Locked Away (Living With Lies Book 2) by Riann C. Miller

would you like to have lunch with me?” Hearing him call me Isabelle affects me more than I was expecting.
    “Yes, I would love to have lunch with you.” With another small smile, I turn and walk up the stairs. I take a quick shower, blow dry my hair, and add a little make-up before I go looking for Kiran.
    I find him in the kitchen leaning against the cabinet, messing with his cell phone. When he looks up at me, he whistles. “Damn.” I have no idea where we are going, and I only have one suitcase worth of clothing with me, so I find myself wearing a pair of denim shorts and a pink tank top.
    “Is this okay?” I nervously ask.
    Kiran licks his lips. “Yeah, it’s more than okay.” Kiran is in khaki shorts and a light blue shirt that makes his blue eyes pop. He holds his hand out for me. “Where to?” he asks.
    “Wait, you asked me to go with you,” I tell him.
    “That’s correct, and I’m going to take the gorgeous lady anywhere she wants.” My cheeks feel flushed. I’m definitely enjoying this sweeter version of Kiran.
    “Do you have to work later?” I ask but he immediately shakes his head no. “I took the day off to spend with you,” he proudly states.
    “What if I said no?”
    He looks at me and shrugs. “I was confident I could win you over.” He smirks and wraps his arm around my waist.
    “Okay, if you don’t have to work later then take me somewhere we can have lunch and order a drink. I didn’t get to go out last night to celebrate.” My comment causes his face to fall.
    “Isabelle,” he nervously says, “the reason I was a dick about you going out last night was because I panicked. The idea that someone could hurt you...that a man or anyone, for that matter, could put their hands on you is more than I can stomach, and before you ask, I haven’t figured out why that bothers me so damn much.” His eyes soften.
    “Is that why you acted like an ass when I went out with Jared?” I question, which causes him to growl.
    “I actually punched a hole in my wall—I guess it’s Gavin’s wall—after you left,” he casually says.
    My mouth drops open. “But right before I went out, I heard you mention you had a date this weekend.”
    Kiran’s face breaks out in a huge smile. “I didn’t know you heard that,” he says with a chuckle.
    “Well, I did,” I reply as my heart thumps against my chest as I wait for him to say something. “I was hoping to ask you out. I told you no the night before because Kate had already warned me away. I was hoping I could convince Kate that I wouldn’t be a horrible person for you to spend time with.” He shrugs.
    Crap, then I walked out the door acting like a bitch to both Kiran and Kate.
    “I’m sorry.” I exhale. “I wanted to go out on a date, and believe it or not, I wanted you to be the person who took me out, but when you told me no, I thought...I thought you didn’t feel the same way.”
    He nods his head and narrows his eyes. “And you thought you’d go out with the cell phone guy instead,” he adds.
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” I repeat.
    Kiran nods his head again. “I don’t have any right to ask this but ...” He takes a deep breath then loudly exhales. “Did he...did that guy—”
    “No.” I cut him off, knowing where his thoughts were going. “We had dinner, we went out for a few drinks, we danced, and he acted like a real gentleman by bringing me home afterward.”
    Kiran physically relaxes. “I know it’s my own fault for not being honest, but the idea that you were out with him, that he was touching you...then you came home so damn happy ...” His brow scrunches.
    I reach out and grab his hand. “I’m hungry. Let’s go eat,” I tell him, wanting to put thoughts of Jared behind us.
    Kiran brushes a strand of hair away from my face before nodding his head toward the garage. “Lead the way.”
    ****
    “You were homeschooled and rarely allowed out of the house?” Kiran asks with his nose turned up.
    We