by Ward, Kira
They tugged at each other’s clothing—too much cloth in the way—and his mouth moved from her lips to her throat. She leaned back, giving him all the room he needed to do whatever he wanted. She ran her fingers through his hair, encouraging him to touch those places standing and begging for attention. Her blouse hit the floor, her bra quickly following as he took first one, than the other nipple into his mouth. She groaned as she tugged him closer to her, already lost in every sensation his touch sent soaring through her.
It seemed like every time was the first time. There was a certain amount of urgency that built inside of her the moment he walked through her door that just kept growing, that became this pulsing entity that demanded to be fulfilled. She pulled so hard at the front of his shirt that buttons broke off. And when her hands moved to the infuriating zipper on his slacks, he had to grab her hands to slow her down.
She had never been this kind of person. She had never been the girl who couldn’t keep her hands to herself. She’d always followed the man’s lead. But with Nash…it was like a craving she had no control over.
She wanted him inside of her. She wanted that physical pleasure. But there was more to it than that.
It scared her as much as it excited her.
She had never felt this way before. There was vulnerability in caring so much about another person. The what-ifs swirled around in her mind during the darkest hours of the night—What if he didn’t care about her as much as she cared for him? What if he grew bored of her and just stopped showing up? What if he realized one day that she wasn’t the woman he thought she was?—sometimes filling her with such a dread that she couldn’t do anything but wallow in the fear that fueled her doubts.
These moments only made moments like that more intense.
But then he was inside of her, and his hands were moving slowly up and down the length of her spine, his mouth pressed against her throat. She moved with a gentle roll of her hips, prolonging the pleasure as long as she could, her hands on his shoulders for leverage. She could feel his excitement, his need, in the quick puffs of his breath against her breasts. She could see his rising desire in the color that filled his face, the hooded look of his eyes. She ran her hand over his face, her fingers pulling at his bottom lip as she tried to memorize that look, that desperation she wanted to remember for those dark moments of doubt.
When that familiar tingle began in her lower belly, Melanie arched her back, pressing her hips as hard against his as she could. She cried out as he instinctively pulled her into his embrace, his arms wrapped so completely around her that she couldn’t have escaped if she had wanted to. When he swelled and his climax filled her with his heat, it was like he had set off a whole new set of fireworks on the sensitive nerve endings that lived deep inside of her. She moaned again, her fingers clutching at his heavy muscles, his sensitive flesh.
They sat still for a long moment, still holding each other as they both struggled to regain control. His mouth moved over her throat again, her overwrought nerves too sensitive to handle the loving caress. She pulled back a little, lifting his lips to her own. After a second, he scraped he moved to her ear, his moisture leaving a trail across her cheek.
“I love you,” he whispered.
Those words shattered Melanie, tearing down the wall of doubt that had surrounded her since the first moment they spoke. Tears filled her eyes as she turned into him and kissed him again. She didn’t answer him. She didn’t want to take away from the moment by repeating his words back to him. She wasn’t even sure she could have spoken, what with the lump of emotion that had moved into her throat. Instead, she showed him how wholeheartedly she returned his feelings in her touches, her kisses, her movements.
Chapter 7
Melanie rushed through the airport, cursing the TEA agents at the security checkpoint who managed to find a reason to run her through every test and every search that they were sanctioned to do. She barely made it to the gate in time to take her seat.
“Late night?” the pretty woman beside her asked as Melanie tried to catch her breath.
“Yes.”
“Lucky you.”
Melanie couldn’t help the smile that flooded her lips. Yeah, she was pretty lucky. Nash stayed the night and they lingered the second—and third—time, moving to the bed and whispering to each other between touches and kisses. She didn’t fall asleep until Nash left just before sunrise, running off to attend some meeting or other. He lingered at the door, promising to call often while she was gone. The weekend he had planned after her return was definitely something to look forward to.
But then she fell asleep and slept through her alarm for the first time since she began college, forcing her to rush through her morning shower and drive to the airport like a bat out of hell. If it hadn’t been for the delay at security, she would have gotten to the gate before they called the first class passengers, but, of course, things couldn’t be that easy.
Not that she was complaining. It had all been worth that night with Nash.
She tugged her cellphone out of her pocket to silence it and was surprised to find a text message waiting from Nash:
Be safe. Missing you already.
Melanie didn’t think she would ever stop smiling.
The moment the plane landed in San Diego, Melanie joined the rush leaving the plane and dialed Dr. Jonah. She’d called the hospital that morning to check on her two remaining patients, but she wanted to make sure he was on top of everything. Not that she didn’t trust him. She simply didn’t trust anyone other than herself. It was a doctor thing.
She had just disconnected the call when she walked through security, trying to remember which baggage claim they had said her bags would be at.
“Melanie!”
“Mom?”
Melanie dropped her carryon bag and stepped into her mother’s arms, happier than she should have been to see her. She had assumed she would have to take a taxi to Burton’s ocean-side house. But there was something about seeing her mom, standing there in the middle of a busy airport, that made it feel like she was coming home.
“I can’t believe you’re here.”
“Where else would I be?”
Melanie smiled as she stepped back and took in the picture of happiness that was her mother. Slightly taller than Melanie, her mother—Dr. Amanda Franklin…now Collins, she supposed—had the same dark blond hair, though her’s was streaked with white, and the same blue eyes. When Melanie was a teenager, people sometimes confused them for sisters. Melanie always thought it was funny, but her mother never failed to correct the erroneous assumption, insisting that she had earned her white hair and wrinkles and wasn’t going to let anyone take that away from her.
“Marriage agrees with you,” Melanie said, taking in the warm tan, the casual jeans and t-shirt, the smile that was so quick and at the ready. “You look content.”
Her mother smiled. “I am. I never would have imagined that marriage, especially to a man like Burton, could be so pleasant. But it’s been so much more than I ever could have expected.”
“Good.” Melanie picked up her bag and linked her arm through her mother’s before leading the way toward baggage claim. “Because, if you weren’t happy, I was going to have to have a serious talk with Mr. Collins.”
“I would have loved to see that.”
They found Melanie’s luggage and stepped out the side doors, the bright California sun blinding them for a brief moment. A strange man—tall, dark, muscular—stepped up to them and began to lead them toward a dark SUV parked at the curb. Flashbulbs went off in their faces and voices called out questions—Who is that, Mrs. Collins? Are you an actress? Are you in Burton’s new film? Is it true that Burton is having financial problems with this film?—as they silently walked past them.
“What the heck was that?” Melanie asked once they were safely inside the SUV, twisting in her seat to watch the pack of nosey photographers chase after them.
“Paparazzi.”
�
�Seriously?”
Her mother shrugged. “Burton is a public figure. And he has a new movie coming out in a few months, so people are curious about him.”
Melanie sat back. “Does that happen often?”
“Recently, every time I go out.”
“How do you deal with it?”
Her mother gestured at the driver, the big guy who escorted them to the SUV.
“Daniel is an amazing body guard. Last week he shoved some guy to the ground when he tried to grab the shopping bag I was carrying.”
“Good for you, Daniel.”
The body guard glanced in the rearview mirror and smiled, something Melanie got the impression he didn’t do often.
“So,” her mother said, smacking her affectionately on the knee, “tell me what’s been going on with you. How’s work? How’s that little boy you were so worried about? Are you seeing anyone?”
“Work is good. That little boy is good, as far as I know. He went home Wednesday—which I believe I told you—and I haven’t heard anything, so I take that as a good sign.”
“You’re a good doctor. He’ll be fine.”
Melanie thought of Jack and found herself wondering just how fine Eli would be with a father like him. How could a man want to give his child up just because he was a little different? Especially a man who worked in the medical field and should know how much a child with Down syndrome can do.
“Are you seeing anyone?”
Melanie glanced at her mother, laughing when she saw the expression on her face.
“You have grandkids now. You don’t have to rush me anymore.”
“It’s not the same. These grandkids are already half grown.”
“How’s it going?” Melanie asked, taking her mother’s hand. “Getting to know Burton’s family?”
She shrugged. “Alyssa is a sweetheart. She’s always offering to help with anything and everything, always stopping by the house to check in. I get the impression she took more responsibility for Burton’s well-being before I met him than he said—or even realized. Now that I’m there, I’m afraid she feels a little pushed out.”
“I can understand that.” When her mother raised her eyebrows, Melanie elaborated. “He was widowed, what, five years ago? And you said his wife was ill. Alyssa lives close by and she is the eldest child. It makes sense that she feels a certain sense of responsibility for her father.”
“Yeah, but she’s his child.”
“And I’m your child, but that doesn’t mean I don’t worry about what happens to you.”
Her mother smiled. “I suppose when you put it that way…”
“You and Alyssa will find common ground, and you’ll figure out what role each of you will play in Burton’s life from this point forward.”
“I hope so because I really do like her.” Her mother squeezed Melanie’s hand. “I’m little nervous about meeting the son, though.”
“Is he coming?”
“Yes, Alyssa finally managed to talk him into it.”
“That should be interesting. Especially if he’s really as angry with Burton as she described at the wedding.”
“They haven’t spoken about anything other than business since Burton’s wife died,” her mother said. “I find it incredibly sad. I’ve been trying to encourage Burton to reach out to him, but he’s been resisting the idea. He says the problem is on Burt Jr.’s side and he doesn’t see why he should have the burden of fixing the rift.”
“Sounds like a typical stubborn man.”
Her mother laughed. “Burton is anything but typical, my dear. Spend a little time with him, and you’ll see.”
***
They pulled up to the house, and Melanie’s eyes nearly popped out of her head. It’s one thing knowing a person is wealthy. It’s another seeing that wealth on display in a house that was more like a palace, an English manor house, than a beachside cottage.
The house was three stories, a stone and brick masterpiece that towered over the manicured lawn. The front steps were made of some kind of marble, the front doors more like the gorgeous wooden gates that once adorned medieval castles. Melanie could smell the ocean on the air as she stepped out of the car, but she wasn’t prepared for the view that greeted her as her mother walked her into the main sitting room at the back of the house. Beautiful didn’t even cover it. And that was after she was finally able to drag her eyes from the works of art on the walls, casually displayed masters that must have been worth millions.
She had never felt so out of place in all her life.
“Melanie, welcome,” Burton said as he walked into the room, looking too casual in jeans and polo shirt. “I’m so glad you could visit. Your mother has been missing you.”
Melanie took Burton’s proffered hands and moved into his light kiss on her cheek. “Thank you for allowing me to intrude on your time together.”
Burton slid his arm around his wife’s waist and dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “As much as I would love to keep her completely to myself for the rest of our lives, you are an important part of her life too, and I’m thrilled to get to know you.”
Melanie inclined her head. “Thank you. I think.”
Her mother laughed. “Come on, Mel, I’ll show you to your room.”
***
Alyssa and her family came for dinner that night. It turned out that Alyssa’s kids were a little younger than Burton told them. Lisa was twelve, and Bobby was fourteen. They were typical teens, their noses stuck behind cellphones most of the evening despite their mother’s admonitions against it. However, when Lisa learned that Melanie was a doctor, she became a fountain of curiosity, peppering Melanie with so many questions all at once that it took her a while to untangle them all. But she enjoyed sharing her passion with someone who was clearly just as passionate.
After dinner, Alyssa handed Melanie a glass of wine and led the way out onto the lovely brick porch that overlooked the infinity pool below.
“We didn’t get much of a chance to talk at the wedding.”
“It was a bit of whirlwind.”
Alyssa nodded, a thoughtful expression in her pretty green eyes. “I have to admit, I was a little concerned about my father marrying again. But your mom really seems to be making him happy.”
“Yeah. She seems happy, too.”
“I just hope none of it falls apart tomorrow when Burt arrives.”
“Your brother…He really hates Burton that much?”
Alyssa shrugged. “He was very close to our mother.” She took a sip of her wine, clearly searching for the right words. “My father’s life comes with a lot of perks, but there are also a lot of complications. Like the paparazzi.”
“Yeah, we met them at the airport.”
“You’ll be all over the internet by morning if you aren’t already.”
Melanie’s eyebrows rose. “Not me.”
“Yes. They’ll be speculating like crazy about who you are.”
“That’s insane.”
Alyssa nodded. “It’s part of the life my father lives. My mom…she married a charismatic banker. She never expected him to become this, for their lives to become so over-the-top. And when it did, she didn’t handle it well. It started with a few extra glasses of wine after dinner, then she turned to hard liquor. After a car accident left her with chronic back pain, she became addicted to Vicodin, hydrocodone, and half a dozen other prescription drugs. After twenty years, her liver just couldn’t handle it anymore.”
Melanie sipped her wine, too easily imagining what the end must have been like for Alyssa’s mother and the people who loved her. She’d seen end-stage liver failure. It was never pretty.
“Burt blamed our father because he felt that he followed his ambitions at the detriment of the family. They had this huge fight, and Burt slammed out of the house. He disappeared for more than a year, but I think Daddy had his lawyers make certain threats…I don’t know for sure. But Burt came back and resumed his role as the head of Merchand, although he rar
ely comes home anymore and only speaks to Daddy about business.”
“That’s too bad.”
“He’s just…he’s too much like Dad. Too stubborn, too smart for his own good.” Alyssa turned toward Melanie. “If they could just find some sort of equal ground. I’m hoping that Burt agreeing to come to this party is a beginning. And the film... Merchand is one of the sponsors, so they’ve had to work together the last few months planning the promotional campaign. I’m hoping it will help them get past all of this crap and remember that we’re all family.”
“If there’s anything I can do—“
Alyssa smiled. “I was hoping you would say that. Burt arrives tomorrow morning. I was thinking, if we ladies are out of the way, maybe they’ll have time to speak to each other. So I’ve arranged for your mother, Lisa, you and me to go to a day spa.”
“What about the party?”
“It’s pretty much all organized. Kari, my father’s assistant, will be here to deal with any last minute details.”
That sure beat the day Melanie had expected to spend. She nodded a little more enthusiastically than she probably should have and agreed to a long, relaxing spa day.
Maybe she could get used to this money thing…
***
They only got two calls while they were at the spa. One to let Alyssa know that her husband, Robert, picked up Burt safely at the airport and took him to the house. The other from Burton to let Amanda know that he and Burt were going golfing. It seemed like a hopeful sign.
Melanie lingered in her bedroom while preparing for the party. She called the hospital to check on her patients again, then checked her emails and text messages. Nash texted early this morning to let her know he was on his way to his family’s, but he hadn’t texted since. She hoped it was going well for him. She could almost imagine him playing video games with his nephew and teasing his niece. She’d forgotten to ask who was the eldest, but she imagined it was the girl. She imagined him joking about the boys she would be dating, imagined him making her blush with his threats of beating up the boy who broke her heart.
