Keeping Wicked (The Mitchell Brothers Book 3)

by Kathryn L. James

  “I wasn’t sure if you needed more.”

  “What? Do you have someone at your beck and call for women’s clothing?”

  “I can make anything happen.” He flashed a smile before sliding on a pair of aviators and handing me a bag from the compartment. “There’s a pair inside for you.”

  Usually I wore inexpensive shades, because for the last four years I’d only dressed in T’s and jeans from stores that stayed open twenty-four hours. Designer hadn’t meant anything, and it still didn’t.

  “How long does it take if you know if you get seasick?”

  “Do you have motion sickness? Long car rides, or rollercoasters bother you?”

  “No. We moved all over the United States and I’ve traveled by plane and car without getting sick.”

  “That’s a good sign. I don’t think we can be friends if sailing makes you sick.” He grinned.

  I rolled my eyes and eased onto the cushion of the seat in the helm. How could I feel so happy, deep down happy with all the shit that went down? I’d been sad for four fucking years and with Chad it was like it all vanished into thin air.

  “Friends or not, promise you’ll still me my lover,” I teased chuckling softly and wiggled my eyebrows up and down.

  He surveyed the waters all around us, then moved a lever before leaving his place behind the wheel. The sails shifted and caught the breeze and we were in the wide-open water. Mesmerized, I never saw him coming for me until in one swift motion, he pulled me from the chair into his arms. His mouth claimed mine, kissing me hard and fierce.

  Our tongues swirled together, and my heart raced wildly in my chest. His hand fisted my hair keeping me smashed against him. He nipped my bottom lip and breathlessly pulled apart.

  “Always lovers.”

  Chapter 23

  In the galley, Chad heated up the foil wrapped packages filled with crabs, potatoes, and corn while I poured two glasses of sweet tea.

  “It’s going to be incredibly sweet. Mags and Otis like a little tea with their sugar.”

  “She’s my hero. Anita always makes it super sweet for me.”

  It surprised me how easily her name rolled off my tongue. So easy and without resentment or grudge. I waited for my mood to change, for the tears to well in my eyes or a fraction of anger to surface. But there was nothing.

  “Whatever she sent in that dessert carrier will be just as sweet. Lift the lid and take a look.”

  I felt his penetrating gaze watching me as I pulled off the top.

  “You must approve, your whole face lit up.”

  “I’m quite sure it’s banana pudding. I love, love, love the cookies mixed all in the custard.”

  “If it is banana pudding, it’s my Gammy’s recipe and it’s over the top delicious.”

  Everything about Chad was over the top. He made it so easy to be happy.

  He set two plates, utensils, a small bucket for the shells and seafood cracking tools, then tipped his head toward the chairs.

  “Have a seat.”

  “Smells delicious.”

  “Trust me, it is. Maggie has a secret crab-boil recipe that she won’t even share with my Gammy.”

  “So, they’re close to your family?”

  “Lifelong friends. Otis and Maggie were my grandparent’s bridesmaid and best man.”

  “Oh wow. It’s refreshing to see friendships last a lifetime. Carli’s my forever friend. I don’t know what I’d do without her and can’t imagine my life without her. Who’s yours?”

  His eyebrows dipped and he laughs lightly. “My work.”

  “Who do you hang out with? You know guy things, drinking, poker, sports?”

  “I have a few business acquaintances. We play a little golf, have a few drinks, but other than Garrett and Stone, none I consider lifelong.”

  I cracked open the hard-shell and pulled a piece of meat out with the cocktail fork. As soon as the flavor hit my taste buds, I let out a soft moan of approval.

  “You’re lucky to have your brothers. I’m an only child and learned early, not to make friends. When I was about ten or eleven, there was a girl named Danielle and when we said goodbye it clearly reminded me we moved too much for me to have friends. It was better to be a loner… which led me to being a rebel.”

  “Now you’re a sexy rebel,” he said playfully.

  I laughed, “What about you? Ever been a rebel?”

  “Out of the three of us, I was the one who made good grades and strived to do everything by the book.”

  “You expect me to believe that?” I raised my eyebrows.

  His smile brightened and he let out a chuckle. “My parents almost sent me to an all-boys school because of all the hell I put them through. In a six-month period, I totaled three vehicles, then during senior year, the weekend after I turned eighteen, I boarded a plane for Cancun all on a bet and on dad’s credit card. Pissed, they took the keys to my Beemer, canceled every card in my wallet, and I was grounded for months. I may have banged a chick named Sarah in the science lab and got caught. My father had to come and pick me up from detention which was the last straw. He told me I had to get my shit together or finish my senior year at the all-boys school.”

  “And yet here you are, running Mitchell Oil for your father and owner of a five-time World Series team. Your parents must be enormously proud of you.”

  “Most days.”

  He dipped a piece of crab into the small dish of melted butter sauce and extended the morsel across the table for me to take the bite from his fingers.

  I bit back the smile threatening to curl at my lips in the relaxed heated state the gesture sparked. Keeping my eyes trained on him, my lips parted, and I pulled the savory morsel inside my mouth sucking gently on his fingers. This was something I’d always thought only happened in movies.

  But it wasn’t make believe bullshit.

  This is what it felt like to float on clouds, to be a woman who was on fire, and enjoying every second of the passionate burn.

  “Delicious.” I moaned feeling the scorch in his gaze.

  “You are the sexiest woman I’ve ever met,” his raspy voice oozed intensity.

  An inferno permeated the air between us. He had a beautiful perfect smile, wide shoulders, tight biceps and corded arms, lips holding the power to make my blood sizzle and my thoughts to turn fuzzy. It was so easy to become lost in his whiskey eyes and mesmerized by his masculine spicy scent. He lured my senses like an addiction to drugs, craving to live in the high of him.

  He was the reason the word sexy existed.

  I wanted him like no other. Every fiber in my body cried for him and oh my stars did thrills of excitement shoot through me.

  “I think you’re trying to seduce me,” I whispered.

  “I’m succeeding. Your response to me matches of how I want you. Your skin is flushed. There’s fire in your eyes, and you can’t sit still. Desire has you moving around in the chair for the tiniest bit of friction to ease the throbbing between your legs.” He extended the fork across the table with another bite. “You love how good it is between us so much, you can’t stop thinking about all the things I can do to you. And I’m rock hard wanting to show you how much you turn me on.”

  He made me feel daring.

  So sure of myself.

  A rush of moisture pooled between my legs, and fire danced between us.

  “One thought or hearing someone say your name is all it takes for me to be aching to be deep inside you. We’re so fucking hot together.”

  “And when the sex starts to run cold?”

  “It’s not possible. Your irresistible body has bewitched me, but it’s so much more than just sex, Leah.”

  Through the window, a shiny white cigar boat raced past us, and Chad groaned in frustration. “I’ll be damned.”

  “What?”

  “That’s Stone, playing on the water. He tried to get me to buy a need for speed vessel, but the sit back a
nd relax sailing is more my style.”

  The sleek fast machine made a wide circle and headed towards us. As he approached, he slowed and holy mother of all saints, the genes of the Mitchell family ran deep. All three of the Mitchell brothers was nothing short of God’s gift to women. He came to an idling stop and through the windows he wore a twinning smile matching Chad’s.

  “Come on or the crazy bastard will jump over the railing, especially if he knows we have food. I need to keep him in his own cockpit.”

  “Go on. I’ll be up in a minute. I need to use the girl’s room. “

  Before I closed the door, I listened to their banter carrying inside the hull.

  “Didn’t know you were coming down to Bolivar.”

  “Live here, or did you forget,” Stone returned with a cocky reply.

  “You’re gone more than you’re home. Where’s Avery?”

  “She and Savannah are at the house. I dropped by the marina to check on things and ran into Otis. He said you set sail. Where’s the girl I’m hearing about?”

  “Below.”

  “Fuck… did I interrupt?”

  “No. We were hanging out in the galley.”

  I bit my lip to keep from chuckling. Chad hadn’t been playing about offering up any information about the food.

  When I climbed the steps, their laughter suddenly ceased as soon as I made my presence on the deck.

  “Leah, meet my brother Stone.” He tipped his head toward the cigar boat, “He, Avery, and my niece Savannah will be our neighbors for a few days.”

  “Nice to meet you.”

  Chad turned his attention back to his brother. “Have fun out on the bay. Leah and I are going to spend the night on the boat.”

  Stone flashed a wide grin with a hint of gleam dancing in his eyes. There was a silent conversation going on between them until Chad rolled his eyes and dismissed him.

  “Maybe we can get together when you return, and we can grill some steaks. My girls would love to meet your girl.” Stone winked before jetting across the water as he waved over his shoulder.

  Completely surprised at the reference of being Chad’s girl. “What have you told your brothers about me?”

  “Nothing, other than Harry having his heart attack. It’s none of their business.”

  “I’m pretty sure he knows we’re sleeping together.”

  “So, what if he does?”

  “So, what if he does.” I repeated and stretched out on the cushioned bench.

  Leaving the helm, he slid onto the cushion and drew me between his legs. I pressed my back against his chest and his arms curled around my middle while we drifted across the waters.

  “This has always been my go to place when I needed to relax and say to hell with the world. I’ve never wanted to share this with anyone. Until now. Until you.”

  My head spun. “Don’t say things you don’t mean.”

  “You should know by now, I don’t ever say what I don’t mean.” Slowly he swept my hair over to the opposite shoulder and dipped his lips to my neck. His touch felt perfect and a sensual rush pulsed through every cell in my body.

  He consumed me.

  And I knew I would never be the same.

  Being in his caged embrace, my heart sang. He had blown into my life by chance, infiltrated his way through my barricaded heart and found his way inside my soul. Piece by piece he’d taken me until he owned my entire being.

  “Tell me something.” I stroked his forearm back and forth with my fingertips.

  “Maybe. Maybe not.” He teased, grazing his teeth and lips across the top of my shoulder.

  “Why me? You made it obvious when we first met, my age bothered you. You made it clear you don’t do relationships. Yet here we are.”

  “I don’t know why it’s you, it just is.”

  “What if I told you I’m scared to be here with you. I’m terrified of how much I like it.”

  “You never have to be afraid to be with me.”

  “I’m not afraid to be with you. It’s after we’re done. I don’t know if I know how to let you go.”

  “Then don’t go anywhere.” His embrace tightened.

  I trembled in delight. He made me feel as though everything was how it should be.

  Maybe even the possibility of being brave enough to accept the truth, to accept Anita was my mother, and brave enough to try and love unconditionally.

  Chapter 24

  Six hours later we docked at a quaint seaside community somewhere across the bay. We stepped off the boat my hand resting in his. Along the walkway, palm trees and tropical flowers bursting in vibrant colors lined the path. A short distance later, we came upon charming shops in historical homes and the faint sound of live music filled the air.

  “Do you want to browse around in any of the stores?”

  “I would love to look around first. This place is incredible.”

  “Wait until you see everything from the top of the Ferris wheel.” His mouth curled into a lopsided grin, clearly excited.

  My stomach did a flip-flop.

  Another first.

  “There’s a Ferris wheel?”

  “It’s one of the best attractions the boardwalk has to offer.”

  A few blocks later, the crowd thickened, and we joined in with pedestrians heading in the same direction of the festive environment. Bright neon lights illuminated the sky from the thrill rides, places to eat, and fun game booths buzzed all around.

  Shrill screams came from the direction of a roller-coaster and I shook my head. People filled the cars, all with flaying arms as it dipped down the tracks and climbed back to the top before plummeting down another hill.

  “One hundred percent no to the roller-coaster.” I shook my head.

  “We’ll see,” he chided.

  “Nope. Not going to happen.”

  Chuckling, he wrapped his arm around my shoulder and drew me to him as we walked over a short path lined with bright Chinese lanterns bobbling in the breeze. “Kiddie land is this way.”

  Before I tossed out a quirky come-back, the Ferris-wheel came into full view. Butterflies fluttered around in my stomach.

  How many firsts have I had with Chad?

  When we were safely buckled in, my hand found his thigh and he wrapped his arm around me again. Slowly we began our way to the top and my insides were giggling.

  “I feel like a teenager again.”

  “Did you spend a lot of time at amusement parks?” He asked.

  “I’ve never been to one.” As we reached the top my eyes floated to everywhere. Below at the fun filled environment, to the orange sky painting a promise of a beautiful sunset, and a line of pelicans flying nearby. “Damn, I wish I’d brought my phone so I could have taken pictures.”

  He removed his device from his pocket and handed it to me. “Here, take as many as you like. I’ll forward them to you.”

  The photo on his screen rendered me speechless. I stared in shock at the picture of me wearing the red dress the night of my dad’s party.

  “As soon as I opened the door, you were standing there, and I couldn’t take my eyes off you in the red dress. I stayed out of your line of vision and then you were talking to McWhitten and when he asked you out, I almost lost my shit. Because no way, was he going to go out with what was mine—he wasn’t going to kiss the lips that belonged to me.”

  “Yours, huh? That was a little presumptuous.”

  “You’ve been mine all along and there’s nothing presumptuous.”

  He held up the camera and leaned in, taking a selfie of us as we reached the top again. We kissed and he kept pressing the photo button, taking picture after picture.

  Later, we strolled the sprawling complex, stopping occasionally for another ride or to listen to live music playing in the outdoor theater. A pinch of sadness crept into my thoughts thinking about my life. Anita had spent countless hours showering me with shopping trips, mani-pedi af
ternoons, “tea-time”, baking in the kitchen, and movie nights. We’d spent a lot of time together and she and I had an unbreakable relationship—or so I thought.

  The bond had been broken.

  Not only were my dad and I broken, but now she and I were broken.

  “Nuh-huh. We’re not thinking about anything that makes us less than happy.”

  I smiled at him, refusing to let anything shift or dampen my mood. I squeezed his fingers between mine nodding in agreement.

  “Come on, let’s test your skills.”

  Rows of gaming booths lined the path and we played them all. From throwing darts at balloons, tossing balls in bushel baskets, climbing rope ladders, shooting some hoops with basketballs, knocking over milk-bottles, and squirting water into the mouth of plastic clowns. My aim was better than his with the water gun, but he knocked over all three milk bottles.

  When we walked back to the docks, he held my hand before we stepped over onto the boat. A huge white stuffed teddy bear rested on top of Chad’s shoulders and I cradled a plush pink poodle with large ears and a bag of cotton candy.

  “I had so much fun today.” I pressed my lips against his for a light kiss.

  He tossed the stuffed bear over the starboard and cupped the sides of my face. Slowly his lips met mine and sensually tugged my mouth between his lips before sliding his tongue inside.

  Breathlessly we parted, but he continued holding my face in his hands and taking my breath away. Time stood still as he dusted the pads of his thumbs over my cheeks. It was as if our souls synced in a powerful union.

  Like he belonged to me.

  And I belonged to him.

  “I want to give you so much more.” He stared deep into my soul.

  Did I hear him right?

  Had I misunderstood?

  Give me what?

  I quivered into a hot mess as live music began playing in the distance. He ran his hands down my upper arms to my hips and began leading swaying steps. Thighs brushing together, my arms circled his neck and we danced in the solace of the night. I nestled my head against his chest listening to the beat of his heart harmonizing in time with my own.