by Erika Wilde
“Uh, the phone’s ringing,” he said in a neutral tone, which finally pulled her from her daze and got her moving down the hall.
Noah sat up straighter in his chair. “That woman has it bad for you, Cole,” he said in a low tone of voice.
Startled by Noah’s comment, Cole frowned fiercely at him and attempted to brush off his claim. “Melodie is like a sister to me, for God’s sake.”
Noah laughed, a low, devilish sound. “Well, I can guarantee that she doesn’t think of you as a sibling.”
“How would you know?” Cole asked, keeping his composure calm and unruffled.
“You really don’t see it, do you?” Noah shook his head in disbelief. “God, for a trained PI you sure are an obtuse idiot sometimes.”
Cole didn’t appreciate the insult, and refused to be baited into revealing anything his brother could use against him where Mel was concerned. “See what?” he asked, very interested in finding out what, exactly, his brother had observed.
Noah stared at him for a long, penetrating moment. “Let’s see, where do I start?” He lifted his hand and began ticking off each point on his fingers. “Mel arrives early, stays late, and brings you lunch when you don’t go out and get something for yourself. She picks up your stuff at the dry cleaners while she’s at it, runs personal errands for you, and is at your beck and call for the ten or more hours a day she works at this office. Oh, and the way she looks at you when she thinks you’re not paying attention is more than sibling affection. So, figure it out for yourself.” Noah stood, once again adopting that devil-may-care attitude of his. “As for that woman you need, give me some time and I’ll see what I can do for you.”
“Thanks,” Cole murmured as Noah exited his office.
Once he was gone, Cole jammed his fingers through his hair and dragged his palms down his face. Despite his own reaction to his secretary, and the fact that for months now he’d denied the growing attraction making itself known, he was completely shaken by his brother’s observation about Melodie. And how had he missed the overt clues of her feelings toward him?
Cole shook his head and frowned. Obviously, his subconscious had put blinders on when it came to his secretary’s interest in him.
“And they’d damn well better stay in place,” he muttered to himself. Because there was no way in hell he’d ever get personally involved with Richard Turner’s daughter.
CHAPTER TWO
If Cole was in the market for a woman, then Melodie wanted to be the one to fill that role…in any capacity he might need. Even if she had to settle for a temporary, one-night date for the sake of business. Unfortunately, she had no idea how to convince her boss that she was the right woman for that job, or more importantly, the right woman for him.
“Dream on,” she muttered to herself as she sank dejectedly into the chair behind her desk in the reception area of the firm.
She shook her head as she realized the irony of her remark. Gorgeous, sexy—albeit grumpy—Cole Sommers had been a part of her dreams and fantasies for more years than she cared to recall. She’d met him for the first time when she was sixteen and her father had brought him home for dinner one night after his dad, John Sommers, had been killed. She could still distinctly remember the butterflies that hatched in her stomach whenever he glanced at her with those dark, velvet-blue eyes of his, the way her entire body tingled whenever he was near, and how her heart skipped a beat when he talked to her in that deep, smooth voice of his.
Twelve years later and he still had that same sensual effect on her. And she was still smitten, still dreaming, still fantasizing of him—and he was oblivious to her, other than her position as his faithful, efficient secretary.
Not only did she want Cole to notice her as a woman, but she’d spent the past two years at the firm trying to prove her capabilities in the PI business beyond her secretarial duties. She’d been intrigued by the various cases from her very first day on the job and enjoyed helping Cole, Noah, and Joelle research cases—doing background checks, and learning the ins and outs of the business. Now, she was ready to take that next step, and ready to show Cole that she could handle more than front-end paperwork.
Noah entered the reception area from Cole’s office, and Melodie sat up straighter in her chair, shoved her personal secrets away for the time being and focused on the pulled up the payables on her computer that she needed to process.
“Hey, sweet stuff,” he said, calling her by the flirtatious nickname he’d christened her with the first week she’d come to work for the firm. “I’ll be out tomorrow for most of the day working on a case, so if you need me for anything important, just hit me up on my cell.”
She smiled, having always genuinely liked Noah. He was one of those men who had charisma aplenty and liked all women. He was, undoubtedly, a “chick magnet” as his sister was fond of saying, though Melodie had never thought of him as anything more than a friend and surrogate brother. “Will do.”
He glanced at his wristwatch. “It’s almost five thirty. Why don’t you take off early?” he teased, knowing full well she usually didn’t leave the office until after six most nights. “You deserve the break.”
Take off early and do what, she wondered. Her nights were so routine and boring it was pathetic—pick up fast food on the way home, eat it while watching TV, take a shower, slip into comfy pj’s, check in with her dad, then read a book until she fell asleep. Occasionally, on the weekend, she’d go out to dinner and a movie with a friend, nothing overly exciting or wild. Then again, having been raised by a police sergeant, she’d never strayed from what was expected of her—discreet, proper behavior, in public and in private.
“Even Joelle enjoys the benefits of leaving on time,” he said, gesturing to the office with its lights out for the evening.
“Joelle has a handsome husband to go home to,” she countered.
Noah feigned a shocked look. “You mean to tell me that you don’t have some hot guy waiting for you to get home at night so he can ravish you?”
Didn’t she wish. She rolled her eyes at his exaggeration. “Hardly, and you’re a big tease.”
“Well, here’s a little tip for you.” He leaned close, as if sharing a well-kept secret, and gave the end of her braid a mischievous tug. “You’re not going to find Mr. Right spending all your time here.”
Melodie blinked, unsure whether to take his remark as a subtle warning about his brother, a little friendly advice, or if he was just humoring her with his usual fun-loving nature.
He strolled toward the front door. “No matter how you spend the evening, have a good one, sweet stuff.” With a playful wink over his broad shoulder, he was gone.
Sweet. The word grated on her sensible nerves, and her lips pursed as if she’d just swallowed something sour. She was tired of being thought of as sweet. Sure, being polite and courteous had its time and place, but she was beginning to realize that being amiable had gotten her absolutely nowhere with men. She’d always been prudent and modest, and as a result her life was boring, tedious, and so very predictable.
She was tired of being good, of always doing the right thing and making level-headed choices. She had nothing substantial to show for her exemplary behavior and discerning ways—no social life other than a few close friends, no steady dates and certainly no sex life, either. At twenty-eight, she definitely wasn’t having fun. She was turning into an old maid while wishing she had the nerve to be worldly and wise when it came to men and relationships.
Bracing her elbows on her desk, she propped her chin in her palm and allowed a smile to curl the corners of her mouth as she imagined how much fun being bad would be for a change. To break out of the monotonous pattern her life had become. To assert herself and go for what she wanted. No holds barred.
What she wanted was Cole Sommers and the chance to show him how much she’d learned about the business over the years, and the perfect opportunity had presented itself in the form of him needing a woman. She might not be sexy or a stunning b
eauty, but she was intelligent and knew the investigative business better than most. Certainly being familiar with the Russell case had to account for a few extra points in her favor, as well.
Excitement and anticipation rolled through Melodie as a plan formed in her mind, and when Cole entered the reception area a few moments later, she was mentally prepared to fight for this case—and her man.
“Here’s the new file on the Russell case.” Stopping in front of her desk, he set the folder in an empty wire basket, his demeanor strictly business. “Once you have the initial report and client contract typed up and into the computer, I’d like the file back. This evening, if possible. I have a few things I need to follow up on early tomorrow morning.”
“Consider it done.” Another late night at the office—by her own choice, she knew. It was a precedent she’d set of her own accord, so she couldn’t blame Cole for assuming what had become routine on her part. She loved her job, but there was no denying she craved more excitement and adventure than typing up a report could provide.
He turned back around to leave, and she abruptly stood up before she lost the nerve to address him. “Cole?” His name escaped her on a breathless note.
Slowly, he faced her again, regarding her with a casual kind of directness she’d grown used to. Yet there was something in the depth of his blue eyes that made her heartbeat quicken in her chest and her knees feel weak.
“Yes?” he asked, his curt tone dissolving whatever awareness and warmth she’d seen in his expression a moment ago.
She’d never felt intimidated by Cole’s size, but his presence in front of her suddenly seemed very overwhelming. He was a tall, powerfully built man and possessed a potent combination of virile strength, rugged allure and understated confidence. Lean and muscular, he was all male—from his thick, tousled sable hair, to the knit shirt that molded to his broad chest, and fitted khaki trousers that defined his hard thighs and long, sturdy legs. Definitely a candidate for the strong, gorgeous, silent type, and he attracted her like no other.
Anxiety knotted in her belly and her throat closed up tight. She swallowed hard, reminding herself that nothing risked equaled nothing gained—words she planned to embrace from this moment on if she didn’t want to live the rest of her life like a nun. “I heard you and Noah talking about the Russell case and your comment about needing a woman to accompany you to Thornton’s charity auction.”
He blinked, his features taking on a curious edge tinged with a bit of caution. “Do you know someone in the business who could help me out?”
“Well, sort of.” Her fingers twisted together at her waist, a nervous habit she’d developed as a young girl, and she consciously pried her hands apart and set them at her sides. “I do have a solution to your problem.”
“You do?” he asked in surprise, his rich tone dropping an octave.
She nodded succinctly, inhaled a deep breath to bolster her fortitude, and blurted, “Let me be the woman you need.”
His dark brows rose a good half inch on his forehead and his entire body grew tense. “Excuse me?”
Her face flushed warmly at her slip. She hadn’t meant to sound as though she was propositioning him. “For the charity auction,” she rushed to clarify.
He shifted on his feet, the suggestion seemingly making him very uncomfortable. “I don’t think so.” His voice was low and thick.
“Why not?” She’d been taught by her father never to question or dispute a voice of authority, and while a part of her was shocked at her own outspoken behavior, she couldn’t deny that the freedom to be assertive felt liberating.
Bracing his hands on his lean hips, he frowned at the subtle challenge in her tone. “Because I didn’t hire you to work on cases.”
“What if I want to work on this case?” she argued, shocking herself yet again. She pulled back her shoulders to maintain an air of confidence. “I know the business, and I’m familiar with the case. Besides, how hard can it be to pose as your date and read love letters? You need a woman for the job, and the last I checked, I definitely fulfill that requirement.”
His gaze fell to her chest, and she realized that with her shoulders back, the material of her dress was pulled tight across her breasts. To make matters worse, his heated stare caused her nipples to pucker in reaction.
He lifted his gaze back to her face. A muscle in his cheek ticked, and a harsh sigh unraveled out of him as he pushed his fists deep into his trouser pockets. “Melodie…I don’t think your father would appreciate me putting you in a potentially dangerous situation.”
She inwardly cringed at his placating tone, feeling anything but calm and mollified. She knew her father echoed Cole’s sentiments, believing she belonged in a safe environment, free from any outside negative influences. He had, after all, suggested that she go to work for Cole as a secretary because Sommers Investigative Specialists was a respected firm run by a man her father knew and trusted. It was bad enough that she’d grown up with a father who’d spent too many years trying to shelter and protect her from any adverse situations; she didn’t want or need that same attitude from Cole, or anyone else for that matter.
With that in mind, she asserted herself once again. “As a grown adult, I can take care of myself and make my own decisions. And if it makes you feel any better, my father would never have to know about me and the case.”
He shook his head, causing a lock of sable hair to swipe across his forehead. “I can’t take that chance…with you.”
Because she was Richard Turner’s daughter, she knew with a sinking feeling in the pit of her belly. As if she didn’t have enough problems getting his attention, he was using her father as a barrier between them. And Cole was principled enough to stand by that decision for the next fifty years. The man was steadfast and true, and while she admired that quality about him when it came to his job, at the moment, his tenacity frustrated the heck out of her.
She started around her desk toward him, refusing to give up or back down from what she wanted for a change. “Cole—”
He held up a hand, halting any further debate. “I’m sorry, but I won’t change my mind. Your talents are better suited in this office, not out in the field. End of discussion.”
She knew he hadn’t meant his words to be condescending, but his backhanded compliment about her “talents” stung her feminine pride, especially since she knew that Cole depended on her for more than her secretarial skills. She thrust her chin out as he turned and walked back to his office. The two of them were far from finished, this issue between them far from over.
If Cole didn’t have faith in her ability to be the woman he needed, she’d just have to figure out a way to prove him wrong.
CHAPTER THREE
Melodie absently pushed her lunch around on her plate with her fork, her mind too preoccupied with replaying yesterday’s conversation with Cole for her to concentrate on eating the food the waitress had just delivered. While she was ready to break out of the plain-Jane, good-girl existence she’d lived all her life, she had no idea how to go about transforming herself into the kind of woman who’d catch Cole’s eye.
“Don’t tell me you aren’t hungry,” Joelle, Cole’s younger sister, said in disbelief. “You’re the only woman I know that has a healthy appetite like mine—I’d hate to lose that rare bond we share.”
Melodie smiled at her friend and coworker from across the restaurant table. “Your appetite has doubled since you’ve become pregnant, Jo. I can’t keep up with you and your regular bouts of hunger.”
Jo rubbed her belly, which was still disgustingly small considering she was nearly five months pregnant. She wore leggings and long shirts and hadn’t even graduated to maternity clothes yet. “I have to say that being pregnant is a wonderful excuse to eat, but Dean has become such a worrier about me taking care of myself and making sure I’m eating all the right things for the baby. It’s hard for me to splurge like I really want to.”
Melodie laughed when Jo rolled her eyes in ex
asperation, but there was no mistaking the love and affection between the couple when they were together. The two had met under unconventional circumstances when Jo had taken Dean into custody in a case of mistaken identity. During the course of establishing his innocence, they’d fallen in love, though it had taken time and compromise to make their relationship work. Now, the two shared a tangible devotion and passion Melodie envied.
An exaggerated sigh escaped Jo. “He insists on making me breakfast every morning and dinner every night, with something included from all the five food groups and a huge glass of milk to top it all off. So the only time I get to satisfy my real cravings is when I don’t go out to lunch with him.”
Melodie twirled fettuccini noodles around her fork and stabbed a piece of tender chicken. “If the way he takes care of you is any indication, Dean will make a great daddy.”
Blue eyes, identical in color to Cole’s, softened with agreement. “Yeah, I know he will.”
They both worked on eating their lunches, and after a few minutes of silence Jo looked back up at her and tipped her head inquisitively. “You seem distracted today, at the office and here at lunch. Is everything okay?”
Melodie took a bite of her fettuccini and debated whether or not to pull Jo into her dilemma with Cole. She desperately needed someone to talk to—a qualified, knowledgeable female who’d understand and empathize with her inexperience with the opposite sex. Melodie’s mother had died before she’d ever really known her, and her father had never re-married, so she’d grown up without a steady feminine influence in her life. She had girlfriends from school she still kept in touch with, but no one she felt comfortable enough with to discuss her lack-luster seduction skills.
As for Jo, well, she had a deeper insight to the man Melodie had her sights set on, so any advice she volunteered on her brother’s behalf might help Melodie better understand what kind of obstacles she was up against. Ultimately, she trusted Jo as a friend and confidante.
