Rules of Engagement

by Kay Lyons

He liked that she was comfortable enough with him now to ask whatever she wanted. "We had a little wedding at the courthouse. Just us and Lincoln and Jill, the minister." He watched as Eliza lifted a delicate hand and brushed the hair back from her face.

  She wore it up in a messy twist of some sort that made him want to search out the pins and tug her close for a kiss. But to get there probably meant not talking about his ex. "Now that you have a weekend free of weddings, how about we take the boat out tomorrow for that dinner?"

  He saw the way her teeth sank into her lower lip and noted the flash of indecision that crossed her face. His gut tightened as he waited to see if she'd turn him down. Just when he was about to give her his reasons why she shouldn't, she nodded.

  "Okay. Yeah, I— That sounds fun."

  "Good. Now that that's settled," he said, taking her glass and setting both aside, "dance with me."

  "Dance? Carter, I have to get back."

  "One dance," he said, taking her into his arms and holding her close. "To celebrate the day."

  Carter began to sway to the distant sound of the DJ still playing beneath the tent. Seconds passed, but she didn't relax against him. Couldn't.

  "Don't be afraid of me, Eliza."

  "I'm not."

  "No?" He ran his hand up her bare back, gently massaging as he went, and her head dropped to his chest. From his vantage point, he saw her lips part as she sucked in a breath. "You're tight as a drum."

  "S-Stressful job, remember?"

  He continued the light massage, loving the way she leaned more heavily against him and tried to hide her gasps of pleasure with every stroke. By the time he made it up to her neck and shoulder, he could feel her melting into him. Was she sensitive to kisses there, too?

  Drawn by the scent and feel of her, he lowered his head, letting his lips and chin graze against her temple, cheek, and jawline. She tilted her head and gave him access, and he kissed that place where neck and shoulder met. The caress earned a shiver and low, moaning gasp.

  Definitely not as immune to him as she wanted him to think.

  Carter opened his mouth and lightly tasted her salty skin again before lifting his head to find her mouth, taking her lips with a slow, heady kiss that promised everything he wanted to give her.

  Her responses to him were everything. He felt her hesitation, her inexperience?

  Even her fear.

  He fought against everything inside of him that wanted to sweep her up and carry her away and forced himself to go slow. Her trembling response tugged at his heart and brought out a protectiveness in him he didn't ever remember feeling, one he couldn't deny.

  He gently pressed his thumb under her chin and took her mouth again, deepening the kiss until his head filled with the taste of her. Champagne and chocolate and sweetness, something undeniably Eliza. By the time he ended the kiss, they both breathed heavily. "I have waited an eternity to do that," he whispered against her lips.

  She laughed softly, her gaze heavy-lidded as she glanced up at him before lowering her lashes once more and inhaling a shaky breath.

  "Two weeks is hardly an eternity."

  "Maybe not but it felt like it. Eliza—"

  "I-I should go. I'm working, Carter."

  Right. She was. And so long as that was her reason for leaving, he'd accept it. "Okay. Yeah, let's go back."

  He took her hand in his and raised it to his mouth, brushing his lips over her knuckles. Carter recognized the wariness and panic in her eyes and hoped he hadn't moved too soon. She'd seemed to enjoy the kiss and hadn't pushed him away, though.

  That was a good first step.

  One he intended to use to climb to the next.

  "Don't go home. Stay here."

  Eliza looked up in shocked surprise two hours later. The DJ was gone, the tent had been taken down and stuffed into the back of a box truck, and catering loaded the last of their items at this very moment. "Excuse me?"

  "I don't mean it like that."

  "It sounded like it."

  Carter shot her a look of patient frustration.

  "It's late. You're tired and we're going out tomorrow on the boat, which means coming back here in the morning so… why not just crash here? Marsali is staying at Mac's. You should, too."

  Now that he'd clarified his statement, she breathed a little easier. "I'm pretty sure if Mac was okay with me staying at his place, he would've invited me."

  Carter ran a hand over his face and groaned.

  "Maybe I'm more exhausted than I thought, because I'm not saying this right. I'm offering you a bed, Eliza. No strings. You can sleep in the house in my spare bedroom or… sleep on the boat if you like."

  "We can sleep on the boat?" Marsali asked, sliding deftly into the conversation with a smile and a raised eyebrow at Eliza.

  "Yeah. Of course."

  Eliza faltered. "Uh—"

  "Don't you normally get a hotel room when events end this late?" Carter asked.

  Yeah, she did but Carolina Cove wasn't that big, so she'd figured she'd just drive the ten minutes it would take to get home. "I don't live far from here," she reminded him.

  "Come on, Lizzie, it'll be like all of those sleepovers we had as teenagers. Please? Stay!"

  Eliza stared at Marsali. "You do mean sleep, though, right? I hate to sound old but it's been a long day."

  Marsali laughed, the sound a little high-pitched.

  "Of course. We can girl chat until we fall asleep."

  Which, given Marsali's energy at the moment, could take a while.

  Mac joined them, a bottle of water in his hand rather than the scotch he'd been drinking earlier.

  "What's going on here?" he asked.

  "The ladies are going to sleep over on the boat so no one has to drive home."

  Eliza watched as Mac lifted a thick, inquisitive eyebrow, just like his sister had done seconds ago.

  "You're welcome at my place, Eliza. I have more than enough spares," Mac said.

  Eliza split her attention between the men, sensing the tension exchanged in the look they shared. She knew Mac took it upon himself to watch out for as he always had Marsali, but after that awkward kiss… "Thanks, but—"

  "Boat, boat, boat, boat, boat," Marsali said, hands clasped in a pleading gesture.

  Eliza laughed. "And how much have we had to drink tonight?"

  "Hey, do you know how rarely I get invited to weddings? People want to hire the matchmaker but rarely will they admit using my excellent skills when things work out."

  Having heard Marsali issue the same complaint several times before, Eliza sighed. "Fine. We'll stay on the boat."

  "Yes!" Marsali cried, hands shooting up in triumph.

  Eliza laughed at her friend's champagne-induced antics, but truthfully, she could use a little girl time. She could always sleep later. Especially with it being an otherwise wedding-free weekend. Besides, she needed a scoop on the latest with Marsali and her secret crush, because Eliza had watched Marsali and Oliver talk and dance the entire evening before he'd taken his leave due to him being scheduled to film first thing in the morning.

  "So what's left to do?" Carter asked. "How can we help?"

  She looked around to survey the area and shrugged. "I think it's done."

  Marsali clapped softly and cheered. "Let's go swimming!"

  An hour later, Marsali had finally lost her buzz and now floated in the pool hugging Piper's unicorn blowup.

  Her friend had left extra clothing in Mac's spare bedroom for convenience, including bathing suits, and while she and Marsali varied in height, thankfully they wore about the same size.

  Carter had changed clothes and checked on Piper, who was spending the night with her college-age aunt at Lincoln's. Lincoln and Amelia had changed out of their wedding finery and left to board the private jet—a gift from one of Amelia's Hollywood contacts—carrying them to Aruba for their honeymoon.

  Now the group had made themselves at home in Lincoln's pool, and Eliza had to admit the swim had
woken up her tired body and refreshed her.

  While the guys talked in low tones on the opposite end of the pool, Eliza had her arms looped over a noodle and floated alongside Marsali. "So… you and Oliver looked cozy."

  Her bestie had the biggest crush on one of Mac's college buddies ever since Mac had brought him home that very first time so many years ago. But once a picture of the gorgeous Oliver Beck had gone viral, he'd been a star on the rise, first as a model and then an actor. The cameras loved him as well as the general population. Oliver was a guy's guy in personality—and a woman's fantasy with his looks. On the big screen, it was the perfect combo.

  Marsali shook her head. "He'll only ever be a friend. You know that. But he did say he'll come back to town next month for Mom and Dad's anniversary party."

  "But you're still talking? Texting?"

  "Yeah. Just like always."

  Marsali's disgruntlement with being friend-zoned was tangible, and Eliza knew it was difficult, especially considering Marsali's profession. Finding love matches for everyone but not herself had to suck. "If it's meant to happen, it will. Right?" Eliza asked. "Isn't that what you've told me in the past?"

  "Yeah." Marsali straightened and slid closer to Eliza. "And since my love life isn't likely to make a change any time soon, let's talk about yours."

  "I don't have a love life."

  "But you're going out with Carter. Tomorrow, I believe he said?"

  As though sensing he was the topic of their conversation, Carter met Eliza's gaze from across the pool. The below-water lights lit his gorgeous face—and the wink he gave her—and it was then she remembered that sound carried over water and he probably listened to every word. "We are. To discuss business."

  "That's a start. Just follow my rules of engagement and let things flow."

  "Rules of engagement?" Eliza asked.

  "You still haven't read the advance copy I gave you?"

  She winced, knowing she was caught in a trap of her own making. "I'm sorry."

  "As you should be. I would be upset but I know how crazy busy the last few months have been for you since I gave that to you."

  "It has been crazy," she said, thinking of all of the networking events and bridal shows she'd gone to on the days when she didn't have weddings scheduled. She'd even taken promo packs around to all of the bridal-wear stores within a decent driving range to introduce herself and make a personal connection with the staff. "I'll read it soon. I promise."

  "No worries. The rules are in chapter four."

  "Any chance I can get the CliffsNotes?"

  Marsali rolled her eyes but just as quickly smiled at Eliza.

  "Take things slow because it takes time to get to know someone," Marsali said, holding up a finger. "Allow yourself to be vulnerable yet brutally honest about relationship expectations," she said, adding another finger. "No sleeping together until there is verbal commitment of some sort—the likes of which are a personal and moral choice, but important to know ahead of time, before things ever get to that point. Take time to learn the other person's love language, personal likes and see if those things work with your own or clash. And," she said, "know your goals, dreams, and boundaries and discuss how they will impact each of you and what compromises will have to be made and agree on who will make them."

  By the time Marsali had finished, Eliza's head whirled with questions and fear and more than a little panic. "That's chapter four?"

  "That's the first few pages of chapter four," Marsali corrected.

  "Wow. Okay," she said softly. "Now I understand why dating is so difficult. That's a lot to consider."

  "They're hard conversations to have, but the relationships that last do the work."

  Eliza glanced across the expanse of the pool and found Carter's gaze still on her. He'd been listening, she could tell. And in that moment, she was inordinately glad he was.

  Paired with his friendship—vetting—with Mac, she felt some of her hesitation in allowing things to get personal with him shift, a good thing considering the kiss they'd shared earlier. But if Carter was willing to open himself up and do the things Marsali had just mentioned…

  Holding Carter's gaze, Eliza felt herself dive off the cliff and free-fall into whatever tomorrow would bring. "What, um, else is in your book?"

  Chapter 19

  The following morning, Carter bit back a groan the moment Eliza emerged from the sleeping quarters of the boat and he spotted her in the cute little sundress. The dress was probably Marsali's, borrowed like the bathing suit last night, but it fit like a glove and he appreciated that fact.

  He'd probably come across as sexist if he voiced his thoughts aloud, but he loved it when women wore dresses. Especially when the dress bared Eliza's shoulders and ended above her knees and made her look all kinds of beautiful. "You look great."

  "Thank you. I didn't know when you wanted to leave so… Marsali let me borrow this."

  "It's perfect." She was perfect. "Before we leave, do we need to swing by your place and get the designs you wanted me to look at?"

  The reminder that this was a business meeting was more for himself than anything. After giving in to the temptation to kiss her last night, the plan was to rein himself in and play it cool. Well, as cool as he possibly could looking at her in that dress—and Marsali's bikini last night. The image of Eliza in that two-piece would be seared in his brain for all eternity.

  "No, I've been compiling them in a binder. It was in my car. I got it this morning," she said, a lift of her hand indicating the black zippered notebook nearby.

  He smiled at her readiness, wishing some of it would rub off when it came to being a single dad of a precocious mermaid.

  "Marsali will be up and off in a minute. She's looking for an earring. I told her she could come with us," Eliza said, not quite meeting his gaze. "She's got a good eye for this type of thing and some great ideas."

  "But I can't," Marsali said, moving up the steps from below. "I have meetings today myself. Two new clients," she said with a wide smile. "With luck, I'll be able to send them your way for the wedding planning. Carter, thanks for letting me stay. It was fun. I love sleeping on a boat. Just rocks you right to sleep. Well, after all the girl talk."

  Eliza smiled and he watched as the two women hugged before Marsali moved toward the dock.

  He stretched out a hand to steady her as she disembarked and then got to work, planning on taking things nice and slow up the Intercoastal to give himself plenty of time with Eliza since their busy schedules might prohibit it from happening again any time soon.

  Eliza helped him with the ropes before settling herself into the seat beside him as he put the boat into reverse. "You've done that before," he said.

  "My dad and uncles all have boats."

  "Yeah? What are they like, your family?"

  She lifted a delicate hand and tucked a loose tendril behind her ear.

  "Oh, they're family." She shrugged. "They're kind of a rowdy bunch."

  As far as a description went, that wasn't much to go on. "Your mom and dad… are they together?"

  "No. Not since I was a kid. Look," she said, pointing to a long line of pelicans flying in formation barely an inch over the water off to the right.

  He got them moving in the right direction and tried to keep the conversation going. "Any siblings?"

  "Halfs."

  Yeah, a touchy subject apparently. "Where are they? In town? Close by?"

  She turned her sunglass-covered face toward his, and Carter faltered. "Gotta talk about something, don't we?" he asked with a smile.

  He felt her studying him, even though he couldn't see her beautiful green eyes.

  "Four half sibs, two by each parent. Two brothers in Raleigh, one in Jacksonville, and a sister in Shreveport. I stayed with my mom after my parents divorced because my dad cheated and was more interested in his new bride than his kid. Mom eventually remarried, had kids, and then divorced again when I was in high school. I went to stay with my dad duri
ng the summer for a bit while the dust settled, but it turned out he was getting a divorce from his third wife, so I came back to Wilmington and spent the rest of the summer and my senior year with Marsali and her parents."

  "That sounds… rough. I'm sorry, Eliza."

  "It is what it is. Sometimes I'm blown away by the fact I plan weddings given all the divorces and breakups in my life—my other relatives aren't any better in that regard—but then I see the irony of attending all of the weddings over the years."

  The words settled home with the weight of an anchor, and he wondered what she'd think of his two failed attempts. He opened his mouth to blurt it out and get it out in the open when Eliza grabbed hold of his arm. He followed her pointing finger and saw dolphins surfacing.

  She smiled so big he couldn't bring himself to sour the mood with more talk about divorces. He'd tell her later. If it needed to be told.

  The next hour was spent cruising down the waterway toward Wrightsville Beach. He slowed as they approached the restaurant, and once again Eliza moved to help with the ropes.

  A guy spotted her and quickly came to pitch in, and Carter couldn't help but think it was to get a closer look at Eliza.

  Boat secured, Carter thanked the man and placed a possessive arm around Eliza's shoulders, and sure enough, the guy took a last look and backed off.

  Carter glanced down to find Eliza staring up at him, but given her sunglasses, he wasn't able to read her expression. "Hey, you hungry?"

  Chapter 20

  After checking in at the hostess stand, they were seated outside by the railings. The restaurant was busy, but not as busy as it typically was during the tourist season.

  Eliza sat across from Carter, thankful for the sunglasses that allowed her to discreetly watch his impact on the females nearby. She saw the double takes, the flirtatious smiles they sent in his direction, but she also noted he seemed completely oblivious.

  How was that possible?

  A waiter brought their drinks and took their order, and as he walked away, Eliza found herself bearing the brunt of Carter's intense gaze. He'd shoved his sunglasses atop his head since they were beneath the restaurant's cover, and his attention fixated entirely on her. She lifted a hand and smoothed it over her hair.