by Jacki Kelly
“I’ve been thinking about this for months.” She tried to sound nonchalant. “Right now it’s only an idea. Stay tuned.”
The server set their entrees in front of them. She caught a whiff of garlic and rosemary and the scent of his meat grilled in butter. Instead of diving into her favorite seared salmon, her stomach turned upside down.
“Are you okay? You look green.” Darius stared at her.
She pushed the plate into the middle of the table to keep the smell away from her nose. “I just lost my appetite.” She rubbed her stomach through the thin silk of her dress, hoping the wave of sickness wouldn’t ruin their evening.
“Are you going to be okay or should we leave?” Darius put his fork down.
“No. We haven’t eaten since breakfast. You have got to be hungry. Eat.” She gestured to his sizzling plate as she tried to fight the throbbing feeling in her head.
“If you want to go back to the villa, I can have this wrapped to go. I really don’t mind.”
“Eat, sweetheart. I’ll be fine.”
Without waiting for more encouragement, he picked up his fork and cut into his ribeye steak. Watching him chew each medium rare hunk set her belly into another spin. When he finally put his fork down on the empty plate, she felt like she’d been released from food prison.
He paid the check. “We better get out of here before you start to hurl. If you get any paler, I might have to carry you back to the villa.” He grabbed her hand.
****
The huge paddle fan in the middle of the master bedroom stirred up a nice breeze, but Darius cracked open the patio doors to allow air in the room. Melissa’s color had returned the moment they left the restaurant and stepped out into the night air, so more ventilation had to be better.
“At least I waited until the last night of our stay before getting sick.” She curled around him as he eased back into the bed.
“You had me worried for a while there.”
“It was nothing, probably an allergic reaction. Whatever upset my stomach stopped as soon as we left the restaurant.” She trailed her finger down the center of his chest. “You know something else I noticed. You haven’t been guzzling those energy drinks while we’re here.”
“You see, there’s another reason why you should go on tour with me. I can take care of you and you can take care of me. I haven’t had a desire or a need for one of those drinks in days.” He pushed a ringlet of hair away from her face so he could stare into her deep, brown eyes.
She swatted his arm and laughed. “You mean I’ll be taking care of you because when you’re traveling you are just one big baby. I want no part of sitting around waiting on you hand and foot.”
Hearing the light context in her voice eased his anxiety. They needed more time together to solidify their restart, but cancelling the shows was not an option. He pulled her closer, cupping her face with his hands as he kissed her warm mouth.
Trust. He had to trust they would be just fine.
He lowered his mouth to her lips. She tasted warm and sweet as she pressed the full length of her body against him. The smell of her cologne still lingered on her skin. She wrapped her legs around him, drawing them even closer. His erection pushed against her thigh, his need for her heavy in his loins. Being away from her for several weeks was unimaginable. He knew it was impossible to get enough of her to last him until he returned, but tonight, he wanted to try.
She released a moan as he massaged her breast.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked.
“A little.”
“I’ll be gentler,” he responded. He took her nipple into his mouth and circled it tenderly with his tongue. He switched to the other breast and moved his hand down her body to the soft crease between her thighs. She opened her legs to allow his fingers to find her nub.
Melissa draped her arms around his neck and pushed her tongue inside his mouth. In rhythm, they explored each other until he felt unable to hold back the tide of pressure mounting in his body.
He pulled away from her to straddle her thighs. She seemed reluctant to release her hold on him.
“Baby, I want you now. I need you.”
She nodded and untangled her legs as her hands gripped his shaft. She tightened her hold on him, almost causing him to explode with ecstasy.
“You better not do that,” he warned. “I’m so close…”
“I am too.”
He plunged into her like a burning man into water. The euphoria of being inside of her made him shudder. For several moments, he luxuriated in her warmth. This was the purest pleasure he knew. He could spend a lifetime in this position and still it wouldn’t be enough. To love one woman with so much fervor had to have some downside, but for now, he pushed all negative thoughts from his mind and allowed his body to match her movement.
She drove her hips against him, demanding more. He thrust deeper into her, again and again until she began to claw at his back.
“Darius, now,” she purred in his ear.
He climbed the mountain, and just as her frenzied movement stiffened, he plunged over the side. His body was transported to ecstasy.
Chapter Fifteen
Two days ago, they had been making hot, lusty love on the beach in Maui, and now, his driver was placing the last of his bags in the trunk of the car. She tried not to be sad, but she felt empty.
She stood in the doorway as Darius’s limousine pulled away from the curb. With the darkened windows she couldn’t see him, but she waved anyway. The cool morning air circled her bare ankles. She pulled her sweater tighter and shivered. The old familiar feeling of loneliness radiated through her veins as the car turned the corner.
She went back in the house. Without waiting another moment, she dug out the paperwork from the lawyer out of her purse and dialed his number.
“I’d like to speak with Mr. Daly, please. This is Melissa Conroy.”
“He’s in court this morning. Can I take a message?” The receptionist sounded just as frenzied now as she had when Melissa showed up in their office.
“Oh. Well, I stopped in to see him a few weeks ago about a divorce.”
“Honey, he sees a lot of people about divorce. Let me pull your file.”
Melissa heard papers shuffling and a hushed conversation, but she couldn’t make out any words. Turbo left his space near the fireplace and brushed against her leg. She scratched the top of his head.
“Conroy. I’ve got it. It says here you wanted a little time before signing. Are you ready now?” she asked in a clipped tone.
“No, actually we’re not getting divorced. We made up. Maybe I was being hasty, but everything is fine now.”
“Ha,” the receptionist guffawed. “I’m not surprised. They always change their minds when they find out how much it’s going to cost them or how much alimony they have to pay. We’ll keep the papers on file for a year in case you change your mind.”
“No. You don’t need to do that. I’m certain,” Melissa rushed. No matter what happened she wouldn’t go back to Daly’s offices. Maybe he should think about finding a new assistant, one who didn’t drive business away.
“I’m following our policy,” she snapped.
“Does your policy require me to remember to call you again, a year from now?”
“No,” she said in the same clipped tone. “Not at all. If I don’t hear anything more from you, we’ll shred your documents.”
Melissa sighed with relief. “Thanks.” She eased the receiver back on the cradle. Maybe she should try to talk with Mr. Daly in person. The receptionist had had it in for her ever since she disrupted the discombobulated woman’s schedule by showing up without an appointment.
The doorbell rang, startling her and setting Turbo into a fit of barking. She opened it without checking the peephole.
“Pam, what are you doing here?”
“Just because you and Darius have made up, are you kicking me to the curb?” Pam stepped in the house, dropped her drawstring bag on the floor
and placed her hands on her hips.
“You’ll always be my girl.” Melissa hugged her friend.
Pam shrugged loose from the embrace. “You didn’t even call me when you got back in town.”
“Awww. Are you feeling abandoned?”
“Oh, shut up.” Pam gave her a gentle shove. “You know I have abandonment issues. What’s for breakfast? I’m hungry.”
Melissa motioned her toward the kitchen. “Darius prepared some sausage and toast. My sinuses have been acting up, so I didn’t eat. You can have mine.”
Pam rinsed her hands in the sink and flopped into a chair at the kitchen island in front of the plate. “You sure you don’t want this?” she asked as she picked up the link and bit it in half.
“Help yourself.” Melissa pulled orange juice from the refrigerator and poured two glasses. As she set one in front of her friend, Pam gobbled up the first piece of toast and reached for the second. There were heavy bags under her eyes, and her dark roots needed a touch-up. “Pam, what’s up with you? Do we need a day of TLC?”
Tears collected in Pam’s eyes, but she continued to chew. “I tried to see Steve last night. He shut the door in my face."
Melissa held her. While she rubbed her shoulders, Pam shook with sobs.
“I was on the phone all night with my mother. I couldn’t stop crying. Even though I tried to convince her I was going to be okay, she’s adamant about coming out here.”
“Maybe she should. She might be able to comfort you and help you move on. It’s obvious what I’m doing isn’t working,” Melissa tried to reassure her.
“I just thought after a few months maybe his mood would have improved and he’d be ready to sit down and talk.”
“I thought we agreed you were going to leave him alone, honey.”
“I still love him, Melissa. How can he move on so fast? He had to be cheating on me.”
“Don’t do this, Pam.” She held her at arm’s length and tried to get her to focus. “Why don’t we go get our nails done and get a massage? Maybe a day on the town will help you feel better.”
Pam reached for a napkin on the counter and wiped her nose.
****
Darius called home. After four rings, the recorder came on. From the backseat of the town car he glanced at the digital clock display. Where could Melissa be this time of day? She’d sworn she needed to get caught up on paperwork and would be home all day.
After a few minutes, he redialed. Again, no answer. She didn’t answer her cell, either. After the message prompt, he said, “Call me.” He couldn’t suppress the terse sound in his voice. Why wasn’t she picking up anywhere? He shoved the phone back into his jacket. Seven hours and they were right back where they started. He tugged at the collar of his shirt. Distrust gnawed at him, and as much as he wanted to ignore the feeling, it was hard. Melissa was not like his mother, sneaking around with someone else while he was on the road. And Darius knew he could never be like his father and forgive her if she ever did.
“What’s gotten into you? You’re fidgeting like a prostitute in church. Don’t tell me you’re nervous about the concert?” Dan asked from his side of the car.
“It’s nothing.”
“Darius, talk to me, man. I’m here to listen to you.”
“I’ll be fine when I get on stage. I got this.” He slid closer to the door. “Are you sure the dancers know their steps? I don’t want another incident like we had last time.” He tried to take the edge out of his voice.
“Gwendolyn decided to quit the group and stay home with her baby. Her replacement is really good. You can meet her when we get to the arena.”
Traffic out of JFK International Airport was congested. As the car inched toward downtown, he kneaded his neck to keep the tension at bay. Tomorrow, he needed all of his cylinders firing red-hot. Before the press conference tonight, he’d try her again.
Chapter Sixteen
Melissa unlocked the door to the house just as Pam’s phone started to chirp. After a day of retail therapy, the dark circle under her eyes had lightened and the crying jags had stopped. Pam dropped her bags in the entrance to pull her cell from her purse.
“It’s my mother. Should I answer it?” Pam asked.
Melissa placed her packages in the nearest chair. “Girl, I’m still on a shopping high. Let me stay there a little longer. I’ll go get us something to drink.” Melissa left Pam standing in the foyer.
In the kitchen, she glanced at the phone. The red message light was blinking. It was probably Darius telling her he’d arrived in New York. She glanced at the clock on the microwave. If she could get Pam settled, she might be able to reach him tonight.
She unzipped her boots and kicked them into the corner. Turbo stuck his nose into one of them. “Dog, leave my shoes alone. Don’t even think about it.” She pulled a Milk Bone from the box under the sink and placed it in his mouth. He stretched out on the floor with the treat between his paws and began gnawing on the end.
After extracting her cell phone from her purse, she retrieved the voice mail from Darius.
“Call me.” His voice was like a cold blast freezing her in place. The warmth she expected to hear in his message was missing. The two-word command echoed in her head while her stomach battled to right itself. She set the phone on the table face down and opened the refrigerator.
“What do you want to drink?” she yelled to Pam while examining the icebox and trying to push his voice out of her head.
Pam came into the kitchen. “Just give me water. After such a big dinner, I can’t drink another thing,” “How is your mother?” Melissa placed a bottle of water on the counter and poured herself a glass of milk.
“Since I’m not crying and sound coherent, she’s less likely to jump on a plane to fly out here to rescue me. I told her we spent the day together, so I think I appeased her.” Pam opened the bottle and took a long swallow. “I think I’ve come to a conclusion today. I’m moving back to the east coast. Other than you and Darius, I have nothing here. The two of you have each other, so I’m going back home to find my own love.” Even though the words were upbeat, there was no happiness in her voice.
“Hopefully, in time you will convince yourself you’re doing the right thing,” Melissa said before propping her elbow on the island. She didn’t want to think about having her best friend so far away. “How soon do you think you’ll leave?”
“In a few weeks, maybe a month. The way I figure, the sooner the better. The more miles between me and Steve, the sooner I’ll get over him.” She stood. “I should get out of here. I’ve got a pile of tissues I need to put in the trash and a bottle of wine chillin’ in the fridge. Besides, the last thing I want to hear is lovey-dovey talk between you and Darius.”
“He’s out of town for a few weeks. And based on the message he left for me, there may not be a whole lot of loving conversation. Why don’t you stay here tonight? We can have girls’ night.”
“On a Friday night? Just the sound of that is downright pitiful. Thanks, but no thanks. I’d rather go home and watch re-runs of Friends. No offense.”
Melissa laughed. “None taken.”
In the foyer, Pam grabbed her bags and planted a kiss on Melissa’s cheek.
“Call me in the morning,” Melissa said to her friend as she ran down the steps. “I mean it, Pam. If I don’t hear from you by ten, I’m coming over.”
“I’m not suicidal, Melissa. I’m just alone.” She waved.
Melissa closed and locked the door. Back in the kitchen, she picked up her phone and dialed Darius. It was one o’clock on the east coast. His concert might be drawing to a close. She tapped her fingers against the glass table as she listened to the rings.
“Hey,” she said when he picked up. “I really didn’t think I’d get you. How was the show?”
“Where have you been? I called on both phones as soon as we landed and you didn’t pick up either one.” His accusatory tone bumped her temperature up several degrees. Where was the sweet,
considerate man she’d relaxed with on the beach just a few days ago? Were they bound to be at odds whenever they were apart? Where was the trust that should have sheltered their love?
“I shouldn’t have to explain myself. But if it makes you feel any better, Pam stopped by as soon as you left. You know what she’s going through. She was in a mood, so I spent the day trying to cheer her up. We got massages, did some shopping, and stopped for dinner.” The words rushed out. Having to justify her behavior angered her even more. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know I needed your permission to have a life while you were enjoying yours.”
He paused for several moments. “I’m sorry, Melissa. I just wanted to hear your voice when I got here, and then, when I couldn’t reach you…I’m really sorry, sweetheart. I’m so glad you called me. I miss you so much.”
As his tone softened, so did her mood.
“How is Pam?” he asked.
“Not so good. She’s moving back to Philly. Maybe it’s for the best. But I miss her already.” She paused. “So, how was the show?”
His voice gained animation as he detailed his performance. His excitement fueled her adrenaline. Unable to stand still, she strolled around the kitchen while he recanted every component of his day. As he talked, the emotion in his voice drew her closer to him, recapturing the happiness she’d gotten used to in Maui.
“How ya been feeling? Any better?” he asked.
The affection in his tone made her smile. “No headaches, but my stomach is still funky. As a matter of fact, I’m heading to bed soon.” She glanced at the untouched glass of milk on the counter.
“Are you going to find out what’s the matter, or do I need to drag you to the doctor?”
“If I’m not better soon, I’ll make an appointment next week. I promise.”
