Beautiful Ties Read online

  Kyle reappeared from under Lily’s fluffy white dress, and he sat back on his haunches with a lacy garter between his teeth. Kyle’s eyes beamed brightly as he let the white material fall from his mouth only to gracefully catch it with his free hand. He leaned forward to place a smacking kiss on his bride’s mouth. Then, he rose to his feet and snapped the garter in place around the football.

  “Who wants this bad boy?” Kyle grinned, raising the football in his hand.

  I shook my head in pure awe as every single man practically ran to the dance floor.

  “Game time,” Jason whispered before strolling over to join the other men. He stood right in the center of the dance floor, and then he tilted his head at me, releasing one wicked grin, before redirecting his gaze back at Kyle.

  Brooke came to stand at my side. “Holy crap,” she breathed in wonder, shaking her head. “Have you ever seen so many men jump in line to catch a garter?”

  I laughed. “Nope. But I’m pretty sure they just want that football.”

  “That sounds about right.” Brooke chortled.

  The DJ counted to three. All the single men seemed to brace themselves in anticipation, and I surprisingly found myself doing the same. Kyle faced away from the men. He raised the football and whipped it backward. I held my breath as it went flying. Jason was the only one I was watching. He moved with lightning speed and jumped up as he lifted his hands in the air.

  And he caught the ball.

  My mouth dropped open in shock. What are the odds?

  “Well, hot damn! Looks like he is quite the catch!” Brooke joked. “And he’s extremely determined to dance with you, Abbey,” she added teasingly, nudging my shoulder.

  Still speechless, I continued to gawk at Jason. His eyes found mine just then. They were shining with a mixture of triumph and mischief. The look made my heart pound frantically in my chest, and my insides warmed, weakening my knees. If he could melt me into a puddle with just one look, I had no idea how I was going endure the feel of his strong hands wrapped around me for an entire song.

  Lily appeared at my opposite side, squealing with delight. “Holy shit! Jason caught it!” she cried.

  I turned my wide eyes to her.

  “Don’t give me that look! I’ve seen the way you two have been eyeing each other all night,” she purred, pointing her finger at me.

  Before I could voice my weak protest, Lily’s twinkling eyes turned back to the dance floor. The DJ announced that the two winners would dance to “19 You + Me” by Dan and Shay, and Lily squealed with excitement. From the corner of my eye, I could see Jason approaching us.

  Lily spoke first, “Did you come to steal my new sister-in-law away from me?”

  My gaze shifted to Jason.

  “I did,” Jason replied throatily with a mischievous grin. Meeting my stare, he outstretched his hand to me, sending my nerves into a frenzy all over again. “Abbey, I believe you owe me this dance.”

  Lily’s eyes bounced between the two of us. As I hesitantly lifted my hand, Lily took a backward step, stretching her arm out behind my back, and she pushed me forward into Jason’s arms. A smile tugged at his lips as he placed one hand at my waist, steadying me. He lowered his eyes to my hand as he reached forward to enclose his much larger hand over my slight one. His touch was warm and strong and confident.

  Jason was silent as if absorbing the feel of me, of our first contact since the ceremony earlier today.

  Our attraction was palpable and undeniable, like a fierce electrical current brewing among us. I had only known this man for a few mere hours, yet I was already worried about my heart surviving the intensity of his touch for the next three minutes.

  Jason slightly lowered his head toward mine. The movement was slow and graceful. His expression was thoughtful as if he, too, was processing what was happening between us. He finally broke the silence. “Ready?” he asked gently.

  I was unable to say anything, afraid my voice would squeak, so I answered with a nod.

  This day sure had taken so many intriguing yet unexpected turns. My mind was reeling, and I had butterflies in my stomach. In that instant, I decided to hand over the cards to fate, opening myself to whatever it might bring, as I embraced this moment.

  Our chosen song began to pour from the speakers. Without another word, he led me to the center of the dance floor, and everyone gathered around the edge. They observed with drinks in their hands as they talked among themselves.

  Jason twirled me under his arm once, and I could not help but smile up at him. Even as I wore heels, he towered over me. Then, he pulled me close against his chest and wrapped his arms around my waist. I rested my hands on his firm chest, feeling the toned muscles beneath my palms and fingertips. I tried to keep my movements subtle, but my hands wanted to feel more of him. He let out a deep breath while keeping his eyes on me. He continued to move us in tune to the music, never faltering his stride. The slight caress of his hands on the small of my back was nearly my undoing. My skin warmed under his touch. I was unable to stop the urge, and I slid my palms up each curved muscle until I reached his shoulders.

  Even with my smaller frame, I seemed to fit against him perfectly. The thought was soothing and nerve-racking all at the same time.

  The tangible energy intensified between us with every step. The room around us was quiet, and I had to remind myself that our family and friends were watching us.

  “You look stunning in this dress, Abbey,” Jason said in a soft tone while his thumb stroked back and forth against the silkiness of my black bridesmaid gown.

  “Thank you. Lily let us each pick out our own,” I answered.

  My gaze caught Lily while she was watching us, and I could practically see her eyes shining brighter than the sun.

  I glanced back at Jason, smiling softly. “She really is great. I’m so happy she came into my brother’s life.”

  “She is. Lily is one of the most kindhearted people I have ever met,” he agreed affectionately. Then, he led me into another spin and brought me close. “But I must say, I’m glad to finally meet you after hearing so much about you,” he said with a sexy-as-all-get-out smile.

  I blinked in surprise, wondering how much he had heard about me, so I took the bait. “And what have you heard?”

  Jason lowered his head, and when he chuckled, I could feel his warm breath on my exposed throat.

  “That you’re beautiful and smart”—he led me backward, never relinquishing the lead—“a hard worker”—he pivoted us to the left while keeping his hold on my waist and eyes on mine before dipping me as the song came to an end—“and stubborn.” He gave me an impish grin.

  “Very stubborn,” I breathed, nearly speechless.

  His mouth was only inches from mine as his hands cradled my back. I wanted nothing more than to feel his lips against mine. I shook away the thought. I had not even known him for eight hours.

  “Me, too.” He winked.

  Jason brought me upright in one swift motion until my chest was pressed along his. He leaned forward, placed a soft kiss on my cheek, and then drew back. “Thank you for the dance,” he said in a quiet voice so that only I could hear.

  All the guests started clapping, effectively ending the spell between us. As I was about to step back, the DJ switched to a swing tempo.

  Jason’s eyes lit up as he outstretched his hand, taking me by surprise. “Again?” he asked.

  Powerless to deny him and those gorgeous eyes, I twined my fingers with his. “Sure.” I grinned.

  I was all smiles as he spun, caught, and dipped me with ease. For being such a strong, muscled man, I had no idea how he could move his hips so fast and with such grace.

  And oh my…what a sight it is to watch him move.

  The two of us were dancing alongside of Brooke, John, Kyle, and Lily. We all looked like we were on an episode of Dancing with the Stars as we rocked out to the next three songs. We were all laughing and smiling at each other and just having a great time. It was classic
.

  I took a quick glance at Lily, who kept sneaking peeks at Jason and me.

  He must have noticed, too, because he pulled me closer and spoke gently in my ear, “She keeps watching us.”

  He laughed as he pivoted us until my back was pressed against his chest. His hands came to my hips, setting our rhythm to the upbeat tempo. I placed my hands on top of his, letting the music fill my soul.

  “Yeah, she does,” I agreed lightly, shaking my head. “I think she planned the whole thing.”

  I pondered about the football and bouquet. It was like she had been playing matchmaker, but I would not dare voice that out loud.

  Jason chortled and then gently tightened his grip on my hips. He spun me around to face him again and pulled me into his warm body. “Well, she might have deliberately aimed her bouquet at you, but I pursued the football.” He grinned wickedly.

  I shook my head in wonder, still swaying my hips with his. “And you caught it.” I snickered.

  “I did.” He let loose a boyish grin. “There was no way I was going to let someone else dance with you tonight,” he admitted sincerely.

  His admission left me reeling. If my heart skipped one more beat tonight, I was going to have heart failure. I gazed into his eyes, feeling emotionally torn and confused. I was curious to know so much more about him, but that would take us into dangerous territory. Jason was going to be Kyle’s partner, so that would make him my future boss. Monday morning, the reception would be a distant memory, and it would be back to business.

  The song came to an end. Brooke raced up to my side, rescuing me from having to find a way to politely excuse myself.

  She looped her arm through mine. “Time for a drink!” she yelled over the music still coming from the speakers.

  “Thank you for the dances,” I said kindly.

  Brooke tugged on my arm, forcing me to take a backward step.

  “The pleasure was all mine, Abbey.” Jason smiled while watching me back away. He looked as though he was going to say more, but John approached his side and introduced himself.

  Brooke and I walked arm in arm to the bar and took our seats.

  She turned to the bartender and rattled off our choice of drinks. Then, she rotated to face me with questioning eyes. “You’re going to fill me in on every detail about what it was like to be in that dazzling man’s arms for the last twenty minutes.”

  “Aren’t you married?” I teased her while crossing my legs.

  “Of course.” She laughed. “But I’m not blind, Abbey. Everyone in this room could see the chemistry between the two of you,” she added as our drinks were set down in front of us.

  “He is gorgeous.” I let out a dreamy sigh, remembering the feel of Jason’s hands on me moments ago.

  Letting loose tonight had been so much fun, but that was all it could be now that the reception was coming to an end.

  “But facts are facts, Brooke. And come Monday morning, that man is my boss.”

  Sunday morning, I slept in until I started to toss and turn. My thoughts were filled with the previous day, starting with when I had first spotted Jason in the receiving line shortly before the ceremony. I remembered the intense stare he’d focused on me. Then, he had done the same when we’d locked eyes at the reception. Each meeting was seared into my memory. He was overwhelmingly gorgeous in every way, from his smoldering blue eyes to his broad build, and he seemed to take over the room. I recalled the determination in his eyes as he had been trying to win a dance with me. Then, I thought of the way his hands had held me tightly. Just thinking about him now created a warm ache in my belly.

  I shook my head from side to side, trying to block the images from my mind. Daydreaming of Jason could only lead to disaster. I was looking for something more, and his eyes had glowed with one-night boundaries. The look in a man’s eyes always told me the predictable outcome. They would either burn with lust that would eventually simmer out, or they would shine with genuine interest, promising more to come.

  Besides, working with Jason would further complicate matters if things between us ended sourly.

  Not to mention, from the start of my employment, Kyle had made it abundantly clear that I was never to date any of the men in his company, which was to be expected. Since I was in charge of closing sales and running the jobs until we sold them off, I was continuously surrounded by hot workers all the time. Normally, I was not fazed by any of the men or their flirtatious ways. They had quickly learned that I was all business, and I had to be that way. If I had not set boundaries, they would have run me down a long time ago. I prided myself on keeping my professionalism while still being able to joke around with them.

  My doorbell rang, pulling me out of my thoughts. I rolled out of bed and made my way to the front door of my condo. I had promised to spend today with my bestie, Gail, but I knew she could not be up this early. The door chimed for a second time just before I opened it. I smiled, looking eye level out onto the sidewalk, only to frown at no one being there. When I lowered my gaze, I saw my favorite neighbor, Pearl.

  Her emerald green eyes were beaming up at me brightly, and her curly, long blonde hair was swept back into a braid with pink and purple streamers dangling from the top. It looked like she had done it herself. She was dressed in her Girl Scout uniform. Tons of pins were evenly placed across her front sash, proudly displaying her achievements.

  She always visited me a few times a week. Sometimes, I would see her nearly every day. I did not know much about Pearl—other than my observations, which seemed to have many missing parts. From what I had witnessed, Pearl was a latchkey child—to the extreme. She was usually private and reserved about her personal life, and I sensed that she was awfully lonely and not very trusting of people. Yet, she and I seemed to be building a unique friendship with one another. She was truly such a sweet girl, and I adored her. I always tried to spend time with her whenever she came around. It saddened me to see she was alone so much.

  All I knew was she lived with a woman, Diane. I’d only spoken with her once, so I could introduce myself and make sure I had her permission to spend time with Pearl. Her only response had been that she didn’t mind and that she was happy to have Pearl occupied and out of the house. It had taken everything I had not to flinch at her cold response. I had known right then and there that I instantly disliked the woman, but I’d decided that it was best not to meddle in their business.

  “Hello!” Pearl exclaimed in a chipper tone.

  Her emerald eyes were shining brightly up at me, melting me on the spot, and her cheerful essence was infectious.

  “Hi, Pearl.” I smiled sweetly at her.

  “Just go with it,” she whispered with a wink. “My name is Pearl,” she said, extending her hand to me.

  Baffled, I raised my brow playfully. Since she was dressed up in her uniform today, I figured she was selling something, so I decided to play along.

  “Hi, Pearl. How can I help you?” I asked her while lowering myself down to her level.

  She was one of those seven-year-olds going on thirty, but she was so much fun to be around. I loved spending time with her.

  Pearl suddenly looked a tad anxious as she thrust a piece of paper at me. She took a deep breath. “I’m with Girl Scout troop number one-eleven. We are selling these items to raise money for our troop, so we can earn a field trip to the zoo. Would you like to order anything?” She moved her bottom lip to the side and momentarily tugged on it as if she was nervous that I might say no.

  Before I could reply, she exhaled audibly. “Okay, how did I do with my presentation?” she asked hopefully.

  I was curious to know why she was by herself, especially while selling things for the Girl Scouts. If I remembered correctly, I thought the girls had to do this sales stuff with a parent. She was far too young to be walking up to strangers’ doors with no supervision. I was instantly angered with Diane for allowing such a young girl to wander on her own.

  I blocked the thought, not wanting to up
set Pearl. I switched my gears back to her sales pitch. Her hopeful eyes bore into mine.

  Who could say no to such an adorable face?

  She would have people ordering left and right.

  “Of course I’ll support your troop, Pearl. And you did great!” I smiled, pulling her in for a hug.

  I was so proud of her. She was such a shy girl, and I knew how hard it must have been for her to do this. I shifted back and grabbed the folded brochure. I opened it, and I met her gaze once more as she started talking again.

  “Thanks!” she squealed. Her expression was brighter than any star in the sky. “Was my sales presentation professional? Or do I need to work on it?” She kept talking before I could answer, “Maybe I should rewrite it and make it better. Our troop leader told us this part was very important. What do you think?” She eyed me with seriousness.

  “Uh…I think it was perfect. You explained who you were, what you were selling, and why,” I replied reassuringly, surprised by her questions. I always had to remind myself that she was mature beyond her young years. “You rocked it.” I grinned tenderly at her.

  “Oh, good!” Pearl said in relief. “I was so worried that my speech wasn’t good enough. Okay, so back to business.” She returned to being completely serious again. “I’m not sure if you need anything or not, but my friends—Mary Beth, Elizabeth, and Jenny—really want to go see the new aquarium section at the zoo,” she added.

  “I actually love to shop, so I’m sure I can find a few things in here to help you out. How about that?” I replied.

  I looked back over the assortment shown in the brochure. It was full of everything from cookies and chocolates to kitchen items. It was loaded with goodies, and it made me remember my previous Girl Scout days.

  “You know, I was once in a troop just like yours,” I said while writing down my first item. It was a cute little organizer that would come in handy for all the mail that I normally just laid down on the counter. Then, I added a key holder with hooks, not that I really needed one, but it looked appealing. I also found a cool coffee mug that read, Chipper in the Morning. It made me laugh, so I added that, too.