Bold (7 page)

Tabby bucked in reflex, and then his laughter hummed against her raw nerves and she felt it shimmer through her entire body.

“Oh. Lord,” she breathed. It wasn’t a prayer, but a murmur of sweet, sweet rapture.

Reece stroked her sex with long swipes of his tongue that sent her mind reeling. Her inner muscles contracted, released and contracted again. He lapped, sucked, and licked her like a cat devouring a bowl of cream, making low, muffled thrums that vibrated against her like a purr.

When his tongue circled her clit, she shot off the pillows, nearly knocking Reece off her, but he held her down, disappearing again between her thighs. Once more he took that little bundle of nerves into his mouth, setting off a ball of fiery sensation that built in the middle of her core.

“I can’t take any more,” she keened, but it was already too late.

Reality took a backseat to the heat burning her from the inside out. Like a match to a fuse, she went up in flames, shuddering violently as her orgasm rolled through her with as much finesse as a raging wildfire consuming everything in its path.

Lost in the moment, she wasn’t aware he had moved between her legs, until he thrust his hips and entered her, setting off another series of contractions that made her breath catch. His hands were strong, hard against her flesh, his fingers digging into her hips and raising her ass off the pillows as he slammed into her over and over.

The sounds of flesh slapping flesh, and the heady aroma permeating the air, resulted in a fist of need tightening low in her belly. She tensed, struggling to prolong the inevitable, but when Reece gave a rough roar of pleasure, fusing their bodies so close there was no place to move, Tabby lost the battle. Her outburst joined his as he stiffened. When she climaxed again, his back arched and his expression carried a mixture of pain and pleasure.

“Fuck,” he growled, his nostrils flaring as he collapsed on his back, his breathing broken and harsh. “You—” he dragged another mouthful of air into his lungs, before finishing, “—are unbelievable.” A smile touched his lips. “Come home with me tonight?” But before she could answer, he groaned, “Shit. I have to go to the Seaside first.”

Tabby sat up, unashamed of her nudity. “Why?”

Reece trailed his finger along the inside of her arm, sending goose bumps across her skin. “I lost a damn bet to Hauk. I have to sing at least one song a night for a week.”

“Last night was the first.”

“Yeah.” Pushing to his feet, he extended his hand to her. “Will you come?”

“I already have. Twice.” Tabby giggled at her own joke and accepted his assistance.

Pulling her up and into his arms, he smoothed his nose along hers while his eyes beamed with laughter. “You are such a brat.”

Yes. But she was his brat.

“What about Devon? He’ll probably be there tonight. He’s been watching me like a hawk.”

Reece released a heavy sigh. “He’ll have to find out sooner or later. I prefer later. I just don’t want to deal with him tonight.” She released the breath she hadn‘t known she held, as he continued. “I’d rather be dealing with you.” He gave her a short, quick kiss. “All.” Then another smooch. “Night.” And still another. “Long.”

Happiness bubbled up inside her. Did this mean they had a chance at a real relationship? One he wasn’t afraid of people knowing about—one her brother would just have to deal with? Reveling in the possibilities of what this breakthrough truly meant, she paused, remembering the promise she made to Jack yesterday.

Evidently Reece must have noticed her unease, because he said, “What?”

“Last night I promised to meet Jack at the Seaside.”

Reece’s features firmed. “You’re mine, Tabby.” He spoke with such conviction that chills of delight raced up her spine. She would never tire of hearing those words.

“Yeah. Yeah. I know, you Tarzan—me Jane,” she playfully jested before coming to the real crux of the subject. “If I don’t show up, I’m afraid Devon will come looking for me. Then he’ll discover I didn’t go home. He’ll nag me with questions. It will be hell.”

“Fine. But only one dance so you can tell Jack and his friends things have changed. Okay? You can come up with something to tell both your mom and Devon to appease them, can’t you?” When she didn’t answer fast enough, because she was relishing this new, possessive Reece, he popped her on the ass and she squealed, jumping out of his arms. His gaze narrowed on her. “Tabby?”

“Yes. Yes, Sultan,” she laughed, “whatever you say.”

Reece bent over to retrieve his clothes and began to dress. “I kind of like this Sultan thing.” He glanced around as he pulled his boxers and jeans on. “I think I’ll convert one of my bedrooms into a palace or harem.”

She pushed her arms through her shirt. “Uh. I better be the only woman in your harem.”

His gaze swept over her with male appreciation as he approached. “Then, darlin’, you’d better keep your man happy.”

She reached for him, drawing him into her arms. “Oh, I intend to.”

After they shared a long, slow kiss, Reece released her. “I need a shower.”

As they approached the table where the locks and key lay, she asked, “What is Harold’s key doing here.”

“Harold’s key?”

She picked up the key ring that had a small sail ship attached to it. “Yeah. I gave him one on that key ring.”

“So it was Harold who unlocked the tent and left things on?” That didn’t make sense to Reece. “Why would he be nosing around at night? It doesn’t seem like him to leave everything unattended.”

“Reece, I’m really worried about him.”

Turning the radio off, he picked up the locks and took the key from her. “I’ll talk to Brody tomorrow.” He switched off the light, shrouding them in darkness. “Meet you at the Seaside Pub in about an hour?”

“Sure.” Tabby went toward the slice of moonlight coming through the small slit in the tent flaps.

Reece secured the padlocks. When they reached her Jeep, he placed something cold in her palm. It was a key.

Confused, she stared up at him. “I have a key to these locks.”

“That’s a spare key to my house. We’ll meet there after the Seaside.”

“I can’t wait,” she whispered as he turned and headed for his truck.

Then her grin went ear to ear, filling her with elation. She hadn’t missed the significance of having a key to his house.

Reece was finally hers.

Music spilled out of the Seaside Pub as Tabby stepped inside its doors. Immediately the man onstage caught her attention. She inwardly grinned. Reece cleaned up good. In fact, he was the most handsome man in the room.

She was shamelessly ogling him when his lips parted and the first word of the song floated over the crowd. Was it her imagination or had everyone in the place paused to listen? Reece had that kind of effect, and not just with women. His voice was as smooth as a shot of Tennessee whiskey and twice as rich. As he sang, his gaze skimmed the crowd, stopping on her. The heated expression he gave her instantly made her weak-kneed, filling her with warmth.

God. She loved that man.

When he stared past her, frowning, she glanced over her shoulder to see Jack approaching.

He grinned. “Dance with me.”

“Uh. Sure.”

Placing his large palm in the small of her back, he guided her through the throng and onto the floor. When he took her into his arms, she nibbled on her bottom lip and chanced a look in Reece’s direction. He wasn’t smiling, tracking their every move as they danced across the floor.

“Jack, I’m not sure how to say this, but—”

She explained the situation without reveling Reece’s name. Since Jack knew her brother, she didn’t want anything mentioned in casual passing, until they had the right opportunity to speak to Devon. As she had anticipated, he was leaning against the bar, his sharp gaze riveted on her. Instead of feeling that itch of irritation she usually experienced, she felt a brush of happiness across her skin. Saying goodbye to Jack, she went directly to the bar and sidled up to Devon.

“Having a good time,” she asked.

“I’d have a better time if you’d behave, or better yet, go home.”

“Well, if that would make you happy, I think I might just do that.”

“Behave or go home?”

“Go home.” She gave him a kiss. “Good night, bro.” As she sauntered toward the doors, she gave Reece a wink as she passed by.

Tabby felt like kicking up her heels as she got into her vehicle and headed down the road. Her dreams were finally coming true.

Reece stared at the eleven-year-old boy holding a soft, juicy tomato, aiming for his head. When the first throw landed close to Reece’s left ear, he wondered why the hell he hadn’t asked to review the lists of events Andie had signed him up for. He’d lay a ten-dollar bet his sorry-assed brother had something to do with Reece’s head and arms trapped in the holes of this plywood-framed room, while half the population of Whispering Cove and their visitors took wild shots at him with ripened tomatoes.

Paybacks are a bitch,
he silently swore. In all honesty, all of this was for a good cause. With the excess profits, the Community Center would get much-needed supplies, computers and a host of other things.

The second tomato the boy tossed, he caught in his right hand and hurled back into the growing audience. The crowd scattered with screams and peels of laughter.

Part of the entertainment was trash talk, so Reece growled, “My momma can throw better than that.”

The child wound up his arm and released. With a splat, seeds and pieces of the meaty fruit exploded, striking too high and almost missing the backboard.

“Maybe he needs glasses,” Reece jested, and the crowd hee-hawed.

For about twenty-five minutes he dodged tomatoes, feeling his lower back start to ache. In another five he’d take a break and then return for another half hour of fun and games at this booth before he headed for the tricycle races. At least Brody would share in his embarrassment because Andie had also signed her husband up for that event.

When Tabby walked up to the table and laid down her money, he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. She had been beyond anything he could imagine last night. He could get used to going to bed with Tabby each night and waking up in her embrace each morning.

A cold, wet thud struck him directly on the forehead, pushing his head backward. He blinked, realizing too late that this petite little lady had an arm on her as her second bullet hit him directly in the face.

He spat a mouthful of seeds on the ground. “You’ll pay for that, brat.” He was prepared for the next one and moved out of the way of the speeding missile. “You throw like a girl.”

The crowd roared.

She shook her head, laying down more money.

“Sorry, darlin’, but it’s time for a break.” He ducked quickly from the portal, grabbing a towel and wiping tomato off his face.

He heard the masses moan and Tabby yell, “Coward.”

Taking a seat, he chugged down a bottle of water. He knew it was time to tell Devon about him and Tabby, but how? There was no telling how his friend would react. The man’s friendship meant a lot to him. Not to mention, he was a damn good worker and his right-hand man.

He wasn’t surprised to see Tabby stick her head beyond the door. “Knock, knock. Is it safe to come in?”

He got to his feet. “Baby, I think you deserve a good spanking.”

“Promises. Promises.” She walked into his open arms. “Eeek!” She stumbled back. “You’re sticky.”

He caught her hand, dragging her back into his embrace. “You’ve never complained before.” Pressing his mouth to hers, he kissed her.

“What the fuck!”

The second Reece heard Devon’s curse, he knew the jig was up.

“Devon, please. Reece and I—”

“You sonofabitch.” Hands knotted into fists, Devon approached on firm footsteps. “I’m going to tear your fucking head off your shoulders.”

Tabby darted in front of Reece. He attempted to shove her back, but she held her ground. “For God’s sake, Devon, lower your voice. Think about where we are.”

Devon’s eyes burned with anger. His shoulders heaved with each labored breath. The man shook with his fury. “Get out of my way, Tabby.”

“Dammit, Devon, listen to her. This isn’t the time or the place. Besides, I won’t fight you.”

“Then it will make it easier for me to beat the livin’ shit out of you.”

“It’s not what you think, Devon. Tabby and I are getting married.”

A burst of skeptical laughter met Reece’s declaration. “Married? You?”

“If that’s what it takes for you to accept this thing between us,” Reece said.

Tabby turned to face Reece, unable to believe what she just heard.

“If that’s what it takes?” she repeated his words slowly. Each one burned into her soul. Her chest squeezed, the pain sharp and deep. During their time together there had never been any mention of marriage or even love.

When anger crashed against the anguish, that the man she loved proposed marriage to satisfy her brother, she inhaled, spewing, “We are not getting married.”

“Tabs?” Devon growled behind her while Reece appeared stunned as if she had slapped him, and for life of her she didn’t know what kept her hand by her side.

“We have to marry,” Reece said.

Her brows shot upward as her eyes widened. “Have to? I don’t
have
to do anything,” she murmured through clenched teeth. “Especially since you’re asking me because you feel some twisted obligation to my brother.”

“But he’s right. You deserve a family, children.”

Face flushed with heat, she felt moisture fill her eyes. “You once said I was a romantic.” She nearly choked on the emotion catching in her throat. “In all these years I never once thought of marrying for a family and children, but for a man who loved me.”

“Love?” Reece pushed his fingers through his wet, sticky hair. “Hell. I don’t even know what love really is.”

“Then let me help you.” Her eyes seemed to dry instantly. “This isn’t it.”

She didn’t wait for a response. She spun around, dodging her brother’s outstretched hand, and ran for the door. Blindly, she pushed her way through the crowd, needing to find someplace to be alone, someplace to fall apart. Darting around the corner of the street, she disappeared behind a noisy generator. Her pulse raged, her chest heaving as she collapsed against the vibrating engine.

Yes. She wanted to marry Reece, but not to satisfy her brother and certainly not if Reece didn’t love her. A marriage without love was only a shell of a relationship. A humorless laugh slipped from her trembling lips. There was a time when Tabby felt her love was all they needed to make a go of it as a couple. That she could make him love her, given time. But a one-sided love and terrific sex wasn’t enough to sustain two people through bad times. She had witnessed that firsthand with a friend at college who had been in a similar position.

Reece would come to blame her, even hate her, if things didn’t work out. And she loved him too much to ever want to do that to him or to herself.

She was still licking her wounds as she stepped beyond the generator and into the street. Her boots clicked softly against the cobblestone with each step. It had to be nearing one and she had been scheduled to officiate at the tricycle races. As she neared the track designated by big orange cones, she ran into Josie and Vic. She tried giving them her best attempt at a smile, but it must have fallen short.

“Something wrong?” Josie asked, as Vic leveled a frown on her.

Since the cat was already out of the bag, she went for the truth. “Devon caught Reece and me kissing and all hell broke loose. Reece proposed because that’s what he thinks Devon wants. I think that sums up everything.”

“Oh.” Josie’s innocent eyes opened even wider as they started to walk toward the racetrack.

“But isn’t that what you wanted? To marry Reece?” Vic asked.

“At one time, but I want more. I want Reece to love me.” She inhaled a shaky breath and then released it.

“Well, hells bells,” Vic groaned.

“My sentiments exactly.” Tabby picked up the pace. “Where do you want me, Vic? And tell me again what I’m supposed to do?”

“The guys will follow this path. If they go outside the cones they are disqualified. First one over the finish line marked by that orange tape on the ground wins. You raise the winner’s hand, give him a little kiss, and present him with the certificate.”

“That sounds easy enough,” Tabby said.

“Uh. Tabby?” Josie cautiously drew her attention. “Did you know that Reece and Devon are in this race?”

“That is if the fools haven’t killed each other by now,” Vic added.

Discouragingly, Tabby shook her head. “Great. Just great.” It had sounded like fun when Vic had asked her the other day to officiate the race. Now she wasn’t so sure.

Several of the men began to arrive, including Adam and Trent from the fire department, Brody and Leo. Leonardo Caan was a young recruit from New Hampshire who had joined Whispering’s Cove police force last year. Tabby had met him a couple times, but the good-looking strawberry-blond seemed a little reserved for her taste.

When she spotted Devon and Reece walking side by side, Tabby figured they had made up or planned to beat the crap out of each other at a more appropriate time. She didn’t care either way.

As the large, awkward men climbed upon the small red-and-white tricycles, she could hear chuckles from the onlookers. The prize was a fifty-dollar gift certificate donated by the Seafarer. Katie was in the audience along with Andie to cheer their husbands on. Tabby stood before the line of men, all eyes pinned on her, but Devon and Reece’s gazes held something a little different from the others that she chose not to think about. She just wanted to get through this day.

Raising her arms, she yelled, “On your mark. Get set. Go.” Her hand whipped downward, starting the race.

Devon twisted the handles as he started to peddle, tipping over, and the crowd roared with laughter. Scrambling to his feet, he climbed aboard his trike and was off in a flash of long, bending legs pumping up and down so fast Tabby thought his knees might knock him in the chin.

The devilish Adam Collins grinned as he bumped Trent into a cone, pushing him out of bounds and disqualifying him. Even in Katie’s pregnant state, she made it through the crowd quickly and was by her husband’s side.

Reece and Brody were neck and neck, sharing victory smiles as one would inch forward and then the other would take the lead. Adam and Leo were closing in on them as they played their sibling rivalry game, while Devon was at the back of the pack, trying to remain seated.

The sight was hilarious.

Even after all that had happened today, Tabby couldn’t help it, she guffawed so hard tears rolled down her cheeks. That is until one of Brody’s feet skidded off a pedal, almost forcing him head over heels as the back wheels rose dangerously off the street.

The throng gasped.

Reece edged forward but looked back as if checking on his brother. When Brody regained his balance, the masses clapped, and Reece peddled faster, crossing the finish line. That’s when Tabby realized her next official duty wouldn’t be easy—presenting Reece with a kiss and his prize.

She had just stepped before him when he pulled her into a tight embrace. Before she could squirm out of his arms, he planted a wet one on her lips that shook her to the very roots of her hair.

The crowd went wild, laughing and cheering. Loud, raucous cries joined a series of wolf whistles as Reece’s caress went on and on, destroying her a little bit at a time as he devoured her. By the time he finally released her, she stumbled backward, but he caught her, bringing her to arm’s length.

“Hear me out. Devon said some things that opened my eyes.”

“No. I—”

Reece pressed a finger against her lips. “Please. Let me get this out before I lose my nerve.” He swallowed hard. “After that day at the high school, I found myself at a loss. I couldn’t eat, sleep or think of anything but you. I missed you, Tabby.”

The herd of people started to close in on them, but Devon and Harold seemed to know that Reece and Tabby needed a moment and they held back the mob as Reece rambled on.

“I was willing to let you go because I knew I couldn’t give you what you deserved. A family. A man who would always be by your side. My company has me coming and going. But that night I knew I couldn’t bear the thought of you in another man’s arms.” Broken laughter bubbled up from him that lacked humor. “Brat, you’ve messed with my life so thoroughly I doubt I can go back to the way it was. I don’t care if I have to rearrange my entire life as long as you’re there, beside me.” He inhaled sharply. “So if that is love, then, darlin’, I do love you.”

For the second time that day Tabby couldn’t believe what she was hearing.

“So?” he asked.

“So?” she repeated.

“Will you marry me?”

She nodded her head as happy tears began to well and fall down her cheeks. “Yes. Yes.”

Reece swept her off her feet, twirling her around. Her head fell back as she laughed. When he stopped and placed her on her feet, her mind was still spinning.

“We’re getting married,” he yelled over his shoulder.

Again, the crowd exploded with applause.

With a boyish grin plastered across his face, he said, “Let’s get out of here.”

She was all for that, but they seemed to be the only two in that state of mind, because the townsfolk folded in on them. Hugs and congratulations followed. It was another hour before they freed themselves, hopped in Reece’s truck, and headed for his house.

As Reece triggered the garage and pulled into the enclosed area, Tabby turned to him. “So what did Devon say?” She didn’t need to say more, he knew she was quizzing him on how he knew he loved her.

“The other day Devon mentioned that something or someone had been screwing with my head. He contributed my uncharacteristic behavior as being in love…with Lauren.” Her gaze hardened, so he quickly added, “The second he expressed his observation, it was you who came to mind, not Lauren. In fact, Harold thought of you too.”

He paused a moment. No, it was impossible that he and Tabby had fallen victims to Whispering Cove’s gruesome threesome. He put the thought aside for a later date, focusing back on Tabby. “No woman has ever derailed me from my path, but you. I refuse to live without you.”

“What about your company?” Reaching for the door handle, she opened the door, and stepped out.

Hurrying to catch up with her, he got out and came around the vehicle before he spoke again. “I thought maybe we could collaborate. With your design talents, we could offer additional services.”