Gina knew he could afford a hotel room if he wanted one, so that couldn’t be the issue. “Why are you staying out here instead of at a hotel?” she couldn’t help asking.
He smiled. “I like it here. It’s so quiet and peaceful. Out here I’m attuned with nature, my surroundings, and with myself. I think this is the perfect place to be.” He met her inquisitive gaze. “This used to be my grandmother’s home.”
Gina sucked in her breath, shocked at his revelation. “But…but I thought you were born and raised in Beaumont.”
“I was. My father was born in this house. He moved to Beaumont when he met and married my mother, and that’s where I was born and lived until they were killed. Then I moved here with Gramma Eleanor when I was six.”
He smiled warmly upon remembering that time in his life. “She was everything a grandmother should be and I loved her dearly. Together, she and I spent many hours walking this land, taking care of her gardens and farm animals. My life was the happiest until I turned ten. That’s the year she got sick and died.”
Gina swallowed upon hearing the pain in his voice. He had never shared this part of his life with her. She’d known his childhood had been less than grand, but he’d never shared any intimate details like he was doing now. “Where did you go after your grandmother died?”
“To an aunt and uncle who took great pains to let me know I was a charity case. And because of their attitudes, I rebelled and got into all kinds of trouble. As punishment they sent me to live with my uncle Jasper.”
She nodded. He had shared stories with her about his uncle Jasper. “He’s the one who had a drinking problem, right?”
“Yeah, he’s the one,” he said angrily through his teeth.
Gina knew his anger was not directed at her but was the result of lingering memories he had of the man who had tormented his life during his teen years. She glanced around the property again, now seeing it through different eyes and accepting it for what it really was. This was the place Mitch had been most happy during his childhood. This was the place that had brought him the most joy.
“Did you inherit this place after your grandmother died?” she asked. If he had, he had never mentioned it during the time they’d been married.
“No, my father had a brother, and when Gramma Eleanor died this place automatically went to him. As you can see he had no use for it and over the years let it run itself down. It was only recently that I was able to negotiate a deal to buy it from my aunt when my uncle passed.”
She stared at him, dumbfounded. Aunt? Uncle? He had never, ever mentioned that he had any relatives. In fact, she remembered distinctly asking him about any when she had made out wedding invitations and he’d told her there were none. Evidently he’d not grown up close to them.
Gina suddenly felt rattled. She had learned more about Mitch in the past few minutes than she’d known in the entire four years they had been married. There had been certain things he’d never discussed with her. His family, or lack of one, had been one of those topics he’d avoided. A part of her was surprised at the depth of what he’d revealed.
“So, where do we start?”
His words were casual, soft-spoken, yet they had the effect of something hot and luscious, snapping Gina back to the moment. And the tone, all sexy and sensuous, sank right into her bones. “Where do we start what?”
He gave her a crooked grin. “The interview.”
Realizing that her thoughts had gone off in another direction, one that set a tingling in her midsection, she quickly reeled them back in. “How about if we agree on the questions I want to ask you?”
“You can ask me anything, Gina.”
“Well, yeah, but I’m sure there are some things you’d want to avoid sharing with the world. Things you hold sacred that you want kept private.”
“Like our marriage?”
She lifted her chin. “I said things you hold sacred, Mitch. Our marriage was never one of them.”
There was a sudden quietness. The only sounds that could be heard were those of insects buzzing about and the distant sound of water flowing in a nearby stream. The smile on his face was gone, replaced by something close to misery. If that were the case, then the saying that misery loved company was true because she was right there with him. For two people who had once loved each other deeply, they had made a complete mess of things.
“I did hold our marriage sacred, Gina,” he finally said softly. “Maybe not as much as I should have, but I did. I want very little said about our marriage in this article. There’s no reason letting the entire world know what a complete fool I was in letting you go.”
“Dammit, Mitch,” Gina said, staring up at him and feeling the sudden threat of tears in her throat. How dare he say something so bold, that he realized he’d made a mistake in letting her go? A part of her was glad he did recognize it, but then another part knew the realization had come two years too late.
“Why, Mitch? Why are you saying these things? And why now? Why are you being so repentant?”
His expression went from misery to regret. “Because I am. I’m fully aware of what I lost the day you divorced me. I’m also aware that too much damage was done for any type of repair. I’ve accepted that, Gina. But that doesn’t keep me from acknowledging just how wrong I was and what mistakes I made.”
Gina took a breath, full of emotions. He hadn’t been the only one who had made mistakes. She had to admit that she had made a number as well. She had gone into their marriage thinking it would be simple and easy. After all, they loved each other and love would certainly be enough; however, the first time she saw that it wasn’t enough had been difficult for her to handle.
She sighed. Rehashing the past was a waste of time. Their marriage was over. There was no way they could ever go back. She knew it and hoped that he knew it as well. She decided to ask him to make sure. “You do know that we can never go back, don’t you, Mitch?”
He sighed deeply. “Yes, Gina, I know it and I’ve accepted it. But we can be friends, can’t we?”
“We’ve always been friends, Mitch, even when we weren’t in touch. My parents were separated for over twenty years and remained friends because of Trevor and me. And although we didn’t have any children together I see no reason to become enemies just because we decided we could no longer live together as man and wife. Things between us just didn’t work out and we moved on. End of story.”
Mitch knew that this wasn’t the end of the story. It was just the beginning. He hadn’t been completely truthful with Gina just now when he’d said that he had accepted the fact that they could never go back. He had every intention of winning her back, and he knew it meant patience on his part. Patience had never been one of his strong points, but somehow, someway, he would pull this off. He had to. First, he would strengthen their friendship and then go from there.
He glanced down at his watch. “How about if we decide on those interview questions over lunch?”
“Lunch?”
He smiled. “Yes. I can still fix a mean grilled cheese sandwich if you’re interested. And I just might be able to find a few lemons to squeeze while I’m at it. You’ve always loved my lemonade.”
Gina smiled. That was no joke. For the first year of their marriage they had lived on Mitch’s grilled cheese sandwiches, lemonade, and love.
Love.
They had been so much in love that first year, she thought. Then things had changed after he’d gotten that promotion he’d always wanted. “I’d love a sandwich and lemonade.”
“Come on, then. My modest kitchen awaits you.”
He held his hand out to her. She hesitated a brief moment before placing her hand in his. Immediately the touch of his hand on hers made her shiver although the Texas sun was hot and shining bright in the July sky.
Mitch felt her tremor and looked at her. “Are you okay, Gina?”
She nodded that she was okay. However, a part of her doubted she would ever truly be okay again now that Mitch Farrel
l was back in town.
Four
Gina sat on a stool at the kitchen bar and watched Mitch. He was standing at the stove with his back to her, grilling their cheese sandwiches. One word that readily came to mind as she continued to watch him was sensuous. He was such a sensuous-looking man.
She had thought that very thing each and every time they’d made love. At twenty-two she had come to him a virgin; and on their wedding night he had slowly, yet completely, introduced her to all the wonders of a woman and man coming together in love, meshing their minds, bodies, and hearts in a way that took her breath away. In bed, in his arms, there was no right and wrong. Whatever they’d felt comfortable doing and exploring was all right. Sometimes their lovemaking would be slow and easy. At other times he would take her with an urgency of passion so fierce, so demanding, and so frenzied, the effects would last for days, nights, even weeks. While in his arms nothing else mattered; not their problems, differences, or the inner turmoil that plagued their marriage. Whenever he filled her the only thing that mattered was him, and the sensations and ecstasy he was able to share with her.
He would know just where to kiss her, just where to touch her, and just what parts of her to concentrate on to bring her the greatest degree of pleasure. The bed was the only place she had truly felt as one with him, mainly because it was during those times that she knew, without a doubt, that she had his complete attention. Those were the only times when his job and career had played second to her.
She sighed deeply and decided to switch her thoughts. It didn’t help matters when she glanced around. The inside of the trailer was cozy. Too cozy. The furnishings were nice for a trailer, especially the bed she had seen on her way to the bathroom to wash her hands. She had tried not to stare, but she couldn’t help thinking about all the wicked and wanton things that could be done in that bed with Mitch.
“Gina?”
She blinked, realizing Mitch had turned around and said something to her. Their gazes met and a pulsing heat began gathering low in her body, spreading in a hot, sensuous rush to all parts of her. She wanted him, she silently admitted. Desire was flitting too fast and furious throughout her to not admit it. For nearly two solid years the thought of being with a man had never entered her mind, mainly because she hadn’t been ready to indulge in any type of a serious relationship with anyone. But now her senses were on full alert. Mitch was too close and too overwhelming for them not to be. Even from across the room she could smell his aftershave—a deep, potent, male scent. Her fingers itched to touch him, her tongue yearned to taste him and her body hungered to have him.
When he repeated her name she blinked, bringing both her breathing and mind under control; or at least trying to. “I’m sorry, I wasn’t listening. What did you say?”
He stared at her and she hoped and prayed he hadn’t figured out what she’d been thinking.
“I said I ran into Corinthians yesterday at the mall. It was the first time I had seen her since the wedding reception, and just from the brief conversation we had I can tell she’s an awesome person. I can see how Trevor fell in love with her.”
Gina smiled, remembering both Trevor and Corinthians’s tale of how they had hated each other in the beginning, although neither would say exactly how they had met or why they had disliked each other so. It evidently was a secret they shared. “Yes, Corinthians is a sweetheart.”
“Trevor is a lucky man.”
Gina nodded, thinking that was definitely true; the good thing about it was that her brother knew just how lucky he was and never took his wife for granted. He worked hard but when work time was over he knew how to come home and take care of business. He knew how to balance both work and home life, which was something Mitch never could figure out how to do.
“Don’t, Gina.”
Gina lifted her gaze and looked directly into Mitch’s eyes. “Don’t what?”
“Don’t remember the bad times.”
She swallowed and wondered how he’d known what she’d been thinking. She slowly eased off the stool when he walked toward her, suddenly feeling cornered when he came to stand in front of her.
“There were good times in our marriage, weren’t there? The memories aren’t all bad, are they, Gina?” he asked in an almost whisper, as he gently gripped her upper arms.
Touching her again was a huge mistake. The moment he did so, she gasped as sensations that had been left on hold for two years suddenly rushed straight from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet, making her fully aware of every inch of him and herself as well. Just from his touch, she felt like a woman for the first time in two years.
A woman who ached for the man who used to be her mate.
A shiver of passion aroused her and she knew Mitch felt it. Their gazes held for the longest moment. Then slowly, deliberately, he lowered his head toward hers. A part of her demanded that she step back but she couldn’t. The only thing she could do was stand there while he claimed her mouth slowly, tenderly, and thoroughly.
Heat, in various degrees, inflamed her when he slid his tongue between her lips. She took the time to feast on him, to taste him as he sought out her tongue, which she readily gave to him. Her body knew exactly what to expect. It knew what it wanted and just what it was going to get. A deep ache grew inside of her and began spreading to all parts of her body. Mitch made kissing an art form and today he was at his best.
He drew her closer and tightened his hold on her. The lower parts of their bodies touched and she could feel his hard erection through his jeans. It was such a familiar and a missed feeling that she immediately reacted and widened her legs to cradle him between them. Blood pounded fast and furious in her veins at the thought that after all this time she still affected him as much as he affected her.
Mitch heard a moan. He wasn’t sure if it had come from him or Gina, but neither did he care. Right now she was where he wanted her to be: in his arms while he kissed her with all the feelings of a man in love. He was lost. Totally and completely out of control…and evidently out of patience. He hadn’t meant to kiss her this way so soon. But when he’d looked across the room and saw her watching him, he couldn’t help himself. Some things just didn’t change, and their deep attraction for each other seemed to be one of them.
Knowing he had to bring them up for air sometime, Mitch slowly broke off the kiss. Then he bent to brush a soft kiss over her lips, wanting to taste her again, even if it was a quick taste.
“That kiss was inevitable,” he said quietly, his voice a soft, smooth murmur. “Just like it’s inevitable for us to do it again.”
He leaned over and closed his mouth completely over hers once more, absorbing the minty flavor right out of her mouth. He hadn’t realized just how much he had hungered for her taste until now. And he could tell from the way she returned his kiss that she had hungered for his as well.
It was Gina who finally regained control of the situation and returned back to reality. Breaking her mouth free of his, she placed her hands on his chest and pushed out of his arms. She inhaled a deep breath and released it. He was right. The kiss was inevitable. At least the first one had been. But not the second, and had she not pulled back there would have been a third. Possibly even a fourth. She and Mitch had always been a fire just waiting to ignite. But that was no excuse—those days were supposed to be long gone…in the past.
She forced her gaze up to Mitch. He was looking at her and saying nothing. Just looking at her. “This was supposed to be business,” she said softly, not knowing what else to say. At the moment all other words escaped her.
“It is.”
She frowned. “Two people conducting business don’t carry on the way we just did, Mitch.”
He eyed her with a ferocity that made heat skitter down her spine. “They could if they wanted to.”
Gina sighed as she continued to pull herself together. Mitch wasn’t helping matters. “Maybe we ought to lay down some ground rules.”
And maybe we ought to just l
ay down, he thought as he continued to watch her. Mmmm…that had numerous possibilities. Knowing he had to smooth her over before her feathers got ruffled any further and she decided to call off the interview, he said, “Like I said, the kiss was inevitable, Gina, considering our history.” He smiled apologetically. “I got carried away. I promise to control myself in the future.”
Knowing he hadn’t indulged in the kiss-a-thon by himself, she smiled wryly and said, “Same here. I promise to control myself in the future, too.”
He hoped not. He’d always liked her out of control. “Go ahead and sit back down,” he said, nodding toward the stool. “Lunch is almost ready. Or instead of sitting you can help by getting a couple of glasses out of the cabinet and filling them with ice for the lemonade. They’re in the cabinet over the sink.”
She chuckled at his request. “That sounds easy enough.”
He shook his head, grinning as he remembered she was definitely not a whiz in the kitchen. But then her capabilities in the bedroom had more than made up for it. “It is easy enough.”
He watched as she sashayed around him and walked over to the cabinet to take out the glasses. In the pair of slacks she was wearing, her backside seemed to have gotten a bit curvier since the last time he had checked it out. He smiled. He couldn’t wait for the chance to check it out again. He could imagine undressing her, removing every stitch of clothing that covered her, then pulling her to him—skin to skin.
He groaned silently, knowing it was time to move on to the next phase of his plan. He just hoped Gina was ready for it. He knew that he definitely was. Slowly, methodically, he intended to break down every barrier she had erected. In the end he was going to have her so dizzy with passion, so saturated in desire, and so full of need that she wouldn’t be able to think straight.
And he intended to make sure that happened as quickly as possible.
Five
“Are you sure you’re fine with the interview questions, Mitch?”
Some Like It Hot Page 12