Holly wasn’t sure what was going on, but Kevin’s two friends were huddled around him by the back wall. But then a glimpse of Pete Douglas running out the back door clued her in.
What had Kevin done?
She’d told him she had handled it on her own, but obviously he’d intervened. She knew she should be pissed, but she couldn’t stop the giddy feeling rising in her chest.
What was that about?
For nearly thirty years, she’d taken care of herself. She sure didn’t need someone to take care of her now. But she had to admit that Kevin’s gesture filled her with a sense of gratitude that took her breath away. It was nice to have a friend who cared.
A friend. She wanted him to be more than a friend. Kevin Vandemeer made her happy. And that terrified her.
“Holly, the DJ hasn’t played ‘The Chicken Dance’ yet,” the bride’s mother said, interrupting Holly’s thoughts. She hadn’t even realized Mrs. Murphy had walked up to her. “And the party is almost over.”
Holly forced the smile she reserved for troublesome clients and bosses—the one that looked warm and inviting even when she didn’t actually feel that way. “I’ll go talk to him now.”
The party lasted another two hours, going forty-five minutes longer than scheduled, but the father of the bride made some under-the-table arrangement with the DJ to keep it going. And although Holly worried that the hotel staff would get upset, since they knew her they let it slide. A successful reception was only a good endorsement for her. In fact, a wedding guest scheduled an appointment to discuss using Holly for her wedding next spring.
But Holly kept sneaking glances at Kevin, sure he would renege on his offer to help, not that she could blame him. His friends were still there, close by and acting like his bodyguards, or perhaps as protection for the groom’s brother. But it was obvious they were bored.
Time to be a big girl.
After she reminded the DJ to play the requested song, she walked over to Kevin and his friends and took a seat next to Tyler. She turned to Kevin, who held a bottle of water in his hand. Come to think of it, she hadn’t seen him with anything but water since they came back inside. “This party will be going for a while longer, so why don’t you boys go ahead and go.” She held Kevin’s gaze. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
His two friends turned their attention to him, but he shook his head. “I told you I would stay and help you, and that’s what I’m doing.”
Why did he seem so determined to stay? The worried glance Matt shot toward the groom’s brother confirmed her earlier suspicions. “While I very much appreciate the offer, your friends are ready to go and it’s obvious they aren’t leaving you alone.” She lifted her eyebrows. “I can handle myself.” She cast a quick glance at Pete Douglas, then back to Kevin. “I promise.”
“That much is obvious,” he said, his face giving nothing away. “But sometimes you need to accept help, even when you don’t think you need it.”
Both of his friends grunted.
She stood and moved behind Kevin. Resting her hand on his shoulder, she squatted next to him and whispered into his ear, “Give your friends a break and go home, Kevin.” Then she kissed him on the cheek and walked away.
Five minutes later, all three men got up and left. Holly stood in place at the cake table, where she’d been packing up the wedding cake. She took a breath and placed the top tier into a box, trying to ignore the ache in her chest as Kevin walked to the door without a word good-bye.
Why was she upset? He’d done exactly what she’d told him to do.
Shortly after midnight, the crowd had finally dwindled and the DJ called it. The bride and groom had already left. The presents and cake had been packed into the mother of the bride’s car. All that was left were the centerpieces, most of which the bride’s mother had handed out to friends, and the lights around the room.
“It was absolutely beautiful,” Mrs. Murphy said, pulling Holly into a hug. “Thank you for everything.”
“You are so welcome. I loved every minute of it.” Which was mostly true.
“Michelle’s father and I would like to give you a big bonus for all your hard work. Twenty percent.”
A twenty percent bonus? “Mrs. Murphy, I don’t know what to say. Thank you.”
She patted Holly’s arm. “We’ll mail the check to your office.”
Holly kept the smile plastered on her face, even though the surge of disappointment brought tears to her eyes. Nicole would confiscate the check and deposit it in the business account, giving her only a small portion. She’d done it before. “It’s been a long day, so why don’t you take off and I’ll take care of everything else. I’ll drop the remaining centerpieces at your house tomorrow.”
The woman gave her a weary smile. “I already took what I wanted. You keep the rest or throw them away.”
The last couple left, leaving Holly and a few of the hotel staff to clean up the mess. The bride’s father had bribed the bartender and the waitstaff to stay longer, too, but they had been keeping up with the cleanup and were soon gone, leaving Holly alone. She picked up the last centerpiece and tears stung her eyes as she looked at the arrangement of pale pink roses in a small round vase. She had a job she loved and she’d just made a bride’s dreams come true. Why was she so melancholy?
“I see you got started without me,” Kevin said as he stood in the open doorway.
The vase still in her hand, she spun around, gasping at the sight of him. He’d changed into jeans and a T-shirt with the U.S. Marines logo. She swiped an errant tear from the corner of her left eye. “What are you doing here?”
His warm eyes held hers as he walked toward her. “I told you that I was going to help you.”
“But you went home.”
“And I came back. Just like I said I would.” He moved closer, standing in front of her. “I won’t let you down again, Holly. If I tell you I’m going to do something, I’m going to do it.”
She broke his gaze, her face burning when she realized what he was talking about. “Kevin…”
“Dance with me.”
Her eyes snapped back to his. “What?”
“You said you couldn’t dance with me earlier because it would be unprofessional. Well, there’s no one here now. Dance with me now.”
She gave him a grin, but the flowers shook in her trembling hands. She wasn’t sure she had the strength to refuse him. She might be naive, but she knew he wanted more than a dance. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” she whispered.
“I think it’s the best idea I’ve had since the envelope.” His voice was steady as he pulled his phone from his front jeans pocket and opened his music app. The sounds of a Sara Bareilles song filled the space around them.
Holly released a soft laugh. “I find it hard to believe a big tough guy like you listens to Sara Bareilles.”
“I don’t,” he said, setting the phone on the table, not taking his eyes from her as he took the arrangement from her hands and set it next to the phone. “I downloaded it for you.” He reached for her, putting his hands gently on her hips, letting her know exactly what he wanted, yet giving her every opportunity to bolt.
She was mesmerized by his eyes. They were dark and burned with unspoken promises. Promises she very much wanted to accept.
“Dance with me, Holly,” he whispered into her ear, his voice husky with desire.
She should tell him no. The smart thing to do was to tell him no. But instead, she found herself whispering back, “Okay.”
The muscles in his arms and shoulders were so tense she expected him to take charge and pull her to his chest and kiss her, and she was ready for it. Ached for it. But his hand was gentle as it slid up her back, pulling her ever so slowly to his chest.
He began to sway, and she was aware of every part of him. His firm muscles against her breast, the strong arm that held her pressed tightly against him, so tightly she could feel the beating of his heart. His scent—oh, his scent—she’d come to know so well. Too well. How had she let this man get under her skin? She’d only known him for a little over a week.
She closed her eyes and rested her cheek on his chest, her heart aching even more as she realized he’d picked a song about lost love. She should take a step away from him, end this now.
But her body refused to listen to her head. She slid her fingers up his arms, resting them on his tense shoulders, kneading gently before moving on to trace the outline of his jaw.
Reaching up on tiptoes, she lightly pressed her lips to his.
He stopped moving, his body still as she ran her tongue along his bottom lip. When he began to sway again, his lips brushed hers tenderly as he pulled her in tighter.
The kiss deepened but remained unhurried, slow and leisurely, as though he had all the time in the world. But his tongue worked magic, finding hers and coaxing it to join his dance of slow seduction.
He lifted his hand to her face, tilting her head back to give him better access to her mouth while his thumb made slow strokes along her jaw.
She lost herself in him, their bodies connected by hands and mouths, but also hearts. She felt alive—so alive—from the tingles on her skin, to the ache in her core, to the lightness in her heart. He made her heart sing, and she felt more cherished and desired than she’d ever felt in her life.
He lifted his face and she lost herself in his warm brown eyes, so full of adoration it stole her breath away.
It took her several seconds to realize the song had ended.
Leaning down, he gave her a gentle kiss, then lifted his head. “Thank you for the dance.”
She smiled softly, incapable of forming intelligible words. Twice they had gotten swept away with passion and hormones, but this tender moment with him meant more to her than any other in her life.
He slowly released her, giving her a gentle smile. “Let’s clean up and go home.”
Her stomach fluttered with anticipation as they worked together to dismantle the room, and within fifteen minutes they had everything they needed packed up in boxes. Holly slipped her pumps back on, grabbed her purse, and looked around the room, making sure she’d she hadn’t missed any decorations.
Kevin stood next to her holding both boxes. “We good?” he asked softly.
She looked up at him, still in awe of just how much she felt for him. “Yeah, you saved me a ton of time. Thanks.”
He grinned. “So do I get the assistant job?”
“Yeah, you have it,” she teased. “The pay is crap, but it’s yours.”
He leaned over and gave her a tender kiss, then turned toward the door. “Then let’s get you home.”
He’d parked next to her small SUV, and after he’d put the boxes in the back, he shut the hatch and looked down at her. “You still up for opening the envelope?”
She grinned. “I’ve waited long enough, don’t you think?”
“It’s at my house. We can open it there.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
He opened her car door, then pulled her to his chest, kissing her again, leaving her breathless and weak in the knees. “I’ll follow you home.”
“Okay,” she whispered, wondering if she should try to be more coy about the effect he had on her but not wanting to. She was tired of fighting her feelings for him.
When she got home, Kevin was in her driveway, waiting for her to get out of the car. He insisted on carrying the boxes of lights into her garage, but she told him to leave the centerpieces in the trunk.
“You want to open the envelope tomorrow?” Kevin asked. “You look exhausted.”
She grinned up at him. “You can’t get out of it that easy. Want to get the envelope and meet me in my backyard?”
“Sounds good.”
She went into her house, kicked off her shoes, poured herself a glass of wine, and grabbed a bottle of beer. When she came out the back door Kevin was already sitting in one of the Adirondack chairs, his shoes off and his feet in the wading pool. The kitten was nervously pacing around on his lap.
She laughed as she handed him a beer and stepped into the pool. “I see you’ve figured this part out.”
He accepted the bottle and took a drag. “It’s a unique setup, but I can see the benefits.”
After she settled into the chair, she released a contented sigh. “This is one of my favorite places in the world.”
“With your feet in a kiddy pool?”
“In my grandma’s backyard. It’s hard to be unhappy when you’re surrounded by flowers.”
He was silent, taking another sip as he watched her.
“Gran’s always been a gardener. She taught me how to plant and prune, but she had a magical touch that I don’t seem to have. The garden is already looking worse for wear this year. Next year it won’t be the same.”
He was silent for several seconds, and when he spoke, he seemed hesitant. “I know you feel like you’re losing her with her dementia. I would guess that you’d want to try to keep this part of her.”
She glanced over at him, tears filling her eyes. How did he understand her so completely? She nodded, taking a second for the lump to clear from her throat. “You’re lucky that you have so much extended family. Nicole talks about them.”
“Family is overrated,” he said and, though he said it jokingly, she had to wonder at his tone.
“You and Megan seem to have a great relationship. Strong enough to survive that disaster,” she said, waving her hand in the direction of his house, hoping to lighten the mood.
“Don’t remind me. At the rate I’m going, I’ll be stuck in that place forever.” For some reason he didn’t sound so depressed about that fact.
“Okay, enough stalling. Did you bring the envelope?”
He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. “Why don’t you do the honor?”
“Whiskers is your cat. You should do it.”
He ran his hand down the kitten’s back. “I’ve got my hands full. You do it.”
She took the envelope and broke the seal. “I feel like we should have a drumroll or something.”
He tapped his fingers on the armrest in a mock drumroll and grinned.
She pulled out the paper and held it up. “I can’t read it.”
“Why not?”
She squinted. “It’s too dark. It’s practically illegible. Take your pick.”
“I’d let you use the flashlight on my phone, but I left it home.”
“I’ve waited forever and I have to know.” She stood up, her foot catching on the edge of the pool, and she started to wobble.
Kevin was up in an instant, dropping the kitten in the chair as he stood and reached for her. But his foot slipped and he fell, taking her down with him. He twisted just before they reached the bottom of the shallow pool, turning her to the side so he didn’t land on top of her.
They lay there for a second before she said, “I never realized these inflatable sides made such a comfortable pillow.”
He grinned and she burst out laughing as they lay in the cold twelve-inch-deep water, their faces inches apart. But after a few seconds their laughter died and the amusement in his eyes turned to desire. Slowly he began to slide his hand up from her hip toward the curve of her breast.
The light in Melanie’s upstairs window flipped on and Holly giggled. “Mel’s gonna be pissed that we woke her.”
Kevin’s hand froze, and he looked worried.
But Holly suddenly remembered how they’d ended up in their predicament. “The paper!” She bolted upright and twisted around to find the paper floating on the water behind her. She picked it up and groaned when she saw that the ink had bled, then handed it to him. “Please tell me that you really know and you’re just teasing me.”
He sat up next to her, grimacing as he squinted at the slip. “I don’t.”
“Can you read it?” she pleaded.
“I don’t think so.”
The back door flew open and Melanie stood in the opening, glaring at them with a hand on her hip. “What are you doing out here?”
Killer ran out and jumped into the pool, landing on Holly’s lap.
Holly gave her an innocent look. “We’re taking a midnight swim.”
Kevin laughed, but Melanie did not look amused. “It’s one thirty in the morning. Get inside before you wake the whole neighborhood and Mrs. Darcy calls the cops.”
“We’re doing something important.”
Her cousin scowled, then said sarcastically, “Yeah, I can see that.”
“No, seriously. We were about to find out the sex of Kevin’s kitten, but the paper got wet.” She snatched it from Kevin’s hand and held it up.
“Is this some new sex game? Because honestly, it sounds a little perverted.”
Kevin burst out laughing.
Holly started to stand and her foot slipped again, making her land on Kevin. Hard. He grunted and she burst out in giggles.
Melanie groaned, walking down the steps.
Holly pushed out a sigh. “He took the kitten to the vet and they put its gender on a paper in an envelope but now we can’t read it.” She waved the paper, showing the bleeding print.
“Oh, for God’s sakes.” Melanie scooped the anxious kitten out of the chair and walked to the back porch, then held its butt up toward the porch light. “It’s a boy. Happy now? Come inside.”
“How could you tell?” Holly asked, her mouth gaping.
“It’s called anatomy, Hol. Maybe we should have a refresher course before Mr. Handsy goes for Round Two.”
Holly looked down and realized that Kevin’s hand had a firm grip on her ass.
Kevin stood and reached down to Holly, helping her onto the grass, before he leaned over and gave her a gentle kiss. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
Then he took the cat from Melanie and left.