by Dee J. Adams
“I do admire you,” Mel said, squeezing her hand. “I think it’s amazing that you can laugh and smile despite everything you’ve gone through and continue to go through. I don’t think I’m half as strong as you are.”
What a joke. He had no clue how scared she was. All the freakin’ time. She wasn’t strong, she was a pretender, just faking her way through every day of her life the past two years. But she wanted to give him courage so she said the right thing. “Sure you are. You said yourself you’ve gone through a tough time the past few months. We all go through our own crap. It’s just different crap.”
* * *
“I guess that’s true,” Mel said.
She pulled away, felt around for the ball in the sand, tossed it for her dog and relaxed in her chair. Wearing a white down vest and white sweats, she looked like a snow bunny ready for the slopes. She also looked innocent and uncompromised. She was truth and honesty, vital and full of life and fight. She had more confidence in him than he had in himself.
He wanted her.
He wanted time to kiss her, touch her and explore the softness of her body. He wanted to spend hours skin to skin with no distractions and no rules.
But most of all he wanted to keep her as a friend. He wanted to keep the straight talk and the laughter and he didn’t want to fuck it up with sex.
Of course, someone needed to tell his rock-hard dick. Apparently that part of his anatomy had come to life with a vengeance and had set its eye on Ashley.
Why not? She was a natural beauty. Her smooth skin rarely saw any makeup and her body was fit. She was smart and funny and, in all the time they spent together, she’d never once come on to him. Every innocent touch had been in friendship. Even her kiss on the stairs had been mostly innocent and meant as nothing more than a sign of thanks for being a friend.
So, yes, they were friends first and Mel wouldn’t fuck it up by changing the dynamic no matter how hard his dick got. Still, not having a woman throwing herself at him was a novel idea. Not to mention how it made Mel want her that much more.
A few minutes later, the wind picked up and the breeze turned downright cold. High white-capped waves rushed in as the surf turned ferocious.
Ashley sat up. “I’m done today,” she said, facing him. “It’s one thing to commune with nature every day, but it’s another to freeze my ass off.” She stood up and folded her chair. “Want to come over for some hot chocolate or coffee? Paula and I made a coffee cake yesterday and there’s no way we can eat the whole thing.”
The mention of Paula put a damper on the day. Despite her promise to keep his secret, Mel wasn’t in any hurry to spend time with her. What if she slipped and called him Seger or went into disciple mode with Ashley around. He couldn’t risk it.
“What time is Paula coming over today?” he asked.
“Two. But she’s been coming over early every day and helping me go through my office. It’s so cluttered.”
Mel checked his watch. “It’s not eleven yet. She won’t show for a while, right?” The idea of coffee cake already had his mouth watering. He could bail long before Paula got there.
They packed up the chairs and left them in the usual spot against the mountain. A few minutes later, they were sitting at the center island with hot chocolate and warm coffee cake. Roamer sat patiently waiting for anyone to drop food. It was normal. It was fun and it was everything Mel had been lacking in his life.
Until he heard the front door open and Paula’s voice carried through the house. “Ashley, you here?”
Duh. Where else would she be? Mel’s dislike for her grew a notch.
Roamer bolted to say hi.
Ashley’s shoulders stiffened and she swallowed the bite in her mouth. “Dammit,” she muttered.
“I know I’m really early but I finished some errands early on this side of the hill and didn’t want to have to do the drive twice.”
“Then why didn’t you do your errands later?” Ashley murmured, then quickly said, “In here.” Clearly, she was as enthusiastic as Mel was at the end of their solitude. “This is getting out of hand,” she mumbled as Paula breezed through the kitchen door with the dog prancing next to her, looking for attention.
Mel stood as he wolfed down the last of his coffee cake, ready to make a fast break for the door.
Paula spotted him and her eyes flashed. Mel didn’t realize until that moment how much the look turned his stomach. “Oh, hi, Mel,” she crooned. “I haven’t seen you in ages.”
He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Been busy.” He swigged the last of his drink and headed for the door. “Thanks for the snack, Ash. I’ll see you later.”
“I’ll walk you out. Be right back, Paula.”
Paula smiled at Ashley, but her eyes didn’t carry the same warmth. “Okay. I’ll be here.”
Ashley found his arm and followed him outside. Roamer trailed behind. “Sorry about that,” she said as they crossed the yard. “I don’t know why you dislike her so much, but I appreciate your feelings.”
“It’s not that I dislike her,” he said. “I just…” Why bother lying about it? The truth was the truth. “Yeah, okay, I don’t really like her. I can’t explain it.” Not unless he wanted to blow his cover.
“She asks about you. A lot.”
“No shit?”
“Every day, actually. I’d say she really has the hots for you. It’s nothing overt,” Ashley explained. “She’s very low key and casual, but it’s there. So I don’t blame you for running if that’s your instinct.”
Nine months ago, he might’ve been all over a sure thing, but not anymore. His taste had changed from tall, longhaired brunette to perky blonde.
They reached the gate and Mel put Ashley in front of him so his body blocked the wind. “Thanks for the cake. It was great. Thanks for your support too.” He hugged her, took in her citrus scent. She hadn’t taken time to put on her down vest and her full breasts crushed against his chest. She was one hundred percent real woman. No hard, bowl-shaped implants slamming against him. She was everything he’d overlooked in his past and the one thing he wanted more than ever now.
After a brief squeeze, she pulled away, but grabbed the lapel of his jacket and kept him close. “You’re going to make it. I know it in my heart. Your music is really good so don’t get down on yourself.”
Mel wanted to kiss her, but he knew if his lips came into contact with hers he wouldn’t be able to stop. He’d drive his tongue into her mouth, pull her tight against him and let her really feel how much he wanted her.
Instead, he bent his head and brushed his lips against her cheek the same way he’d done earlier at the beach. He lingered longer than he should have but loved the way her soft skin glided against his mouth.
Just like then, she froze with her head tilted the slightest fraction, as if maybe this kiss might turn into something else if either one of them made the decision. Mel wanted her to make the first move. He wanted to be sure she wanted him, to know this crazy attraction wasn’t one-sided. But she didn’t move and Mel pulled away before he fucked up the best relationship he ever had.
* * *
Paula wanted to break something. Preferably Ashley. Into eight million tiny bits and pieces. Mel was falling for Ashley’s little blind-girl act and it had to stop.
How could he kiss her? She was beneath him on so many levels. Maybe Paula hadn’t seen their lips touch, but the way he’d bent over her, it was undeniable and there was no way she could stand for it.
As Ashley made her way back to the house with Roamer at her heels, Paula moved back into the kitchen. She needed a plan. Needed to get rid of Ashley before it was too late.
Ashley came into the kitchen, shook off the cold and headed to the center island for her mug. The cozy set up of two mugs and two plates made Paula’s blood boil.
“The wind is really picking up,” Ashley told her. “I had to hang onto the railing to keep from getting blown away.”
“Good thing it’s sturdy,” Pa
ula said automatically.
But what if it wasn’t? What if some nails came loose and what if Ashley accidentally fell down the stairs again or even over the edge? A series of storms was supposed to blow through town in the next couple of days. Wouldn’t it be terrible if those storms damaged the stairs to the beach?
“I had that one stair fixed after my fall just to be safe,” Ashley answered. “I didn’t think about the rest of the thing, but it seems pretty solid.”
“I’m sure it is.” Paula took Mel’s mug and plate to the sink. She put the mug to her lips and drank the last few drops, savoring the idea of his lips on the same spot. She rinsed the dishes and stuck them in the dishwasher. “So, Mel ran out of here pretty quickly. Was it something I said?”
“No, no,” Ashley explained quickly. “He…he’s just getting ready for a gig and has to work on some guitars.”
“A gig? He has a gig?”
“His boss is playing a benefit in Seattle and he has to make sure all the guitars are tuned.”
Paula couldn’t have asked for better news. “When’s he leaving?”
“Soon, I think. I’m not sure.”
“How long will he be gone?”
“He didn’t really say other than it’s a quick trip.”
“That must be tough, moving around all the time, not being able to stay in one place too long to form any roots.” She could be his roots. She’d give him the foundation and build him a home he’d never want to leave.
“I’m sure if he ever decided to try something new, he would. Maybe he’s doing that with this time off.” Ashley straightened the kitchen stools. She knew something. Something about Mel.
Paula watched her, keeping a tight hold on her anger. She wanted to know the secret. What did the blind girl have that she didn’t? She deserved the closeness with Mel. She’d earned it. Years of following his career and buying his music, watching his interviews and reading his magazine articles made her the obvious choice. He belonged to her.
Clearly Mel was leery of her since she’d talked to him, so she had to find a way to bring him to her. There seemed no better bait than Ashley. In fact, once Ashley was out of the way, Mel wouldn’t have to worry about Paula blowing his cover. He had to be worried about it. That was the only thing that could explain why he avoided her.
Maybe she shouldn’t have been honest with him, but she’d keep the secret for as long as he wanted because he deserved her best. He deserved her love. She’d deliver everything he ever wanted on a silver platter if he’d give her a chance. But first she had to get rid of Ashley.
Chapter Sixteen
Ashley stood at the French doors of her bedroom listening to the growing storm outside. Hard rain continued to mercilessly pound the roof. Howling wind whipped loud drops against the windows and she shivered at the ominous sound.
Earlier in the day as the mist had turned into a sprinkle, Ashley had brought up the beach chairs. Having never lived this close to the shore, she’d been surprised at all the sounds that marked the coming storm. The waves had rushed in angrily and she pictured the frothy white caps and darkened sky. The breeze gusted in cold bursts and sent goose bumps dancing across her skin. The sound seemed to echo like a roaring giant in her little private alcove.
After storing the chairs in the garage, she’d come inside the sand room to strip off her raincoat and rubber shoes. The light tinkling of the sprinkles had whapped against the window as the wind slashed it sideways, but now, Ashley didn’t need to see it to know those sprinkles had turned to heavy drops of water. They hit the house with such force she was reminded of a hailstorm she weathered with Ellie ten years ago. Although a lot of things in life scared her, bad weather wasn’t one of them. Neither was being alone, but it didn’t change the fact that she didn’t like it.
Sitting back on her yoga pad, she took a deep breath and cleared her mind.
The last two days had been lonely without Mel. His absence made her realize how much she’d come to think of him as her closest friend. In the past weeks, they’d talked politics, movies and nature. They told filthy jokes and made each other laugh more times than she could count. Time spent with Mel meant time spent having fun. She missed him. She missed the talks and the laughs. She barely remembered a time without him and they’d only been on the hilltop together for—
A door slammed across the house and Ashley jumped. “Paula?” she called. Maybe she’d forgotten something and come back to the house, but there was no answer. Ashley got up and opened her door. “Paula?” Why was it so quiet? Where was Roamer? Usually he answered to any name in hopes of conning someone into giving him a treat. “Roamer?” She crept out into the hallway, heading toward the kitchen, listening intently. “C’mere boy. Roamer?”
If that had been the kitchen door slamming, then it meant Roamer might be outside. He didn’t care how bad the weather was. He took any chance to go out to the beach.
“Oh, shit,” she said, picking up her pace toward the kitchen. “Roamer,” she yelled again, her voice carrying through the house. If he was inside, he’d hear her. But he didn’t respond. “Dammit!” she hissed. She opened the door from the kitchen into the sand room and got hit with a blast of icy wet air. The outside door must have been wide open and the wind whipped the rain inside furiously.
Ashley stood at the door and got pelted with hard rain. “Roamer!” she screamed into the night. “Roamer, c’mere boy. Come!” She listened and didn’t hear anything. He’d have to get through two gates if he wanted to get to the beach, but if the wind had blown them open, then he could’ve made it to the stairs. Fear pricked at her and Ashley found her rubber boots and threw them on with her yellow slicker. Seeing anything in her periphery was tough enough during the day, but at night she truly was blackout blind. She pushed back the niggling fear of the unknown as she closed the door behind her and started for the gate. Cold hard rain beat at her as the wind howled. “Roamer,” she called. “C’mon, boy.” She slid in a puddle and just caught her balance. “Damn dog,” she muttered. “No jerky treats for you tonight, pal.” She heard the first gate slamming against the wall. Shit.
Ashley reached the beach gate and found it open as well. “Dammit!” She couldn’t imagine Paula had left them both open. The wind must have done it.
“Roamer!” she called again, taking a solid hold of the railing. She heard the waves crashing below and the wind whipped around her tornado-style. Slowly she descended the stairs, yelling for Roamer, and keeping a firm grip on the wood rail in case she slipped. She was barely halfway to the first landing when a huge wave crashed below and nearly deafened her. The railing wobbled and a fresh blast of rain crashed down from the sky. A giant flash lit her periphery followed by a clap of thunder that rocked the stairs. Something cracked. More lightning flashed, another clap of thunder hit, and the railing wrenched her arms with a yank.
A scream tore from her throat as she jumped back, but she lost her footing on the slick step and flailed for a hold on something. She grabbed the thick railing as it collapsed and she went with it over the side of the stairs. Everything turned upside down then right side up as gravity pulled her down. Ashley scrambled to keep her hold on the thick piece of wood. She bounced hard against some rocks as she clung to the railing. Her feet scrabbled for a hold against the slippery rock wall.
“Somebody!” she screamed. “Roamer!” It was useless. Futile. No one was out here. No one could hear her. The ocean roared behind and beneath her and she could only imagine the high tide eating up the beach and threatening to take her next. Rain pounded her, ran down her face and beneath her jacket as she tightened her grip on the railroad tie. She couldn’t afford the effort of crying so she held back the sting of tears as she held on for her life.
* * *
Mel pulled up into his driveway, his wipers at full blast. This was one of the worst storms he’d been in and he was damn glad to get out of it. He hadn’t been due back until tomorrow, but he’d missed home. Hell, who was he kidding? He miss
ed Ashley. He wanted to see her again. Hear her laugh. He got to be himself when he was with her and it turned out he liked being himself. He liked the way she made him feel. Liked the way she made him comfortable in his own skin. It had been too damn long since he’d felt that way.
So instead of waiting and traveling with the band tomorrow, he’d chartered a plane, got his ass out of the venue and landed at the Santa Monica airport just in time for the storm of the century. That had been one hell of a landing. Not something he needed to relive anytime soon. Or ever.
The garage door opened and Mel started forward, but stomped on the brake as something bolted in front of the car. Roamer. God… Scared the hell out of him. Mel’s heart pounded harder, which only proved driving in this shit had him on edge. That dog must have been a cat in a former life. He had nine frickin’ lives. The dog was going ballistic around the car and Mel didn’t dare go any farther because he didn’t want to roll over a paw. There didn’t seem to be any way around getting soaked. He’d have to get out of the car and take Roamer home before he could safely pull into his garage.
Damn dog.
Mel took a deep breath and opened the car door. Cold rain pounded him, and Roamer didn’t waste time pouncing against his thighs, but the dog just as quickly jumped off and headed toward the side of the garage, barking his head off the whole time.
“Buddy, c’mere,” Mel called. Damn, the rain was like ice. He patted his thigh and whistled, but the dog just moved farther away, continuing to bark and prance.
What the hell? Mel had never seen him like this before. But maybe the storm had him freaked out. A bolt of lightning shattered the sky followed by a ground-shaking clap of thunder. Mel ducked under the sound. Shit!
Instead of negotiating with a dog, he ran over to Ashley’s place and pounded on the door. “Ashley,” he called. He laid on the bell. It wasn’t that late, after all. She had to be up. “Ashley! I’ve got Roamer out here. Hello!” No answer. Waiting in this rain seemed stupid as hell so he ran around the back. The wide-open gate sent a quick zing of apprehension in his gut. But it made sense because how else would Roamer have gotten out. He got to the back door and tried the knob. Also wide open. “Ashley!” he yelled. Nothing. “Roamer, c’mere,” Mel called and gave a sharp whistle. “Get your wet dog butt in the house.”
