Secret Santa (14 page)

Kenna froze the moment Will's fingers
touched her cheek. It was so gentle she thought maybe it hadn't
happened, but she saw Will's eyes lock onto her lips and felt her
own part in response. His hand fell to her shoulder and pulled her
to him. He smelled like the outdoors and freshly cut grass. She saw
him bend his head towards hers, and as he angled his head, she
closed her eyes.

Suddenly, from behind her closed eyelids,
the world became bright. And it wasn't from the kiss she'd been
expecting. Kenna opened her eyes and saw Will's face inches from
hers. "We're totally busted," he said to her and winked.

Kenna looked around and found that the
porch, which just seconds ago had been romantically lit by the
moon, was now awash in bright lights. The front door opened and out
came Miss Lily with her broom. Ignoring the couple on the porch,
she started sweeping, "Don't mind me and finish saying your
goodnights. I just saw a leaf I wanted to take care of before the
morning. Oh, and William, I expect you to say good-night like a
gentleman. There's no hanky panky on my porch until you're
officially courting." And with that, she started sweeping the
imaginary leaf to the edge of the porch. The bright lights did
nothing to hide Kenna's fierce blush of embarrassment. But Will
didn't seem similarly affected. Instead, he leaned down again as if
to kiss her goodnight on the cheek. She backed up, not wanting to
suffer another embarrassment in front of Miss Lily. Thwack! Miss
Lily's imaginary leaf had apparently landed on Will's perfect
bottom because Miss Lily smacked it again as Will laughed out
loud.

"I was just seeing if you were paying
attention, Miss Lily." Will laughed, holding up his hands up in
surrender.

"Sure you were, young man, now scoot." Miss
Lily, standing on the porch in an old yellow bathrobe, used her
broom to sweep Will off the porch as he chuckled and waved
good-night to Miss Lily and Kenna.

"Now, young lady, I know they play 'em fast
and loose in New York. But that isn't how it's done here. Now, come
inside before you catch your death," Miss Lily said as she shooed
Kenna inside. "And you tell me all about your night out with young
William," she added with a wink to Kenna.