All Things Valentine: Kismet Bay 3

by Brower, Dawn

Amadea didn’t think there was much chance of that happening either way. “I need a drink.”

  “Go see Tristan.” Esmeralda gestured toward the man she co-owned Witch’s Brew with. “He’s over there talking to his buddy Percival. He can get you a glass of champagne.”

  Amadea glanced at the counter. Tristan was indeed there with Percival. Two of the town’s “knights” missing their third. Maybe one day Gawain would return and make them whole again. Tristan had dated her cousin Sage for years and was still hung up on her. Sage left town a while ago, but Tristan showed no signs of moving on. Percival though… He was gorgeous, polite, and one of Kismet Bay’s finest police officers. He was also the one man that made Amadea’s heart beat rapidly inside her chest, and Esmeralda knew that. She was probably sending her over there in a misguided attempt at matchmaking. The question was: did she go there and get a drink or find a dark corner to hide in?

  Chapter 4

  Witch’s Brew had started to fill up for the annual Valentine’s party. Percival had been sitting on a stool at the bar since he’d arrived. Tristan stopped to talk to him as much as he could, but their conversation kept getting interrupted. He couldn’t blame his friend. This was his business and he had patrons to see to. He’d like to leave, but he’d made a promise to the chief. Misery had settled into his bones and he couldn’t shake free of it. As soon as Amadea had walked in he’d been aware of every move she made. When she’d taken her coat off and revealed the skin tight black dress… He’d wanted to peel that decadent dress off her and kiss every inch of her. Of course he couldn’t tell her that. They barely spoke to each other on a good day. If he spouted that nonsense to her she’d run screaming and undoubtedly tell her daddy what a pervert he was. Percival had to get a grip on his unrepentant lust.

  He stared down at the bubbly champagne in his glass. Disgust settled in his gut. When had he turned into a maudlin fool? Amadea never noticed him and he was too afraid to actually ask her out. Not that he was afraid of women, but Amadea was different. She meant way too much to him. She was different. God he was a blathering idiot… He should just bite the bullet so to speak and actually talk to her.

  “What has you looking so grumpy?” Tristan asked. “Don’t like the champagne?”

  “I’d rather have a shot of whiskey,” he answered. “Don’t suppose you’re hiding a bottle behind the bar?”

  Tristan chuckled. “Can’t say that I do. You do remember this is normally a coffee shop. We only do these parties because we’re the only business equipped to do it.”

  “It was worth asking.” He sipped the champagne. It wasn’t bad, but he didn’t generally like bubbly wine. “Is this from Grape Flavors?”

  “Yeah,” Tristan replied. “Esmeralda likes to support her cousin’s business.”

  The Stranges had their hands in almost all the businesses in Kismet Bay. The Strange women ran most of the shops on Main Street. Amadea ran the flower shop with her cousin, Ophelia. Percival wished he had a reason to go into the shop to talk to her, but who would he buy flowers for? He had bought a single rose on New Years for Leilia. Unfortunately, Amadea had not been in the flower shop when he’d gone in. Their part time helper, Jenny had assisted him in his selection.

  “What’s with all the balloons?” He lifted a brow. “I thought you’d have some flowers.”

  “I don’t know,” Tristan said. “You’ll have to ask Esmeralda. She decided on the decorations. It’s not my thing.”

  “Did I hear my name?” Esmeralda came from behind Tristan.

  “Percival was asking about the balloons.”

  She shrugged. “I thought they were a nice touch.” Esmeralda glanced over Percival’s shoulder and frowned. It took a lot to make that worried expression form on her face. Percival didn’t talk to Amadea, but he had a really good relationship with Esmeralda. It was one of the reasons he knew so much about Amadea. Esmeralda talked about her sister often enough that he’d garnered a lot of little tidbits in the course of their friendship. Her look of displeasure had him swinging around to see what had caught her attention.

  Amadea was on the other side of the room. A man, who appeared a little drunk, had his hand wrapped around her wrist. She was doing her best to try to yank it free, but he had a death grip on it. Percival didn’t know him, but he was ready to knock him out cold. “Excuse me,” he said and headed over to their side.

  “Is there a problem?”

  “Go away,” the man snarled at him. “The lady and I are having a good time.”

  “It doesn’t appear that way to me,” he answered. Percival did his very best to remain calm. “She seems ready to bolt as far and as fast as she can in the opposite direction from you.” He glanced down at her feet. “She might break an ankle in the process, but it’s clear she doesn’t like you.”

  Amadea breathed a sigh of relief. “He’s right.” She nodded in Percival’s direction. “I’d much rather spend the evening with him.” She met the man’s gaze. “Let go of my wrist. Now, please.”

  “You don’t need to be polite to him,” Percival said. “If he doesn’t stop assaulting you I’d be happy to take him to the station and lock him in a holding cell until he sobers up. Just say the word.”

  “You’re a damned cop?” He glared at Percival.

  The man let go of Amadea long enough to take a swing at Percival. He ducked out of the way just in time. Amadea wobbled a little on her feet not prepared for the man’s grip to loosen. He reached out and steadied her but she still fell forward. Percival wrapped his arms around her keeping her upright. She glanced up and met his gaze. Percival’s heart beat hard inside his chest. He’d been dreaming of holding her in his arms forever. Never in his wildest imagination would he have thought it would be this way. She licked her lips and he had an insane desire to kiss her. Somehow he managed to keep his lips off of hers, but it was a near thing…

  Chapter 5

  Amadea had always thought Percival Wright was handsome. His golden blond hair and sea green eyes only made him even more appealing. She’d secretly loved him for years now. He seemed so far out of her league though. Hell, most men weren’t for her. She wasn’t outgoing and preferred staying home. She wasn’t shy exactly, but she didn’t do people. Percival though was the exact opposite. He was like a social butterfly and that made him a better cop. Her father had said more than once he was the best, and her father didn’t dole out praise lightly.

  Now she was standing in the middle of Witch’s Brew with Percival, and his arms were wrapped around her. In her head she knew that he’d only done it to save her from falling, but her traitorous heart was beating rapidly inside her chest. She wanted to kiss him. He’d probably think her the worst kinds of trollop if she did. Amadea didn’t run around kissing men, but oh she wanted to with Percival.

  “I should take care of the drunk man on the floor,” Percival said, but he showed no signs of letting her go.

  “Or you can leave him where he is.” She didn’t want to give him a reason to stop touching her. She’d never felt so amazing in her entire life. Amadea wanted to make the experience last as long as possible. “He looks like he’s not going to bother anyone else.” She glanced down at him and asked, “Are you done being an asshole?”

  “My head hurts,” the man whined the words out. “I’m going home.”

  “That’s probably a good idea,” Percival told him without even looking in the man’s direction. “Please do us a favor and don’t drive.”

  “I won’t.” The man crawled to a nearby table and got to his feet, then headed toward the exit.

  She glanced up into Percival’s eyes. “Do you want to dance?”

  He lifted a brow. “You don’t have to dance with me because you feel you owe me something for stepping in. I was just doing my job.”

  Amadea smiled up at him. How had she never noticed he was a little unsure too? It made things easier for her. He seemed more—human up close. She’d put him up on a pedestal for so long she failed to realize that he fea
red things just as much as the next person. “I want to dance with you.”

  “In that case,” he said and then smiled down at her. “It’ll be my pleasure.”

  Percival led her to the dance floor. The Lady Antebellum song, Just a Kiss, blared through the speakers. The lyrics almost seemed appropriate.

  I've never opened up to anyone

  So hard to hold back

  When I'm holding you in my arms

  We don't need to rush this

  Let's just take it slow

  Amadea lost herself to the music, to his warmth, and to the sheer pleasure of being held by him as they swayed to the melody. “This is nice,” she whispered more to herself than him. She didn’t expect him to answer.

  “Much better than I’ve ever dreamed,” he murmured. “It doesn’t seem real.”

  She must have heard him wrong. “What?” Did he dream about her the same way she did him? What were the chances that he felt the same for her? She loved him and knew just about everything she could discover about him. Esmeralda was a font of information since he came into Witch’s Brew so often to see Tristan. Amadea drank in everything her sister told her like a dying person in a desert, desperate for a drop of water.

  He met her gaze and said with unwavering conviction, “I’ve wanted to hold you in my arms for so long. If I wasn’t such a coward I’d have asked you out ages ago.” He reached up and brushed a hand over her dark hair. “Will you give me a chance?”

  When Ophelia talked her into going out she would never have believed this would happen. Kismet Bay had worked its magic once again and pushed her and Percival together. “I’d like nothing more.” She smiled. “That’s not true. There is one other thing I want.”

  “What’s that?” He lifted a brow. “Name it and if it’s in my power I’ll see you have it.”

  She nibbled on her bottom lip and contemplated how to ask him for what she desired. This was so far out of her comfort zone it was ridiculous. Tonight was meant to be a night for bravery though and she had to take a leap of faith. Fate believed they belonged together and she had to trust that it was right. Amadea made herself meet his gaze and told him what she wanted. “Kiss me.” She had to see if a kiss between them would be as magical as she thought it would be.

  “That would be my pleasure.” His lips titled upward into a sinful smile, then he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. Sparks ignited immediately and she lost the ability to think. That was all right though because who needed to string two words together when they had the magic of a kiss to sustain them. When the kiss ended she wanted to scream at the injustice of it all. Percival had made her believe in love again. She wanted to wrap her arms around him and stay there forever, and maybe, just maybe he’d let her.

  “This has been the best Valentine’s Day ever,” she said.

  “I couldn’t agree more.” He caressed her cheek lightly with the pad of his thumb. “In fact, from this day forward I’ll treasure all things Valentine.”

  She grinned. “We can make it our thing.”

  “I’d like nothing more.” He leaned down and kissed her again. She could get used to him doing that over and over again. This was only the beginning though. They had the rest of their lives to kiss each other whenever the mood hit them, and Amadea couldn’t ask for anything more than that.

  EXCERPT: ONE HEART TO GIVE

  HEART’S INTENT ONE

  Prologue

  Ten years earlier

  Daniella spun around in her prom dress. The dark green gown shimmered in the sunlight streaming through her bedroom window. She didn’t have a date. It should bother her, but it didn’t. There was one boy she wanted to go with: her best friend, Rendell Sousa. Ren was so handsome, strong, and perfect in every way. The only downside was he had a girlfriend. She hated Jessica Clarke. The girl owned a part of him Dani never would.

  She’d planned on skipping prom, but Ren had talked her into going. He said he could have two dates. It would have been easier to say no… He made it impossible to turn him down, stating he couldn’t go to prom without both his girls. Jessica wouldn’t be happy at the idea of sharing Ren, and Dani didn’t want to upset her by going along with his plan. She told him no until he agreed to arrange for a group of friends to join them. Even with that idea, Dani decline anyway. Ren was insistent and too persuasive for her to resist. Not having a dress wouldn’t even be a deterrent.

  He’d talked Sarah, another friend of theirs, into taking her shopping. Dani had dipped into her savings, using the money meant for college to pay for it. Her foster family didn’t help her with anything they didn’t deem necessary. A prom dress was not high on that list, like most things Dani may want or even need. It was why she worked after school most days.

  Now she stood in front of her bedroom mirror, admiring the green satin dress. It was worth it. The dress was amazing and it made her feel like a fairytale princess. She glanced at the clock and hurried to finish the last minute preparations. Ren would be by to pick her up at any moment.

  “Dani,” her foster mother yelled. “Ren is here.”

  “Time to face the music.” She ran her hands over her dress to ease her nerves. Would he like what he saw? It wouldn’t matter. She couldn’t let it because Ren had a girlfriend. She started down the stairs and stopped at the bottom. Ren looked gorgeous in his tux. He’d opted for a white jacket with a black tie. It wasn’t the usual black penguin suit almost every other boy would no doubt choose to wear. He looked amazing and absolutely gorgeous. His rich golden brown hair was brushed back and his wicked grin made him even more devastating.

  “Are you ready?” he asked. “Jessica’s already in the car.”

  She nodded and let him lead her out the door. This was foolish. Dani hated being the third wheel on his date. It didn’t matter that a group of friends were going together. She would end up between Ren and Jessica in some way. He wouldn’t allow her to essentially be a wallflower. He had always been protective of her. She should have said no. It would have been better for them both if she had. Why had she let him talk her into this? Jessica would do something to make her miserable. Ren didn’t see her the way Dani did. Her viperous tongue only came out when Ren wasn’t around to hear it. Jessica made sure they were in private when her worst came out to play.

  “Are you excited?” Stupid question. Why would he be?

  “I’m looking forward to dancing with you later.” He smiled softly. “And with Jessica too.”

  Dani frowned. Why did he feel the need to add that part in? Of course he would look forward to dancing with his girlfriend. He didn’t need to remind her of that. Tiny pinpricks of pain shot through her heart. She couldn’t let him know how much it hurt her to see him with Jessica. He deserved to be happy. She chose this path. He was her best friend, and she wanted him to be happy. She’d smile and fake it as long as she could. Ren didn’t need to know she’d fallen in love with him. The burden was hers and hers alone.

  He opened the door to the limo. She peeked inside and let out a relieved breath. A group of their friends were already inside. Most of them were also dateless. At least she didn’t have to suffer in awkward silence while they picked everyone up. Ren must have saved her for last. She waved at them and hopped in. She sat across from Ren and Jessica next to another male friend of theirs. It didn’t take long for the car to get to their destination. Prom was being held at the Tempest Ballroom on the opposite side of town. It was where it was always held. Ren was the first out of the limo and helping all the girls out.

  “I forgot to tell you how pretty you look,” he said as he held his hand out to her. “You’re going to break some hearts in there.”

  She laughed. “I doubt it.”

  His gaze seemed to go unfocused for a second before he shook his head. Something bothered him; whatever it was he was holding it inside. “Trust me on this.”

  She wouldn’t push. The night was supposed to be fun. If he wanted to tell her he would. For now, they would go inside and enjoy the e
vening. “If you say so.” She shrugged. “I’m not holding my breath.”

  “Can we go inside now?” Jessica whined. “You’re supposed to be my date.” She glared at Dani, letting her gaze roll over her as if she’d witnessed something disgusting.

  Ren turned to her and pulled her into his arms. He placed a quick kiss on her lips. “And that I am. Let’s go see what the fuss is all about.” He held out his arm to Dani. “You coming?”

  She shook her head. “Give me a minute. I’ll be in later. Take Jessica inside.”

  He frowned. “Are you sure?”

  She didn’t want to explain that she needed time to build up her strength. It would take all she had to get through the evening of their lovey dovey affection. She couldn’t stand Jessica, and that wasn’t only because the other girl had something she wanted. Jessica was mean and spiteful. For the life of her, Dani couldn’t figure out what Ren saw in her.

  “Go.” She pushed at him. “I’ll be fine. Promise.”

  He stared at her for a few seconds and then nodded in agreement. Dani breathed a sigh of relief as she watched them go.

  “Why aren’t you going inside?” Brian asked. He was one of the friends who’d traveled with them in the limo. “Something preventing you from entering? Did Cinderella already lose her shoe?”

  “Ha. Ha,” Dani mocked. “I’m far from the unwanted stepsister.” No she was plain unwanted. Her mother had tossed her aside when she was a little girl, left her on a church doorstep for someone to find. She’d never know who her real parents were. They probably had been teenagers with no ability to care for her.

  “Why don’t you push her out of the way and claim your prince,” Brian asked. “You know you want to.”

  She scrunched up her nose and winced. “Ren is not my prince.” He never would be.