Tangled Love on Pelican Point (Island County Series Book 3) (32 page)

I pointed at the Grecian God as he peered into the darkened glass next to us. He did a double tap on the window with his knuckles as his lips twisted into a cocky smile. When he stood back up, I noticed his shirt hugging his flat stomach and began dreaming about my fingers skating across it and started chuckling.

“What’s so funny?” Brandy quipped and I shook my head.

“I have no effing idea, but this mirage of a man is turning me into a mess.”

“He’s no mirage,” she replied.

I watched as the man threw us another lopsided smile, but I also knew this time he couldn’t see us. He just seemed to like the idea of messing with us.

“So, you got the President inside here or a bunch of giggling high school girls on their way to prom?” His voice low, scalding my insides.

Brandy looked at me horrified. “This is why you hate riding in this thing,” she stated.

I nodded quickly, keeping my eyes on the guy who was slowly moving toward the door.

“Completely pretentious modes of transportation will never lead to good things.” I took a deep breath in.

“Yep. My bet is that it’s a bunch of sixteen year olds,” he said coyly, arrogance filling his every word and gesture. “Waiting to get—”

Brandy’s breathing stopped at about the same time mine did.

My heart fell to my toes as he opened the door and ducked his head inside the limo. He was gorgeous. No. That’s not true. He was beyond gorgeous. His amber eyes filled with mischief as he looked at Brandy and then at me.

He looked to be in his late twenties. I heard Bernie talking, but I couldn’t decipher what he was saying. All I could do was look at this piece of perfection as he toyed with us and obviously enjoyed it. My hand slid up by my necklace as I attempted to block my scar from his view, but all that did was make me more self-conscious.

“Are you two okay?” he asked.

I nodded, speechless, and looked away.

“That was quite a hit,” he continued. “I’m an EMT if…”

I whipped my head around, intending to give him a mocking glance, but instead I wound up blushing as his smile turned to a wonderfully wicked grin with his eyes capturing my discomfort.

“If he can do that with his eyes, I can’t even imagine what he can do with…” Brandy whispered in my ear.

“What was that?” the man’s voice rumbled, eyeing me, not Brandy.

“Okay, you’ve had your fun,” I told him, flushing from the inside out. “We’ve got an event we’re late for.” I watched his eyes follow my lips as I spoke, which did nothing but create a hornets nest inside of me. How could his eyes do that to me, penetrate me like that?

“You’re right. What was I thinking? You’re the only ones who have a place to be.” He flashed me another wide grin. The intensity in him shifted only slightly as he pretended to be annoyed. “I wasn’t on my way to anywhere in particular. In fact, I had only planned on driving back and forth on the bridge all night. One side… Then the other…”

“I didn’t mean that where we had to go was more important than you,” I sputtered out. This is what I hated about riding in these things. Limos automatically put people in the ass-hat category. However, wanting to live up to the already laid reputation, my lips pinched together, and my arms crossed automatically.

“Maybe we’re headed to the same place,” he replied, his eyes carefully reading my actions, teasing me. “Although, judging by how you’re dressed, it’s doubtful.”

I frowned and looked away from the guy and mumbled, “You really should drive more carefully.”

The guy laughed and my eyes flicked back to his. “That’s what most people hear when they’ve just gotten rear-ended,” he replied. “Well, I think I struck out here so my insurance will be in touch.” He gave me a wink and ducked out of the car.

I watched Bernie and the guy trade goodbyes quickly before he jogged back to whatever vehicle was pulling the trailer.

Brandy reached for the bottle of champagne and replenished both of our flutes. “I think someone’s got a crush on the mystery man.”

“I do not.”

“You always get this way when you do,” she continued laughing.

“What way?” I demanded.

“Snippety.” She smiled as if she’d won the battle.

Bernie climbed back into the car, apologizing profusely, and Brandy and I both resituated back to the side seat. I watched as the utility trailer pulled away and we followed.

“It looks like it did more damage to this car than his trailer,” Bernie said. “It’s gonna be in the shop for awhile.”

“That’s a shame,” Brandy replied sarcastically. Finally the woman was on my side about riding in this car.

“So what’s that guy’s name?” Brandy asked Bernie. I jabbed her in the ribs, and all she did was laugh.

“Jason something or other,” Bernie replied. “I’ve got it written down. He certainly got a kick out of you two, didn’t he?”

“Jason,” Brandy repeated it for me as if I didn’t hear it the first time. “That’s a nice name.”

She was about to get on one of her ‘pair up Gabby’ kicks so I quickly deterred her, hoping her champagne consumption would aid in my rescue.

I turned to her and asked, “You wanna know what’s more ridiculous than showing up to places in a limo?”

“What?” she asked playfully, batting her lashes and forgetting about setting me up with the stranger.

“Pulling up to a place in a busted-ass limo,” I replied, and we both started laughing. Dating crisis averted once again.

The Beyond Love Series is available now!

BOOKS BY KARICE BOLTON

ISLAND COUNTY SERIES

FINDING LOVE IN FORGOTTEN COVE

LOVE REDONE IN HIDDEN HARBOR

TANGLED LOVE ON PELICAN POINT

FOREVER LOVE ON FIREWEED ISLAND

BEYOND LOVE SERIES

BEYOND CONTROL

BEYOND DOUBT

BEYOND REASON

BEYOND INTENT

BEYOND CHANCE

BEYOND PROMISE

BEYOND the MISTLETOE

LUKE FLETCHER SERIES

HIDDEN SINS

BURIED SINS

REDEMPTION

MIA – 2016

THE WITCH AVENUE SERIES

LONELY SOULS

ALTERED SOULS

RELEASED SOULS

SHATTERED SOULS

THE WATCHERS TRILOGY

AWAKENING

LEGIONS

CATACLYSM

TAKEN NOVELLA (A Watchers Prequel)

WHISPER SERIES

WHISPERS IN THE WOODS: THE CAMP

WHISPERS ON CAMPUS: THE DORM

AFTERWORLD SERIES

RecruitZ

AlibiZ

UprisingZ–Coming Soon

Acknowledgements

So much gratitude is sent to V. Clifton for polishing this manuscript. Thank you for editing Sophie and Anthony’s story with such a careful eye. I look forward to working together on future projects.

Also, a big thanks to K.E. for proofing this and just about every project I work on. I always appreciate your suggestions and value your opinion. Thank you for all you do.

Lastly, I want to say a simple thank you to Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and all of the other avenues available for the indie publishing world. It allows the art of storytelling to continue to flourish in unexpected ways!

About the Author

Karice received an MFA in Creative Writing from the U of W. She has written over twenty novels, and she has several exciting projects in the works (or at least she thinks they're exciting). Karice lives in the Pacific Northwest with her awesome husband and two cute English Bulldogs. She loves anything to do with snow, and she seeks out the stuff whenever she can, especially if there's a toasty fire to read by.

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