by Mae Martini
She got a few smiles as she looked around and one guy got in front of her and began singing with her.
He put his thumbs in the waist of his shorts and did a boot, er, sneaker stomping dance.
Melanie moved her hips and smiled as she took one of the ear buds out of her ear and sang with him. Like a chain reaction, that whole side of the gym stopped and watched.
The guys and girls were all smiling and laughing. Most everyone knew each other here. It was usually the same crowd every morning doing their gym routine and they knew the guy dancing was a friendly, fun loving guy.
He placed his hand out, palm up, and she put her hand in his and he twirled her around. Then he gave her a smile, wink and a nod and continued on to the workout bench he was heading to before stopping and having some fun.
She got a kick out of it and was giggling as she put the ear bud back in her ear.
She began to look around again and she spotted Logan leaning up against the three tiered dumbbell rack. He was watching her, grinning and shaking his head.
She almost didn’t recognize him. He was wearing a black LL Stables ball cap and black basketball shorts with a gray sleeveless Cowboy T-shirt. He looked sexy and ripped in that shirt.
She didn’t realize it, but he had been watching her for some time. There was something in her demeanor, in her carefree attitude that he liked. He never met anyone like her before.
She took the ear buds out of her ears as she got close to him.
“Hi, what are you doing here?” she asked him, smiling.
Before he said hello, he took her arm and brought her close to him and kissed her lips. It was more than a quick kiss hello and Melanie was taken aback that he would show that much affection in a public place such as the gym.
Truth be known, even though he deemed it innocent, it bothered him a little that someone here would just pick up and sing and dance with her the way that guy did a moment ago.
Was he trying to send a message? You bet. He just didn’t know why he felt so possessive.
“Hi, darlin’.”
And again, she asked, “What are you doing here?”
“I’m gonna work out with Cody.”
“Oh, yeah? So am I.”
“I know.”
She smiled and looked at him.
“Hi, Melanie.” Someone called behind her. She turned around to see Jason.
“Hi,” she said, smiling.
Jason didn’t say hello to Logan, he just sized him up.
“Jason, this is Logan.” Neither of them offered a hand, they just nodded. “Is Cody here, yet?” she asked him.
“Yeah, he’s just rounding up some boxing gear they keep behind the counter where you first walk in. Said to meet him at the bag.”
The three of them walked over to the boxing bag.
Cody beat the crap out of the bag first, then Logan.
Melanie was transfixed on him. He was quick. He threw hard punches and he just looked hot, she thought. Yeah, there was something animalistic in him, so raw, so rugged when he sweat, that she couldn’t believe she was getting turned on.
Next was her turn. She knew from the last time she would sweat, so even before Cody helped her with the gloves, she threw off her long T-shirt.
She wore a black and hot pink sports bra. Now, not only did she have Jason and Cody gawking at her, but she had Logan gawking too. She looked to him and saw him smile.
He licked his lips salaciously and she was certain he was thinking about their little pool game or rather the activity that took place on top of the pool table a couple of nights ago.
She smiled small as she held out her hands for Cody to lace her up.
Logan leaned back against the half wall of the alcove with his feet crossed at the ankle, studying her as he drank from a water bottle.
Cody gave her a quick refresher and then she began. She punched the bag lightly at first.
“Come on, Mel, you’re punching like a girl. Really give it your all,” Cody said in encouragement.
She paused a moment to laugh at him, then she took a swing that almost knocked Jason, who was lightly holding the bag, over.
“Whoa!” Jason said.
“That’s what I’m talking about,” Cody said as she continued to pummel the bag.
When she stopped, Cody started punching the bag, doing fancy footwork. He backed up and gestured for her to do the same. She did. She looked even better than the first time he showed her. She was feeling comfortable.
She began to sweat and knew only one or two more punches were it for her.
She felt so pumped that with the last punch, she jumped up, turned around and kicked at the bag.
That just sent Jason down on his ass. He didn’t know what hit him.
Melanie put a gloved hand up by her mouth as her eyes went wide.
“Oh, I’m so sorry,” she said as Cody extended a hand to him and helped him up.
The guys and by now the few other men and women who gathered to watch had laughed.
The guy that had danced with her earlier leaned up against the half wall next to Logan.
“She’s fucking hot, man, huh? I’d like a piece of that,” he said as he smiled at Logan.
Clearly the guy had missed him kissing her. Logan looked to him and he was not smiling.
The guy stared at him a moment longer, then shrugged and continued to watch Melanie.
Cody was removing one of Melanie’s gloves as Logan pushed off the wall and walked to her. He took her other hand and started removing the glove on it.
“You did good, sweetheart,” he said as their eyes locked. They both lifted the corners of their mouths.
Jason handed her a bottle of water and again she apologized to him.
“Don’t worry about it.” He reassured her.
“You want to buy gloves, Mel?” Cody asked.
“Yeah, I love the rush I get beating the crap out of the bag,” she said.
“If you’re not doing anything tomorrow after 5:00 pm, that’s the time I get off work, we’ll go shopping. I know a place not far from here.”
“Okay. Thanks, Cody,” she said as she bent down to pick up her towel and gym bag. “I’ll see you guys, I have to get going,” she said as she began to walk away.
Logan watched as she walked away without saying anything to him other then see you. He nodded to the guys and then caught up with Melanie before she made it to the locker room.
“Hey,” he said as he gently tugged her arm. She stopped.
“Hey.”
“You, uh, coming horseback riding later?” he asked.
“No, I can’t, but thank you,” she said, feeling awkward.
He was dumbfounded. He really thought they were going riding that day. She smiled as she started to walk.
“Did, I do something wrong?” he asked as he stopped her again.
“No. I have something to do later.” She didn’t want to tell him that Geli called after giving her the name of the spa that does Brazilian waxes. She’d always wanted one but was too chicken. She asked if she could go with Melanie and Melanie said sure and that was today.
“Oh.” He sounded dejected and started to walk away.
“Hey, ask me for another time,” she said, smiling.
He paused and then slowly smiled. “Do you want to ride Tuesday?” Even though he wanted to ask for Monday, he couldn’t and not because she was going shopping with Cody. His son was in a play at school and he wouldn’t miss that for the world. Too bad he didn’t find out from his mother. He was thankful that his friend’s wife gave him info on school stuff seeing how their kids were in the same class.
“Yes, I’d love to,” she said without hesitation.
“Great,” he smiled “It would have to be after 3:00. Is that okay?”
“Sure,” she said. Then she reached up and gave him a quick kiss on his lips and walked into the women’s locker room.
****
“Don’t tell me you haven’t heard from her. Whe
re is she, Ally?”
“I told you, I don’t know.”
“You do too. She always calls you. Where is she?”
“She did call me, but she didn’t tell me where she is. Just that she is okay.”
“Did you tell her to call me?”
“Yes.”
“WELL, SHE DIDN’T!” he shouted. “Did you tell her I miss her?”
God, Ally hated this man with a passion. “Yes. What do you want me to tell you, Michael?”
“Where she is?”
“I told you I don-”
“Yeah, yeah, you don’t know. When you talk to her again, tell her to fucking call me.” He hung up abruptly.
“Well, goodbye to you too,” Ally said sarcastically and slammed the phone down.
Chapter 15
Tuesday couldn’t come fast enough for Logan. On Monday, he saw his kid at school in the play. The little guy was so cute. He had one line about planting seeds and couldn’t get it right. After the play he saw Heath, and the kid was so happy his daddy was there. He wouldn’t let go of Logan’s hand when his mother said it was time to leave. Linda got angry and started ranting in front of the other kids and their parents. Logan was mortified not so much for himself, but for his son.
On the drive back to his home, he thought about Melanie. He wanted to call her, just to vent. He found it so easy to talk to her, but again, he forgot to ask her for her cell number. When he got home he thought about calling her at the house, he did have Charlie’s number, but he fought not to call her. He downed two shots of whiskey and went to bed instead.
He was in the small corral and noticed when she pulled up. Hank met her and walked her to that corral where she found him grooming Shils Aash, and Zeus was next to him.
“Hi,” she said, smiling brightly as she walked up to him.”
“Hey, darlin’,” he said with a smile of his own, taking in her red button down shirt, showing a little bit of her curvaceous mounds, blue, ripped at the knees, jeans, red cowboy boots and black cowboy hat. She was rewarded with seeing his dimples.
He couldn’t resist, he kissed her.
“How was your son’s play, last night?” she asked as she picked up a brush and started grooming Zeus, who playfully nudged her. She knew he was looking for a sugar cube. She took one out of her pocket and placed it in the middle of her palm then offered it to him.
He took it and turned his head forward.
“It was good,” he said with a smile only a proud papa would have. “How’d you know?”
“You’re not the only one who is proud. Your grandfather boasted to me, this morning, about how great he delivered his one line.”
Logan chuckled at the one line he blew. Too cute, he thought again.
Melanie just smiled at a glowing daddy.
They mounted up and Melanie lightly tapped Zeus’ belly and took off.
Logan didn’t know what hit him. Grinning, he clicked his tongue and lightly tapped Shils Aash’s belly and galloped after her.
Melanie slowed when she realized she really didn’t know which way to go.
Logan came up to her side and pointed in a direction. They traveled side by side in a canter.
“You seem a little tense, today. Everything all right?” she asked, when they slowed to a walk.
Logan looked at her, then looked ahead and to the other side of him, contemplating. He thought he didn’t do or say anything to give any indication that something was wrong. He thought about how intuitive she was.
“I don’t know, maybe I’m wrong,” she said as she looked from him, with a small smile, to the path in front of them.
He blew out a sigh. “Heath’s mother embarrassed him last night.”
Melanie looked to him to elaborate. He didn’t. She just slowly nodded her head.
“Come on,” he said as he began a gallop.
Melanie followed his lead.
He sped to a narrow river. He told her it was an arm of the Blanco River.
They continued along the river and Melanie’s eyes grew wide as the scenery unfolded before her.
A waterfall came into view. Logan told her it was cascading over limestone and running into the tributary.
The sky was sunny and cloudless, the weather was warm, and the sound of the water was peaceful.
Logan came to a stop, and she, right alongside him, followed his lead and dismounted. They walked their mounts, by the reins, to the river.
Before getting to the bank, Logan reached out his hand, and Melanie placed hers in it without hesitation. They continued to walk, each not saying a word, just content at being there.
He dropped his reins and so did she. Then he pulled her to his chest, in between the two horses. Their eyes locked before he bent down to claim her lips with his.
She greedily opened her mouth and with her tongue, searched for his.
He sighed at her touch and tilted his head for a deeper, moving kiss.
He broke the kiss and gazed into her eyes. He noticed her blue eyes were deeper in color and he now knew from experience she was turned on.
He was amazed at how her eyes grew darker when they were together in his bed the other morning, just before she closed them when she came. At that point he made it his goal to see them as she was coming.
Logan smiled at her and let her go to pull out a rolled up blanket from a saddle bag on Shils Aash. He grabbed her hand again and walked her away from the horses, and laid down the blanket. He sat down and pulled her down with him.
She flopped down, but he caught her head before it hit the ground and laid it gently down. He laid down and turned to the side, putting his head on his hand, which he held up by his elbow, and watched her.
She turned to him and smiled.
“Tell me something about you.” he said.
She looked away.
With his other hand, he brought her face back to him. “Please?”
“What do you want to know?”
“Where’d you come from?”
“New York.”
“I know. Maybe I meant to ask why.”
He wanted to talk to her, to tell her things, but he needed to know who she was first. He knew she was hiding something.
“Do you have a boyfriend, a husband?”
“What? No. I wouldn’t have been with you if I did, Logan.”
“I know. Are you running from an ex boyfriend or husband?”
She sighed and looked into his eyes. “Yes,” she said softly.
“Which is it?”
“Boyfriend.”
“Good, better than a husband coming after me.” He joked.
She smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
“Why are you running?”
She looked around and sighed. Then she sat up and crisscrossed her legs.
“I caught him in the act of going down on some girl, in our bed.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. It wasn’t the first time he cheated on me. I just, um, had enough. I don’t for the life of me, know why I put up with it after the first time.”
Neither said anything. He just knew she would continue at her own pace. He waited patiently.
She looked around debating how much to tell him. She liked him and she felt he was interested in her. She needed to come clean if they were to start anything. Well, okay, they already started something, but if there was anything there to continue. So she spilled.
“I was dating this guy, Michael Fiore, Pretty Boy as he’s known by, for three years. The name alone should have warned me. I moved in with him two and a half years ago. Everything was going great, but then after a year or so, I noticed a change in him. My sister said she noticed a change in me too.” She paused. “He’s a gangster, a rising star in the Mazza family.”
“How’d you get mixed up in that?”
Melanie blew out a breath. “I don’t know. It’s not like he introduced himself as Michael from the Mafia.” She paused. “I’m so fucking naïve as my sister keeps
pointing out,” she said, shaking her head, focused on his chest, but not really seeing it.
Neither said anything. He just watched her watch his chest. Her hair was soft and silky looking and he raised a hand and grabbed a strand and wrapped it around his fingers.
“When I walked out, he said ‘yeah, go ahead, take some time to cool off’. Like he thought I was going to go back to him. That’s not happening,” she said, shaking her head and he dropped his hand to his side. Then she picked up her head to look into his eyes.
“The reason I fled is because after he said the cool off thing, he yelled ‘It ain’t over till I say it’s over.’ I knew he would hound me. He’s looking for me.”
“Does he know where you are?”
“No.”
“Do you think he would hurt you if he found you?”
“I don’t know.” She paused and looked around, then focused back on him. “I think he could hurt anyone around me.” She looked to see his reaction.
He didn’t show any, but he’d made a mental note.
“Do you love him?”
“No.”
“Sure?”
“Yes.”
Logan put a hand on her arm and gently tugged her to him. He lay down and wrapped his arms around her and she laid her head on his chest. They stayed that way for a while. She, enjoying the warm sun and his protective arms. He, enjoying her scent, the soft feel of her, and the need to protect her for whatever reason.
“Oh, shit,” Logan said as he jerked to the side taking her with him. Then he let out a laugh.
Melanie looked at the amusement in his eyes and gave him a slanted grin.
“My phone was in my back pocket, vibrating. I thought it was a bug,” he explained, grinning.
“Afraid of a little bug, huh?” Melanie laughed.
“No,” he said, reading a text, smirking, and shaking his head. “It just startled me.” He felt like such an ass for reacting that way.
“It’s Geli, she and Dalton are going over to Hunan Wok for dinner and drinks later. Said, why don’t I ask you and meet them over there.” He looked at her. “You want to go?”
