by Melody Anne
“Look, Bill, it might have started out with me…harassing her, but it’s different now. I…I can’t get this woman off my mind. I can’t sleep, eat right, or even think on most days. I just…I don’t know.” Byron rubbed his hand across his hair. Even knowing everything he knew, he was infatuated to a certain extent.
“But you’re making her unhappy, so maybe you should back off. Maybe she just doesn’t want to be with you,” Bill said, but his voice was quieter as he observed Byron. That was the last thing Byron wanted, and his defenses popped right up, but with a lot of willpower he pushed them down again.
“She does,” Byron told him. “Believe me, if I felt she had no interest, I would back off, but there’s something between us, something that can’t be denied. She’s scared — and I don’t know what she’s scared of, but she’s running, and it’s not from me.”
“How are you so sure it isn’t you she’s trying to run from? You Knight youngsters have always had big egos.”
“I know when a woman has the hots…ummm…is interested in me,” Byron said. He could be confident about that, above anything else.
“Is sex worth torturing this woman over?” Bill asked.
“It’s not just sex…” Byron stopped himself before he said too much. This was going into a territory he refused to go into. “Sex is always worth anything,” he said instead, but it was too late. The only thing that would make this any better for him was if he told Bill he just wanted to screw her brains out until she was washed from him mind and he certainly couldn’t say that.
The words were too vile to let escape from his mouth, so instead he chose to be silent as Bill sat there and analyzed him. Byron felt as if he were under a microscope and he didn’t like the feeling one little bit.
“Look, Byron, you got the worst possible example of what love should be like by watching your very messed-up parents. In the end your father was weak, and your mother — well, your mother wasn’t…I shouldn’t speak ill of the dead, but your mother was a cold-stone bitch,” he said, sending Byron into shock. “It’s just that you don’t want to repeat those patterns. If you open up your heart, allow other people in, you can have a good life. Mistreating women isn’t the way to do that.”
Byron let out a bitter laugh as he looked at the only father…grandfather…uncle –—whatever he wanted to call him, he was the only male figure he’d had worth modeling himself after. “I’m screwed then, because I have no desire to ever feel love. Not after what I witnessed.”
“I’ve had my own demons a time or two in my life. But while married to my beautiful Vivian, those demons were kept at bay. Every single day since I lost her, I’ve been fighting depression or whatever the shrinks call it. You need to open yourself up before it’s too late, or you’ll find yourself alone and filled with emptiness.”
Bill’s statement stopped the next words Byron had been about to say. Suddenly, the man who had always been there for him seemed so lonely, so much smaller, so frail. Was that really how Byron wanted to end up — alone, sitting behind a desk with nothing to do?
“Bill…” He didn’t know what to say now.
Bill’s shoulders went back as if just realizing what he’d said. “Don’t you even think about offering me comfort, boy. I’m just trying to prove a point.”
“And what point is that?” Byron asked.
“Don’t be a fool,” he said gruffly.
“I won’t be,” Byron said, and he actually meant it.
“Good. Then our meeting is over. Get out of here and don’t keep screwing up. I won’t be so easy on you the next time.”
Bill obviously needed to protect himself now. Byron understood that, and it was okay with him. But he found himself doing something he hadn’t done since he was a small child. When Bill stood up to walk him to the door, Byron went up to him and gave the man a hug, gently slapping his back before he pulled away.
Bill said nothing as Byron released him, and they made it to the door, but when Byron said goodbye and glanced at the old man’s eyes, he could have sworn there was a slight shine there.
Was Byron really such a bastard that just the smallest act of kindness from him inspired tears? If that was the case, didn’t he need to make serious changes in his life?
Maybe. And maybe he would do just that.
Chapter Fifteen
McKenzie gazed helplessly at her computer monitor — it was one of the first times she could remember being unable to make sense of what she was seeing. It might as well have been a jumble of numbers dancing on the screen.
This was so not her day at work.
She hadn’t suddenly lost her ability to read or suffered a stroke. There was only one possible explanation for her sudden ditziness: Byron Knight. He was a menace to society and he should be stopped.
One minute he was demanding and in her face, and then the next he was gracious and kind. She couldn’t keep up with him, and it was throwing her for a loop. It was Tuesday, five days since the kiss on the street. He’d been gone on Friday, and then had come into the offices on Monday as if nothing at all had happened.
She felt as if she were going to start screaming at any minute, and she didn’t like being this crazy, irrational person. She didn’t like at all that she felt as if her feet weren’t firmly planted on the ground anymore. She felt as if she were going to be carried away off into the atmosphere at any minute if her brain didn’t get some density to it.
On top of that, she hadn’t heard another word from Nathan, and though that should bring her joy, it worried her more than anything. Had he given up? She would be thrilled if that were the case, but she highly doubted it. She was just waiting for the ax to fall.
It seemed to be the story of her life these days.
In a perfect world, Nathan would disappear again and Byron would let her bring another of her accountants into his offices while giving her unlimited business and recommending her business to all of his friends.
But McKenzie had learned long ago that she in no way lived in a perfect world. With a sigh, she closed the program she was working on — or rather not working on — and leaned back in her chair. She wasn’t going to get anything done, not anytime soon.
On top of every other emotion she was feeling, the kisses from Byron had awakened something inside her that she hadn’t known she possessed— desire. She was feeling it more and more each day, and every time he walked by her, his subtle cologne drifting out to entice her, she felt that much weaker.
Looking at her watch, she let out a relieved breath to see it had finally hit five o’clock. With Byron not there at the moment she could actually leave at quitting time. Hallelujah. As she began gathering her things, Blake popped into her office, a friendly smile on his face.
“I was hoping I would catch you, McKenzie. If I’d messed up, Jewell would have had my head, but I’ve been on a conference call for the last hour,” he said in greeting.
Seeing Blake cheered her instantly. “I’m on my way out the door, but if Jewell needs me to do something for her, I can try to fit it in, though I will definitely rag her for not calling me personally,” she told him, cringing imperceptibly while thinking about all the work she needed to do tonight for her own business.
“Good,” he said. “I need you to come over for dinner.”
“I can’t tonight, Blake. I have a mountain load of work to do.” How she missed the days of having a work schedule that didn’t remind her of a sweatshop, or a chain gang.
“That’s why Jewell had me stop in instead of calling you. She is assured that my charm will win you over. Besides, everyone needs to eat.” Blake held open her door as she approached.
“I know, but I really shouldn’t.” Still, she hesitated. It would be so nice to visit with Jewell for a while, maybe even get some time to complain to her friend, though she probably wouldn’t do it.
“I refuse to take no for an answer. Jewell specifically told me to stuff you into my car to guarantee you didn’t try to get out of it. She�
��s worried about you,” Blake said as the two of them began heading toward the elevator.
“Well, I guess if I’m being kidnapped…” Jewell stepped onto the elevator and waited while Blake pushed the down button.
“It’s settled then.”
The two of them chatted on the way down and she followed him to his car, promising herself that she wouldn’t stay too late. She didn’t want to spend the whole time at her friends’ place feeling guilty about the pile of work waiting for her at home. At least she wouldn’t have to clean up a mess after fixing dinner.
Who was she kidding? She would have been lucky to throw a frozen dinner in a microwave. Lately, her dinner of choice — actually, her dinner of necessity — had been frosted flakes or ice cream. She made up for that by having a protein drink in the mornings and a healthy lunch at work. If time permitted, she even made it down to the office gym and used the elliptical for twenty minutes.
Fifteen minutes later, they arrived and Blake and Jewell’s house, and Blake called out to his wife. She called back and Blake led her down the hallway into the family room.
When they both entered, McKenzie froze. Sitting on the couch, looking more than comfortable was Byron, with Jewell’s puppy biting at his toes, Justin sitting next to him, seeming to be in uncle idol heaven, and a big smile on Byron’s face. The sight almost made her take a step backward. It was time for a quick retreat. No wonder he hadn’t been at the office.
She thought for a moment about turning around and running back out of the house, but there was no way she could give away how much this man affected her. Jewell probably just hadn’t thought about the awkwardness when she invited both McKenzie and Byron to dinner. After all, McKenzie had brought Byron to their dinner last week.
If only she’d taken the time to talk to Jewell after then, to let her know that Byron was the last man on earth she wanted to spend any more of her precious social time with. Too late now, though. She wasn’t about to make a scene in her best friend’s home.
“Evening, darling,” Blake said as he walked right up to his wife and pulled her into his arms, kissing her like he hadn’t seen her in months instead of hours.
“I missed you,” Jewell told him before giggling as Blake pulled back.
His hand went to her belly. “Our son or daughter has a good, solid kick,” he said, and he looked adoringly into her eyes.
“Just like their mother,” she said with a wink.
“I’m famished,” he said with a wicked smile that made McKenzie squirm where she stood.
What in the world was wrong with her? She had hosted an escort service! A few words shouldn’t make her blush. Thankfully Justin saved them all.
“You two are disgusting, and you’re forgetting there are other people in the room,” he said.
Blake laughed before moving over and pulling Justin to his feet, giving him a hug, and then turning back to his wife. “Well, I’m hungry for real food, too,” he said with a wink.
“You are terrible,” Jewell pretended to huff. “But I guess I should feed you.”
“You said your back was hurting not five minutes ago,” Byron interrupted, and Blake instantly looked concerned. “Let me and McKenzie get the food together while you rest for half an hour.”
McKenzie was so shocked by his offer to help, she didn’t even take offense that he’d also volunteered her. If flies had been hanging around in the room, they would have buzzed right into her open mouth.
“You’re guests,” Jewell protested. “I couldn’t have you do that.”
“Of course you can. We’re family now, aren’t we?” Byron pointed out.
“Let me give you a back rub and see if that helps,” Blake suggested as he began pulling her toward the stairs.
“I have a bit of homework to do anyway and I’d rather get it done before dinner so I can play on the X-Box after,” Justin piped in, rushing from the room.
Jewell looked at McKenzie. “If you’re sure you don’t mind…”
McKenzie certainly couldn’t beg her pregnant friend not to go and lie down, but, oh, how she wanted to. She wanted anything but to be left alone with Byron, especially doing something as domestic as cooking together. She should have tried much harder to refuse Blake’s invitation to dinner.
“Go get some rest. We’ll make sure you have a wonderful dinner” is what McKenzie ended up saying, of course.
Then Blake led Jewell away, and McKenzie found herself standing there awkwardly with Byron, the first time she’d been alone with him since after dinner in the bistro last week. The fates weren’t in her favor right now. Even at the office, other people had been around.
“After you, McKenzie,” Byron said, holding out a hand. She was left with no choice but to go along with him to the gourmet kitchen. “How was work today? I was solving a crisis on a job site,” he told her as he looked in the fridge before he started to bring things out.
“It went smoothly,” she lied, and she waited for him to tell her what to do.
When all the dinner fixings were on the counter, he looked back at her. “I’ll do the meat if you want to get the salad ready,” he said, and he began unwrapping the steaks.
“That’s fine.” She found a cutting board and began dicing vegetables and putting them into a bowl.
Soon the two of them were moving around the kitchen together, and though it was large, McKenzie noticed that Byron was taking every opportunity possible to touch her. It was just a slight brush here, and their arms bumping there, but it was enough to drive her batty.
By the time he was letting the meat rest and whipping up a quick sauce for it, and she had the table set and the side dishes ready on the table, her nerves were stretched thin. She was more than ready for her friend to come back into the room and break up the tension. If Jewell didn’t show soon, McKenzie was calling a cab and getting the heck out of Dodge.
“It smells delicious down here,” Jewell said.
McKenzie whirled around when Blake and Jewell came strolling back into the room, Jewell’s cheeks practically glowing. McKenzie’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. Had her friend’s back truly been hurting, or had it all been a pretense to leave her alone with Byron? Just wait till she got Jewell alone for five minutes!
“Thank you, Jewell. We’ve been slaving away,” Byron said. He placed the meat on the table and then the four of them sat down.
“Yeah, I’m sure you had a rough time,” Blake said.
“Don’t you need to call Justin?” McKenzie asked as they all started dishing up.
“He’s on an iPad chat with a school mate trying to figure out their group project so we told him to finish up and then he could grab frozen burritos. The kid doesn’t like steak for some reason,” Blake said.
“He likes what he likes,” Jewell defended.
“He’s incredible,” Blake said, leaning over and kissing her.
“How has this year gone?” McKenzie asked Blake.
Last year Blake had found out he was the father of Justin, who was Jewell’s brother. It was long and complicated, but it had all worked out beautifully and McKenzie was really glad the three of them had found each other.
“It’s been strange becoming a dad to an adolescent boy, but I adore him, and he’s so damn smart. He’ll be working in the offices in no time at all,” Blake said, a proud smile on his face.
“As long as you don’t make him grow up too fast,” Jewell insisted.
“I’ve already missed too much. I wouldn’t think of making him grow too fast,” Blake said.
“This steak is fantastic,” Jewell said when there was a pause for a moment.
“I have secret methods of cooking ribeye,” Byron bragged.
“Yeah, you throw it in a pan and watch it sizzle,” Blake said.
“Hey. I know how to impress in the kitchen,” Byron insisted.
“That’s not a room I’ve heard you brag about before,” Blake countered.
The two brothers laughed, and Jewell looked at McKenzie an
d rolled her eyes. “Men. They are just not trainable,” she said with a shrug.
“Or they’re just crude,” McKenzie added. Blake wasn’t even shamed in the slightest about his past sexual exploits. That should be more than enough warning for her to stay away from him. But it seemed that if there was a chance of danger, she was the first one rushing forward.
“That too,” Jewell said.
“Thank you both for doing this,” Blake piped up. “Jewell felt much better after lying down for just a few minutes. Sometimes, it just helps her to get the weight off her back for a while.”
“Of course. It was no problem,” McKenzie told them. No problem if you like torture…
“How far along are you, Jewell?” McKenzie was surprised by this question. How could she know this and Blake not know?
“Six months already. I can’t believe this child will be here in three months. I’m nowhere near ready,” she said as she leaned back with a slight cringe. McKenzie felt bad because it was obvious that her back really was bothering her.
“I can’t believe you have a son, and are going to be a dad again,” Byron said. McKenzie couldn’t figure out how he felt about that from his tone.
“It was something I vowed to never want. What a fool I was to ever think being alone was better than having a loving family,” Blake said, looking pointedly at his brother.
Byron shifted in his seat, refusing to meet McKenzie’s eyes. She really wanted to run more than ever before. This conversation was going in a direction she wanted to be as far away from as humanly possible.
Thankfully the topic changed from family and then the conversation flowed smoothly as the four adults had a nice meal. The brothers kept ribbing each other, and McKenzie was surprised when she found herself laughing at several things Byron said.
She was seeing a side of him she’d never gotten to see before — not that she’d had all that much contact with him, even in the past week or so, but still, she was shocked when two hours passed and it felt like fifteen minutes.