“That’s a lot of wanting.”
“I’ve had a lot of time to think about it since you left. I wanted to call you every day, but I just didn’t know if it was creepy or not.”
“I’m glad I’m here now.” I keep my voice strong, not prepared to whisper when my true feelings are involved.
“Me too.”
I take a chance, stealing the opportunity to take control. I take his face between my hands and start my own exploration of his lips. I’ve imagined kissing him a hundred different ways. Hell, I’ve described the experience over and over in the book that’s now with my editor. I might have to get it back and make some alterations. My words have not done his lips justice. My legs are shaking and I’m not even standing.
When I pull back he says, “I’ve never dated anyone that I already knew quite a bit about.”
“You haven’t?”
“Nope. I’ve always met people at a dinner, or at a nightclub, or through friends. This is the first time I’ve wanted to pursue something with someone I know.”
“I’m flattered.” I laugh and lean back so I can see his face. “I think.”
Chapter Seventeen - Merek/Mindy
MEREK
“You sure you don’t mind me kidnapping you?”
“I’m sure.” Mindy’s smile is as wide as I’ve seen it all day. “You promised to lend me a shirt to wear. How can a love-struck woman resist that offer?”
Her words shoot straight to my insides. “Love struck?”
“Oh, come on.” She pushes my arm and I laugh as I lay out the giant picnic blanket. “I gave up my ride back to Melbourne without a stitch of clean clothing, to stay with you, who I haven’t seen or spoken to in seven weeks. Why else would I do that?”
“For lust?” We both laugh and she drops down to the blanket, placing the box full of our dinner on one corner and kneeling beside it. “Or maybe you just love this view?” I wave my arm at the expanse of grass and trees she had access to during her writing time.
“I understand how you could be confused about my reasons.” She sighs a most contented sound as she stares across my property. “This was truly an inspiring place to work.” She points to the blanket beside her. “Are you going to sit?”
“I am. It’s not quite as easy as it used to be, though.” I bend my good knee, keeping my just-mended leg straight. With a bit of effort, I’m soon lying beside her, resting on my good elbow.
She pushes the hair off my forehead and slides closer. “You okay? It’s still that sore?”
“Not sore. More stiff.”
Her lips purse and nurse Mindy makes an appearance. “Have you been going to physio?”
“Yes.” I busy myself pulling items from the box and I hand her an empty champagne glass.
Of course, Mindy ignores the distraction and narrows her eyes at me. “Have you been doing the exercises they gave you for home?”
How is it possible she knows me so well? “Sometimes,” I fudge. “I’ve been pretty busy.”
“Too busy to learn to walk properly, again?”
I cover her fingers with mine and hold her glass upright, before filling it with fizzy bubbles. “Now’s not the time to lecture.”
“When will the time be for that?”
“Tomorrow.” She smiles as I fill my glass and clink it to hers. “Let’s toast to us being here together. You can imitate my mother from the moment you wake up tomorrow. Tonight is for us.”
We drink, watching each other over our glasses. When we’re finished Mindy pulls the box close and unpacks it between us. “This looks tasty. What a nice idea to eat outside while the sun goes down.”
“I got the idea from your book. I’m running with the theory that you either took inspiration from a real-life event, or maybe you’d like to try something like that. So, here we are.”
“You want to have sex on our first proper date?” She rolls her eyes. “And you want to do it outside?”
“Under the stars sounds romantic, don’t you think? You did in your book.”
“I am tempted by it, actually.”
“How about under the sun?”
“Hmm, sweating and naked? That’s something that could tempt me. With you.” Her face turns bright red and I can’t help but push.
“I have a pool. A sauna. A spa. So many places to get sweaty. Together.”
“That’s a definite yes, then. Maybe when it warms up a little. September is not swimming weather, no matter which overseas summer holiday we just celebrated.”
“Hence, the extra blanket in the bottom of that box.”
“You’ve thought of everything.”
“I have.” What I hope is a self-congratulatory smirk says it all. “I never dreamed you’d come back and I want to make the most of every second together. Who knows if my mother will show up tomorrow and you’ll run away, again?”
“I didn’t run away!”
We both laugh and I hand her a plate. “I know.” I have to ask the question I’ve been keeping all this time, though. “Why didn’t you come back?”
“Why didn’t you call and ask me to?”
“I didn’t have a number. And you specifically told my mother that I wasn’t to contact you.”
“I did.” She sighs and shrugs, then fills her plate. “I was angry, and she was awful. I suddenly knew how Becky felt and it didn’t sit right.”
I touch her arm and she turns anguished eyes to me. “Mum will apologise. I explained what we were, and she was horrified.”
“Still. That was weeks ago.”
“I know. And I’m sorry. It just didn’t seem right when you’d specifically asked for no contact. We have previously discussed my inability to do the right thing where romance is concerned.” She nods and looks down, her fingers picking at the edge of the blanket.
“Kate quit her job.”
“I know. I did call the agency and ask to talk to her, but they refused. I’m not used to being refused. I don’t tend to like it.”
“Money can’t buy everything, huh?”
“No, it turns out. It took you leaving to teach me that.”
“There’s plenty more lessons where that came from.”
I laugh. “Like what?”
“Like, it’s funny when your friends think I’m an escort, but not when your mother mistakes me for one.”
“True.”
“And that you’re thirty years old. Your mother doesn’t get to throw people out of your house that you’ve invited in. No matter what her opinion of them is.”
“I agree. I promise that won’t happen again. We had a long talk about her letting go. And about using the secret key.”
“I’m glad.” Mindy sniffs and nibbles on a piece of ham.
I have more to say on this topic, but now isn’t the time. She took a huge chance coming here for the party and I’m just not prepared to ruin it with talk of my mother. When she looks up, I can’t tear my eyes away from hers, while my meal sits untouched.
“You’re not hungry?” She frowns and puts her own plate down and I speak quickly, wanting to avoid the mothering I know is coming. We’re finally on an equal footing here. Finally able to speak as man and woman, instead of patient and carer. I don’t want that to disappear before I make her understand what she means to me.
“I’m taking my fill of you.”
MINDY
His words drip sincerity and my stomach clenches. When Kate told me she’d sent a sneaky message to Melody that I wanted to come to the party, I could have killed her. Now, in this moment with my emotions twisting inside me, I could kiss her instead.
Of course, I put up an admirable fight. When she told me the car would be at my house in the morning, I said I wasn’t going. When it arrived, I had to be dragged to the open door. I complained, and whined, and insisted I wasn’t interested in seeing Merek.
I was ready, though. My hair was done, makeup applied, and I was dressed in my favourite skirt and top. I might have kicked up an almighty fuss, but
I made sure I looked great for the reunion I’ve wanted since the moment I stormed out the front door of Merek’s enormous house.
This night is everything I’ve imagined for the past few weeks. Everything I dared wish for once my tears stopped and I let myself remember how I felt whenever I was near Merek.
I’ve never believed in love at first sight and I probably still don’t. But I do believe in instant attraction. In that moment when your skin reacts to the presence of another, and your body responds, without any thought for how appropriate it is, or how inconvenient. My body reacted on a deep level when it recognised Merek’s touch. It was my job to let that response develop into something more. A task that I happily embraced. One we both did, if that look in his eye is telling the truth.
“Did you have a specific plan for tonight? After the eating was done?” I nod pointedly at our plates, both pushed to the side, his full and mine barely touched. “It will be dark soon.”
He leans forward and reaches into his back pocket, then produces a flat LED lantern. There’s a click, then the darkness is cut in half by the brightness. I shade my eyes and he drops a cloth serviette over the light. It dims and bathes us in the lessened glow, allowing us to see each other, but not be blinded.
“How’s that?”
“You thought of everything.”
“Not everything. I couldn’t know how you’d react. I had to cross my fingers and hope for the best. I’ve wished the day away, waiting for Melody to take her Labor Day celebrations, and all of the boys, home. I’ve been on tenterhooks, waiting to see if you’d stay, or pile into the car with them, leaving me here again.”
“We already discussed why I stayed.”
Merek nods. “Come here.” He holds out his hand and I slip my fingers into his. Before I know it, I’m being pulled forward and he’s rolling onto his back. We laugh as I collapse on top of him, his loud, “oof,” breaking the silence.
“You know, I’d break my bones all over again if it meant I got to keep you.”
“There’s no need to get all extreme sports on me. I’m here, aren’t I? We don’t need to re-break anything. We do need to get this leg back to full movement, though.” I tap his thigh with my free hand. “I’m going to make you do those exercises until you’re back to normal.”
“That could take weeks. Months, even.” He brushes my hair from my cheek and pulls my face toward his. “Are you sure I can keep you?”
“I’m sure. Why do you keep asking me the same question, just in different ways?”
“I want you to be sure. I don’t want any more misunderstandings. From my mother. From a tiny inappropriate outfit.” I blush as he laughs. “Or even because you want to feed me cereal for breakfast when all I want is a fry up.”
“Money can’t buy you everything, remember. I can’t be coerced into feeding you junk food. I need you at full strength so you can keep up.”
“I can keep up!” His tone is indignant as our breath mixes. His eyes are bright, staring up at me, his body moving against mine. “Trust me. A stiff knee will not keep me from you.” His right-hand drops to my shoulder and slips my shirt smoothly over my skin. His lips follow, his arms wrapping around me as he nips my bare skin. A shiver runs down my spine and I drop my head onto his shoulder. “I’m going to roll you over. Ready?”
I nod and then I’m on the blanket, his weight covering me, his lips still close to mine. Not close enough, of course. But his eyes tell me he has plans to rectify that. “What now?”
“You have to ask?”
“No. I just want to hear you say it.”
“Are you stealing my words for your next book? Memorising them?”
I laugh and he grins down at me. “Why? Will they be worthy of sharing with the world?”
“Maybe.” He finally kisses me and it’s exquisite. Our tongues know each other. Our lips are soft and welcoming, like a homecoming party with only two guests. My whole body reacts to his lips on mine and I suddenly wish we were naked, because I do want to do the things in my books. I do imagine acting out those scenes with the person I love. The man above me right now fits that description.
I love him. I do.
No matter what his mother thinks of me, or that I don’t know his favourite food, or how he likes his bacon cooked, or even whether he likes sports. None of that matters.
I just know that I love him.
It all makes sense when he looks down at me and says, “Mindy Cox, I love you. I want you to stay. I want to twist myself around you, so we are never separated.”
“I want that, too.”
Our next kiss is better than any we’ve shared today. It starts a throb between my thighs and hardens my nipples, then steals my breath. He moves above me, and my legs slide around his, holding him in place.
“I want you. Now. Right here under the stars. Will you let me love you like that?”
I nod. “I’d like that.” I whisper my response and he whispers words of love against my lips.
When my back arches and his lips track down my neck he speaks again. “Promise me something.”
“Anything.”
“Tomorrow, you’ll write what we did tonight and we’ll keep it just for us.”
I nod, practically drooling up at him. “You’ve got it.”
“I want to read it from your perspective. To relive it, from your side. I want to know you inside and out.”
His words take my breath away and for a moment I think I might cry. I’m swamped with emotion, his body making mine sing in ways I didn’t know it could. To know the depth of his feelings is just what I need to let myself go and give him everything I have.
He seals that thought once and for all with his last words to me.
“I want to know how I make you feel inside.”
* * *
The End
The Billionaire’s Scare
I hope you enjoyed The Billionaire’s Club. I always hate waiting for the next book in a series to be released, but you’re in luck - The Billionaire’s Scare is available now! You can grab it today on the site where you purchased this book!
What's one more secret between strangers...
* * *
Kent Joy has been to this town before. Last year, the same night Danny started the stupid dating bet, Kent fell fast and hard for the help. If he'd been in Vegas, he'd have woken up with a ring on his finger. In Melbourne, they kissed, he promised not to tell, and they went their separate ways.
* * *
Ten months on, he still can't get her out of his head, and when their paths unexpectedly cross, his daydreams of them travelling the world in consciously coupled bliss reignite.
* * *
Ashley Harris has had a hell of a year. After the best New Year's Eve of her life, she's lost her job, had a falling out with her family, and welcomed the love of her life. The only reason she's still in this town is because of Zeke's daddy. With a landlord aching to kick her out so he can put up the rent on the next sucker, and a bank account approaching zero, she's out of quality options.
* * *
This is no time to get emotional. Sometimes you have to make a new job work, no matter the cost to your pride.
* * *
Can a sexy Halloween costume hide Ashley's secret? Will Kent and Ashley reconnect, or will they be too scared to commit?
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The Steamy Sensations Books
Can’t get enough of the Secret Billionaire’s Club? Don’t worry, there’s ten books coming this year!
The Billionaire’s Heart
The Billionaire’s Luck
The Billionaire’s Treat
The Billionaire’s Duty
The Billionaire’s Spark
The Billionaire’s Club
The Billionaire’s Scare
The Billionaire’s Feast
The Billionaire’s Gift
The Billionaire’s Surprise
* * *
The Secret Billionaire’s Club is part of a multi-author project called Steamy Sensations Holiday Love. Check out the other steamy stories HERE.
* * *
10 authors have joined forces to bring you ten steamy holiday shorts. Make sure you look for these other books for Valentine’s Day:
Liz Durano
Melissa Stevens
Callie Vegas
Liz Gavin
Ja’Nese Dixon
Josie Bordeaux
Terra Kelly
Nick Danes
Heather Young-Nichols
* * *
Enjoy the whole series today!
Also by Tracey Pedersen
Finding Sweet Love Series
All At Sea
All Afloat
All Adrift
All About Us
* * *
One Week Love Story Series
Seven Days To Me
Seven Days To Us
* * *
Married This Year Series
Married This Year
Simmering Love
Adventures In Hiring
Ticket To Ride
Married This Christmas
* * *
Men About Town Series
Tap That!
Tempt Me!
Tight Ass!
Thigh High!
Turned On!
The Billionaire's Club: Secret Billionaire’s Club Book Six Page 8