She pointed. “You, sit over there. I’m helping someone.”
He obeyed, but still wore that grin.
“Oh my God, is that yours?” her customer asked.
Kelly looked back over her shoulder. “Something like that, yeah.”
“That’s Vaughan Hurley, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
The woman shoved three dresses and a blouse at Kelly. “Damn. You get it.”
That made Kelly laugh as she rang everything up. “I do. It’s not overrated.”
“I hope some of that rubs off on me.”
Once she’d gotten the woman finished up and on her way, Kelly turned back to Vaughan. “You’re a menace. She bought nearly eight hundred dollars’ worth of clothes without blinking.”
“I should hang out in your window all day, then, huh?”
“I’d never get anything done. Did you buy a motorcycle? Or is that an old one I never saw before?”
“I ordered it before we left on tour. I picked it up about fifteen minutes ago. You need one, too. Custom so it’s comfortable for long rides. Or you could ride with me on the back. Yeah, that sounds even better.”
“And this was before or after the camping idea?”
“Well, see, first I thought of you and I going on long rides together, maybe weekend trips here and there. And then I thought how awesome it would be to head out to Kalaloch and camp out at the beach with the girls.”
“All right. I’d like that. I know they would, too.” She cocked her head, looking at him. “Did you come here just to make my customers spend too much money and make me forget all about whatever I need to do later?”
“I like that compliment.” He kissed her again. “I wasn’t too far away and yeah, when I thought about going camping as a family it made me so happy I wanted to see your face.”
It was the perfect thing for him to have said. She’d needed to hear it more than she’d realized.
“That makes me really happy,” she said quietly, like she was telling a secret.
His expression was even better. Surprise, pride and then love. So much love that she found herself swallowing against a swell of emotion.
“And that makes me really happy.”
He hugged her. “Are you here by yourself or can you have an early lunch with me?”
“I recently promoted one of my employees to manager. She starts at noon and handles closing.” Kelly would be at the boutique less, which freed her time for Vaughan and the girls, but also for some print work modeling here and there as well as the non-storefront-related aspects of having two boutiques and keeping them successful. “But we can’t go to lunch here.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re Vaughan Hurley and if we go to get pho three doors down you’ll get recognized and I won’t get to eat and you know that makes me cranky.”
Again the devastating grin. “I am. And you’re Kelly Hurley. People look at you all the time so you’re one to talk. Also, I’ve been around when someone gets between you and your lunch. I don’t want you to leave me bloody.”
Most people didn’t tease her about food. Not in a good way, in any case. Anytime someone didn’t like her opinion she’d get shut up and look pretty comments. Her mother’s attitude about food had nearly landed Kelly into a full-blown eating disorder. Heaven knew it was common enough in her world.
But she’d survived with only a few scars to her psyche—some weird obsessions she worked hard to control—and it didn’t stop her from eating chocolate so Kelly considered that a win.
“Go for a ride. Meet me at home in an hour. I’ll pick lunch up on the way.”
“Can we have sex instead?”
“You just got a brand-new toy!”
He pulled her close. “You’re my favorite toy of all time. I like to play with you every chance I get.”
She kissed him and spun his body, aiming him at the door. “Go. Have fun. I’ll see you in a while and if you eat all your veggies I might let you play with me.”
With a quick one-armed hug, he jogged over to his bike. Kelly made no attempt to hide as she watched him sit astride and key the bike on. It gave her a shiver, the sound of the engine and the way he looked, all inked and badass.
It was impossible to wipe the smile off her face for some time after that.
* * *
VAUGHAN, ONE ARM AROUND Kelly’s shoulders, one hand holding Maddie’s with Kensey holding Kelly’s, knew he was probably having one of the best days ever.
He’d taken a nice long ride on his new bike, come back, had lunch with his woman, followed by excellent—and loud as the girls were gone—sex. And now he was at a school carnival.
With his family. This was why he saw men wear the expression he surely wore right at that moment. Beautiful woman at his side. Happy children. All was right in his world, no lie about that.
“I’m a lucky man,” Vaughan said as he kissed Kelly’s temple.
“You are,” she teased. “So I’ll allow you to buy me a shave ice in thanks.”
Both girls thought this was a fine idea so they headed over to stand in line. Vaughan hadn’t been to their school very many times. He’d attended a school conference and never missed a play or musical performance.
But this was different. He was a parent of students there. He belonged.
Once they’d procured their treats, they headed over to the giant bounce house thing where his children slipped through a little hole in the side and were gone to play.
He obeyed, but still wore that grin.
“Oh my God, is that yours?” her customer asked.
Kelly looked back over her shoulder. “Something like that, yeah.”
“That’s Vaughan Hurley, isn’t it?”
“It is.”
The woman shoved three dresses and a blouse at Kelly. “Damn. You get it.”
That made Kelly laugh as she rang everything up. “I do. It’s not overrated.”
“I hope some of that rubs off on me.”
Once she’d gotten the woman finished up and on her way, Kelly turned back to Vaughan. “You’re a menace. She bought nearly eight hundred dollars’ worth of clothes without blinking.”
“I should hang out in your window all day, then, huh?”
“I’d never get anything done. Did you buy a motorcycle? Or is that an old one I never saw before?”
“I ordered it before we left on tour. I picked it up about fifteen minutes ago. You need one, too. Custom so it’s comfortable for long rides. Or you could ride with me on the back. Yeah, that sounds even better.”
“And this was before or after the camping idea?”
“Well, see, first I thought of you and I going on long rides together, maybe weekend trips here and there. And then I thought how awesome it would be to head out to Kalaloch and camp out at the beach with the girls.”
“All right. I’d like that. I know they would, too.” She cocked her head, looking at him. “Did you come here just to make my customers spend too much money and make me forget all about whatever I need to do later?”
“I like that compliment.” He kissed her again. “I wasn’t too far away and yeah, when I thought about going camping as a family it made me so happy I wanted to see your face.”
It was the perfect thing for him to have said. She’d needed to hear it more than she’d realized.
“That makes me really happy,” she said quietly, like she was telling a secret.
His expression was even better. Surprise, pride and then love. So much love that she found herself swallowing against a swell of emotion.
“And that makes me really happy.”
He hugged her. “Are you here by yourself or can you have an early lunch with me?”
“I recently promoted one of my employees to manager. She starts at noon and handles closing.” Kelly would be at the boutique less, which freed her time for Vaughan and the girls, but also for some print work modeling here and there as well as the non-storefront-related aspects of having two boutiques and keeping them successful. “But we can’t go to lunch here.”
“Why?”
“Because you’re Vaughan Hurley and if we go to get pho three doors down you’ll get recognized and I won’t get to eat and you know that makes me cranky.”
Again the devastating grin. “I am. And you’re Kelly Hurley. People look at you all the time so you’re one to talk. Also, I’ve been around when someone gets between you and your lunch. I don’t want you to leave me bloody.”
Most people didn’t tease her about food. Not in a good way, in any case. Anytime someone didn’t like her opinion she’d get shut up and look pretty comments. Her mother’s attitude about food had nearly landed Kelly into a full-blown eating disorder. Heaven knew it was common enough in her world.
But she’d survived with only a few scars to her psyche—some weird obsessions she worked hard to control—and it didn’t stop her from eating chocolate so Kelly considered that a win.
“Go for a ride. Meet me at home in an hour. I’ll pick lunch up on the way.”
“Can we have sex instead?”
“You just got a brand-new toy!”
He pulled her close. “You’re my favorite toy of all time. I like to play with you every chance I get.”
She kissed him and spun his body, aiming him at the door. “Go. Have fun. I’ll see you in a while and if you eat all your veggies I might let you play with me.”
With a quick one-armed hug, he jogged over to his bike. Kelly made no attempt to hide as she watched him sit astride and key the bike on. It gave her a shiver, the sound of the engine and the way he looked, all inked and badass.
It was impossible to wipe the smile off her face for some time after that.
* * *
VAUGHAN, ONE ARM AROUND Kelly’s shoulders, one hand holding Maddie’s with Kensey holding Kelly’s, knew he was probably having one of the best days ever.
He’d taken a nice long ride on his new bike, come back, had lunch with his woman, followed by excellent—and loud as the girls were gone—sex. And now he was at a school carnival.
With his family. This was why he saw men wear the expression he surely wore right at that moment. Beautiful woman at his side. Happy children. All was right in his world, no lie about that.
“I’m a lucky man,” Vaughan said as he kissed Kelly’s temple.
“You are,” she teased. “So I’ll allow you to buy me a shave ice in thanks.”
Both girls thought this was a fine idea so they headed over to stand in line. Vaughan hadn’t been to their school very many times. He’d attended a school conference and never missed a play or musical performance.
But this was different. He was a parent of students there. He belonged.
Once they’d procured their treats, they headed over to the giant bounce house thing where his children slipped through a little hole in the side and were gone to play.
