Chapter 20
It was getting on dusk, and Lily had successfully made it to party time without getting stuck alone with Vin once. Sure, there was some awkwardness between them and the staff after the incident the day before and from her not answering his text that morning, but to his credit and maturity he sailed right past it after she’d told him it was not the day to discuss it.
Vin just nodded and got back to work preparing the tapas for the celebration. The back patio had been transformed into a tropical oasis with the palm trees, rented teak tables, and new multicolored lights. Lily had also rented a free-standing bar where Manny, with his sparkling personality, would serve “The Christie,” the special nonalcoholic fruit drink that looked like white sangria but, sadly for Lily, since she could have used it, packed none of the punch. She thought about indulging in one of the alcoholic red ones, but her policy was never to drink while on the job, so she didn’t.
Chelsea Carlyle and her husband, Brandon, were the first to arrive and make sure everything was in shape for the party, Christie having opted to come in on the rented party bus with her friends.
Lily put on her best face when coaxing Vin out from the kitchen to come smile at the Carlyles.
“It’s nice to meet you,” he said, shaking both their hands quickly.
But Chelsea—all done up in shades of white from her designer jeans, to her silk blouse, right to the tips of her freshly bleached hair—made sure to let hers linger in his a beat longer as she licked her top lip and flipped her hair over her shoulder. She didn’t give one whit about her husband, Mr. Bonded in Holy Matrimony, not to mention the bill footer, standing right next to her. But to his credit, or not, Brandon seemed not to notice, as his eyes were already wandering to some of the temp waitresses who had been hired for the event.
“I’ve been looking forward to meeting you, Mr. Caro. I have to say that when Lily approached me proposing your establishment as a venue I was not really into the idea, but upon researching you, I couldn’t help being impressed. You’ve come from such humble beginnings and made such a name for yourself,” she said, looking at him as if he were a sad charity case from an orphanage and at the same time were hot cornbread coming out of the oven when she was trying to do Atkins. “You’re truly astounding.”
Vin frowned as he slid his hand from hers. “Am I, now?” he asked innocently.
Chelsea nodded, all the while looking down at the crotch of his pants.
“I really don’t think so, since I screwed my way to get all that I have.”
Lily gasped and Chelsea blinked quickly, looking up from Vin’s crotch to his eyes. It was then that Brandon turned around from checking out a waitresses rack, and not of lamb, to get back in the conversation. Vin laughed, turning his comment into one big joke. The Carlyles laughed awkwardly with him, then took an alcoholic sangria that Manny offered from the tray he was carrying around for adult guests. Lily took the opportunity to give Vin a hard pinch in his side.
He turned to her and quirked a brow. They stood for a few seconds and stared at each other before Lily spoke up. “If you all don’t mind, I’m just going to check on some final details with Vin for a moment.”
Toni walked up and led the Carlyles out to the patio. As soon as they were out of earshot, Lily let loose through clenched teeth. “What the hell was that about?”
Vin threw up his hands and went to the kitchen. Lily followed. “That was me getting her eyes off my dick and back where they belonged. Would have been nice if you noticed.”
Lily frowned. “Of course I noticed, but how is your dick my responsibility?” she whispered.
Vin’s eyes went wide. “How is it not? Seems you’ve been taking care of it pretty well these past few weeks. I kind of thought you cared about it.”
“Of course I care about your dick, but it’s yours, not mine to rule over.”
“What?” Vin said. “Just like your”—he looked down to the V of her white jeans, then back up to her eyes—“is not mine to rule over. Now, to cherish is another story.” Lily opened her mouth in shock, and suddenly she wanted to cross her legs. She was hot and tingling all over. She wanted to tell him that, but wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing he’d gotten to her.
Was she seriously having this conversation in hushed tones in the middle of his kitchen when she had clients outside? Lily let out a long, frustrated growl. “Number one, you are not policing my private parts, and two, this is not the time or the place. I’m not having this conversation right now.”
Thankfully, Tori peeked her head in to break up the heated tension. “Bus arrives in two minutes,” she said, her eyes shifting uncomfortably between the two of them.
Lily looked up at Vin, her fire on four alarm. “I’m out.”
She started to walk away, and then his hand shot out to cover the bare section of her upper arm. Lily looked down at his hand, and he released quickly but still stepped in close, leaning near her ear. “This is not over, Lil. You and I will have this conversation. You can’t ignore my texts forever or run away from whatever it is we have going on here.”
Lily snorted and stepped away. “Oh really? Just watch me.”
* * *
Over a hundred teens later, not to mention fifty adults, a staff of twenty, and one brooding chef, and Lily was exhausted.
The party was finally winding down, and it seemed to have been a huge success. Lily was everywhere at once, but mostly she watched out for Christie, making sure that the honoree was having a great time. Thankfully, Christie spent most of the evening laughing and dancing. And for the four hours that the party lasted, she never looked bored and picked up her phone only for selfies that she Instagrammed. She even grabbed hold of Lily and Toni to snap a quick picture of the three of them for her gram, which Lily knew to be the highest form of praise for her set. Lily couldn’t ask for more than that.
After the night ended with Lily getting everyone back on the party bus and out of her care, Lily thanked the Canela staff for their help with making the night a success. Lily gave Tori a hug and let her leave before the rental company came to break down the tables and chairs, with a ride to the train from Manny and a quick warning to stay safe. Tori gave her a laugh. “Yes, Mom.”
Lily shook her head. “I’m sorry. I know that was over the line. I can’t help it. I always play the big sister even if I’m your boss.”
Tori patted her hand. “It’s okay, and don’t worry, I’ve got both eyes on him.” She looked over Lily’s shoulder to a still brooding Vin, who was hanging back and pretending not to be watching from the kitchen opening. “You watch yourself too.”
Lily smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ve got my eyes wide open.”
“Yeah, but what about your heart?”
“Heart? What’s that got to do with any of this?” Tori shook her head as Manny appeared by her side. “You ready? I’ve just got to drop this food at the shelter on my way.” He gave her a sly grin after making his statement, and Tori rolled her eyes.
“Do you, now?”
* * *
The rental company had taken the tables and the DJ was done packing up all the equipment as Lily was packing her tote. Vin came over to her. “So, are we going to do this now?” he asked.
Lily looked at him with tired eyes and shook her head. “No. No we are not going to do this now. This day . . . these past two days have been ridiculous.”
He let out a long, exasperated breath. “Yes, they have, but the days before were great.”
Lily nodded her agreement. “You’re right, the days before were great. They’ve also been hot and sexy and exhilarating. But that’s about it.”
Vin pulled back as if he’d been punched, hard. “For some, even most, that would be enough.”
Lily stepped forward into his space and put her hand lightly on his chest. He looked at her with hardend eyes that she wasn’t used to seeing from him. But Lily held still, unwavering under his gaze. “You’re right. It is enough, or it should be. Honestly, it’s what I expected from the beginning.”
“Expected or set up?”
Lily’s gaze went flat at his accusation. So they were doing this. “What are you trying to get at? I didn’t set anything up from the beginning.”
Vin’s own gaze was laser sharp. “Like hell, you didn’t. You have us, well, me, exactly where you want me, and you have from the start. A sexual scratching post waiting for you whenever you have an itch.”
His words hit her hard, with their underlying thread of truth, but still Lily felt the need to protest. “That is completely unfair. You insist on being so closed off.”
“And whose fault is that?” he challenged.
Lily shook her head, then looked back at him. “Mine, I guess. But can you honestly tell me that if I did anything different—say, opened myself up to you and poured my heart out and told you I wanted it all, said I wanted a real relationship maybe even a commitment from you—you would have been okay with that? Or even ready for it? Or would my words just be something else to placate your ego, make you feel validated while you strung me along until I got just close enough to be an annoyance under your skin? Something you’d have to cut loose.”
Vin was quiet, the heavy silence saying more than any words could.
But still Lily couldn’t help but go on. “And could you really share yourself with me? Go deeper? Tell me about your mother or dare I say, your father? Do you, or did you, even have a father?” She moved close to him and looked deeper into his eyes. She saw nothing there. The only hint at his emotion was the tightening of his jaw, the barest flaring of his nostrils.
But then his eyes softened and his voice fell. “You care to talk to me about yours?”
Lily sucked in a breath. “You are cold. You can’t even make yourself vulnerable for one moment without deflecting. Hell, you couldn’t even loosen up enough to tell me why you were afraid to go to the hospital without snapping my head off!”
Vin opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again, looking at her silently.
“That’s what I thought,” Lily said, now talking softer and pulling her hand away from his chest. She continued to pack her tote, then went to put it on her shoulder when he reached out to stop her. She looked up at him.
“You’re still not anywhere near close to understanding why I’m having my wedding, are you? Nowhere near understanding who I am.”
Vin shook his head and his eyes flashed. “Tell me, do you even understand yourself?”
His words were few, but they were mighty. Lily swallowed and turned away but not before Vin came up behind her and pulled her in toward him.
“I still want to be with you, you know,” he growled out, then laughed. “Even if you are already promised to another.”
Lily chuckled, then turned and looked up at him. “Believe me, I know. But the only wrinkle is, for how long?”
He gave a wry laugh, then bent to kiss her. His lips were soft, his need immediately hard. Lily felt her body begin to fold, compress into his and threaten to become not her own. “As long as it takes,” he replied.
She pulled back and looked at him. He was beautiful and was looking at her like the answer to every need she could ever have. But something stopped her, and for the life of her she just couldn’t let go and believe with her mind in the momentary happiness she was feeling in her heart. Her mind was telling her that what she was experiencing was all heat and hormones, and beyond that what? She was always happy when she was in his arms. So what? He was addictive like that. But Lily was smart enough to recognize that addictive quality and knew it was the reason she couldn’t easily walk away. He was her drug, and more than anything right now she needed a fix.
Lily reached down and let her hand go under his T-shirt. She wanted to feel his warm skin under the pads of her fingers. “How about for as long as I let you,” Lily said, going back to Vin’s earlier point.
She kissed him, then with all she had and let her hand roam over his chest, tease at his nipples, move down into his pants. When she heard him groan she knew she had won, but the victory felt hollow. “Tell me this is what you want,” she said on a low growl into his mouth.
He was silent once again, and Lily pulled back and looked into those midnight eyes. He tried to challenge her with all he had, and she challenged him right back. She took a small step, preparing to leave. “Tell me or not.”
“You are the most infuriating woman I know.”
Lily nodded. “That I am. Now tell me.”
“You first.”