Chapter Ten
Melinda
I felt his presence the moment he was close. My body stiffened, the hairs on arms stood to attention, and my heart began to race. Damn, his effect on me is much stronger than I remember. I try to play it cool but I’ve totally lost where I was in the conversation with Sam’s mom. My hands tremble as I try to sip my wine.
“Someone’s staring at you, my dear,” Sam’s mom says and smiles sweetly over my shoulder before she excuses herself.
I turn and tremble slightly as I make eye contact with Mason. My heart flips in my chest. I smile and wave at him like an idiot. He takes three long strides and stands directly in front of me.
“What are you doing here?” he asks, surprised.
“Visiting,” I squeak, barely able to speak.
He takes a long sip of his drink and eyes me over his glass. “I saw you on TV the other night. It looks like your launch went well.”
“It did. It was nice to be back in my life.” I swirl the wine in my glass before taking a sip. This is way awkward.
“How have you been?”
This small talk is slowly killing me.
“Fine. They found Nathanial and brought him in. He confessed, hoping for a better deal. He turned on Viv, obviously.”
“How long are you here for?” he asks and his eyes search mine.
It’s now or never. I take in a breath through my nose and exhale through my mouth as I summon the courage to say what I want to. “That depends.”
“On what?” He takes a step closer and my body heats instinctively.
“On you.” It takes everything I have not to break eye contact with him.
He cocks an eyebrow and his lips twitch. “Is that so, hellcat?”
I don’t know why I love it when he calls me that, but I do. It sends sultry sensations throughout my body.
“Yes,” I answer softly and my hands tremble on my wine glass.
“Maybe we can discuss that over dinner tonight?” His eyes are hungry.
“I’d love that.”
Mason surprises me and pulls me into his embrace. I press my body against his and wind my arms around his waist. God, it feels good to be in his arms.
“I missed you, hellcat,” he whispers in my ear. The admission makes my heart thump faster.
“I missed you too,” I admit as releases me.
“Shall we mingle? It appears we have an audience.” He laughs as he raises his glass to Sam, Sydney, and Gabe.
I can’t help but throw my head back and laugh. “Let’s go mingle.”
He takes my hand in his and the jolt of electricity is there like before, although now, it feels more powerful.
“You feel that?” He looks at me, his eyes smoldering.
“Yes,” I answer and my voice sounds sultry.
“We’ll take care of that later.”
Heat rushes through me at the thought of being in Mason’s arms again.
He leads me by the hand to the three amigos who have the hugest smiles across their faces.
Mason
I feel as though I’m dreaming. I can’t believe she’s here, standing beside me with her hand in mine. It feels like an out of body experience to be in her presence again. My body zings with the anticipation of holding her in my arms. She squeezes my hand in hers and reminds me that she’s really here.
Sam and Gabe high-fiving and slap each other on the shoulders like a couple of frat boys. You’d think they just won the damn lottery. If anyone’s did win the lottery, it’s me. Having Melinda here is beyond anything I could have imagined. I squeeze her hand in return and look down at her and find her gaze on mine. She smiles and my heart turns into a puddle. God, I’m fucked. This woman definitely has control of my emotions.
“I’ve booked a room for you at the Marriot Waterside Downtown,” Sam says in all seriousness, “and you have dinner reservations at seven thirty this evening at Haven.” He winks at me. I nod my head, unsure of how to process everything that has unfolded in the last ten minutes.
“Cheers.” Sam raises his glass, pulls Sydney in close, and kisses her on her forehead. “to surprises.”
We raise our glasses and toast one another, and I squeeze Melinda’s hand again. I’m afraid that this may somehow be a dream but I realize it’s not when she returns the gentle pressure. The rest of the afternoon goes by in a blur. The get together is great, but I itch to get out of here with Melinda. I watch her as she laughs easily with Sydney.
“Dude, you’ve got it bad,” my brother says from behind me.
“I know,” I say honestly and turn to face him. “Why do you think I’ve been so fucking miserable the last few days?”
“I definitely get it now. Can I say something without you getting all pissy and telling me to fuck off?” He raises his eyebrow, unsure of my response. I nod because if I open my mouth, I might actually tell him to fuck off.
“Don’t let our past dictate your future, Mase. You’ve got something really good here. What Dad did to Mom isn’t who we are. It isn’t who you are. He wasn’t a good man and she let him get away with it for a long time. You’re a good man.”
I’m shocked and I knew it’s evident on my face. “You knew?” My voice if full of surprise. “You couldn’t have known. I protected you from that shit and we left before you were old enough to remember.”
“Mom told me everything before she died. She said she felt I needed to know the truth. I know that’s why you don’t sleep. I know you took his wrath to save her and to protect me.” His hand reaches out and touches my arm.
“Why didn’t you say anything?” I look at him.
“I could ask you the same thing.” He gives me a warm smile.
“Touché, little brother.” I pull him toward me and hug him tight. All this time, he knew everything and waited for me to be man enough to share it with him. I feel like an asshole. Instead of being so isolated in my own pain and past memories, I should have let him in. But I tried to protect him from the truth. I didn’t want him to know about the monster whose DNA we share.
“Now, don’t fuck this up with Melinda.” He pats my back before breaking our embrace.
“I don’t plan to,” I reply and my eyes find her across the room.
“It’s probably time you get out of here.” He pauses briefly. “I packed you a bag.”
My head swings around fast and I look at him in disbelief.
“Dude, you’ve been miserable. When Sam and I talked he said Melinda had called him and she was miserable too. So, we put a plan in place. You’re welcome.”
I open my mouth to say something but I’m at a loss for words, which is rare for me. I simply nod my head in appreciation.
“You should go grab your future,” he says seriously and nudges me forward.
Melinda
I want to rip his clothes off. It’s been four days since I’ve been with Mason—four long, miserable days, and now that he’s here with me, I plan to keep us otherwise occupied. My hand is in his in the backseat of the car. It’s as though it was made to fit perfectly in his. Sam’s driver takes us to our hotel. After what feels like an eternity, we finally pull in front of the building and get out. Mason hands our bags to the attendant and takes my hand back in his. Warmth spreads throughout my entire body. This man has done something to me no other man has, which scares me to death.
“Mr. Tanner, you’re all set. Your bags should be in your room when you arrive. If there’s anything you need, please don’t hesitate to reach out. We’re here twenty-four seven.”
“Thank you.”
“Your elevator is right through that hallway, sir.” His hand gestures to show us which way to go. I notice the murmurs when we walk through the grand lobby, but I ignore them. My attention is fully on Mason. If we’re in the tabloids tomorrow, I don’t care. They can speculate all they want.
Desire radiates between us as we wait for the elevator. We’re alone inside the elevator and the electricity sizzles as soon as the doors close. Mason pushes me against the back wall and his mouth taking hungry possession of mine. Our kiss is greedy and full of passion and my breasts crush against the hardness of his chest. A groan escapes my lips. When the elevator dings, Mason takes a step back. My lips feel bruised from our kiss.
“I’ve waited to do that all damn day, hellcat.” His sultry smile sets my pulse racing. I can feel it thudding in my ears.
We’ve barely made it inside the room when he pulls me toward him and traces my lips with his fingertips before he kisses me tenderly. The gentleness of his touch sends currents of desire through me. His hands move under my dress to skim my hips and thighs. Shivers of delight transport me. He pulls my dress carefully over my head, and I stand before him in only my bra and heels.
His mouth twitches, and his eyes smolder as they find mine.
“Always commando, hellcat.” His voice is low and husky.
He outlines the tips of my breasts through my lace bra with his fingers, and they immediately peak. Still holding my gaze, he unclasps it with one hand and lets it slip down my arms to the floor. His eyes strip me naked, and the world feels as though it has rotated and careened on its axis. Waves of ecstasy throb through me. His hands roam intimately over my breasts and his eyes never break contact with mine. My hands seek the buttons on his shirt and release them one by one. I slide it down his arms and let it puddle with my dress on the floor. My hands caress his washboard abs and move down toward where his jeans hang to show off his perfectly accentuated “V.” I inhale a quick breath as an electric shock scorches my body when his tongue caresses my aching, swollen nipples. He sucks vigorously and my body arches instinctively toward him to push my breasts further into his mouth. Slowly, his hands move downward and trace both sides of my body until they cup my buttocks. He crushes me to him and presses him mouth to mine.
I climb to wrap my legs around his waist and desperately need more of him. My heels fall to the floor as Mason walks us to the living room of our suite, our mouths still entwined. He places me gently on the large rectangle leather ottoman. I pant as my chest heaves while he unbuttons his jeans slowly, slides them off, and releases his engorged flesh. I lick my lips before encircling them tightly around his throbbing manhood.
“Fuck.” His voice is low and raspy.
I sense his thrill as I begin a slow, steady motion up and down his flesh. A moan of ecstasy escapes his lips as I explore the entire length of his shaft. His hands are on the back of my head and push it forward gently as I continue to suck in a raw act of possession. Stepping back, he removes himself from my mouth and my lips are swollen with pleasure as he kneels in front of me.
“Open,” he commands, and I don’t hesitate to obey.
“Fucking beautiful,” he says as he stares at the core of my being. Electricity arcs through me as my warm center pulsates with pleasure.
“Lay back,” he instructs and again, I obey immediately. He kisses me between my warm folds, and my body arches. The magnitude of my passion burns like the hottest fire. I cry out in sweet agony as he plunges two fingers deep inside me. His lips explored the insides of my thighs, then move up to my abdomen and sear a path to my breast. His tongue tantalizes my peaked buds which are fully engorged. He traces his tongue expertly up my neck to my jawline, then takes my mouth in savage mastery. My body melts against his as he plunges deep within me and my warm channel welcomes him. Our bodies are bound together in perfect harmony, our mouths entwined, and we devour one another. His thrusts quicken and we both cry out for release. We soar higher until we peak together and explode in the fiery sensations of pure ecstasy.
Mason
She pants beneath me and her chest heaves in time with mine. I kiss her, my mouth unable to leave hers as our breathing begins to steady. I can’t get enough of this woman. It’s as if she’s a fine whiskey, heating up my insides. When I finally pull my mouth from hers, I find tenderness and passion brimming in her eyes.
“I missed you,” she admits and her eyes shine bright.
“I missed you, hellcat,” I confess. The words feel good as they roll off my tongue. I can’t remember the last time I’ve ever missed anyone, probably because I haven’t. She’s the first. I adjust myself and rolling slowly of her and help her to her feet.
“Take me to bed,” she says and her eyes smolder with fire.
Her invitation is hard to resist. I gather her into my arms and hers instinctively encircle my neck as I carry her to the bedroom. I lay her down gently on the master bed. A hot ache rises in my throat and I swallow it as I climb over her. This time around, I’ll go slow and make sweet love to this gorgeous goddess beneath me.
The room’s dark when I open my eyes\. Melinda’s naked body is draped over me with her head on my chest. I shift as softly as I can so I don’t wake her. Her long black hair hangs down her back, and I run my fingers through it and smooth it tenderly.
“Do we have to go out?” she asks groggily.
Laughter floats up from my throat. “No, we don’t have to, but I think we should. I’d like to take you on a proper first date.”
She lifts her head to look at me. Joy floods her eyes.
“Does this mean we’re dating?” she teases, her voice raspy and sexy.
“Do you want it to mean we’re dating?” I should know better than to answer a question with a question, but I can’t help myself.
She leans up and presses her lips against mine. “Yes,” she says seriously and her eyes probe my very soul.
Fuck. This woman undoes me.
“Then you should get dressed, hellcat, before we miss our reservation.” I pat her gently on her behind and she groans her response.
“Fine. But I’m only going because I’m starving.” She swings her legs over the side of bed. With my hands behind my head, I watch her exquisite body walk to the bathroom and hear the shower turn on. It takes everything I have to not join her but I know if I do, we’ll never make dinner.
I swear I hear, “I’m just a guy with a girl,” by Blake Shelton, as we walk through the hotel lobby. Every head turns toward Melinda as she walks that killer supermodel strut. She’s stunning in a sequined strapless jumpsuit. Her hair hangs in loose waves down her back, and her makeup is natural to accentuate her beauty. I’d like nothing better than to turn her around and bring her back upstairs, but I promised her a date.
“Ms. Morgan?”
I feel Miranda stiffen beside me. I squeeze her hand gently to reassure her.
When she turns, her eyes find the face to go with the voice. A young girl of about fifteen approaches nervously us.
“Hello,” Melinda says warmly.
“I’m so sorry to bother you, Ms. Morgan.” Her voice shakes. “I-I… never thought I’d actually see you in person. I’m a huge fan. Would you mind signing this?” She holds out a magazine. “And may I snap a picture of us, please?”
Melinda’s warm smile helps the girl relax a little.
“Of course,” she responds and takes the magazine and sharpie from the girl. “where should we take it? And please, tell me your name.” She hands back the signed magazine and the girls eyes are wide with excitement.
“Um, I’m…I’m Amber.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Amber,” Melinda responds and motions to the woman whose eyes haven’t left her. I think it’s her mom, standing off to the side, so I wave and motion her over.
“How about by this beautiful wall?” I suggest and Amber’s phone from her hands. “I’ll do the honors.”
Her mom smiles at me and mouths, “Thank you.”
“Okay, ready?”
Melinda puts her arm around her shoulder and leans her head toward her. They both smile, although I’m sure Ambers is much wider than Melinda’s. She grins from ear to ear and anyone within fifty feet can feel her excitement. After a few pictures, her mom declares that’s enough.
“Thank you, Ms. Morgan! I can’t believe I actually met you.”
Her mom beams at Melinda. “You have no idea how much she looks up to you. Thank you.”
“You’re very welcome. Have a great rest of your evening.”
I turn back to see Amber jump up and down beside her mom.
“What’s it like?” I ask and take her hand in mine.
“What’s what like?” she cocks her head toward me as we wait for the Mercedes to move forward. Sam’s driver is back to take us to our destination. That man has thought of everything. He opens the back door with a nod and we both climb in.
“Being so famous people that fall all over you and you’re recognized everywhere you go?”
“Honestly, at first I loved it. I couldn’t get enough of it. It was what I dreamed of. The lights, the fame, the notoriety—it was intoxicating. Now, it’s difficult. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for everything I have, but sometimes, I wish I had a little more privacy. I wish I could go to the grocery store by myself without someone snapping a picture and posting it in the tabloids the next day. I mean, who cares that I’m shopping for groceries? I don’t understand the fascination.”
“I understand the fascination,” I admit, and it’s not a joke. Melinda is bewitching.
When we arrive at the restaurant, the same thing happens. All eyes are on Melinda as we’re escorted to our table. The hostess nearly lost it when she saw Melinda approaching. It’s a good thing her counterpart was there to save the day. Melinda, gracious as always, gave the girl a warm smile and the little hostess trembled at the acknowledgement.
We’re seated in a corner booth that overlooks the rest of the restaurant. Peering eyes continue to glance Melinda’s way.
“We can go if you’re uncomfortable,” she says.
“I could say the same to you.”
“I’m fine. I’ve learned to ignore it. Are you okay?”
“I’m with the most beautiful woman in the world. Why wouldn’t I be okay?”
I see her stiffen at my words.
“What is it?” I coax.
Our server interrupts us before she can answer me.
“Sir, this bottle of champagne was sent over from our manager.”
“Please thank him for us.” I nod for him to proceed.
When our champagne has been poured and appetizers have been ordered, I turn my attention back to my earlier question.
“Are you going to share?” I see her hesitate.
She lets out a slow breath before speaking.
“It’s just…” She pauses and sips her champagne.
“If this is going to go anywhere, you can’t hide things. Be honest. Truthful. I can handle it.” I urge her to continue.
She takes another deep breath before she replies. “Okay.” she exhales. “I’m afraid,” she admits and gulps another sip of her champagne.
“Of?”
“You. This. Us.” Her eyes are filled with worry as they stare into mine.
“What are you afraid of?”
“I’m afraid of being hurt again. I’m afraid of giving my heart away only to have it trampled on. I’m afraid to trust. What if all of this is simply residual from what happened in New York? What if it goes away? What if you realize I’m not the most beautiful woman in the world and you leave?” Her voice overflows with emotion.
I set my glass down on the table, take her hand in mine, and rub the top of it with my thumb. She looks scared after her admission.
“For the record, this isn’t residual, and I think you know that deep down and it scares the shit out of you. Second, what I feel for you scares the shit out of me.” Her eyes widen in surprise. “I would never do anything to betray your trust. Those other guys were little boys and didn’t realize the beautiful gem that you are—not only on the outside, but also on the inside. That’s what I meant by the most beautiful woman in the world. This isn’t going away, not for me anyway.”
Her eyes brim with tears. I blow out a deep breath at my own admission. I’ve never been so transparent with someone, and as uncomfortable as it was, I want to do right by her. She deserves that.
“It’s not going away for me either.” She squeezes my hand. Her smile is back and overtakes her fears.
Melinda
If I were standing, his admission would have knocked me off my feet. Good thing I was sitting. Tough guy, Mason Tanner, just revealed part of his inmost self to me, and the revelation triggered a warmth to spread through my body. My heart flips in my chest at his words.
“So how do we do this?” I ask. My mind races about how we can have a relationship when we live so far away from one another.
“Do what?” His smile is relaxed as he gazes at me.
“Do us.” I sip my champagne before I continue. “We live a million miles apart. Our lives are in different places. How do we have any form of a relationship?”
His grin is irresistibly devastating and if I wasn’t in public, I’d climb all over him and devour his mouth.
“We just do. We make time for each other. My work is flexible. I don’t mind traveling, even though I can only take the city for so long,” he admits with a grimace.
“You hate the city?” I’m not surprised, but I want to hear his answer.
“I don’t hate the city necessarily. I can handle it for some time, but I need a place to breathe, like the beach. And I have a dog who won’t do well in a city.”
“You have a dog?” I exclaim.
His mouth curves up on one side. “I do. His name is Oliver. He’s been with Gabe while I was away.” He exhales a long breath. “I’ve been with Gabe for two years.” He frowns, though I’m not sure why.
“You have? Wait, before you answer, I want to meet Oliver before I head back. Okay, now you can answer.”
“When Sheila and I divorced, I needed a place to land since I gave her the house. It was only supposed to be for a month.” He shrugs his shoulders.
“And?” I want to hear more.
“And I never left. I had every intention to, but I never got off my ass to do it. I got comfortable,” he admits, unashamed.
“And now?”
“And now, I want to change that. You make me want to change that.”
My breath catches in my throat. I pause for a moment and bite my bottom lip.
“I do?” I ask and know that I also want to change that with him.
“You do, and that scares the living shit out of me.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “Good, because that scares the shit out of me too.”
Levity comes to the conversation after our confessions. We’re two wounded people, afraid to trust, yet here we are and our transparency is disarming.
“So, what do we do about it?” I ask and my hand touches the side of his face.
Mason
“Mason Tanner, who thought we’d see you out and about?”
Fuck. The interruption is not an invited one. The voice I hear makes my skin crawl and I stiffen visibly as I turn my head to see Sheila and her fuck boy husband, Mike, standing beside our table. Melinda squeezes my hand and I watch Sheila’s eyes fill with jealousy. How the hell does she keep showing up when I’m out?
“Mike. Sheila. Nice to see you. This is my friend Melinda.” I nod to them and silently will them to go away.
“It’s nice to meet you.” Melinda’s smile is warm, and the venom in Sheila’s eyes is evident. Mike, on the other hand, can’t take his eyes off of her. He’s practically salivating. then again, he’s a cheating prick so I wouldn’t expect anything else, but that’s none of my business.
“Melinda? Like Melinda Morgan? There’s a striking resemblance,” Sheila says, her voice clipped.
“That’s me.” Melinda smiles again but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
Sheila looks from me to Melinda, then down to our entwined hands. Her eyes narrow as she absorbs the obvious.
“Are you still playing Magnum?” Mike asks, his voice condescending.
“Not playing,” I respond but refuse to take his bait.
“There’s still a place in our office when you tire of playing.”
He’s tried to get me to come to the dark side for years. Even if hell froze over, I’d never work for that prick. His office is notorious for high fees, extending cases so they can bill more hours, and God knows what else.
“I’ll have to pass but thanks for the offer.” I nod and wish they would leave us the hell alone.
Sheila’s noticeably quiet and her eyes are narrowed, transfixed on Melinda as Mike continues to schmooze. Melinda scoots closer to me in the rounded booth and entwines her fingers with mine.
“Well, enjoy your dinner” Mike says finally after awkward small talk. He takes Sheila’s hand in his and pulls her away from our table. She glances over her shoulder, a sad smile on her face, before she pastes a fake one on for the world to see.
“Who was that?” Melinda shivers. “He gives me the creeps.”
“That was my ex-wife and her husband.”
Her eyes widen. “That’s your ex-wife?” She glances at them as they make their way through the restaurant to their table. “I don’t believe it.”
I shake my head back and forth. “Me neither.”
“How long were you married again?”
“A year, maybe a little longer. I honestly don’t remember. It seems like a lifetime ago.”
“How long did you date before you got married?” she asks.
“Six months.”
“Six months? Was she pregnant?” Her hand covers her mouth, “Oh, my God. I shouldn’t have asked that.”
I laugh. “No, she wasn’t pregnant. She badgered me about it, though. At the time, I was wrestling with the notion of stopping practicing. I didn’t tell anyone, so the thought of having stability in my life seemed right at the time. I shouldn’t have married her. It was a disaster from the beginning. Gabe tried to warn me.”
“Ah, yes, but we don’t want to heed those warnings, even when we see the red flags ourselves. I get it,” she admits. She sips her champagne and holds her glass up to toast. “To new beginnings.”
“To new beginnings.” I clink my glass with hers and watch her as she tips her head back.
“What?” she asks, and her eyebrow raises questioningly me.
“This is different,” I admit and truly want her to know the depth of what I feel for her.
She pauses and her gaze searches my eyes. “I’m scared,” she admits, her voice soft.
“I would never do anything to hurt you. Do you believe that?”
She hesitates. “I do, and I think that’s what scares me the most. What I feel for you is nothing I have felt before.”
My heart flips in my chest at her admission. God, this woman has gotten under my skin quickly. The depth of my feelings for her is way more intense than I realized.
“You’ve bewitched me, hellcat.” I kiss the top of her hand as color rises to her cheeks. “Let’s get back to the hotel.”