by L. P. Dover
Grinning, I nodded and motioned toward my car. “Go for it. I don’t mind at all. Just take care of her for me, okay?”
“You have my word,” he promised, staring at it in awe.
Shaking my head, I left him to do his thing while I started through the revolving glass doors. The elevators were up ahead and I saw several people waiting to board them, so I joined them in the wait. When the doors opened, I sidled into the same one with another couple who both acknowledged me with a grin.
“Are you going to the top floor, too?” the lady asked, pressing the top button.
“Yes, thank you,” I replied, leaning against the handrail.
We rode in silence as the elevator took us to the top floor. I couldn’t stop the butterflies from fluttering around in my stomach, but it felt more than that … almost like a pull on my soul. Something about being in the building just felt odd. It was as if there was a magnet pulling me to the top faster than the elevator could take me.
I refused to admit out loud I was nervous, but deep down I really was.
As soon as the doors opened, I took in a calming breath and sighed. The couple strolled out and left me alone in the elevator, which was perfect; it gave me time to get the nerve to walk into the crowded room where I knew no one. Peering out over the mass of people, my stomach dropped when I couldn’t spot Korinne or her husband, Galen. Slowly I strolled out of the elevator and into the fray of people.
A waiter passed by with a tray of champagne, so I grabbed a glass and sipped it while searching the crowd. Instead of walking around like I was lost, I noticed a vacant seat overlooking downtown Charlotte and decided to take it. I sat down and finished off the rest of my champagne that went down way too easily.
“Would you care for another one?” one of the waiters offered, approaching me and taking my empty glass. He was a middle-aged man with salt and pepper hair and kind eyes; he reminded me of my father with the way he smiled.
“Yes, please. Thank you.”
I accepted the glass he offered with a smile of my own. Nodding, he grinned again and made his way through the crowd. Turning my back from the people in the room, I focused on the hustle and bustle of the nightlife down below. The lights twinkled and glowed like the stars in the sky … it was peaceful, magical.
“How are you doing this evening?”
Startled, I jumped at the sound of the voice behind me. A young man—maybe a year or two younger than me—with a wide smile on his boyish-looking face stood there, his grin growing wider. He was cute with his short, sandy blond hair, blue eyes, and dimples on both cheeks. He was also dressed in an immaculate three piece suit, but I was definitely not interested.
He held up his hands and took a step back. “I didn’t mean to scare you. I just saw you sitting here by yourself and thought I’d come over and say hello.” He extended his hand in greeting, so I grasped it and shook firmly. “My name’s Jason,” he added.
“Melissa,” I answered, letting go of his hand. “Yeah, you scared me there for a second. I wasn’t expecting someone to come up behind me.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, you were a little too entranced with looking out the window to notice me. It’s a nice view isn’t it?”
I glanced back out the window. “Yes it is,” I breathed. “I would love to be able to see this view every day when I went to work.”
“You don’t work for M&M, do you? Because if you do I think I’m working in the wrong department,” he teased nervously.
It was a lame pick up line, and it took all I had not to roll my eyes at him and laugh, but I smiled politely and hoped that Korinne would find me and save me. Shaking my head, I replied, “No, I don’t work for M&M. I’m one of Korinne Matthew’s friends. She’s the one who invited me. Have you by any chance seen her? I’d really like to find her.”
Narrowing his eyes, he searched around the room for a few seconds and then back to me. “I saw her earlier with Mr. Matthews. I can help you look for her if you’d like.” He held out his hand to help me up from my seat. Inside I groaned, not wanting him to help me, but he seemed sweet and I didn’t want to hurt his feelings by saying I wasn’t interested. Why did I always have to be nice? I guess it’s the big heart you were born with, I said to myself.
Before I could buckle down and take his hand, a voice spoke out behind him that made my blood freeze in my veins. Inside, my heart pounded erratically and my palms began to sweat as I clenched my hands together. I’d heard that exact same voice before … three months ago.
“Actually, Jason, that won’t be necessary. The young lady is with me.”
His deep voice made me shiver, and for an instant I closed my eyes and let the sound take me back to that night at the beginning of summer. The memories made my muscles clench with need, so I shifted in my seat and sucked in a deep breath to calm my senses. What were the odds that I’d run into him here?
Jason turned on his heel quickly, and that was when I had the glorious view of the man behind him. He wasn’t boyish looking like Jason, but sophisticated and roguish, like a man with experience. He was breathtaking. Dressed in a simple white button down shirt, he also wore a pair of dark denim jeans that slightly hung off of his hips, showing off his muscular thighs; the same thighs I dug my nails into every time he pumped into me.
Dammit! Stop thinking about that!
Even though he wasn’t wearing a suit like Jason, he was classier wearing those simple clothes. His hair was tousled and wild, the same way it looked the first time I met him.
Jason cleared his throat, looking uncomfortable as he tried to grab a glass of champagne off the passing waiter’s tray. He stuttered, “Oh, Mr. Walker. I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize she was with you. Forgive me, I’ll leave you two be.” He turned to me quickly and said, “It was nice meeting you. I hope you have a wonderful night. If I see Mrs. Matthews, I’ll tell her you were looking for her.”
Smiling, I stood from my seat, making sure to keep my eyes on Jason and not the man behind him. I wasn’t ready to look him in the eyes just yet. “Thank you, Jason. It was nice meeting you, too. I appreciate you wanting to keep me company.”
Jason nodded once and quickly walked away, looking embarrassed. When he was gone, I took a deep breath and slowly met the gaze of the man who would forever be known as the best one night stand ever. My knees almost buckled at the sight of his stormy gray eyes penetrating me to my soul. No wonder I agreed to go home with him after meeting him at the bar. Even with him standing close I wanted to be closer; I was literally drawn to him.
His lazy grin grew wider. “I wondered if I’d ever see you again,” he murmured in his low, sexy voice.
I scoffed and tried to step back, but he moved forward, closing the space. Placing my hands on my hips, I said, “Yeah, I bet. Someone like you probably has a different woman every night. I’m pretty sure you don’t even remember my name.” What’s bad is that I remembered his. I didn’t want to remember it, but I did; it was Brett Walker and he was twenty-eight years old, just like me.
Smirking, he narrowed his eyes. “I could say the same for you. You were the one who left me, remember? Imagine my surprise when I woke up and your side of the bed was cold. You didn’t even say good-bye … Melissa. I must say it was a first for me.”
My breath hitched at the sound of him saying my name, all heat-filled and raspy, but I couldn’t let it sway me. “There’s always a first time for everything, right? As far as my name, you probably heard Jason say it or something. Anyway, it was a one night stand, Brett. One of us was going to have to do the leaving and I made sure it was me. Surely, you can understand that.”
Brett guffawed, the rich sound echoing throughout the room. It caught the attention of many and they all stared at us for a second before resuming their conversations.
“You are a piece of work, Melissa. Well, I must say that it was a very memorable one night stand; one that I’ve thought of often. How about we pick up where we left off? We can go to your place if you’d like, or
we can go back to mine.”
My mouth dropped open, lost for words. I’d spent the last couple of months wanting to experience another night like I did with him again, but I hadn’t met anyone that could live up to those standards. The man was dangerous, not only to my body, but I feared for my heart as well.
Moving closer so that his breath tickled my ear, he whispered, “So how about it, Melissa? Your place tonight … or mine?”
I was about to open my mouth to speak when Korinne called out my name and hurried up to me. She was beautiful with her long, golden colored hair with the height of a runway model. Her red dress hugged her slim figure, and even after having a baby not too long ago she looked amazing. Giving me a hug, she squeezed hard and cried excitedly, “Oh, Melissa, I’m so glad you made it. Jason found me and told me you were here. I was starting to think you weren’t going to show.”
“I was a little late,” I confessed sheepishly.
With a twinkle in her eye, her smile grew larger when she noticed Brett move closer to my side. “Yeah, I see that. Am I interrupting something here? You two seem like you’ve already met before.”
Quickly, I exclaimed, “No.”
However, Brett countered it and said, “Yes.”
Korinne’s eyebrows raised and she grinned mischievously. “Well, in that case I’ll go ahead and tell you that this is the guy I’ve wanted you to meet for the past couple of months. Luckily, since you two already know each other, it shouldn’t be awkward.”
My face blushed bright crimson and I could see out of the corner of my eye that Brett was trying to hide his smirk. Korinne, looking straight at me and oblivious to my heated stare, continued, “Okay, well you two have fun, and when you get the chance I want to introduce you to some other people as well.” She kissed my cheek and gazed down at my dress. “You look amazing by the way. That color suits you … it matches your eyes.” She winked and glanced quickly at Brett, then back to me, before turning on her heel and ambling over to her husband.
Brett placed his hand on the small of my back and lowered his head toward my ear. “She’s right. You do look amazing. You didn’t tell me that she wanted to introduce you to someone here.”
I sighed, relishing in the feel of his hand on my body. “How was I supposed to know it was you she wanted me to meet? She’s trying to play matchmaker. It’s what she’s been trying to do with me for the past couple of months.”
Incredulously, Brett gazed down at me in disbelief. “I find it hard to believe that you’d have problems finding a date.”
Amused, I remarked, “No, I don’t have problems with finding dates.” He lifted his brow at that, so I rolled my eyes and continued, “Anyway, Kori and I grew up together and were best friends in school. She’s always been the matchmaker, it’s what she does. I’ve always trusted her judgment. I just wish she was around when I got married.”
Brett’s eyes went wide and he lowered his hand from my back so he could cross his arms over his chest. “You’re married? How long have you been married?”
Exasperated, I laughed and said, “I’m not married anymore. Do you think I would’ve had a one night stand with you if I was married? I’ve been divorced for a year now.”
Visibly relaxing, he put his arm around my waist like it belonged there and closed the space between us. “Well, in that case that’s even better. You’re kind of young to have already been married and divorced. What happened?”
I couldn’t stop from snorting in disgust. “What didn’t happen is the thing. He was a typical, male and once someone new wanted to open her legs for him he pounced.”
“So he cheated on you?” Brett responded, gritting his teeth.
I nodded. “Yes, he did. Which is why I need to stay away from men like you.” I didn’t mean to say that so rudely, but I couldn’t help it. There was no way I could trust the man in front of me … no way.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, agitation clear in his tone. Glaring down at me, he responded, “Not all men cheat, Melissa. You can’t always think every man is going to be a douche bag like your ex. That would be like me thinking that every female that looks as pretty as you are whores. It just doesn’t work that way. When I met you and took you to my condo, I knew there was something about you that was different … something real. I had never been able to talk to someone the way I did with you. We might not have made the most rational choices that night, but it was something I don’t regret at all.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but quickly closed it. He had a point and I wasn’t about to tell him he was right, so I kept quiet. He lowered his head again and brushed his lips against my ear. “You don’t have to trust me, and I understand you have issues with it considering what happened to you. But know this … ever since that night three months ago I’ve wanted to find you. Now that you’re here, I’m taking it as a sign. You can’t tell me you don’t feel that pull when I’m around.”
I did feel the pull; it was strong, and it was tugging on my insides at that very moment. Breathless, I muttered honestly, “I do, but it doesn’t mean anything. We don’t even know each other. How can you say these things to me?”
He nipped my ear with his teeth. “I say them because I can. I remember everything you told me that night about you, even when you assumed I wasn’t listening. So you see, I know more about you than you think. I listened to … every … single … word.” He paused and wrapped one of my curls around his finger. “Go find Korinne and let her introduce you to her people. I’m sure she’s waiting on you. I will find you before this party is over.” With those last words, he growled low in my ear as he smelled me, taking in a deep breath. As soon as he walked away, I shivered and wrapped my arms around my waist.
What the hell am I getting myself into?
Three
When I started to explain to Korinne how I met Brett, she gasped and interrupted me, “You met him how?”
Sheepishly, I shrugged my shoulders and looked away. “At a bar,” I answered quietly.
She laughed and put her arms around my shoulders. “And then you went to his place and had sex. Geez, Melissa, that’s crazy. No wonder he was looking at you like that. It must’ve been a good night. How long ago was this?”
“It was about three months ago now,” I confessed. “And it was only the one night. I haven’t seen him since until today.”
“Seen who?” Galen asked. Korinne’s husband came up behind her and engulfed her in his arms, kissing her on the cheek.
“Brett,” she answered, smiling mischievously at me. “It appears my match making skills weren’t needed this time. Melissa already met the man I wanted her to meet.”
Galen’s eyes lit up and he beamed. I could tell he and Korinne were happy, and for once I found myself envious of her. They had the type of relationship I wanted: one of love, respect, and honesty. Galen was handsome with his ash blond hair and eyes almost the same gray as Brett’s, but his smile was nowhere near as enchanting. Why do these men have to have such amazing eyes?
“Brett’s a good man,” Galen acknowledged. “I hired him to take over the West Coast accounts. I think he’d be a good one for you. You should give him a chance.”
Half-heartedly, I huffed and tried to appear unfazed, but my insides were blazing warm with just the mention of his name. Yep, I was in trouble. “I’ll think about it,” I ended up saying.
“Okay, ladies,” he said. “I need to make more rounds around the room, so have fun. Don’t get too wild and crazy.” Chuckling, he kissed Korinne’s cheek and winked at me before leaving us to ourselves. Korinne’s gaze followed him as he made his way around the room.
“You’re a lucky woman, Kori,” I said softly, meaning every single word.
Beaming, she turned to me and nodded. “Yes I am. Your time will come, though. Everyone deserves a second chance at love, and I know it will find its way to you.”
I hope so.
I still needed to think about what I was going to do when Brett found me
at the end of the night. He said he would, and I had no doubt about that. As if my thoughts summoned him, and even though I couldn’t see him, I could feel his penetrating gaze on me. He was watching me and I knew it.
Korinne must’ve sensed my unease because she gave my hand a squeeze. Her beautiful green eyes gazed at me with nothing except love and concern. Softly, she murmured in my ear, “Mel, I know you’re scared of getting hurt, but you have to let it go. Your ex was a complete ass and not all men are like that. Trust me on this, you need to let it go and move on.”
I sighed and squeezed her hand back. “It’s not that I’m scared per se, Korinne. I can’t deny the chemistry that Brett and I had that one night, and much to my dismay we still have it. Believe me, I want to give it a go, but it’s the trust I have an issue with. I married Daniel on a whim. It was wild, fun, and wonderful until his head got in the way. When he cheated on me I was hurt, and I refuse to let it happen again.”
Korinne shrugged. “It’s a chance you have to take, Melissa. I, for one, know what it’s like to run away from someone you care about. I regret every moment I spent running away from Galen when all he wanted to do was be there for me.”
Korinne had been married before, right out of college, and her husband at the time had died tragically in a car accident. I didn’t know all of what had happened because Korinne and I hadn’t talked in years at that point, but she was afraid of pursuing a relationship with Galen after that. Now look at them … they were happily married with a baby girl.
When my eyes wavered from Korinne’s, I spotted Brett across the room, staring at me as he was talking to a group of men. Taking her by the shoulder, I turned her around so she could look at him with me. I didn’t care if he knew I was talking about him.
“All right, Kori. I know you have to see what I see when you look at him. He’s gorgeous, and you can feel the arrogance flowing off of him in waves. He’s confident and he knows it. Do you honestly think a man like that could stay faithful when he could have any woman he wants?”
