Naughty Flings: Twelve Naughty Little Romps

by Alexa Silver

  They pulled up in front of the restaurant and he came around to take her hand. Her messenger bag would sit in the car—she had given him her ID in case it was needed—and he felt as if he was escorting a movie star to a special dinner before a premiere or something.

  Would this be how it would be between them? How could it possibly be this comfortable in such a short time?

  “Tod!” a voice called as he and Mel walked in and Tod scanned the small groups waiting by the hostess stand. Great! Brice Wrendel had been an old tennis partner, but when he’d traded his sweet, unassuming wife Heather for a more attractive, more aggressive woman, Tod had drifted away. Sure enough Brice was puffed up, and with badly self-tanned, Ursula, of the triple Ds who wore her title as trophy wife with pride, at his side.

  “Brice,” he said with a nod. “Ursula.”

  “And who do we have here?” Ursula asked, wide eyed.

  “Mel, my…”

  “Friend,” Mel finished, saving him. “Melody actually, but Tod likes to call me Mel.” She cocked her head and winked at him.

  “I’ll check in with the hostess. Mel?”

  “I’ll be waiting,” she assured.

  It was entirely too busy and Tod realized he’d have to wait a bit to get service, despite making a reservation. When Brice came over, Tod mentally winced. He didn’t want to make conversation with a casual acquaintance tonight.

  Mel eyed the woman with the too-bright golden hair, too-tight blouse, and too-short skirt and mentally sighed. Her husband had excused himself, explaining he wanted to get some stock quotes from Tod. Leaving Mel to this rather awkward social situation.

  “So…” Ursula began, tapping her French manicured nails on her arm. “I didn’t expect Tod to be with…someone like you.” She leaned in. “The women he usually rents aren’t quite so…zaftig. I didn’t realize that someone your size had…marketability.”

  Mel could feel the blood draining out of her face. Was this—of course that was what she implicated!

  “I’m not…I’m from Brooklyn!” Why had she said that?

  “Brooklyn?” Ursula laughed. “A rent girl from Brooklyn. It’s almost like Pretty Woman, the plus-sized version.” She leaned close, her smoker’s breath nearly bowling Mel over. “He’s seeing my sister, Bianca, she’s really falling for him.” She reached into her purse and pulled out her cellphone, scrolling to a photo of Tod, his arm around another woman. Mel took the phone in shaking hands, examining the image. Salt and pepper hair. Big smile. Yep, Tod sure seemed to be with this woman, and recently.

  “It’s okay, Melanie.” She shrugged “I would have wanted different for my sister, but she seems to really like him, and even tolerates that cat of his.”

  Mel thrust the phone back at Ursula and wrapped her arms around her torso, hugging herself. This was quickly turning into a nightmare. Not only had she slept with someone she didn’t really know, he’d lied to her. And poor Bianca apparently.

  “He’s still kind of hung up on his wife,” Ursula said, shaking her head. “I hope my sister will get away before he breaks her heart, but she’s an adult and I can just tell her to go while she can.”

  “N-no.” God, she had to get out of here! She had to get home—now! “Excuse me.”

  Mel wove through the people, and when she reached Tod, she had to swallow down her panic. She should have him put her on a train, but he’d promised Mom he’d drive her home. No, that wouldn’t work. She didn’t want him knowing where she lived. Mom’s. She’d go to Mom’s.

  “Tod, I don’t feel well. Could you take me home?” At least Mel didn’t have to fake that. She felt absolutely awful.

  When concern darkened his gaze, she looked away, pulling back when he tried to rest a hand against her forehead. “Sure, Melody, what’s wrong?”

  “Flu maybe? I’m just nauseous and a little dizzy.” She looked at Brice and shrugged. “I’m sorry. It was good to meet you. Tod…please.”

  “Yeah. Of course, Mel. Of course.” He slipped his arm around her, and she didn’t have to fake her shivers.

  Mel feigned sleep on the drive out of Connecticut—suburbia, what had she been thinking?—and when they got to Brooklyn, she directed him toward her Mom’s brownstone. She’d texted Mom, alerting her that she’d be dropped off there, rather than at home. Mom would surely have questions, but Mel would deal with that tomorrow.

  Mel knew she had to ask him who Bianca was and get the story from Tod’s lips, rather than trusting a stranger, but she was a little too humiliated right now. There would be time, tomorrow, whenever. Space would be a very good thing until she recovered her emotional equilibrium.

  “Right here,” she said faintly, pointing to the house, the stoop light blazing. “Thanks, Tod. For…everything.” He leaned in to kiss her and she moved back, shaking her head. “Don’t want you to get sick too. I’ll have a check for you in the next few days.”

  “All right,” he said quietly. As she gathered her things and exited the car, she tried to avoid his wounded-puppy look and the way it was tearing her up inside.

  Chapter 5

  “Melody, you have got to explain what’s wrong.” Mom paced—she did that well—around the kitchen. It was the meeting place in the house, and flowed into the dining room, though Mom’s slippers never went that far.

  Mel had been here two hours now. Tod probably was home already, maybe with Bianca on the hook. A part of her wondered if Ursula had been playing games with her, messing with her insecurities, but the other part of her rationalized that she didn’t know Tod well enough to judge…and maybe, just maybe, she’d let herself get too involved too quickly. What had she been thinking having sex with someone who was essentially a customer. A friendly customer, sure, but he wasn’t a buddy, wasn’t someone she’d ever even had a meal or a movie out with.

  “Mom…” What could she say to explain herself? She wasn’t the woman who just fell into bed with a guy.

  Mom had tons of questions, of course, but had quietly handed Mel a T-shirt and yoga pants—thank god they were essentially the same clothing size—and had plopped a bowl of beef stew down in front of Mel.

  It had only been when Mel had changed and eaten that the questions had started. Where had the gorgeous black dress and pumps come from? Why did Mel’s lips look swollen and her face lightly abraded? Where was Tod and why had he dropped her off at Mom’s instead of at home? And why did Mel’s eyes look so sad?

  She shrugged at the first few questions and avoided her mother’s worried gaze for the last. Instead, she rambled on about both Tod’s book and her own, and how Stamford had been unexpectedly nice, until it had all gone to hell.

  Mom would want details, of course. She might as well cave now.

  “I let Tod in, but it sounds as if he’s seeing someone. Bianca.” Even the name was sexier than the unisex “Mel” though she’d always been fond of Melody.

  “Did you have sex?” Mom asked. They’d gotten past the awkward teen years and into a very close friendship. She wouldn’t give details but…

  “Yeah. Then we went to dinner—or tried to—and we ran into some of his friends.” And didn’t that just figure that Tod’s friends—at least the female half—were as distasteful as he was tasteful. There was something to be said about the company you keep.

  “And?” Mom prodded, sitting across from Mel. Grrreat. The Ben & Jerry’s was out now, and Mom had helpfully brought a second spoon.

  “The guy was okay, I guess. His wife, though…” Mel shook her head. “She showed me a picture of Tod and his girlfriend. It was a recent one and he looked so happy.” She wouldn’t mention that the woman had accused her of being a hooker, or commented on her weight. That was just too bitchy and would get Mom’s back up.

  Mom took a big spoonful of the ice cream, licked it clean, and tapped the spoon against her lower lip. “Why do you think he’d take you all the way to Stamford and invest energy in you if he has a girlfriend, Mel. Men don’t do that. He’d have gone to your place or a
hotel, not invested hours if he was just looking for sex.”

  “I don’t know.” That part hadn’t made sense to Mel either.

  “Did you look him up on the Internet?” Mom asked quietly, motioning to her tablet computer.

  “No.”

  “Do you know her full name?” Mom asked, but Mel was already turning the on button

  “Nope, but let’s see what I can come up with.” Mel tapped Tod’s name and Bianca into the search box and came up with the exact same picture, from an alumni website. “See?” she said, not even trying to hide her distress. “Tod Swanson and Bianca Cluge smiling wide at Brice and Ursula’s five-year anniversary party, March 12, 2015. Mom, it looks as if he was with her in March. He told me he hadn’t dated much. Something is very, very wrong.”

  Mom took the tablet and studied the picture before closing the screen. She slid the pint of ice cream over to Mel. “Sleep on it, Melody. Maybe it will make more sense in the morning.” The frown lines at the corner of Mom’s eyes told their own tale. “But before you sleep, think of something, honey. If you were writing these characters in a book, why would he go to such an effort to sleep with you. As Judge Judy says, if an explanation doesn’t make sense, you usually don’t have the whole story.”

  Mom paused, letting Mel dig in to the ice cream. “I’ve arranged for your cousins to work the early shift. You don’t have to go in until ten. Try to sleep, honey. I know this situation wasn’t what you envisioned tonight, but I have a feeling Tod is in the same boat. He likes you, and I can’t shake that feeling that something else is afoot here. Have faith, kiddo. I love you. Couch is all ready for you. I’ll leave a bagel for you. Come see me when you get to work tomorrow.”

  “Love you too, Mom. Night.”

  Mel watched her mom disappear, digging into the ice cream. It wouldn’t do a damn thing for her hips, but it tasted good.

  *****

  Tod had been up most of the night wondering what was wrong. He wasn’t an idiot; Mel’s entire demeanor had changed. He’d briefly considered that it was just the way she dealt with illness, but something was very wrong, something that niggled and dug deep under his skin.

  He finally managed to sleep after having a couple of drinks, which sat heavily on his empty stomach. He hadn’t been able to eat after returning home. Even though nothing substantial had changed, it felt as if his whole reality had been knocked a little off center.

  Mel’s presence was everywhere, in a few long curly strands of hair on his pillow, in the faint scent of her perfume on one of his towels, on the streak of lipstick on a drinking glass. Even though she had only been in his house a few hours, her mark was indelible. She’d changed him; he’d let her in as he hadn’t let many in. And certainly no women in a long time. He didn’t want to make the Amelia comparison—it wasn’t fair to either of them—but he couldn’t stop his mind from going there, either.

  Tod was first on the train, his earbuds firmly in, his mp3 player running favorite classic rock mix. Reading was too much effort and he was too distracted to take notes on his story. He had to know where they stood, if he’d imagined the connection with Mel. As the train pulled into the station, he realized his hands were shaking. This woman had crawled into his heart when he hadn’t been expecting it. And he had no interest in pushing her out now that she was here.

  He shouldn’t have been surprised to see she wasn’t at the store. One of the other workers said she would be in later. Great. Just great!

  Gloria, however, was at her stall, and though it was a longshot, Tod strode over to her. She didn’t open until six, but had the kitchen area exposed to the patrons.

  “Gloria, can I have a word?” he asked, feeling very awkward, but needing to try.

  “Tod!” She gave him a penetrating look and motioned him closer. “Come back here. We can talk more privately.” He pushed the door separating dining from kitchen open and put his bag on the floor.

  “Have you talked with Mel?” he asked, watching her. She clearly knew something from the way she was staring at him, but she wasn’t giving much up.

  “She stayed at my place last night,” Gloria said, punching out bagel shapes with some sort of a cutter. “Tod, I don’t judge, but I do have one question for you.” She put down the cutter and turned to him, staring at him intently. “Who is Bianca?”

  “Bianca?” He could only stare at Gloria, confused, his mind making slow connections. “What does she have to do with anything?”

  “Please answer my question, Tod.” There was a thread of pure steel in her voice now, her expression hardening.

  “The only Bianca I know is Bianca um…” He searched for her last name, finally shrugging. “I don’t remember her last name. She’s a former friend’s sister in law. They’ve tried to fix us up several times, but I’m not interested.”

  “Were you ever photographed with her?”

  “Was I…” Tod couldn’t follow her line of questioning, but it was starting to feel like an interrogation. “I think maybe a few months back there were some photos taken at a party. I don’t socialize much with Brice and his family any more, but… Why, Gloria? What does Bianca whatshername have to do with Mel?”

  Gloria shook her head and muttered something he didn’t really catch. “Do you care about my daughter?”

  “Of course I do.” But what the hell was going on with this line of questioning?

  “Someone worked on her insecurities last night, Tod. Among other things she wouldn’t even verbalize, she was told you were dating this Bianca and shown a photo of you two together. Mel was made to—”

  “Great!” Now it all made sense. He’d never cared for Ursula, but hadn’t expected she’d say anything to Mel. She didn’t know Mel at all, so what would have been the point. But it all fit together, Mel’s abrupt emotional change, her silence on the way home.

  “Some meddling little cow, I take it?” Gloria said and this time there was a determined, yet faint, smile on her face.

  “Oh yeah,” Tod said, fighting the urge to growl. “Is she done? It hasn’t even begun, Gloria and with this crap…I don’t want to lose her. You don’t understand…”

  “Tell me.” Her voice was soft now and when she rested a hand on his arm, he realized he was vibrating. “Make me understand so that maybe I can make Mel understand. Her last boyfriend broke up with her because she didn’t meet his ideals. She’s thirty, Tod, I will not have anyone, any man, any meddling cow, anyone, erode my girl’s self-esteem.”

  Tod sighed, running a hand through his hair. Gloria snatched his hand, staring at his ring. “Tell me that isn’t your wedding ring, young man.”

  Young man was a bit of a stretch, she couldn’t be more than ten or fifteen years older than him, but he conceded. She was Mel’s mother and he had to win them both over. “It is my father’s wedding ring He died in the Towers. It isn’t mine. Amelia died many years ago. I’m not…pining.”

  She turned his hand over, and he allowed her to, standing stock still, barely daring to breathe. Fury still tore through him in waves, but he was banking it for later. And there would be a later. Ursula was nothing to him, and Brice had changed since marrying her. It wouldn’t be too hard to excise them both fully from his life.

  “I haven’t dated in a few years and I haven’t been in love since Amelia.” This was incredibly hard to talk about with Gloria, but he had to lay it all on the line. “Mel is the first woman I’ve had in my home and in my bed. Mel is the first woman I have wanted there. I wanted her to stay the night.” If he was honest with himself, he hadn’t wanted her to leave. Period.

  “What are you going to do about it?” Gloria asked him quietly. “My daughter isn’t the type who needs to have anything proven to her, but she doesn’t know you. She needs to be aware that you’re the real thing.”

  Are you convinced, he implored, unable to say the words. They stared each other down for a few minutes before Gloria nodded.

  “Do you want my advice?” she asked quietly.


  “Yes.”

  “Call in and take a vacation or a sick day at your job. Then, take that ring off, wash your hands, put an apron and some gloves on, and help me with my dough. Think about how you can explain your situation to Mel as you knead. It is very hypnotic and I guarantee a cerebral man like you will have the answer come to you. Then, when Mel gets here, you and she take the day together and see where it takes you. If you’re meant to be, you’ll know it. If not, maybe you took in a lovely spring day with a new friend. Either way, what do you have to lose but a single vacation day. Isn’t Mel worth it?”

  “More than worth it.”

  *****

  Mel dragged herself in to work at five ‘til ten. She was exhausted, strung out and heartbroken. The entire morning, she’d spent trying to avoid thinking of Tod, trying to resist Googling Tod, and ignoring the pleasant twinges in her body, courtesy of Tod.

  It was insane how much he’d made an impression on her. She didn’t want to be beholden to a guy—any guy, but especially not that guy. So he’d become her single one-night stand. Big deal.

  Her mom was busy with a customer when Mel wandered over to get a bagel and a coffee, so she just waved and went over to the store. Eldest cousin Craig was running the register and he motioned to her. “You have today off, your mom insisted,” he called out. “And someone left something for you here.”

  What the hell? Why hadn’t Mom told her before she’d trekked over from Brooklyn? And what was this? She took the unmarked manila envelope from her cousin, opening it and withdrawing a small sheaf of pages binder clipped, written in a neat hand.

  Dear, Mel:

  When I spoke with your mother this morning, everything became clear. Bianca is Brice’s sister in law and Ursula is a meddler who talked out of turn. I’m not dating anyone. I’m only interested in you.

  Melody, I’m falling for you. This is more than a spring fling for me. I haven’t had or wanted anyone in my home or my bed, but I’ve been dreaming of you and thinking of you for weeks now. The afternoon and evening were beautiful and I can’t believe you didn’t feel the same way.