by Lea Hart
“Don’t be ridiculous. We wouldn’t fight over macaroni salad. Deviled eggs…yes, pimiento loaf… no doubt, fried chicken… absolutely,” Vivi replied.
***
The rest of dinner was tame after the macaroni salad story, but they had a good time nonetheless. Ivy loved the McDades and their sweet children. As far as she was concerned, this was one of the best examples of family life that she’d seen. It reminded her of what Max and Rory had together, along with a bunch of the men from the SAI office in San Diego. It allowed a small ball of hope to bloom in her chest that a miracle might actually be possible in her life.
Once they had finished the meal, Ivy offered to do the dishes so that Vivi and Joel could get the babies bathed and ready for bed. “I’ll clean the kitchen and then head back to the guest house. Thank you again for a lovely meal.”
Vivi blew her a kiss, and then Joel followed her up the stairs with their sleepy children.
Ryan began clearing the table outside, and Ivy started rinsing and loading the dishwasher. She could hear cicadas outside along with the sound of the bath being filled upstairs. She had such a warm and relaxed feeling, and she realized how much she missed being with her family. She was looking forward stopping home after she was done in Florida.
Ryan set the last of the glasses on the counter, and Ivy could feel him staring. “What’s on your mind, Ryan?”
Before he answered, he moved in next to her and helped load the dishwasher. “I had fun tonight. I had no idea that a small town in Texas could provide so many entertaining stories.”
“I think it’s like any other small town with the usual cast of characters.” When she handed him a dish and their fingers tangled up, she felt a zing run over her heart. Why was something so simple as washing dishes with this man giving her a zing? Looking up into his handsome face, she wondered if she was now becoming like every other girl and falling for a set of pretty eyes. Surprisingly, his good looks were not the most appealing thing about him. In the last week and a half, she’d discovered his intelligence, bravery, and kindness. A deadly combination.
“Would you like to go to Trevor and Katie’s wedding with me?” he asked quickly.
Ivy handed him the last dish and turned off the water. “Are you asking me on a date, or is this a coworker thing?”
He closed the dishwasher and took her wet hands in his. “I’m asking you out on a date, Ivy Bellows.”
“Why?” she squeaked.
“Is that how you usually answer a man when he asks you out?”
“Well, no…I don’t think so.” Slipping her hands out of his, she grabbed the towel and dried them off. “To be honest, I haven’t been asked out in a long time.” Looking up, she plastered a smile on her face and took a deep breath. “Do it again.”
“Ask you out again?” Ryan said as he frowned.
“Yes, I’ll do better.”
“Okay…Ivy, would you like to go to the wedding together?”
“Yes, Ryan, that would be lovely.” When he slipped his hands around her waist and let them rest gently against her back, she felt like smooching his face. Which told her that she was in no way prepared to spend one-on-one time with him. “There was this couple back home…”
His large finger pressed against her mouth to silence her. “Honey, let me kiss you first, and then you can tell me about the couple back home.” He moved his thumb to her bottom lip and rubbed it slowly. “I’ve been thinking about kissing you for a while now.”
Just as she was about to protest, his mouth lowered slowly to hers. The last thing she saw before his lips melded with hers was his wicked smile. Desire ran over her limbs like a race car, leaving a trail of heat and need. His soft, warm lips played across hers, and she gasped with pleasure. When her mouth opened slightly, he took that as an invitation to deepen the kiss. His tongue swept into her mouth, and a low moan escaped as she melted into his embrace. For the first time in her life, she felt like letting the strange animal of desire free. Restraint, good manners, and polite smooching weren’t things she was interested in anymore. When his hands slid into her hair and he fisted it, drawing her closer, she knew she was in trouble. The sort of trouble she’d been dreaming about.
Gasping, she pulled away and pressed her hand to his chest. Her pounding heart and throbbing body made her realize how little it would take to lose control with this man. One kiss and she was almost ready to let her clothes drop. Sweet Lord, have mercy upon me. All she wanted to do was drag him across the yard and into the guest house, strip him naked, and have her way with him.
“I should go.” Spinning on her heel, she started to stride away. He caught her hand as she reached the back door and pulled her against his chest. His large body surrounded her, and she could feel every ripple of every muscle he had as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Breathe, she instructed herself. His deep voice rumbled against her ear as he spoke.
“Don’t worry, Ivy. Whatever this is between us isn’t going to kill us.”
Letting out a breath, she rested her hands on top of his. “I wouldn’t be too sure about that.”
He ran his mouth along her neck and then kissed her gently behind her ear. “But what a way to go,” he mumbled against her skin.
Her resolve was dissolving, so she stepped out of his embrace, glanced over her shoulder, and smiled. “Thanks for helping with the dishes.” Before he could respond, she skipped out of the door and dashed across the lawn to the guest house. When she was safely inside, she let out a laugh. He was so delicious that she decided not to worry about his intentions. Hers were lusty and inappropriate, so who was she to judge? Ryan Cordell was going to be trouble. What kind, she didn’t know, but it might be time to find out.
CHAPTER FIVE
Sunday
Ivy opened the door to the guest house, and Ryan let a hundred sexy thoughts run wild in his brain. He thought about kissing her…a tongue-twisting, consuming kiss. Clearing his throat, he tried to pretend he wasn’t an animal held back on a leash. “Hi.”
Smoothing her low ponytail, she smiled. “Hey.”
The way her jungle eyes stared at him in approval made him think that dressing in a suit might work in his favor. Whistling, he let his eyes run all over her body in appreciation. “Damn, girl. You didn’t have to bring out the heavy artillery.”
Sliding her hand over her dress, she winked. “This old thing? Shoot, if you’re impressed by this, then you’re easier than I thought.”
“When it comes to you, I’m a damn pussycat.”
“Tiger, maybe. Pussycat, definitely not.”
“Maybe we should skip the wedding and find out for sure.”
Laughing, she grabbed her purse and moved them both out of the house. “I thought you might work up to the heavy flirting. I see that I was wrong.”
“The dress you’re wearing calls for heavy flirting. We both know that we have chemistry. The only question is what we’re going to do about it.” He enveloped her hand in his and felt exactly like he did when he adjusted the scope on his rifle. Everything tumbled into place and his heart slowed down. He held her hand tightly and started moving down the walk.
“Ryan, slow down. These heels are not meant for trotting. These shoes are meant for sitting, so either let go of my hand or slow your roll.”
He stopped and stared down at the black sandals she wore that made him think of handcuffs and bedrails. Clearing his throat, he ran his eyes up her tanned legs and saw where the final cuff gently encased her calf. “Honey, I need you to stay really close to me and not talk to any other men. Killing someone the first week of work would send the wrong message.”
Her small hand squeezed his as she laughed. “That’s sweet. Totally not going to happen, though.”
“I know, but just help me out as much as you can.”
Nodding, she got into his truck and winked. “I’ll see what I can do. Where do Jack and Ana Ellis live?” she asked as she buckled her seatbelt.
“They live in Coral Gable
s on Old Cutler Road. I programmed the address into the GPS.”
“How does the best defensive end in the country connect with Trevor and Katie?”
Ryan pulled out and headed toward the main street. “Trevor told me that Ana set him up with Katie after he ran security for her. When Ana and Jack got together, they had some problems with the paparazzi and fans, so Trevor was assigned to her while the worst of it was playing out. Ana and Katie are in the same post doctorate program over at Miller School of Medicine, and she thought Trevor and Katie would be perfect for one another.”
“I love a good matchmaking story. I’ve tried to pair people in the past, and my matches are never successful. The idea I have in my head is never what happens when I set people up.”
“What looks good on paper is rarely what works in real life.” He flipped his blinker on and merged into traffic. “You and me, for example. Who would put us together? I grew up in Northern California on a winery with my father and three brothers. I went to Cal and played rugby. Then I joined the Navy and became a SEAL. I’ve spent the last ten years in the world’s hellholes chasing the bad guys.”
Ivy shrugged and stared out the window. “I guess you’re right. I grew up in a small town in Texas with my mama and my grandmother. I went to UT at Austin and then on to Wharton. I’ve spent the last five years working my hiney off.” Moving around in her seat, she laughed. “Okay, clearly my hiney is still there, but you know what I mean. My career has been my sole focus for longer than I can remember.”
“For the record…I like your hiney, and I hope it never goes anywhere.”
“Which was the point of this conversation.” She smirked.
“I just wanted it reflected for the record, should it ever come up.”
“Do you dance, Ryan?”
“Not if I can help it.”
“Darn, I love to. Maybe I’ll find someone at the wedding to dance with.”
“What I meant to say was…of course I dance.”
Laughing, she grabbed his hand and smiled. “I had no idea that pushy man in the bar would turn out to be so much fun.”
“Honey, I’m not pushy, just focused on the goal. I always have been and I always be.”
***
Ryan and Ivy sat in the last row of chairs, waiting for the ceremony to start. As he glanced around the gathering, he realized this was one of the oddest groups that could be put together for a wedding. There were all of Katie’s friends who were super-smart medical geeks. Then there were all of Trevor’s spec op brothers. Then, just to make it interesting, several highly accomplished football players were mixed in. Grady and Sara slid into the seats next to them and waved. “Hey, guys.”
“We were late getting out of the house. Glad we made it on time,” Grady said as he sat back in his chair.
Ryan laughed and shook his head. “For the record, the two of you are pretty loud.”
Sara leaned forward and grinned. “We’re not loud. There’s this weird echo thing that happens between the two houses, and it amplifies everything.”
Grady shrugged and slipped his arm around Sara’s shoulders. “I’m having new windows installed next week. That should take care of a lot of it, but I can’t make any promises. It’s my mission in life to make sure that my wife is happy. So I do what’s necessary.”
Sara elbowed him and grimaced. “We’re not married yet, and you don’t need to be talking about that.”
Grady mimed zipping his mouth and sat back with a satisfied smile.
Ivy stood and straightened her dress. “Switch seats with me, Ryan. I want to sit next to Sara so I can gossip with her. We haven’t had any time to hang out this week.”
The men stood and everyone shuffled around. Once Sara and Ivy were sitting together, they started chatting away. Ryan and Grady looked over the women’s heads and both shrugged.
Ivy gasped, and Ryan looked up to see what had caught her attention. Scott Clemins had arrived, and he was walking slowly up the aisle. What the fu…? Why would Ivy react to the football player that way? Was it because he was the most successful and highly paid quarterback in the game? Before he could ask her, the music started, and everyone watched as Trevor and his best man took their places. Glancing down, he noticed that Ivy’s eyes were locked on the back of Scott’s head. As the ceremony began, he tried to dismiss the bad feeling that was starting to form in the pit of his stomach. No way would Ivy have the hots for a damn quarterback.
***
Trevor and Katie kissed once the minister had given them the go-ahead, and damn if that son of a bitch didn’t kiss his wife with everything he had. Hoots and hollers accompanied the couple as Trevor scooped up his bride and jogged down the aisle. Trevor had never been known for his patience, so it made sense that he wanted to get Katie out of there for a couple of private moments before the party started.
The cocktail reception was being held on the other side of the enormous lawn, and Ryan guided Ivy over. He kept a close eye on how much attention she was paying to Scott. If she was the type of girl who would moon over a superstar football player, then he was going to rethink his feelings.
“Ryan, I’m going to search for the bathroom. I’ll come find you later on.”
“I’ll go with you and wait.”
Tilting her head, she gave him a funny look. “What in the world are you talking about? I can find the ladies’ by myself. I certainly don’t need an escort.”
“I was being polite.”
Her big eyes narrowed, and she crossed her arms. “Okay, spill. What’s really going on?”
Looking around at the crowd, he shrugged. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.” He looked down and saw her foot tapping. “Why did you gasp when you saw Scott Clemins, and why are you tracking him like he’s a prize?”
Her head flew back and she let out a laugh loud enough for people to look over. “Scott is definitely not a prize. For your information, we went to the same college, and the sad and sorry SOB broke my best friend’s heart. They dated for almost two years, and he broke up with her when it became clear that he was going to be drafted after graduation. One day it was ‘I love you’ and the next day it was ‘I don’t want to be in a relationship.’ I held Tracy’s hand and watched her cry her eyes out for over six months. I can’t tell you the amount of tequila it took for her to get over him.”
“So, you’re not interested in him?”
“I’m interested in stomping on his foot, but that’s about it.”
He tugged one of her hands and held it. “Okay.”
“Were you thinking that I had the hots for that no-good, disloyal, overpaid athlete?”
“No.”
“I don’t really believe you, but I have to find the ladies’, so we can talk about it later if you want.” She slipped her hand out of his, turned quickly, and almost face-planted into the grass.
“Gotcha.” Ryan lunged and caught her in time. He held her in his arms and grinned into her face. “I knew those heels were dangerous.” He straightened, set her on her feet, and was surprised when she leaned up and kissed him gently on his lips. It was the sweetest kiss he’d ever been given, and he wanted a hundred more.
“Thanks for the save. Now hold my hand and help me find the bathroom.” She tugged him in the direction of the guest house.
He didn’t say anything about her change of mind and enjoyed her hand in his. Ivy’s heels kept sinking and she had to go slowly. He thought about picking her up and carrying her, but figured she might think that was too much for a first date. So he wrapped his arm around her and made sure that she made it to her destination safely.
At the guest house, she released his hand. “I’ll be out in two shakes.”
“I’ll be here.” He sat down on a swing that faced the crowd and studied all the people milling about. He noticed Scott talking with Chase Bedford and wondered if Ivy was going to say something to him during the reception.
Before too long, she came out with a smile on her face. “Now
I can enjoy the party.”
Ryan held out his hand and waited until she took it. “Come sit with me for a second.”
She collapsed next to him and lifted her feet as he pushed the swing back and forth. “This feels good. My feet are starting to hurt already.”
“I like what they do for your legs, but why do you wear uncomfortable sandals?”
“I like pretty shoes and I don’t much care how much pain I’m in when I wear them. I discovered the power of the right pair of shoes when my mama bought me my first black patent Mary Janes with heels. When I slipped those little jewels on my feet, I understood life. My knowledge was only further confirmed when I got a pair of white patent boots. I will never wear sensible shoes.”
Ryan squeezed her hand and laughed. Ivy might very well be the crazy he’d been looking for. What she looked like and who she was were two very different things. The outside was polished marble, and the inside was a crazy mass of contradictions. He figured that she must be into him, because she wasn’t holding anything back. All her crazy was out there for him to see. At least, he hoped that’s what was happening. “I’ll just have to carry you when you can’t walk anymore.”
Ivy looked over, and her soft tiger eyes blazed into his. The sound of the party melted away, and all he could sense was their connection and the warm breeze that floated around them. He lowered his head and was about to kiss her when the shrill sound of her phone interrupted him.
“Oh…” Pushing away, she dug into her bag and looked at the display. “It’s Mama. That’s strange. We usually don’t talk until the evening. I hope Grams is all right.” She pushed the button and answered.
Ryan watched her and saw a kaleidoscope of emotion cross her face. Whatever her mother was saying wasn’t good. Ivy hadn’t said a thing past hello. She clutched the phone with white knuckles and listened. This was going to be bad.
“Okay, Mama, I’ll try and get a flight out tonight. I’ll call you from the airport.” She pushed the button to end the call, and the phone dropped into her lap. “My daddy’s dead. He had a heart attack and died this morning.”