25. Off Limits

25

OFF LIMITS

V an pulled into Kelsey's driveway at five on his motorcycle and got off the bike.

He saw the curtain push back in her front window and then the door open.

"I've been waiting to take a ride on this. What's the occasion? I figured you'd be too annoyed with me."

"Maybe that is why I brought it over. I'm going to need to clear my head some."

It was bad enough he woke up this morning after dreaming about his mother and grandfather again.

It was getting more frequent than his mind could handle.

The same things said.

To keep an open mind.

To take a chance. Or give it a chance.

He was thinking it had more to do with his subconscious telling him to open another envelope. After the article on his mother's obituary, he'd stopped.

He needed a break. Or thought he did.

"Come in and tell me how it went," she said. "Did you find him?"

"The mustache gave it away," he said.

Hardly anyone had only a mustache alone. The guy was just standing on the deck of the ferry and looking at the island and the water. Probably wished it'd take off early so he could go lick his wounds.

"Horrible, wasn't it?"

"Not funny," he said.

"I wasn't trying to be funny. What happened?"

"I walked up to him and told him you were off limits."

"You didn't even introduce yourself?" she asked.

"Do you want a play-by-play?" he asked. "Of course I told him who I was. I wanted him to know. I wanted him to know what I used to do for a living and if he wasn't afraid of me, he should be afraid of your family. He admitted that he knew you were part of the Bond family."

"Shit," she said.

"Yeah, Kelsey. Shit. Fuck. What the hell?"

Crazy thoughts went through his head that maybe someone would try to kidnap her for a ransom. Except this guy was all but pissing his pants when Van said he was Kelsey's boyfriend and what he did for a living.

He might have left the word ex out of the detective part. He didn't think Bill was going to look into him.

When the guy was all but running for cover, Bill shouted over his shoulder that Kelsey was a weirdo anyway and there was a reason someone as hot as her was still single.

He wouldn't add that part. It'd hurt her feelings.

She'd said more than once that people told her she was unique. He'd done the same.

He didn't think it was that bad of a trait even if it could be annoying to others.

"I don't tell people that," she said.

"But it's easy enough to find out. That idiot did."

The guy didn't seem that smart to him and he hoped it was an innocent enough infatuation.

"I have a username. If I got to the point of thinking we'd meet, I'd say my first name and that is it."

"But you've got a picture. And you said you lived on an island. Easy to figure it out."

"Yeah," she said, pacing. "I was an idiot there."

"What did you see in him?"

"Nothing," she said. "I never saw him. Trust me, I'd remember so that tells me his profile picture was a fake. He said it was old. It was altered. Most people do that. I even made sure my picture was in the sunlight and I had sunglasses on."

"He still found out. You gave just enough about yourself that he narrowed it down."

"Are you going to tell my father?" she asked.

"Nope," he said. "You are. Because it's the right thing to do and you know it."

"I'm going to tell him you took care of it too," she said. "He'll be happy with that."

"Will he?" he asked. This was all new to him. He wasn't used to jumping in and saving a woman he was dating.

Or the fact that he was scared shitless thinking of what could happen to her over her carelessness.

"Yes," she said. "Listen, Van. I appreciate what you did. I really do. But you know, I haven't lived in a cave my whole life. People know who I am. There are many out there with more money than me. Many in my family alone. But I've got a big strapping boyfriend to watch out for me."

"Stop with the jokes," he said. "That is your problem. Everything is funny to you. You don't take anything seriously."

She snarled at him. Literally snarled loud enough that Frankie ran out of the room.

"I've got a very serious career. I spend easily fifty or more hours a week being serious and my clients depend on me to be that way. If I want to blow off steam in my personal life and have some fun, then there isn't anything wrong with it. I've lived my life like this for over thirty years just fine. I'm sick of people telling me to be someone that I'm not!"

"Meaning you did it without me and could again?" he asked. Why the hell was his heart pounding even more now? Didn't he just say he liked her being who she was?

"Yes and no," she said. "Are you trying to start a fight? Do you want to end things with me? Is that what this is about? I understand that you're not happy that Bill found me, but I think it will be fine."

He did too, but he didn't want to write it off as nothing either.

"I'm not trying to start a fight with you," he said. "I want you to see the consequences of your actions."

"Sounding like my father right now is only going to piss me off more," she said. "Choose your words carefully."

He stopped and stared at her.

What he hated the most was that maybe he was sounding like his father.

"I was worried," he said. "I haven't had to worry about anyone for years."

"Since your mother?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said.

"What's going on, Van? This is more than my poor dating history, which I've been honest about. I've taken my accounts down and you know it. I've got no need for them as long as I have you, but the question is if I have you or not. I think I've only been able to reach a part of you."

"More than anyone else has," he admitted.

"And that is scaring you?" she asked, moving closer to him. She only hesitated for a second before she put her arms around him. "Maybe I'm scared too. It's hard to feel this much for someone so fast."

"It is," he said.

"And you've got a lot going on in your life. More than most. I shouldn't be adding worries to you and just fun."

"It's both," he said.

"As much as you think I need to be serious at times I think you need to loosen your tight ass up."

She slapped his ass hard and then shook her hand as she stepped out of his arms.

"It's been said before."

"By who?" she asked. "Your father and it bothers you?"

"My mother more than my father. She'd say it to help me, he'd say it to piss me off."

"I don't want to piss you off," she said. "But something has made you sad. Maybe confused."

"I'm seeing my mother in my dreams," he said.

He turned to look at her and she only blinked. "And?"

"That doesn't surprise you? You don't think I'm nuts?"

"I am a descendant of Amore Island. I've seen some weird shit when it comes to fate and love and all that happy horseshit. Though I have to admit I'm happy it's hit me."

He lifted an eyebrow at her. "What has hit you? The horseshit?"

"We know I step in dog poop," she said. "And maybe you don't want to hear this, but it's out there and we are already fighting."

"Talking now," he said.

"Talking," she conceded. "We are talking about fate and love."

"Do you believe in it?" he asked.

"Yep," she said. "No reason not to when I've witnessed it for years. And since you're talking to your mother in your dreams."

"She's doing the talking," he said. "I'm just listening."

"Same thing," she said, grinning at him.

He wasn't so sure about that.

"What is your point?"

"My point, you grouchy man, is that I think fate hit me with you. It's too much for it not to happen. And that means love follows."

"It doesn't mean that," he said.

Her smile dropped and he felt bad about that. "Maybe it's one-sided."

"Do you love me?" he asked.

"Maybe," she said smartly.

"No maybes," he said. "Yes or no."

She moved closer to his arm. "I do," she said. "Though those are wedding words." He felt himself pale at that and she looked up and laughed. "You should see your face."

"You can't be serious about anything," he said.

"You want serious?" she asked. "You've got it. I love you, Van. Everything about you even when I want to wring your neck. Maybe that is part of your charm. I see you and I'm worried about you but know you'll get all big guy macho if I say that."

He wanted to defend himself but decided that would only feed into her point.

"I'm not sure how much charm I've got."

"What you've got I love. I told you before you're just like my twin. I can handle him. I can handle you. Even if you don't want to be handled any more than I want to. But I let you do it."

He smirked at her. "Let me?"

"Now you're the one trying to be funny and I like it. I noticed you haven't said the words back to me though."

He snorted. "Do you need to hear them?"

"Of course I do," she said squeezing him. "Are they that hard to say?"

"Could be," he said. "I haven't said it to anyone other than my mother."

"Ahhh, and now you're dreaming of her. Maybe it's a sign for you to tell me. Do you think your mother would like me? I hope that she would. Your grandfather did."

"She'd like you a lot," he said. "Which is probably part of the meaning behind her words to open my eyes to the possibilities. So yeah, as hard as it might be to say the words, I know I've got to. I love you, Kelsey. Even when you're yanking my chain and annoying me."

She smiled and leaned up on her toes to kiss him. "Yanking your chain and annoying you is all part of my evil plan to wear you down."

"Guess it worked," he said.

"So we are all good with Bill?" she asked.

He was hoping to forget about that, but she had to bring it up again. "As good as we are going to be. I don't see him being a problem, but if he is I want to know. You'll tell me, right?"

"Of course I will," she said. "I told you right away today. And just so you know, Lexi told me Bill sent her an email that he won't be doing business with us."

"Good," he said.

"Hopefully my mother doesn't get annoyed that I cost us business," she said, scratching her chin. "Not that filing his taxes is all that big of a deal, but you know, business is business."

"Kelsey," he warned.

"I know, I know. Be serious. But I'd rather have fun. Can you take me for a ride?"

"Sure," he said, leading her toward her room.

She burst out laughing. "You can do that later. I want a ride on the motorcycle."

"We can do that," he said. "I've got an extra helmet."

One that he'd ordered a few weeks ago just for her.

Guess he'd been feeling the love for a while too, but it was best not to tell her, as she'd crack a joke about it.