Beth’s tone belied the excitement shivering through her body as she calmly offered her hand. “Pleased to meet you,” she said.
* * * *
Mine.
His entire body resonated as that one single word exploded through him. James took her hand and brushed his lips across her fingertips, his gaze never leaving hers. “The pleasure is all mine, darlin’,” he said softly.
Christ almighty, she’s gorgeous. Now this was a real woman. They stared at each other without speaking until the wedding planner clapped her hands and called, “It’s time to get started, people.”
James managed to tear his gaze away first. Turning to Lily he grinned and said, “I believe Renaud is escorting Heather and as I have now found my partner, you should probably run along and find that homely bastard you’re marrying.” He looked around in feigned alarm. “Feel free to not tell him I said that.”
Laughing, they all moved toward the center of the field where the rehearsal began in earnest. James still hadn’t released Beth’s hand, instead tucking it into the crook of his arm while they walked. “So you’re Lily’s best friend,” he said conversationally. “I’ve heard a lot about you. Ian thinks highly of you. High praise indeed since he doesn’t think highly about hardly anyone.”
Beth hesitated a moment before speaking. “The Prince is…quite the piece of work,” she said slowly, “but he worships the ground Lily walks on and I approve of that.”
James doubled over with an explosion of laughter. “The Prince? Sweet Jaysus, where’d that name come from?” he wheezed, once he was able to speak again.
“It’s short for Prince Charming,” Beth confided solemnly.
James snickered again. “Prince, indeed. Aye well, he does have something of a noble bearing. Not poor common folk like me, I’m afraid.”
“Common isn’t a word I’d use to describe you,” Beth said then bit her lip as if to catch the words. James didn’t comment but cast a sideways glance at her and smiled.
* * * *
The rehearsal went as well as could be expected considering the amount of irreverent fun the alcohol had initiated. After an hour and a half, the newly hoarse director was somewhat optimistic that everyone knew where they were supposed to be and when. With a stern admonition to be on time and sober for the wedding, she turned them all loose to leave for the rehearsal dinner. The group started as one toward the parking lot, but once there began a spirited discussion about who was riding with whom.
Ian and Lily pulled Beth aside. “Would you like to ride over with us?” Ian asked, snaking his arm around Lily’s waist and giving her a playful tickle. She smacked his hand in mock exasperation.
“Nah, I hate being without my car,” Beth grinned. “I’ll see you both over there.” Her spine tingled and she got all shivery inside, knowing that when she turned around, James would be standing there. And yes, he was.
“I didn’t drive and I don’t really know the area,” he shrugged. “Would you mind if I rode with you? I promise to behave,” he said with a crooked grin, “unless of course you don’t want me to.”
Beth gave herself a mental pat on the back for resisting the urge to throw herself on him right there and then, and nodded numbly that yes, it would be fine if he rode over with her. Lily waved and called back, “Drive carefully!”
Ian gave James a hard look but said nothing as he spun on his heel and followed his fiancee.
Casting a wary glance toward the back of his retreating brother, James turned to Beth and said cheerfully, “Ready?”
Waving for him to follow her, Beth headed for her car. She was relieved that it was for the most part pretty clean, all the fast food bags having been cleared out and nearly all of the French fries recovered from their hiding place under the seat. The old lilac Saturn had seen better days, but was still holding its own. James whistled when he saw it. “What a great car,” he exclaimed.
She turned to give him a withering glare and saw the look of appreciation on his face. He wasn’t kidding. “I like it,” she admitted as she got in, “It’s old, but it still runs pretty good.”
“It’s great,” James repeated, easing into the passenger seat, “full of character. Reminds me of a car I had once. Mine wasn’t purple, though,” he laughed.
On automatic pilot, she backed out of the parking space and threw the car in gear. Okay, time for an emergency meeting, her brain sent out to the rest of her body. James Kelly, internationally-known rock star and the gorgeous brother of my best friend’s fiance is sitting in my junky old car talking to me like he’s just an average, normal guy. This is not happening. Men like him don’t look at girls like me. Men like him want beautiful, tall and skinny, not plain, short and chunky. Her heart, however, elected to skip the meeting.
To Beth’s surprise, they talked easily and non-stop all the way to the restaurant, and when they pulled into one of the last remaining parking spaces at the back of the lot, James jumped out and ran around the car to open the door for her. Offering her his hand to help her out, he gave her a bright smile. “Shall we, Miss Vargo?”
Charmed, she grinned back and said, “Why certainly, Mr. Kelly.” She took his arm again and he patted her hand as they walked toward the front door of the restaurant.
“Your dress is lovely,” James commented.
“Thanks,” Beth blushed. “It’s not the sort of thing I normally wear, but it’s comfortable. That’s a nice suit,” she said, indicating his obviously expensive jacket.
“Thanks yourself,” he smiled. “It’s not what I usually wear either, but Ma said–and I quote–‘If ye show up for yer brother’s weddin’ in leather pants, anything ripped or dangling from yer earlobes, ye’d best commend yer soul to God because yer ass will belong to me.’”
She bit her lip to keep from laughing at the dire admonition repeated in the high feminine pitch. “Your mom really said that?”
“She did,” James said somberly. “Terrified me too. As you can see, I’m observing the warnings and cleaned up all proper-like for the festivities.” Beth nodded and still managed to keep a straight face until he added under his breath, “I hope she don’t check my underwear, though.”
About half of the wedding party had already arrived and the harried servers ran back and forth taking drink orders. James ordered a glass of wine for himself from a star struck waitress and turning to Beth asked, “And what is your pleasure, m’dear?”
You naked in a great big champagne glass. “I’ll have the same, thank you,” Beth nodded.
The bride and groom made their appearance, along with the rest of the wedding party, family and close friends, and everyone laughed, drank and mingled while they waited to take their seats at the long table. Beth moved from group to group chatting, never losing sight of the fact that not once did James leave her side, attentively gesturing for refills when her glass was empty and making small talk. He occasionally put a gentle hand to her lower back to guide her through the crowd almost possessively. Was he flirting with her? Not bloody likely…she snorted delicately.
When they reached Ian and Lily, Beth overheard as Ian leaned next to James’s ear and whispered, “A private word, if you please.”
“Ladies, if you would be so kind as to excuse us,” James bowed low to Beth and then to Lily, who giggled at his formality. Beth looked at Ian with a question in her eyes, feeling the strange undercurrents of something she just couldn’t quite put her finger on. Ian just smiled and nodded, then took hold of James by the upper arm and dragged him from the room.
* * * *
Once in the hallway near the restrooms, James wrenched his arm free from Ian’s iron grip and took a good look at his brother. “Here now, leave off. What’d I do?”
“I just wanted to take a moment to explain this potentially life-threatening situation you’ve managed to get yourself into,” Ian said, his face carefully devoid of any emotion. “Beth is a lovely woman. She is Lily’s best friend, and they are very, very close. If you hurt Beth, it will
hurt Lily. If you hurt Lily, it will hurt me, and if you hurt me, I will cheerfully drown you in the pond and apologize to Ma later when you’re not there for Christmas.”
James felt the color drain from his face then flood back. “You’d drown me? Seriously?”
Ian nodded, solemn as a judge. “I’ll let you call Ma first to tell her you love her. I couldn’t kill you knowing you hadn’t done that, but afterwards, yes…I will drown you and smile in the doing of it.”
James suppressed a grin. “I consider myself duly warned.” Cocking his head sideways he remarked, “Jaysus, you’re still a right vicious bastard, aren’t you? All that pent-up male energy. Maybe you just need to get lai–” Ian growled and James threw his hands up in self defense just as Meg’s husband rounded the corner.
“Leave the two of you alone for one minute and you’re gearing up to kill each other,” Dan Wilde laughed. “Some things never change, I reckon.” Shaking his head, he stepped around them and pushed open the restroom door.
The loud squeak of the closing door muffled James’s calculatedly impassioned plea of “Not the face!” followed by a loud thump and a heated little pushy-shovey match that quickly dissolved into chuckles. ”You can’t think I mean to hurt the girl,” James snorted, suddenly unsure if Ian were teasing or not.
“I wouldn’t think you’d mean to but it could still happen, all the same. Just putting you on notice, little brother–best mind yourself.” Ian’s face gave away nothing.
The restroom door opened and Dan popped his head out. “Safe now, is it?”
“Course it is, Danny boy,” James scoffed. “I took him down easy.” Together they all headed back toward the party, jostling each other boisterously as they walked down the hall.
With a cheeky grin, James walked directly over to the ladies and proffering his arm to Beth said, “I believe they have us seated together. May I have the honor, milady?” He turned and gave Ian a raised eyebrow in open defiance. Ian said nothing, but reached into his jacket pocket. Pulling out his cell phone, he held it up for James to see then pointed to Moiré, deep in conversation with Camille. James winked and nodded in understanding then turned his full attention back to Beth, escorting her to her seat.
* * * *
Ian ducked his head and smiled, delighted that the seed of the forbidden fruit had been planted in such fertile ground. Lily didn’t miss that and taking his hand leaned over to look more closely at her husband to be. “You look inordinately pleased with yourself,” she whispered. “What are you up to?”
“Nothing,” Ian replied vaguely, not meeting her gaze.
Not buying that for a minute, Lily followed his line of vision to where James and Beth sat talking and smiling. She rose up on tiptoe to give him a conspiratorial kiss on the cheek. “Just let me know if you need any help,” she said, grinning.
3
The rehearsal dinner went by in a blur for Beth. As far as she knew the food was good, even if she didn’t have a clue what she ate. Whenever someone spoke to her she responded politely, but all of her senses were laser-sighted on the magnetic man seated by her side. Any other time she would have been engrossed in the happenings around her. The conversation was warm, spirited and at times hysterically funny as the Kelly siblings teased and tormented each other without mercy, reservation or hesitation.
As the after-dinner coffee was being served, some of the party began saying their good nights while others made further plans for the evening. Beth stared into her cup, not knowing what to expect next. You’re being totally stupid if you think for one moment you’ve got a snowball’s chance in summer with this man. Shouldn’t even bother getting your hopes up, her inner voice advised. You should leave now before it gets worse. When James excused himself from the table for a moment, she made her decision to cut her losses and run.
With a furtive look around, she shot to her feet and grabbed her purse. She walked up to the head of the table and leaned over to whisper in Lily’s ear, “This has been wonderful, but I think I’m ready to call it a night.”
At once, Lily’s brows knit together with concern. “Are you feeling okay?”
Beth gave her a weak smile. “I’m fine, m’dear. Just a little tired.” And a lot allergic to getting her hopes up only to have her heart broken. She waved good night and continued quickly past the lingering partygoers toward the door, not looking back.
The late April night was balmy and the beautiful moon almost full, brightly illuminating the parking lot as she streaked across it. She made it all the way to her car and was fumbling in her purse for her keys when a low, teasing voice from directly behind her said, “Leaving without even saying good night? I am devastated.”
Startled out of her wits she whirled abruptly, a gasp on her lips. He leaned casually on the car next to hers, legs crossed at the ankles while he regarded her with a bemused expression. “James! I’m sorry, I just…I mean, I didn’t see…Um…good night.”
He closed the distance between them. “The night’s only just beginning,” he purred. “Why don’t you join me for a drink back at my hotel? They’ve got a nice bar there from what I understand…”
Beth shook her head. “No, I don’t think so. Maybe another time.”
James moved in even closer and with one long finger traced her flushed cheek. “Perhaps we could just skip the drink,” he whispered.
Beth inhaled sharply at the electrifying contact. Apparently encouraged by her reaction, he slipped an arm around her waist and gently pulled her close. With the other hand he cupped her chin and tilted her face to meet his. He lowered slowly and the instant before their lips made contact, Beth shook her head frantically and stammered, “I…I…have to…to go. Right now.”
Pulling free from his embrace, she yanked the car door open and piled inside. Before he could utter a single word of protest to stop her, she started the car and peeled out of the parking lot into the night.
* * * *
James stared after the receding brake lights in complete and utter confusion. He had been drawn to Beth the moment he laid eyes on her and when he found out just who she was, his delight had doubled. There was something different about her, something he knew without a doubt he wanted to know better. While seated beside her in the restaurant, a faint vision flickered before him. Instead of heading for the bar as he had told her, he went straight out the front door of the restaurant to wait by her car as his intuition pressed him to do.
It was all so confusing. She was interested in him, he knew she was, then to turn around and try to sneak away was almost more than he could get his head around. It’s almost like…he scratched his head in consternation until a conversation he had a month or so before came creeping back. As funny as it sounds, it would be nice to hear no from a woman once in a while.
With a vicious curse on his lips he stalked back into the restaurant. Bursting through the doors of the banquet room, he found Ian and Lily in animated conversation with Dan, Meg, and Lily’s father Robert Evans. James strode directly to Ian and without ceremony cuffed him hard on the shoulder. “You, I want to talk to. Now.” Within moments, the two men were facing off in the hallway again.
“What kind of bur do you have up your ass?” Ian sighed wearily.
“What the hell did you say to her?” James demanded. “She just up and left all of a sudden like. She wasn’t even going to say good night or anything. I asked her back to my hotel for a drink and she lit out of here like she was running for her feckin’ life.”
It was an obvious struggle for Ian to keep his face neutral. “Are you meaning Beth? I didn’t say anything to her. I do remember telling you that comment about wanting to be told no by a woman was going to bite you in the ass, though. Shut you down cold, did she?” James growled but Ian blissfully ignored the warning. “And how long has it been since a woman turned down the grand and mighty James Kelly?” he teased, but then relented and spoke more kindly. “Did you ever stop to think just maybe she’d be worth a little extra effort?”
“Just talk to her. Take her out. Ask her about her. Christ, have you forgotten how to do this?” Ian grabbed him by the arm, dragged him back into the banquet room and directly over to Lily. “Lily my sweetheart, would you please talk some sense into this wee fool? He is treading heavily upon my last intact nerve.”
Lily smiled sweetly, pulled a chair next to her and patted it. “Come sit by me, James,” she said.
* * * *
By the time Beth pulled into her apartment complex, her breathing and pulse rate were almost normal again. She knew it wasn’t her he was attracted to. She just happened to be the only unattached female there. He just wanted someone for the night. She turned that truth over and over and over until the truth of it finally started to sink in.
“Damnation!” Growling because someone had taken her parking space–again–she hiked across the large parking lot in stiletto heels. She let herself in the front door and relaxed as the feeling of comfort and familiarity swept over her. Her small second floor apartment was just like her, a little odd and eclectic, decorated with things she found attractive, even if they didn’t always quite fit together.
She flopped down on the couch, kicked off her shoes and pulled the Tarot cards back out of the wooden box, giving them a quick shuffle. Spreading the deck out face down on the table, she asked her question aloud. “What should I know about James Kelly?”
She pulled one card. “The Knight of Wands. Well, now I know who that is.”
Sighing, she pulled out another card, the Seven of Wands. “Persistence, okay, he’s persistent. What is he after, though?”
She glared at the third card and directed her next question to the deck itself. “I’m sorry, didn’t you hear my question?”
Beth looked at the card again, and shook her head in confusion. “The King of Cups? Now what the hell’s that supposed to mean?”
The Gypsy Ribbon Page 4
