by Hadley Quinn
With a sigh she began picking up the bottles, but then thought against it. Instead of disposing of them, she lined the mix of beer bottles and hard liquor along his nightstand.
When she walked past the bed, his hand reached out and brushed her skirt. She paused to look at the hungover smile on his face as he rolled to his back. Good God, she wished the sight of him didn’t make her stomach dance like it did. She wanted to climb up on his body and lick every one of his tattoos.
“Whatcha doing here, pretty girl?” he mumbled as he rubbed both his hands over his face. “Thought you were staying with Jackoff for the weekend.”
Melanie sat on the edge of the bed, and when he looked at her, she looked him straight in the eye. “Checking on you, asshole. You wouldn’t answer my calls, and even when I got a hold of Tyse and he said you were home, I still had to make sure.”
“Why?” he laughed as he sat up. “Ah, holy fuck,” he exhaled, holding his head between his hands.
“Slight headache? Couldn’t be because of that, could it?” she pointed to the nightstand.
Jay glanced at the bottles nicely lined up and smiled. “Yeah, I spent the night with Jack, too.”
She rolled her eyes at the empty bottle of Jack Daniels and started to leave the room.
“Hey babe, where you going?” Jay called.
Just hearing him call her that made her want to kiss him and strangle him at the same time. But she wasn’t sure if she was in the mood for his attitude this morning. When Jack told her that Jay got pissed talking about Jordan, all sorts of images flashed in her head. She’d put off telling Jay that her ex had moved closer to her because she didn’t want him to do something stupid.
“I’m going to lunch with Tyse,” she finally answered.
“What the fuck? Why?” Jay asked, sliding off the bed. He came across the room where she was standing at the door.
“What do you mean why? Because I’m hungry and I asked him. It was a two-and-a-half hour drive from Jack’s and I left pretty much right after I woke up.”
“Just to check on me?” he asked, his tone softening as he leaned against the doorframe.
Melanie looked him in the eyes as her heart started to pound again. This rollercoaster with Jay was wearing her down. She wasn’t sure how much more she could take, and even though she’d told herself she could be patient, it was harder than she thought. All she wanted to do right now was hold him, but the day in the pool house had made him even more standoff-ish. She hadn’t seen him all week, but she could read his resistance perfectly clear through just his texts.
“Yes, to check on you,” she barely replied. She turned to leave the room but he grabbed her hand to stop her.
There was a moment of silence between them but Melanie couldn’t look at him. It killed her inside every time she thought there was progress between them and then…nothing.
“Well, have fun,” he finally said, and he turned for the bathroom and shut the door behind him.
She took a deep breath just to hold back her tears. These damn pregnancy hormones were also a joke.
When Melanie made it to the front room, Tyse was typing on his phone as he headed out the door.
“Hey, I hope you’re not leaving me,” she said.
“I was just texting you,” he smiled at her. “And yeah, I kinda was. I think you two need to spend some time together.”
“Me and Jay? Are you planning on being out a half-brother? Because I pretty much want to kill him right now.”
“Yeah I figured,” Tyse laughed. “Which is why you guys should probably talk it out. He’s been a damn nightmare this week—more so than usual—so I’m assuming since you haven’t been around much, it has to do with you.”
“Don’t even ask,” she scoffed playfully.
“I wasn’t going to. But since you’re here, and that’s most likely what he’s wanted, you might as well take advantage of it.”
“I’m starving, Tyse. I’d rather eat lunch than deal with Jay right now.”
“Well lucky you, there’s a pizza coming in a half-hour. I took the liberty of ordering it, and I’m leaving because I’m not sure I want to be here while the two of you, um, work out your differences.”
“Oh my God,” Melanie rolled her eyes. But then she laughed because Tyse was smiling, and he just left her standing there as he shut the door behind him.
With a sigh she headed for the kitchen in hopes of finding something to tide her over. She finished off a yogurt and a piece of toast by the time she heard Jay’s bedroom door open and shut loudly behind him. He came down the hall looking slightly pissed, even though he looked sexy as hell in jeans, a t-shirt, and wet hair.
Good lord, the things she wanted to do to him…
Melanie just leaned against the counter in silence, watching him until he noticed her. He glanced out the front window before he headed for the kitchen, and that’s when he stopped in his tracks.
“You’re still here,” he stated.
“Yeah I’m still here,” she replied casually, throwing away her trash. “Unless that disappoints you,” she added. “I can leave if you want.”
“Why would that disappoint me?” he frowned at her. “You’re always welcome here.”
“Always?” she smirked at him.
She waited for a verbal response, but he only stared at her. He was obviously in a very serious mood today and Melanie wasn’t sure if that was to her advantage or not.
“I need to talk to you,” she finally said.
She could literally see the expression darken on his face, but she didn’t care. Ever since that first night they’d fooled around in his bedroom, things had changed between them. He didn’t talk about things as much with her and Melanie hated that the most. They used to share things all the time, and now it was almost like Jay wasn’t comfortable around her anymore.
She watched him down some pain reliever with a glass of water, but he nodded his head and leaned against the counter. He was obviously not going to help her out with this.
“Okay,” she sighed. “I’m sorry for not telling you that Jordan moved. I feel like any time I mention his name to you, it’s like I’m tattling or something. I know you asked me to tell you about everything he says or does that affects my life, but I was really hesitant to bring it up this time for obvious reasons.”
When she stopped talking, she finally noticed that Jay looked surprised. Oh God, he was probably thinking she wanted to talk about the pool house, wasn’t he? She didn’t think it was really necessary, being that she knew exactly how things would turn out. She hoped that she was wrong, but it wasn’t a shocker. But now that she thought about it, she was curious as to what that conversation would be like if they actually had it…
“Just answer me one thing,” Jay finally stated. “Do you want him living closer to you? Is this something that you two worked out for the baby?”
“No,” she answered quickly, shaking her head. “No, I don’t want him living close to me. I can’t believe he even did it. I know it’s to be closer to music opportunities, but as long as Jordan is still partying like he is, he’s not seeing the baby. I’ll do everything in my power to protect him,” she added, rubbing a hand over her stomach.
“Him?” Jay asked.
With a smile, Melanie said, “Or her.”
Jay seemed pensive for a bit, and it was quiet moments like this that Melanie would give anything just to know what he was honestly thinking. She could always ask, but for some reason she believed it would change the moment by doing so. He looked so solemn this time and it broke her heart that he wouldn’t open up.
She couldn’t stand it any more. She had to wrap her arms around him or she was just going to lose it right there in his kitchen. If he was surprised by her actions she couldn’t tell since her face was pressed against his chest. But she felt his arms envelop her body against him and his mouth on the top of her head.
“What’s going on, baby doll?” he asked quietly.
Oh ho
ly hell, he smelled so amazing. And his voice, asking her something so simple, just melted her from the inside out. She could cuddle up against him any damn second of the day and feel like she was in heaven.
But she was done talking and didn’t want the moment to go to waste. Her lips brushed against his shirt until they reached his neck, and when she kissed his skin, his hands gripped her tighter. She slowly kissed along his jaw as heat pooled between her legs. She couldn’t get enough of this man and feared that she never would.
When their lips met, neither of them was hesitant. Jay kissed her deeply, thrusting his tongue in search of hers. Melanie couldn’t help the sounds that came out of her—he just did that to her every time—but it seemed to encourage him. He picked her up and set her on the counter as he pushed himself between her legs, grinding against her instantly. He was right up against her panties since her skirt had been shoved up to her waist, and Melanie unbuttoned his jeans.
And then there was a knock at the door.
“Oh no,” Melanie groaned.
“Whoever it is can just fucking leave,” Jay said as he stripped her panties off. He pulled out his cock and slid her forward so he could get inside her.
“It’s the pizza Tyse ordered,” Melanie informed him, barely managing to focus on anything but what was now pressing against her clit.
“Tyse is here?” Jay exclaimed, shoving his dick back in his pants. He pulled Melanie’s skirt over her legs and added, “His car isn’t here.”
This time the doorbell rang but Melanie slid off the counter. She made sure her skirt was down and with a laugh said, “No he’s not here.” She went for her purse on the couch, but realized Tyse had left some money by it. When she opened the door, a teenaged delivery guy looked utterly annoyed that he’d had to wait.
“Sorry about that,” Melanie smiled at him as she exchanged the money for the pizza.
The kid seemed to forget why he was bothered in the first place and smiled right back at her. “Ah, no worries at all.” He looked her up and down and smiled even bigger. “Hey, so I’m—”
“Leaving,” Jay interrupted, pulling the door open further to stare him down. The kid’s eyes widened but Jay added, “Pull your fucking tongue back in and have a great day, okay?”
When he shut the door, Melanie had to laugh. “Oh my God, he might’ve pissed himself.”
Jay smiled, took the pizza and dropped it on the coffee table. “I don’t fucking care. That’s the last time you’re answering the door without any underwear on, got it?”
She had to pause before she busted up laughing. “What, you think he could tell?” she exclaimed, laughing even more.
With a grin Jay scooped her up in his arms and headed for his bedroom. “Well now I gotta track him down to find out,” he said. “Because if pubescent pizza boy saw you without any panties on…” He laid her on the bed and leaned over her. “I’d have a huge fucking problem with that.”
Melanie slid her hands behind his neck while her heart pretty much soared with joy. She was lost in those eyes anytime he allowed her to be, and this time there was no denying that they were connected by more than just friendship.
He started kissing her again, this time slower but just as deeply. Good grief, she needed every bit of this man she could get. He pulled his shirt over his head and smiled at her. That killer smile would melt her panties if she even had any on, and any time she could run her fingers over his muscular body was pure ecstasy.
Jay unbuttoned his pants and kicked them off. When he returned to kissing her, Melanie’s fingers slid into his boxer briefs and pulled those down as well. She took his cock and pressed it to her wet center, encouraging him to enter and leaving no room for doubt as to where she wanted him to be.
“Need you. Now,” she gasped between kisses.
Jay pushed deeper inside and she released a pleasure-filled groan. The feeling of having his body against her, inside her, around her, on top of her—whatever she could get—was absolutely beyond measure. The sexual gratification was amazing, but this time there was something different. This time she allowed herself to feel like she was one half of a committed relationship, whether she was setting herself up for heartbreak or not. There didn’t seem to be anything wrong with pretending there was more to this time with Jay than there actually was—she would be hit with reality later on anyway—but for now she was going to enjoy every second of her one-sided emotional connection with Jay McCallan.
As they lay next to each other thirty minutes later, Melanie was still feeling the high. The fact that Jay was even still in his bed with her told her one of two things: he was getting more comfortable with the “after” aspects of their physical time together, or he was just too exhausted to care.
She figured it was the latter, but when his hand slid across her stomach and asked, “How are you feeling?” she was a little caught off guard. His hand remained there as he propped himself up on his other elbow and waited for an answer.
“I’m feeling fine,” she nodded. “Twenty-three weeks along and things seemed to be going by the book so far.”
Jay paused for several seconds as he studied her face. She was dying to know what he was thinking but didn’t want to force it. She didn’t know if he’d actually tell her anyway if it happened to be something serious. Jay was fantastic when it came to speaking his mind, as long is it wasn’t something personal.
“How are you doing that?” he finally asked with a smile, glancing down at her stomach. His hand was still there but he softly moved it back and forth along her skin. For someone with such rough hands—and personality—it was beautiful that he was so gentle with her now.
“Doing what?” she asked, glancing down at his hands.
He was silent now, eyebrows knitted as he concentrated on her stomach. Then she felt the little flutter in her belly and noticed his reaction to it.
“That’s the baby,” she smiled.
He looked up at her for several long seconds, and when the baby moved again, Jay’s little crooked smile was the most adorable and heart-melting sight she’d ever seen.
“Really?” he asked, looking at her stomach again. He was barely putting pressure against her, so Melanie pressed his hand into her belly a little firmer and moved it over just slightly. There was an immediate response and Jay even laughed. “Hell of a high five there, kid.”
Melanie laughed and said, “I think that was a foot.”
Jay lifted an eyebrow but didn’t say anything. She watched him move to his stomach so he could put his face to her belly. “Hey, what’re you doing in there?” he asked. “You pissed I invaded your space a bit ago?”
“Oh my gosh,” Melanie chuckled.
“Hey, I’m being serious. I think,” he smiled. “I was kind of deep, right? That’s not gonna affect him or anything, is it? Did I hurt you?”
Although Jay had been pretty deep at certain moments, she shook her head and answered, “No, you’re not going to hurt the baby.”
“And you’re okay too, right?”
“If I said no, would it stroke your ego a bit?”
“No,” he lightly laughed. “I just don’t want to hurt you.”
He returned to lie next to her and closed his eyes, but his hand was still on her stomach. The only thing Melanie wanted to respond was that she wasn’t up for him breaking her heart. Pain in a physical sense had nothing on the ache she felt for him on an emotional level…
Chapter Eighteen
When Jay opened his eyes, confusion set in instantly. His room was filled with daylight, but he wasn’t sure why the clock read 2:09.
“In the afternoon?” he finally realized out loud as he sat up.
The space in the bed next to him was empty, but he knew that it hadn’t been earlier. Yeah, he’d just slept with Melanie. Again. Only this time he’d actually had sex with her in his own bed, and then fell asleep with her.
“What the fuck is my problem?” he shook his head at himself.
He threw his pants
back on and headed down the hall in search of her. It was nice of Mel to let him sleep, but he had shit he needed to get done. She wasn’t in the front room or the kitchen, so he peeked out the front window and saw that her car was gone.
Slightly unnerved, he returned to the kitchen for some food while he let his thoughts settle. He couldn’t believe he hadn’t eaten since the day before, so when he found almost the entire pizza packed into the fridge, he pretty much said a prayer of thanks.
He sat down at the counter and practically inhaled the first piece. He didn’t exactly want his thoughts to wander from just the basics of stuffing his own face, but he couldn’t help but think about Melanie and where she went.
And why she left.
But that was a good thing, right? Leave it to Melanie to be the first girl to ever leave him alone in bed after having sex. In his bed. Holy shit, she’d been in his bed twice now. He never ever let women stay over. That way he didn’t have to hassle with telling them to get the fuck out as soon as he could. He would never do that to Melanie because…well, she was Melanie. But being that she was his one and only exception really wasn’t settling well with him.
Jay had stuff to do around the house, but that was going to wait. He needed physical exertion to clear his mind, so he dressed for the gym he knew Teague would be at until at least five o’clock.
When he entered, he went straight to the back of the facility. It was more like a huge warehouse in West Hollywood, but it served several purposes for the stunts that Teague trained for. Today his cousin was exactly where Jay knew he would be. He gave a slight nod to security that let him enter the private training room without question, and Jay watched from the sidelines for a while. He’d been on many sets with Teague while he worked and he loved it. That was probably the only benefit to having the McCallan name.
When it looked as if the group of trainers were done with Teague and a few other stunt workers, Jay came across the room and laughed a little as he approached. Teague was flat on his back on the mat, not even moving.
“Little worn out there, pal?” Jay asked.
