We Could Be Amazing (3 page)

Kiona sat up straight. “Are you serious?”

“I am.”

She regarded his profile, her heart responding with one glance. His handsome face drew her hands, but she resisted. Ridge appeared staid now, but she’d seen him let go and have fun plenty of times when they were dating. He took his role in his family’s software business very seriously and forgot that life wasn’t all business. She had thought she’d like reminding him for the rest of their lives, but things hadn’t turned out that way.

When they arrived in Poulsbo
,
Kiona took in the Christmas décor. Even without the sun shining and no snow on the ground, there was something magical about Washington State at Christmas time. “I just realized I missed Christmas in the Country.” She’d read up on the event, which happened at the end of November and into the first couple of days of December. Visitors to the island were given a map that detailed all the participating vendors—from people with home-based businesses and entrepreneurs, to artists, authors, and musicians. One could travel from place to place to see historic cottages and farms. Bainbridge Island might not house as many people as the big cities, but there were some charming homes not found in other places, or so she’d read. That wasn’t even mentioning the shopping for unique handmade items.

“I think you’re better off missing it, at least when it comes to my family home,” Ridge informed her.

She wrinkled her nose. “What do you mean? I’ve seen your parents’ house. It’s beautiful.

Ridge chuckled. “Not that. It’s Mom. She gets into it a little too much, proudly giving a speech to every unsuspecting visitor who stumbles onto our property about how far back the Fosters go and how we were one of the founding families.”

“Yeah, don’t put me down for that,” she snarked. “Were you?”

He frowned as if not understanding, and then his brow cleared. “I don’t know, but does it matter when it comes to her?”

“I guess not.” Rarely did she hear him criticize his mother. Ridge often defended her, telling Kiona the woman meant no harm, when anyone with common sense knew she did. The subject remained one of her bones of contention with him even after they split.

After Ridge parked, Kiona hopped from the car and pulled her coat tighter around her. She turned to get Alex, but Ridge had already begun unbuckling him. Alex jumped to the ground and shouted “Birds,” about to run toward the wharf. Ridge caught him. “Let’s walk up this street first, little buddy.”

Kiona watched her son to see if he would complain, but he fell into step with Ridge, taking huge steps to match his dad while holding Ridge’s hand. Her heart constricted. Alex had missed his daddy. Guilt about insisting on staying closer to her hometown and her family rocked her not for the first time. She needed to think more about Alex and what he needed.

Shop windows were trimmed with spray on snow, wreaths or candles, and blinking lights. Beyond were some nativity scenes and Mrs. Claus knitting, waiting for Santa’s return. When Kiona heard music, she searched for the source and found a group of men with assorted instruments playing on the sidewalk. She marveled at one belting out tunes on a real upright piano. The area was known for the artistic type, and this proved it.

“KeyKey, come here and look at this.”

Kiona turned at Ridge’s deep voice, and without thinking she took the outstretched hand. She walked with him a few steps to where an artist painted a North Pole scene, complete with Santa in the sky and elves waving him off. With the piles of snow in the foreground, she shivered, but the scene brought warmth as well and a peek at the elven town in the back. Magic seemed infused in every brushstroke, and she sighed.

“How much?” Ridge asked.

The artist, a man in worn clothing, an ugly wool hat with earflaps, and gloves that allowed his fingers to be uncovered, looked up startled. “Oh, I wasn’t going to…”

“Name your price,” Ridge insisted, already fishing for his wallet.

Kiona frowned. “Ridge, everybody’s not about the money, you know. Let him be. He’s creating something amazing.”

When Ridge pressed several large bills into the man’s hand, all of a sudden the painting was completed. The artist retrieved a protective sheet from a spot Kiona hadn’t noticed before, wrapped the painting when it was dry, and handed it to Ridge. Kiona shook her head laughing.

“Satisfied?” she demanded.

“Yes.” He handed the painting to her, and she gasped.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

She hesitated then took it. She knew just where she could hang it around the holidays, and when the winter season was chinchy with the snow, she’d enjoy studying her painting. Hopefully, it wouldn’t also bring up memories of today with Ridge.

They stopped by the car to put the gift in the trunk and headed for the wharf. As they approached the little rock statues that couldn’t be any bigger than two feet, Kiona watched her son’s eyes grow rounder.

“Mommie, it’s a dinosaur,” Alex exclaimed.

Feeling nervous that her son drew too close to the walkway’s edge, Kiona followed. The two of them marveled over the way the creator had strategically piled rocks until they formed the dinosaur, and ahead of him another figure had been done to look like a man running away.

“More,” Alex whooped and dashed along the walkway to see the other statues. A man stood in a yoga pose, and another performed a hand stand. When Alex had his optical fill of the statues, he glanced up and seemed to newly discover the many boats moored along the pier. Her baby went still taking them all in, until Kiona rubbed his red cheeks.

She turned to Ridge. “I think we should go inside somewhere for a while.”

“Of course.”

Over the next couple of hours, they explored the small shops, some with cool knickknacks, others with clothing, and more with antique furniture. At one point as they passed a narrow passageway, Kiona was taken by surprise to find a shop lay at the end of it. A clothesline, fashioned toward the top of the walls, displayed Christmas decorations, and lights hung amid the clothes.

“Interesting,” she murmured.

“I’m hungry,” Alex sang.

“Lunch?” Ridge suggested, and she agreed.

Kiona soon found herself in a cozy little restaurant with her son and her ex-husband. Just sitting across from Ridge brought to mind the time they dated and how he’d spend so much energy trying to woo her.

“This reminds me of the occasion I tried to impress you by having flowers delivered to our table while we were out eating,” he said.

She laughed. “Get out of my head. To give you credit, it was a great idea, but you couldn’t know how allergic I am to wildflowers.”

“I felt like an idiot when your throat closed, and you had to get an epi shot.”

Kiona pursed her lips nodding. “Uh-huh, you should feel guilty. You almost killed me.”

Ridge groaned. “No compassion at all?”

“None.” She grinned at him, and he met her gaze. For a moment, she was lost staring into his warm gray eyes, but then she forced herself to look away. Ridge might have loved her back then, but it wasn’t enough. He betrayed their vows, and she couldn’t forgive that no matter how much she ached for him.

She bent to check out the children’s menu for Alex, and Ridge studied his own. She chanced a peek at him through her eyelashes and thought she caught a flash of sadness. Kiona steeled her heart. This man made his bed, and they both had to lie in it. There was no going back because she couldn’t trust him.

“Hotdog,” Alex announced, pointing to the picture on the menu.

“How about chicken nuggets and fries?” she suggested.

“Hotdog and fries,” Alex compromised. Kiona shook her head in surrender. Along with the meal, she ordered hot tea for herself, and Ridge and Alex both chose hot cocoa with whipped cream and a candy cane.

Kiona glanced across to Ridge and laughed. “I can’t believe you got something other than coffee, and you’ve got whipped cream on your cheek.” He gave it a swipe with his napkin, and on impulse Kiona leaned across and cleaned the cream off with her thumb. She’d stuck it into her mouth before she realized what she’d done. Ridge’s arrested stare sent shivers down her back. “I…sorry,” she whispered.

“Are you seeing anyone?”

She gasped. Hands fluttering so much, she needed somewhere to hide them. She stuffed them into her lap and ducked her head. A need for self-preservation made her lie. “Yes, I am, actually.”

He frowned, and the squeak of the cloth napkin in his fists alerted her to how tight he held it. “I knew it.”

“No, you didn’t,” she bit back. “You hoped I was, so you could be guilt-free of moving on yourself. Well, it doesn’t matter. Our divorce has been final for months, and you can see whomever the hell you want. I don’t care.”

“KeyKey—”

“I said don’t call me that!”

“I’m sorry.”

His response took her by surprise. She’d expected more since they’d been at each other’s throats since the year before, separated but not divorced until four months ago. He had taken that long to sign the papers, dragging his feet and driving her insane.

“I don’t want to argue with you, Kiona. I want to have a good time…for Alex’s sake.”

She sighed. “I agree.”

The rest of the dinner went by without any more flare-ups. Ridge kept conversation away form personal topics, and she knew it was so she wouldn’t take what he said the wrong way. Early afternoon, she asked if they could drop by the hotel to change her length of stay and to leave her bag. “Are you sure you won’t stay at the house?” Ridge suggested.

She glowered at him, and he let it go.

“Welcome to Bainbridge Island, Mrs. Foster. We hope you enjoy your stay,” the desk clerk said. “May I see a credit card and a form of ID? Adding the extra days should be no problem at all.”

Ridge reached into his coat. “I can—”

“Don’t even,” she warned.

He grumbled.

“Hey, I’m no longer a starving artist. You don’t have to worry about it.”

“When were you a starving artist?”

She laughed as they headed to the elevator. “Please, I pretended a lot, but a sister was broke. That’s why your mother thought I married you for your money.”

“She didn’t think that.”

She gave him a look.

“Okay, maybe a little, but she knows you’re better than that, and you’re a talented woman.”

“Thank you, and she knows you pay me a hefty sum in child support every month.” When they entered the room, Alex made a beeline for the bed and lay down. Kiona knew her son was tired when he volunteered to nap. She set her shopping bags down, glad she’d been able to hit a few clothing stores for some things to wear during her stay. Depending on Ridge’s generosity wasn’t something she wanted to do forever. The fact that she’d sold two paintings gave her hope. Besides, going back to a regular job and putting Alex in daycare was a hard choice to make—even to spite Ridge.

She laughed and lifted one aching foot to rub, thinking about her options. “Hell, I guess I could always get married again.”

Ridge was on her in a heartbeat. He pushed her the couple of inches to the bathroom door and followed, pressing his body to hers. His anger radiated off of him in waves, and she sucked in a startled breath. “He better be worth it if you decide to marry him, because if he’s not, I will end him.”

Kiona’s mouth dropped open. She put her hands up to his shoulders to push him back, but strength didn’t enter her arms. In truth, he shocked her because Ridge wasn’t a violent man. Even when he got angry, he’d storm off to go somewhere to cool down. She felt the tension in his shoulders, saw the tightness around his eyes. For the first time, she realized it looked like he hadn’t been sleeping well. Not that the man wasn’t sexy as hell. He still got her blood boiling, and she put it down to stress on the job.

“Ridge, really,” she murmured but couldn’t get any heat into it.

He didn’t back off. “No one is good enough for you. No other man should have you.”

She frowned. “Are you saying if you can’t have me, no one can?”

That threw him off, but he didn’t move away. Her body became too aware of the hardness of his, and the closeness of his lips. “Of course not. I would never hurt you.”

A pang touched her heart. She’d gone too far. “I remember you agreed to the divorce, and you said it was for the best because we were never going to see eye-to-eye.”

“I was wrong.”

Ridge leaned down and captured her lips with a kiss that took away her protests and robbed her of the strength to do anything but feel, hell, to return it with the same pent up passion she’d been holding onto for months. She parted her lips and welcomed his tongue. Her head tilted, she knew what would come next from hundreds, maybe thousands of times making love with him. He always said she had a long neck, like a swan’s, and it drew his palm to caress while he kissed her. Kiona had always thought it made her vulnerable and was her way of surrendering to his greater size and build. The gentle touch, the feather light strokes of his fingertips brushed over her skin while he explored her mouth and never once failed to make her wet.

She moaned, and Ridge placed a muscled thigh between her legs. He pushed upward to her pulsating pussy, making her ache for more. No, they shouldn’t do this. He had to stop, because as far as he knew she had another man, and he had… Kiona thrust as hard as she could, and Ridge gave in, taking a few steps back.

She ran a hand over her lips, panting. “I’m tired. I think you should take Alex and go back to your parents’ house. I’m staying here.”

Ridge opened his mouth as if to argue, but he nodded. “Fine. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Chapter Three

Keeping things on an impersonal level with Ridge was not easy when all Kiona thought of from one minute to the next was that kiss they shared. Sure, he behaved himself and didn’t try to touch her. They even had fun times, laughing at Alex’s antics, and Ridge resisted trying to pay for everything she ate and bought. Him treating her like fine china or a priceless gem
was
the problem, damn it.

When her desires made her cranky, she took the day off from seeing him and allowed father and son to have quality time together. Of course, when that happened, there was always some reason Ridge had to call her that would force them into each other’s presence. Alex left his coat in her room, and the day had turned extra blustery. Alex left his rain boots. The funny part about it was her son didn’t spend that much time in her room except to drop her off at the end of their days out, and it wasn’t like her three year old could make up sabotage plans that intricately.