by Dee J. Adams
A truckload of guilt swamped him. She would’ve been sore enough tomorrow without him having jumped her, but now her muscles were going to be screaming.
Outside, the wind had died down and the rain drizzled steadily. The worst of the storm had passed and Mel sighed, grateful for so much. Grateful for coming home early and finding Ashley when he did. Grateful for her friendship and her generosity.
Sex with her was mind numbing. Maybe because he hadn’t had sex in so long. Possibly because he couldn’t even remember the last time he’d had sober sex. For years the goal had been to find a beautiful woman and lose himself in her body, but tonight had been totally different. He’d wanted Ashley in a way he hadn’t wanted any other woman. For the first time, sex hadn’t been about his release, it had been about someone else’s.
The events of the night flashed through his mind, from seeing her hanging over the rocks to soaking with her in a hot bath. But most of all he’d never forget her tugging him up her body to take him in her mouth. A shiver climbed up Mel’s spine as he remembered the feel of her lips surrounding him, her tongue stroking him. A fresh surge of lust flooded his groin. She was one hell of a talented woman. The most talented if his memory served him correctly.
Aside from getting great head, he felt a certain amount of pride in making her come. God, the expression on her face when she’d gone over the edge…the surprise, the pleasure…he’d never forget it as long as he lived.
Ashley turned on her side and snuggled her back against his front. Mel wrapped his arm around her waist and spooned her body. With one last kiss to her nape, he settled next to her and let sleep come.
What felt like minutes later, the sun streaked through the cathedral windows and Mel stuck his head under the pillow. Clicking toenails on the hardwood floor made him freeze until he realized it was Roamer.
Lifting the pillow, Mel opened his eyes. Roamer’s raccoon face and wagging tail made him smile. Before the dog woke up Ashley, Mel got out of bed, threw on a clean pair of sweats, dug his feet into some sneakers and led Roamer outside to do his doggie business.
The sun had chased most of the clouds over the ocean and made a beautiful contrast in the sky. Palm fronds littered the ground and the pool had filled with leaves and dirt. The brisk cold had a distinct bite and Mel rubbed his hands together.
Mel spotted Roamer chewing a palm leaf and called him off. After last night, the dog was probably starving. Mel had never locked Ashley’s back door so Roamer followed him over. Mel opened the doggie door and put fresh food and water in the dog bowls.
Something caught his eye on the kitchen counter and he took a closer look. A lemon bundt cake sat under a glass cover. One word flashed in his head. Breakfast. He sliced half the cake, set it on a ceramic plate resting in the drain board and covered it with some clear wrap he found in a drawer. Proud of finding food, he headed toward the door, but stopped at the fridge. “What the hell.” He opened the door and snagged a quart of milk, kicked the door shut and went home. With a balancing act worthy of the circus, he propped open his and Ashley’s backyard gates, except for the beach gate, so Roamer had his freedom on the estate. Since he was on a roll, he left his back door open too, so Roamer really had room to explore. May as well, since he planned on keeping Ashley at his place all day. A smile spread across his face just thinking about it. The best way to ease her muscle pain was to stretch out sore muscles and he had just the plan. Another hot bath, a massage…some gentle sex…oh, yeah, a lot of slow, gentle sex…it was going to be a great day.
Once in his own kitchen, he sliced a hunk of cake, poured two glasses of milk, grabbed a fork and headed to his bedroom. Ashley was exactly as he’d left her, curled up in the middle of his bed, looking as sweet as she had last night. He couldn’t remember one time in the last ten years when he’d woken up to a woman who didn’t have mascara smeared around her eyes with a raccoon face that made her look used hard and put away wet. Not to mention the amount of makeup that stained the pillowcase.
Not the case with Ashley.
Mel set the cake and milk on the end table and crawled into bed next to her. She groaned. “Hey, good morning,” he whispered, skating his lips from her nape to her ear.
“Take me out back, shoot me and put me out of my misery,” she mumbled into the pillow.
Mel smiled. “How about breakfast instead? Maybe a hot bath and a massage?”
“Oh, God. I’d marry you if you did that, so be careful. Don’t tease me.” She rolled over slowly and grimaced. “Oh, jeez. Could I hurt worse?”
“I’ve got just the cure.” Mel grabbed the cake and fork as Ashley gingerly sat against the headboard. “Open,” he ordered. She sniffed and he grinned. “Trust me.” He slid a bite into her mouth and watched her face dissolve into utter bliss.
“This tastes just like—”
“The lemon cake in your kitchen,” he finished for her. “Because it is. I stole your milk too. I figured it was for a worthy cause.”
“Consider this the engagement party,” she said around a mouthful. Any other woman saying that might have freaked him out, but Ashley clearly didn’t mean it. He loved her blasé attitude. There wasn’t any hint of the morning-after disaster he’d lived through so many times. She was the same Ashley she’d always been. This was just the naked version. He liked it. A lot.
Halfway through the cake, Mel went to the bathroom and started the water in the tub.
When the cake and milk disappeared, Mel carried Ashley into the bathroom and set her in the hot water. Something between a purr and a moan escaped her lips and the sound got him right in the gut.
“Babe, you are my new number one best friend. I’ll have to break the news to Elle next time I talk to her. Did you notice that? I went from Elle to Mel. What were the odds?”
She was too damn cute for words. “That looks tempting as hell,” Mel said as the water rose around her body.
Ashley smiled wryly, her eyes still closed. “You talking about the bath or my breasts?”
“Both.” Mel crouched next to the tub, mesmerized as the water closed over her dusky nipples. Long seconds passed as water filled the tub.
“You’re staring,” she murmured. “I can tell.”
“Can’t help it. You look good in my tub.” Steam rose from the hot water and a drop of sweat trickled down her hairline and followed the scar on her face. He’d seen some nasty scars over the years, but Ashley’s was beautiful. There was no other word for it. The silvery line curved in her skin like a perfect crescent. Mel reached out and caught the drop with his knuckle.
Ashley flinched.
“Sorry. Does it hurt?”
“No, no, you just surprised me.” She took his hand and linked their fingers. “If you’re not careful, I might pull you in here.”
“Not unless you’re ready for another round.” His dick was so hard, he strained the cotton of his sweats. That they’d go another round was inevitable, but she deserved a break from the action and he enjoyed the anticipation.
She shook her head and squeezed his hand. “No way. I can barely move. Don’t even think about it.”
Was she serious? It was all he could think about.
Another drop of sweat followed her scar and Mel leaned over the tub and brushed his lips against her wet skin. He couldn’t help but trail his mouth to hers. Her soft lips parted, let him in to taste her. He kissed her slow, kissed her deep. Damn, he wanted to crawl inside her and stay forever.
Patience. Seger Hughes went for instant gratification. Mel Summers took his time and drew out the pleasure. Pulling back, Mel licked his lips, tasted the lemon cake that lingered in her mouth.
“Horny bastard, aren’t you?” she said with that same wry grin on her face.
“Can’t blame me. It’s the natural reaction to having a hot babe soak in my tub.”
She snorted. “Yeah, from the neck down, I’m not half bad.”
“Nothing wrong with the neck up either.”
Shrugging, she didn
’t respond. Maybe the scar bothered her more than she let on.
“I know you can’t see through them too well, but you have the prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. They’re sharp, aqua blue. Killer.”
She turned her head to the side, hiding her scar. “My eyes were pretty much the only part of my face that didn’t change.”
“From the fall down the stairs?”
She shook her head, “No. From the scaffolding. I got a new face. But I was lucky to have a great plastic surgeon and he put me back together. I came out of the coma looking very different than before.”
Curiosity killed him. “How different?”
She tipped her head to the side as if remembering the old version. “New nose, new chin, new cheeks. I was chunky before. My face was very round. Between work and night school, I didn’t exercise at all. I lost a lot of weight during the coma and afterward I had a ton of physical therapy. My body changed. Everything changed,” she said, her voice softening.
Mel shut off the water and the last few drops splashed into the tub as he moved back to the edge. “The new you is the only you I’ve known and I think she’s pretty terrific.”
Ashley blinked furiously and moisture brimmed her eyes. She smiled through the tears. “You’re just saying that ’cause you got laid last night.”
Mel laughed. “Not true,” he said, taking her hand and bringing it to his lips for a kiss. Yes, it had taken him a little time to get to know her, but even at the very beginning she made it hard not to like her. “I thought you were terrific before the great sex.”
She stretched and water rippled around her. “It was great sex. My God, what a way to end a drought.”
His thoughts exactly. “I’m thinking we’ll have to do it again in a little while.”
“So the light of day hasn’t scared you off?”
“Not even close.” He never had the impression that the scar bothered her until now. She seemed so self-assured and funny. Like nothing fazed her. Not her blindness, not the scar.
“You’re staring at my face again, aren’t you?” Even now, when she knew he was watching, she couldn’t—or wouldn’t—say the S word.
So he said it for her. “Yeah, your scar is amazing. It’s beautiful.”
“Beautiful?” she croaked.
“Yeah.” He brushed his thumb along the mark lightly. “It’s beautiful. It’s you.”
Long seconds passed as she thought about that. “I always made sure to cover it up before I lost my eyesight. I’d look in the mirror every morning and figured if I could cover it up then I could get through the day. Then one day I couldn’t see to cover it up.”
“Screw makeup. You don’t need it.”
“Wow, you do want to get laid again.”
Well, yeah, but the insinuation that sex was the only thing he wanted from her hurt. “That’s not why I’m telling you this.”
She sobered. “I know. You’re one of the few people who’ve seen me without makeup.” Shaking her head, she squeezed his hand. “Trust me, if you’d have moved in before I lost my vision, that wouldn’t have happened. Especially since you’re single. And funny. And talented.” She blushed and snorted. “Of all the times to move in, you picked when I couldn’t see and couldn’t hide my scar. So, here I am. The real me. What you see is what you get.”
Her honesty floored him. It shouldn’t have. She’d always been upfront with him about everything. He was the one with a secret. “I like what I see,” he whispered. “You don’t need to hide your scar. It’s who you are now. Nothing to hide from.”
She squeezed his hand again. “Watch it, babe. You keep talking like that and I might fall in love.” She smiled to downplay the words and he grinned back. There were too many things about her to like, too many reasons to hold onto her for a long time.
“We already had the engagement party and you aren’t in love with me?” he asked.
She shrugged. “It was a shotgun party, but maybe you’ll grow on me.”
Mel laughed. She was the polar opposite of what he was used to. He’d never felt this kind of happiness grow in his chest. He’d never known it existed. “Maybe this will help.” He reached over and hit the knob for the Jacuzzi. Bubbles instantly formed as the jets sprayed in the tub. “I’ll give you ten minutes then I’m pulling your pruned butt out of there.” He headed to the door as she sunk further in the tub.
“Mmm,” was her only reply.
* * *
Paula couldn’t stay away.
Smiling, she let herself into the house. She had to know if her plan had worked. “Ashley, it’s me, are you here?” Nothing. Not a sound and Paula squelched the triumphant beat of her pounding heart. “I left my day planner. Just need to pick it up and I’ll be out of your hair.” The quiet stretched on as Paula wandered through the house. Every step brought her a new measure of elation.
In the kitchen, she spotted her day planner, shoved it in her purse and looked around. Nothing looked out of place. Edging toward the sand room, she saw the first sign that something was different. The doggie door was open. Ashley had closed it yesterday before the storm started, so Roamer wouldn’t track paw prints in the house. Paula had left the gates and the back door open and showed Roamer right before she’d left the house. He’d been antsy, ready to explore the yard and sniff electric air, and he’d bolted out back.
The sense of triumph coursing through her body was almost too much to bear.
Outside, the small yard was a mess with a dozen huge palm leaves littering the grass. No sign of Roamer. Paula kept a sharp eye out as she crept toward the gate. When she saw the devastation, a spurt of joy exploded in her chest. The railing had come apart and most of it had fallen backward over the rocks.
Then she spotted it. A strip of bright yellow material hanging from one of the railroad ties. A piece of Ashley’s yellow slicker… She was sure of it. Tears of happiness stung her eyes. She’d done it. Ashley was gone.
Paula peered over the rocks, but saw no sign of her body. Maybe the water had taken her out to sea. Even better. Good riddance. She headed back upstairs and noticed Mel’s open gate. Unable to let her curiosity slide, she edged her way through his yard toward his back door, which was also open. Strange. Her heart started thumping for a different reason as she crept closer to the house. Ignoring the urge to call out in innocence, she eased her way inside the mansion and into the breakfast room. Roamer skidded around the corner with a growl in his throat, but the sound stopped as soon as he saw her and his tail wagged in greeting. Paula didn’t care one way or the other if Roamer survived as long as Ashley was dead. She gave his head a little pat, pulled a rawhide bone out of her purse and gave it to him in hopes of distracting him. It worked.
If Roamer was here and the doors were open, what did that mean?
Paula silently continued through the house. Nothing on the first floor, so she edged upstairs. She heard something at the top. Mel’s low voice reached her ears…
She should go. She might get caught and that wouldn’t be good. Still, she couldn’t stop her feet from moving toward the bedroom. She stopped at the wall and sunk into a crouch before peeking into the bedroom and moving back against the wall.
Skin. She saw a lot of skin. Her joy evaporated at the sight of two sets of legs twined together. That was definitely Mel’s fine ass, but who was he covering?
Equal parts envy and jealousy warred in her heart. Who the hell was Mel fucking?
She took another look then heard the laugh. Ashley’s laugh…and her mind went red. Rage. Hate. She was supposed to be dead. Paula didn’t see her clearly, but she didn’t need to. They were laughing, whispering. Even as Mel moved over her, inside her, they carried on a conversation. But two minutes later the words faded, replaced with gasps and sighs.
Paula’s stomach clenched, roiled. She took a steadying breath and eased back down the stairs and out of the house. It would do no good to lose her cool in Mel’s house.
Stalking back into Ashley’s place, Paula
wanted to kill. What the hell had happened last night? Clearly something had happened because Ashley’s slicker was in pieces over the railing. Had Mel come home early? Had he saved her? Paula wanted to puke at the thought. But first, she had to get out of the house and regroup. Think. Just because this didn’t work, didn’t mean something else wouldn’t. She had to move fast, that was all. She couldn’t let Mel and Ashley be together. Mel belonged to her and no one else.
She made it to the foyer when a big jolt rocked the house. Paula’s heart lurched at the aftershock and she froze, waited for more. But it didn’t happen and her anger built anew. She wished the ground would open up and swallow Ashley whole.
In a fit of white-hot anger, Paula grabbed the wall sconce and heaved it at the mirror across from the door. Both the glass sconce and mirror shattered into fine pieces that rained over the floor. Good. Maybe Ashley would walk in barefoot.
After a look around outside, Paula made a quick retreat to her SUV parked on PCH.
Time for plan B.
Chapter Twenty
Ashley let Mel escort her home. Slowly. The last time she’d hurt this bad she’d been in rehab, relearning how to walk and rebuilding atrophied muscles. She’d forgotten how painful such extreme exertion could be.
Mel had hardly left her side all day and his attentiveness bowled her over. While she’d been soaking in the tub, she’d realized her morning meds were still at her house and Mel had made a second trip to her place to get what she needed. Had they not experienced the huge aftershock, she might’ve stayed in his bed most of the day. Not a bad place to be actually. She chuckled. Talk about a new lease on life… Last night she’d been sure she was going to die and today she couldn’t have felt more alive. Thanks to Mel.
“What’s so funny?” he asked, helping her through the sand room door and closing it behind them. Roamer chose to investigate the mess in the backyard.
“Nothing. Just life. It’s weird.” She took off her rubber boots and put them in the corner where they always stayed. “I can’t even try to predict what’s going to happen, but I still get surprised.” He sure as hell surprised her. But she wasn’t sure why. Maybe she just didn’t expect the kind of care he’d given her or the closeness they’d shared in the last day and night.
