After breakfast Keaton retrieved a portable razor from his car. Megan watched as he stood in front of the mirror and shaved. As he removed the beginnings of a mustache from his upper lip, he glanced at her in the mirror and grinned.
"What are you doing?"
Her face warmed again as she realized she had been pulling her upper lip down over her teeth. She stared down at her hands.
"Helping you shave, I guess. I always used to help Dad that way."
Engulfed by a wave of homesickness, she turned away, shrugging off the unexpected emotion. From the corner of her eye she noticed Keaton watching her. He returned his attention to the mirror, pausing briefly to speak.
"You and your Father are close?"
"Annoyingly so."
Before he could question the issue further, she escaped into the kitchen. She started cleaning the dishes, thinking all the while that he was too much like her father. Perhaps that was why she found him so attractive.
A melted candle lay on the counter, a reminder of the storm, but the lights were working. She called to Keaton as she cleaned up the mess.
"When did the electricity come on?"
He emerged from the bathroom, looking clean and refreshed.
"Just about the same time the sun came up. The electric company has probably been working all night." He tucked the razor in his shirt pocket. "Speaking of working, I'd better get going. I'm going to be late."
She gave him a shy smile. "I hope your boss doesn't get angry."
He chuckled. "I wouldn't worry about that."
Of course not. His boss was over two-thousand miles away and, while he wouldn't be too happy about Keaton spending the night with her, he would certainly approve of any hours spent watching over her. She followed him out on the porch, gasping as a gust of cold wind met them.
"How can it be so hot one day and so cold the next?" She clutched the shirt close as she lifted her chin to search his face.
In that brief moment, they looked into each other's eyes. He gazed down at her for a moment with an expression that made her heart flutter. If the amused expression on his face was any indication, he detected her heightened awareness. Finally, he shrugged.
"Cold front."
Without warning, he leaned down and lightly kissed her lips. Before she could fully comprehend the action, he casually straightened and stretched. His rich drawl betrayed no more emotion than his words.
"Well, gotta go. See ya later."
With that, he stepped off the porch and strode to his car, leaving her staring open mouthed at his retreating back.