Mitch watched Gina as she placed her writing pad back into her briefcase. After lunch she had immediately developed a strictly business manner. It was one she figured would not be swayed. Boy, did he have news for her.
“Yes, I’m sure,” he said, taking another sip of his lemonade. At this point he would be satisfied with just about anything that would provide a chance for them to spend an ample amount of time together. “Now that we have that covered, how about me showing you around?” he said, standing.
She glanced up at him. “All right. But when can we officially get together for the interview?”
Mitch glanced at his watch. He was meeting the Madarises in a few hours. What he needed was to begin breaking down her defenses on her own turf.
“How about if I drop by your place later tonight?” He watched her reaction to his suggestion and could just imagine the wheels that had suddenly begun turning in her head.
“My place?”
“Yes.”
“Later tonight?”
“Yes. From what you said earlier it will take approximately a week to finish up the interview. Right?”
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll need to meet every free chance I get. Unfortunately, getting things off the ground for the construction of the Madaris Building will take up a lot of my time this week.”
Gina nodded, understanding the predicament he was in. He probably hadn’t counted on it taking her an entire week to do an interview. “All right. Stopping by my place tonight will be fine. What about around seven?”
“Nine o’clock would be better. I have a meeting already scheduled for seven.”
She frowned; nine at night was awfully late for them to do business, but she did want to start on the interview. “Okay, nine o’clock will be fine.”
Mitch nodded, pleased with himself. “Now, come on and let me show you around. I especially want you to see the places I most enjoyed as a child.”
Gina’s heart began beating rapidly as she got to her feet. She was eager to see anything that was part of Mitch’s past; a past he’d always been reluctant to share with her. “I’d like that.”
With his hand on Gina’s back, Mitch guided her around his property, sharing with her tidbits of his childhood and how much fun he’d had while living with his grandmother. They came to a stop when they reached a huge pond. Earlier that morning there had been a light drizzle so the ground was still damp. The air smelled of earth and pine and was stirred by a gentle summer breeze.
“You loved your grandmother very much, didn’t you?” Gina asked after he’d shared yet another fond memory with her.
He smiled. “Loved, admired, and respected. My grandfather died in the early years of their marriage, but through hard work and dedication she was able to hold on to the ranch with only two young sons for help. And even when those sons later decided ranching wasn’t for them, she continued to hold on to the ranch, hiring out seasonal workers and depending on her neighbors only when she really needed to.”
He picked up a twig and tossed it into the pond. “When I arrived here I was still mourning the loss of my parents. In time she made my hurt go away; and as I continued to live here, a part of me knew that I’d be the one who would stay and be the rancher. I loved and enjoyed everything about this place just that much. I felt I had everything I needed right here and had no intentions of ever leaving.”
Gina nodded, wondering what had happened in his life to make him change his mind. She knew the time he’d spent with various family members after his grandmother’s death had had a lot to do with it, especially the time he’d spent with his uncle Jasper. Had there been something else, too? Something he had never shared with her?
“This has always been my favorite spot and it seems fitting that I bring my favorite girl here.”
Gina’s pulse raced at what he’d said. “Your favorite girl?”
He tilted his head back and smiled at her surprised expression. “Yes. You were the first woman I’d gotten serious about during my four years of college and two years of grad school. I had almost made it to the finish line free of any serious involvement with a woman, and then one day I bumped into you coming out of class and wham, my life hasn’t been the same since.”
Neither had hers, Gina thought as she shook her head, smiling and remembering that day. Mitch Farrell had not only bumped into her that day, he had literally rocked her world. He had shaken it and in a short space of time he’d had it revolving out of control. But still, for him to claim nearly two years after their divorce that she was still his favorite girl was a bit much.
“What about all those other women I read about in the magazines and newspapers whom you’ve been involved with? Surely they rate much higher on the scale than I do.”
Of all the things that could have happened just then, Gina hadn’t expected—nor was she prepared—for Mitch to suddenly whirl her around to face him in such a way that brought them chest to chest, and made her tip her head back to see him. She’d barely had time to register what he’d done when she noticed the darkening of his eyes and the firm set of his jaw. When she did, her stomach curled and her nipples tightened. He wasn’t smiling, which indicated the intensity of his thoughts; she knew whatever he was about to say was serious.
“I evidently need to make something absolutely clear, Regina Farrell. Divorce or no divorce, no woman rates higher in my life than you do. You’re the woman I chose to be my wife, but you were more than that. You were my best friend and my most loyal supporter. And no matter who I may have dated after our divorce, you’re the only one I’ve ever wanted with unadulterated, relentless, and endless passion and never-ending and undying love.”
Gina’s heart thumped so hard in her chest that it hurt. Never-ending and undying love? Was he saying what she thought he was saying? She shook her head. No, he doesn’t mean it. At least not the way it sounded, she thought. Especially not after all this time. There is no way.
She sighed deeply. A part of her knew Mitch still loved her; it was the same kind of love she had for him. You couldn’t fall madly in love with someone and then expect that love to go away with a mere divorce. A part of her still loved him and cared for him—as someone who had once been a special part of her life, nothing more than that. And she figured that for him it was probably the same. She was the only woman he had ever taken the time from his busy schedule to pursue. And he had done so relentlessly until he had broken down all her barriers, except for one. He had not gotten her to change her mind about them sleeping together before marriage, not that he had tried. Once she had told him of her intentions to wait, he had respected her wishes. But that hadn’t stopped things from almost getting out of hand a few times when they had been alone at his apartment. However, he’d always been able to regain control and bring things to an end before they’d gone too far.
The declaration he’d just made about how he felt about her rendered her speechless, and before she could say anything he glanced down at his watch. “It’s time for us to start heading back if I’m to meet the Madarises on time.”
Gina nodded, glad for the change in subject. “So how are things going with the plans for the Madaris Building?” she asked as they began walking back toward the area where their vehicles were parked.
“What Justin, Dex, and Clayton plan to build is awesome. It’s been a dream of theirs for a while and I’m glad to see them move forward with it. And I definitely appreciate them letting me be a part of it.”
Gina nodded. “Who will be the builders?”
Mitch chuckled. “I think that was decided before the first piece of land was purchased. Madaris Construction Company will be the ones handling things. They plan to keep it all in the family. At first I thought it was too large an undertaking for two such young men, but Justin, Dex, and Clayton felt comfortable in letting their young cousins do the work. After meeting them I can see why. Those two guys have good heads on their shoulders and there’s no doubt in my mind they will do a fantastic job.�
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Gina smiled. The cousins Mitch was referring to were the twenty-seven-year-old twins, Blade and Slade Madaris. Originally, the construction company had been owned by the twins’ grandfather and father, Milton Madaris Sr. and Jr. Milton Sr. had long ago retired; Milton Jr. had recently decided to take early retirement and travel a bit and turned over the running of the operation to his offspring. Already, Blade and Slade were making a name for themselves and had been awarded a number of building contracts.
When they reached her car Mitch opened the door for her. After she slid in he leaned down and reached across her and snapped the seat belt in place. She appreciated his thoughtfulness. “Thanks, Mitch.”
“You’re welcome.” He had to hold back from adding, I now know the importance of taking care of what’s mine. He was still leaning down and at that angle he was staring straight at her mouth. His gut clenched and he suddenly felt sweat form on his forehead. His control was good, but not good enough to resist moving in just a bit closer to taste her one more time.
He gazed into her eyes and saw the exact moment she realized his intent. He heard her breath catch and heard her gentle sigh. Then he saw her automatically part her lips for him. With such an invitation, whether intentional or not, he leaned closer and stroked his tongue past her parted lips and right into her mouth. Her tongue was there, waiting on his. Sweet, moist, delicious. He wanted to devour her but knew that now was not the time. He had to move cautiously since he didn’t want to do anything that would make her want to call off tonight’s meeting.
So after tasting her thoroughly for a heart-stopping minute, he retreated and slowly, reluctantly, eased his tongue out of her mouth. “Tonight,” he said in a husky whisper. “I’ll see you later tonight. At around nine.”
Gina swallowed. Mitch’s voice was rich with promise. A part of her wanted to tell him that tonight was off, since it appeared that she couldn’t trust herself around him. In her book he was the epitome of everything sexual. He was vital, strong and all male. Definitely all male. Even now she could feel moisture gathering between her legs just thinking about how male he was. Somehow and in some way she had to emotionally distance herself from Mitch before…
She didn’t want to think about what might happen if she didn’t. Every bone in her body was beginning to turn to mush at the very thought. “Mitch?”
“Yes?”
“About tonight.”
“Yes, what about it?”
“Ahh…” She tried to speak but couldn’t. Never before had she felt at such a loss for words. The only other time she had been this aware of a man had been her first encounter with Mitch. His very presence had taken her by storm, just like he was doing now. But still, she intended to keep things strictly business between them, even if it killed her…which, from the way things looked, it just might. “Nothing,” she said softly. “I’ll see you later tonight.”
Stella Grant glanced across the table at her daughter. Papadeaux was their favorite place for dinner; Gina just loved their seafood. But she couldn’t help noticing that Gina had barely touched her food. “Are you are all right, Gina?”
Gina lifted her head and met her mother’s concerned gaze. “I met with Mitch today.” She knew that about said it all. Of all people, her mother knew just what Mitch Farrell had meant to her at one time. Her mother also knew how much the breakup of their marriage had hurt her.
“So you have decided to do the interview?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Gina sighed. She hadn’t heard censorship in her mother’s voice, just blatant, outright concern. When it came to her children, Stella Grant was a fierce protector. But then, on the other hand, she had always allowed them to make decisions for themselves. Gina and her mother had always had a close relationship. Nothing had changed.
“The reason I decided to do it is because it’s a good career move for me that will also pay well when some magazine buys it. But I also have an ulterior motive for doing it. While I’m interviewing Mitch, I’m hoping that I can find out some things about him. In fact, I already have,” she said softly, thinking about what he’d shared with her about his parents and grandmother. Each time she conversed with him she learned more and more about the man she had once been married to.
“But those are things you should have learned when the two of you were married.”
“True, but there was never any time since Mitch spent most of his time working. The only time we communicated was in…” Gina cleared her throat upon deciding that no matter how close they were, she had no intentions of sharing intimate details of her marriage with her mother. Besides, she was more than sure her mother got the picture.
“So, where will all this lead?” Stella asked, concerned.
“I really don’t know, Mom. All I’m hoping to get out of this is one fabulous article. Both Mitch and I keep stressing this is strictly business, yet…” She sighed, about to go there again. Why were she and Mitch such passionate, oversensuous people? It seemed the only thing they used to do with their free time was make love, think of making love, or plan to make love.
“Gina?”
She blinked upon realizing her mother had spoken to her. “Yes?”
“What you do with Mitch is your business. I just want you to be careful.”
Gina nodded. “Careful that my heart doesn’t get broken again.”
Stella nodded. “Yes, that, too. But I was really thinking about being careful that you don’t end up pregnant.”
“Mother!”
Stella waved off Gina’s tone of indignation. “I want you to hear me out, Regina Renee Grant Farrell. I’ve been where you are now, remember? Your father and I were separated for nearly twenty years and during that time I still loved him something fierce. Around Maurice I knew how it felt to be a woman mainly because he was the one who made me into a woman.” She smiled. “There were times when he would come and pick you and Trevor up for the weekend, and I had to fight to hold back from throwing myself at him. While I always maintained control, there were times I literally climbed the walls after he left because I had wanted and needed him just that bad.” She looked at Gina pointedly and added, “I know all about wants and needs, young lady.”
Stella reached across the table. “I know children oftentimes can’t imagine their parents as passionate and sensuous beings, but they are. You and Trevor wouldn’t be here if Maurice and I weren’t. I know firsthand how it is for a woman who’s been without love and passion for a while. You haven’t seriously dated anyone since your divorce. It’s a wonder you aren’t pulling your hair out about now. And although you’ve never mentioned it to me it was no deep, dark secret that you and Mitch had a rather active sex life.”
Gina raised a brow. “And how do you know that?”
Stella chuckled. “Because each and every time I phoned to chat the two of you were in bed, getting in bed, or getting out of bed. And let’s not forget those unexpected visits when I would interrupt the two of you…doing things.”
“Okay, Mom. I get the picture.”
“No, dear, I really don’t think you do, at least not the one I’m painting. What I’m talking about, Gina, is sexual needs. What kept me from losing it when those sexual needs hit were you and Trevor. The two of you kept me busy and helped to occupy my mind. You don’t have a diversion.”
“I have my work,” Gina said, wondering if her mother had somehow been privy to the recent dreams she’d been having about Mitch.
Stella smiled. “Yes, but now your work includes Mitch. You run the risk of mixing work with pleasure.”
“Things are strictly business between us.”
“Yeah, right. If you believe that then you probably still believe there’s a Santa Claus. Get real, Gina. It’s been almost two years. Take my advice and play it safe. Before going home stop by the nearest convenience store and get a pack of condoms since you’re no longer on the Pill.”
Gina leaned back in her chair, not believing the conversation s
he was having with her mother. “Trust me, Mom. I won’t need condoms or any other type of birth control. I’ve never indulged in casual sex and I won’t start now.”
Stella smiled. “There’s nothing casual about sleeping with an ex-husband, trust me. In fact, it’s probably one of the most serious things you can do. The effects of it can possibly leave you in a way you aren’t prepared for. Emotionally and physically. You would be sleeping with someone you definitely know, someone you once loved and someone who still has a part of your heart—even if it’s a very small part. And last but not least, he is someone who’s the very person who taught you everything you know in the bedroom; every itty-bitty little detail and then some.”
Gina could feel her face flush. “Ahh, can we change the subject, please?”
“If that’s what you want.”
“Yes, that’s what I want.”
“All right. But remember my warning as well as my suggestion.”
With her head lowered Gina slowly resumed eating her food. She could feel her insides heat up at the thought of every itty-bitty little detail Mitch had taught her. He had been thorough, absolute, consummate, and outright perfect. In her heart and mind she believed that even if she slept with more than a hundred men, none would ever compare to the way Mitchell Cameron Farrell made love. He’d had other faults but in the bedroom he had reigned supreme in her book. Just thinking about him made her…
No, she wouldn’t go there…again. She had to believe that she was still in control of her mind and body and that her mother was wrong. Casual sex was casual sex no matter who your partner was. And as long as she believed that, she didn’t have a thing to worry about.
At least she hoped and prayed that she didn’t.
Six
“Forgive us for boring you, Mitch.”
Mitch snapped his head around and looked into four pairs of grinning eyes. He shrugged. “Sorry, guys.”
Justin Madaris smiled. “Hey, don’t apologize. We’ve all been there. In fact, we’re still there.”
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