You’ll Understand When You’re Dead: Broken Heart Vampires Book 12 (6 page)

“Good. Because no one would ever find your body.”

“Noted,” said Matt faintly.

“
H
OW DID
MY own mother get engaged and not tell anyone?” Kimmie lamented as she, Jenny, and Tilda spread vinyl tablecloths over card tables. The annual PPTA garage sale was held at the Three Sisters Bed & Breakfast at sundown. Tilda’s aunts had wasted no time putting the teens to work.

“Yeah. Makes the whole ghost dating thing really awkward,” said Jenny.

“Look, your mom will be here soon,” said Tilda. “We’ll stick the juju bag on her person, and the ghosts will be repelled. Later on, we’ll perform the binding ritual and get rid of the ghosts for good.”

“I bet Patsy could get rid of them,” said Jenny.

Tilda and Kimmie stared at her. “Are you
trying
to get us grounded?” asked Kimmie, horrified.

“We’re going to be grounded anyway. Not one of us will walk away from this without parental fury being unleashed.”

Tilda shook her head. “I got this. The ghosts disappear, your mom is safe, and hey, she has a man just liked you wanted for her.”

Kimmie felt hot tears well up in her eyes. “I just wanted her to have someone good. She doesn’t know that I know, but my dad is the one who got her killed. It’s his fault she’s a vampire. He fed her to his stupid boss!”

“Oh, Kimmie. I’m so sorry.” Jenny hugged her.

Tilda patted her on the back.

She sniffled, feeling somewhat better...until she saw who was sauntering up the driveway, and had a moment of panic.

“Ohmigawd. It’s him,” said Kimmie.

“Mr. Dennison?” asked Jenny, turning around. “Oh, you mean loverboy.”

“Shush.”

“Whose loverboy?” Tilda craned to get a good look. “It’s just Hayden Wickam. You like him? But he’s such a nerd.”

“Okay,” said Jenny, pulling Tilda by the arm. “We’re leaving.” She dragged the girl all the way to the front porch and disappeared into the house.

Kimmie’s heart pounded as the boy neared. He stopped, tucking his hands into his jean pockets. As he looked at her, a lock of brown hair fell across his forehead.

“Hello, Kim.”

His use of her formal name sent a delightful shiver through her. Kimmie leaned against the table, crossed her arms, and pretended to be bored. “Hi, Hayden. What are you doing here?”

His mouth quirked. “Reporting for duty. Dad insisted.”

Kimmie flushed then ducked her head to hide her embarrassment. Hayden’s dad was a local doctor for the human population in Broken Heart. “Oh, yeah. Help. Right.” She felt stupid and disappointed. But why had she thought he would come just to see her?

“Yeah, help,” he said. He stepped closer and brushed her hair away from her cheek. Kimmie looked into his brown eyes and felt like she was going to melt into a big, goopy puddle.

He leaned closer, and she could smell the peppermint on his breath. “Kim. I was wondering—”

“Yes?”

“The new theatre in town is playing
Shaun of the Dead
. And I know you’re so cool and everything.” His tone was teasing and nervous. “But I thought you might want—”

“Hayden.” Dr. Elliot Wickham clasped his son’s shoulder. “We’re going to sticker the electrical items.”

Hayden smiled at Kimmie and shrugged apologetically. As he turned to follow his dad, she snagged his T-shirt. “What were you going to ask me?”

“I’ll ask you later.”

Kimmie’s heart skipped a beat as she watched Hayden walk up the driveway with his father. Her pulse continued to race. Hayden had been about to ask her to the show and had chickened out. Darn it. Why were boys such wimps?

M
ATT CARRIED
ANOTHER box from Natalie’s garage and shoved it into the back of the minivan. The night was typical of August in Oklahoma: hot and muggy. Even at night, it made no difference in temperature, but the heat enhanced the scent of fresh cut grass and honeysuckle that perfumed the air. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, and watched Natalie tirelessly lug an armful of clothing to the car. She flashed him a grin before returning to the garage.

He and Natalie seemed to be the only people outside. By the looks of it, everyone else had wisely decided to stay indoors. An odd quiet stole through the small neighborhood, making Matt feel as if he and Natalie were only human beings left on Earth.

Matt looked at Natalie, who flitted around the garage like a butterfly in a field. He watched her bend over a stack of magazines and saw the white dress rise... rise...he swallowed as the material dangled over her derriere, swinging provocatively as she dug around in the pile of stuff. She turned, holding a gold candlestick holder as triumphantly as an Olympic athlete holding the Torch.

He had an insane urge to flip up that damn dress and— “Do you want to take a break?” he called out.

Natalie put the candlestick in a carton and walked toward him. “There’s still stuff to do,” she said, handing him the box.

He put it in the van for her, but before she could get away, he grasped her by the elbows and drew her close. “C’mon. Even vampires should take a break from hard labor.”

“I’m a vampire
and
a mom, which means I really don’t get any breaks.” All the same, she leaned into his embrace, apparently content to be in his arms.

Just one taste. He’d take just one tiny taste of Natalie Haltom. Before he could stop himself—as if he wanted to—he pressed his mouth at the hollow of her throat, and kissed the pale, cool flesh. She inhaled sharply and grasped his shoulders. Matt nipped kisses up her neck to her jaw, flicking his tongue on her skin.

“Matt, please.”

“Please what?” he whispered. He pulled her closer, looking at her wide amber eyes. He lowered his head and traced her trembling lips. When his tongue demanded entrance, she yielded, and met him with her own tentative touches. Desire twisted inside him, a spiraling need that claimed him until all he could feel, all he could
breathe
, was Natalie.

She broke the kiss and sagged against the back of the minivan. He put his arms on either side of her head and leaned down, feathering kisses along her cheek to the corner of her mouth.

“I want you, Natalie,” he said in a jagged voice. He took her lips in a fierce possession, showing her with his mouth what he wanted to do with her body.

Her hungry little moan destroyed his already flagging willpower. Somehow his shirt had become unbuttoned and Natalie’s cool, eager hands stroked his chest. The sensible voice in his head cited all the reasons he couldn’t make love with Natalie Haltom, but she chose that moment to explore the waistband of his shorts, and he forgot everything but the woman in his arms.

“Hey, folks,” a man’s jolly voice chortled.

Matt and Natalie jumped apart as if electrocuted. Matt started to turn, to protect Natalie’s disheveled appearance from the rude bastard who’d spoken but realized his own hard evidence would be more difficult to hide.

Natalie peeped over his shoulder. “Oh dear.”

Matt turned, strategically placing Natalie in front of him and looked at the balding, overweight man grinning at them.

“Y’all aren’t even newlyweds yet,” he said with a gleam in his eyes. “Better keep to hand holding in public, if you know what I mean.” He winked.

“Who the hell are you?” asked Matt, irritated by the man’s jovial interruption.

Natalie whispered, “He’s the mayor.”

“I didn’t know Broken Heart had a mayor,” said Matt.

“Oh, not of Broken Heart, son. I’m the mayor of the Little People. We have a village out past the barn on Simone and Brady’s property. “Have you met Flet? He’s the pixie. Set us up right fine.”

“You’re not little,” said Matt.

“Oh, no. I’m not. I wouldn’t be, now would I?”

“Um … no?”

“Mayor Hewitt Twinkletoes,” the man said, presenting a chubby hand. Matt maneuvered around Natalie and accepted the Mayor’s handshake. “Most folks call me Hewie.”

Twinkletoes?
“What can we do for you?” asked Matt.

“Glad you asked, Mr. Dennison, glad you asked. We little people have heard of your impending nuptials. I have to say, well-timed. Well-timed, indeed, sir. Perfect as a matter of fact.” The mayor’s smile was wide and toothsome.

Uneasiness swept over Matt in a cold wave.

“Your wedding falls on one of our most cherished holidays, and there’s nothing the Little People like better than celebrating fertility.”

“Fertility,” said Matt flatly.

“And marriage,” Hewie hurriedly added. “Of course, marriage. That’s the most important part for you humans, and uh, vampires. Our community would like the opportunity to help you celebrate your hundred years of marital bliss.” The Mayor paused and flashed another terrifying smile. “We’d consider it a great honor if you and Natalie would marry in our sacred space—and that you might take on the spirits, as it were, of our god, the Great Glimmerrod and our goddess, Her Supreme Sparklenose.”

Matt opened his mouth, but no words came out. He looked down at Natalie, and her expression could only be called “flabbergasted.”

“It’s so kind of you to think of us,” said Natalie. She cleared her throat.

The mayor held up his hands. “Now, don’t say no until you’ve had some time to consider it. We do have incentives. One wish each and a sack of gold. Long as we can pry it from the leprechauns. They like to hoard, you know.”

“Why us?” asked Matt. “Wouldn’t you prefer your own little people for such a ceremony?”

Hewie had the grace to look uncomfortable. “We would, we would. But we’ve had some dissension among our folks about who gets to play the parts of Glimmerrod and Sparklenose. It was finally decided that the only way to make it fair—was to not pick anyone from our community.”

“Mr. Twinkletoes,” said Matt. He paused, but he was uncertain what to say next.

The mayor offered another wide grin. “You two think about it now. I’ll see you at the picnic later on tonight, and you can give me your answer then.”

He turned around and trundled off before Natalie or Matt could gather their composure.

NATALIE PACED BACK and forth in her living room. She flashed a look at Matt, who reclined on the couch rubbing his temples. God, how had they gotten into this mess
? I will never lie again,
she swore.

She stopped wearing tread in the carpet and closed her eyes. She’d compounded Matt’s lie when she tried to use it to ward off Kenny Rogers. She would just have to take her lumps like a woman. She’d survive. “I’m so sorry, Matt. I’ll just admit that it’s all a big sham. I’ll call Bettie right now and confess.”

“It’s not your fault this whole town is crazy, Natalie.” He stood up and gathered her into his arms. “But there’s still time to break up publically, and until then...”

Natalie didn’t pull away, even though she knew she shouldn’t enjoy the way he held her. She felt safe, protected. She swallowed the knot in her throat. Matt had never really been hers, so why was she so stricken with the thought of ending a nonexistent relationship?

“At the PPTA garage sale tonight?” she suggested.

Matt’s arms tightened around her. “The mayor mentioned something about a picnic.”

“The witches host a barbecue after the garage sale. Should we do it then?”

“Yes,” Matt answered. He kissed the top of her head, and then let her go. He turned around quickly, too quickly, and left the house. She heard him putting the last of the boxes into the minivan.

His kisses, his touches had told her such wonderful things—that she was beautiful and sexy. She steeled herself against the hurt gathering in her chest.
It is for the best,
she told herself.
So buck up, woman. Matt isn’t yours.

And he never will be.

N
ATALIE LOOKED
AT the flat tire and kicked it. She and Matt had been headed to the bed and breakfast, about ten miles outside of town, for the garage sale when the tire blew. Though the road was paved, potholes existed every five or so feet—a typical condition of Oklahoma streets. However, the jumbo hole that had caused the flat happened to be on the stretch of land lacking any civilization. Thick, dense woods shadowed both sides of the road. At this rate, she’d never get to the garage sale. On the up side, she wouldn’t have to deal with Bettie, who’d probably picked out the music, the bridesmaid dresses, and the flowers already.

Neither one of their cell phones worked, either. They were in some kind of dead zone that had nothing to do with zombies, vampires, or ghosts. She scanned the forest, hoping to catch a glimpse of Matt. He’d excused himself and gone off into the woods because men had the ability to pee standing up. In other words, wherever they wanted. Unfortunately, the spare was flat too.

Slumping against the van, she tucked a few loose wisps of hair behind her ear. Maybe Matt would have an itch to loosen it again.
Gawd.
She had to stop thinking about him—and wanting the man to touch her. He was handsome, nice, and he put a spring in her step. She and relationships didn’t mix. And the last one, ended with her becoming undead. Which was every reason for her to run for the hills.
Kill me once, shame on you. Kill me twice, shame on me.
And she was doing exactly that, running, well, not for the hills, but to the local PPTA Garage Sale so she could dump Matt and.... Her heart ached with a sense of loss. Impossible, of course. She was just being silly. After all, what had there been to lose?

Sighing, she walked to the driver’s side, climbed in and pretended not to wait for Matt. She checked the hazard lights, wiped the dust from the dashboard, and drummed fingertips on the steering wheel. After what felt like hours, which in fact had only been about five minutes in Natalie’s estimation, Matt emerged from the woods.

Natalie watched his lean-hipped walk as he casually approached the minivan. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his shorts and his caramel brown shirt clung to his broad shoulders. He halted in front of the van, and removed his shirt, using it to wipe the sweat from his body
.

Zowie.
She wondered if he’d done it on purpose to get her attention. Probably, but did she really care? Nope. His broad chest and flat stomach testified to Matt’s use of weights. Brown curls sprinkled his chest, narrowing into a line that disappeared into his shorts.
You’ve already seen him naked.
Okay. Okay. Be calm. A hot, intense thread of desire weaved through her—silky strands of want and need arrowed down to her core. Her nipples tightened and beaded against the soft cloth of her dress.

The feeling burgeoned, making her throat dry and her hands shake. Lust. This was pure lust. She wet her lips, watching as he ran his long fingers through his hair. Then he stopped suddenly and raised his head to look at her. His predatory stare reminded her of a lion who carefully watches his prey before pouncing on the hapless creature.

Slowly, he walked to her opened window and leaned inside, his green eyes dark, hungry.

“What are we going to do since the spare’s flat,” Natalie said, unable to look away from his gaze.

“I’m sure we can think of something.” He leaned into the open window.

Natalie’s lower bits clenched with sudden need, but she tried to stay strong. “I thought we could, um, walk or try to flag someone down.”

He reached in and caressed her cheek, stroking a thumb sexily across her lower lip. “Good idea.”

She swallowed hard, her voice squeaky when she spoke. “Matt, it doesn’t sound like you care too much about our predicament.”

A corner of his mouth lifted. “I’m in a predicament myself.”

She blinked. “What predicament is that?”

“I don’t know what this is between us. It’s the damnedest thing I’ve ever experienced.” She saw him look at her stiff nipples straining against the white material. His jaw clenched. “I get all flustered and warm and...” He cast a downward glance at his groin. “...hard just thinking about you, sweetheart. You turn me on in so many ways, I’ve lost count.”

His words undid her knots of doubt and turned her insides to warm mush. Matt wanted her. As a woman. With no expectations or demands.

“It’s lust,” she blurted.

“Yes, it’s certainly that.” His gaze returned to her breasts. He poked his head through the window and kissed her. Natalie tingled all the way to her toes. She wanted his mouth on her breasts. On her stomach and thighs and ... everywhere. She clutched the steering wheel harder.

Matt backed out of the window and opened the driver side door. “I want you,” he said in a hoarse voice.

Natalie turned in the seat toward him, and yelped when he pulled her out of the van. Before she could analyze her actions, she’d wrapped her legs around his thighs. He lifted her up and pressed her back against the side of the van. On impulse, she lowered the strap of her dress with only the barest of hesitation when she exposed the top of her breast, her nipple still hidden.

With a low growl, Matt leaned forward and nipped her flesh, trailing a wet line. Gently he lowered the material just enough to tease the taut peak with his tongue. Then he suckled. Natalie arched against the side door, moaning at the pleasure Matt created. His hand found her other breast, his fingers cupping, kneading, and pinching. Liquid heat scorched her, pooling in the center of her thighs.

She cried out when he stopped. She looked at him and noticed his unsteady breathing. He wrenched the side door open. “Inside,” he demanded, his tone hot with need.

“Yes,” Natalie agreed. “God, yes.”

The boxes were in the way, but before she could protest, Matt was yanking them out with one hand and shoving her into the van with his hips.

Natalie didn’t think, didn’t analyze, didn’t care. Her body buzzed with an intensity she didn’t recognize. She scrambled into the back, pushing anything left out of the way, and found an open spot between two boxes. She’d barely lie down on her back when Matt slid on top of her, his arousal hard against her belly.

“What are we doing?” she whispered.

“No mating,” he promised. “I just want to give you pleasure. I need to give you pleasure, Natalie. I want to touch you and taste you. I won’t take more than you can offer, but let me do this for you. For us.”

Without waiting for her answer, his kisses claimed her. His mouth courted her with fierce need and raw desire. He wrenched himself away, his breath heavy as he stared at her. Then he slid lower and pushed up her dress, exposing her pale thighs and wet panties. Natalie squirmed. He promised no mating, but it left all kinds of other possibilities. His kisses on her hips made her frantic.

“A white thong? Woman, you’re going to give me heart failure.” He eased them off, and then parted her with gentle fingers. When she felt his warm mouth against her, she bucked and pushed at his head. Matt took her hands and placed them on the inside of her thighs. “Open for me,” he whispered.

Natalie did, her body tight and needy as she lifted her knees and parted her legs for him. He kissed her very core, and then suckled the tiny nub. Raw pleasure jolted through her. Matt’s hands grasped her hips and drew her close as he sucked, licked, kissed her sensitive bundle. Whatever he was doing with his mouth created a maelstrom of wicked, intense feelings, and Natalie’s body begged for more.

Her hands dove into his hair, pulling him still closer.

“Let go, Natalie,” Matt said against her sensitive flesh. She shivered. “I want to taste all of you, sweetheart.”

Natalie felt his mouth fully on her, his tongue doing wondrous, unimaginable things. She matched Matt’s flicking tongue with tiny movements of her own. The feeling built, rising, until she was straining, reaching...she arched against Matt, who continued to nip and lick and suck.

Natalie burst into a thousand stars.

M
ATT GROANED AS Natalie
throbbed against him, her thrust his tongue inside her, tasting her orgasm as her scream of pleasure echoing through the tight confines of the minivan. He was relentless in bringing her to climax, not just once, but multiple times, wanting her to come so hard and so fast, she wouldn’t ever forget his loving.

When she couldn’t take any more pleasure, when it edged this side of painful, he savored one last taste, and then raised himself above her, his arousal still imprisoned in his shorts.

He gave her a moment, and when she recovered her wits, she looked at him, eyes wide, and said, “That was amazing.”

“You are a passionate woman, Natalie.” He kissed her then whispered against her mouth, “Unzip my shorts, sweetheart.”

Her eager hands obeyed him, and Matt groaned when he felt her fingertips lightly brush him through the briefs. He quickly shed them and gathered her close, kissing her, touching her, stroking her. He folded the top of the dress down and looked at her breasts. Firm and beautiful, the coral tips puckered in invitation. So he bent and took a nipple in his mouth, teasing it, pulling and sucking as she began to stroke his length.

Natalie quickened her pace on his shaft, and her moan when he sucked her nipple hard nearly broke him. He wanted to plunge into her moist heat, but kept his movements slow and deliberate.
No mating,
he reminded himself. It would tie her to him in a way that wouldn’t be fair to Natalie. No matter what he wanted.

Her hands were everywhere, his chest, in his hair, his arms and shoulders ... his painful arousal. She drove him wild, distracted him from the gentle seduction he wanted to give her. When her hand slipped off his erection and curled around his buttocks, urging him toward her, he slid along and between the wet folds of her womanhood, groaning at the slick, wonderful feel of her.

It felt so good.

Too good. He stopped and cursed. He was rock-hard with want and need. He looked down at Natalie and saw his own passion reflected in her eyes. Oh God. What they were doing. He wanted to thrust inside her, to take her hard, and make her his own. But he’d made a promise. All those self-lectures about why he couldn’t make love with Natalie incinerated under the heat of their joining, but he resisted completing the mating. Instead, he moved slowly, his cock rubbing against her clit. It had been awhile since he’d been intimate with a woman and he relished the sweet feel of Natalie’s flesh.

He felt her thighs tremble and knew she was close to another orgasm. Both pain and pleasure swirled through him. She moaned and arched against him, offering her breasts to his eager mouth. As he teased her sensitive flesh, he felt the throbbing begin and her fingernails dug into his shoulders.

“That’s it, sweetheart,” he said softly, coaxing her higher. She shattered against him, and he pushed hard against her vibrating heat, panting, as his release shattered him, too.

A
FTER THEY’D CLEANED up
, they got into the front seats. Natalie turned on the van so they could enjoy some air conditioning.

Matt watched her tap buttons on her phone, carefully and obviously avoiding eye contact with him, but it was useless. No cell signal in this patch of Oklahoma woods, and every time she glanced his way he was staring at her. He couldn’t help it. She was beautiful, and in the afterglow of their love making, her pale skin was almost flushed.

A honking horn’s rendition of “Love Me Tender” startled Matt out of his thoughts. A pink Cadillac the size of a yacht pulled in front of the minivan.

Natalie stared at the car, and then turned to Matt. “You see that, right? I’m not delusional from the heat?”

“Nope. It’s there.”

“Hey there, folks,” yelled a cheerful male voice. “Y’all need some help? I saw the flat tire.”

Matt turned and looked at the hefty gentleman dressed in a white jewel-studded cowboy suit. Even though it was nighttime, the man wore diamond-shaped purple sunglasses. His ten-gallon hat had “The King” emblazoned on it in big gold letters. Lowering the window, Matt said, “Can you give us a ride? Our destination isn’t too far.”

“Sure, sure,” the man said. “My Caddy has room for a whole orchestra.”

They quickly loaded the Cadillac’s cavernous trunk with the garage sale items. Natalie slid into the front seat, and Matt got into the back. Everyone clicked on their seatbelts. Then Frank “Elvis” Schmidt turned on “Jailhouse Rock” and spun gravel as he maneuvered onto the road. Natalie gave him directions, and he flashed them a huge grin. “I’m new in town,” he said. “Not much call for vampire Elvis impersonators. So here I am, in Broken Heart. And I’m all shook up.” He grinned. “In a good way.”

Matt exchanged an amused glance with Natalie.

“So y’all married?”

“Er, no,” Matt said. “My name’s Matt Dennison and this is Natalie Haltom.”

“Hey now, darlin’, I’m just so lonesome I could cry! I ain’t nothing but a hound dog, a good old boy looking for love—”

“In all the wrong places?” Matt supplied, unable to resist.

“Wrong song, son,” Frank said heartily.

Soon they turned onto the road that led to the bed and breakfast. As they pulled into the huge yard already filled with cars, Matt spotted Kimmie talking to Hayden. They exited the car, and Matt took Natalie by the elbow. She turned to Frank. “Thank you so much for the ride.”

“You’re welcome, little mama.” He helped them unload the car, and then he wandered away.

“Mom!”

Matt and Natalie turned. An excited Kimmie and Jenny rushed to them. “I can’t believe this! It’s so great.” She danced a jig around Natalie and hugged her mother.

Then Matt found Kimmie’s arms wrapped around him. “Mr. Dennison is gonna be my stepdad!”