Chapter 15
FIFTEEN
My nerves buzzand crackle to life the moment I step onto the gravel driveway of the home where I once lived with Uncle Patrick. I can’t believe I’m about to walk into a four-year-old’s birthday party. Only Lucy Reed could pull me so far outside my comfort zone like this—the adorable spitfire of a little girl who clearly takes after her father. In fact, if Lincoln hadn’t mentioned inviting me was her idea, I would have assumed he put his daughter up to the whole thing.
I pause for a moment halfway up the drive as a rush of memories hit me, thanks to the log-home architecture that’s not changed since I lived there. It makes me happy knowing a little girl is making happy memories here, just as I once did.
The relief and elation that consume me the moment I stepped foot on the property are unmatched. Patrick’s place has always been my home away from home—a place where I was given the freedom to just be a kid, play with friends, go on adventures, and get dirty without being reprimanded. My true home, as I always thought of it. My mom hated when I would say that out loud. Everything started an argument with her, but that kind of comment would get me the tongue-lashing of a lifetime.
“You ungrateful brat.” She would practically spit the words in my face. “After everything your father has done to continue the Vaughn legacy here in Raleigh, you’d rather live in that swamp?”
No matter how visceral her attacks would get, I found myself incapable of backing down. If I inherited any characteristics from my mother, they had to be my stubborn nature, my fierce stance in whatever I believed in, and my bravery to stand against anyone who dared oppose me. Between my mother and me, neither of us ever won a match, and in the end, we both walked away losers. She lost a daughter, and I got completely cut off from my parents. Still, I would choose this life any day of the week over the one they tried to groom me into.
Taking another few steps up Lincoln’s drive, I begin to hear more from my surroundings, almost like layers of an audio track. Music streams from somewhere nearby, bouncing off the trees in nature’s surround sound. Shrieks of laughter, happy chatter, and joyful screams ebb and flow in waves. There’s a splash of water, and I smile—Lincoln must have decided on a waterpark theme. The scent of something on the grill adds to the entire vibe of the day.
I skip the front entrance and walk around the house, following the stone walkway I helped Uncle Patrick create when I was eight years old. Why he decided to leave such a project for the hottest day of that summer is still beyond me, but it’s a small piece of history I’m proud to be part of.
My stomach rumbles at the strong scent of cooking meat, reminding me just how late I am. Kyle had a car appointment that ran an hour into his shift, so I covered for him until he could get back to the bar. If there’s anything more uncomfortable than going to a party, it’s arriving late and having all eyes shift to you. Which is exactly what happens when I round the corner to the backyard.
I’m not sure what I expected, but it certainly wasn’t such a large gathering for a four-year-old’s birthday. There must be twenty kids, all accompanied by parents. The yard is packed with a long pink Slip ’N Slide, a splash pad, a rectangular inflatable pool, and a bounce house with a water slide.
Smoke plumes from the open grill where Lincoln is already serving hamburgers and hot dogs.
Francine is the first to greet me, her giant eye-roll saying it all. She is completely and utterly annoyed. “I warned him,” she complains. “He insisted on letting Lucy invite whomever she wanted. Look at this circus. It’s insane.”
I turn to take in the entire scene again. A smile tugs at my face. “It’s incredible.”
Francine scoffs while folding her arms across her chest and surveying the party with me. “My daughter would throw ragers that stressed me out less than this.”
Her sarcasm makes me laugh.
“He spoils Lucy rotten,” Francine adds then sighs. “But she is one happy girl.”
My smile widens when I finally spot Lucy stomping around the splash pad with her friends, a look of pure glee on her face. “Sorry I couldn’t get here on time,” I say. “I had to cover for someone at the bar.” I scan the crowd, trying to ignore the stares of disapproval aimed in my direction from bikini-clad moms who clearly have no idea why I would be at this party. I’m not sure I can blame them.
Francine takes my wrapped present for Lucy from my hands. “Well, you’re here now. Feel free to get to work.” She winks. “Or just enjoy yourself. There are adult drinks in the red cooler, hot food on the grill, and snacks everywhere. Help yourself.” She adds my present to the picnic table with all the others.
I take a hesitant step forward, not knowing where to go first. I’m so obviously out of place. Lincoln is at the grill, focused on flipping a section of burgers while Lilith Thornefield, now a widowed single mom, talks animatedly by his side. The entire town knows how unfaithful she was to her husband before he died—she barely grieved before she was onto her next lover.
Now it seems Lincoln is her new target.
Jealousy stings me like a pesky bee—fast and sharp, the venom soaking into my veins. It’s one thing to have a crush on a man like Lincoln Reed, a sexy doctor with the body of a Greek god. It’s another to enter a space among a dozen other women, married or single, who all want to fuck him. And let’s be honest—these women here have something in common with Lincoln that I don’t. They are all parents.
I’m almost surprised when Lincoln finally looks up from the grill and spots me. His eyes widen, and he says something to Lilith before handing her the spatula and walking away. Her confused expression becomes layered with anger as she watches him head toward me.
I turn my eyes away from her and focus on Lincoln just in time.
He smiles at me. “You made it.”
I lift my hands and drop them by my sides, his proximity a welcome relief. “I did.” I make a sweeping look around. “Looks like a success so far.”
He runs a hand through his hair, not looking convinced. “You think? There are so many people here—it’s hard to make sure everyone is doing okay.”
“Trust me,” I tell him with a smile, “as someone who runs a bar, it’s not your job to make sure everyone is okay. You provided a free waterpark, for goodness’ sake. I see a bounce house and food. I also hear there’s booze. You did good.”
My hand finds his arm, my intention an innocent one meant to comfort, but it turns into something completely different when my fingers span his bicep and feel just how solid and thick it is. I drop my hand, my cheeks burning.
His amused eyes search mine. “Thank you. Lucy will be very happy to know you made it.”
“I’m sure she won’t even notice me with all her friends here. Or my present.”
His eyes twinkle. “Just your presence is present enough.”
A laugh bursts free as I grin at him. “You’re so cheesy.”
He shrugs. “I’m a dad. Dad jokes are supposed to be cheesy.”
Biting down on my lip, I assess him once more, his beautiful green eyes illuminated by the sun and completely mesmerizing. “You have a good point.”
He leans in closer, placing a hand on the curve of my waist while his beard tickles my cheek. “I’m happy you’re here. That’s all that matters, right?”
My heart leaps into my throat. Pinching a piece of his shirt fabric between my knuckles in a gesture to keep him close, I slowly shake my head. His beard scratches against my skin, and my pussy quivers with need. Fuck me.
“Lucy handed me the invitation. Not you,” I tease.
Lincoln presses his lips to my ear. “Only because Officer Gabe was standing right there. I’m a patient man, Evie, but you should know I have very little restraint when I’m near you. It’s only a matter of time.”
“Is that another warning?”
He leans back, squeezing my waist before dropping his hand completely. “I’d say it’s more like a promise.”
After Lincoln and I part ways, it doesn’t take long for Lucy to spot me. She darts over and wraps her arms around my legs, soaking the bottom of my swim cover-up with cold water. I laugh. Her excitement is infectious, her joy breathtaking. I lean down to give her a proper hug, happy the invitation warned of water activities.
“Thank you for inviting me to your party, Lucy. Are you having the best time?”
She nods eagerly before staring back at me with curious eyes. “Did you bring your swimsuit?”
“I did.”
Popping onto her toes, she grabs my hand. “Let’s go play!”
And so it begins, the four-year-old birthday party that I’ve now joined in every way, from tossing myself down the Slip ‘N Slide to stomping around the splash pad to jumping in the bounce house. Unlike most of the other women at the party, I keep my cover-up on. No one else seems to mind, and the kids don’t seem to care, but it feels slightly more appropriate than strutting around in a yellow bikini, the only bathing suit I own.
Even Lincoln takes his shirt off at some point to join in the fun, which slightly unsettles me for purely jealous reasons. There isn’t a single shy eye in the yard as the women ogle his ripped body. He seems oblivious to the attention, his focus on Lucy with the occasional glance in my direction. He seems to always know where I am, our eyes connecting and holding for just long enough to awaken new flutters in my chest.
As the last hour of the party rolls around, the cake is served and Lucy dives into opening her presents, while Lincoln makes it a point to stick by my side. And when the first person makes a move to leave, I take it as my cue to go, too, but Lincoln looks me dead in the eye and mouths, “Stay.”
It’s a command, one I’m more than happy to oblige. I start helping Francine clean up, gathering empty cups, plates, plasticware, and wrapping paper from the backyard. Soon Lincoln and Lucy come out back to join us, but instead of cleaning, Lucy takes off for the kiddie pool, so Lincoln follows close behind.
I smile, watching them out of the corner of one eye while picking up random trash left in the yard. Francine piles a tray full of the leftovers, condiments, and unused plasticware, and takes it into the back door that leads to the kitchen.
“I’ll get the rest of it,” Lincoln calls out to me, waving a hand. “Grab a drink and join us.” He grins, squinting from the sun.
As soon as I reach the cooler, Francine is beside me. I fish out three ice-cold seltzers and hand one to her, then we both head over to where Lucy and Lincoln are playing. We grab folding chairs and set them in front of the pool, sitting down and sticking our feet in.
Lucy squeals as Lincoln picks her up, flips her in the air, and plops her back into the water. Then he raises his arms, flexing them like he won some kind of championship, egging Lucy on. She hooks her entire body around his leg like a little monkey, trying to climb up, but he grabs her again, flips her, and flops her back down.
Giggles take over Lucy’s whole body. She falls into the water, unable to control herself as she laughs at her daddy’s antics.
Suddenly I realize I’ve never been more attracted to a man than I am to Lincoln when he’s in full dad mode. It’s the sexiest thing I’ve ever witnessed, which completely shocks me.
“Well.” Francine sighs heavily. “You were right, Lincoln. That was a great party. Lucy got to invite all her friends, and everyone had fun. Great job.”
He grins at her like there’s some in-joke there. “Thank you, Francine. And thank you for all the help today.” His focus shifts to me. “You, too, Evie. The kids had a blast with you.”
Warmth spreads through me. “I had a good time too.”
Francine pats my hand. “If you’re hungry, there’s plenty of food left over in the fridge.”
I laugh and pat my tummy. “I already ate two burgers and a hot dog. Oh, and cake. I think I’m good until tomorrow.” I grin up at Lincoln. “Didn’t realize you were such a master of the grill.”
“Then you don’t come around enough,” he teases. “Next time, I’ll show you what I can really do.”
I grin. “Okay. That’s a deal.”
As successfully as I’ve kept myself from taking in a good eyeful of Lincoln all day, I’m unable to stop myself now. His forest-green swim shorts nearly match the color of his eyes, and they are short enough to reveal the defined muscles in his thighs. The light covering of hair on his chest does nothing to hide his phenomenal build, from firm pecs to cut abs. I get lost in the shape of him, memorizing every inch. That is, until my gaze rises to his to witness him watching me right back.
Busted.The space between my thighs heats, and my nipples harden. I swear, the man doesn’t even have to touch me for my body to come alive. “I should go,” I blurt out, suddenly feeling an overwhelming need to get away from the one man I can’t seem to control myself around.
“Stay,” Lincoln pleads, disappointment and hope mixing in his expression.
“Yeah, Evie, stay!” Lucy leaps out of the pool, grabs my hand, and tugs.
Laughing, I let her lead me into the bounce house again. The hose to the slide has been turned off, so the inside of the inflatable is completely dry now. Maybe the cake has given Lucy a monster sugar rush, because Lucy goes a little crazy, jumping like she hasn’t been active the entire day. At some point, Lincoln climbs in to join us.
Just when I’m starting to feel exhausted from the continuous bouncing, Francine pops her head in and holds her arms out for Lucy. “What do you say, birthday girl? Want to spend the night with Gammy?”
Lucy’s eyes light up like Christmas morning. “Yes, yes!” We all laugh as she jumps up and down. “Can we watch a movie, too?”
Francine nods. “Yup, we can watch a movie, eat junk food.” She grins at Lincoln. “I’ll even let you get all showered and dressed in warm clothes first.”
Lucy whoops with excitement, completely missing the psychological game her grandmother just played. “Bye, Daddy! Bye, Evie!” She starts to flop around to get to the entrance, but Lincoln scoops her up and cradles her like a baby.
“Not so fast, my little birthday goose.” He tickles her side, causing her to erupt in a deep belly laugh. “I’m going to need a better goodbye than that.”
With that, he flips her back upright and earns a giant hug. Then he whispers something into her ear that I can’t hear, but I assume it’s something absolutely precious, since a look of warmth and love completely takes over her face. I can practically feel their deep connection tugging at my own heart like an invisible string.
Francine winks at us both when she finally takes Lucy in her arms, then they walk off toward the guesthouse together. Lincoln and I are silent as they head into the cottage, the silence so deafening, I’m sure he can hear the thrumming of my heart.
A faint click of a door sounds, and all at once, our eyes lock. The air seems to ignite, sizzling with electricity—and suddenly it becomes crystal clear that I’m in a whole lot of trouble.