[Dalyia]

“It’s an angle.” He smiled as Kaylee set the pizza on its holder.

“Anything else I can get you?”

“We’re good, Kaylee.Thanks.”

“The zucchini was wonderful,” Parker told her and got a quick shoulder jerk.

“I’ll let them know you liked it.”

“She’ll always hate me.” Parker sighed. “So the pizza better be worth the harsh thoughts that must be clouding my aura.”

“The hot peppers’ll clear that aura right out.”

“We’ll see about that. Have you always been interested in cars and mechanics?”

“Like I said, I like knowing how things work.The next step is keeping them working. Have you always been interested in weddings?”

“Yes. I liked everything about them. So the next step is helping create them.”

“Which involves being on call pretty much around the clock.”

“It can. And you don’t want to talk about weddings.”

“You don’t want to talk about cars.” He lifted a slice, slid it onto her plate.

“No, but I’m always interested in business. Let’s try something else.You mentioned you lived in Florida.Where else?”

“Japan, Germany, Colorado.”

“Really?”

“I don’t remember Japan, and I’m fuzzy on Germany.” He took a slice for himself.“The first place I really remember is Colorado Springs.The mountains, the snow. We were there for a couple of years, but I always remember the snow. The way I always remember the smell of that bush outside my window in Florida.”

He took a bite of pizza, angled his head.“Are you going to try it or not?”

Judging it cool enough not to singe the roof of her mouth, she sampled. Nodded.“It’s fabulous. Really.” She took another testing bite. “But I have to give Mrs. G’s the edge, and consider this the second-best pizza in Connecticut.”

“Looks like I have to talk Mrs. Grady out of a slice of pie to see if you’re being honest or stubborn.”

“I can be both, depending on mood and circumstances.”

“Let’s try out the mood and circumstances on honest. Why’d you come out with me?”

“We made a deal.”

He shook his head, studying her over his slice. “Might be a factor, but it’s not why.”

She considered, took a sip of wine. “You irritated me.”

“And you go out with guys who irritate you?”

“I did this time. And you made it a kind of dare, which pushed the next button. Lastly, I was curious.Those are the various factors that make up the whole, and the reason why I’m sitting here enjoying this very superior pizza instead of—Oh hell.” She yanked out her ringing phone.

“Go ahead.We can get back to it.”

“I hate people who talk on cell phones in restaurants. I’ll be right back.” She scooted out, snaked her way through the door. “Hi, Justine, give me one minute.”

He didn’t mind watching her walk away, he decided as he topped off her wine.The jeans were a damn good fit.

Kaylee set another Coke in front of him, whisked the other away.“You looked like you needed a refill.”

“Good timing. How are you liking college?”

“It’s okay. I really like my art class.Anyway, who’s your friend?”

“Her name’s Parker.”

“Is she a doctor or a cop?”

“No.Where’d that come from?”

“My dad says the only people who should answer cell phones in a restaurant are doctors and cops.”

He glanced at the cell phone peeking out of her apron pocket. “How many texts have you sent on that tonight?”

Kaylee flashed a smile. “Who counts? I guess she’s pretty.”

“You’d guess right. Any more trouble with your carburetor?”

“No.Whatever you did worked. It’s running great. But it’s still a million years old and puke green.”

“It’s five years old,” he corrected. “But it is puke green. If you can talk your dad into it, I know a guy who’ll give you a good deal on a paint job.”

“Yeah?” She brightened. “I’ll start working on him. Maybe you could—” She broke off, lost her glow. “Your friend’s coming back in.”

Kaylee turned back toward the kitchen. Not quite a stalk, Malcolm noted, but close. Amused, he gave his attention to Parker as she sat back down. “Chiffon? A tango emergency? Somebody want to ride into the wedding on a camel?”

“I talked a groom out of a chariot once, and it wasn’t easy. I could deflect a camel. Actually, one of our October brides just learned her father’s in Vegas, where he eloped with the gold-digging bimbo bitch—her phrase—he left her mother for.”

“Happens.”

“Yes.The divorce became final just this week, so he didn’t waste any time.Which also happens.The new bride is twenty-four, two years younger than the daughter.”

“Adds an ouch to the equation.”

“It certainly does, and it also happens,” Parker put in.“But add up all those ‘it happens,’ and it’s tough to swallow.”

“Sure. And still probably tougher on the first wife than the daughter.”Though she hadn’t finished the first slice, he slid a second onto Parker’s plate. “What did she want you to do about it?”

“She doesn’t want either of them at the wedding, doesn’t want him giving her away, as planned. She’d been prepared to tolerate the aforementioned gold-digging bimbo bitch as her father’s guest, but she’ll be damned if she’ll have her there as his wife, her—too bad a word to say in public—stepmother, or lording her new status over the bride’s still-devastated mama.”

“I’ve got to give her points on all of that.”

“Yes, she’s perfectly justified, and if that’s the way she really wants it to be, that’s the way we’ll make it be.” She washed down pizza with wine.“The problem is, she loves her father. Despite his questionable judgment and the distinct possibility he’s suffering from male midlife insanity—”

“Hey, we’re not the only ones who get it.”

“You get it more often and generally with more severe symptoms. Despite,” she repeated, “she loves him, and I’m afraid not having him walk her down the aisle will mar the day for her more than the GBB, and when she forgives him, and she will, down the road she’ll always regret the decision.”

“Is that what you told her?”

“I told her the day is hers, hers and David’s, and whatever she wants or doesn’t want, we’ll work it out. And I asked her to take a day or two to be sure.”

“You think she’ll opt for Dad.”

“I do, and if I’m right, I’ll follow up with a private and very pointed chat with the GBB regarding protocol and behavior at a Vows event.”

“You’ll scare the shit out of her.”

“I’ll do no such thing,” Parker said, with a small smile.

“And you’ll enjoy it.”

She took a deliberately delicate bite of pizza. “That would be petty, and unattractive.”

“Every minute of it.”

She laughed. “Yes, I will.”

“It gives us a little more common ground.”

“How’s that?”

“I figure if you’ve got to take someone down or set them straight, you might as well enjoy it on some level. I heard you took Mac’s weird mother down a while back.”

“And I don’t consider feeling a lot of satisfaction from it petty or unattractive. She had it coming. How did you hear about that?”

“Guys talk, too. Del’s got a sweet spot for his Macadamia, and having her screwed with by her mother burned his ass. Plus, I’d handled her not that long before, so I knew some of the score.”

“That’s right, when Mac had her car towed.” She sighed happily. “Good times. So, I imagine Linda was very annoyed when she came into your garage to get it back.”

“That’s one way to put it.”

She nibbled more pizza, eyeing him. Then shook her head. “Okay, dish it out. All I heard was you told her she couldn’t have the car until she paid the towing and storage fee, and she went on one of her rants.”

“That’s about it. She’s got a hell of a rant. She tried to dump it all on Mac, but that didn’t play for me, especially since I had some of the background from Ma.”

“Your mother knows Linda?”

“Knew plenty about her, and my mother’s a solid data source. Even without it, I’d’ve gotten the picture pretty quick. Still, bottom line, I towed the car, I get paid.” He gestured with his Coke. “She moved from rant to wheedle.You know, couldn’t I please help her out, do her this little favor. But the best part of the show was when she offered to pay the charges with personal services.”

“She . . . Oh God.”

“First time I’ve been offered a blow job for a towing fee.”

Stunned speechless, Parker only stared at him.

“You asked.”

“Yeah, I did. Even if Mac ever does, don’t tell her that part.”

“She already asked, and I didn’t. Why would I? Her mother embarrassed herself.That’s got nothing to do with Mac.”

“No, it doesn’t, but a lot of people don’t see it that clearly.” He did, she realized. For whatever reason, he saw it with absolute clarity. “She’s taken a lot of hits over the years for Linda’s actions. Linda will ruin or at least take some shine off Mac’s wedding if she can.”

“She won’t.” He shrugged and ate.“What Mac doesn’t handle, Carter will.What they don’t, you will.”

“I’m going to remember that the next time I wake up from a Linda nightmare. Did you tell Del about . . . Linda’s offer?”

“Sure. A guy gets that kind of offer, he’s got a right to brag about it to his friends.”

“You’re a very strange species.”

“Back at you, Legs.”

The entire experience—the word helped her put the evening in perspective—turned out to be a great deal easier and more enjoyable than she’d expected. But then, she admitted, her expectations had been dead low.

It would, certainly, be more pleasant having a friendly relationship with him, as a friend of Del’s. Like she had with Jack.

Then again, she didn’t have this underlying and stubborn spark of attraction to Jack.

Still, a spark could be managed until it flickered out. Especially since the spark was very likely a reflexive response to a very attractive man who clearly showed interest, when she hadn’t had the time or inclination for male company in quite a while.

She worked out the practicalities in her head as they walked back to his bike.

She strapped on the helmet and straddled the bike behind him.

And discovered, the moment they’d woven their way out of town, riding at night was a whole different thrill.

A whole new sense of freedom washed over her. The single headlight slicing down the dark road, the canopy of stars and moon overhead, and the sparkle of them on the black plate of water.

Side by side with the thrill rode a sense of ease, of clearing out all those details that crowded her mind. She liked the crowd, she thought, even fed off it. But it had been too long since she’d just emptied out and recharged.

Who knew that an evening with Malcolm would push that lever?

Reality waited, and she valued her reality, but he’d given her a respite, a little adventure, and a very pleasant break from routine.

When they zipped down the long, curving drive to her house, she felt refreshed, content, and very friendly toward Malcolm Kavanaugh.

And when he cut the engine, silence rushed in, another lovely sensation. She swung off, pleased with how natural the move had become, and unstrapped her helmet.

She handed it to him, then laughed. “I have to say, that’s the easiest hundred I’ve ever won.”

“Same goes.” He walked her to the entrance portico. “So you enjoyed yourself.”

“I did.Thank you for—”

With her back against the door and his mouth feasting on hers, the rest of the words tumbled out of her brain.That hard, compelling body pressed to hers as he took her hands, held them in his at her sides, as his teeth incited wild thrills with hungry nips and bites.

Trapped, she should have objected, refused, but the sensation of helplessness, a touch of panicked excitement, of being carried off, simply dropped the ground away from under her feet.

She fell, without any attempt to catch herself, and answered the assault with equal fervor and a reckless greed.

The kick of her own heart shocked her back—or nearly.

“Wait,” she managed.

“Just give me another minute.”

He wanted more; he took more. And so did she.

It was that simmering, smoldering heat inside the cool package that had caught him from the jump. Now, as it hit boil, he was happy to have it burn him down to the bone.

He held her hands to prevent his own from streaking over that gorgeous body, to make sure he didn’t lose control and use them to pull off those classy clothes and get to skin.

When he felt that control begin to fray he lifted his head, but he didn’t let her go, didn’t step back.

“That ought to demonstrate I won’t be backing off.”

“I never said—”

“We made a deal.”

“That doesn’t mean you can . . .” She paused, and he watched her gather herself, steady herself.

Jesus, he admired that.

“That doesn’t mean you can just grab me anytime you want, or put your hands all over me when the urge hits.”

“Didn’t grab you,” he pointed out. “And didn’t put my hands all over you.” He gave the hands he still held a squeeze to remind her. “Thought about it though.”

“Regardless, I’m not going to—Would you please give me some room?”

“Sure.” Now he let go of her hands, stepped back.

“I’m not going to tolerate this kind of behavior.You can’t just push yourself on me whenever you like.”

“I might’ve pushed a little. So guilty.” In the dark his eyes gleamed like a cat—one on the hunt.“But, honey, you were right in there with me, and I figure you’ve got the spine to admit it.”