Convictions: Kelly and Stephen Read Free Page A

though not from cold.
    “This is nice” she said, at first not realizing that she had said it out loud.  She turned to meet his gaze, his gray eyes were now soft and glowing with appreciation in the firelight.  It was those eyes that had first attracted her to him.  They were a most unusual gray, reminding her of a wolf or some sort of wild animal with their intensity and color.  At times they could be dark, if he were emotionally charged, she imagined.  Other times, like now, they could be light and soft when he was apparently comfortable and relaxed. 
    As she continued to study his eyes she noted that they were darkening quickly.  She felt as if he was trying to tell her something, tying to signal a need or hunger through the intensity of his eyes.  In another place, another time, that intensity would have surely scared her off.  But not tonight, she wanted to be here as much as he needed her to be.
    Stephen studied her now.  Her green eyes were hypnotic, almost cat like.  The first time he had made eye contact with her in the store, he had been captured; hopelessly lost, and something deep inside of him had been changed. 
    He studied her lips.  They were sensual and soft; they were made to be kissed.  He desperately wanted to kiss them now but he had made a decision when he opened the door to find her on his door step.  He would let her set the tempo.  Sensing that she had a cautious nature, he certainly didn’t want to scare her away, or come on too strong like he had already done once in the store. 
    From what he could see of her dressed in her work clothes, she was every inch a woman, with curves in all the right places and he looked forward with great anticipation to any opportunity she might give him for further exploration.  But it had to be her decision, her move, because if she were to give herself to him, for him it would need to be completely.  He couldn’t bear it if he were ever to find regret or second thoughts in those beautiful eyes.  His heart was already so completely invested in her.
    After a few minutes more of silence and fire watching, he asked “would you like to see the rest?”  Kelly’s eyes again met his, this time the need in hers matching his.  She nodded. 
    He stood and held his hand out to her.  She placed hers in his and he gently lifted her out of her chair.  His skin was hot to her touch. 
    Stephen immediately knew that he had made a mistake.  Just the feel of her hand in his was shredding what little willpower he might have.  He led her back down the same hall he had come from with the beers and when they got to the end of the hall he dropped her hand to flick on a light switch.  He felt sure that his self-control would be further tested before this night was over. 
    Light revealed what was once a kitchen and presumably will be again, but at this moment it was a mess.  Part of the ceiling was torn out and rafters could be seen.  When Kelly looked up he commented “my project from a few weeks back.”   She smiled, slightly embarrassed remembering the encounter. 
    “Now that the roof is fixed I plan to put a ceiling back up in the coming weeks.  Eventually I’ll finish the rest.” he explained before tilting his head back to drain his remaining beer.  Just this simple movement caused her knees go a bit weak as she noticed the muscles that rippled along his abdomen to do so. 
    He sat the empty bottle in the sink and considered retrieving another, but decided against it.  He didn’t want Kelly to think he drank too much.  He also didn’t want to be caught in a beer haze if this proceeded along the path that he was hoping it would.  No, no more beer; he wanted to be fully engaged in anything that might happen here tonight.  Instead he turned back to watch her appraisal of his work. 
    Halfway across the room, behind where he stood, a sheath of plastic hung from the ceiling running from wall to wall.  He caught Kelly’s glance at the