A Reason to Love (15 page)

It might not be smart, but darned if she could come up with the strength to resist him. When Spence began nuzzling her neck, she shivered and arched her head to the side to give him easier access. “Oh yes, just like that,” she murmured as she dug her fingertips into the hard muscles in his shoulders.

Once again it was Spence who banked the fire, but only a little. This time he stayed right there in front of her, breathing hard and his eyes a darker shade of green. “Mel, my life is still screwed up with no end in sight. I can’t tell you how long I’ll be here in Snowberry Creek or even where I’ll end up when I leave.”

No surprise there. “Spence, I understand all that. You’ve never made any claims otherwise, and my own situation isn’t much better. If I can’t save the company, I won’t be staying in town, either. I won’t ask you for promises you can’t keep, not when I can’t make any myself.”

He stroked her cheek with the tips of his fingers. “So we’re good?”

She gave him a heated look of her own, eyeing him from the top of his head all the way down to his boots and back up again, pausing at a few favorite stops along the way. “I just know we’re going to be.”

Was he blushing? It was hard to tell, but the thought made her smile. He nodded in the direction of the plastic bag he’d tossed on the counter. “I’m thinking the cookies and ice cream can wait. You know, we can save them until afterward.”

She arched an eyebrow. “Better yet, let’s plan on having them in between.”

His eyes widened, and his mouth quirked up in a big grin. “Well, okay, then. Guess I’ve got my marching orders.”

His response had her feeling far bolder than she’d ever been with a lover before. “That’s right, soldier. The only question is where you want to start this party.”

Spence reached over to give the kitchen table a quick shake and then did the same with the counter. “These both seem plenty sturdy.”

Two could play at this game. “I should point out that the couch in the den is more comfortable than the one in the living room. Then again, if you’re a traditional kind of guy, the bed in my room is king-sized.”

Rather than continue the conversation, in a surprise move Spence lifted her up and set her down on the kitchen counter. She squeaked in surprise but happily let him make room for himself between her knees. He stroked his fingers up her legs and the outside of her thighs to grip her ass with both hands as he kissed her hard and deep. She clamped her legs around his hips and rocked against his erection. Better, but not nearly enough to satisfy either one of them.

She jerked the hem of his shirt up. “Get rid of this.”

•   •   •

Spence was only too glad to do Melanie’s bidding. After tossing his T-shirt over his shoulder, he retaliated by peeling off her tank top and issued an order of his own. “Lie back.”

As soon as she did, he leaned down to kiss her midriff. From there, he moved up to scatter kisses along the top curve of her breasts. With a flick of his fingers, he unfastened the front clasp of her bra and shoved the lace out of his way. He paused for a long second to stare down in wonder at her full breasts with their dusky tips that begged to be kissed. God, he’d dreamed about this moment, but his fevered imagination hadn’t even come close to the realty.

He cupped her breasts and gave them a soft squeeze, then a second one with a little more pressure. Oh yeah, she liked that. Melanie arched up, pressing them more firmly into his hands. Her expression was looking a bit desperate, which pleased him to no end. He didn’t want to be the only one feeling that way.

She looked up at him with those smoky gray eyes. “Please, Spence!”

He captured one nipple with his mouth and suckled hard. He’d never tasted anything so sweet and warm. Melanie wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close, making it clear that she wanted more of the same. He gave equal time to the other breast, using his teeth and tongue to coax the nipple into a tight bud.

As he did, he slipped a hand between them to press against the juncture of her legs. The soft flannel did little to disguise the damp heat gathering there, but even the thin layer of fabric was too much. On impulse, he lifted her legs high to rest on his shoulders while he pressed a kiss right where his hand had just been. Melanie’s eyes widened in surprised shock. When she didn’t protest, he did it again, this time swirling his tongue hard enough to leave her moaning. It was almost his undoing.

They needed to get naked. Right now.

He could take her right there on the counter or even the table, but Melanie deserved better than that. Her bed would be best, but right now he was running too close to the edge to make it upstairs to her bedroom. Hadn’t she mentioned something about the couch in the den? He muscled her up off the counter and started down the hall with her holding on for dear life.

He managed to open the pocket doors. Enough light spilled in from the hallway to make it unnecessary for him to mess with turning on the lamps. He set Melanie back on her feet and immediately tugged her pj bottoms down past her hips while debating whether to leave her lacy panties in place for the moment. No, there was no time for that.

Holding on to his shoulders for balance, she kicked off her flip-flops before stepping out of her pants. As soon as she was done, she reached for the buckle on his belt. When he tried to help her, she batted his hands aside. “Let me.”

He was pretty sure waiting for her to undo his belt and then his zipper was the road to insanity. Finally, she got them both undone and started working his pants down his legs. As soon as his penis sprang free from the confinement of his jeans, she smiled and took it in a gentle grip. His eyes nearly rolled back in his head. One stroke of her hand snapped what was left of his control. Once again, he picked her up, this time to settle her down on the cool leather of the couch. He managed to remain vertical long enough to pull a condom from his pocket, something else he’d picked up when he stopped at the cottage to get the cookies.

After stripping off his pants and boots, he stretched out on top of Melanie and settled between her legs, skin to skin at last, as he held himself poised right at the threshold of her body and kissed her softly. “How can I make this good for you?”

Her smile was a siren’s song as she brought her knees up, settling him more firmly against her. “Just keep doing what you’re doing.”

He wanted to give her more than a frantic coupling. It took every bit of willpower he could muster to back off enough to restore a bit of his control. He kissed her mouth, her pretty lips already swollen with passion. From there, he slid farther down her body to pay homage to her breasts.

Melanie’s hands fluttered down to hold his head as her own tossed back and forth in the same rhythm while his mouth tugged on first one breast and then the other. After a few seconds, he continued on his journey, kissing the soft curve of her belly before finally reaching the damp curls below. As he tongued her clit, he slid first one finger and then a second deep inside her, trying to prepare her for when he finally claimed her with everything he had.

When she keened out in release, he surged back up her body, holding back for a moment before thrusting deep and hard inside her. One of them hollered, most likely him. He tried to give her a minute to adjust to the abrupt invasion, but when her nails dug hard into his backside, all bets were off. He raised himself up to support his weight on his arms, then let his hips swing hard and fast, the slap of his body against hers the most erotic thing he’d ever heard.

The ride was fast and sexy and over way too soon. Melanie panted his name as a second, more powerful climax rolled through her, shoving him right over the cliff at the same time. He shouted and shuddered as he rode out the storm with her, loving the feel of his body pouring out every bit of his passion deep within this one woman.

When the last of the tremors faded away, he realized he was crushing her. He immediately pushed himself up to use his arms to support his own weight while leaving their bodies connected.

“Melanie, that was . . . wow.”

Her eyes lit up. “Yeah, that’s the very word I was looking for. ‘Wow’ is good.”

He ducked down to kiss the tip of her nose. “I only have one question for you. Well, actually two.”

She stroked his back with her hands. “Which are?”

“What flavor is the ice cream? Second, do we eat it down here or take it up to your room since you said it was for in between?”

Melanie’s giggle sent a vibration through to a certain part of his anatomy, which immediately stirred to life again. She knew it, too.

“I have chocolate, strawberry, and chocolate chip mint, and I vote for upstairs.” Then she rocked her hips just a little. “However, I’m thinking there might not be enough time in between for ice cream. We may need to save it for afterward after all.”

And that’s what they did.

M
elanie had never eaten ice cream in bed naked with a man before. Before coming upstairs to her room, Spence had filled his bowl with strawberry ice cream and grabbed the bag of goodies he’d brought from home. What was that old expression? Oh yes. She definitely wouldn’t kick him out for eating cookies in bed even if he did sneak a bite from her bowl every chance he got.

When he tried again, she smacked his greedy fingers with her spoon. “Quit it! You could’ve had chocolate if you had wanted it. In fact, you still can if you want it that much.”

He held out his bowl. “Or you could share yours.”

“Not happening. I don’t share chocolate. Not ever.” She scooted a little farther away from him. “Ask anyone who knows me.”

“Fine, I get it. No sharing.” Spence settled back against the headboard of her bed. Just when she let her guard down, he snagged the bag of cookies and tossed it out of reach on the table on his side of the bed.

She rolled her eyes. “Real mature, Spence.”

He shrugged and kept eating his ice cream. After a bit, he relented and put the bag back within her reach. “So, what happened with Mrs. Cuthbert?”

Melanie wasn’t sure she wanted to spoil this peaceful moment talking about work, but venting would feel good. “I shouldn’t tell tales about an employee outside the office, but the truth is that the strain between me and Mrs. Cuthbert has been building for some time now. A lot of the procedures my father had in place are hopelessly out of date, but she doesn’t see it that way. That would mean he wasn’t perfect. Believe me, he wasn’t.”

She paused to eat another bite of her ice cream and gather her thoughts. “Okay, maybe that was uncalled for, but if we’re going to stay in business, something has to change. The trouble is that there is a certain element among the employees who are resistant to any kind of change at all. Perhaps it’s because I’m a woman, and the building industry is still pretty much male dominated. Maybe they don’t see me as an authority figure because they knew me when I had skinned knees and braces on my teeth.”

He was already nodding. “I’ve heard a few grumblings along that line. On the other hand, the guys in the factory are happy that you’re making the effort to get the machinery back into good shape. They figure you wouldn’t bother if you were going to close the doors for good.”

That was something. At least she’d done one thing right. Setting her bowl aside, she drew her knees up and wrapped her arms around her legs. “Most of the problem is on the administrative side. Hardly anything is done by computer, which translates to inefficiency. Things get lost in the process, and there aren’t any backup procedures in place to act as a safety net.”

He kept prodding. “So what fell through the cracks this time?”

“I’ve been working with a local banker in an effort to restructure the company’s debt load, and some crucial paperwork went astray. He went on vacation for a week, and the guy who was covering for him got busy and didn’t follow up on it. However, the real problem was on our end. I’d hoped to lock in a lower interest rate if the loan was approved, and each day’s delay means that much more of our already limited funds is going to pay some pretty-high-interest payments. My biggest worry is that this screwup was an indication that the Wolfe Millworks is no longer a company they would want to do business with.”

Even her favorite brand of chocolate ice cream wasn’t going to make this conversation more palatable. “I can’t blame Mrs. Cuthbert entirely for all of it falling apart. Obviously it wasn’t her fault the banker was gone or that the envelope got lost somewhere between the office and the banker. As important as those papers were, all things considered, I should’ve faxed them over myself.”

Spence set his bowl aside to pull her into his arms. “You can’t expect to do everything all by yourself, Mel. If that woman was having problems, she should’ve told you. That’s her job.”

“
Was
her job. She gave her two weeks’ notice. She definitely didn’t like it when I lost my temper and cursed in front of her. Evidently, my father was too much of a gentleman to ever have done such a scandalous thing. I feel bad that she’ll be leaving angry after all her years of service to the company, but I honestly don’t know what I could’ve done differently. Her loyalty to my father and his memory is commendable, but she’ll never truly accept me as his replacement. I can’t function if my staff is fighting me every step of the way.”

She snuggled closer to Spence’s warm strength. “I don’t know how to make everyone see me as something besides Edmond Wolfe’s little girl.”

“I guess the need to put our pasts behind us is something else we have in common.” His laugh rumbled through his chest. “Try living down a reputation like mine. I’m the first to admit that I ran wild after my parents died and Uncle Vince moved in. Hell, I probably wouldn’t have survived at all if it hadn’t been for the Reddings. Thanks to them, I finally got my act together. Yet every time I run into someone who hasn’t seen me since I left town, all I hear about is my exploits. One asshole even hinted that my being reported killed in action was just another prank.”

She bolted upright. “Seriously? What jerk said something that stupid? Is it someone I know?”

Spence gathered her close again. “Down, girl. When I run into idiots like that, I just remind myself that stupid can’t be fixed.”

“True enough, but that doesn’t keep their idiotic comments from being hurtful. He’d kick himself if he could see the marks your service has left on you.”

It hadn’t been until they were in the kitchen to dish up the ice cream that she was actually able to see the evidence of the various wounds he’d suffered along the way. They still gave her the shivers. It was painfully obvious how close they’d come to having lost Spence for real. Most of the scars were faded, but one in particular still looked painful. She trailed her fingers across the puckered jagged scar that started on his chest and followed the curve of his rib cage.

“God, Spence, I can’t stand to think about what you must have gone through. I hate the people who did this to you.”

He caught her hand in his and brought it up to his lips for a quick kiss. “I’m sorry my scars bother you. I’ll put my shirt back on.”

“No, don’t.” She rolled over to straddle his lap. “They bother me because it means you were hurt, Spence, not because they repulse me. As far as I’m concerned, each and every one of them is a badge of honor.”

To make sure he knew she meant every word, she sought out each scar on his powerful body, no matter how small, and kissed it. As she progressed downward, Spence kicked his head back to watch her, his eyes at half-mast while he tracked her every move. That he liked what she was doing was very apparent by the time she worked her way down his ripped six-pack. The mood shifted from healing to something far more primal.

When she flicked her tongue along the ridge of his hipbone, Spence’s legs moved restlessly. She smiled, taking great pleasure in using her feminine power to bring her lover to full arousal. After stretching out beside his thigh, she met his gaze as she captured his cock with her hand and gave it a long, slow stroke. He rolled his hips toward her, clearly asking for more. She gave it to him, this time using her tongue in a series of quick strokes.

He gripped handfuls of the sheets, his big body rigid with tension. “You’re killing me here, Mel.”

“Is this better?” she asked as she took him in her mouth. His hand came down to tangle in her hair in unspoken encouragement. She worked him slowly, managing to drive them both crazy in the process. The instant it was too much for Spence, he begged her to stop.

She froze. “You don’t like what I was doing?”

“On the contrary, I like it too much.”

She looked up to see if he meant that. There was such an amazing expression on his handsome face: a potent mix of pleasure, hunger, and something else she couldn’t quite define. He caressed her face with his fingertips. “I just want to finish this together, and I’m thinking we should try out that big claw-foot tub while we’re at it.”

“Great idea. I’ll go start the water.”

As he followed her into the bathroom, neither of them wearing a stitch of clothing, it occurred to her that she’d never been so comfortable being naked with any other man. With Spence, she was blissfully unselfconscious. And other than his momentary concern about his scars, he seemed to feel the same way. She was glad, because she loved having the freedom to explore his body, learning what he liked and what he liked even more.

After turning on the water, she asked, “How do you feel about making it a bubble bath?”

Rogue that he was, he glanced down at his body with a wicked grin. “I’m up for it.”

She laughed and tossed a towel at his head. “Don’t blame me if the guys give you a bad time tomorrow for smelling like lavender.”

“Not going to be a problem.” He swept her up in his arms and gently lowered her into the frothy bubbles and then slid in behind her. “After how great tonight’s been, I can’t imagine anything could spoil my mood.”

All things considered, she thought he might just be right about that.

•   •   •

Spence pushed his motorcycle across Melanie’s backyard, waiting until he’d gone some distance before starting the engine to ride the rest of the way back to the cottage. There was no use in making it obvious where he’d spent the night. He felt bad about leaving Mooch alone so long, which was the only reason he was sneaking across the yard long before the sun crested the mountains to the east.

God knows he hadn’t wanted to leave Mel’s bed at all. It had felt too good to have her incredible body cuddled next to him, that fiery red hair spread out against his skin. If he could have, he would have lingered there long enough to count the scattering of freckles across her shoulders. But for the sake of her reputation, as well as for poor Mooch, he’d shaken her awake long enough to tell her why he was leaving.

Temptress that she was, she’d responded by coaxing him into an early-morning quickie. At this rate, he’d be dead by the end of the week and for real this time. At least it would be a far better way to go than what his captors had had planned for him, which was the last thing he’d ever expected to joke about. He was still chuckling when he let himself into the cottage. Mooch bolted past him in a rush to get outside. Poor fur ball. Spence would make it up to him with scrambled eggs and bacon for breakfast.

He gathered up the ingredients and quickly made a four-egg omelet for the two of them to share. As they ate, he considered Melanie’s financial problems. Maybe he could do something about that. His parents had left him a tidy nest egg. He’d barely touched it since taking full control of his inheritance. The house was paid for, and so was his motorcycle. If Melanie needed money, he had it to lend. Hell, he could give it to her outright and not miss it.

Thinking about her problems made him realize that he needed to confront his own. Even if he wasn’t sure about what he wanted to do with his life, it wasn’t fair of him to leave Callie, Nick, and even Leif living in limbo. It was too early for his attorney to be in the office, but to make sure he didn’t chicken out, Spence left a message for him to call. Even that small step felt good. Once he knew where he stood on the legalities of everything, he’d contact Callie and Nick and have that long-overdue sit-down with them.

He hoped the attorney’s office would be able to set up an appointment for him within the next couple of days. Now that he’d taken that first step, he wanted things to move along rapidly. Rather than pace the floors until he had to report to work, he went outside to tinker with his motorcycle’s engine. Considering how long it had been since he’d ridden the Harley regularly, it could use a tune-up. He’d picked up everything he needed a few days ago and just hadn’t had time to do the work.

Naturally, the minute he got his hands greasy his phone rang. After wiping his hands on a rag, he checked to see who was calling. Good, it was his attorney, Troy Nash. That was quick service.

“Hey, Troy! Thanks for calling me back.” He glanced at his watch. “Especially so early. Isn’t this before office hours?”

“Yeah, it is, but I have to be in court and came in to pick up some files. When I heard your message, I wanted to get right back to you. The truth is that I’d expected to hear from you long before now, Spence. Are you doing okay? Really?”

The man had always been a straight shooter. The concern in his voice was genuine, so Spence gave him an honest answer rather than the bullshit response he gave most people. “I won’t deny seeing my own headstone was a total freak-out moment, but I’m doing okay. And, yeah, I should’ve gotten in touch with you as soon as I got back, but . . . well, I just wasn’t up to dealing with anything complicated.”

“And now?”

There was no easy answer. “I can’t make any long-range plans until I get everything straightened out. Besides, there are other people who will be directly impacted by any decisions I make.”

As usual, Troy didn’t pull any punches. “Callie and Nick have called a couple of times.”

“I figured as much. Sorry if I’ve put you in a tough position.”

To his surprise, the other man just laughed. “That’s why you pay me the big bucks. Is there anything you want me to tell them?”

“Not yet. I need to know my options and what kind of fucked-up tangled mess my lack of being dead has created for everybody.”

He meant that last part to be a joke, but Troy didn’t take it that way. For the first time, there was a thread of ice-cold anger in his voice. “Not funny, Spence. No one gives a rat’s ass how tangled things are. Not me, not Callie, and for damn sure, not your two buddies. All that matters is that you came home. Got that?”

Well, shit. “Sorry, Troy. I really do know that. Sometimes my mouth goes out of control, but then that’s always been a problem for me.” He drew a slow breath. “What I should’ve said is that I can’t fix things with Callie and Nick until I know what my options are.”

After a brief silence, Troy said, “Apology accepted. So, what does your schedule look like?”