Tangled Love on Pelican Point (Island County Series Book 3) (19 page)

“Oh, I can imagine it, all right. And it makes me want to stay put.”

Anthony let out a resigned groan.

“You’re almost as stubborn as my brother.”

“Only on certain subjects.”

“And what are those?” he asked.

“Moving and relationships. I would’ve thought you’d pick up on that by now.” I grinned, looking up at him. “I should probably get going so I can get back soon and Mary can go home.”

“I can come with you to help unload,” Anthony offered.

“Oh, that’s okay. It won’t take me long.”

“I’ve got to remember to quit asking you questions that offer an out. I think you’re stubborn about more than you realize.”

“What do you mean by that?” I teased.

“I’ll follow you to the shop, and I’ll help you unload,” he stated without a question this time.

I giggled. “Maybe direct does work better with me.”

“So far it has.”

“Well, it’s my turn to be direct.”

“Aren’t you always?”

I smiled, but I needed to know. Anthony knew so much about my situation, whereas I knew very little about his. Instead of peeling the bandage off slowly, I ripped it off all at once.

“Why do you hate that house so much?”

His expression fell, and he pressed his lips together. “Let’s not spoil tonight.”

My heart fell as he avoided my question, and my face must have matched.

“It’s not that I don’t trust you. It’s just not something I like to talk about. It doesn’t change the past.”

“But it could change the future. Maybe talking about whatever it is would make you deal with it head on.”

“I have dealt with it.”

“Maybe you have, but to an outsider, it seems like you’re letting whatever it is run you off the island.”

“You’re not an outsider. Believe it or not, you know more than most. There’s nothing wrong with leaving behind what hurts a person.”

“My mom thought the same thing, I guess.” He narrowed his eyes and was about to say something, but I cut him off. I was done sharing. Either it was going to be a two-way thing or nothing. “Okay. Well, I’ve gone through all the catalogs and have everything reserved. You just say when, and I’ll be there. We only need forty-eight hours’ notice for delivery.” I tried sounding positive, but emptiness threaded my words as the realization hit. Anthony was merely passing through town, and I really was his entertainment. He could leave town patting himself on the back.

“You still haven’t invoiced me,” he said, trying to catch my gaze.

“I wasn’t planning on it until I know you’re happy with what I produce, but we should get going before we get hypothermia, especially you.”

Anthony lessened his embrace and took a step back, finally capturing my gaze. I blinked away my annoyance as his eyes held onto mine a second longer than needed. Even when I wanted to be unaffected by him, it wasn’t possible. My body responded to him with a flush of the cheeks, and I glanced toward the moon to distract myself. Maybe I did need to sleep with him just to get him out of my system. That’s usually what happened in the past. I’d let myself go to that next step with the person and—bam—interest lost. But then again, I’d never felt this kind of attraction leading up to anything.

“You have the sultry look down perfectly,” I scolded him, still keeping my gaze toward the sky.

He let out a laugh and swept a kiss across my cheek, sending a rush of prickles along my skin. That was the answer. A casual fling that I was incapable of.

“See ya there,” he said, walking toward the street.

He gave a quick backward wave, and I stared after him, wondering if I’d ever be brave enough to let myself experience all he had to offer.

I doubted it.

I opened my car door, slid inside and turned on my car with the heater blaring as I thought about the last several weeks. So much in my life had changed. Instead of feeling nauseous every time I opened the mail, I felt hopeful. A clear plan was falling into place.

This initial wedding order was only the beginning. My dad continued to improve, my friends rallied around to help my family, and I saw a different future for myself than the one I had been resigned to live out.

It was an exciting prospect, but I recognized that all of those changes could be traced back to one man and one simple act of kindness.

And I needed to start being honest with myself about him and what he did to me, physically and mentally, instead of pretending nothing mattered.

But the truth of it was that it hurt that he didn’t feel comfortable enough to talk to me about things that bothered him. It made it hard to imagine a future with him . . . not that he was offering one.

I turned on my blinker, pulled in front of Natty’s shop, and parked. Anthony parked right behind me, turning off his lights and quickly getting out of the car. The soft glow of the streetlights filtered onto the sidewalk.

I let out a silent laugh, realizing I’d been daydreaming about him the entire ride over. This was how bad things started. I’d begin daydreaming, twisting an impossible reality to fit my whims, undoubtedly leading to eventual heartbreak.

Anthony tapped on my window, and I jumped even though I’d watched him walk up to the side of my car.

“Sorry,” I mouthed through the window, unlocking the doors.

“No prob.” He reached in and grabbed the large box containing the wedding favors, leaving the smaller one for me.

I crawled out of the car and grabbed the remaining box, all while commanding myself to get a grip. I set my small box on the sidewalk in front of the shop as I unlocked the front door and flipped on the lights. He was right behind me, and I sensed every single inch of him.

“Just right over there by the cash register,” I said, pointing, before I walked back out to get the other box.

“Sure thing,” he called over his shoulder as I shut the door behind me.

I walked and stacked my box next to his, letting out an unexpected sigh.

“Well, thank you for this. It was really nice of you.” I glanced over at him and noticed that he was smiling. “What?”

“I just didn’t like the idea of you coming here alone.” His heated gaze fell to my lips.

“It’s Fireweed, not Los Angeles. I think we’ve been over that before,” I teased, clutching my car keys, not sure of what he was about to do next.

“Doesn’t change my opinion.” His voice was low and gravelly as he took a step forward and I took a step back.

“Who’s the stubborn one?” I placed my free hand on my hip, surprised by how quick the vibe between us changed.

He took another step forward, but this time I didn’t budge as his hand slowly brushed along my neck, his thumb sweeping up to my jaw.

“I’m not good at relationships, and I don’t do one-night stands,” I whispered.

“Me neither,” he said, his voice full of need.

I sucked on my bottom lip, and the heat in his eyes intensified, filling my entire body with warmth.

“You’re gorgeous. You’re kind,” he murmured, closing the gap between us. “I haven’t been able to get you out of my head since Cole’s engagement party. I’ve canceled appearances to be near you, I’ve stayed in a house I hate, and I still can’t manage to make you mine. I can’t imagine leaving this island without at least trying this . . . us.”

“I didn’t know any of that,” I said softly.

“Well, now you do.” He cradled my chin in both of his hands, his eyes begging for something I was afraid to give. “The next move is yours.”

The electricity between us was unbearable, but I was afraid to speak, to move. My eyes fell to his lips, and my breath caught as I imagined his lips tracing along my body. I blinked back to reality, my gaze locking with his.

“We should at least give it a shot,” I breathed, bringing my mouth to his.

Anthony’s lips curved into a smile as I kissed him, hungrily searching for more, testing boundaries. The kisses were full of passion, but quick, needy, aggressive. His hands slid down my back while my arms draped over his shoulders. My fingers curled in his hair, and Anthony’s hands gripped my butt. He lifted me up as he sprinkled kisses down my neck. I wrapped my legs around his waist and leaned my head back as his mouth canvassed my bare skin, leaving nothing but the desire for more.

Anthony’s kisses became more demanding, the ache growing stronger in both of us. I yanked on his shirt, our lips parting for only a brief second as I tugged the fabric over his head and dropped it on the floor. He began working the buttons on mine, but I shook my head. Common sense started to rear its ugly head as I glanced around the brightly lit flower shop.

“Back room,” I whispered, tangling my fingers through his hair, pulling his head forward, and bringing his lips back to mine.

He found the empty table in the back and set me down, his eyes dopey with lust as his fingers worked to remove my shirt. My hands skated along his bare skin, feeling the warmth of his skin.

There was a frantic current running between us, a tangle of fingers and mouths as we explored each other. His body was so warm and inviting. My mouth glided over his pecs, his mouth kissing right behind my ear, his fingers sliding along my waist while mine worked to unbutton his pants. We were a complicated tangle of need.

Just as I managed to undo the top button, he wrapped his fingers around both of my wrists and anchored them behind me. My lips still tingling, I felt him slowly undo my jeans and watched as he slid them down my legs, my heart racing with a ferocity I’d never experienced in a moment like this. I wanted him like I’d never wanted a man before.

No. I needed him.

Anthony took a step back, his gaze canvassing my body, his eyes pausing only briefly at my bare breasts and moving slowly down my belly to my cotton panties. He slowly traced his tongue along his lips, and I felt an excruciating ache of longing. He looked at me as if I were the most gorgeous woman he’d ever experienced before. His hooded eyes flashed to mine, and my stomach fluttered as he traced a finger along the edge of my panties in an endless tease. His lips curled slightly, and my thighs tightened with need as I wrapped my legs around his waist and brought him into me.

“Enough teasing,” I whispered.

“Never enough.” His lust-filled eyes steadied on mine as his hands twisted into my hair, pulling me into him.

Anthony’s mouth crashed down to mine, gently sucking on my tongue and spinning me into a world of ecstasy. Feeling his hard body between the softness of my thighs created a heat between my legs that was almost unbearable.

“More,” I murmured between kisses.

He obeyed well as his hand slid lower and gently began to apply pressure in all the right places, causing me to lessen my grip around his waist. Anthony’s lips slowly parted from mine and worked down my neck to my breasts. His tongue gently traced over the tightness of my nipple, and a moan escaped my lips as his hand cupped the other breast, then switched to the other, teasing me endlessly.

He brought his mouth back to mine while his hands slowly worked my panties down, and my breath caught with longing.

Anthony slid me forward and knelt in front of me, causing my pulse to race uncontrollably in anticipation. It was like the last several weeks twisted into this one hot moment. He pushed me in so many ways, and now this.

“I want you so badly,” I whispered as his whiskers scraped along my thighs.

“I need you,” he hummed, burying his head forward as his arms pulled me into him.

And my world literally stopped with every sweep of his tongue. It didn’t take long before he had me completely at his mercy. The pressure of fingers, tongue and warm breath threw me over the edge as my entire body released and collapsed into Anthony. I gave a shuddering inhale, trying to catch my breath as every piece of my world spun out of control.

With my chest still heaving as I tried to catch my breath, I pulled him up to me and saw the most beautiful smile ever, and I knew that whatever complication might arise was worth it.

His firmness rubbed against my thighs, and my hands slid down his stomach, but he shook his head.

“Tonight’s all about you, and don’t you have to go get some stuff from your apartment? Don’t you have places to be?” He flashed a wry grin and looped my arm through my bra, and I took it the rest of the way. “Plus, I don’t want our first time to be here,” he said.

“First time?” I smiled.

“Of many.” He smiled, picking up my panties and working them up my legs.

“I will never look at Natty’s floral shop the same,” I joked.

Anthony laughed and helped me off the table, but before I could continue to dress, he slowly brought me into him.

“Sophie, you tasted even sweeter than I imagined.”

“You thought about it?”

“I dreamed about it.” His eyes darkened, and I saw the charge again.

“I’m falling for you, Anthony.” I let out a deep breath. “And it scares the hell out of me.”

He nodded, his eyes staying on mine.

“It’s going to be complicated.”

“And it may not work,” I added.

“Or it might,” he said, his thumb sliding along my still-naked belly.

“If you don’t want to stay on Fireweed and I don’t want to go to LA, we will have to try the long-distance thing.”

We walked out of the back room, and he picked up his shirt and slid it over his head while I did the same with mine.

“Because I’m not giving
that
up easily.”

Anthony’s laughter filled the room—and my heart—completely.

“I’m buying us a plan for Facetime,” Anthony said, slipping his hand over mine. “Then we can see each other and talk whenever.”

“So I can take you into the grocery store with me?”

“Among other things.” He grinned. “You know, we could start practicing while I’m still here. See if it’s something we can pull off.”

“Practicing?” I laughed. “How do you propose we do that?”

“I’ve got some ideas.”

“Aren’t you worried about things getting leaked?”

“Not as long as you put a passcode on your phone,” he teased. “That always helps.”

We walked through the shop, and I locked the door behind us, completely dazed by the fact that I’d just let Anthony Hill send me into another orbit and lived to tell about it.