A Beat in Time (12 page)

I put the finishing touches on the heterosexual book. Childhood lovers torn apart as kids and reunited as adults. I put my blood and tears in this book and I hoped it did well. Writing and publishing was hard, putting your baby out for the world to see was a double-edged sword. You get those “I loved it” reviews along with the “I hated it”, I learned a long time ago that you couldn’t please everyone. Putting myself and everything I’d just gone through into a book
was
cleansing. I hadn’t seen Jensen since the day my parents were here. No texts or calls either. My doorbell rang and I got up from the kitchen island, crossing to the door. A florist stood on my front steps.

“Serena Devane?” he asked.

“Yes?”

“These are for you.”

I took the flowers and looked for a card. There wasn’t one. I eyed the flowers carefully. They were sweet peas. I tipped the florist and carried the flowers into the kitchen. Sweet peas were my birth flower, but I’d also put them in some of my books. Vince would have left a card, I thought. I called him anyway to ask. He answered on the second ring.

“Hey beautiful!”

“Well, hey,” I chuckled.

“I was hoping to hear from you,” he admitted.

“I know, and I am sorry about that. When I get into writing mode, I usually don’t come out of the office until I’m done.”

“And I get that. So what do I owe this call to? Boredom? Need me to talk sex to ya?”

“Dirty slut.” I snickered. “Actually, did you send me flowers?”

“Nope, not yet. Why? Do I need to right now? I’ve got FTD on speed dial.”

“Is that right?”

“Yeah, I send flowers to my mom all the time. When I left New York—”

“Whoa, what? I didn’t know you lived in New York!”

“Yeah, Queens. Why?”

“I left New York for Arizona.” I laughed at the odd coincidence.

“I left to start new after the ex cheated.”

“Wow,” I mused.

“While I’ve got you on the phone, why don’t I come up this weekend? Or vice versa? I’d really like to spend more time with you.”

“I um…” I wasn’t quite sure how to answer that. My vagina was holding pom poms and doing a sex cheer, but my heart was on the fence.

“I didn’t mean to have sex, Serena. Do you have a couch?”

“No, I sit on the floor,” I drawled.

“That’s too bad. Maybe I’ll buy you a stool.”

“I’m kidding. I have a guest bedroom.”

“I know you are, that’s what I love about you, Serena. So, is Friday okay to come up? You can show me Flagstaff.”

“Sure. That sounds like fun.”

“I look forward to it and Serena?”

“Yes?”

“I’ll bring flowers.”

I hung up with a goofy smile on my face. Vince made me laugh, he made me feel good about myself and he was a fabulous kisser. Holy hell was he good. I chuckled as I closed my laptop, I would send the book off to Ann to get her take on it. I was nervous about this one. I put a lot into each and every book I’d ever published, but this one was personal. I just hoped I didn’t get murdered by reviewers. Ah well, either they liked it or hated it. Regardless, my baby would be going out into the world.

I showered and headed into town for staples. Since I didn’t eat much, I didn’t shop much. Coffee, however, was a must. I stood in the coffee aisle for what seemed like forever. I hated flavored coffee and I hated flavored coffee creamer even more.

“Are you waiting for it to pop off the shelf and into your basket?”

I turned to see Aarin behind me, grinning.

“Long time no see, stranger.” I hugged him.

“Yeah, I know. I’ve been practicing with the guys, churning out new tunes.”

“Well, I can’t wait to hear it.”

“How’s the hetero book?”

“Finished it.” I smiled. “I took your advice and used myself. Not sure how the readers will respond, but it is what it is.”

“Well, I think you’re fascinating.” Aarin waggled his brows.

“Oh yeah, SO interesting.” I elbowed him.

“You busy this weekend?”

“I kind of am. I’m seeing this guy, it’s new, but I’m hoping it will become something.”

“So, Jensen didn’t work out?”

“Let’s just say, that part of my past needs to stay there.”

“Well, if you and the guy get bored, come to the Green Room Saturday. The guys and I are playing a set.”

“I will do my best to make it there,” I assured him.

“Good. Now get your coffee, I see a bitch attack coming on.”

“Oh ha, ha.”

~*~

I spent the rest of the week nervously cleaning. I did that a lot when I got flustered, or bored, or horny, or was breathing. I just liked to clean. I took after my mother, I guessed. I was one of those people that actually moves the appliances around. I tried to start a new male romance, but I kept thinking about Vince and his lips.

And his hands.

Vince called me on Friday morning and told me he was on his way up. That sent me into the shower where I shaved every bit of hair I could find from my legs, pits, and pubes. I left a landing strip because I hated keeping up with it. Why the hell was I shaving anyway? It wasn’t like I was going to get laid or anything.

Oh, who the fuck was I kidding? I needed to get laid like last year.

I didn’t get a chance to see or feel what Vince was bringing to the party, but he had big feet and big hands. My gay beta readers would joke and say that meant he wore big socks and gloves. I stared at myself in the mirror. Was I ready to have sex? I smiled.

Oh. Hell. Yeah.

I did my hair and makeup and put some perfume on my neck and wrists. I stared at the bottle and shrugged, spraying some on my crotch. Couldn’t hurt, right? I then sat on my couch and stared at the clock like an idiot, my head tilted to the side, listening for any sign of Vince. I heard the sound of a diesel truck and ran to the door. The UPS man was just walking up to my door with a package.

“Serena Devane?”

“Yes. I didn’t order anything. I don’t think?”

“Here ya go. Can you sign?”

“Sure.”

I signed and took the box from him. He jumped in his truck and pulled out of the driveway. I stared at the box and frowned. Taking it back in the house, I took the scissors to the tape and opened it. A jar of
Nutella
sat in air bubble wrap.

“What the hell?” I lifted the jar out and cocked my head to one side. “Who would send me
Nutella
?”

I wracked my brain to think of who would send me a jar of hazelnut spread. Again, thoughts of a few of my books came to mind. I knew that in one of them, the main character was in love with the spread. I put the jar in the pantry and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. Once again, the sound of a diesel engine caught my attention. I peeked through the blinds to see Vince jumping out of his dick truck. The thought made me chuckle and I went to answer the door before he even reached it. Vince looked surprised when I opened the door.

“Hey.” His face lit up.

“Hi. You need help with anything?”

“Nope, got it all right here.” Vince tapped his duffel.

“Well, come on in.”

I moved aside as Vince walked into my house. I caught sight of his ass in faded blue jeans and I swear my mouth watered. Vince’s T-shirt was screaming across his back, it was so tight. His biceps nearly shredded the material around them.

“It feels good up here. Nice and cool,” Vince remarked.

“I know. I love it up here.”

“Nice house.” Vince took a look around my place. “Want to give me the tour?”

Yup. The tour of my bed and me screaming underneath him.

“Serena?”

“Yep?”

Vince grinned, “Were you thinking dirty thoughts?”

“I may have been,” I admitted.

“I meant what I said. I’m not here to have sex with you. I really want us to get to know each other.”

“Okay, how bout a beer and we sit on the back deck and talk?”

“Sounds good.”

We sat on the deck and talked about New York and the things we missed about it.

“I miss the pizza and the hot dogs the most. I lived in Brooklyn when I first got to New York and fell in love with this pizza place—”

“Fulton and Front Street?” Vince cut in.

“Oh my God! Yes! I loved their pies!”

“My mom loves them too. I always got her one when I got off work on Fridays.”

I glanced at Vince. He looked a little sad. “You miss her, huh?”

“Yes, but she was the one who told me to get out of New York and start new. I think she may join me out here if we have another shitty winter. Which we will.” Vince chuckled.

“Did you always want to be a firefighter?”

“From the time I could stand, yep. My father was one and I knew that’s what I wanted to do. I wanted to help people.”

“Was one?” I asked.

“Yes, he died of cancer two years ago.”

“Oh shit. I’m so sorry,” I whispered, biting my lip.

“Thank you. I know my mom wanted me to leave, but sometimes I think she needs me there. She’ll never admit it. She has all her friends in the neighborhood and they watch out for each other. Plus, some of my guys still check in on her.”

“She sounds like a good woman.”

“She’s your typical Italian mother.”

“Oh lord,” I laughed. “My mother is the typical French mother.”

“So food plays a big part in your family?”

“Yes, we always sat down together to eat meals as a family. When we’re all together, we still do.”

“Same here. My mom would invite the guys with no family over all the time. They were her other sons.”

“You’re the only son?”

“Yes. I’m an only child, which is rare for Italians,” Vince snickered.

“Do you want kids?”

“Oh yeah, I want, like, ten.”

I spluttered and Vince tapped my back, laughing.

“Kidding! Maybe two or three.”

“Why not four? Why not six?” I eyed him.

“I think two is perfect. One boy, one girl.”

I couldn’t stop staring at him. This was the perfect male specimen. He had a great sense of humor, made me laugh, was sexy as all hell, loved his mother, and wanted kids? I think I made that wish when I was twelve. Vince leaned in and touched my cheek.

“What are you thinking right now?”

“I blew out my candles when I was twelve and I think I wished for you.”

“I’m not perfect, Serena. No one is, but I don’t lie and I don’t cheat. I love with my whole heart and I would never intentionally hurt you. I know you’ve got your ex to deal with and I won’t push, but I think we could be good together.”

I was starting to think the same thing.

We ended up on the couch sifting through shows on Netflix. I stopped and turned to look at Vince. He was watching me.

“If we watch a horror movie, I’m going to be in your lap.”

“Horror movie it is.” Vince declared.

“I never watch them alone. I usually watch
Lost
.”

“Ah, so you’ve put Jack and Sawyer together in your head, right?”

“How did you know?” I snickered.

“We can watch whatever you want.”

I put a horror movie on. Fuck it. I leaned into Vince and he put his arm around me. I looked up at him with a grin.

“Are you up for catching some live music tomorrow?” I asked.

“Sure.”

We settled in to watch the movie and I snorted.

“What?” Vince cocked a brow at me.

“Why is the woman always running through the woods with high heels on? Oh, and when the killer gets to her, she stands there and screams.” I shook my head in disgust.

“What would you do?”

“Well, first I’d lose the stupid heels. Maybe clock him in the head with one of them.”

“You’d never die in a situation like that. You’d probably make the killer cry.”

“Damn straight,” I admitted.

Vince caressed my cheek and I swallowed hard. The way he looked at me, it went right through to my soul. His eyes darkened with lust and my lips parted.

“I want to kiss you,” he said softly.

It took a millisecond before I attacked him. I was in his lap, licking at his lips and grinding against him. It was as if I had no control when it came to Vince. His arms encircled me and then he was feasting on my mouth, his tongue dueling with mine. His hand slid up my neck and into my hair and I swear I purred. Vince broke the kiss panting, his eyes wild.

“We need to stop or I’m going to take you right here.”

“And that’s a problem why?” I ground against his dick; which, by the way, was what I expected from a man with big hands and feet. He was hiding an elephant trunk in his pants.