Tango Love
Nicole Flockton
Tango Love
Nicole Flockton
A sexy short story about being in love with your best friend — and discovering it takes two to tango.
Melinda Jones has been in love with her housemate, James Brady, since he moved in…but she has no intention of ever telling him. Except it seems James has his own plans…and they include asking her to share a sexy tango — then a little dirty dancing in his bed.
For Melinda, it’s the best night of her life...until she wakes up alone the next morning. Is she destined to spend her life dancing by herself, or will James step up to be the partner of her dreams?
About the Author
On her very first school report her teacher said ‘Nicole likes to tell her own stories’.
It wasn’t until after the birth of her daughter and after having fun on the community board of eharlequin.com that she finally decided to take the plunge and write a book.
The stories she writes are contemporary romances with either a medical setting or in the boardrooms of high powered business. Nicole enjoys taking two characters and creating unique situations for them.
Apart from writing Nicole is busy looking after her very own heroes—her wonderfully supportive husband and her two fabulous kids.
Acknowledgements
To Kate Cuthbert and the Escape Team, I love being an “Escape Artist” and I’m thrilled to have another publication with you. Thank you for your continued support.
When I received notification that I’d sold Melinda and James’s story I was sitting on the couch in my parents’ living room, halfway around the world from where I usually live. It was a real thrill to share a sale with two of the most important people in my life, my mum and dad. Thanks for letting us crash at your house.
This story came about when the Romance Writers of Australia did their first mid-year 50k in 30 days in June 2008. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to achieve the goal of 50,000 words so I decided to write a couple of short stories. I’m really happy to see one of them reach that ultimate goal of publication.
To Jason, Princess and Sports Dude—thanks for tolerating me sitting on the computer for hours each day.
To my Ninjas! Thanks for being fans and good friends and always making me smile.
Contents
About the Author
Acknowledgements
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Bestselling Titles by Escape Publishing…
Chapter 1
“What’s a pretty girl like you sitting at a bar all by herself?”
That voice. So smooth, like warm chocolate sauce sliding down your throat. Such a shame it was the lamest pick-up line in history. That voice deserved something so much better.
Melinda Jones turned, a light shiver tingling down her spine as she locked eyes with a pair of deep blue ones.
“Please tell me you don’t use that line all the time.”
His laughter rumbled through her soul, and gooseflesh rippled down her arms. She was in serious trouble. The man should be locked up. No woman was safe from his voice or his laugh. No wonder he had such a good success rate with the opposite sex.
“Only for you, babe, would I use a line like that. I know I’m pretty safe from getting a swift hit in the ribs with your elbow.”
“It just gets better and better. I’m going to dance, excuse me.”
And with that, Melinda dumped her wine glass on the bar, slipped off the chair and headed for the dance floor to join her friends. It was stupid to feel so hurt but she did. James didn’t know she had feelings for him, so she really had no reason to be angry. To him, she was just his housemate; the girl he could joke around with and test his pick up lines on.
The fact that she’d fallen in love him was her problem. He was the perfect housemate. He cooked, cleaned, ironed and listened. He even watched chick flicks with her sometimes.
He was the perfect guy and to him, she was just Melinda; the girl whose house he shared. He’d never once batted an eyelid when she’d brought guys home. In the beginning, she hadn’t batted an eyelid when he’d done the same and bought girls home. The fact that she hadn’t gotten laid in over six months wasn’t his issue. It was totally hers.
The realisation she’d fallen for him had been one Friday night when they’d been sharing Chinese. He’d said something and she’d looked over at him and WHAM that was when it had hit her. She’d fallen for him.
Mooning over a guy who wasn’t into you was the least attractive trait in a woman. How many times had she’d told her friends that? Now it was time to take her own advice and get over her feelings for James.
Melinda danced with her friends. She laughed at their jokes and gave the impression she didn’t have a care in the world.
“I’m getting a drink!” She shouted to her friends over the incessant thump of bass. They nodded and continued to dance.
Melinda headed towards the bar, wishing she’d worn her favourite, comfortable Jimmy Choos, instead of the new ones she’d bought that day. The shoes may have had sex written all over them, but they were pinching her toes.
She sat down on a recently vacated bar stool and ordered a fresh glass of white wine. Waiting for the bartender to return with it she looked around the club. The crowd had built while she’d been dancing. The testosterone level had risen tenfold.
As she gazed around, her eyes stopped at a pair of broad shoulders. His t-shirt fit him like a second skin.
Now that was the type of distraction she was looking for. She wanted—no needed—a body that night. Anything to take her mind off the one body she couldn’t have. It didn’t really matter that he wasn’t the hottest guy on the earth. At that moment Mr Heavenly Shoulders turned in her direction and locked eyes with Melinda.
Yes the night was definitely looking up, she thought.
Melinda gave him her come-hither smile. The invitation she was sending his way was very clear. The wink he gave in return told Melinda he was interested in taking her up on her offer.
The bartender arrived at that moment with her fresh drink. She reached for it, bringing it slowly to her lips, all the while watching and waiting for Mr Heavenly Shoulders to make his way to her. He’d taken two steps when he stopped abruptly, the flirty look stripped from his face.
He shrugged the heavenly shoulders she’d been imagining wrapping her arms around as if to say, “Thanks but not tonight.” He turned back to his friends.
“What the…?” There was no possible way she’d misread that look in his eye.
“He was only after one thing, you know.”
Melinda whirled around and faced the owner of the voice. The last voice she’d expected to hear warning her off a man. “Of course I knew exactly what he wanted. I invited him. I wanted to have wild animal sex with him.”
The words were coming out in a rush and she could hear her voice getting higher and higher with each word.
Before Melinda could say anything more the music suddenly changed. Gone was the repetitive drone of house music and in its place the seductive, erotic strains of guitar, violin and castanets started up. She would know that tune anywhere.
Tango.
“Do you want to dance?”
This was so unfair. James knew she loved to Tango. He’d seen her, numerous times, tangoing around the living room and not once did he ask to join her in the dance. He’d just clapped his hands in time with the music. All the while laughing at her solo routine.
He held his hand out. “Again, do you want to dance?”
The pull of the music, the desire to be in James’s arms—even fo
r a brief few minutes—won. With what Melinda hoped was a nonchalant shrug, she answered, “Sure.”
The warm hand clasping hers sent desire coursing through her veins. Trying to keep her reaction to his touch in check, Melinda blindly followed as he led them out to the dance floor. She focussed on what was happening inside of her and making sure one foot followed the other. She hadn’t realised the dance floor had emptied in protest of the change in music. The staccato rhythms from the violin matched the beating of her heart.
How was she going to get through the dance? Being so close to James, but not being able to follow through with her desires and wants.
When they reached the middle of the floor, James pulled her tight against his body. There was no room to slip a cigarette paper between her breast and his chest. She was in heaven. It was the only way she could describe what it felt like to be this close to him. Finally to be held in his strong arms. Her blood was singing and it wasn’t from the wine she’d consumed earlier. She hadn’t had enough to give her any sort of buzz.
His right hand was warm and low on the skin left bare from the cut-out at the back of her dress. In fact, if his hand travelled an inch lower it would be indecent. But it was where his left hand was that was causing her brain to lose all coherent thought. The way he held it so close to her breast she could’ve been cupping it herself.
It was hot and consuming and Melinda wanted to be held against him like this naked, with a king bed just steps away.
She looked up and their eyes locked as they started to dance. Their bodies moving as one, as if this was the hundredth tango they’d danced together, not their first.
Melinda instinctively knew when he would do a low flick kick. When his left leg moved, her right followed. Each time he dipped her, his lips were mere millimetres from hers. His eyes were liquid sapphires, burning into her with the desire she could see in their depths.
She stopped thinking and just let the emotions she’d spent the last couple of months suppressing consume her. Her left arm wound its way up to curl around his neck, caressing it with the barest of touches. His body shivered and she felt his erection rubbing against her belly.
How she wished they were in the living room of their house. She wanted that cock hot against her naked belly.
The music reached its crescendo and Melinda hooked her right leg around his left as he dipped her one last time. Only this time, as he leaned over her, his lips connected with hers.
They were as soft as she’d imagined them being, the countless times she’d wished they would take hers. She could taste the bitterness from the beer he’d been drinking. She didn’t mind. The kiss lasted for only a few short seconds but it promised so much.
He gently raised her until she was upright and flush against his body. Her leg still hooked around his. Slowly Melinda loosened her grip and brushed the back of his leg as she let hers fall softly to the floor.
Their eyes never lost the connection they’d shared since they started the dance. Both their chests were heaving in time. In that moment Melinda knew they’d crossed the line, that invisible line that changed their housemate relationship.
She opened her mouth but before any words could be formed, James laid his finger against them and shook his head.
“Later,” he murmured before pressing the finger down, like a soft, sweet kiss. He then turned and walked towards his group of friends, leaving her standing in the middle of the floor wondering if she’d dreamt the whole dance.
Chapter 2
With the music changing back to its regular programming, Melinda was quickly surrounded by other patrons and James’s retreating back was swallowed up. Her body throbbed in memory of the touch of James’s lips on hers. If she didn’t know any better her body was responding as if she’d just experienced the most amazing climax of her life. If a single, solitary dance could do that to her, what would the aftermath of making love for real with James be like?
She’d no sooner finished that thought when she was swamped by the girlfriends she’d come clubbing with, each one firing questions at her so quickly she didn’t know what to think.
“What the hell was that?” asked Melinda’s best friend, Jenna.
“Just a dance, Jen. Now I could really do with a drink.”
Knowing her answer wasn’t the one Jenna wanted to hear, but it was the only one she was prepared to share. Melinda headed back to the bar to retrieve the wine she’d abandoned. The barman handed her a fresh glass. Her cheeks burned under his knowing gaze and if she could see herself in a mirror she figured her cheeks would be bright red. She took a long gulp of her wine in a vain attempt to reduce the heat.
“If that was just a dance then I’ll eat my bra,” continued Jenna when she finally reached Melinda’s side. It was as if there hadn’t been an interruption in their conversation.
“I hope it’s not a lacy one otherwise you’ll choke.” Melinda’s attempt at humour was met with a disapproving glare. She sighed. Even she couldn’t put what happened on the dance floor into a reasonable pocket of her brain. “Look, it may have appeared to have been a sexy dance, but James is my housemate. Nothing will ever happen between us.”
Who was she trying to kid? Her body was still humming in memory of being pressed so close to his hard muscular body. She wanted to rush home and put on her sexiest underwear, just for James.
“Who are you trying to kid, Mel?” Jenna’s words echoed her thoughts. “Just whose room are you going to be in tonight?”
Melinda couldn’t deny it any longer. She and Jenna had been best friends since the third grade; it was impossible to hide anything from her. Jenna had always held Melinda accountable for what she was really thinking. She never let her hide from her true thoughts. Sometimes having Jenna as a best friend was a pain in the ass.
“Shit Jen, what am I going to do?” Melinda moaned.
“Smile because James is headed right our way and looks exactly the way you look.”
“Which is?”
“Horny.” She replied with a salacious wink.
Melinda jumped slightly when James slid his arm around her waist. The action wasn’t one of a housemate. He’d never been physical with her before this evening. She fought against the strong desire to relax into him.
“Hey Jenna, how’s it going?”
How could the man sound so casual? Melinda took another gulp of wine to ease the dryness of her throat. She knew if she tried to speak, nothing but a squeak would come out.
“It’s getting interesting now.” Jenna replied and Melinda watched as her eyes flicked over James’s trousers.
Please Jen, she thought, stop now. She knew that whatever Jenna was about to say next she would want the earth to open up and swallow her down.
Jenna smirked. “What’s up?”
Oh please let me die now, filtered through her mind at Jenna’s inappropriate question. But laughter was bubbling up inside of her and she took another quick sip of wine to disguise the inelegant snort about to erupt out of her mouth. Fortunately James saw the light side to the comment and he gave an amused grunt of laughter.
“You’re all laughs, Jenna.” He turned his gaze onto her. “You ready to head home, Melinda?”
James was the only person, apart from her mum, who called her by her full name. After sharing a dance there was something special and intimate about his use of her full name. Also having him seek her out to head home was something new too.
Melinda wasn’t sure what she should make of this turn of events. Was it a sign that he wanted to take things between them further? Or was she reading too much into his later comment. She waited another half a beat before she answered.
“Sure, I guess it is getting late for you, James.” With a wink she tossed back the rest of her drink and picked up her purse. Before she could move away, Jenna grabbed her in a hug.
“I want to hear about everything tomorrow,” she muttered in Melinda’s ear.
Nerves assailed her after Jenna let her go. What the hell
was she doing?
Chapter 3
Melinda followed James out of the club. The cool night air, after the cloying heat of the nightclub, caused gooseflesh to break out over her arms. She tried to control the small shiver, but it rippled through her. James’s warm arm slid around her shoulders and he pulled her closer into his body.
“It’s going to be fine, don’t panic.” He pressed a soft kiss on her cheek. He led her towards a waiting cab. Once she was settled she took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Her reaction was ridiculous she was acting like a virgin. Like she’d never experienced a man’s touch before. How pathetic.
James slid along the bench seat, pushing her against the door of the cab. Luckily she hadn’t put her seatbelt on.
He once again draped an arm around her shoulder but this time placed his other hand on her knee. Leaning in, he began to nuzzle her neck. His teeth nipped softly. Then he kissed the same spot to soothe it. His hand on her knee began a slow, sensuous trail up her thigh, inching his way under her dress.
The vibrations that had been filling Melinda’s body since their dance, increased ten-fold with each millimetre of flesh he touched.
This was no inexperienced man. He knew exactly what he was doing and Melinda knew she was going to have the best night of her life.
As his hand inched higher she tried hard not to squirm. She was now on fire for him. James’s fingers were centimetres from her wet, hot clit. Melinda wanted him to slip those questing fingers under her g-string and stroke her flesh until she begged for release. His lips were creating their own brand of havoc over her neck and ear. She wished they were back at her house right now and not in the back of the cab.
She froze as realisation sunk in. They were making out in the back of a cab. Actually they were doing more than making out they were practically making love. She was moments away from a mind-blowing orgasm.
“Stop.” Melinda pushed James’s hand away and looked up at him. Hunger was burning in the blue depths of his eyes. “Not here.” The words whispered out and she saw the moment the reality of their situation permeated his lustful thoughts.
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