More Than One Night

by Nicole Leiren

  Daniel smiled and glanced at the bartender. "You heard the lady. Two diet sodas and keep 'em coming."

  His efforts to be a gentleman eased her worry—at least a fraction. Her heart continued gently tugging her toward the jumping off point for the deep end.

  "Thank you." At Daniel's smile, she shrugged her shoulders. "I need the caffeine. Plus, I want to be sure I don't miss one word of whatever you have to say to me. It's been a crappy day that I'd love nothing more than to improve, so, I'm listening."

  Daniel leaned in and kissed her on the cheek. "Sure as hell has been, especially for one that started off on such a good note."

  "Feels like a lifetime ago now." She sipped a fair amount of the carbonated caffeine, relishing the way it released hidden energy. Hard to believe a little over twelve hours had elapsed since the best night of her life. Ironic how quickly life could take a nosedive complete with a one-hundred-eighty-degree twist. She wanted to focus on the good and returned her full attention to the present.

  Daniel took a long draw of his soda. She couldn't help but notice his sensual lips. A darker shade of pink but not quite red. They were full, soft, and capable of rendering her unable to string two words together in a logical pattern. She refused to give consideration to what they might feel like skimming over the rest of her body, venturing to places rarely visited by a man's hands or lips. Focus.

  "So, tell me what happened."

  One more swig. Whether it was to delay answering or some other reason, Melodie wasn't sure. She prayed whatever he said wouldn't prove an end to what had been a tumultuous, but potentially major life-turning, couple of days.

  "Remember my philosophy about women?"

  How could I forget? She nodded. "Cause and effect which brought you to a love 'em and leave 'em or, as I like to call it, use 'em and lose 'em kind of deal."

  His face darkened. "Sounds worse when you put it like that."

  Another drink and she shrugged. "I call it like I see it."

  Daniel's long fingers combed through the military cut of his dark blond hair, "You've got the story wrong for this woman. She used me like I used her. It was mutual. We both took what we needed. No strings. No expectations."

  A relationship of convenience. A small pang of guilt put her on edge. She and Tom had found each other convenient as well. "I understand why you preferred the arrangement. Why did she?"

  "She's not leaving her sugar daddy. He has little to no interest in a physical relationship with her from what she's shared with me."

  "Doesn't that make her the perfect woman for you?" The sarcasm rolled from her tongue, sadly with practiced ease. He was sharing a part of himself, and that scared her.

  He drained the soda and signaled for another round to the bartender. Deep sapphire hues drilled into her heart, letting her see all the way into his soul, bared and exposed, as the next words slipped out of his elegant mouth. "It did. Right until the moment I met you."

  Her entire body felt heavy. Had he just confessed to leaving his previously ideal woman because of her? Even after she'd refused his advances—well, most of them anyway—and wouldn't invite him to her hotel room? "What are you saying?" It wasn't eloquent, but the best she could muster at the moment—at least she didn't stutter.

  He moved his bar stool closer to hers until his inner thighs rested on either side of her now trembling legs. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the heat radiating from his body drawing her into his sensual web. Helpless and awaiting her fate.

  "I'm saying I enjoy your company, and when I'm with you, I find myself wanting to change old habits. I'm not a perfect guy, but you already know that."

  The corners of her mouth turned up a little at his admission. "Jekyll and Hyde as I recall."

  "But much sexier than either of those two."

  Deep end, here I come. Her hands developed a mind and will of their own as they moved to rest on his knees for a few moments before sliding up his muscular thighs. She was certain they quivered under her touch. "Much sexier."

  Larger hands covered hers. "I want to tell you everything, even though you didn't ask. It's my way of earning your trust. As you guessed, she was the one calling me this morning. A buddy of mine must've let it slip I was in town, and she's very possessive. Didn't like that I hadn't called or stopped by yet. I went to break it off with her. She wasn't happy but agreed to let me go. She just wanted to…"

  The ice-cold water of reality poured over Melodie faster than Gatorade over a winning coach's head. She abruptly pulled her hands back. Moving away from the ledge by the deep end now…"God, can't you go without it for twenty-four hours? I turned you down so you thought, why not? One last roll in the hay with your bed buddy?" She'd heard it referred to as something cruder, but years of working with children kept her from saying the F word out loud, even if she occasionally thought it.

  He grabbed her hands, pulling her upper body close to him again, leaving her balancing precariously on the tall stool. Much harder to ignore his male presence and power this close. No wonder the other woman wanted one last go with him. Her heart begged her to keep backing away from the ledge.

  "She wanted me to, but I shut her down. Which, by the way, earned me another slap. Extricating myself from her claws and her car took longer than I thought. That's why I was late."

  He released her abruptly, causing her to teeter a bit on the stool. Traitorous hands sought purchase on his rock hard thighs, stabilizing her. The impact of his words wound around her like the silken thread of the spider, holding her captive. Was it really worth the struggle to try to escape? Could this spider have changed his markings? From the beginning, he'd told her that whatever this was, he wanted to explore. Now he'd put action to the words. Could she do the same and change a lifetime of keeping people at an arm's distance to protect her heart?

  Doing relationships her way always landed her squarely in the loser's column in the game of love. Hollow and wounded on the inside, never truly letting anyone in. Tom had gotten closer than anyone, and she'd never forget the way he loved her, even though their affection spoke more of a deep friendship and convenience, rather than passionate love. Still, she'd loved him in her own way. He'd always hold a very special place in the part of her heart she kept hidden away from others. But perhaps now—now was the time for exploring uncharted territory and venturing outside the pages of her books, outside her comfort zone.

  Leaning in closer, she kissed the pulse point on his neck, inhaling the spicy scent, creating a memory moment. Here we go. Time to jump into the deep end. "Daniel, will you join me in my room?"

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  This woman's quickly changing moods put him at risk for whiplash. The current shift, however, included a never-before-offered invitation to her hotel room. After turning him down for two days, he had no idea what brought about the change, but his momma didn't raise no fool. No way was he going to miss an opportunity to spend time in this beautiful—albeit complex—woman's bed. Don't blow this. She's special. I want more than one night.

  Cupping her cheek, he pulled her even closer, sliding his lips across hers. The faint taste of her lip gloss lent itself to a much sweeter mingling than the beer taste of his usual companions. Her lips parted slightly under his, and a soft mmmm escaped. The verbalized sound of pleasure went straight to his groin and made it very difficult to remain the gentleman. Pulling away slightly, he couldn't resist the urge to slip his thumb across her satiny lips. "I love kissing you and am looking forward to even more. First, though, I need you to tell me what happened earlier today in your neck of the woods."

  Her face registered a slight pinch of disappointment.

  Yeah, being shut down sucks, doesn't it?

  She finished off her drink before sighing heavily. "Do you really want to talk about my mother right now?"

  Hell no! "Turnabout's fair play and all. I've talked about my ex and my recently departed—what did you call her? Bed buddy?"

  "Smart-ass."

  There was the smile
he loved. Between her smile and those eyes, he'd never look at another woman the same way. "Better than being called a dumb one, I've heard."

  She graced him with a small bit of laughter before her expression quickly sobered. "I suppose so."

  A slight twinge of guilt pricked at him for pushing her. He didn't regret the decision to delay the trip to her room though. He wanted to have all their cards on the table before he made her forget about every love scene she'd ever read. Well, not all my cards. Enough for one day. The explosion and everything that happened after. Not going there. Not now. She doesn't need that kind of complication.

  "There's not much to tell, really. Same old story. Evelyn is a grand success. Let's celebrate Evelyn and all she's accomplished. Why can't I be more like Evelyn?" Her waves of brown hair shook in disgust. "It sounds trite and overused, even to me. I'm sorry."

  An overwhelming sense of urgency settled deep in his heart, fueling an overriding need to protect this woman from her family and, maybe, even from herself. From what he'd learned, she'd spent a lifetime in her sister's shadow and her mother's unrelenting comparisons.

  Was that how his brothers and sisters felt?

  He pulled her into a hug. "Hey, come on now. You're intelligent, caring, beautiful, and compassionate. Truthfully, one of the most incredible women I've met. We each follow the orders of our own drill sergeants. Trust me when I say, keeping your assigned drill instructor happy is all that matters. It's her loss if she can't see you for the amazing woman you are."

  He disengaged from the embrace and held her face between his hands. "Let me show you."

  Her slight nod provided the only confirmation he needed. Paying the bartender, he joined their hands and let her lead the way to her room. For the first time in his life, something more than physical gratification topped the agenda. He wanted—no, needed—to show Melodie how special she truly was. She made him want to change. Made him see the need to change. Made him believe in the possibility of love again.

  The release of the electronic lock reverberated loudly in the quiet resting between them. The door opened to a spacious room. The standard cream and browns colored the room along with dark furniture. The king-size bed dominated the area, and he couldn't help but smile. He pictured Melodie snuggled under the covers, her body taking up very little space. Oh yes, she definitely needed his body mass taking up some room and getting the most use out of this vast piece of real estate. Against the back wall, sliding glass doors provided entry to the balcony. The wall mirror, though, caught his eye, providing a clear path to his next step in this adventure. The moment the door shut, he pulled her into a tight hug. Her soft curves pressing into his body tested his resolve. He'd wanted this woman almost from the beginning, and now here they were. The proverbial gates of heaven were within his reach. All he needed to do was take those few steps forward. Do. Not. Screw. This. Up. "Are you sure?"

  She nodded against his chest. "I'm not sure what this is, but whatever it is, I want to explore it."

  Kissing the top of her head, he moved them until they were standing in front of the mirror, her back to his front. "I want you to keep your eyes open so I can show you what I see—what others see when they look at you. Forget about your mother, your sister…everyone else who lacks the brains to recognize the true value of the woman standing right in front of them."

  With a slowness that belied the impatience coursing through his body, he slid his fingers through her hair, tousling it into sexy disarray. "I noticed your hair first. Waves of chocolate with a hint of fire. From the moment you dipped your head on the plane to avoid my gaze, I've wanted to do this. So soft—so beautiful."

  His hands circled her neck, fingers lifting her chin slightly. "Your eyes—those amazing emerald eyes. I wish I read books and studied like you so I could find the right words to tell you how brilliant and breathtaking they are. They've kept me coming back for more, despite your immunity to all my best moves and lines. Any other woman, I would have made my retreat and sought out friendlier territory."

  He stared at her face in the mirror until she made eye contact. Emerald jewels sparkling in the faint light. She'd captured a small piece of her bottom lip between her teeth. Sexy vulnerability. Not wanting her to doubt for one second the power of her appeal, he offered a small reassuring smile as he caressed a couple fingers over her mouth, down her cheek, and along the smooth line of her neck.

  Letting his hands slide lower, fingers deftly worked the buttons of her blouse, one by one. Her soft breasts rose and fell as her breathing deepened. Drawing in a few long breaths, he fought to steady his trembling hands. Every ounce of blood necessary for rational thought raced below the waistband of his jeans as creamy flesh framed in black lace came into view. He busied himself with kisses in the curve of her neck to keep from saying something that would fall under the "total guy" column. Once her blouse floated to the floor, his right hand went over her heart. Hands and lips experienced the wild racing of her pulse as he whispered against her skin. "I love how your heart beats so strong and passionate. Can you feel it? Can you feel your blood heating with desire?"

  Throaty. Husky. Breathy. "Yes. God, yes."

  "Good. This same heart is generous, kind, and compassionate. No one becomes a children's librarian who doesn't have a great capacity to love and give. Children sense that. My daughter can spot a fake a mile away. So can her dad. You're the real thing." His heart finally connected with his brain as he realized all the other women had merely been substitutions. Warmth filled his chest and spurred him on.

  "Daniel, I…standing…very hard. Please…"

  Deep, calming breaths helped him stay on task. Getting close now. "Patience." Even as the words left his mouth, his arousal pressed hard against the confines of his jeans. Her breasts fit perfectly into his hands. Slow circles around the tips provided the desired response. "Beautiful, responsive, and sexy."

  The only answer he received came in an arching back, her body demanding more of his touch. He could do that. With a quick pinch of the pebbled tips, eliciting a gasp from those sensuous lips, he skimmed down her torso and made quick work of the fastenings holding the denim jeans in place, lowering them until the length of her firm thighs and legs were all he could see. He drank in the revealed skin through her reflection. "Open your eyes. See what I see."

  Green eyes met blue in the mirror. "And what do you see?"

  "I've run out of adjectives. Hell, I'd be repeating myself. So let me say something to you that will mean more than this jarhead could ever come up with on his own."

  Stepping out of her jeans, she turned in his embrace, her face only inches from his—her arms holding him close. "What words would you say?"

  This was it, his moment of truth. A moment he'd been waiting a lifetime to happen. "I'd say I see someone I want to spend more than one night with."

  * * *

  Her free fall into the deep end continued. Did her self-proclaimed bad boy confess he wanted more from her than a one-night stand? Though she'd only known him a few days, her hands-on research on this subject revealed this admission to be a huge leap from the normal way he operated. He wanted her and…he wanted her for more than tonight. He'd made her feel like the most desirable woman in the world. Her whispered response could barely be heard over the wild pounding of her heart. "Take me to bed."

  Any remaining thoughts of family drama slithered back into a dark corner of her mind when Daniel's lips crushed down on her waiting mouth as his body tightened against hers. The hard planes of his chest cut into her softness.

  Tracing her fingers over his stubbled jaw spiked her desire to feel more of his skin. Heat radiated from his body, the warmth infusing every pore, every facet of her existence in this moment. She slid her hands lower, travelling down his back until the hem of his T-shirt rested between her fingers. She tugged upward, the need to feel his skin against her driving her into action. The smallest of spaces emerged between their bodies—just enough for material to slide between them. Tearing h
er mouth away from his to catch a quick breath and remove the shirt, she slowed the frenzy in her brain long enough to focus on his silky skin. Her turn to explore. Wanting to return some of the pleasure he'd been so patiently giving her, she smoothed her hands over his chest. The hitch in his breath drawing her into the deep end…drowning in everything that was and is Daniel. She wanted more…needed more. She eased him backward until his knees hit the bed. Amost there. She smoothed her hands over the taut muscles of his chest up to his shoulders. A gentle push guided him lower and lower until he reclined fully on the bed.

  His deeply tanned body against the light colored bedspread spurred visions of chocolate and cream—two of her favorite things.

  Greek Adonis more than knight in shining armor.

  Not wanting to delay this any further or before she could chicken out, her fingers fumbled with the button of his Levi's.

  Dear God…he has THOSE muscles.

  She traced a finger along his pelvic bone, the well-defined muscle outlining the area leading her lower to the promise of satisfaction. The blood he so expertly heated minutes ago rushed to the center of her core, throbbing with intensity, rendering it impossible for her legs to hold her vertical any longer.

  "Come here. Don't leave me on this big bed alone."

  Her attention shifted to the whole of his magnificent body. Slow, seductive sensations spread throughout every limb as he shrugged out of his jeans.

  Oh yeah, guess I should've finished that.

  He retrieved a square foil package from his wallet and then tossed the clothing and the wallet on the floor.

  "Always prepared, I see." The gaping need to feel his body over her, in her, around her defied the cautious logical woman she'd always been.