by L. P. Dover
He moved closer to me. “It should’ve been me you were wrapped around, not him. You gave in to me before and I know you can do it again. Please give me another chance, baby. Once this deal gets finished we’ll have so much money we can live off of it for the rest of our lives.”
I gasped. “That much, huh?”
“You have no idea. Please say you’ll come back to me.” His lips were just a breath away, and before he closed them over mine he whispered, “I still love you, Melissa.”
Shocked and frozen in place, I sat there completely and utterly still while Daniel pressed his lips to mine. Swiftly, I pulled away and turned my head. “Give me some time, okay?” I muttered softly. “I can’t jump into this with you so soon.” I wasn’t going to jump into it at all.
A gleam twinkled in his eye when he spoke, “I understand, but just so you know I’m not going to stop trying, Mel. You know I always go after the things I want.”
Turning away, I took my glass of wine and downed it in one gulp. Yes, I knew how he went after the things he wanted. He pursued me with a vengeance in college and that’s how I became wrapped around his finger when he reeled me in.
It definitely wasn’t going to work this time.
Twenty-Six
Mason was sitting on the couch in the same place I left him when I arrived home from dinner. He immediately sat up straight when I walked through the door and searched me over to make sure I was okay. “How did dinner with douche bag go?”
I threw my purse on the counter and collapsed onto the couch beside him. “As good as can be expected, I guess. I think he was bummed when he saw your car still here. The good thing is that I have him on tape admitting to threatening me. Not much else though.”
“Hey, it’s a start. All right, well since you’re home and safe I’m gonna hit the sack,” he muttered, yawning.
“Thank you for staying, Mase.”
“Anytime.”
Scrambling off the couch, he walked down the hall to one of the guest bedrooms and I heard the door shut behind him. I turned off the living room lights and made sure the front and back doors were locked before climbing the stairs to my bedroom. I stripped out of my clothes and prepared for bed, making sure to take extra time on brushing my teeth.
I was hesitant in calling Brett, but I had to hear his voice. Once I dialed his number, he answered immediately. “Do you have any idea how hard it was not to text you tonight?” he said in greeting.
Lying down on the bed, I cuddled with the pillow that still smelled like him and breathed it in. “I can only imagine,” I began. “I would be furious if I knew you were having dinner with an ex.”
“So how did it go? Did you get any information out of him?”
I scoffed, “Not really other than him admitting to threatening me. I’m afraid our answers will be in California. So what did you do today?”
“I drove around a lot actually, especially this afternoon to get my mind off of you and Daniel. I also went to the vineyards and looked around. The area around here is magnificent. If I ever move anywhere it will be here.”
Closing my eyes, I could just picture what he saw. The open fields with rows and rows of vines as far as you could see and no noise other than the sound of the wind. It was the only thing in Daniel’s life that I missed more than anything.
“I understand perfectly because I feel the same way. I can’t wait to get out there again,” I murmured. Climbing under the covers, I burrowed into the warmth of the bed and couldn’t stop from yawning.
Brett heard me and chuckled. “Why don’t you go to sleep, baby. I’ll see you tomorrow and we’ll talk more then.”
“Okay,” I whispered, close to passing out. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
Once I closed the phone and turned off the lamp, I was out. I dreamt of those wonderful times out in California and of the peace it brought me when I was there, only this time it wasn’t Daniel I was with … it was Brett.
Mason and I were up bright and early the next morning to head to Charlotte Douglas International airport for our seven-thirty a.m. flight. Brett was going to meet us at the Schulz airport out in California to pick us up and take us to the hotel where I’d be sharing a room with him while Mason took one to himself.
I couldn’t wait to see him.
The second our flight landed I called Brett and told him what gate we’d be at. We had a layover in Texas, so that took up a couple of hours of our time, but with the time difference from the West Coast and East Coast it wasn’t late at all even though it felt like dinner time to me, especially with my stomach growling.
The moment I stepped into view from the gate and saw Brett, I ran over to him and jumped into his arms, pressing my lips to his.
Brett sighed and held me close. “Damn, I’m so glad you’re finally here. I talked to Daniel already this morning. He wanted to see if I’d been able to make any progress yet, and after that all he did was talk about this wonderful date he went on last night. I wanted to jump through the phone and wring his neck to make him shut the fuck up.”
I groaned and laid my head on his chest. “I’m sorry, Brett. Trust me, he must’ve been on a date with someone else because ours wasn’t that wonderful. All I know is that he loves to play with fire. Now that he supposedly doesn’t have to worry about me screwing up his plans he feels like he can pursue me, thinking it won’t interfere with the project now that we aren’t together. Hell … I’ve given up trying to figure out how his mind works. He’s always been very manipulative.”
Brett took my hand and nodded to Mason as he came up behind me with our luggage. “All right, let’s get out of here and get something to eat,” he offered, looking down at me, smiling. “I know that you have to be starving.”
I chuckled. “You can read me like a book.”
He leaned down and whispered in my ear, “Yes, I can. And I also know that you’re going to love what I do to you tonight when I have those legs wrapped around me for hours.”
I shivered as his breath grazed my cheek and sent sparks through every nerve ending in my body. At that moment, food was definitely the last thing on my mind.
“Then let’s hurry and eat,” I whispered. “Because I’m ready to hold on tight.”
By the time we ate and got back to the hotel, we separated ways with Mason and locked ourselves into our own room. Placing my luggage on the bedroom floor, Brett turned to me and said, “I drove by the main house on the vineyard yesterday and it looked like no one was there.”
“Yeah, I know,” I replied, rubbing my sore neck. I guess the plane ride didn’t agree with me too well. “Daniel said she left for London about a week ago. I’m assuming that’s why she hasn’t answered my calls. Hopefully, she’ll be back while we’re here.”
Brett walked into the bathroom and I could hear him starting up the bath water. Hmm … what does he have in mind? I wondered. “What does Mason plan on doing while we’re here?” Brett called out.
“He’s going to come with us to see Claire, and if she tells us what we need, then he’s going to start hunting for information. I’m sure once we talk to her we’ll figure out what to do next.”
When Brett strolled out of the bathroom his shirt was off and he was in his boxers. “Are you ready?” he asked, a devilish smile taking over his face.
Narrowing my eyes, I crossed my arms over my chest and grinned. “Ready for what?”
He stalked over to me and pulled me into his arms, placing his warm hands at the back of my neck. Bending his head down, he whispered in my ear, “I ran you a nice, hot bath, firecracker. I want you loosened up before I make love to you.”
Taking the hem of my shirt in his hands, I lifted my arms so he could slide my shirt up and over my head. He unhooked my bra and undid my pants, letting them fall to the floor while carefully pulling my underwear down as he sank slowly to his knees. Smirking, he bit his lip and gazed up at me. “You should be proud of me. I didn’t rip them off this time.”
I shook my head. “Thank goodness for that. I’d be keeping Victoria’s Secret in business if you kept it up.”
Lifting me up under my legs, he carried me into the bathroom, which smelled like roses and lavender. I took a deep breath in and sighed. The moment I saw the bathtub my mouth dropped open in awe. It was huge! It looked like four average sized adults could fit in it. What made it even better was that Brett had lit a dozen or so candles around the tub, making the room give off a sensual and romantic glow.
“Thank you for this,” I whispered. “It’s beautiful.”
Brett kissed me, holding me tight in his arms, before kneeling over the tub and setting me into the bubbly, hot water. Closing my eyes, I moaned as the water engulfed my body and instantly relaxed my muscles. When Brett made no headway to get in, I asked, “Why are you not getting in with me? There’s more than enough room.”
“All in good time, baby. But first I want you to feel completely relaxed.” He came up behind me and tilted my chin back so I’d have to look up at him. “Are you ready?”
“Ready for what?” I breathed.
Kneeling down by the tub, his warm hands closed over my shoulders and he worked his fingers into my skin, massaging, kneading the knots that had built up over the past few days. Brett’s fingers along with the jets in the tub were heaven to my tensed up muscles.
I moaned and my head fell back against the side of the tub, completely liquid under Brett’s touch. Slowly, his hands left my shoulders and down to my breasts, cupping them gently. He tugged on my nipples and rolled them around with his fingers, making me moan and arch into his touch.
“Do you like that?” he whispered gruffly in my ear, trailing his tongue along my neck.
“Mm-hmm …” I mumbled languidly. “Don’t stop.”
With one hand massaging my breast, he slid the other one down my stomach and into the water. I gasped when he thrust one large finger inside me, teasing me … feeling me. “Please get in here with me,” I begged.
He chuckled by my ear and released his finger from my sex. Climbing into the hot water with me, he pulled me onto his lap but didn’t yet enter me. Wrapping his arms around my back, he brought me closer and surrounded one of my nipples with his mouth, licking it with his tongue. My sex twitched as his hardness pressed against my opening, pulsating as I moved my hips along his cock. I delved my hand down into the water, feeling his erection jump at my touch, and took him in my hands firmly. My hands glided up and down his length as he groaned and sucked harder on my breasts.
Only when my pace picked up did Brett growl and remove my hand from around him. “Not like this, firecracker. I want your first orgasm to be with me inside you tonight.”
“My first?” I asked incredulously.
Smirking, he lifted his head from my breasts and licked my lips before sliding his tongue inside. “Yes, baby, your first. The first of many tonight.”
Lifting my hips with his strong hands, he glided me gently over his straining arousal. Inch by glorious inch I slowly slid down him, my sex clenching with each second, until I had him fully inside me. Brett hissed as I slowly rocked my hips along his length. Water sloshed along the sides of the tub and out onto the floor, but we didn’t care. All that mattered was us being with each other … making love.
“I’m so close, Brett,” I muttered, picking up my pace.
Crushing me to him, his grip on my hips tightened as he thrust upwards and back as hard as he could. He growled low as he took my lips in a searing kiss and held me captive, his teeth biting into my lip. My orgasm was coming quick and I could feel his cock hardening and pulsating inside me, letting me know he was close as well.
My insides quivered and clenched as my body exploded along with Brett’s as he released his warm seed inside of me. Breathing hard and satiated, I sagged in Brett’s arms and held him tight while a wave of tears burned behind my eyes. Everything was so right in his arms, but until things got settled with Daniel there was no way I would ever be able to relax.
I needed Daniel out of my life for good.
Twenty-Seven
The next morning we met Mason down at the café and ate breakfast before heading to Sonoma Valley where Claire lived. I was taking a gamble going out there to see her, because if she was supportive of Daniel he would for sure find out about my lying to him, and hence, I would see his wrath. However, the feeling in my gut was telling me I had to see her. I had to trust my instincts even if it caused a shit ton of problems when I got back home.
When we arrived at the main estate where I assumed Claire still lived, I walked up to the front door and rang the doorbell. Mason and Brett stayed in the car while I tried to listen for movement inside. Nothing … it was quiet. I looked back at the guys and shrugged. I waited a few more minutes, and when it was clearly apparent that she wasn’t there I marched right back to the black Honda Ridgeline which served as our rental car.
Sighing, I climbed up into the truck and buckled my seat belt. “She’s not there. I guess she’s still in London.”
Mason spoke up from the back seat. “What are we going to do if she doesn’t come back while we’re here? Do you think she’s ignoring your phone calls?”
“No, she wouldn’t do that. We were really close when Daniel and I were married. I’d talked to her a few times after the divorce, but she was busy trying to finish up college and I had started teaching. Time just wasn’t on our side.”
Brett took my hand and kissed my knuckles. “We’ll come back tomorrow, okay? Maybe you should try calling her again.”
Nodding, I grabbed my phone out of my purse and dialed her number. After pulling out of the long driveway we headed down the country road that was surrounded by nothing but rows and rows of vines with succulent grapes. Memories flooded my mind of the times I spent wandering through the fields and enjoying the peace it offered. I smiled just thinking about it, and also about the times Daniel’s mother would teach me about the various grapes and how the winery worked. I was so fascinated by it all.
Before I could press ‘send’ on my phone to finish the call to Claire, my gaze caught a bright yellow FJ Cruiser flying down the road toward us. My eyes went wide. “It’s her,” I shouted. “That’s Claire coming this way. Turn around!”
Brett slammed on the brakes and waited for Claire to fly past us before he turned the truck around. Mason growled behind us, “What the hell is she doing? She needs to slow the fuck down. ”
Giggling, I rolled my eyes and shook my head. “Oh, Mason, have you forgotten her already? I don’t think she knows what driving slow means. I think she got pulled over three times for speeding in just the one weekend she came to visit.”
“Yeah, I remember her,” he started, “she also jumped off the roof of your house into your pool at the annual summer party. She had all my friends drooling over her.”
I raised my brows at him. “I seem to remember someone else drooling over her, too.” Brett tried to cover up his smile by turning his head.
Mason scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest; he was in denial. “Yeah, yeah, Mel. Keep telling yourself that.”
When we pulled back into the driveway, Claire was unloading her bags out of her car but turned when she heard us sidle up. Squinting her eyes, she tried to figure out who was pulling in behind her, but as soon as I stepped out of the car, her eyes went wide and she squealed, “Melissa, is that really you? Oh hell, girl, come here.”
She waved her arms impatiently, so I rushed over to her and tackled her in my arms. She was a couple inches taller than me with long, straight blonde hair and legs for days. She was a dancer for years and was accepted into Julliard, but after an extensive ankle injury she gave it up to go to college and learn business management. I don’t think she ever regretted following in her family’s footsteps.
“I am so sorry about your mother,” I whispered to her. “She was a magnificent woman.”
I could feel her nodding against my shoulder as she hugged me. “Yes, she was. S
he asked about you all the time you know. I don’t think she ever got over being mad at Daniel for what he did to you.” She let me go but held onto my hands when she faced me. “So what are you doing all the way out here? Does Daniel know you’re here?”
“No,” I replied hesitantly, squeezing her hands. “I need to talk to you and I don’t want Daniel knowing. Can we come in for a while?”
Narrowing her eyes, she slowly said, “Sure, no problem. Is there something wrong?” She looked past my shoulder at the guys and smiled, acknowledging them.
I turned my gaze to the men and introduced them. “Claire, you already know my cousin Mason.”
“How could I forget?” she said, grinning from ear to ear.
“And the other one over there is Brett Walker. He’s the guy I’m seeing right now.”
Claire’s eyes went wide and she whistled. “Wow, he’s a handsome one. I wonder where I can find a guy like that.” I hooked a glance over at Mason who lowered his head and shifted on his feet. She blushed when I raised my brow at her, but then shook her head and led me to the door; the guys followed.
When we got inside, Claire asked, “So what has my brother done now for you to come all the way out here to talk to me? Did you try to call me?”
“I did,” I replied. “I called several times, but you never answered. I also left messages. I was starting to get worried about you.”
Ambling into the kitchen, Claire grabbed a bottle of wine and opened it. “Yeah, I lost my phone in London. Daniel shipped me off there after Momma died, and said I needed to get away while he handled everything here. I should’ve checked my messages, but I just wanted to get away, you know? Most of my messages were probably from people saying how sorry they were about my mom’s death, and I didn’t really want to listen to it.”
