind of like when the airline lost your luggage or the dry cleaner stained your favorite dress shirt. But those were accidents that all fell under the umbrella of Shit Happens.
This was a nutter intentionally trying to ruin their day. Or rather, Ian Bainbridge’s day. So if Kyle wanted to look on the bright side, this would make his column that much more interesting. Not to mention, he begrudgingly supposed, this would be an entertaining story to tell for years to come. He might even find it funny, later, when he’d showered and his eyelids weren’t crusty with paint.
A couple of people were furious, shouting at the volunteer staff, but most just grumbled and wrote down their information for the organizers. The police were called, but Kyle had no intention of sticking around until they showed up. Emma had been ogled enough for one day. He had the sneaking suspicion that if he didn’t get her home soon, she was going to have a meltdown of epic proportions. For a woman wound tighter than a top, she was holding it together remarkably well, but he suspected she had just about reached her limit, given the way she was bouncing on the heels of her feet and tearing the flesh off her lower lip with her teeth.
“I can’t believe this!” she exclaimed for about the tenth time.
“I’m actually surprised it’s never happened before,” Kyle said truthfully as they exited the tent and headed to his car. “I mean, it doesn’t seem like it would be that hard, and it’s definitely disruptive, which was clearly the goal here.” He gestured back to the distraught crowd still in the tent.
“It’s ridiculous,” she snapped. “Who does something like that? It’s just...childish.”
“It’s actually criminal. I wonder if they have any chance at all of catching them. Presumably it’s the same woman who caused trouble at the other shoots, but it’s not like there are security cameras anywhere around here anymore. This steel plant is a ghost town.” Kyle picked his way carefully across the old parking lot, watching where he walked. “Careful, there are all kinds of glass and gravel lying around.” He looked at Emma’s bare feet. “Do you want me to carry you?”
“You’re barefoot, too,” she pointed out. “And you don’t need me crushing you deeper into the pavement.”
“My feet are callused. I won’t feel it. But yours look delicate.” They did. Emma had her toenails painted red, and her feet were smooth and unblemished. They were filthy from the warehouse, but he could tell she got frequent pedicures, and she was clearly no athlete. Emma screamed workaholic. Given the lushness of her curves, he liked to imagine her lounging around on a chaise pinup-girl style in her spare minutes, instead of attacking a ball in an adult soccer league. But what did he know? Maybe she made flag football her bitch on Saturdays.
“I don’t really think anything about me is particularly delicate,” she said. “But I do love a good pedicure.”
Kyle imagined her soft foot sliding down his leg. Bending down, he cleared his throat and presented his back to her.
“Hop on.” Now that the image of her lounging on a sofa in her garter belt had popped into his head, Kyle really wanted her to lounge on him.
“I’m only wearing underwear, Kyle. There is no way I’m hopping on your back. Come Monday, we do have to work together in an office setting.”
As far as he was concerned, Monday didn’t exist. There was only today, and a parking lot full of broken glass. “We’re not in the office right now, and you seriously should not be walking in this.” He sincerely did not want her to get hurt, but he had to admit, he also wouldn’t mind her legs wrapped around his waist.
“It’s fine.” She indignantly took a step forward and immediately winced. “Ow. Damn it, I just stepped on a rusty nail.” Using his arm for leverage, she leaned down and inspected her foot. “Good thing I’ve had a tetanus shot. Gross.”
Kyle fought the urge to roll his eyes. “I offered you a solution.” He couldn’t help but point that out again.
She made a face at him. “These are my choices? Step on a rusty nail or wrap my painted legs around you while I’m topless?”
Kyle grinned. “Doesn’t sound like a hard choice to me.”
Emma flushed. “You know what I mean. I’m no Skinny Minnie, by the way. Are you sure this is a good idea?”
He couldn’t prevent himself from glancing at her breasts again. She had all the right stuff in all the right places, as far as he was concerned. “I think you’re perfect. And don’t insult my manhood. I can carry a woman.”
“I think we’ve discussed your manhood enough already today.” Emma glanced around at the other people who were picking their way across the parking lot. No one was paying the slightest bit of attention to the two of them, despite their lack of street clothes. “Okay, fine. But we’re never going to mention this again. Ever. I don’t want to hear any cracks about it today or any day hereafter. Got it?”
“Got it.” Later, he would wonder why the thought of her hopping onto his back had him so excited. Right now he just wanted to enjoy it. “Well, if a piggyback ride makes you uncomfortable, I’ll just pick you up.”
He did just that, before Emma could change her mind. Leaning over, he scooped her up into his arms while she gave a squeal of shock.
“Kyle!”
“Yes?” Oh, man, he was in heaven. Or maybe he was in hell. Because the feeling of Emma in his arms was so amazing and yet, he wasn’t going to be able to do anything about it. Or was he? Emma seemed to be warming up to him. Maybe with a little more effort, and the right circumstances, he could find himself feeling more of the delicious curves he’d been treated to all day. He bounced her a little to adjust her in his arms, her skin against his, her breasts perilously close to his own chest, her hands reaching up automatically to entwine around his neck to stabilize herself.
“Nothing,” she said, eyes wide, green lips parted in an expression of shock.
Kyle gazed at her briefly, well aware of how enticing the curve of her backside was as it bumped against his waist. Her mouth was close enough to his that he could simply lean forward and kiss her. Would that fall under the same rules as him carrying her? If he kissed her, would she allow it as long as he didn’t mention it on Monday? Or would she yank away and end up crashing to the ground?
Better not chance it.
He made his way to the car without incident, though he couldn’t say he exactly enjoyed walking barefoot across ancient gravel. He was starting to feel like he was back in college. This whole scenario was remarkably similar to a frat party where he’d gone Jell-O diving with a date and had wound up handcuffed to a chain-link fence.
Hmm. He could hope for a better ending here.
Setting Emma down, he retrieved his keys and beeped open the passenger door.
“Thanks for driving me home,” she said as she climbed in.
“No problem. I probably have something you can, you know, cover