To Me I Wed

by K. M. Jackson

  Vin leaned forward and kissed the top of her head. “Shh,” he said before she could even speak. “Just rest. I think we’ve both talked enough for one night.”

  Chapter 16

  Vin was up before the sun. He didn’t want to be a total jerk and slip out on Lily without a word, but he also knew he needed to get home and it was too early to wake her. He had deliveries to take, not to mention the kids who were coming by from the Boys Club for their surf lessons. He didn’t know how he’d come to enjoy volunteering and teaching the kids as much as he did, but somehow it happened.

  After being wrangled into giving tips to a couple of boys who hung around on his side of the beach, that small thing had grown into a full, semi-organized class hosted by the local Boys Club. Although the kids were a handful, Vin had really come to look forward to teaching them. The group of six came out with two volunteers who also subbed as lifeguards, but thankfully there hadn’t been any emergencies larger than the occasional scrape from a wayward shell.

  Vin let out a breath as he pulled Lily’s warm curves closer to his body. The sea was fine, but damn there was nothing better than this. Better than her. He stilled his breathing and let himself relax for a few minutes more, recalling the amazing night they’d just shared. God, she had rocked him and hard. From the inside out. And now it was confirmed just like he was afraid it would be, he was totally sprung. He felt himself harden against her and knew if he didn’t move soon he definitely would be waking her, and then he wouldn’t leave at all. At least not before having her once again.

  Vin inhaled deeply, taking in her sweet spring rain smell before he slowly loosened his grasp around Lily’s waist and attempted to ease away. He quickly slipped out of the bed and reaching for his haphazardly discarded underwear.

  “I didn’t peg you for the type to dine and dash.”

  Lily’s voice caused him to turn around. She looked beautiful with sleepy eyes and tousled bed hair. Vin let out a low breath. “Shit, I’m sorry. I didn’t want to wake you.”

  Lily gave him a lazy smile. “No worries. I’m a light sleeper anyway.” She leaned up on one elbow, and the sway of her breasts barely covered by the sheets almost did him in. Vin leaned back down to give her a good morning kiss, her breasts swaying freely, just a thin sheet separating him from heaven. He moaned and pulled back reluctantly. “I’m sorry, but I need to get to the restaurant. It’s a busy morning. I have deliveries, and then my kids are coming over to my place for their surfing lesson. . . .”

  Lily’s brows drew together, and Vin was quick to explain. “Not my kids, but kids from the local Boys Club who come to surf. I help them out with tips when it’s in season.”

  He saw her visibly relax, then smile. “That’s so nice of you. I bet you’re great with them, and they must really look up to you.”

  Vin shook his head as he eased into his underwear and went to pick up his jeans. “I don’t know about all that. Though I do know that it surprised me how much I actually enjoy the time I spend with them.”

  She pulled herself up, letting the sheet drop to her waist, causing Vin to let out a groan as Lily moved forward and wrapped her arms around him. She leaned on his chest, the warmth of her body heating him in the best of ways. “You’re going to make me late for sure,” Vin said, dropping his jeans and reaching around to hold her.

  But Lily pulled back. “No, you’ve got to go. You can’t be late for the kids.”

  When he frowned at her, she shooed him away. “Just go. I couldn’t live with myself if I was responsible for their teacher being a no-show. Especially when the class sounds like such fun.”

  “Fun?” Vin asked. “Would you like to come with me? Give it a try yourself. I have a board you can use.”

  Lily’s eyes went wide. “Me? No way. It looks too treacherous for something I’d enjoy trying. Two left feet. I’m way too uncoordinated for that.”

  Vin leaned down and kissed her, pulling back as he looked in her eyes and smiled. “I’ve seen your moves, and I’d definitely not describe you as uncoordinated.”

  She leveled him with a look. “Cute, but no. I’ll take it as a compliment and keep my feet as firmly planted on solid ground as I can.”

  Vin dressed quickly before he changed his mind. Lily had laid back down, and her eyes still had that heavy, in between two worlds look to them. He turned back to give her one more kiss. “Will you come and see me later?” Damn, that came out needy.

  But instead of laughing in his face, Lily looked up at him, and he thought he felt a signal for something more emotionally as she did so.

  “So, will you? That is, if you’re not too busy. I could make you brunch, or maybe come out later and have a late dinner. Whatever you like.”

  He could tell she was thinking hard and looking for a way to measure her words. “I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to get in your way. Besides, this was nice, but I think it’s best if we don’t get it cloudy.”

  Nice? Cloudy? What the hell? Did they have two totally different experiences last night? Vin shook his head and stood after silently putting on his boots. He turned and looked at her once more. “Look, it’s no big deal, or hell, maybe it is. I thought it was more than nice, and as for things getting cloudy, I guess that’s just one more thing about you I don’t understand. But cool. I’m here if you change your mind, and you can text me your schedule for working the events.”

  They stared at each other in silence for a moment, and he watched as she let out a long breath. “It’s not like that. Last night was great; it’s just, I think we should keep things light. Like I said from the start—a working relationship and, as we like, a playing association. I just don’t want either of us to fool ourselves into thinking this is a romantic relationship.”

  Vin looked away from her and toward the window. The sun was getting brighter, and he really had to leave. Going thirteen rounds with Lily just didn’t fit into his schedule. He headed out of the bedroom and she got up, wrapping the sheet haphazardly around her sexy body. He wouldn’t be pulled in, though. Getting things right in Lily Perry’s eyes was a lot more than he had the energy for. And why do it anyway? Maybe she was right. Just like Carter said at the club, with the scenario she was presenting, and after last night, she was turning out to be the perfect women. Beautiful, a hot body, and sex that blew his mind. All he had to do was get past the way she pushed all his warning buttons. If she could separate emotion so easily, then he could too.

  As he made it to the door, Vin turned back to Lily and pulled her in toward him. He let his hand run down the length of her back and caress her ass as he bent to kiss her. Slow and easy he let his tongue say his good-bye. When he pulled back, she swayed in his arms. He smiled. “No worries, Lil. Like I said, I’m around when you want me. This is your show. I’m just here to enjoy the performance.”

  Chapter 17

  It was closing time, and Vin had just hit the send button on his phone.

  It’s getting late. Thinking of you. V.

  But as he looked down at his phone he cursed himself for sending the text and wished more than anything he could pull it back. He was so stupid. The woman clearly didn’t want any attachments and was doing more than sending signals for him to back off; she was flat-out telling him to do so. If her words weren’t enough of an indication of her true feelings, then her actions definitely were. He watched the phone as if it were some new invention, but she didn’t answer the text, and as a matter of fact, she had gone completely silent for the past week.

  He let out a low growl, which was unfortunately picked up by the all-hearing Manny, who apparently couldn’t let a damn thing slide.

  “Why don’t you just give her a call?” Manny said while bagging the last of the food he’d be dropping off at a shelter on his way home. They had a food policy that any leftovers would be given away to a charity. Vin knew of many restaurants that didn’t do this and considered it a terrible waste. He’d had his share of slim days when he was young. It wasn’t uncommon for his mother an
d him to live from one meal to the next. With a past like that, he couldn’t see throwing food away.

  His attention was focused on Manny after hearing what he’d said. “How do you know it’s even her I’m thinking about?” he said over his shoulder, toward Manny. “I have other things on my mind, you know, like keeping this restaurant going and paying overly nosy jerks like you. Besides, she’s not the only woman in the world. You know me. I keep plenty busy.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” Manny said. “If you say so. That may have been the old you, but we had plenty of gorgeous women who came in tonight. Though I hate to admit it, half of them were more into peeping you out through the kitchen view window than they were into the food or the drinks, and that was with me spending two hours behind the bar.”

  Vin raised a brow. “Maybe that has nothing to do with me but is due to your dwindling charm. Maybe your game is off.”

  Manny snorted. “Trust me, there is nothing wrong with my game. All my shots are three-pointers. I’m the MVP of this house.” Just then a horn honked and Manny grinned. “Speaking of, I’ve got to go. That would be my ride for the night.”

  Vin shook his head. “Go. I can deliver those.”

  Manny shook his head. “No, I’ve got it. There is nothing sexier to a woman than a guy giving time to charity. This here is a little box of ready-made foreplay without the heavy lifting.”

  Vin gave Manny a side-eyed look. “I wouldn’t repeat that, like anywhere.”

  Manny laughed and gave his hand a shake. “But you didn’t tell me I was wrong.” He walked out laughing at his own wit and left Vin in silence. The rest of the staff was gone, so Vin had nothing left to do but put the lights out, lock up, and take Dex out for a walk.

  Nothing against the dog, but as Vin and Dex headed back down the stairs from his apartment, neither the walk nor his plans of watching the game appealed to him. They did a quick lap up and down the boardwalk. The warm breeze of the night showed signs of the warm season to come. Even though Vin wanted to let Dex run free, he knew he couldn’t. Despite the late hour and the fact that the beach was officially closed, the sand was still sprinkled with a few couples taking advantage of the beautiful evening. He saw them dotted along the sand in intimate embraces or walking hand in hand along the shore. He looked down at Dex, who was tugging at his leash to be free. “Sorry, bud, this really blows. But it looks like neither of us is getting what we want tonight.”

  As he neared Canela, he heard the unmistakable loud sputter of her engine. It gave a roar, then seemed to cough, then nothing. Vin didn’t know whether to laugh or be annoyed by her late-night intrusion. He snorted to himself. Who was he fooling? He was practically getting hard over just the rumble of her car’s in need of a tune up engine. Clearly someone was in the mood for a booty call. Carter’s words about the perfect women echoed through his mind at the same time the stupid need for something more pricked at the back of his mind.

  Vin started to walk over to her car, taking in the view of her from behind as she sat and looked at the restaurant. He hung back and just watched her. She sat there staring. Not moving and not getting out. As if feeling the war she was having with herself, he took a step to offer her a lifeline. But then she started up the car. Damn, she was ditching him again. But the poor old car could barely get up enough steam to cough before it died again.

  Dex started to bark, and she jumped as Vin stepped forward.

  “You lost?” he asked.

  Lily looked at him, and for a moment she seemed like a child caught at playing hide-and-go-seek. As if she thought if she stood still and was silent he wouldn’t see her. Finally she spoke. “It would seem so. Lost and stuck. It won’t start. Again.”

  He’d never seen her look so vulnerable, and it pulled at him when he was really trying his best to stay strong and be steady. Dex pulled at him, trying his best to get to her. “Dex no.” He looked back her way. “I think you’d better come out and say hello so he doesn’t hurt himself trying to get to you or scratch the side of your car.”

  Lily leaned over the open window and looked down at Dex, then back up at Vin. “He’s sweet. And it doesn’t matter if this heap gets scratched. It’s on its last leg anyway.” Lily got out and slammed the car door behind her. She looked great, as usual, dressed casually in simple jeans that were rolled at the cuff and hugged her curves perfectly. She wore a boatneck tee that left just a hint of her toned belly showing. Vin looked down at her, then quickly back up again, telling himself to keep some sort of perspective on things despite his feelings and the late hour.

  “So,” Vin started. “Are you lost, or did you come up my side of the hill for a specific reason? Because from where I’m standing it looked like you were about to pull back out.”

  Lily looked at him sheepishly, then shrugged. “Honestly, I was. I don’t know if what I was thinking was a good idea.”

  Vin let out a breath and ran a hand over his scalp while frustration nipped at his heels. “You know what? That’s cool,” he said. “You do you. You need to call anyone? The number of a cab?” He just needed to get up to his place and away from here. It was official. She was more than he could handle.

  She took a step and reached out. Put her hand on his chest. Softly and gently. The simple touch stilling him. “Don’t you want to know what I was thinking?”

  He looked at her and let out a breath. “Not if it’s just going to frustrate me. Not if it has anything to do with you denying that you’re here because you want me right now as much as I want you.”

  Lily opened her mouth to speak, then closed it quickly.

  Vin was about to walk away and go around into his apartment, but Dex wanted to be wrapped around her legs. “Come on, man. You stay or you go. I’m not begging you.”

  “I was going to ask you to make me breakfast.”

  “What?” Vin’s gaze went from Dex to Lily and back to her vulnerable expression.

  “I said I was going to ask you to make me breakfast.”

  He shook his head. “Woman, you know it’s almost midnight, don’t you?”

  She nodded. “What? You think I can’t tell time?”

  * * *

  Lily woke to the sound of crashing waves and the smell of the sea. She smiled. It had been a long time since she’d woken to that smell. It made her miss home more than she knew she did. But it was early and she was still tired after her eventful evening.

  The thought had her reaching out for Vin and sadly coming up empty. She pushed herself up and looked around Vin’s bedroom. It looked different in the haze of the morning light compared to the night before. Not that she paid that much attention the night before. No, all she’d had eyes for was Vin as he’d picked her up and carried her up the stairs to his place. The poor dog had barely made it in before Vin had kicked the door closed behind them.

  He was so different than he’d been at her place. Last night, at least the first time they’d made love, he hasn’t taken his time. He’d had her in his apartment, on his bed, and was inside of her before they could both get fully undressed. It was wild and passionate and not like anything she knew she wanted. But she did. She wanted him bad. Too bad he wasn’t still there.

  Stretching, Lily got up and looked around for something to put on. She spied Vin’s black tee from the night before and slipped it on over her head. Inhaling, she let the spicy scent of him surround her and take her back with a sweet shudder of satisfaction. Lily went to the bathroom to relieve herself. Looking in the mirror she splashed her face with cool water, trying hard to see if she could bring a little bit of herself to the reflection of the reckless woman that was staring back at her. It didn’t work.

  Coming out, Lily did a quick scan of the place. It was an open plan—just a large living room/bedroom combo and the kitchen. She shook her head when she saw that Vin lived like mostly every other guy she’d woken up with, right down to the dark leather couch and ridiculously oversized TV. She let out a sigh. And down to the fact that she was waking up alone.


  Maybe she should take the hint and gather her things and leave. It had been a fun night. Why stay around? Because you want to, silly. Crap, she could practically hear Bobbi’s voice now. “Want and need are two different things,” Bobbi would probably say. “And sometimes it’s not about what you need but getting exactly what you want.” And last night she’d surely gotten what she wanted and then some.

  Maybe she wasn’t even awake yet. Maybe she was still asleep and having a postorgasm hallucinogenic dream. But of course she wasn’t. This was real. It was another morning after, and she was stuck with wondering about the right thing to do.

  Coffee. Coffee was always right.

  Looking around, she saw that at least Vin’s kitchen was well lived in, though not at all fancy. He had knives in a well-used block. A well-seasoned cast-iron pan was on the stove, a couple of dishes were in the sink, and his fridge was better stocked than her own, with cheese, eggs, and nonexpired milk. Sadly, though, he had not an automatic, single-serve coffeemaker like she did but an intricate-looking press thing that she was sure needed a graduate of Le Cordon Bleu to operate it. After examining it, Lily decided it was way above her pay grade and put it back with a sigh, reaching for his teakettle and taking it to the sink to fill.

  Over the sink was a shelf with a photo of what must have been of him and his mother. Lily recognized her as the women in the photo downstairs in the restaurant. Lily frowned and felt her brows pull together. In all the time in her own head and planning her ceremony Lily hadn’t noticed that Vin didn’t talk about his mom or any of his family. Hell, maybe she did notice but she’d spent so much time trying to actively distance herself emotionally from him that she’d made sure not to see him as any more than the components of his parts. Chef, surfer, good in bed. To attach a loving soul to that would be attaching emotions she was afraid of getting attached to. But seeing this photo in such a place of honor, she knew the woman must mean a lot to him. She also couldn’t help but notice the lack of a father in any of the photos. It gave her pause. A red flag that popped up in the back of her brain.