by Lauren Dane
In the background, his father laughed and pretended to cough.
“I went to a dance class. My instructor even offered to write me a note.” He paused to smile at that. “I am capable of dancing at a wedding. This topic has now been exhausted. As has my patience. Two years of this. He’s the one sleeping with her, so why do I have to do all this nonsense?”
His mother blushed and he saw the smile she wrestled back into a frown. “Levi Warner, you will watch your language.”
“Ah and there’s my family.” Eli walked in, pausing to kiss their mother’s cheek before nodding at their father.
“Darling, you should have been here thirty minutes ago.” Liesl gave her third youngest a raised brow. Levi flipped his brother off behind her back.
“Traffic.”
“Funny how you all live in different directions and yet you’re all late.”
Luckily, before she could get too wound up, Toby and Jonah showed up with roses and a pastry box from their mother’s favorite bakery on the Eastside.
“When do we eat?” It was only that Toby was Toby that he was able to get away with such things. And he did it knowing Mal was going to be in big trouble for being the last late person.
Their father shot him a look and Toby only laughed.
“It’s a wonder I made it through all five of you.”
“That’s because you’re exemplary, dear.” James raised his glass in his wife’s direction and they all joined him.
That’s when Mal stormed in.
“You’re late.”
“Gwen wants me to sign a prenup.”
Liesl laughed but it was sharp enough to draw blood. Levi sighed and caught Jonah’s eye. As the two oldest they should really corral their mother. But they’d let her wind down a little before they stepped in.
Liesl shook her head. “Why are you arguing with that? We’ve been telling you to have her sign a prenuptial agreement for months now.”
“I don’t want to go into this marriage planning to fail. I won’t do it.” Mal’s mouth hardened and the brothers gave each other a quick look and stepped in.
“You are worth a great deal of money, Mal. If you two divorce, you would stand to lose half of it. It’s not planning to fail.” Levi shrugged and walked past, looking back over his shoulder as he did. “It pains me to say this, but I agree with Gwen here.”
“I’m not worried. She’d never do that to me.”
Their mother set her glass down and Jonah hurried to intervene. “Malachi Warner, stop fucking around and do what you need to do.”
“Jonah!” Their mother put her hands on her hips and glared at him.
“Mom, I’m sorry but this is basic man stuff. Sometimes you need to say the F word.” He turned back to Mal. “Anyway, nut up and sign this thing. Be an adult. You have responsibilities to your family and your future. You have to stop this philosophical bullshit about how you’re planning to fail. Fuck you, Mal. Did you think it would be easy to do this? Being a grown-up is hard.”
Levi watched Mal slowly buckle against Jonah’s stone-cold, big-brother scolding.
“Do you have it? The contract?” Jonah circled back and Levi took over.
“At the very least, let us look at the thing. No harm in that, right? Where is she? Why don’t you call her and tell her you’re here at dinner and you’ll see her later. That way she won’t worry and you can cool off before you see her again.”
“You guys are dicks. Sometimes it’s okay not to look at life like a business arrangement.” Mal grumbled it, but he moved to pull the contract from his bag and hand it to Jonah.
“Apologize to your mother for being a butthead.” Toby handed Mal a glass as he passed by on his way toward the dining room.
Mal took their mother’s arm and escorted her. “I’m sorry I lost my temper. And I’m sorry you had to hear Jonah say that filthy word so many times.”
Levi kept his head down as he stuck back with Jonah to read over the contract.
“Why do you think she pushed it?” He didn’t trust this sudden burst of concern from Gwen.
“It has occurred to me that perhaps the contract might be far more favorable than a standard prenup or even a generous divorce settlement. I don’t trust her. It’s all those big white teeth. She’s a chipper fascist. Nothing worse.”
Levi snorted and watched his father keep an eye on Mal. James Warner was no idiot; he was thinking the very same thing he and Jonah were.
“These percentages and timelines,” Jonah paged through, “seem off. But I don’t know what the standard is. Not my area. I know a few family lawyers in the building. Maybe one of them could take a look.” He kept his voice down as Mal excused himself to call Gwen.
Levi had a better idea. “Better yet, I know a guy on Bainbridge. Cal Whaley. I can see if he or one of his people can take a look tomorrow. If it’s standard, they’ll see it right away. If not, they’ll need more time and we’ll know. And he’s not here in town. Mother will calm down if that’s the case.”
Jonah handed the contract over and Levi popped out to tuck them into his case and leave a message with his assistant to get with Cal that next day if possible.
His mother sent him a look when he returned and sat across from her. “It’ll be fine,” he murmured.
Liesl knew her sons weren’t perfect. Loved them all in her own fierce way. But she had expectations of them. Their standing in the community was important to her, something she considered a great accomplishment. They were expected to work hard, use their status and money appropriately, to give back through charity work and to avoid any sort of scandal.
She was protective and ruthless when it came to her family. An admirable, if annoying at times, quality in a woman.
As much as Levi disliked Gwen, he hoped like hell that feeling in his gut that she was up to something was wrong.
He came home and stood in his bedroom looking out over the water for a long time.
Ten years ago he’d had a wife. A wife and a house big enough to start a family in. And then two years after that he’d had an empty house and a train wreck of a life to clean up. So he’d sold the house and come out here to Bainbridge. Though so close to Seattle, he could walk down the street and no one would look at him and think about what had happened. He could fucking live without the history of his life weighing him down so much he could barely move.
Bainbridge had been a good choice. One he hadn’t regretted since the first night he’d stood there and looked out, knowing it was his view, knowing it was his house, knowing his future had a clean slate instead of the debris of a fucked-up, shitty wife who drove drunk up the off-ramp and hit someone else head-on, killing her instantly along with the baby she’d been carrying.
He shoved away from his place and headed to the shower. He didn’t miss Kelsey. Not anymore. It didn’t hurt to think about all the what-might-have-beens, because all he could do was be thankful she hadn’t killed anyone else that night.
So he’d dated and fucked around. Plenty of beautiful women in the world. Most of them made him happy in bed. Some amused him out of it. But he didn’t have to open up and let any of them in. He didn’t have to give them anything he couldn’t bear to part with. And it had been good.
But Daisy Huerta was something else. Something different and vibrant. He wanted her in a way he hadn’t wanted the others. With the others he could be casually rough. Never to harm, but he could hold wrists and fuck hard and they were all right with it.
Daisy though…he wanted more.
Stripping off, he got the water started and stepped in, groaning at how good it felt.
He wanted to do all sorts of things to and with Daisy. He soaped up and gave over to the inevitable, grasping his cock in a soapy fist and thrusting.
Her lips, plump and red, that tongue…he wanted to fuck her mouth, watch his cock disappear between her lips and come out, wet and shiny with her spit. He wanted to order her to take him deeper, suck him harder. Wanted to pull out and come all o
ver her beautiful tits.
His balls crawled up close to his body. The vision in his head driving him toward climax faster and harder than usual. She’d look fucking spectacular on her knees before him. He wanted to dress her up in the finest lingerie, wanted to shower her with pretty things, things she’d wear or use and think of him. He wanted to be on her mind the way she was on his.
Wanted to sink his cock deep into her cunt and see the changes on her face as he did. Wanted to watch her tits jiggle as he thrust deep, wanted to feel the slick, wet heat of her around his cock, wanted that juice to drip down his balls.
He arched into his fist when he tweaked his left nipple, thinking about what hers would look like. Wondering how her pussy would taste. He knew the sweet seduction of her mouth, that taste and heat of her there. Would she be as delicious when he took that first lick? Would her clit harden against his tongue as she begged for more?
He sped, needing to come, needing to be in her.
What would her skin look like as he fucked her? Glistening with sweat, the marks from the flogger on her ass like pink kisses. That brought a grunt from his lips. He rarely used toys or tools. But with her? With her how could he resist?
She wouldn’t be a plaything like the others. He couldn’t hold back with her like he did the others. She called out to be dominated. To be cherished and cosseted, pleasured and spoiled.
She wasn’t to be played with because with a woman like her it wouldn’t be a game.
It was a risk. A woman who was nothing like all the others. A woman like her was indelible, the kind a man didn’t forget. Ever. He came in a hot rush as thoughts of what she’d be like propped up in this shower stall, his cock deep inside her, ran riot in his head.
And even as he finally found sleep an hour later, it was with her face in his mind’s eye.
Daisy sat at the large table with all her very favorite people in the world. Jules to her left. Cal and Ryan, Gillian, Adrian and their son Miles. The family of her heart. Mary busily moved around the room, making sure all the other diners were happy, but she came back to the table frequently to check in with them and visit a moment.
Gillian leaned close to speak. “You’re grinning in that way you do right before something like a new dress shows up in my front hallway. What are you up to?”
“I was just marveling at how lucky I was to have you all in my life.”
Surprised pleasure flashed over Gillian’s face. “That’s lovely. I’m glad to have you right back.”
Mary came back to the table. “I’ve got a few minutes before dessert.” She sat and Jules handed her a glass.
“While you’re here, we wanted to talk to you all.” Adrian spoke and Gillian straightened, taking his hand.
“Finally.” Jules snorted.
Gillian raised a brow in her friend’s direction, but then spoke to the group. “We’ve set a date for the wedding. The second weekend in July. After the holiday. Mary, would you be our caterer? Jules, will you handle all the desserts? Daisy, would you design our rings?”
“Wow, you two are like an entire economy unto yourselves.” Mary grinned. “I wouldn’t be offended if you wanted to look at other caterers. I’m assuming this will be a big wedding and I’ve only done small-to-medium ones before.”
“Oi you. Not only will you be expected to cater our wedding, but we have two events we need you for as it happens. The wedding itself will be small. Just immediate friends and family. We’re having it at the new house.”
Adrian looked to Gillian and then his son, smiling. Daisy liked him a lot. She had her doubts at first. But he’d proven himself to be a damned good father and the kind of man Gillian needed. “And then something larger. A reception my manager wants to throw. Industry people and that sort of thing. They wanted us in Los Angeles but I said no. We’ll do it here in Seattle. There’s a planner who’ll be contacting you with all the details but that one will be in early August.”
While Daisy was sure her friends would be amazing as caterers and pastry chefs, she wasn’t too sure about ring design.
“Are you sure you want me? I know some great jewelry designers.”
“None of them know me. Know us. You know not just me and Adrian, but Miles. You’re special and perfect because I love you and you’re family.” Gillian smiled and Daisy fought back tears.
“I can get you some ideas by the end of the month.”
“All right.” Adrian squeezed her hand and looked to the group again. “You’re as much my family now as my brother and sister are. This will be a big family affair. It means a lot to Gillian and me that you’re all such an important part of our lives and so naturally our wedding too.”
“And I know you will be busy supervising all the food and stuff at the wedding, but you’re all under orders to have enough non-Delicious staff so that you can enjoy the reception with us. Got me?” Gillian gave them all a look and everyone nodded.
Daisy raised her glass. “To Gillian, Adrian and Miles.”
“To love.” Gillian toasted back before first kissing her son’s cheek and then Adrian’s lips. Daisy wanted that, she realized. Wanted that connection with someone. Wanted a kid and a husband and a happy ever after.
Chapter 6
Levi pulled into the driveway and caught sight of her immediately. The dress, the red dress he’d chosen, was vivid against winter’s gray. She stood on the stoop of the gallery speaking animatedly to an older woman she looked a whole lot like.
He froze a moment. This was like meeting the parents. And he hadn’t done that for many, many years.
He made himself walk from his car up to the steps. He was a grown-ass man and he could meet someone’s grandma without proposing marriage.
Daisy turned and caught sight of him. Her smile drew him closer.
“Take a coat. It’s a pretty dress, but you need a coat or you’ll get a cold.” The little old woman looked him up and down. “He’s wearing a coat. See?”
Daisy nodded sagely. “You’re right. Levi Warner, this is my grandmother, Delores Huerta. Grandma, this is Levi.”
He took her hand and shook. She appeared fragile, but her grip told him otherwise.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Huerta.”
She smiled at him, a twinkle of mischief in her eyes, and he liked her immensely right then.
“Make her put on a coat.” She kissed Daisy’s cheek and headed around the gallery, waving. “Have fun.”
“I need a coat.” Daisy laughed and he followed her into her house where she grabbed a white coat and gloves which made her look like a glamorous starlet from the 1940s.
He helped her into the coat and escorted her out to his car. She waited for him to open her door, which he really liked.
“You look beautiful in that dress,” he murmured as they drove. It pleased him beyond measure that she’d worn it.
“Thank you. You look pretty beautiful yourself.”
At the restaurant, she held his arm and let him do the door opening and the chair pulling out. He knew she didn’t need it, but he wanted to and she allowed it because of that. The pleasure of that knowledge warmed him.
She mixed his wasabi and soy carefully, looking up to catch his eye to be sure it was the mixture he preferred. He watched her hungrily and wondered what she’d look like totally naked. When his beer arrived, she poured it for him.
He hadn’t been waited on like this. Ever. Not in this personal way she did. Sure, he’d had waiters pour his beer and serve his food, but this was Daisy, taking care of Levi, and it got to him. Got to him like so many other things about Daisy Huerta and he couldn’t seem to stop thinking of her. And how she was different.
Which was stupid. Because she was different, different enough that she was totally off the menu when it came to anything long lasting. It wasn’t like he could bring her home to his parents. A twenty-four-year-old artist with tattoos and all that in-your-face, lush beauty. His mother would be unfailingly polite to her and when she saw him next she’
d cut him to shreds with his responsibility and his future and how wholly unsuitable a girl like Daisy was for a man like him.
He shouldn’t be there with her at all. But he was. And he had no plans at all to change that.
“How was your weekend?” His fingers brushed hers as he took the glass and then sipped.
“Lovely, thank you. Worked and hung out with my friends Saturday. Yesterday my friend announced her wedding date at long last over dinner. Yours?”
He sighed and she laughed.
“That bad?”
“Family drama.” He shrugged. “Not as fun as being with friends and hearing wedding dates.”
He was very stingy with his life, she noted. It annoyed her.
“The rest of your family lives in Seattle?”
“Mainly. One of my brothers is in Kirkland, another is in Redmond. The rest live in Seattle. What about you?”
“My entire family lives on Bainbridge. I’m spoiled to have them all so close. Why did you decide to be a lawyer?”
“Why did you decide to be an artist?”
“Do you always answer questions with questions?” She paused when the first plates began to arrive. She grinned when she noticed they’d given her an extra plate of yellowtail nigiri. Her favorite. She winked at the server in thanks. He blushed.
“Do you know that guy?”
“I worked here for two years. On weekends usually. They know my favorites.” She shrugged.
“You know a lot of people.”
She laughed and popped one of the nigiri into her mouth, pausing to enjoy it. “I do. I imagine you do as well.” Only she doubted they were servers at restaurants and dance instructors. “I promise to answer any of your questions totally honestly, if you answer some of mine. Really it’s quid pro quo.”
A half smile touched his lips and, man, she wanted to see him naked.
“Why did you decide to be an artist?”
“I grew up not really knowing it was so unusual to be an artist. My grandmother has been a painter for as long as I can remember. I watched her do it. Make it work. Have a career in art. So I never had those oh-it-can’t-happen moments. They had lean years of course. But she kept on. So when I started making papier-mâché she got excited about it and they—she and my grandfather—displayed my little boxes in the gallery. And they sold.” She laughed at the memory. “Anyway, I like to create. I’m an artist because I like making things.”
