The Palisade (Lavender Shores) Read online

  Table of Contents

  Epilogue

  The Palisade

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  About the Author

  Author Note

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Rosalind Abel

  Preview of The Garden

  Read an Excerpt from The Garden

  The Palisade

  Rosalind Abel

  Wings of Ink Publications, LLC

  Contents

  The Palisade

  1. One

  2. Two

  3. Three

  4. Four

  5. Five

  6. Six

  7. Seven

  8. Eight

  9. Nine

  10. Ten

  11. Eleven

  12. Twelve

  13. Thirteen

  14. Fourteen

  15. Fifteen

  16. Sixteen

  17. Seventeen

  18. Eighteen

  19. Nineteen

  20. Twenty

  21. Epilogue

  About the Author

  Author Note

  Acknowledgments

  Also by Rosalind Abel

  Preview of The Garden

  Read an Excerpt from The Garden

  The Palisade

  Rosalind Abel

  Copyright © 2017 by Rosalind Abel

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  Cover Designer: AngstyG - AngstyG.com

  Main Editor: Desi Chapman

  2nd Editor: Rebecca J Cartee

  3rd Editor: Christina Johnson

  Vist Rosalind’s webpage: RosalindAbel.com

  Visit Lavender Shores: LavenderShores.com

  Created with Vellum

  for Denise,

  Who whispered in my ear,

  “Why don’t you just…”

  About The Palisade

  Confident businessman Joel Rhodes sees the small California town of Lavender Shores as nothing more than a business opportunity and a final stepping stone to the position he’s been working toward his entire life. It was supposed to be just one night in town to close the deal, and sleeping with one of the local men, no matter how gorgeous, meant nothing more than a few hours of fun.

  Andrew Kelly is perfectly content with the life he has in his hometown. So much so that the only thing missing is someone to share it with. Going to bed with a tourist was never meant to be the answer to his dreams, just a beautiful distraction. He could get back to looking for Mr. Right the next day.

  Both Andrew’s and Joel’s worlds are turned upside down when a few hours of pleasure get extended to a couple of days. Even that shouldn’t have been a big deal. You can’t fall in love in that amount of time. That isn’t how it works. However, if destinies collide, a few short days may be all it takes to find your soul mate. Even so, when secrets and motivations get tangled, fate may do nothing more than leave two hearts in pieces.

  One

  Andrew

  He had green eyes—or maybe not. The romantic lighting and the distance between us made it hard to tell. Whatever shade they were, every glance he gave me was heated. No one had ever looked at me like that before. Sure, flirty winks, come-hither stares, eyes darting toward a back room. This man’s gaze made me feel… hell, practically naked. He only looked my way every few minutes; he was hardly staring. Even so, his glances told me my clothes had disappeared. His hands were touching my body. His breath hot against my neck. His—

  “Good God, Andrew. Go say hi already.”

  I sucked in a gasp and ripped my focus from the man at the bar. He might not have been staring, but I was. I’d also been sitting with a forkful of cake lifted halfway to my mouth. I stuffed it in, praying my blush wasn’t visible, but the heat radiating from my cheeks indicated God wasn’t listening.

  A hard nudge on my arm caused me to drop the fork before I could return it to the table. It hit the china plate, which acted like a makeshift gong. Refusing to look and see if the man noticed, I glared at my dad.

  He simply grinned. “Sorry, but seriously, introduce yourself. That man is smoking hot.”

  My mother, sister, brother, and I all groaned.

  “Well, he is.”

  Mom frowned at him. “Please don’t make a scene. There’s no need to ruin Lamont’s birthday.”

  Heather gave an identical curl of the lip as our mother. “No need to ruin the china either. It’s ridiculous how much we have to spend on replacing broken dishes.”

  Dad scoffed. “Oh please. I’m not ruining Lamont’s birthday. I’m just trying to help my youngest son find some happiness.” His voice lilted playfully. “Whether for the night or the rest of his life, who’s to say?” He made to stand up from the table. “I’m going to ask him if he’d like some cake.”

  My hand darted out on its own accord, and Dad winced a little. I tried to lessen my grip slightly. “Dad. Sit.”

  He leaned toward me, lowering his voice to a whisper, at least more so. “But son, he’s gorgeous.”

  “Please, Dad. Please.”

  He looked back toward the bar, and knowing him, he’d make a break for it and drag me along.

  Desperate times. I almost felt bad for what I was about to do. “Say, Lamont, did you tell Mom and Dad that you’re going to try writing a gay romance instead of—”

  Lamont’s glare cut me off, but I’d already played my cards. Played them well, it seemed. Dad sank back into his chair and leaned toward my brother. “Really? I’ve only been begging you to do that for the last five years. Just because you don’t have a romance in real life doesn’t mean you can’t write one. That whole write what you know is for pansies.”

  Lamont glowered at me a moment longer. “Really? On my birthday?”

  I grimaced and then shrugged. “Do birthdays after forty really matter?”

  He rolled his eyes and turned to Dad. “I’m not promising, Dad. I only mentioned it offhandedly to Andrew, which was stupid in retrospect.”

  “Well, you should do it. The market is growing by…”

  I let their voices fade to a hum in the background, trying to focus anywhere else—on the cake, the chipped china, the ornately carved wood of the Victorian bar. I zeroed in on the man’s green gaze again, or his zeroed in on mine.

  Green. I was pretty sure they were green.

  Though his eyes still promised pure sex, his expression had altered. A hint of a smile played at the corner of his lips. The first indication of anything other than heat and stone.

  Oh dear God, how much of that had he heard? Definitely the fork drop, but maybe not my father commenting on how gorgeous he was. Repeatedly.

  But what did it matter? He was gorgeous. And he knew it. Had to. No one looked like that and wasn’t aware of it. Unless they avoided mirrors, and this man definitely didn’t.

  He had dark brown hair, thick and slicked back like a Ken doll. Chiseled movie star face, with a beard barely more than stubble over his defined jaw. A body that belonged to a linebacker, with muscles straining the threads of his designer suit.

  The suit
set him apart nearly as much as his looks. Nobody dressed so formally in Lavender Shores—unless attending a wedding or funeral. Hell, we were town royalty, basically, and I couldn’t remember the last time I actually had to get dressed up.

  I realized I was still staring.

  He was too. The corners of his lips had curved into a full smile. There was nothing friendly about it. It was wicked, and it continued the promises his eyes made, except his smile took them a bit further. He was going to taste me. Lick me. Bite me. Devour me.

  I looked away.

  My God, what was wrong with me? I was surrounded by my family. And my erection was trying to rip through my pants—I might as well be splayed naked on the table and topped with Lamont’s stupid birthday cake. This was gross. Oh, so very, very gross.

  I glanced up again.

  He was talking to Seth, who was also gorgeous. Not as stunning as the man I’d been staring at, but still. Not to mention that Seth wasn’t basically presenting himself to be fucked while surrounded by his family. Nope, that was just me.

  Yeah, Seth would be a better option for Mr. Rich, Fancy, and Gorgeous. Much better.

  Then Seth turned from the man and lifted a bottle of gin and a shaker. Right. Seth. Bartender. Part owner of the Blue Blossom Bed-and-Breakfast. Bartender. Not trying to steal my man. I turned away, and I wasn’t going to look back. Not my man. I was losing my damn mind.

  I forced myself to fix my attention on the others. Even so, it took me several seconds before I actually started to listen and attempted to take part. Tried to forget the man at the bar.

  Mom gave me a knowing look but didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. Her eyes could speak volumes too. You’re a Kelly. You’re a founding family. Act like it. She looked at Dad, who was still going on about Lamont’s novel, and then back at me. And don’t act like your father.

  Got it, Mom.

  Oh hey, look at that. Just like the perfect son, I managed not to look back at the bar. Hell, for all I knew, the bar had disappeared.

  The bar might have, but the man hadn’t. I didn’t need to see him. I could feel his eyes on me. Practically feel his hands over my body as they slipped off my clothes. He was there, and I was still in danger of being eaten.

  I didn’t look back. Not as we finished the small cake. Not as we stood as one to leave the table—no need to pay when your sister was part owner of the place. Not as I hugged Heather goodbye and she wandered off into the kitchen. Not as we walked to the door. I was about to break that force of will as I started to step out into the night, but my father did it for me.

  “Andrew, he’s still there. We’re all going our separate ways. You should go get a drink.”

  “Robert, do shut up.” Mom took him firmly by the arm and led him out the door and down the steps as if he were a child. She glanced back. This time her gaze managed to apologize and reprimand all at the same time.

  We all hugged goodbye in the parking lot. My folks got into their car and Lamont into his own. I followed suit. I started my car but waited for them to leave and then turned it off again, hoping Heather wouldn’t feel the need to take her boss duties too thoroughly tonight.

  Two

  Joel

  I glanced at my watch. Twenty minutes. Huh. I was never wrong, especially when a guy gave off vibes as strong as that man had. He should’ve been back after five minutes. Ten tops. I stared at my Piaget watch, the blue watch face glistening in beautiful contrast to the steel casing. It was the exact color of his eyes. I hadn’t been sure until they’d lit the candles on the birthday cake—his gaze had flicked to me at that very moment and nearly took my breath away. He’d been beautiful before, but those eyes. Sparkling blue, clear, happy. They had let me know he wanted me.

  Well, apparently not.

  “Got some place to be? You’re staying at the B and B, right?”

  I lowered my arm, turning my attention to the bartender. “I am. And no. No place to go.” I hadn’t been thinking of going anywhere, if the man had come back in his scheduled five minutes. Nowhere other than directly up to my room. I had plans to do things to his body that would cause the Victorian bedroom set to lose its religion, no matter what all it had seen in the past century.

  Fuck.

  “Can I get you another dirty martini?”

  “Yes…” For a moment, I forgot his name. I never did that; pretty boy had thrown me off. Then it came, just as the bartender reached for a bottle. “Actually, Seth, how about on this one, you leave out the blue-cheese olive. In fact, leave out the olive juice altogether. Why mess up perfectly good gin?”

  He grinned. “You got it.”

  I glanced back at the door. Nothing.

  Strange. I’d been so certain. I hadn’t imagined all of that. We were practically eye fucking in the middle of the dining room. In the middle of his family. At least, I thought that was his family. Maybe the burly guy was his partner or husband. I figured brother, but they hadn’t looked alike at all. Surely, he wouldn’t have stared at me with his husband across from him. Unless… No, the other hadn’t been interested. Hadn’t even glanced my way.

  Whatever. I was only in town a night, though I’d reserved the room for two, just in case. I was in the middle of gay mecca, and while Lavender Shores wasn’t rumored to be as provocative as the Castro, I had no plans on sleeping alone. Well, sleeping alone yes, but with someone to warm the bed up for me first before getting the hell outta my room.

  Knowing I was settling for second best, I slipped my cell out of my pocket and opened up Grindr. I nearly laughed at the number of options within the town’s two-square-mile radius. Gay mecca indeed.

  The bartender peered at my phone screen and pointed at one of the top profile squares. “Not him. Trust me. He’s pretty, but he just lies there and expects you to do the work and worship what he’s offering up. So not pretty.”

  I couldn’t contain my awe at Seth’s gall.

  He slid me my “martini” and shrugged. “What? You’re a visitor. I’m part owner of this establishment, full-time bartender, and concierge. I wouldn’t want you to waste time at a bad restaurant, which, here, there isn’t one.” He grimaced and cocked his head to the side. “Well, except for Charley’s Tavern, but the food isn’t bad. Charley’s just a dick.” He pointed back to my phone. “So why would I let you have a bad lay?” He raised his brow.

  I handed him my phone with a laugh. “Fine, by all means, give me the best sampler platter you have. I’m in town on business. What’s the point of being away if you don’t play a little?”

  Seth’s expression darkened. “Oh. Wife at home?”

  “No.” Not anymore.

  “Husband?”

  I suddenly realized what he’d assumed. “No. I’m single. Just a very… managerial father.”

  Seth’s lighthearted air returned. “Oh, well, then let’s get you some, hunny.”

  Actually, Seth was rather beautiful. I’d noticed, kinda. The hot guy earlier had dimmed his looks. “And you? What time do you get off tonight?”

  He looked a little surprised. “I’m flattered. But no, I’m dating someone. Or… something. It’s complicated. Besides, I’m your concierge. I only offer you the best, and while I don’t just lie there like some people, I’m not a good power bottom. You’d be left wanting.”

  I’d taken a sip of gin, which had been a mistake, and nearly choked. I cleared my throat before attempting to speak. “Good to know, but who says I need a power bottom?”

  Seth leveled a stare at me as if I’d just asked why choose top-shelf alcohol. “Are you kidding me? You walk in here in your billion-dollar suit and your watch with the diamonds and your shoes that I don’t know the designer’s name but can guarantee cost more than my entire wardrobe and not a hair out of place. You have controlling perfectionist written all over you, sweetie. You’re on the prowl to take out all your daddy issues on some hungry hole that can handle all the pent-up frustration you can pound out.”

  My jaw fell open. I didn’t
even try to close my mouth.

  He shrugged. “Now, when you’ve reached the breaking point and can let loose enough to get fucked like a champ, come see me.” He winked then refocused on my cell, pointing to a redhead. “Now, this one. He’ll take all of you for hours and then ask if you have a baseball bat he can ride after.”

  I tried to think of a response. Anything. Nothing came. I realized he was being funny, but he was right. I wasn’t typically so easy to read, or at least I thought I wasn’t. That was exactly the kind of sex I’d been planning. That I always wanted on business trips. A guy on all fours, me holding his neck to the mattress as I fucked and fucked and fucked, him whimpering for more the entire time. And the thing about me reaching a breaking point… I didn’t know what to make of that. It made my heart speed up in terror. Maybe a bit of a thrill too?

  “Oh, look. Lamont just logged on. Sorry, you don’t know names. That’s the guy who was at the table you were staring at earlier.”

  All thoughts vanished. Maybe I wouldn’t have to give up on Blue Eyes after all.

  The profile picture threw me off. Handsome face, reddish hair with some gray at the temples. Oh, must be the other one at the table. The husband, or brother, or whatever.

  Seth didn’t notice my reaction. “Not him. I have to insist. He’s a great guy but always seems a little sad. You know, the depressed artist type. Not what you need. And you’re for sure not what he needs.” He sucked in a breath and pointed at a blond. “This one. Micah. You will have one of the best nights of your life. A little young for my taste. I like my men thirty and above, but for what you need, perfection.” He smacked my shoulder. “And tomorrow, I want details.” At that moment, a woman approached the other end of the bar, and Seth walked away with a final wink.