“Most physical therapists have debunked that belief,” he said, giving her a tender smile. “What helps is a soak in warm water, and a good night’s sleep to relax those muscles. So, for now, let’s dance.”
“What about music?” she asked.
A smile tilted his lips. “I’ve got it right here. My playlist,” he said, taking his phone out of his jacket pocket to start the music. It was a song by Adele.
Gently, he pulled her into his arms and whispered close to her ear, “Dancing with you has been on my “to do” list for a while now, Kelly.”
She looked at him. “We’ve danced together before. At the weddings.”
“Yes, and I’ve enjoyed it immensely every time. But this time, I’m looking forward to doing it in private, without a lot of eyes on us.”
They danced to at least four songs on his playlist, and he savored the feel of her in his arms. He took the liberty of touching her wherever she allowed, which was basically wherever he wanted, while intermittently kissing her. During the last song, he couldn’t resist kissing her longer, deeper, andbefore he knew it, they were both aroused. He loved her taste, her scent, and her ability to make him appreciate being a man. Most importantly, he loved every moment he spent with Kelly. He loved touching her. He loved kissing her. He loved being with her. He loved her.
When he ended the kiss and dance, he said, “I was able to get tickets to the Adele concert for Saturday night.”
She blinked, stunned. “You did? Did you know I’m a big fan of hers?”
He chuckled, hearing excitement and happiness in her voice. “That’s what I heard. And before you ask, I’m not giving up any names. Sebrina and Parker are flying in to join us. I understand that she’s a big fan of Adele, too.”
Kelly chuckled. “She is. A few years ago, for Sebrina’s birthday, Monica, Kennedy, Victoria, two of their other cousins – Lauren and Cody, and I flew to London to attend an Adele concert with her. It was amazing.”
“I’m sure this one will be amazing as well.” Placing another kiss on her lips, he said, “Come walk me to the door.”
“And you’re sure you want to leave, Colton?”
“No, I don’t. But I refuse to be a greedy ass where your body is concerned. Since there’s nothing on our schedule for Friday, how about if we spend a few hours at Coney Island?”
“I would love to if you can wait until after noon. I have a meeting with my team that morning.”
“No problem. I can use that time to talk to Lake. He’ll be back in Orlando for the next few weeks, then he has to leave again,” he said.
“I understand his daughter and niece are making quite a name for themselves on the international tennis circuit.”
“They are. In fact, the media refers to them as the next Serena and Venus.”
Before opening the door to leave, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her again. With luck, all her dreams tonight would be about him.
CHAPTER 14
“Please direct your attention to the flight attendants in the cabin. For everyone’s safety, regulations require your compliance with all lighted signs, placards and crew member instructions…”
Kelly heard the announcement on the airline’s PA system, but at the moment, something else had caught her attention--the gorgeous man sitting beside her on the plane. Colton Masters had made her time in New York more enjoyable than she could imagine. And the concert had been the perfect way to end such a glorious trip. It had also been good to see Sebrina and Parker again. The couple seemed so happy together. In a few months they would move from Minnesota to Florida. Parker, a neurosurgeon, would become the youngest chief of staff at a hospital there. Sebrina, a heart specialist, would be working at the same hospital. Kelly was happy for them both.
Monica and Sebrina’s brother, Michael Ethan Henry Bennett, Jr., who everyone called Mike, had decided to attend the University of Minnesota in St. Paul. That meant the house, Kennedy, Victoria, Monica, and Sebrina, all lived in at one point, wouldn’t be empty for long. Mike was also brother to their cousin Kennedy since her father, Michael, had married Monica and Sebrina’s mother, Taye. As a result, the Bennett cousins shared the same brother.
Kelly remembered Monica telling her about the scandal in the Bennett family regarding her mother Taye, and their cousin, Michael. Michael had been adopted into the Bennett family asa baby. And after he moved back to Georgia with his daughter Kennedy, he and Taye discovered they loved each other.
Even though Michael was a Bennett through adoption and not blood, the family had been in an uproar. There were some who felt it was wrong for Michael and Taye to even think of being together because, in the family’s eyes, regardless of no blood connections, they were cousins. It had taken the two elders of the family, Taye’s grandfather, Ethan Bennett, and Michael’s grandfather, Henry Bennett, to decide if the two could marry.
Ethan and Henry had called a family meeting. There’d been a lot of discussion, but in the end, they gave Michael and Taye their blessing. In honor of the two men, Michael officially changed his name to add Ethan Henry as his middle name, becoming Michael Ethan Henry Bennett. In the end, love won.
Kelly glanced at the man sitting beside her. Thanks to Colton, she found out how great it was to give herself some downtime. Giving herself a break hadn’t made her any less focused on her job, but it had made her feel less mentally drained. She awoke each day feeling more energized and well-rested than she had in years. Of course, that could also be because she’d been spending most of her downtime in Colton’s bed.
After touring several school districts and meeting with the superintendents on Thursday, they’d returned to their hotel room, ordered room service, and then stripped each other naked. After eating while dressed in the complimentary bath robes, they had watched a Tyler Perry movie on Netflix. Then they had made love all through the night.
They had shared breakfast together Friday morning before she returned to her hotel room. She had a Zoom meeting with her team and Colton had arranged to have a conference call with Lake.
That afternoon, they’d gone to Coney Island and she’d had the time of her life. The last time she had been to an amusementpark was when she and her mom had gone to Disney World, right after her parents’ divorce. They’d gone on so many rides, and the rollercoasters hadn’t even phased her mom. After that weekend in Orlando, Kelly no longer wondered who she’d inherited her daring, adventurous ways from.
