by Diana Palmer
Veronica got out of the truck and headed toward the mall entrance, Ted by her side. The interior was decked out in red, gold, and green. Christmas music was playing, and judging from the line of excited little kids curving around the corner, Santa was already in residence hopefully handing out presents. Veronica paused to check out the illuminated mall map while Ted swiped a paper copy of the same thing.
“Let’s do the dress shopping before we end up with too many bags,” Ted suggested. “According to Beth, there are a couple of decent places here.”
“So I see.” Veronica braced herself. “You don’t have to come if you don’t want to. You could start on the decoration side of things.”
He looked down at her from his considerable height, his brow creased. “I’m happy to tag along—unless you’d rather be alone?”
“I . . .” Veronica grimaced. “Jason always came shopping with me and basically bought and chose all my clothes, so I guess I’m a bit skittish about it.”
“Understandable.” He nodded. “How about I do the same thing I do when I shop with Beth?”
“What’s that?”
“Keep my mouth shut unless she asks for an opinion.”
Veronica blinked at him. “You’d do that?”
He shrugged. “It’s your body.”
She went up on tiptoe and planted a kiss on his mouth.
“What was that for?”
“For being so nice.” Veronica kissed him again.
“Don’t they say that nice guys finish last?” Ted asked.
“They are completely wrong.” She mock frowned at him. “Trust me on this.”
She took his hand as they went up the escalator to the second floor and held on to it as they went into the big department store that anchored one end of the mall. She still didn’t enjoy shopping for clothes. Years of Jason criticizing her taste and judgment were hard to shake off.
True to his promise, Ted didn’t say a word as he followed her through the racks. He did volunteer to carry the ever-increasing pile of garments she gathered as she went and she was very grateful for that. A salesperson glided up and offered to set her up in a dressing room, which Veronica accepted.
Eventually, she found herself in her own space and quickly set about trying on all the things. Most of them she discarded immediately, but there were three she liked. She glanced doubtfully at the door. Should she go out there and show Ted? Would he really be able to keep his mouth shut?
She reminded herself she’d been a free woman for two years now, and that what she wore was totally up to her. She unlocked the door and went out to where Ted and a couple of other guys were all sitting staring glumly at their phones. He looked up as she approached and smiled.
She did a little twirl. “What do you think?”
“It’s great,” Ted said. “I like the color.”
He continued to smile approvingly while she waited for the but, which never came. Eventually, she went back to try on dress number two. It was a soft pink color with an embroidered skirt and a red sash that complemented her coloring nicely.
This time, he stood up and his smile was definitely hotter. He didn’t need to say anything because she already knew he liked it, but she still asked.
“It looks good on you,” he finally said, his gaze firmly on her face. “How do you like it?”
“I think it’s my favorite,” Veronica confessed and lowered her voice. “You don’t think it’s too revealing, or too juvenile for me, or anything?”
“Nope.”
“That’s it?” She looked up at him.
“Yup. Did you say there was one more contender?” He gently turned her around and pointed her back at the dressing room. “Let’s see it, then.”
Chapter Five
“Hey, Dad.” Ted waved at his phone as his father, Kevin, who had finally conquered FaceTime, appeared on the screen. He looked tanned, relaxed, and way healthier than he had in years. Despite his initial concerns about the trip, Ted was beginning to believe that it had been a good thing for both of them.
“Hi, son! How’s snowy Morgantown?”
“Snowy.” Ted grinned back at him. “How’s Hawaii?”
“We’ve just left Maui and we’re heading to the Big Island overnight. It’s all been great. The food is good, the weather, the company . . .”
“Awesome. Is Victor there?”
His dad looked around. “I can find him if you want me to. What’s up?”
“Maybe you could just give him a message? His niece Veronica turned up, thinking he’d be there.”
“Vic wouldn’t have come if he’d known Veronica was visiting.” Kevin frowned. “He loves that girl.”
“I think it was a sudden decision,” Ted said tactfully. “Anyway, just tell him that she’s staying with me over the holidays, and that he can see her when he gets back, okay?”
“With you?”
Ted shrugged even though his father couldn’t see all of him. “Yeah, everywhere else is all booked up for the Hayes wedding of the year.”
Kevin’s grin widened. “Nice going, son. You always liked her, didn’t you?”
“We were always good friends. What’s your point?”
“No, you really liked her. I remember Vic and I joking that we were going to be in-laws one day.”
“Dad . . .” Ted blushed like a teenager. “Stop. She’s just staying here until Victor gets back.”
“You’re a fool if you don’t take advantage of that, aren’t you? She’s a nice girl and that ex-husband of hers was a dirtbag.”
“So I hear.”
“Then reach out to her! Get off the couch and live a little, okay?”
“That’s hardly fair,” Ted pointed out. “I stayed here for a reason. I’m not the kind of guy who walks away when his family needs him.”
“Beth is doing great now, and so am I. It’s time for you to reach out for what you want.”
“Fine! Great! I’ll do that, okay?” Ted scowled at his father. “Pass my message on to Victor, will you? If he wants to talk to her, he can call my cell or try hers.”
He abruptly ended the call, feeling more unsettled than he should have been. He walked out into the family room where Veronica had set up the ironing board and was carefully pressing the skirt of her dress she’d bought at the mall.
She looked up as he came in and set the iron down. “Everything all right?”
“Dad said he’d tell Victor you were here.” He wandered into the kitchen, looked aimlessly into the refrigerator, and then poured himself some coffee.
“I hope he’s okay with me turning up like this.”
“Why wouldn’t he be?” Ted stirred his coffee so forcefully, half of it swirled right out of the mug. “I bet he’d leave the cruise right now to get back to you if he had the choice.”
He added more coffee to his mug and mopped up the pool on the countertop.
“Did you and your dad have a disagreement or something?” Veronica had returned to pressing her skirt and had her back to him. “You seem a bit tense.”
“He just . . .” Ted let out an aggrieved breath. “I stuck around because he needed me, and now somehow I’m the one who is at fault for not getting out and doing more with my life.”
“Are you talking about what happened with your mom?”
“Not just that. Three years ago Dad had prostate cancer. It’s gone now, but it took him a couple of years to really get back to his old self, you know?”
He set his mug down and went over to her, taking the iron out of her hand. “You’ve missed a bit.” He angled the skirt and eased the tip of the iron toward the gathered waistband. “Can you fetch my wedding shirt? I left it on my chest of drawers.”
“Sure!” Veronica was looking at him like he was crazy; he wasn’t quite sure why as he turned the fabric and repeated his action.
By the time she returned, he’d finished her dress and put it back on the hanger. He unwrapped his new shirt, placed it on the ironing board, and sprayed it with
water.
“Beth was busy looking after Mikey, so I was the one who took Dad to all his appointments—not that I minded doing it—but with that, and running the gas station, and the shop, I didn’t have a lot of free time.”
“I bet you didn’t.” Veronica perched on the arm of the couch and watched him work. “You don’t have to explain yourself to me.”
Ted smoothed a hand over the creases in the arm of his shirt and straightened it out. “I know. I just hate it when I’m suddenly the one at fault for supposedly sitting around when all I’ve tried to do is take care of everyone else.” He tried to smile. “I guess I owe you an apology, for losing my temper over something that isn’t your fault.”
“That’s you losing your temper?” She raised an eyebrow and clutched at her chest. “Ooh, I’m terrified.”
He picked up the bottle and sent a mist of spray right at her head, which made her duck and squeak. His smile turned into a genuine grin as she came off the couch and squared up to him.
“Hey!” He held up his hands. “Let me finish ironing my shirt, and then you can fight me all you like.”
She retreated to the couch. “Seeing as watching you iron is a huge turn-on, I’m happy to wait.”
“Someone had to do it when Mom left.” Ted turned the shirt over and applied steam and firm pressure. “I find it really soothing.”
“I bet you fold your laundry the moment it comes out of the dryer as well,” Veronica commented.
“Doesn’t everyone?” He looked up to find her gazing at him like he was some kind of rock star. “It’s not exactly hard.”
He checked the shirt, decided it looked okay, and threw it over his shoulder before unplugging the iron. “I’m going to wash it and iron it again when it’s dry. Do you have anything to put in the washing machine?”
“You’re going to do it all again?” She followed him out into the hallway.
“Yeah, I find the creases go away more quickly.” He added detergent to the machine as she came back with an armful of her clothes. “As long as they’re not white, stick them in. I don’t think the shirt is going to bleed any color out, but you never know.”
“I don’t have any whites.” She placed everything in the machine and stood back to let him push the right buttons. “Thanks.”
He turned around and bumped right into her, his hands coming automatically to her elbows to hold her steady. She looked up at him, wrapped her hand around the back of his neck, and brought his head down for a kiss.
After letting his dad rile him up, Ted certainly wasn’t in the mood to stop her. He kissed her until he was pressed against her from knee to forehead and she was practically glued to the washing machine. With a groan, he set her on top of the dryer, and she parted her knees to let him even closer. Within seconds, he was hard and undulating his hips in the same rhythm as his kisses.
Her fingers curled around the bottom of his T-shirt and tugged. He shucked off his plaid shirt and bent his head to allow her to pull the cotton undershirt off him. She scraped her nails over his back and he shuddered, wanting more.
“May I?” he breathed against her shoulder, and bit her neck as she sighed his name.
“Do what?”
“Take some of your many layers of clothing off?”
She enthusiastically helped him remove her big sweater and T-shirt, and undid her jeans. He slid his hand past her open zipper and cupped her mound.
“Here?”
“God, yes.” She arched her hips, letting him pull the denim down her legs to expose her plain, cotton panties.
Ted had never seen anything more alluring in his life. He leaned in, breathing the scent of her arousal, and set a wet kiss over her already-damp panties. His fingers followed his questing mouth and soon he was in heaven, his tongue tasting her, his thumb planted firmly on her bud until she was writhing against him. He pushed deeper, and was rewarded with her cry of release and a hand in his hair that demanded everything.
He eased her down, kissing his way along her now-lax thighs until he was able to look up at her. She’d planted one hand behind her and was leaning back like an arched bow, her mouth soft and her eyes still glazed with pleasure. Ted felt a flicker of pride that he’d helped put that particular expression on her face.
She caught his eye. “You iron, do laundry, and put a woman’s needs first? Why hasn’t any sane woman snapped you up?”
He shrugged and kissed his way up over her stomach. “I have no idea.”
She stroked the back of his neck as he gave one hundred percent of his attention to her lush breasts.
“Any chance we can make use of those nice clean sheets on your bed right now?” Veronica breathed.
He picked her up, making her gasp, and planted a smacking kiss on her cheek. “I thought you’d never ask.”
She bit her lip, that sense of uncertainty still there. “That is, if you don’t think we’re moving too fast, or—”
“I don’t.” He laid her in the middle of his big bed and went to shut the door. “I’m totally okay with this as long as you are.”
He climbed onto the bed and settled himself over her, his elbows locked, his hand flat on the mattress. She reached out and ran her fingernail along the waist of his jeans, making him suck in a breath.
“You look kind of uncomfortable. Can I help with that?”
He nodded wordlessly as she dealt with his belt, button, and zipper, and released the aching pressure on his cock. He helped by pushing his jeans down and somehow getting them off, leaving him in just his black boxers.
“Nice.” She breathed against his most precious possession and stroked her finger up the hard thrust of his covered shaft. He gently took her hand in his.
“If you touch me right now, I’ll come, so can we get back to this bit?”
She grinned at him. “If you’re sure.”
“Oh, I am.” He nodded fervently and reached out to the drawer on his nightstand to find protection. “Just give me a minute and I’ll prove it to you.”
* * *
Veronica lay back on the crisp sheets and watched the flex of Ted’s muscles as he loomed over her. She reached behind her to undo the clasp of her bra and freed her breasts. His breath stuttered as he stared down at her. There was no mistaking the absolute adoration and heat in his gaze. For the first time in forever, she felt completely at ease with her body in front of a man.
She hooked a finger in the waistband of her panties and gave him an inquiring glance. He nodded silently, one hand cupping his erection, the other reaching to caress her breast. And then he was all over her, kissing, fondling, and learning every inch of her skin until she was rubbing up against him in unspoken invitation.
“You good?” he managed to ask between kisses. “You want me?”
“Oh, yes,” she breathed back at him. “Please.”
He slowly eased inside her, his gaze intent as he noted every nuance of her expression. She walked her feet up his thighs sending him even deeper, and with a soft growl he moved faster. She closed her eyes and clung to his shoulders as his powerful body took her higher and higher until she climaxed and gasped his name.
He didn’t stop, but drove her on to another high and they came together, which was something Veronica had read about, but never really believed could happen in real life. Ted slumped over her like a plank hit him. She had to give him a polite nudge to make him roll off her.
“Sorry,” he muttered.
“It’s all good.”
Without the heat of his body covering her, Veronica suddenly felt cold, but the feeling didn’t last for long as he gathered her into his arms and pulled the covers over them. She settled against him, her cheek against his chest and her palm over his still-racing heart. She waited for the guilt, or recriminations, or self-doubt to wash over her and felt nothing but a sense of righteousness.
Ted wasn’t Jason. Whatever happened between them next, he would never react like her ex.
He stroked her hair away from her fac
e and tucked it behind her ear.
“You okay?”
“I’m good.” She kissed his chest. “You?”
“Also good.” He went quiet for a minute before asking, “You want to stay here tonight?”
“In your bed?”
“Yeah, I wasn’t planning on kicking you out of the apartment.”
She nipped his nipple and he fake-growled.
“I need to go and check in on Bacon, and brush my teeth, but I’ll definitely come back if you’d like me to.”
“I would.”
Neither of them made any effort to move and Veronica’s eyes closed as she drifted toward sleep. The sound of her phone buzzing made her abruptly sit up.
“Where did I leave my cell?”
Ted looked around the clothes-strewn floor. “I have no idea.” He obligingly got out of bed and searched through her clothing. “It’s not here. Your jeans are still in the laundry room, I think.”
She grabbed a T-shirt from his chair and rushed into the hallway, but her phone had already stopped ringing. She paused to investigate her jeans, which didn’t reveal her cell, and then went into the kitchen where her phone sat on the countertop. The unknown number had an L.A. code. She checked for a message, but whoever it was hadn’t left one, which left her imagination running riot. She didn’t recognize the number. Had it been the cops, or one of Jason’s friends?
“Everything okay?”
She jumped when Ted came up behind her, and immediately shut down her phone and clutched it to her chest.
“Great!” she said brightly. “I’ll go and check on Bacon now that I’m up.”
* * *
Ted watched Veronica rush down the hallway, his brow creased. He didn’t want to be that guy, but she’d looked guilty as hell when he’d come up behind her. Who was calling her, and why was she so keen to talk to them that she’d leapt out of bed like a rocket? Was it possible that she still had some other guy in L.A.? He’d told her he didn’t have a girlfriend, but he hadn’t inquired about her relationships....
Ted rubbed a hand over his unshaven jaw and stared unseeingly down the hallway toward his dad’s bathroom. For the first time in his life, he’d jumped in with both feet. Up until about five minutes ago, he’d loved every second of his free fall, but now he was back wishing he’d stayed put. Maybe this was why he was the slow and cautious type—keeping up with Veronica was already giving him heartburn.