by Tessa Gray
Ignoring the remark, he strode up to a popular brand of protection and reached for one. But as he turned to face her, she detected a smirk on his face. “I’ll bet you a million to one mine have long since passed the expiration date.”
Meredith decided she loved his self-deprecation. Few men had the gonads to make fun of themselves the way Adam did. And as ridiculous as it sounded, she had the distinct feeling for all the fun he poked at himself he’d make up for it once he got her into bed. “Probably just one box should do, Adam, don’t you think? That should be enough for tonight.”
“You’re brutal, you know that?” He shook his head and reached for her hand. “Remind me never to go shopping with you again.”
She glanced up at him and marveled once more at the broadness of his shoulders. She loved everything about his body, the way his hips narrowed, how his jeans hugged his taut thighs. Her stomach tightened at the prospect of making love with him. Of course, she was playing it cool now, joking around with him. But the idea of having him inside her left her breathless.
He grabbed the condoms and reached out to her, taking the toothbrush from her hand. “I’ll get that.”
She draped an arm about his waist as they headed toward the check-out line. When he stopped suddenly, she looked over toward the head of the line.
“Hi Professor Lightfoot. Fancy meeting you here!” A young woman waved at him. She yelled over at another cashier at the next register. “That’s my college professor, Professor Lightfoot. He’s awesome.”
Adam pulled a twenty-dollar bill from his pocket and hesitated briefly. He stared down at the box of condoms as his face became flushed.
“Why don’t you give me the twenty, Adam? I’ll take care of it.” When Meredith pulled the package from his hand, he nodded.
“I’ll go warm up the truck.”
Meredith felt herself smile as he walked out of the store.
~ ~ ~
Adam hated himself for being such a dork. Surely the young lady from his class had customers come in every day to purchase condoms. Not a big deal, anyway you cut it. Not a big deal until he’d made a total buffoon out of himself.
When Meredith got within range of the truck, he jumped out to help guide her inside. He’d expected her to poke fun at him for being such a total geek, but she didn’t. At least, not until they pulled out of the parking spot.
“Actually, Adam, I kind of understand your dilemma.” When he didn’t respond, Meredith continued. “Kids talk, huh? Is that what you worried about?”
“They not only talk, Meredith. They post stuff all over the Internet.”
“Like telling the world that their science professor is getting laid tonight.”
Despite how humiliated he was, he laughed at the remark. The woman was a master when it came to not taking yourself too seriously. He should take a lesson from her.
“Something like that.”
They joked most of the way home, and Adam decided Meredith was definitely good for him.
But by the time they pulled into his driveway, she’d suddenly grown quiet. Was she having second thoughts?
As they walked slowly up to his front door, she linked her fingers through his and he began to relax again. She stepped aside as he slipped the key into the door lock and struggled with it. The bolt was stuck, and the key would not turn. He felt as though nothing was going right. “Not a very good aim, are you, Adam?”
Hopefully, that wouldn’t hold true later on.
The lock unjammed and he opened the door, stepped back and motioned Meredith inside. She flipped on the light and surveyed his kitchen. “Not bad, Adam. I kind of like it.” She eyed the granite counter tops before placing her palm atop one section and running her hand across it.
He studied her for several seconds, watching the way her wavy blond hair cascaded down, barely touching her shoulders. It hung loosely and he decided he liked the new look. A man could run his fingers through it if he had a mind to. Although, judging by how Meredith had begun busying herself, straightening up several items on his countertops, that wasn’t about to happen any time soon.
“Can I get you something to drink?” After he said it, she shook her head.
“No, I’m fine.”
He gently slid the bag containing the condoms onto the counter directly behind her, trying not to draw attention to them. At the rate things were going, he wouldn’t be opening them for a while. Meredith’s demeanor had changed significantly since they’d left the supermarket. Maybe she’d changed her mind.
“Adam? I’ve been thinking.”
“We don’t have to do this, Meredith.” When she didn’t argue with him, Adam felt his frustration building. “Why don’t I drive you home?”
She stared across the room at him, a surprised expression on his face. “I . . . I thought we were going to make love.”
“Clearly,” he said, pausing before he continued, “you’re not on board with this.”
“I’m sorry, Adam . . .”
“Nothing to be sorry about. Like I told you before, you’ll know when the time is right.”
Picking up the keys he’d tossed onto the counter, he motioned Meredith toward the door, aware that her abrupt departure probably meant the two of them were never going to make love. He’d suspected it all along, but hoped against all hopes that she’d give them a chance. But she hadn’t.
It is what it is.
How many times had he heard that expression? He wondered if the person who originally said it was faced with a similar situation. He and Meredith were good friends, nothing more. He swallowed his pride and headed toward the door.
Chapter 14
Meredith stood in Adam’s kitchen, her head bent, unable to look up, afraid he’d see the fear in her eyes. To his credit, he’d been very understanding about her reluctance to make love, and had given her an out by saying their timing was off.
The thing was, it wasn’t. She did want to make love to him, but the thought of cranking their relationship up a notch frightened her. She’d come to rely on Adam for everything, and she didn’t want to jeopardize that friendship.
And, of course, there were other issues. What if she disappointed him? Blake had criticized her endlessly about her body, begging her to consider enhancing her breasts. She chastised herself for worrying about disappointing Adam. But old habits die hard.
It worked both ways, of course. What if he disappointed her?
As she looked up at him, she detected a slight glint in his dark eyes, as though he might be reading her mind.
“I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t disappointed,” he said, clearing his throat before continuing. “But I did enjoy the time we had together. Thank you for having dinner with me. Let’s get you home.”
She paused for a few seconds before stepping toward him. Instinctively, she wrapped her arms about his neck, and he leaned over and kissed her, the scent of musk still lingering. He began moving away from the door now and lifted her up onto the counter, tilting her head back. As he began probing her mouth with his tongue, he stopped suddenly. “I’m really getting mixed signals here.”
When she stared into his deep, brown eyes, their gazes locked.
“Adam, the truth is that I’m scared. I’m scared to death.”
He drew her closer, his strong arms swallowing her. As he kissed her, she clung to him. Relief engulfed her like a large, heavy curtain being lifted, and she realized that despite her previous reservations, this was meant to be.
The pace of their kissing intensified as they began exploring one another. He dipped his head, began unfastening several buttons on her blouse, then slipped the silky fabric off her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. As he fumbled with her bra, she guided his hands until the hooks came loose enough for him to remove it.
&n
bsp; Cupping both breasts with both his hands, he gazed down at them. “My god, Meredith. You are so beautiful. So amazing.” The sincerity in his tone nearly undid her.
“If you’re a breast man, you’re pretty much out of luck.”
Her comment appeared to stun him. Backing up for just a second, he gazed into her eyes, and when he finally spoke, his tone held complete reverence.
“I don’t know who’s told you otherwise, but you’re incredibly beautiful, inside and out. And as far as your breasts are concerned—they’re perfect. In fact, you’re perfect. Don’t ever forget that, Meredith. You hear me?”
Flattered by the compliment, she cocked her head and batted her eyes. “I’m ready for my close up now, Mr. Demille.”
Ignoring her playful bantering, Adam grabbed the pack of condoms, scooped Meredith up in his arms and carried her to his bedroom.
~ ~ ~
Adam rolled over in bed and glanced at his cell phone to check the time: 4:18 AM.
He smiled, wondering if Meredith would be up for another round. They’d made love three times already, and if he had his way, they’d keep going. He looked over at her as she lay on her side, one hand resting on his pillow. Unable to help himself, he lifted her hand to his mouth and slowly began running his tongue along the inside of her palm.
She moved closer and began running her hands across his chest. They kissed several times, deep, lingering, penetrating kisses. She ran her palms along his chest again and suddenly leaned over, kissing his pectoral muscles. “I had no idea you had a six pack, Adam. You keep it hidden under all those clothes. Any guy that looks like you needs to walk around shirtless.” He laughed at the compliment, pleased she’d noticed.
“I’m sorry about last night, Adam, I mean, before we made love.”
“I’m just glad you changed your mind.”
“Me, too.”
“Your hair is different . . . I like it.” He raked several fingers through her hair, amazed at how soft it felt.
“I decided to stop using hairspray. It makes my hair too stiff.” She suddenly looked down at his arousal. “Speaking of stiff . . .”
“You’re incorrigible, you know that, right?” When he reached for her hand again, she climbed atop him, straddling him.
She leaned over and gently kissed him. “I’m up for another round, if you are.”
He loved how eager she was to make love—how unafraid she was to tell him that she wanted him.
“I thought you’d never ask.”
Spending the night with Meredith had transformed their relationship. While he’d told himself several times that he needed to keep her at bay because she would probably end up moving back to Dallas, he simply couldn’t do it.
As she lay her head against his shoulder, the faint scent of her perfume still lingering, he realized how much he enjoyed their time together. Waking up without her in his bed would leave a deep void.
You’ve got it bad.
They’d known each other for just a few months, and already, he couldn’t imagine life without her. More than anything he wanted to ask her to move in with him, but if he dared ask her, he would no doubt scare her off. After they made love, he dozed off for several minutes.
While he slept, Meredith had scooted up behind him, and began kissing his back, and he awakened with her body pressed against him. “I love you,” she whispered. When he felt several tears on his back, he realized she was crying. He’d known his share of women, but Meredith Chapman was undoubtedly the most emotional.
“I love you too, Mere. Very much.” He turned over and pulled her into his arms, and she locked her arms about his neck.
“This is just crazy, isn’t it?” She held him hard, pressing him tightly against her and he knew this was more than a one-night stand. Much, much more. Meredith must have sensed it, too, because when she spoke, her tone was filled with emotion. “I can’t imagine not waking up next to you.”
The perfect segue.
“Listen,” he said, as he released his grip on her, and once again, cupped her face with his hands. Her cobalt eyes had a far-away look, more of a gaze really, as though they were saying goodbye for the last time. He decided to put himself out there, just this one time. All she could do was say, “No.”
“You could always move in with me, you and the kids.”
To his relief, she smiled. Her eyes had that luster back now, the way they always did whenever Meredith was pleased. Those deep, blue eyes of hers suddenly widened and she gave him the answer he’d hoped for. “I’d like that, Adam. I think the kids would, too.”
They spent the better part of their time together making plans, and it wasn’t until Meredith had left for her shift at the diner that the magnitude of what he’d just done slowly began sinking in.
For starters, Katrina would pitch a fit once she got wind that her daughter would be sharing his bed. He groaned at the prospect of seeing her look of disapproval, the one she gave him every single time their paths crossed.
Shaking off the negative vibes he was getting, Adam quickly began clearing up the breakfast dishes. He’d gotten all but two plates put away when his cell rang. When he glanced at the number on the screen, he saw it was his mother calling.
His heart raced as he contemplated what she might be calling him about on a Monday morning. She generally called every other Sunday. This was unusual, to say the least.
“Hey, Mom. Is everything okay?”
“Adam . . . I didn’t want to tell you this, but I probably should. Fiona’s been calling me looking for you. I didn’t give her your number, but I just thought you should know.”
He felt his throat tighten as he considered how completely ridiculous the timing was. “I appreciate you’re not giving out my number.”
“You were married to her for almost five years. I realize the two of you have been divorced for quite some time, but she really wants to talk to you—claims there’s some unfinished business between the two of you. At the very least, you should call her, Adam. You owe her that.”
As usual, his mother was taking the high road, being careful not to cut her former daughter-in-law to shreds. Fiona had walked out on Adam during the most difficult time of his life. And for that, he could never forgive her.
“Remember that saying you always quoted me, Mom? ‘Let sleeping dogs lie.’ I think that under the circumstances, it’d be best to just leave things as they are. I’ve moved on, and I’m sure Fiona has, too.”
“You can’t just pretend it didn’t happen, Adam. Just because you never come home, never visit Grace’s grave doesn’t change a thing.”
The comment punched him in the gut. “I need to get going, Mom. I’ll think about it. Okay? If I decide to get in touch with Fiona, I’ll get her number from you.”
“That’s all I’m asking you to do, son. I know how deeply Fiona hurt you. But, I suspect she wants to make things right between you. She’s never remarried.”
As mean-spirited as it felt, Adam was pleased his ex-wife hadn’t fared any better than he had since their divorce. He thought of the times he’d begged her to have another baby after they’d lost Grace. She ignored his requests, reminding him repeatedly that he didn’t have what it took to be a father. And maybe she was right.
By the time he hung up, Adam wondered if asking Meredith to move in with him was a mistake. There were so many things he kept from everyone, things he never planned on telling a soul. And, exactly how long did he plan on keeping his past from Meredith?
~ ~ ~
The morning rush hour at the diner was over, and as Meredith wiped some syrup from one of the red, swivel chairs at the counter, she breathed a sigh of relief. With things slowing down, she’d phoned Adam several times but her calls went straight to voice mail.
That seemed odd, considering how he’d
tried to talk her into staying at his place longer. She smiled, thinking about how he’d held her so tightly she could barely breathe, asking her to let him make love to her one more time before she headed to work. When her heart skipped a beat, she realized how deeply she craved him and how flattered she was that Adam found her so desirable.
Stephanie motioned her to a nearby table and began washing off the grill. “Take a load off, Mere. You’ve worked hard. Get a coffee for yourself. You look beat.”
“I can get that, Steph.”
“Naw, I’ve got it covered. You look as though you could use a break. Late night?”
Meredith walked over to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. She had the sudden urge to talk to someone about Adam. She stared over at her boss, wondering if Stephanie would lend a listening ear. In the old days, she’d have turned to Kelsey. But Kelsey was busy trying to strike a balance, raising four rambunctious kids and tending to her husband of just two years. And although Rachel was a great friend, she wasn’t a huge fan of Adam’s.
“Something bothering you, Meredith?” Stephanie patted the seat of one of the red, swiveled chairs, motioning her to sit. “Wanna talk for few minutes?”
Meredith seized the opportunity to open up to someone about Adam. She broached the subject delicately. “Nothing’s really bothering me, Steph, I’m just a little distracted-that’s all.”
Stephanie glanced over at her, her eyes widening. “My oldest girl is a cashier at the supermarket. She mentioned that she saw you and Adam together last night.”
Meredith couldn’t keep herself from smiling, remembering how embarrassed Adam had been when he’d headed to the cash register to pay for the condoms.
“What’s so funny?” Steph smiled back at Meredith.
She made the decision to avoid causing Adam any more embarrassment than he’d already experienced. “No, it’s nothing.”