Page 39 of Lucas & Melissa Falling in Love
“I was thinking we would stay at my place.” I look at her and she and Margo look up from the business card. In Melissa’s expression, the mystery of my last name is all forgotten.
“Were you going to ask me first?” Her grin is crazy happy, but with that hint of calm reserve that won’t let her jump up and down and say yes, no matter what. My insides churn with the anticipation of Melissa naked and making love with me—and I wonder how long I can postpone telling her the truth without making myself sick with guilt.
I remind myself I am committed to telling her tonight. Before we make love. And then I can only hope we’llstillbe making love.
“I was hoping to persuade you with my charm.” I grin because I can’t help myself, seeing the spark in her eyes, the telltale glisten of passion and desire.
Tamping down on the rush of blood to my nether parts, I turn to George. “How’s the scotch business going these days?”
He lights like a beacon and grins. “Fabulous. I have a new shipment under wraps waiting to be tested out.”
“Hey before you start talking man talk, I need some alone time,” Melissa says, sounding fully like herself again, confident and in charge. My heart tightens and flips around like I’m a kid on a roller coaster waiting for the fall from the summit, excited and afraid and a hot bundle of wanting. Cursing my genetic predisposition for passion, too much passion sometimes, I manage to keep my cool.
I put my arm around her, not bothering to temper my proprietary urge. I breathe her in, blocking out everyone else, concentrating on her and the subtle, yet unmistakably expensive scent of her. It makes me smile.
“Would you mind if we talk in the den?” I ask George. Margo speaks up.
“Of course not—but you have to join us for the midnight toast.” Her eyes were a question and she aimed them at Melissa, who nodded.
I ushered her toward that comfortable room. The stone fireplace, the dark carved bookcases reminded me of home, of my father’s office, where I spent so much time, often learning—and talking my way out of trouble.
“You have no idea how much I wanted to see you, was wishing you would walk through that door,” she says. “And then you did.”
She steps close to me as we go into the den and stand in front of the fireplace. There’s no way to resist wrapping my arms around her, letting her feel my excitement.
“I couldn’t stay away.” I’m stalling and I need to tell her something about who I am, but how do I start?
She says, “I know I owe you an apology.” She aims her eyes at mine, forthright and comically serious in the romantic gleam of the fire. My growing desire protrudes into the soft V of her thighs.
“No,” I say automatically.
“Yes. For so many things. Starting with sending you away that morning—what was it? Only a week ago.” She shakes her head and kisses my jaw, whispering, “Seems like forever.”
“You’ve had a lot happen to you in such a short time.”
“Tell me about it.” She gives me her wry smile. “But you’ve been the one solid thing I’ve returned to in my mind, our connection the one thing that’s seemed most real to me. No matter how much I’ve tried not to miss you, not to want you with me.”
I sigh deeply and close my eyes, deciding to rein in my courage, the courage I should have as a grown man. Then I say, “Let’s sit together and I’ll tell you—”
The door slides open and a young man I recognize as George’s cousin Will walks in.
Melissa jumps back from my embrace and I see the stress cut across her face before she collects herself, quickly controlling her expression.
“What the hell is going on here, Melissa?” Will darts an angry look at me, stepping forward into the room. As he advances, I naturally put myself between him and Melissa. I didn’t think of him as an aggressive man, but my brief first impression last week could have been all wrong.
“Will, you remember Lucas.”
He glared at her and refused to look at me, expecting her to say more.
“He unexpectedly showed up at the party tonight.”
“So you thought you’d pick up where you left off?”
“Maybe you should leave,” I say, not liking his tone. She puts a hand on my arm, communicating that she wants to handle this.
“Ishould leave?” Will gives a humorless snort. “Not likely. Melissa ismydate tonight.” He spits the words at me then shifts his eyes back to her.
His words punched me in the gut. “Your date?” I said. I hadn’t expected this. It had only been a week since we’d been together. Maybe I had no right to feel like she was mine, but I did.
