Chapter Six

Kiera woke up in the morning somewhat disoriented.

Sunlight was streaming through the window she forgot to close last night and the sun was in her face. As much as she loved the sun, she hated it when she didn't close her curtains. She got up from bed and closed it although she usually opened it in the mornings. She checked the time on the alarm clock on her nightstand and saw that it was a little past ten.

She was filled to the brim with optimism after Mikael's call but now she was hesitant and a little concerned. She had neglected her work for too long and she knew that sooner or later, she'd be let go if she didn't do something about it. She slacked off for too long. She was supposed to make the most of the week to really catch up but she had dinner with Mikael. She couldn't and wouldn't cancel on him—she was eager to see him and nothing would stop her, not even the threat of losing her job, but she had to get a grip on herself and not spend the afternoon thinking about him as she did last night.

Without changing out of her pajamas, she got straight to work.

Simone didn't walk in once to ask her if she wanted breakfast and she was incredibly grateful. She hoped that she wasn't upset by what happened yesterday but Kiera didn't have time to go downstairs and check. She knew that abandoning her work even if it was to grab a glass of water would be distracting and disrupt her current state of mind. She didn't want that. She got much work done and when she finally peeled her eyes away from the screen, they were teary and it hurt to blink.

The time on her phone made her screech.

It was twenty past four and she had to be ready by six to go with Mikael to dinner. She wasn't slow when it came to getting ready but she had to make sure she looked presentable, maybe even beautiful. She wanted to do her hair and pay extra attention to her makeup. She wanted to impress him.

So she had to get started.

Kiera used her best products. The best shampoo and conditioner, shower gel, lotions, and oils. She was as fragrant as a flower, which was what she was aiming for. She did her makeup in under twenty minutes and she liked what she saw in the mirror. Her sleepy eyes looked almost seductive beneath the thick eyeliner on her upper lids. Her lips were just the right shade of pink. She styled her hair before she got dressed and she had to admit that everything was running smoothly. Her hair was well-behaved and obedient for once. It framed her slightly oval face beautifully and the curls were hydrated and didn't smell burned.

She clapped once before putting her dress on. It was a simple black dress but it accentuated her small curves well. It was modest—it ended just above her knees—and the thin straps added an elegance that even Simone remarked upon once, and she wasn't at all concerned with style and fashion. She wore overalls and long-sleeved shirts all the time. The only shoes she ever wore were crocs because they were comfortable.

Kiera added a pair of simple strappy heels to the look and gave a little twirl in front of the mirror. The skirt of the dress ballooned around her before settling back down. She fluffed her hair and beamed. Oh, she looked beautiful. All she needed was a pair of earrings and other minimal accessories. She also sprayed perfume on her neck, behind her ears, in the crook of her elbow, and behind her knees.

She was set and ready to go, and the good part was that she still had about ten minutes left before Mikael arrived. He told her he would pick her up. She was anxious about Simon's opinion because she had told her (and Kane) that there was nothing serious going on between her and Mikael. It was only dinner, that was what she was going to tell them, but the conversation she had with him last night proved to her that Simone and Kane had every right to be worried about her. He was practically a stranger and she already felt so strongly toward him.

She had made the same mistake with Jared, although she had known him for a few weeks when he first asked her to dinner. He asked her to be his girlfriend that night but by then, she was already head over heels in love with him. She thought it was too soon at the time. Everyone told her so too. She feared that the same thing would happen to Mikael, only this time it would be a lot worse. She didn't know him at all, it had only been a couple of days.

Perhaps it would amount to nothing but that thought saddened her. She didn't want what they had to amount to nothing. Frankly, she didn't know what she truly wanted where Mikael was concerned. He was a charming man and he was sweet about the way he felt toward her. Jared was a lot of things but sweet wasn't one of them.

She shook her head to clear her thoughts. She was going to be late if she continued obsessing over the what-ifs.

Kiera made her way downstairs. She could hear Simone in the kitchen, undoubtedly preparing dinner, and she was once again bombarded by feelings of guilt. She had failed to inform her of the dinner. She wouldn't be happy about it.

She entered the kitchen and Simone turned around. The space between her brows was creased. She looked her up and down and then asked, "But where are you going?"

"I'm having dinner with Mikael," she answered, not wanting to delay the inevitable. She was running out of time. Mikael would be at her gate at any moment.

"The rescuer," she said, "I see."

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you earlier," she said, then gave a twirl. "How do I look? Do you think I've overdone it?"

"Not at all," Simone said. Her eyes glittered. "You look beautiful. There's something about that man that lights you up."

Kiera beamed. "You think so?"

"Yes," she said, "I haven't seen you like this in a while. You look happy and radiant."

She couldn't believe that Simone was saying those things to her. She expected a warning or anything negative. "Thank you, Simone. I'm so glad that you aren't upset."

She scowled. "Upset? Now, why would I be upset, Kiera? You're a grown woman. You make your choices. And although I will never stop worrying about you, I cannot deny that it's good to see you dressed up and smiling once again."

Just then, Kane walked in. He stopped in the doorway and looked at her in the exact same way his mother did. He nodded knowingly. "You're meeting that man?"

"She is," Simone answered. "Could you help me set the table, son? It's just the two of us tonight."

Kiera smiled at him. "What do you think?"

"You look beautiful," he said. "As always."

They heard a honk and her heart skipped a beat. She had to go. She blew them kisses and promised to be home soon although she didn't know how long dinner with Mikael would be. His car was parked outside the gate. The air wasn't frosty so she didn't feel the need to bring a coat or shawl along.

Mikael got out of the car as soon as he saw her approach. She held her breath at the sight of him in a fine, blue, fitted suit. His hair was neatly brushed back and it had a wet look to it. She walked through the gate and then stood before him while it closed behind her.

"You look breathtaking," he told her.

She blushed beneath her makeup. "Thank you." She meant to tell him he looked great too but he opened the passenger door and gestured for her to get in the car. He held her hand as she settled into the seat and shivers raced down her arm. She was beyond excited for the evening and all warnings left her mind. She would live in the moment and enjoy her life. Whatever happened, happened.

He slid into his seat and turned to her before starting the car. "Ready?"

She nodded and he backed out of the parking space. For a few minutes, she didn't know what to say to him. The conversation they had on the phone last night was replaying in the back of her mind. It wasn't that she was embarrassed by what she said and she didn't think he was either. If he were, he would've canceled the date. But there was an air of uneasiness around them, one she hoped would clear quickly.

He cleared his throat and asked, "Are you in the mood for Sushi? There's this place downtown that I really enjoy going to."

Kiera wasn't particularly fond of Sushi but she nodded. She realized at that moment that she couldn't possibly say no to him and it scared her a little, how forceful and sure the thought was. "Absolutely."

"You mentioned that you were done with work," he said. His eyes glinted mischievously, which indicated that he didn't quite believe her. "What kind of work do you do exactly?"

"I'm an editor at a renowned publishing house." She told him the name. "Have you heard of it?"

"I have," he answered, which pleased her immensely, "That's a big responsibility and a lot of work. How do you manage?"

"I work from home," she replied. "So managing my time is easy. However, I do feel that I would work a lot faster in an office setting. A lot of things come up at home. There are more distractions."

A smile graced the lower half of his face. "I hope I'm not one of those distractions," he told her. "I would hate to come off as a bad influence. As I said, I can't seem to get you out of my head."

Kiera blushed deeply and stared out the window. She didn't have the appropriate response for him and she didn't want to say anything that would make her sound needy or pathetic. She'd rather appear confident than the opposite. She didn't know why, but she had the feeling that he would place his hand on her knee. The feeling was so strong that for a second, she thought she felt his fingers grazing her knee. When she looked down, she saw that his hands were on the steering wheel. It had all been in her head.

"We're here," he announced after a good fifteen minutes. She sat up and stared out the windshield. The place looked as fancy as the last one. "I hope you like the place."

"I'm sure I will," she answered and got out of the car. He took her hand as they made their way up the steps and she trembled. His hand was warmed and closed around hers fully. The difference in size was striking. He also made a reservation and as they were going in, still hand in hand, a man accidentally knocked into her.

She turned to apologize although it was hardly her fault—he had been the one walking too close to her—but the man whirled around with an angry expression. His eyes were a little cloudy and he looked drunk. "Hey, watch where you're going!"

"I'm sorr—" She couldn't finish her apology. Mikael wrapped his big hand around the man's neck and shook him fiercely. The man's face reddened and he tried to pry Mikael's fingers from around his neck unsuccessfully. Kiera stepped back, speechless. The men from the reception intervened and the whole restaurant was looking. The drunk man was falling to the ground, his face blue now. Mikael was saying something to him, something inaudible. The man nodded and tears sprung to his eyes.

Then the whole incident was over. Mikael stood and rearranged his tie although it wasn't out of place. He glanced at her and then walked up to her. He touched her arm and she woke up from her trance. He searched her eyes feverishly. "Are you alright?" he asked.

Kiera nodded. For some reason, the incident made her feel closer to him. She was anything but frightened, just in mild disbelief. "Fine. I'm perfectly fine."