Bold(30)

Then her grin went ear to ear, filling her with elation. She hadn’t missed the significance of having a key to his house.

Reece was finally hers.





Music spilled out of the Seaside Pub as Tabby stepped inside its doors. Immediately the man onstage caught her attention. She inwardly grinned. Reece cleaned up good. In fact, he was the most handsome man in the room.

She was shamelessly ogling him when his lips parted and the first word of the song floated over the crowd. Was it her imagination or had everyone in the place paused to listen? Reece had that kind of effect, and not just with women. His voice was as smooth as a shot of Tennessee whiskey and twice as rich. As he sang, his gaze skimmed the crowd, stopping on her. The heated expression he gave her instantly made her weak-kneed, filling her with warmth.

God. She loved that man.

When he stared past her, frowning, she glanced over her shoulder to see Jack approaching.

He grinned. “Dance with me.”

“Uh. Sure.”

Placing his large palm in the small of her back, he guided her through the throng and onto the floor. When he took her into his arms, she nibbled on her bottom lip and chanced a look in Reece’s direction. He wasn’t smiling, tracking their every move as they danced across the floor.

“Jack, I’m not sure how to say this, but—”

She explained the situation without reveling Reece’s name. Since Jack knew her brother, she didn’t want anything mentioned in casual passing, until they had the right opportunity to speak to Devon. As she had anticipated, he was leaning against the bar, his sharp gaze riveted on her. Instead of feeling that itch of irritation she usually experienced, she felt a brush of happiness across her skin. Saying goodbye to Jack, she went directly to the bar and sidled up to Devon.

“Having a good time,” she asked.

“I’d have a better time if you’d behave, or better yet, go home.”

“Well, if that would make you happy, I think I might just do that.”

“Behave or go home?”

“Go home.” She gave him a kiss. “Good night, bro.” As she sauntered toward the doors, she gave Reece a wink as she passed by.

Tabby felt like kicking up her heels as she got into her vehicle and headed down the road. Her dreams were finally coming true.





Chapter Seven

Reece stared at the eleven-year-old boy holding a soft, juicy tomato, aiming for his head. When the first throw landed close to Reece’s left ear, he wondered why the hell he hadn’t asked to review the lists of events Andie had signed him up for. He’d lay a ten-dollar bet his sorry-assed brother had something to do with Reece’s head and arms trapped in the holes of this plywood-framed room, while half the population of Whispering Cove and their visitors took wild shots at him with ripened tomatoes.

Paybacks are a bitch, he silently swore. In all honesty, all of this was for a good cause. With the excess profits, the Community Center would get much-needed supplies, computers and a host of other things.

The second tomato the boy tossed, he caught in his right hand and hurled back into the growing audience. The crowd scattered with screams and peels of laughter.

Part of the entertainment was trash talk, so Reece growled, “My momma can throw better than that.”

The child wound up his arm and released. With a splat, seeds and pieces of the meaty fruit exploded, striking too high and almost missing the backboard.

“Maybe he needs glasses,” Reece jested, and the crowd hee-hawed.

For about twenty-five minutes he dodged tomatoes, feeling his lower back start to ache. In another five he’d take a break and then return for another half hour of fun and games at this booth before he headed for the tricycle races. At least Brody would share in his embarrassment because Andie had also signed her husband up for that event.

When Tabby walked up to the table and laid down her money, he couldn’t help the smile that spread across his face. She had been beyond anything he could imagine last night. He could get used to going to bed with Tabby each night and waking up in her embrace each morning.

A cold, wet thud struck him directly on the forehead, pushing his head backward. He blinked, realizing too late that this petite little lady had an arm on her as her second bullet hit him directly in the face.

He spat a mouthful of seeds on the ground. “You’ll pay for that, brat.” He was prepared for the next one and moved out of the way of the speeding missile. “You throw like a girl.”

The crowd roared.

She shook her head, laying down more money.

“Sorry, darlin’, but it’s time for a break.” He ducked quickly from the portal, grabbing a towel and wiping tomato off his face.