Stepping out of Della’s bedroom where she remained behind with her parents, I had each of my hands filled with the smaller ones of Brielle and Ethan. Everyone is dressed and ready to go. Della wanted a moment alone with her folks before she came downstairs and prepared to walk the aisle that led from her back patio deck to the open, outdoor ceremony taking place in her back yard. She was beautiful, she was calm, and she was ready to get this over with and be married to Paul.
Halfway down the steps I lift my gaze from the tiny feet hopping down each individual step. They were determined to take years off my life moments ago when they nearly took a head first tumble to the bottom.
Note to future self: Don’t buy a home or condo with stairs inside in case you have any more children.
It was the sight before me that interrupted my cautious behavior over the kids enough to loosen my grip—just barely—and have them taking off like Tasmanian devils the rest of the way down.
“Uncle Luke!” Brielle and Ethan cheered happily.
I came to a stop before I even reached the bottom.
Luke stood there in dark khakis, white button up shirt folded at his forearms, and an ice blue tie that matched perfectly with our dresses.
Good golly Miss Molly. Luke looked damn good.
Ethan had been dressed similar, almost exact except in a bow tie of the same color. I thought it was the cutest thing when he stood beside Brielle. But looking down at Luke, it wasn’t cute. Cute didn’t cut it when describing him.
After our escapades on the couch the night before, let’s just say the word cute is buried deep like loose change in the cushions. Sexy, hot, panty-dropper; those were the terms attached to Luke, hanging around his neck like that silky blue tie.
The alcohol may have fogged my brain and stripped away my morals, but as of this morning I remained steady with my response to him. Of course, embarrassment surfaced almost immediately. Though, not enough to have me running in the opposite direction and hiding out in Della’s bedroom.
The free time I spent with him last night wiped away any restrictions, and stayed that way in the early morning light.
Well, I can’t say it wiped away all restrictions, but I don’t want to fight the pull between us any longer. I’m smart enough to know when faced with a losing battle.
There were going to be situations, possibly a lot of them today with people from town attending Della’s wedding, but I felt ready for them. Worry and overthinking can’t be erased from my system in one night, but it can be met with a strong will to do battle.
I just had to hope I was strong enough after hardly no sleep. My head hit the pillows after Luke left and my mind turned on like an old film, snap shooting through every scene we acted out downstairs.
Only it wasn’t acting.
If I looked rough under the makeup piled on my face, a hangover wasn’t to blame.
His eyes captured every inch of me. I felt it everywhere. Then he picked up my daughter, kissed her cheek and said, “You did good, Bri.”
I wanted to express the humor at his appreciation, but I froze. Luke kissing my little girl, holding her that way, grabbed ahold of my heart so fiercely it faltered. That was the picture to play on repeat to get me to overcome whatever doubt remained.
The swish of my satin dress sways around my legs as I descend the last few steps to the bottom. The kids scurried away to a less crowded area, chasing each other around and around. But Luke didn’t take his eyes off me.
He admired every curve of the ice blue material clinging to my body. From the front it was modest with cap sleeves and a square neckline. With one similarity to the shirt I wore last night—backless—I was eager for his appreciative touch to run down my skin.
I gave him a spin and watched his eyes melt.
“You’re trying to kill me,” he says in low voice.
I grinned.
Luke started to lean in for a kiss, but Brielle was in the same room and I wasn’t sure how to handle that.
“Brielle,” I whispered in explanation.
Disagreement flashed across his features, then settled in to a patient acquiescence.
Since I lowered my voice Luke kept with the same tone.
“Are you expecting an apocalypse to form just because you’re dating her uncle?”
That was dramatic. And slightly accurate.
“We’re dating?” I ask with intrigue.
“Liv,” he replies in a dry manner.
“We haven’t been on a date yet,” I point out.
“You’re my date to this wedding. Problem solved.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but wound up snapping it shut.
“Unless, you have another date sitting out there…” Luke stiffens, standing straighter as if solving a mystery as he speaks.
“No,” I quickly answer. “If you’re referring to Connor, I ended things with him awhile ago.”
“I’d hoped so after last night, but we never talked.”
“Excuse me if Connor wasn’t on my list of priorities last night.”
“Let’s get back on track,” he smarted. “Why can’t I kiss you in front of Brielle?”
“Because that’s what is most important right now,” I mumbled with sarcasm.
“After going to bed alone with a raging hard-on,” Luke’s voice dropped for my ears only. “Then watching you put on a show as you walked down in this dress, yeah, not being allowed to kiss you is pretty damn important.”
“It wasn’t exactly easy for me last night either.”
Luke turned to see where the kids were. They had moved to chasing each other through the foyer, behind the wall that led to the formal dining room and through the family room, and back out the other entry into the foyer. At a safe distance away, Luke carried on.
He stepped forward, leaving barely a hair’s breadth between us.
“Did you touch yourself, Liv?”
I debated not telling him, but I wanted to play along with this game. He needed to feel the torture as much as I was feeling it.
“Yes,” I breathed, answering his dark gaze. “I almost called you a dozen times.”
“You should have,” he bit out.
“Now I know to do so in the future.”
“Fuck,” he muttered.
“Did you get off, Luke?” I asked in return. He didn’t need to answer. There’s no way he didn’t take himself in hand after leaving here last night. “I thought of you, of your hands and how they held me pressed against…you. Did you think of mine, imagine them gripping you instead of your own?”
I thought I had the upper hand with my play on seduction. Out-charming the charmer. Playing into his game and coming out on top.
He looked ready to explode. Desire consumed him with every erotic detail I placed between us.
But I should have realized just how long I’ve been out of the game, and Luke will always have the upper hand.
“You’re going to eat those words, gorgeous. Right about the same time I’m eating you.”
My stomach dropped.
My lungs quit working.
My throat closed.
Sweet Jesus, what have I gotten myself into?
I had no response. I’m not sure how to act after that declaration. So I deflect by going in to mom mode and ignoring him completely.
“Kids, stop running. You’re going to get all sweaty.”
They listen, surprisingly. I check for any new tears in Brielle’s dress, or sweaty little faces needing to be cleaned up.
“I’ll drop this for now,” Luke whispers from behind. I swear I can feel a feather light touch along my spine, but it must be a fantasy because if Luke was touching me I would know it. His shirt and tie brushes along my arm as he stands close, dropping sweet nothings in my ear. “I’ll keep my distance just until the ceremony is over with for one reason.”
My head turns, lifting my gaze to catch his over my shoulder.
His brown eyes swirl with dark lust.
Instead of answering with words to explain, his molten gaze drops down to my chest.
I follow their trail and find my nipples pebbled with accurate desire and plainly visible against the smooth silk.
Closing my eyes and groaning with mortification, I work on cooling my flaming body.
That settles it. I will never wear another piece of clothing that doesn’t allow the protection of a bra.
Luke grins with pride, keeping distance as promised.
Della and her parents eventually come down from upstairs, and the ceremony is underway.
And the entire time I ponder the least romantic thoughts to keep the girls from standing salute.
~~~
The ceremony went spectacularly. As Della said all along, it was a small gathering. Luke, me, and the kids were the only others standing beside them at the alter. But no matter how small the event was meant to be, the backyard had been transformed in to something fitting for a princess.
Their wide, back patio stairs lead down to the lush, green yard. She had a straight walkway ahead of her that ended at an intricately crafted arbor filled with brilliant yellow sunflowers, and her soon to be husband. Wooden chairs made from the same beech wood as the arbor were placed neatly on both sides of the aisle. The couple dozen people that were invited filled them.
Swapping each others vows took longer than the entire speech from the officiant. Soon we were all shuffled to the tent on the east side of their property.
A massive white tent had been set up, filled with ivory linen covered tables, and more beech wood chairs. It was open and airy, allowing a nice breeze to sweep through. A dance floor was laid in front of a live band, and at the other end were chefs and servers and platters stacked with mounds of glamorous food. There was more food than there were enough people to eat it all.
Tables, chairs, pillars, you name it, and it was covered in flower arrangements of yellow sunflowers, white daisies, and blue hyacinths. The fresh scents of flowers alone battled the aromas coming from the food area.
It was lovely, it was outdone, and I was having the best day to battle all my days.
And it wasn’t even my wedding.
The band sang lively tunes and drawled people forward. Della and Paul had already finished their first dance. The guest had begun to eat, which is where I went straight away. Not for myself, but for Brielle. She has done nothing but play hard all morning. We had breakfast catered to the house just after Cathy and the kids arrived, but she was too distracted and only nibbled on a muffin. Now I was making her sit down and eat. I knew if she didn’t, then later when the day settled and all was calm, she’d either be starving or feeling sick from her lack of sustenance.
We were trying to give Della and Paul their day, so Cathy and I kept Ethan and Brielle together at our table. Cathy was at the buffet making her own plate, while I stayed with the kids. Our plan was to take turns, one stay with the kids while the other got up for food. I was cutting up the chicken on both their plates when I felt Luke come up beside me. Cathy and Mr. Neiland had yet to return.
“Liv, here. You need to eat, too.”
I glanced over my right shoulder where he took the empty seat next to me. Luke held a second plate with his own, and set it down in front of me. He stacked it high with chicken, rice, potatoes, rolls, and two others side dishes that looked too fancy for me to guess their names.
My eyes traveled from the plate to his face, and then back again.
He made me a plate. Luke had no idea what that tiny gesture can do for a mom.
So I kissed him.
I cupped his face with one hand, and planted a soft and lingering kiss on his lips. It surprised him. It surprised myself. Then I felt his lips turn up with a smile as he kissed me back.
It was a kiss set on gratitude, but in the end became a kiss of surrender.
Before I could lose myself in the moment, a snickering interjection broke through.
“Eww!” Ethan squeal.
That’s when I remembered my daughter sat right there with us.
I pulled my lips away from Luke’s, shooting a reluctant look to the left at Brielle. She’d given her approval of Luke once already, but I worried this would still freak her out since I hadn’t warned her about dating her uncle yet. Of course, I didn’t know I was dating her uncle until today.
Ethan kept making gagging noises. Brielle blushed, but relatively unfazed.
Suppose it’s only me overthinking again…then again, maybe it’s not just me. The table beside ours is loaded with the worst critics in town. Jessica Morris and Stephanie Duckworth, our high school drama starters.
In most circles, I’m all for women empowerment, but sometimes there are certain ladies one cannot stand by with courage and support. Sometimes a person is plain evil. And those two women are exactly that.
Their mothers are friends with Cathy. Their mothers are their replicas, the previous generations gossip girls.
I can only guess they are here because of their moms friendship with Cathy, but even so, I’m surprised Della welcomed them with complete acceptance.
They huddled in to one another in the cliché pose of gossiping, hands covering their mouths as they whispered feverishly as they looked upon our table.
I would love to say with firm truthfulness their obvious disapproval and disgust did not bother me in the least. That would be a lie, though. I’m in this with Luke, but I hate the stares and unwanted attention and opinions directed at me. Lies could be cleared and proven with truth; gossip did not fall as easily.
Blinking away from their nasty glares, I flickered my gaze around the reception. If others were watching with open derision I would never find out. At that same time, Cathy and Mr. Neiland approached the table with their plates of food.
“Oh! Are you…Did you two…Oh this is so wonderful!” Cathy couldn’t figure out what she wanted to say. She set her plate down as she took her seat, watching Luke and I with an elated grin so wide she added a few more wrinkles to her face.
Luke draped his arm over the back of my chair, answering Cathy with that silent gesture, then sending Brielle a wink as she continued to watch us with her big, adorable eyes.
Gripping my wine glass, I gulped down far too much.
We sat and ate and drank wine. The kids picked at their plates, said they were full, then shoved more food down when we called their bluff.
When Cathy and I were satisfied with what they consumed we let them go play. Ethan had a tree house built into a massive oak tree right next to the tent. It was near enough to be in my line of sight, and hearing range in case they called out.
Cathy started her questioning after the kids left the table. She wanted to know when this happened and what it meant and if I would be moving back.
Those were a lot of overwhelming questions to attempt to answer all at once.
Living in Tampa for six years, where most people rather keep to themselves and stay impersonal, I formed the same logic. Defensive, I wanted to snap at Cathy and ask why she thought any of that was her business. But in Calusa where everyone hears everything, and inputs their opinions on every matter, I would be the jerk.
Our first kiss was last night. I had trouble wrapping my head around all these new and wonderful feelings Luke stirred. How could I answer Cathy without being rude to her, to Luke, or to this exceptional paragon we’re starting together?
Luke handled it all with ease, though. He kept any further questioning at bay by repeating we weren’t rushing things.
Apparently, he had the patience of a saint, while I wanted to run and join the five year olds in the tree house.
After eating—and interrogating—Cathy and Darrell left to go mingle with neighborhood friends and family.
“Oh, Liv, I almost forgot.” Cathy turns back to the table, holding a finger in the air. “I’m going to have Ethan at my house again tonight, and Della mentioned she didn’t know where you were staying.”
“We’ll get a hotel in Port Charlotte after we leave here.”
“You’re leaving tonight?” Luke asks.
“Wasn’t my original plan when Della offered us to stay the weekend with them,” I muttered softly to him.
“She does that.” Cathy waved off. “Always changing her mind and not keeping the rest of us up to speed. But no need to drive all the way out there tonight. Just stay with us. There’s still a bed in the old room you used to stay in.”
“Okay. Thanks, Cathy.”
“You can stay with me,” Luke offers up.
Cathy grins.
I remain quiet, waiting for her to leave before responding.
She doesn’t leave.
“If you’d like,” she says suggestively. “I’ll take Brielle again.”
“Oh. Um.” I glance over at Luke, who’s scratching his nose to hide his grin. With slow intention, I say, “That would be nice.”
Waggling her fingers, she walks away.
Glaring at him, Luke looks up and loses it.
“What?” he laughs. “I didn’t tell her to keep the kids so I could have you all to myself.”
“This is our first date remember,” I chide, crossing my arms. “Don’t assume you’ll be getting lucky.”
“I never assume anything,” he responds, leaning down to whisper in my ear. “I know for a fact you’ll be screaming my name tonight.”
My jaw loses slack, gasping at the erotic shock surging down my spine and straight to the warmth between my legs.
His breath kisses my neck. Under the table he takes my hand.
“Dance with me.”
I follow in trance, longing to press my wound up body against his.
We cross to the dance floor. The band sings a slow one I did not recognize, but the lyrics were beautiful. The words were fitting.
Luke held me close, resting his hands low on my back. The breeze blew through the open canopy. The serene melody calmed my nerves. The butterflies continued to swarm my belly, but I never wanted to lose that feeling.
I marveled at his comfort and placed my head on his chest, under his chin that he rested on top of my head. His fingers caressed the bare skin at the small of my back. Each twirl of skin on skin listed off another sensation he pulled out of me. Protected. Cherished. Desired.
Every move he choreographed was a well-constructed play on my body. He tuned; he stroked. I can only imagine the end results will be the best performance of my life.
The kids squealed. On instinct I lifted my gaze in search of them. Just to make sure all was okay.
Peering behind me I could see they were at the bottom of the tree house chasing one another around the wide trunk. Brielle’s hair had completely fallen out of its style from this morning. The brown curls bounced against her back as she ran ahead of a boisterous Ethan.
I smiled, and turned back to Luke.
Before I could get comfortable a glimmer of a figure on the far side of the property caught my eye.
Coming down the slope on the side of the house was Brady.
I went stiff, praying I was only imagining my worst fear. Luke felt me tense up, and gazed down at me with concern. He followed my line of sight, cursing under his breath and proving it was not my imagination.
“What is he doing here?” I whispered on a shocked inhale.
“He wasn’t invited,” he said in scary tone. Luke gripped my hand, dragging my numb limbs off the dance floor.
“Did you know he was back in town?” I asked, incredulous. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I didn’t want you to worry. I asked him to stay away.”
“Well that sure as hell didn’t work.” Luke didn’t deserve my snottiness, but it couldn’t be helped.
The last I heard, Brady’s job was letting out around the time of wedding. Since his name never got brought up by anyone I thought luck was on my side and he hadn’t made it back yet.
Choosing to be absent from Brielle’s life gave him zero privileges. I did not want him within a hundred miles of her, let alone the same damn town. What made my blood run cold now, however, was the fact that he was heading directly towards her.
We hurried across the tent. I followed close behind Luke, sliding by and squeezing between bodies of the party goers. I tried convincing myself Brady was here to ruin the festivities and not just mine. That he is as careless as he has been for six years and has no interest in approaching his daughter. That he can’t possibly know whose little girl is playing with Ethan.
But as we made it through the crowd, a gust of wind carried their giggles with it. He was yards away and somehow I sensed his sights were set on her.
“Luke,” I snapped on a scared gasp. “He’s heading toward Bri.”
“Dammit, Brady,” he growled.
We separated immediately, Luke cutting the distance between him and his idiotic brother down to nothing. I ran to my daughter, disregarding the sounds of guests gathering around for cake cutting.
I felt every set of eyes staring us down, more interested in the drama about to unfold over the traditional, unremarkable cutting of the cake.
“What’s going on?” I heard a voice somewhere behind me.
“Oh my God,” Della shuddered.
“That fucker has some nerve to show up here.” Paul’s voice was the most chilling. I saw him move, but by that point I was moving quickly toward the tree house.
Making more of a scene than we already have unsettled me, but nothing more than allowing Brady near Brielle without my consent. Whatever his intention is showing up here today, this is not how it should have been handled.
When I made it to the kids, their squeals of joy never ceased. They were oblivious to the spectacle about to happen.
“Bri, Ethan, come with me, please,” I called out.
“But we wanna play,” Brielle whined.
“They’re cutting the cake. How ‘bout we go get first dibs, huh?” I asked in a sweet tone, but felt my jitters through and through. I’d say anything to get Brielle out of here before she recognized her father.
Cathy must have followed me out of the crowd. She spoke up from behind, coming to the rescue.
“Yay! Cake!” They cheered.
Cathy sent me a reassuring nod, taking both of them in hand when they ran past me. She ducked back through the crowd forming along the edge of the tent. I caught Della’s eye and saw her blissful mood had darkened.
I should have followed behind Cathy and the kids, kept Brielle by my side until I knew Brady was gone for good. But anger flowed through my veins. Brady’s past sins were all very present.
Most importantly, why did he make a beeline for Brielle?
Once she’s swallowed up by the guests, I make my move.
Paul attempts to stop me, gripping gently onto my arm.
“Let Luke handle it. He’ll make Brady leave.”
“Not before I have a word with him.” I snatched my arm out of his hold. A mother’s wrath taking over me.
Jessica and Stephanie had a front row show. What happens now, and even bits that will be fake, will spread all over town within the hour.
Luke may have cleared my name and story from the tales Brady told, but everyone will be talking about my new drama. I show back up and am already coming between the Bennett brothers.
Luke had his back to me, Brady facing his front. As I drew near, Brady’s eye glanced over Luke’s shoulder and saw me. The anger he held at his brother faded when I approached. If he thought I was going to help his favor to speak to Brielle, he was dead wrong.
“Liv. Damn, you look good.” He smiled without a care in world. “I heard you were here, so I thought—”
“You don’t speak to her,” Luke warned. “Only me. And I say you need to go.”
Luke’s voice even scared me a little.
But I was on a mission.
“Thought what? That you could just show up after six years and talk to my daughter?” I spoke as I walked, coming up on Luke’s left. Luke threw out his arm, preventing me from stepping any further in to Brady’s space.
Staying put, I thought he would drop it, instead Luke gripped my hip and maneuvered me to stand behind him.
I watched Brady’s eyes follow the fingers that touched me with familiarity. His smile faltered a bit.
“I know I have a lot of explaining do to, Liv, so if we could just talk…”
“No.” Luke stood protectively in front of me, but I poked around his broad shoulders enough to stand firm on my own. “You need to leave, Brady.”
His eyes flicked from Luke to me.
“I’ll go. But will you let me explain some time, Liv? I can come to you, or we can meet somewhere. I just wanted to see her. She’s beautiful, and—”
I cut him off this time.
“I prefer you never see her, Brady. What you did just now was unacceptable. She has never seen you in her life, and you were just going to walk right up to her!” I started out deathly calm, but ended by yelling at him.
Brady watched me closely, and I thought—maybe—he understood where I was coming from.
He nodded. “Okay. But you’ll talk to me at least? Hear me out.”
“I’m here now. If you have something to say, talk,” I ground out.
“Don’t see how this is your business, Luke, so why don’t you go back to the party with your people.” Brady spits the last two words like venom.
“Brady, spit it out already. I could care less about your excuses, your life, your health. All I need to know is your intentions. I come back to find out you created so many lies about me. Why?”
“Are you going to let me see my daughter?”
“No.”
“She’s my kid too, Liv.”
“She’s your blood, but she’s not your kid.”
“I can’t do this here,” Brady shouts, throwing his arms up and kicking his foot in the dirt. “It’s not like I planned seeing y’all. I got back and heard you were here and I just had to know what she looked liked. But, Liv, damn. You look good too, and I see everything I’m missing.”
Disgusted. That’s exactly what I’m feeling. Times ten.
Luke seethes. His arm tightens against my front, fingers flexing with a scary force.
“Time for you to go, Brady. If Liv decides to speak with you again, then you’ll go through me.”
I watch Brady’s eyes flicker once again from Luke to me. His desperate behavior seconds ago slips away. Blue eyes zeroing in on Luke’s possessive hold.
“Slippin’ in on what’s mine, little brother?” Brady’s voice turned vicious, his eyes cold.
“Now you really need to get the fuck out of here.”
“Didn’t know it was like that,” he said. “Picking all of them over me, huh?”
“You know your mistakes. No one to blame but yourself.”
“So you’re looking to play daddy with my daughter.”
“Brady. Go.”
Luke’s voice was lethal. Brady thinks he has a right to get mad about his brother going after the mother of his daughter. He holds no rights. And if he doesn’t leave soon, I feared Luke was seconds away from laying his brother flat out on the lawn if he made one more ill comment towards any of us.
“This is not the place to have that talk, Brady,” I said, trying to alleviate the situation despite my own anger at him. “This is a wedding, and you weren’t invited. If you really want to talk with me, we can do it some other time.”
His eyes dropped down to me. By Luke’s body language I could tell he didn’t like this.
“When?”
“I don’t know. That’s my call.”
“So you’re just going to keep her away from me now?”
“You don’t even get to pull that card,” I reply. “When I’m ready to hear why you walked out on that little girl, and made up lies to keep me away, I’ll let you know. But you should know something. She doesn’t ask about you. So I’m in no hurry to listen to your bullshit excuses.”
He heaves with anger, but speaks no further. To me, at least.
Brady is still a good looking guy. But he’s vain and stupid. His good looks is all he has going for him, and when those fade one day it’ll be too late when he realizes all the great parts of life he missed out on.
“We’ll talk later, little brother.”
Without a backwards glance, Brady storms back the way he came in. When he’s half the distance to the house, Luke speaks. “I’m going to follow. Make sure he gets in his car and leaves.”
Before he walks off, Luke cups my face with both hands.
“You all right?”
I nodded, anger being put to rest as I watch Brady disappear around the house.
He kisses my forehead and walks up the trail on the side of the house. It’s not a long distance. Not a minute later, Luke is back in sight. He nods once, assuring Brady is gone.
It’s quiet behind me. Too quiet for a wedding reception. But I’m scared to turn around and see what awaits me.
When Luke reaches my side, he takes my hand and pulls me away from the tent.
“How bad is it?” I ask in a soft tone. “Are they all staring?”
“Don’t worry about them, Liv.”
“Gonna be hard to do when the town gossips witnessed the juiciest story in Calusa history.”
“Babe,” he smiles. “We are not the biggest story in Calusa. Remember when the sheriff cheated on his wife with the pastor?”
I laughed, despite myself. “They had a happy ending. Doesn’t count.”
“And our happy ending is in progress.”
I shake my head, grinning and delirious with delight.
“That’s what I wanted to see,” Luke says with pride. Growing serious, he says, “Liv, I need you to let me deal with Brady.”
“I’m a big girl, Luke. I handle my own problems.”
We hold each others gaze. Luke drops his forehead to mine. Brushing his thumb over my bottom lip.
“Why can’t you just let me help you?” he retorts on a frustrated whisper.
“I won’t pin you against your own brother. Bad enough you were ready to murder him a few minutes ago.”
“Can’t deny that,” he sighs. “Just know, I’m with you, Liv.”
I bit my lip.
Luke pulls it free, dropping a kiss on it with a sweet touch.
“How ‘bout some cake?”
“Cake sounds perfect.”