Tickled Pink (4 page)

“Like hell I do! I’m thirty-four, not sixteen!” He went to rise and Toni tugged his suit coat to keep him in his chair. “I’m sure the judge is aware of that, but Andrew is trying to save your ass and your license. Besides, look at the bright side. You’ll finally be able to figure out what those little numbers mean on your dashboard speedometer.”

The gavel banged down, but not before Toni overheard the chuckles from the fathers behind her. “Ms. Deluca! Mr. Bryson! Enough!” Judge Masters boomed.

“I’m inclined to agree with the ADA. You’re both out of control. I should sentence you both to thirty days in the county jail.”

Andrew stood and cleared his throat. “Both my clients are business owners, the stigma, plus the time off could be damaging to their livelihood as well as future business.”

“Noted.” He smiled and his gaze fell behind them, undoubtedly to where the two father’s sat.

A siren went off in Toni’s head. She glanced over to see her father nod once at ADA Montgomery.

Judge Masters turned to Andrew. “Mr. Clement, could you please have your client’s rise.”

Andrew cast her and Richard a concerned expression, then shrugged. Both stood and faced the bench.

“Ms. Deluca, I am going to insist you pay for all damages to Mr. Bryson’s vehicle and a $2500 fine. Mr. Bryson. I expect for you to enroll in a driving education class and have it complete within the next sixty days or you will lose your license. In addition I am requiring you both put in thirty hours of community service.”

That’s easy.

Toni started to breathe easier; soon this would all be behind her.

“In light of the prosecution’s concerns and due to the fact the pair of you has been disruptive, talkative and argumentative—I am thinking the best punishment for the pair of you is to spend time with each other. So, I am sentencing you to one year of quality time together.”

“What the hell does that mean?”

The Judge banged his gavel. “Mr. Bryson! It means that you and Ms. Deluca will spend one year married and cohabitating and you both leave with no record. However if you fail—both of you
will
have a criminal record and thirty days in jail to contend with. The pair of you have three days to get your affairs in order and report back to this courtroom nine a.m. Friday morning, at which time you better have a date set for the wedding and Mr. Bryson, you will bring with you proof that you’re enrolled in your classes. Court is adjourned.” The gavel hit down with vengeance and chuckles from the fathers erupted.

“All rise,” the clerk again shouted.

As they stood, she glanced at Richard whose firm mouth gaped open and his long jet-black lashes blinked in shock. Toni couldn’t blame him and turned to Andrew. “Did we just get sentenced to marriage?”

Andrew’s expression revealed his surprise. “Yes, the pair of you did.”

“Can he do that?”

Their attorney met Richard’s stunned gaze. “He’s the judge; he can do pretty much anything.”

Toni and Richard glanced at each other then turned to their fathers who both had the audacity to wave at them with canary eating grins.

Richard sighed and shook his head. “Do you get the feeling we were set up?”

She turned to her now husband-to-be. “Yep, and my guess right from the moment we went to jail together.”

Chapter Two

All’s fair in love and war…

Thursday night Richard brought his Mercedes to a stop in front of Andrew and Kayla Clément’s house. It was a newer home in an upper middle class neighborhood. Despite the unfair hand he’d been dealt and Andrew not having much control over the situation, he genuinely liked the attorney. He turned off the ignition and noticed his parent’s Audi sitting in the driveway.

So much for a casual dinner to discuss the details of the sentencing.

The other vehicles were a high end Lexus with the license plate LAW MAN. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to know it most likely belonged to Assistant District Attorney Deluca.

The car that really caught his attention was the 1962 Corvette Roadster painted a shiny red. No doubt one of the lawyer’s toys. The vehicle was worth upwards of a hundred grand. He hauled himself out of the car and grabbed the bottle of wine off the seat. Not that he was a big wine drinker, but seeing that the meddling parents were here, that might change. He wondered if Toni was here yet or if she would be late.

He thought of the woman who was to be his wife and shook his head. Of all the people in the world. His father had manipulated her share in the sentence and surely, there were women more his style that his dad could have come up with. Apparently not. Toni had been forced into the predicament with him. Couples that go to jail together obviously stayed together for—at least in their case—one year.

He dragged himself up the walk and rang the bell as dread consumed him. The door opened and Andrew stood on the threshold. “Welcome,” he greeted, with a warm smile.

“Hi.” He motioned with his head in the direction of the driveway. “I take it both fathers are here?”

Andrew opened the door wider. “With the mothers. My wife thought it was for the best and hopefully will help smooth things over between Toni and her dad. They aren’t exactly speaking. He speaks, she tells other people the answer and expects them to be carrier pigeons, but won’t speak to him directly.” Andrew shrugged. “She can be stubborn.”

“Wow, she sounds even more endearing.”

The other man chuckled. “She’s actually quite something.”

Richard highly doubted that, but since the attorney was his only ally currently, and the husband of his pending wife’s best friend, time for a subject change. “That Corvette of yours is really something too.” He glanced over his shoulder.

Andrew laughed. “I wish.” His tone had Richard turn back. “That 1962 beauty isn’t mine.” His grin broadened. “It’s your future wife’s.”

He hadn’t seen that coming.

Andrew patted his arm. “I bet you’re ready for a drink.”

“More than you know.” He answered as they stepped into the house. The décor held a casual feel with a hint of Asian influence. Classy. “Very nice.”

“Ah, thank you, but I give Kayla and most definitely Toni the credit.”

Of course Toni.

Richard studied the other man. “I called six different attorneys to see if they thought they could get me out of this. They found it unusual, but when I mentioned my name—”

“They hung up on you, right?”

Richard nodded and passed him the bottle of wine. “Pretty much. Anyway this is for you and Kayla.”

“I figured that, with who your father’s are. I made some calls. Ran into the same thing. No one is going to touch this case. I’ll help where I can.” He smiled and lifted the bottle. “Thank you for the wine. I never took you for a wine drinker.”

“I’m not. I prefer scotch and bourbon.”

Andrew laughed. “A man after my own heart. Let’s go be social.”

Richard nodded and followed the other man into a large living room. Sure enough, there sat his parents. His dad and the traitorous ADA Deluca. They were chuckling over something, but both turned.

“There’s my boy!” his dad greeted with a big grin.

“And my future son-in-law!” The man raised his glass and stood. “I’ve known your father for years. Moved up the legal ranks together.” He offered his hand. “Karl Deluca.”

He shook the other man’s hand. “And, as you know, I’m Richard Bryson. I think the judge said my name enough.” He turned to his mother where she peered over something with Toni’s mother. “Hi Mom,” he greeted, and then turned to the woman with the magazine on her lap. “Mrs. Deluca, it’s nice to see you again.”

The woman smiled. “You, young man, are just in time. Your mother and I are discussing things for the wedding.”

He glanced down at the magazines and his heart slammed to a stop. “There isn’t going to be a wedding.”

“That’s not true. According to Judge Masters, there will be,” his father chimed in, with way too much enthusiasm.

“But it’s not going to be a real marriage so no need to plan fancy things.” He sighed and bounced his look between the mothers and fathers.

“Well, of course we don’t have time for anything fancy;” His mother giggled with a wave of her hand. “That would take at least eight months and I guess the sentence starts from the day of the wedding.”

“Precisely why we are getting married as soon as possible; so we can get out of this in a year’s time.” He ignored the disappointed expression on the older women’s faces. “Which means no fluff and stuff, no parties, no shiny tents, no bows on pews, and for Christ sake, no doves or swans and no cake that takes up a table and a half. No. I repeat no and in case you missed it, hell no!”

His mother shot him a scolding look. “Watch your mouth.”

Andrew stepped over. “Why don’t I get you that drink and I can introduce you to Kayla.”

He turned to the attorney. “Perfect.” He then glanced at his mother. “Burn the magazine while I’m gone.”

Richard followed Andrew out of the living room and had never been happier to escape the continuous torment from hell. “I’m never going to survive this.”

“Sure you will. I have the prenuptial agreement all drawn up, like you suggested.”

His steps halted. “Does Toni know I wanted one drawn up?” He braced himself for a fight.

“Of course.” He shrugged and grinned. “She had no problem with it.”

He blinked in disbelief. The few times he’d ever broached the topic of marriage with a lady or two—the words prenuptial agreement had them running like the wind. “She’s agreed to sign one?”

Andrew shook his head. “Yeah, why wouldn’t she?”

Richard shrugged and didn’t know what to think anymore.

The other man patted his upper arm. “Buddy, let’s get you a drink. You need to unwind and stop stressing. It’s not a death sentence.” He turned and continued to where female laughter echoed.

“It might as well be,” he grumbled as he followed Andrew into a brightly lit kitchen.

“Love a duck! I swear the woman has lost her ever loving mind,” Toni told her friend as she turned from the counter. The other woman turned as well and both blinked at him and Andrew.

“Hello, you must be Richard. I’m Kayla, Andrew’s wife and Toni’s best friend.” She stepped forward and shook his hand.

“It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for having this get together.” His gaze rested on Toni standing in a printed, slender, fitted dress. Her hair had been straightened and fell in a sleek wave past her shoulders. He’d forgotten how pretty she was. “Hello.”

“Hi,” she greeted. Her mood had suddenly shifted and the fun, happy demeanor from seconds earlier vanished. “How are you doing?”

He could tell she was forcing herself to be polite. “As best as can be under the circumstances.”

Her dark gaze drifted over him from head to toe before again looking him in the eye. For some strange reason, the emotion and expression which had flickered for fleeting seconds across her face turned him on.

She turned to Andrew. “Is my mother behaving?”

The attorney walked over to where liquor bottles sat on the counter. “You mean other than her and Mrs. Bryson poring over wedding magazines?”

Toni’s full lips parted in surprise and she exchanged a puzzled expression with Kayla before turning back to Andrew. “Are they drunk?”

Richard couldn’t control a grin.

“Love a duck!” Toni groaned in disbelief, before facing a stunned Kayla. “I told you she was losing her mind.” She planted her hands on her curvy hips that were hugged by the fabric of her fitted dress.

Richard refused to dwell on her hips, the fullness of her breasts to which the stretchy material clung, except for the dip of cleavage, which bordered between enough and too much. Antonia DeLuca was a perfect hourglass. Not good. He had to get all thoughts off her body and its design for sin. “Why do you say that?”

She turned to Richard. “Say what?”

“Love a duck.”

“Oh, that.” She giggled and tossed her hair over one shoulder.

He doubted she was going for sexy, but the maneuver worked out that way and turned him on in the process. Oh no—there was no way in hell he could live with this woman under the same roof for one year. Well, he could, but the hot water bill would be drastically reduced.

Toni debated a minute. "I started saying the phrase when my mother ratted me out to Father Giordano over how I was taking the Lord's name in vain more often than a lady or any other well-bred person should.”

Wonderful, she’s Catholic. Won’t mom be thrilled? We’re so screwed.

He inwardly winced at the pun and shook his head. “The phrase is highly annoying. Can you love something else?”

Her perfectly arched brows lifted and her full mouth curved into a smile. “Let me guess, you’re a closet duck-hater?”

“No.” A tight, invisible band started to work around his head, increasing pressure at his temples. “The saying is just ridiculous, I suggest you change it.”

“Fine then, any suggestions, Ricky?”             

“Don’t call me that!”

Her brows lifted and mischief danced in her dark eyes as she clapped her hands together. The motion also emphasized her cleavage and the fullness of her breasts. “Let me guess, you prefer
Dick
. I agree it’s more suitable.”

The woman was as sassy as they came. “No. No. I always have and always will answer only to Richard.”

“I’m so glad we cleared that up.” She nodded her head, and with every second that ticked by, he resented her sarcasm more. He refused to acknowledge the way the lights were picking up the sheen of her lip gloss and highlighting the plush softness of her lips. Rolling his eyes, he couldn’t understand why she had to be so frustrating.

Andrew passed him a drink and he struggled not to pound it back and ask for another. “Thank you.” He sipped the drink and savored the burn on his tongue.

Why was he attracted to Toni? Maybe he needed to go out and get laid. She had to be the most irritating woman to walk the earth, yet all he could think about was sex and his mother’s ultimatum. Marry or kiss the company good-bye—not to mention go to jail. However, he definitely found her attractive and he could only imagine nighttime hours—too bad sex wouldn’t be an option if they were going to get their marriage annulled after 365 days of wedded bliss. Still, the thought of them between the sheets tightened his groin further, and the temperature of the room had to have shot up by a good ten degrees. He was beyond grateful his suit coat covered the affect she had on him.

He narrowed his attention to her wheat colored hair with the bright bubblegum colored strip running from root to tip on one side by her face. "Yet your mother said nothing about the pink streak through your hair being unladylike?"

A cheeky grin dusted her lips, silently begging to be tasted. “No, I told her it matched my lace underwear and she was fine with it."

No, no, I’m not going to think about her underwear, lace or otherwise.

Too late. He could already imagine a scrap of soft fabric caressing up between her thighs and over her skin in the shape of a small thong. Richard bit back a groan and gritted his teeth. He sipped again from the glass and weighed his words. “I’m a high-profile venture capitalist—”

“Sorry to hear that.”

“Toni, be nice,” Kayla warned.

Wonderful, her sarcasm is her least desirable trait and she seems to have an extra helping of it.
“As I was saying—”

“Wait!” A confused expression dusted Toni’s beautiful features. “Adventure, like Robin Hood or capitalist, like Karl Marx?”

She’s kidding, right? To think she studied law.

From the expression on her face, he gathered she wasn’t. He let out a slow breath. “I said venture, not adventure, but to make things easy for you to understand—neither. Besides, Karl Marx was a communist, not a capitalist.”

Her face lit up and she smiled. Apparently a light had lit up in her pretty head. “So you’re a communist?” Or maybe she still remained in the dark.

Kayla turned back to the counter, but not before he noticed she was biting back laughter. Andrew dropped his gaze to the floor, but he too was fighting a grin.

Richard blinked at the woman who was going to be his wife. “No. I put money up for other people to start companies with brand new concepts or improvements on an existing product.” He was losing his patience with every passing second. Sadly, the control on his libido followed shortly behind. God had sent Antonia Deluca to test him—or kill him.