“I was never jealous of Connor.” Pain clouded his face, and he sat up next to her, leaning toward her. “I helped Elaine help Connor.”
“That makes no sense.” Melisa closed her eyes. “No sense at all.”
His lips brushed her forehead, and his hot breath warmed her. “I can’t say more. The lie had its intended result. Connor’s heart was broken, and he didn’t marry Elaine.”
She drew away, fury rising in her chest. “Wait. So your goal was to keep them from marrying? Why? Is this some weird anti-Asian fetish thing? She’s Chinese and she can’t marry Connor, but she can marry you because you’re half?”
The puzzled look on his face and the slight shake of his head told her she was so far off the mark it wasn’t funny.
“Elaine didn’t want to marry young. I understood, but Connor didn’t.” He held up his hand. “I can’t tell you why she said she could never marry him.”
“So, you’re asking me to trust you?”
“Yes.” He thumbed her cheek. “If I had to do it over again, I would have thought of something better, more honest. But, it is what it is.”
“You didn’t sleep with her?” She checked again.
“I wouldn’t do that to her or to you,” he whispered. “What kind of guy do you think I am to take advantage of a woman when she’s hurting?”
“Then it sounds real serious, this secret of hers.”
“It is.” Rob’s voice cracked. “She’s accepted it, of course, but, well, I can’t say more. I never wanted to hurt you, and I know your family’s close.”
“Yeah, well, it’s been ten years. We really should kick Connor’s butt and get him dating again.” Melisa loved her brother, but if Rob hadn’t slept with Elaine then maybe he wasn’t off-limits anymore. Melisa drew herself closer and cuddled against him. “You can do anything you want with me. Anything and everything.”
# # #
“Anything and everything?” Rob wrapped his arms around Melisa and pulled her back onto the bed, on top of him. He wanted nothing more than to make love to her, and as tired as his body was, there was one part that was roaring to life.
But that wasn’t everything. Not if he wanted a lifetime of anythings.
Rubbing her back, he held her and tucked her head on his shoulder. Now that he had her, he wasn’t going to blow it by moving too fast.
“What are you thinking?” She mumbled into his neck. “Is it too strange? Me being here?”
“No, it’s fantastic. It’s like the entire world opened up to me, and I can’t decide what I want to do first.”
“Then kiss me, again.”
He didn’t need another invitation. Her tongue darted over his, shy and tentative, and it made him even more protective of her. She was finally open to him. Precious and pure. Except his body raged and with the way she squirmed and moved on top of him, he’d be a goner if he wasn’t already.
He took a breather and stared into her eyes, knowing he was grinning and not caring one bit. “You know what I want to do?”
She lowered her gaze and bit her lip. “Whatever you want.”
“Yeah, I got that the first time.” A shiver went through his spine and he trailed a finger down the side of her cheek. “I want to cherish you, hold you close, make you happy. I want you to feel loved, but also give you wings to fly. Protect you. Let you explore, conquer, and do, knowing I’ll be here whenever you need and want me.”
Her eyes sparkled along with the look of wonder on her face. “That’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
His heart blossomed full of love and happiness. “That’s what I want to be for you. The guy who’ll celebrate your successes, cheer you on, but wipe the tears when you fall, then pick you back up.”
“You’re too perfect. What’s going to happen?” Her brows furrowed. “Am I dreaming? Or did you put something in those pain pills?”
He chuckled and dotted a kiss on her cheek. “Speaking of, let me check your hand and the swelling. If you’re able to tolerate it, we’ll get you onto Tylenol, then you won’t be fuzzyheaded and have an excuse for kissing me.”
“No excuse needed. I had a crush on you forever, but I guess no one told you.”
“No one did. Family code of silence?”
“You make us Harts sound like the Mafia, but true.”
“Guess it cuts both ways then.” He tipped her chin and rubbed his nose on hers. “Because all the Reeds knew how I felt about you and no one told.”
“Except Declan.” She giggled. “When I showed up to get Cassie, he told me everything. That’s why I was here surprising you.”
Wow. He’d never dreamed Declan would do something for someone else. Maybe there was yet hope for his bratty brother.
In the background, the two lovebirds tweeted up a storm, singing and whistling. Rob held Melisa close and closed his eyes. All was well as long as she was here, but he had a few loose ends to take care of.
1. Thank Declan and stop resenting him.
2. Reach out to Connor and apologize.
3. Find Elaine and see if she’s ready to come out with her secret.
Chapter Ten
Melisa flexed her hand and winced, although truth be told, the overall pain was manageable. “It’s stiff, but my fingers are still pretty tender.”
“They’ll be swollen for a while. Look at the bruising.” Rob gently touched and pressed certain areas, watching for her reaction. “You’re lucky you didn’t break anything else.”
He washed her hand with warm water and toweled it dry, then taped it. Melisa couldn’t believe how sensual it was to have this wonderful man taking care of her. A warm and comforting feeling cocooned her, and she suppressed a sigh.
“Thanks for fixing me up. It’s getting late, and um, if I want to get home by midnight I should probably be going.” While kissing him was heavenly, she certainly didn’t want to impose on Rob and Declan’s ski vacation.
“Actually, I was hoping to take you to dinner and ask you to spend the night, uh, not on my bed, there’s a guest room, or I can sleep on the couch.” Rob’s tongue seemed to trip over itself in his rush for words.
Gah. Dinner sounded heavenly, and of course she wouldn’t mind staying, but what would happen if her mother dropped by her apartment and found her missing?
“I might be able to do that.” She certainly wasn’t strong enough to pass up dinner with the man whose initials she’d doodled in countless hearts growing up.
“So, it’s settled,” he said. “Dinner and a stroll through the village. Then tomorrow, I’ll give you a choice. Snowmobile, pine cone collecting on snowshoes, or tobogganing.”
“What about skiing? Didn’t you come here to ski with your brother?”
“Change of plans.” Rob rubbed her arm, and it felt so right and inviting. “You said I can do anything to you, and if you’re willing, I’d like to take you to a romantic dinner.”
“You’re on.” Melisa wiggled her shoulders with pure joy. “Let’s let the birds out while I get ready. They’ve been locked up all day.”
“True.” Rob kissed her lightly on the lips. “Make yourself at home.”
He opened the cage, and his bird, Casey stepped out onto his finger. He fluttered his feathers and thrilled a happy song that sounded like “ah swee, ah swee.”
“A sweet. A sweet,” Cassie corrected him and huffed.
Casey took off flying, zipping with speed up and down and around the room. Melisa’s jaw dropped, and she gaped at the amazing little speed demon. How’d he know to avoid the window? He changed direction in midair, then hovered above her head before circling the cage and landing on a rope swing hanging from the overhead beam.
“Amazing,” Melisa said as a twinge of guilt stirred in her heart. Had Cassie missed out? Was she overprotecting her bird the way her parents overprotected her?
She went to the cage and put her finger in for Cassie. “Come on, sweetie. Come on, girl, don’t be shy.”
Cassie stepped ont
o Melisa’s finger and immediately lowered her head, wanting a tickle.
“Ah, sorry, baby,” Melisa said. “My hand’s too stiff to tickle you. Maybe Rob can help.”
“She wants a head scratch?” Rob raised his eyebrows. “My Casey doesn’t want me to touch him at all.”
“They’re all little individuals, aren’t they? Make sure to tickle her against the grain of her feathers, from her neck to the top of her head, and also from her throat to her beak. She get’s itchy and loves it if you can loosen any pins from her feathers.”
“That’s because she’s a good groomer,” Rob said. His skillful fingers soon had Cassie chirruping with pleasure.
A flurry of tingles fluttered over Melisa’s body. What would it feel to have Rob’s hands all over her? The kissing and backrubs made her want to purr like a cat over cream, and the way Cassie was rolling her head and exposing her neck. Wow. Could she officially say she was jealous of her own little lovebird?
# # #
Later that evening, Rob walked hand in hand with Melisa through the snow-covered village. The temperature had dropped, and patches of ice formed where the snow had partially melted in the daytime. This was the way it was in California. The man made snow, partial melting and freezing cycle, and the lack of heavy winter storms were crippling the ski industry in California, but it also made the village relatively empty and small townish—okay, so he exaggerated due to the romantic walk. Nothing around Lake Tahoe was truly small townish, although the locals tried their best, stringing Christmas lights, and packing the window displays with nostalgic Christmas trinkets in the Norman Rockwell tradition. There was even fake snow on the rafters and frosted Christmas trees with tinsel to give it that northerly icicle look.
“I love it.” Melisa inhaled the pine-scented air as they walked by the ice skating arena. “This feels more like winter than the fog back home. Can’t even see the Christmas lights once the fog drops in. Where are we going?”
“Since you like pan-Asian cuisine, I figured we’d go Hawaiian tonight.” Rob opened the door to an eclectic restaurant featuring Hawaiian, Asian, and good ol’ Texas barbecue.
“Oh, I’m not sure I’m dressed for this,” she said, scanning the chic, upscale décor.
“You’re more fine than anyone here.” He eyed her Nordic sweater and skinny jeans. “It’s a ski town, not swanky Nob Hill.”
He placed his hand lightly on the small of her back, loving the way it made him feel as he guided her to an intimate booth in the back.
They skipped cocktails, but ordered appetizers. When it came time to order, Melisa said, “Whatever you’re having is fine.”
Was this the way her dates usually treated her? Ordering for her? Or was it her family who always dictated what she’d do? Melisa was the youngest daughter, with two older sisters and two older brothers. Sure, she had a younger brother, but even he got to drive and go out before she did.
Rob leaned toward her and went over the menu. “I’m actually not sure what I should try. How about you suggest something to me?”
“Well, everything looks delicious, but the prices …”
“Don’t worry about it. I want to see what you think I’d like.”
“Okay, let me see.” She swallowed, and a smile flickered on her face. “I know you like barbecue, but you also like plank grilled salmon.”
“Really? How’d you have me pegged?”
Her cheeks turned bright red, as she stammered, “You used to go out with us all the time. I mean, of course, maybe your tastes have changed.”
“Not changed, just aged wonderfully.” He slanted his face and kissed her. “Back then, I couldn’t do this without getting a punch in the nose.”
“More like the entire Hart gang pummeling you.” Melisa giggled before going back to the menu. “Land or sea?”
“How about this? You order for me, and I’ll order for you. I think you’re going for sea with the caramelized miso-yaki sea bass.”
A corner of her mouth lifted and she leaned in, kissing him. “Not bad. Do I get a kiss if I guess right?”
“Of course.”
“Okay, then, Hulihuli wild duck.” Her eyebrows danced as she wiggled her shoulders.
Oh, the brat. He hated duck, and she knew it. Rob leaned back in the booth and couldn’t help smiling to himself. She was starting to feel her oats with him. Stretching her wings. Confident.
“I love duck. Wow. Awesome.” He faked a grin, even as his stomach tossed and turned. Why did he love this woman so much?
Fanning the menu in front of them, he brought her in for a hungry, greedy pre-duck kiss. This would have to tide him over until dessert time.
# # #
Melisa couldn’t remember a more romantic evening. Not only had Rob known exactly what she desired, the mouth-watering sea bass, but he’d gamely chewed and swallowed the wild duck breast, declaring it tender and delicious—to die for. Ha, ha.
Afterward, they’d rented ice skates and had done quite well for a couple of native San Franciscans. Not once did Rob caution her about not skating because of her injured hand, something her overprotective parents and brothers would have harped on continuously.
He had, however, held her hand the entire time they glided around the rink while Hawaiian Christmas music played through the overhead speakers.
When they got back to his cabin, Rob suggested streaming a movie, but she wasn’t having any of that. As worn out as he was from staying up almost forty hours, he’d fall asleep in her lap. Buzz kill.
“So, what do you want to do?” Rob yawned as he switched on the gas fireplace. It wasn’t at all as romantic as a real wood-burner, but hey, this was California, after all, and wood-burners were going the way of the dinosaur.
“You mean right now, or tomorrow?”
“Either.” His eyes were heavy-lidded as he pulled her into his arms. “I still can’t believe you’re here.”
“Me either. Can I ask another question?”
“Sure, if I can stay awake to answer.” His eyes closed as a smile stretched across his lips.
“When did you start crushing on me?”
“As far back as I could remember. I’ve always looked for you whenever I came to visit. You were like a part of me, a shadow.”
“A bratty one who followed you two around and got you in trouble.” She laughed. “Too many times to talk about.”
“Yeah, but any trouble with you is the best kind of trouble.” He pressed his lips over hers and hummed. “I’m kind of glad about the bird mix-up.”
“The case of the mixed-up lovebirds.”
“Mystery solved.” He smiled into a kiss, and Melisa parted her lips, ready to take him into her heart and her life.
Chapter Eleven
“A sweet, a sweet,” Cassie squeaked the next morning as soon as Melisa removed the cage cover.
“Tweet, thrill, squeakity, squawk.” Rob’s bird, Casey, flapped his wings and bobbed his head, not wanting to be ignored.
“Ah, you two broke the silence.” Melisa rubbed her eyes and stretched languidly. Rob’s bed was comfy and warm, and his mountain cabin was away from the road. No city noises, no howling wind, perfect.
Tweet, cheep, chirp, squeak, chatter, trill.
“Okay, you two little busybodies want to come out and play. Probably hungry, too.” Melisa changed their water bowls, but she couldn’t find the food. “I bet it’s downstairs in the kitchen.”
She opened the cage door. Cassie stepped onto her finger, but Casey held back, studying her.
“It’s okay, little guy. You hungry?” She tucked Cassie on her shoulder, and the little bird immediately latched onto her hair and nibbled at the charms and beads on her “bird entertainment” necklace.
“Doesn’t that look fun?” She held her finger in front of Casey. “Step up.”
Rob’s bird held one foot over her finger, considering.
“Casee, Casee,” Melisa’s bird squealed, then went back to attacking the hammered metal charms an
d bauble beads with vigor.
“She’s calling you. Come on, boy, step up.”
Casey hopped onto her finger and made a short flight to her chest. He went after the pendant with the encrusted rhinestones. More bird bait.
“Ow, ow, your nails need a trim,” Melisa said, as the little bird hung onto the front of her camisole, right over her cleavage. “Let’s look for your food now.”
She stepped into the hallway and looked across at the guest bedroom. The door was closed and there was no light underneath. Rob deserved to sleep in after his ER shift and staying up over forty hours straight.
The two birds, however, were well rested and acting like their hyperactive lovebird selves. Cassie was tugging at a heart shaped ring and getting angry. She pecked at the ring alternately with yanking and squawking.
“Owee, you two.” Between one bird’s sharp nails, and the other bird’s beak, Melisa chest was turning into a battlefield of tiny scratches.
“Owee, owee,” Cassie said.
“Wee, wee,” went Casey.
“Shh … let’s not wake up Rob. Let him sleep.” She tiptoed past his room and headed down the stairs. “Who wants breakfast?”
“Squee, squee, squee,” Cassie squealed and flapped her wings, while Casey buried himself deeper into her cami, still attacking the pendant.
As soon as Melisa stepped into view of the great room, her jaw dropped. Snow blanketed the deck overlooking the lake below, and the trees were laden with thick gobs of white stuff. Whereas the walkways had been clear the night before, they were now covered deep. Even the hot tub was buried underneath a pile, although it was melting since steam misted from beneath the lid.
“I bet Rob’s going to have some awesome skiing today.” Melisa placed Cassie on the kitchen table. “Casey, you get out of there.”
Oh no! The little lovebird was buried in her cleavage. It tickled and scratched, but he wasn’t leaving that pendant alone.
Melisa tugged the pendant, and he held on, dragging his feet.
“Ow, ow, that hurts.” She laughed. “You fresh little bird, get out of there.”
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