Wilde Magic (Wilde Women Book 3) Page 23

  It was all kinds of cute and sexy when she blushed beet red. “Please tell me you didn’t actually see anything.”

  “Oh God, no. Shit, babe. The second I heard that zipper I ran like it was the Olympic track and field time trials and got the hell out of there. Jesus. Got my own parents and their crazy fuckery to contend with. Don’t need a Wikipedia entry on sex in the Wilde household too.”

  She snuggled into him and hugged tight. “Thanks. Just the reminder I needed. My folks have always been open and loving to each other. I guess to me, that’s just the norm. I never thought to look deeper, although I do remember a camping trip when I was a kid and some very strange sounds coming from their tent.”

  “Mommies and Daddies fuck. Shocking, I know—but true. And don’t worry darlin’. I’m on it. Always thinking ahead, you know. Gonna build a secret panel in our closet. Someplace to hide the equipment. The kids’ll never know how much Mommy likes being spanked and tied to the bed.”

  “Or how much Daddy likes Mommy on her knees with a mouth full of cock.”

  “I thought you’d never ask,” he taunted with a surge of his hips.

  “Seriously?” Brynn snickered.

  God. He loved when she was playful and snarky at the same time. Really fired him up, so he needled her and gave it a shot.

  “Aw, come on. You know you want to. I’ll be tied up with Caleb all day and you’ll be emptying our bank account with the ladies. Why not start with my dick tickling your tonsils?”

  She reared back and roared with laughter. “I can’t even with you,” she drawled. “Tickling my tonsils? Is that the polite way of saying …”

  He shut her up with a fast kiss. “You know exactly what I’m saying.”

  “Well, all righty then. One tonsil tickle coming up.”

  She reached for his hand and pulled him behind her into the walk-in pantry. Uh, this so was not what he envisioned. Shutting the door, she flipped on the overhead light, pulled a rolling footstool out from under a shelf and unbuttoned her top.

  “Something for you to look at.” The leer in her expression made him instantly forget what his objection had been. After that, he got his pants undone and shoved down his legs in record time.

  She lowered onto the stool—damn thing was the perfect height—and went about blowing his … mind.

  It was going to be a great day.

  “HOPE THIS IS OKAY,” JAX muttered as he stuck his head in the bathroom and looked around. “Not what you’re used to, I know—but we’re in that halfway no-man’s land between Philly and New York. Nearest hotel is booked for the holiday.”

  Cal laughed good-naturedly and slapped his brother on the back. “Relax, man. The prospect of another hotel was almost a deal breaker.”

  “This place belongs to Brynn’s assistant. Her family rents it out for day trippers and stuff like that. They were happy to offer it up. Bit small, but it’s not like you’re gonna be entertaining. Mom and Dad and Brynn’s parents are holding court in a nearby B&B. Oh, here,” Jax said as he picked up an envelope off the kitchen counter. “For you. A formality—but thought you might give a shit about our wedding invitation.”

  Cal snagged it quickly and ripped open the envelope. “Hope you didn’t have anything to do with the details, bro. You suck at making nice.”

  “Getting better at it,” Jax grumbled. Shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans, he rocked back on his heels and smirked. “Whatever makes Brynn happy is fine by me. Told her a bunch of times. Don’t care if the seven goddamn dwarfs show up and do the ceremony. All that matters is finalizing the contract and making sure her ass is tied to mine.”

  He shook his head. “God. That’s so romantic. Ass tied to yours? Brynn must be out of her mind for putting up with your tired shit.”

  The invitation was pretty, he guessed. He was a guy, so what the fuck did he know? Glancing at the wording, he picked out their parents names and smiled. Mom must have lost her shit over this! And then he saw the first line and stopped dead.

  Mr. and Mrs. Robert Baron-Wilde request the honor of your presence …

  Baron-Wilde.

  Baron-Wilde?

  As in the Baroness of Wild?

  Wait.

  No.

  What?

  Fuck.

  He needed to get it together and stop imagining things. She was gone from his life and there was no changing that. It’d be ironic if it didn’t bother him so damn much. Something he wasn’t looking for, and had no reason to believe even existed outside love stories and rom-com flix, came along and blew his life up in a substantive way. He only wished they’d had more time together. More time to see if the red-hot physical attraction wasn’t the only thing worth hanging on to.

  “Brynn has a thing for roses. They’re everywhere. She even bakes with rose water or some such shit like that.” Jax chuckled and it struck Cal that he’d never seen his brother so … together. Might be because with me hiding in Europe while big brother picked his way through a PTSD minefield back home, we haven’t done much quality connecting. Grim thought, but absolutely true. Cal had a lot of work to do which might be less difficult if he hadn’t bailed on everyone to begin with.

  “It being Christmas and all, the girls have this red and white theme going on and I think she commandeered every rose on the east coast for the wedding. But just for you little brother, I managed to pin down a white posy for you to give her tonight.”

  “What the fuck is a posy?”

  “No idea, but Amy, Brynn’s assistant, and your temporary landlady, nodded and smiled when I asked her so it must be okay. I think it’s a bouquet, a small one.”

  Cal loved seeing his brother relaxed and happy. This woman must be quite something to bring about such an epic metamorphosis. No wonder their parents were over the moon.

  Nodding his understanding, he dropped the invitation onto a counter and went to grab his bag.

  “Whadaya think of this?” he asked. Handing a jeweler’s box to Jax, he grinned broadly. “Picked it out myself.”

  “Whoa. Caleb. It’s fantastic. For Brynn?”

  “No. It’s for you, ya’ dumb shit. Of course it’s for Brynn!”

  “Holy fuck.”

  Cal gave his brother a lopsided grin and an ‘aw shucks’ shoulder roll. “I come bearing gifts. And in this case, since you guys are making it official in December, I just figured something with the stone for this month would be cool. A reminder.”

  “What is that? Turquoise?”

  “Yeah. Looked it up and everything. Bunch of hipster speak about the stone signifying love and a symbol of fortune and success. I did okay then? Tiffany’s bro! It’s an egg charm necklace. For your pregnant bride. Get it?” he elbowed Jax playfully.

  “You looked it up,” his brother muttered. He heard the incredulity in his voice and grinned ear-to-ear.

  “Farmer’s Almanac—and I shit you not! Great book. Full of information.”

  Jax snapped the lid shit on the box and handed it back. His eyes gleamed with amusement. “When did you become so, uh … what’s the word I want? Evolved?” he quipped before covering his mouth in a fake cough and grunting out “Pussy.”

  “Fuck you, ya asshole. You’re just jealous because I got all the manners and you got the uh, charm,” he chuckled. “Mom says ladies love manners, so there you go.”

  “Nah, nah, nah,” Jax snickered. “Nice try. Manners shmanners, dude. You looked it up?” An echo of disbelief bounced off the walls. “Caleb Tyler Merrill. Cut the crap. There’s only one reason why a guy looks shit like that up! So out with it, man. Who is she or better yet. Why the hell isn’t she with you?”

  It felt like his composure just spun out-of-control and went sideways while, at the same time, a pack of speeding cars headed straight at him.

  “Fuck,” he groaned. His head hung and for a minute Cal worried he might let loose with some waterworks. Trying to pretend he wasn’t whacked out of his mind over an affair gone wrong would never work around Jax. But
he didn’t want to get into it until he had a firmer grip on his emotions.

  “Don’t wanna talk about it.”

  “Tough.”

  They’d go back and forth like this forever if he didn’t nip it in the bud—it was the only way to move forward.

  “Abridged version is all you’re getting. We should be celebrating your wedding and that baby you’ve got on the way. Not crying Rocky-style tears over my love life.”

  His brother’s entire face changed. “You mean … Adrian!” he bellowed in a damn good re-enactment of the famous movie’s emotional scene.

  Instead of nodding, he shook his head and glared. “Don’t be an asshole.”

  “Pfft! Too late for that!”

  Dammit. Jax looked and sounded like a man who’d just heard the funniest joke ever told.

  “So, continue. You’re wailing like a crybaby bitch on the sidewalk, why?”

  He really should just punch his lights out but kept his cool because it really was him who was fubar.

  “Suck my dick, Jackson.”

  “Waiting.”

  “Fine,” he yelped, throwing both hands up in frustrated surrender. “Met a girl and,”

  “Whoa, whoa, whoa, brother. Pump the brakes. Slow it way down. Is girl an operative word or a slip of the tongue?”

  Huh? Confusion swirled in Cal’s brain. And then it hit him broadside. At twenty-three, she was a little on the young side for him. Girl? Woman? What’s the difference as long as it’s legal and not a pervy thing. Well, fuck. There was a big difference and he’d just inadvertently revealed his predicament to Jax.

  “Shut up or you get nothing else.”

  Was there anything quite as cringe-worthy as an older brother’s knowing smirk? Probably not.

  “Anyway. Met a girl. Fucked it up. End of story.”

  “Welcome to the club, buddy!” Jax crowed with a hearty smack on Cal’s back. “I sense there’s more but you’re not ready to give it up. That’s cool, man. I get it.”

  “Can we just concentrate on you? Please.”

  “Sure.” Jax tossed him a set of keys. “Front and back doors. Garage opener on the kitchen counter. If it snows, there’s a shovel by the back door.” He handed him a piece of paper. “Here’s the address for Wilde House. Put it in your GPS. You’ve got two hours,” he said after a glance at his watch. “Everyone’s gathering at six thirty. I’ll be the one outside in the thirty-degree weather, manning the grill.”

  “Are you serious?”

  “Yep. My baby mommy wants red meat on the grill. The bloodier, the better.”

  “Uh, who’s everyone?” he thought to ask after an emotional bro hug when Jax was half out the door.

  “Our folks, her folks and sisters, you and me. The posy is in the frig—don’t forget to bring it. Oh, and nice job on the necklace. You’ll score major brownie points with everyone! See ya’, Cal. Glad you’re here, man.”

  And then he was out the door leaving Cal alone in a strange town in the middle of nowhere. Not that he was complaining. The solitude was gonna do him some good. Help him figure out what the hell he did next.

  Exhausted didn’t come anywhere close to describing how she felt. Huddled with Rhiann in the second row of a big SUV, while Brynn and their mother sat up front happily nattering on and on about the wedding, Charlie couldn’t work up the energy to participate in any meaningful way. Mostly, she and Rhi fist bumped and thumbs-upped through the whole drive.

  It had been a hell of a day so far. Their joyful little caravan—it had been way too long since they were all together—got an early start on their excursion to Philadelphia. The unbridled excitement in the car as they made their way from Brynn’s quaint community along the Delaware River into the City of Brotherly Love. There they met up with Nana and boy, did things ever get interesting after that!

  Like General Patton marshaling his troops, she marched them with brutal efficiency through a whirlwind shopping spree at several high-end and very exclusive stores. Brynn, who needed an old-fashioned trousseau like she needed a cement truck, graciously acquiesced and let their formidable grandmother go full tilt.

  Same for her and Rhi. By the time they’d shopped, eaten lunch and shopped some more, there were enough packages in the rear of the car—and even more to be delivered—to fill their closets with no problem.

  And through the entire high-energy shop-till-you-drop adventure, Nana watched Charlie like a hawk. But instead of the expected ocular pat-down she knew was inevitable, there was a worrisome assessment that felt like an invasive ultra-sound it was so thorough.

  Somehow, though, she wasn’t subjected to a third degree. Hallelujah! But she wasn’t stupid. Eventually, she was going to find herself on Nana’s radar and then the full weight and fearsome authority of Bryanna Charles Baron-Wilde would be set loose on her. Aaiee! Nervous butterflies fluttered in her stomach.

  Brynn turned in her seat and looked at Charlie. “My hunky fiancé will be doing the honors tonight. Grill master,” she chuckled. Holding up her phone, Charlie could see they’d been texting. “He wants to know if either of you two have any preferences.”

  “Oh my!” Darcy Baron-Wilde trilled with obvious happiness. “You girls are in for a treat. Jackson’s just like Daddy when it comes to his grill. Right, sweetie?”

  Brynn’s happy laugh filled Charlie with warmth. It must be awesome to feel the way her sister felt. “He’s like the captain of an airplane when he’s grilling. Everything has to be just so. It’s a science, he insists.” And then she rolled her eyes.

  “When they came to Happy Valley for a visit,” their mom exclaimed, “he and Daddy whipped up a grilled surf and turf you wouldn’t believe!”

  That got Rhiann’s attention. “Was there lobster involved and I wasn’t invited?”

  “Well, honey,” Mom chuckled. “When it’s your turn to bring a man home, we can have lobster, okay?”

  Charlie felt Rhiann go still. She felt bad for her sister. Imaging any scenario involving Liam and Rhiann together was like a trip to fantasyland. Theirs was such a tiny and exclusive bridge, but with so much rushing water.

  She understood her sister’s angst. Loving someone you couldn’t have—no matter how much time went by—just couldn’t be easy. Charlie swallowed the emotion she couldn’t control. Would she be like Rhi in the years to come? Always wondering about that one guy? The one who broke your heart that you loved anyway?

  They were pulling into the long curved driveway leading to Wilde House. All around them, a fresh layer of snow lent a romantic touch to the scenery. Charlie was delighted for Brynn. A Christmas wedding. Swoon …

  “Oh hey, everybody! Looks like Bob and Kate are already here. Fantastic! I can’t wait for you to meet Jax’s mom. Ladies, she is awesome!”

  Their mom laughed as she parked the car. “Does that mean my friends are finally cool in your eyes?”

  “Yeah,” Brynn pithily drawled. “Don’t be too proud of your bad self. I heard that if Jax and I didn’t click, you guys were ready to throw Rhiann at Jax’s brother.”

  “What?” Rhi shrieked. “Mom. Seriously?”

  “Now, sweetie. Relax. You could do worse, you know. Maybe give the guy a chance? He’s a real looker like his brother.”

  Muttering darkly, Rhi grumbled, “Oh for God’s sake. Somebody make them stop.”

  She was swinging out of the SUV when she heard Brynn giggle and tell Rhiann, “Don’t worry. You’re safe. Jax says Caleb likes ‘em blonde. And with a monster rack. Not too unlike our little sister.”

  She immediately face planted in the snow bank on the side of the driveway.

  “Charlize!” her mom wailed. “Honey. Are you all right?” Six hands hauled Charlie’s butt out of the snow. “What happened?”

  “I slipped, Mom. That’s all,” she snapped irritably. Both of her sisters wore expressions bordering on astonishment. She never, ever used a tone like that with her mom. Dammit.

  “Sorry.” Muttering, she swept out of her mother’s
concerned grasp and stomped to the house. Just a coincidence. Had to be.

  Once all the stuff was hauled into the house and introductions made, Charlie excused herself so she could change. Her excursion into the snow bank left her covered in cold, damp spots. Getting warm was a priority so she didn’t get sick.

  Rhiann shooed her toward the garage. “I’ll hold down the fort till you get back. Dress warm. They’ve got outdoor heaters on the patio but it’s still damn cold when you’re outside.”

  GAH! SHE REALLY NEEDED TO quit talking to herself if she didn’t want people to think she was unhinged—or a ditzy blonde. Still, that didn’t stop Charlie from kvetching and complaining about the weather and how damn cold it is as she carefully picked her way along the shoveled walkway between the old garage and Wilde House.

  “Snow. I forgot. Pretty but deadly. And a giant pain in the ass.”

  Dressed in every warm thing she had, Charlie stomped her feet outside the mudroom door and kicked off the snow on her boots before going inside. There, she found her mom, Kate Merrill, Rhiann and Brynn working like a team of veteran chefs in a communal kitchen.

  “Charlie!” her mom called out as she stepped into their midst. “That was quick, honey. Oh. Would you grab that tray of biscuits and bring ‘em over here? They need to be covered until everything else is ready.”

  Her dad hurried in next, having come from the French doors off the patio. “Yo! Mrs!” He crowed. “We need a couple of cold ones out here.”

  “What’s wrong with the ones in the cooler?”

  He laughed. “We used them to draw filthy pictures in the snow. Just hand me another six pack if you ladies plan on eating this century.”

  Jax appeared and stuck his face in the middle of the exchange. “Baby,” he said to Brynn. “Next time we do this, I’m thinking a beer ball or half-a-keg. Our dads think they’re excused from the concept of moderation.”

  Kate threw her arm around Charlie’s mom. “Nothing ever changes, huh?”

  The kitchen was bustling like a five-star restaurant. God, she missed this. Her mom and dad had always been hilarious but add their old friends and a happy occasion, and it was like Woodstock and a Disney Cruise all rolled into one.