So good that I’d probably have to eat a raw food diet for the next few days just to recalibrate my system. “These fries are the stuff of life, I swear it.”
Norah leaned her head against my side. “These are hot!” She fanned her mouth and without even thinking about it, I handed her my water.
“What kind of girl grows up in Cajun country with those taste buds?”
Norah shrugged as she continued to guzzle my water until at least half of it was in her belly. “Dad can’t handle spicy stuff.”
A memory flashed in my mind, and almost as fast, laughter bubbled up out of me. “Oh my god, how could I forget! Remember that hot wing eating contest?”
Maddie’s brown eyes went wide as a slow smile spread and she began to nod. “I do, now.” Her gaze flickered behind me and pink stained her cheeks. I knew without even turning, who was behind me.
“Telling tales again, Vivi?”
I turned to him with a smile. “Yep. The tale about you trying to out eat Fatty Carmichael in a spicy wings contest and the hilarity that ensued.”
“How was I supposed to know ranch dressing could squirt out the nose?” His question sent the kids up in a fit of giggles. “What’s so funny?” Nash dropped down on his haunches and faced the kids.
“Did ranch really come outta your nose?” Max couldn’t stop giggling, spilling fries and barbecue sauce all over the place.
“Unfortunately, it did, and it was pretty gross. I don’t recommend it, kid.” He patted Max’s shoulder and stood, sending a stern look at his daughter. “I also don’t recommend walking away when your father tells you not to. What if it hadn’t been Vivi who found you?”
“I found her,” she said with more attitude than I would have advised given her current crime. “You were taking too long!”
“That doesn’t matter, Norah. Maybe I’ll send you home with the sitter instead of letting you stay up late to watch the prosperity ceremony.” Arms crossed, Nash looked good wearing his dad persona.
“Daddy, no! I gotta watch ‘cause you and Vivi worked so hard.” Puppy dog eyes and the world’s most adorable pout had me ready to argue her case on her behalf. “Please. Pretty please!”
He was good. Really good. Nash stared at her until Norah began to squirm and her gaze became uneasy. Finally, he relented. “One more time, Norah, and it’s home you go. To bed. Got it?”
“Yes, Daddy.”
“Join us,” I told him. “Better eat now, because who knows if you’ll have the time once our performance is over.” Mae had already warned me that plenty of other priestesses would be in attendance and I figured that meant we’d be tied up for a while.
“Is there enough for me?”
“You can have some of mine,” Max offered with a smile.
“You sure? Us guys eat a lot to stay big and strong.”
Max nodded. “I ate a big bowl of oatmeal this morning, and Mama says it helps little boys grow into big ones.” For extra proof, Max held up ketchup covered hands and flexed his little biceps, chests puffed out like a little man.
“Your mama is right.”
There should be a digital warning label on men like Nash, big and gorgeous and utterly masculine was fine, but tack on being a good dad, and he was near irresistible. That’s probably why I shoved a handful of fries in my mouth when he sat to my left, sandwiching me between him and Norah.
“Words every mom loves to hear,” Maddie added, tossing me a knowing wink that said she knew more of my thoughts than I would have liked.
A strange thought occurred to me and I didn’t like it one bit, but it made perfect sense. Maddie was a single mother and Nash was a single father, their kids were the same age and they were both very attractive. I hated it with everything in me, but I also knew it was right. It would put Nash squarely in the off-limits category and things could get back to normal.
“I think maybe I should have skipped the ribs.”
The reflection staring back at me was one I didn’t recognize, not really. The filmy white dress Mae had flung at me twenty minutes ago hugged my curves a little too closely, never mind the fact that the thing was near see-through. It was nothing more than a nightgown.
“Nah, I think the ribs were just right.”
I spun at the sound of Nash’s voice. “What are you doing in here?”
A pair of white linen pants hung over his forearm. “Apparently, this is our changing room.”
That made sense, and I turned away to finish my own costume. “Go ahead and change while I try to get these wretched anklets on.” Even though they weren’t totally necessary to the ceremony, Mae had insisted I put on what felt like fifteen different noisemaking adornments around my ankles.
“Want some help?”
“No,” I grunted, so near to fastening the clasp, but not near enough. “Just worry about your costume, Nash.” It wasn’t his fault these stupid things were made for doll hands, but I couldn’t help my own frustration.
“I did. It wasn’t all that complicated,” he said, his voice now right behind me, so deep and dark, so dangerous to my peace of mind.
“What? Oh.” Good lord, but the man was made to be without a shirt. Always and forever, Amen. “I like it. Like Mae always says, I like men better when they’re naked.” Oh crap, did I really just say that to him? “You know what I mean.”
“I do,” he said, eyes lit with mischief. “You want me to get naked.”
“I’m not requesting it, but I’m not looking away either.” Arms crossed, I called his bluff, but Mae showed up before I could gloat about it.
“All right children, it’s time to get this show on the road.” Aunt Mae breezed in wearing a long coral caftan with gold embroidery around the neckline, tons of bangles hanging from both arms like her own personal wind chimes. “Now just because my friends have come from all over the state doesn’t mean I expect anything but the absolute best from you two.”
“No need to lay it on so thick, we already said yes.” She laughed and cupped my face with a wide smile.
“My little smart ass. I mean it and I want you to really land that kiss. It was electric in practice, but today I want it combustible! Explosive, no wait, that’s not enough.”
“Explosive isn’t enough?” I asked with more than a hint of amusement, ignoring the way it felt when Nash knelt in front of me and helped put on every trinket. His rough hands heated my skin, the rough pads of his fingers should have been a turn off but it wasn’t. No, it was far from a turn off because I was feeling decidedly turned on. Again. Dammit!
“No. I need it to be nuclear! It has to be hot enough to melt steel if this is going to work. Melted steel, Vivi, you hear me?”
I nodded and looked into her clear, crisp eyes. “I hear you, Aunt Mae. And because I love you I’m going to kiss Nash’s boxers right off.”
Her smile brightened. “That’s my girl. And it shouldn’t be too hard with the way he’s stroking your leg down there.” With a laugh, Mae was gone while I was left with nothing but another grunt of frustration. “Oh, and we start in five minutes!”
Surprisingly, those five minutes passed much quicker than I was ready for, but soon Nash and I were out on the stage in front of the whole town and my heart was beating loud enough to lead the band. “Ready to prosper?” He held his hands out and I placed mine in them without hesitation.
“As ready as I’ll ever be, I suppose. At least, I got nice scenery.”
He grinned. “Ditto. Plus, look how happy Mae is.”
Like there was ever a chance in hell that I would bail on Mae, but the truth is she did look happy with her friends, men and women who somehow dealt with the other realms, as Mae called it. “I’ll be fine and so will you.” At least, I hoped so.
Luckily, there was no time to dwell and no intro, just Aunt Mae’s loud voice booming as she spoke the words of the ceremony. Her tone was strong and confident, her words were mostly jibberish to me but the passion she spoke with was palpable.
Nash and I st
ood facing each other on the stage set up for the ceremony, the only thing between us was the barest of fabrics. Our eyes were locked tight. My pulse fluttered in my throat as his scent swirled around us and mixed in with mine, creating a unique aroma that hinted at…possibilities.
Aunt Mae said the words, and then she began to walk in a circle around us, chanting louder. Nash and I took our cues from her words, eyes connected, hands sharing sensual energy to produce lasting prosperity.
“And now, we shall seal this bond with a kiss.”
Nash raised his brows, a silent question I answered with a nod. And then we drew closer, moving as slowly as molasses until our lips met. Then things went a little crazy. The kiss was the same as we’d practiced, but still different somehow, more intense and charged than before. Electric warmth spread through my body, starting at every point of contact between us. It was everything Mae wanted it to be. Explosive.
Combustible.
Nuclear.
It was somehow all of those things and more as Nash’s tongue swept into my mouth and danced with my tongue. His hard body pressed into mine as the people of Belle Musique whooped and hollered around us.
“And now the bond is complete!” The roar of the crowd brought us up short and pulled us apart.
“That was…” Hell, I had no idea what that was other than a bad idea.
A very bad one.
“That was incredible,” Aunt Mae insisted.
“I have to agree with Mae.” Nash’s words were surprising, but happily so, and his blue eyes glittered with sensual amusement. “And I was there so it must be true.”
Yeah, incredible was a good start to what that kiss was. It was also hot as hell, sensual as fuck, panty melting, toe curling, and shiver-inducing. “It was…nice.” He grunted beside me, and all I could do was grin.
Nash
With school now out, Norah and I spent the morning in my workshop. Working. While I finished up Vivi’s headboard, my little girl sat in the corner working on her play. She’d insisted she would rather work in here with me rather than her favorite spot in the house, on the floor with her legs tucked up under the coffee table. I usually loved having her with me and answering her unusual questions, but today we were both preoccupied with our own thoughts.
My thoughts were on a certain curvy redhead and the scorching kiss we shared at the Solstice Celebration. I’d had plenty of kisses in my life, some of them memorable sure, but none ever like that particular kiss. It was hot without a doubt, but hungry and insistent. I felt intoxicated at the first swipe of her tongue, and after that I’d been powerless to do anything but give in to the intense passion swirling around us. It didn’t matter that she was my friend and my neighbor. And my daughter was completely smitten with her.
“Daddy, is Vivi your girlfriend now?”
I looked up, bewildered at that question, even if I really shouldn’t be at this point. Each time we went out to eat, to the store, hell everywhere we went someone wanted to talk about the kiss. Makes it damn hard to stop thinking about that kiss.
“She’s a girl and she is my friend,” I responded, carefully. It wasn’t all that surprising a question, but still it had taken me off guard.
“But you kii-iissed,” she said in a sing-song voice that said she was feeling playful.
It was one kiss, technically two, but the practice kisses were just that, practice. Since I wasn’t about to get into the birds and the bees with my eight-year-old, I knew I had to think quick.
“That kiss was for the ceremony.”
“But she’s pretty and funny, and nice and weird!”
A knock sounded at the open door and I looked up to see Vivi smiling at us. “Well thanks, Nor. I think you’re all those things too, even weird.”
“Good weird,” she insisted, setting down her notebook and running into Vivi’s arms. “Hi, Vivi.”
She pulled back with a kind smile. “Hey, kiddo. How goes the play?”
Norah answered effusively, and I watched the two females interact, but mostly I watched Vivi. Today she had on jean shorts and a t-shirt. But it was Vivi, so it was never that simple. The shorts were barely visible under the oversized see through white V-neck she wore with a blue and white polka dot bra underneath. Yeah, I could see it all.
“So, what do you say Nash?”
I blinked and looked up at Vivi’s laughing green eyes. “What was that?”
“I asked if Norah wanted to come and hang with me and Max for a few hours?” Her lips pulled into a knowing smile. “Norah’s game but we’re waiting for you to…wake up?”
“Uh, sure. What are you planning?”
She shrugged. “Just spending some time at the pool, getting some sun and splashing some unsuspecting kids.”
“Sounds fun.” The sight of Vivi in what I hoped was a blue and white polka dot bikini was too tempting to pass up. “Mind if I tag along?”
“Sure. We can put those muscles to good use. We’re leaving in fifteen minutes, so get your swim suits on and let’s move out!” With those words she was gone just as quickly as she entered.
“I guess we’re going to the pool.”
“All right! I gotta find my suit!” Norah vanished just as quickly, leaving me alone in my workshop to get myself and my hormones under control.
By the time we arrived at the pool and got settled in a shaded spot, my control was at an all-time low with the way Vivi pranced around with all her curves on display.
“Who’s ready to get in the water?”
Both kids shouted their excitement, jumping up and down and squealing which meant we were both going into the water. Fan-fucking-tastic. “Can I go with you?” Max asked, taking a step back to look up at me.
“Sure, buddy. You know how to swim?”
“Yeah, but my mama doesn’t let me without floaties.” He held up his empty arms and I knelt back down to put the electric green floating helpers on his arms.
“Looks like we’re ready to get wet.” Vivi’s snicker told me she wouldn’t ignore my slip up. “Yeah, yeah. Everyone in the pool!” I tried my damnedest to ignore Vivi, but she was making it hard. Literally and figuratively. Maybe it was just watching her with Norah, who’d never had any kind of female relationship other than with my mother. The way my daughter lit up around Vivi was a treat that made my attraction to her very complicated. The one thing I’d learned from my ordeal with Norah’s mom was to keep things simple.
Vivi was not simple.
“I’m doing it, Mr. Nash, I’m doing it!” I looked down at Max and sure enough, he was doing it. His legs splashed water everywhere but he inched across the pool successfully.
“Good job, Max!” I lifted him in my arms and high-fived him. “You’re a real fish.”
He made a fish face. “Can I go sit now? I’m tired.”
My shoulders sank with relief because as cool as the little guy was, being surrounded by splashing ankle biters who could piss in the pool at any time was exhausting. And the sun was so fucking hot, I thought my skin might blister.
“Great idea, Max. Let’s go.”
“Daddy, you’re red!”
“Oh wow,” Vivi said as her soft, gentle touch glided across my shoulders. “Guess we better lather you up before you’re baked to a crisp.”
Her touch felt good, and it had nothing at all to do with attraction. Cool fingertips grazed along my heated skin, reducing the pain instantly. “Can’t have that, can we?”
“Not if you plan to keep making all that awesome furniture. Hey, did I tell you that I saw a table I’m pretty sure was yours in one of those celebrity magazines?” She shook her head. “I never read those things, but I was at the market and I saw the table with recognizable swirls and those intricate beads perched on the edge like they might fall off, and I just knew. It was yours, wasn’t it? Krissy Smythe?”
My lips twitched because she was so excited, and so sure she was right. I mean, she was totally right, and that just pumped up my ego. “You have a very good eye, V
ivi.”
“You have a very unique style, Nash. And holy effin’ crap, Krissy Smythe! You’re a big deal,” she whisper-squealed as we dried off the kids and got them settled on the towels. “That’s awesome.”
“Thanks. It’s nice when my work is recognized, but I can’t say any of my clients are quite as effusive as you are.”
She shrugged, not at all ashamed. “As an artist, I am allowed to gush as much as I want over another fellow artist.”
“Speaking of, you still haven’t told me your pen name.”
She smiled, but her eyes were hidden behind a pair of oversized heart-shaped glasses. “I’m surprised you didn’t take advantage of a free afternoon to hang out with Zeke again.”
A world class subject changer. “Maybe I’m too old for that scene. Last time I just wasn’t into it, I guess.” It had been a disaster, at least as far as finding a warm willing woman to sink myself into. Hanging out with Zeke and knocking back a few beers during an evening of adult conversation was always nice, but I just couldn’t summon the desire to even flirt with a pretty girl, and there were plenty of them around. Even now.
Vivi tilted her head back and laughed. “Old man, huh?” She leaned forward and patted my stomach, making my muscles jump. “You’re getting a real granddad bod, Nash. Sorry to be the one to let you know.” Her hand lingered, fingers lightly, scraping my abs. “Damn, it’s so hard.”
I snickered and she drew her hand back. “That’s what she said.”
“That’s what who said, Daddy?”
Vivi leaned forward, chin resting on her fist. “Yeah, Daddy.”
I glared at her because that was just so wrong, to use that sexy husky voice to call me daddy. “Who wants a sandwich?”
“I do!” Max’s arm shot up in the air and a big smile spread across his face.
“Thanks buddy, here you go.” I drew my hand back. “Allergies?”
He turned his nose up and crossed his eyes in thought. “Strawberries.”
Accidentally On Purpose: An Accidental Marriage Boxset Page 7
