Katie's Quest Ch. 03

They continued in that vein for some time, walking slowly throughout the workshop as Kieran pointed out various points of interest. Katie listened attentively and asked many questions, all of which he was more than happy to answer. Kieran did not have a lot of opportunities to talk to people at length about his passion for cars, so he enjoyed the opportunity immensely.

And the more they spoke, the more natural it all felt. For a time, Kieran almost forgot they came from two completely different worlds. He and Katie fell into an easy and friendly rapport that made the time go by in a blur.

He glanced at his watch in the middle of explaining the merits of different tire treads and did a double-take. "Oh, wow! Katie, it's been almost two hours! The food we got earlier has probably gone cold by now." He gave her an apologetic look. "It's my fault, I, er, got a little carried away."

Katie waved the apology aside. "Don't beat yourself up, Kieran! Time flies when you're having fun, and I know I was. If you've got a functioning microwave and some paper plates, we'll be fine." Her stomach rumbled and she flushed. "Preferably sooner rather than later. I'm starving!"

"Me too. Don't worry, we've got some plates and stuff in the break room. Some soda in the fridge too."

"Pepsi?" Katie asked hopefully.

"Nope. Coke products all the way."

"Heathen," she sniffed in mock disdain.

"Infidel," Kieran replied without missing a beat.

A few minutes later, as he watched her put away a truly astonishing amount of lo mein noodles and chicken fried rice, Kieran struggled to pick his jaw up off the floor. "Where on Earth do you put it all?"

She winked. "I have a secret pocket, like a kangaroo."

"Heh." He slurped up some noodles of his own, hoping to find another avenue of conversation. To his surprise, it didn't take very long to do so. Again, he was astonished how talking to Katie came so easily. A little too easily, perhaps. Almost as if they were--

--Kieran abruptly squashed that line of thought before it could go any further. Katie did not, could not be interested in him like that. This isn't some cheesy romance novel, dammit. Get your head out of the clouds or you'll just be setting yourself up for disappointment.

"I've always wished that humans had something more than just opposable thumbs," he said. "Retractable claws, for example. Or night-vision."

"Or super-hearing and smell, like wolves do," Katie agreed. "One of my dad's friends is a dog breeder, and he once told me that canines hear and smell on a level we can't even begin to imagine."

"Venomous fangs?"

Katie giggled and reached for her soda. "Maybe, but think how risky kissing would be!"

An image of Katie's lips pressed against his own instantly popped into Kieran's head, and suddenly his jeans felt tight and constricting. The thought of being close to her like that was enough to make his cock grow so hard it hurt.

It must have shown on his face too, because Katie snorted so hard she nearly choked on her drink. She coughed, spluttered, and hurriedly reached for a napkin. For a second he feared she was choking. Kieran's blood turned to ice and he bolted out of his chair, but Katie held up a hand.

"I'm okay," she managed after a moment. "You just looked so funny, I couldn't help it!" A teasing smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth. If Kieran didn't know better, he'd say the expression was borderline lascivious. "You were thinking of kissing me, weren't you?"

Kieran didn't see any point in denying it. She'll just think me a liar if I do, and that's the last thing I want. "Yeah. I was. Stupid, I know, but...I mean..."

He gave a helpless shrug. "I'm a guy with a pulse. I couldn't help it. I'm sorry." He slumped in his chair. "Guess I'm no different than all the other guys who ogle you when you think they're not looking, huh?"

"But you are, Kieran." Katie's tone was serious. "You are different."

"In a good way or a bad way?"

"Definitely a good way. It's partly my fault too, you know. I'm the one who brought up the k-word, after all. I should be the one apologizing for making you uncomfortable." She reached over and squeezed his hand briefly. "We're good, I promise."

Kieran wanted to believe it, but was also afraid to. "And you're not just saying that to make me feel better?"

"Not even close." Katie looked him dead in the eye. He almost flinched at the intensity he saw there. "I'm a straight shooter, Kieran. You will always get total honesty from me. All I ask is that you give me the same in return." She stuck out her hand. "Deal?"

Kieran shook it without hesitation. How soft and smooth her hand was, compared to his own work-roughened and calloused palms. How small and delicate it seemed next to his. Men and women really are different, he thought. And Katie's definitely not just a pretty face.

He had no idea just how true that was.