by Lacey Thorn
Chapter Seven
She’d almost given in and spent the night with them. Instead, she’d come home and sorted the rest of the letters into two piles. Darius and Houston. Then she’d read them all over again with eyes wide open to who had written them. And when she folded the last letter and slid it back in the envelope, she was still in love. The only difference was it was with three men, instead of the one she’d thought the letters were from.
She was sound asleep almost as soon as the lamp was off and her head hit the pillow. Though she’d taken a few days off, she still woke up early Monday morning. She hoped to have enough time to slip into the office just long enough to check messages and make sure there was nothing that needed her immediate attention. She didn’t have office help now, which meant Mr. Hines was on his own. She cringed thinking about how much damage he could do. Hard to imagine he’d once run the business without her. But there was a reason his properties had expanded and prospered over the years. Her.
She had her iPhone out checking her email and calendar when she heard a knock at the front door. It was only seven-thirty. Houston was obviously in a hurry to start their day together. She didn’t fight the smile tugging at her lips as she checked the peephole to be sure it was him then opened the door.
“Hope you don’t mind my early arrival,” he said as he stepped inside and pushed the door shut behind him.
“I’m an early riser myself,” she assured him as she turned to head back to the kitchen. She heard him following behind her. “Coffee?” she asked over her shoulder.
Houston had her pressed between him and the counter in a heartbeat. His cock was rock hard, but his hands were gentle as they cupped her face and held her steady for his kiss. And the man could kiss. He had her toes curling in her boots, her pulse thrumming, and her pussy wet and ready.
“Good morning,” he whispered huskily as he eased from the kiss.
“Morning,” she panted and enjoyed the way his smile lit his blue eyes.
He stepped back and she felt the caress of his gaze, as he looked her over from head to toe.
“All you need is a hardhat and tool belt, baby.”
She grinned. Should she tell him she had both and wore them often?
“You have them, don’t you?”
She laughed and gave a nod.
“Damn. I didn’t think my dick could get any harder. There’s just something about a woman who knows her way around a tool.”
She leaned into him and let her hand stroll down his chest to cup his straining erection. “I know how to use them correctly to get the result I want.” She wrapped her fingers around him and gave a squeeze through his jeans.
“Fuck,” he muttered, leaning his head back and pressing his cock against her palm. “A lifetime wouldn’t be enough time.”
“Enough time for what?”
His blue eyes locked with her green ones, and she swore sparks flew between them at the heat of his gaze. “To get my fill of you.”
She felt the words wrap around her heart and shuddered out a slow breath. “Houston,” she began but didn’t know what she wanted to say.
“Shhh,” he crooned. “It’s okay, Emerald.”
“I wish you guys wouldn’t call me that.”
“Sorry. Why don’t you like it? Emerald is a beautiful name. Unique and sexy, just like you.”
Same response Darius had given her. “I go by Melda.”
He took in her stance, and she did her best to let the tension go but knew he’d already seen it.
“Okay,” he surprised her by agreeing. “I’ll try my best to remember Melda. I didn’t realize it was that important to you. We never want to do anything to upset you. It’s just a habit from when we were reading your letters. We all liked Emerald.”
She sighed. How did she begin to explain the baggage her name brought her? “I’m sorry, Houston. It’s just… It’s hard to explain.”
“Try me,” he said and turned to grab a cup and pour some coffee. “I’ve been told I’m a pretty good listener.”
She laughed as she strode to the table and picked up her coffee, taking a long drink of the rich brew.
“I never had anyone but my mom in my life,” Houston said, watching her over his cup. “My whole childhood it was just the two of us against the world. She died when I was sixteen. She thought she had a cold. I guess it turned into pneumonia really quickly and,” he shrugged, “she never recovered.”
“I…” She didn’t know what to say. Instead of pressing her, he was offering her an insight into himself. “What happened?”
“I managed to avoid foster care for the last few years of high school. I invented an uncle who was mostly away on business. Gave the school a number for contact purposes and set a voice mail up on it. I joined the military right out of high school and never looked back.”
“And you met Darius and Cruz.”
He nodded and a smile tugged at his lips. “And we met you. I’m a lucky guy.”
It humbled her hearing him say how lucky he was after what he’d shared with her. She’d wondered about his family since he’d never mentioned them in the letters he’d written. She hadn’t noticed when she thought they were all from the same person. Now she knew why. He spoke of his buddies as if they were family, and they were.
“My mom abandoned me with a note calling me her little emerald. I bounced around foster homes as a child. I was premature and sick a lot. I guess that made me not as desirable to keep.” It was her turn to shrug her shoulders. “From the time I was old enough to remember, one thing or another always happened to keep me from staying with a family. I went by Emerald then, until I found myself in the home of Mrs. Potts and met Deja and Skye.” She smiled, easily recalling that first meeting. “Skye was thirteen. Deja and I were eleven. It’s a weird stage for girls. Not really little anymore, on the cusp of being teenagers. I was excited and terrified at the same time when Mrs. Potts told me she had two other girls my age living with her. She took me to them, introduced me, and left us to get acquainted on our own.”
“It all worked out. You talked a lot about your sisters in your letters.”
“It did. We clicked. It was like we’d always known each other. About six weeks after I moved there, Skye and Deja found me crying. Skye demanded to know what had happened.” Melda laughed.
“She was going to kick someone’s ass, huh?”
“Oh, yeah. Skye has always been the ass kicker of our group.”
“So what made you cry?” He prompted her when she didn’t immediately take back up.
She took another drink of coffee. “I was on edge. I liked living there too much.”
“If you liked it, why were you on edge?”
“I had a history of never being in one place too long. If nobody wanted me as a small child, why would they want me then? Especially when Mrs. Potts already had two girls my age.”
“Melda.” Her name was a soft caress from his lips. She knew he was seeing more than she’d planned to share. She could easily remember the fears of the girl she’d once been.
“I was so afraid of everything. Being happy, being sad. Being too loud, or too quiet. Of blending too much or standing out. I stopped eating.”
He reached her in two steps and wrapped his arms around her, tugging her until her back rested against his chest. It wasn’t until his strength surrounded her that she realized she was shaking.
“What happened?” The question was a soft whisper above her head.
“I passed out and fell down the stairs one morning. I was in the hospital when I came to. Mrs. Potts was sitting by the bed, holding my hand. She kept calling me Melda, crooning it while she stroked my hair with her other hand. When I opened my eyes, I saw tears in hers. She told me I’d given them a hell of a fright and not to do it again. Skye and Deja jumped up from the chair they were sharing in the corner and came to the bed. They reached out to touch me, as if they needed the physical connection. And Mrs. Potts said something that changed my life.”
Melda took a breath and swallowed the tears that wanted to slip free as she remembered that day. “She said her family hadn’t been complete until I’d arrived, and she wasn’t about to lose me. Then she stepped back and just looked at us. Skye, Deja, and Melda. That’s what she called me that day. Melda.” She turned in his arms. “You see. Emerald was the little girl no one wanted. But Melda found a home and love and sisters. Melda.”
“I see,” Houston agreed, and she had a feeling he was again seeing more than what she was saying. “Someday maybe we can show you how much Emerald is wanted, but until then, I’ll make sure we all call you Melda.”
She let her head rest against his chest, soaking up his strength and heat. How had things gotten so serious? This was definitely not how she’d planned to spend the beginning of the morning with him.
“So, what have you got planned for us today?” she asked, trying to lighten the mood.
“I thought maybe you could take me around, show me some of your favorite places.”
“Really?”
He smiled down at her as he nodded. “I’d love to see where you work. Maybe go to lunch? I want to spend the day getting to know you, the real you.” He caressed her cheek with his fingers before tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “The woman behind the letters and epic sex.”
“Epic?” She couldn’t quell the giggle rising in her throat.
“Epic,” he assured her.
“I planned to stop in at work today anyway,” she admitted. “I wanted to check and make sure there wasn’t anything that couldn’t wait a few days. I was trying to decide how to sneak it in, but now I won’t have to.”
“You don’t have to sneak anything in ever. All you have to do is tell us, and we’ll do everything in our power to make sure your wish is filled.”
She grinned. “You say the best things. I can’t seem to stop smiling around you.”
“Good.”
“Did you eat breakfast? I could make something real quick before we leave.”
“Cruz actually made omelets this morning. So I’m full.”
“Then I’m ready to go as soon as you are.”
He kissed the top of her head and hugged her close before easing away. She couldn’t miss the way his erection still strained along his zipper, but he acted like it was nothing.
“I could take care of that for you,” she offered, running her fingers over his thigh, so he’d have no question of what she was willing to take care of.
“Now that would be against the rules.” He took her hand in his and brought it up to his lips, placing a soft kiss on her palm.
“No one would have to know.”
“I’d know.”
“You’re a good guy, Houston Davis.”
“Or a glutton for punishment,” he said as he adjusted himself and moved away. “I’ll turn off your coffee pot. Need anything else before we go?”
“Nope, I’m good.”
They headed out the door where he surprised her again.
“Did you walk here?”
“Yeah, I figured if you agreed to play tour guide, I’d just let you drive me around. That okay with you?”
It was more than okay, but she just nodded. Houston obviously was a man very comfortable in his own skin. He didn’t have a need to be in control all the time. She remembered the feel of his hand on her ass, the fantasy he’d shared with her of how he’d like to mark her. So he liked control in some situations. She was very okay with that.
He was quiet as she drove, nodding and looking as she pointed out certain things along the drive. He seemed to be soaking it all in, completely relaxed in the passenger seat of her truck.
“Here we are,” she said as she pulled into the parking lot and shut off the motor. “I’ll just be a few minutes.”
“Mind if I go in with you?”
“Not at all,” she said. She’d expected he would.
He took her hand with his as they entered the building, and she watched his gaze bounce around taking it all in. The office wasn’t much, but then it didn’t need to be. It was just the office. Its only requirement was to be functional.
“Go ahead and look around. There are some maps of the city on the wall over there. The property pictures are for buildings owned by Hines Property Management.” She knew her voice conveyed her pride, but those were her buildings, no matter the name on the door.
“Take as much time as you need,” he assured her and walked over to look at the wall display.
Her gaze was glued to his very fine ass when the office door behind her opened up with a bang.
“I see you changed your mind and showed up. Good thing. I was getting ready to call you. There’s no time for a vacation right now. As you well know, we have no one else to run the office. The phone’s been ringing off the hook since I got here half an hour ago.”
“Did you answer it?”
“That’s what I have you for.”
She sighed. “I’m only here for a few minutes, then I’m leaving. I have plans.”
“What could you possibly have to do that requires you to take the next few days off? You never take a vacation.”
“Which means I’m way overdue for one.”
“Now listen, Melda—” Mr. Hines began.
“I’m leaving in just a few minutes.” Melda turned around and bent to the computer at her desk, hitting the power button to fire it up before shifting to reach for the answering machine.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Houston’s voice cut through the room like the blade of a knife.
“Well, now,” Mr. Hines blubbered behind her, sounding extremely nervous.
Melda sighed heavily.
“Is there something we can do for you?” Leave it to her boss to try and blunder his way through his rude behavior in front of someone he thought might be a potential client.
“You can keep your hands off Melda’s ass.”
She jerked her head around toward Mr. Hines in time to see the flush creep up his neck to douse his face in red. “Really?” she asked hands on hips. Looked like the pervert was back now that the girlfriend and office help were gone.
“I wasn’t—” Mr. Hines began, but she and Houston both cut him off.
“Yes, you were.”
“Does he do that often?” Houston asked her.
“He’s been known to accidentally brush me,” Melda answered with emphasis on accidentally.
“Perhaps I should introduce myself then.” Houston strode over, and Melda hid a smile as Mr. Hines backed up quickly. “I’m Houston Davis, Melda’s boyfriend.”
“I didn’t know she had a boyfriend.” Mr. Hines sent her a glare as he lied. She’d told him she had one, a lie but still. Like it should matter if she did or not.
“Doesn’t matter,” Houston said, obviously sharing her thoughts.
She considered stepping in and letting Houston know she’d handle it. But really, she always said she would, but she never did anything. She was the peacemaker, afraid to rock the boat.
Suddenly, it clicked in her head what she was doing. She tolerated all the things Mr. Hines did and said because she was afraid he’d fire her if she didn’t. Skye and Deja were always trying to get her to stand up to him, to quit and walk away, but she didn’t.
Maybe it was reliving her past this morning with Houston, but she suddenly realized a few things. She loved her job, but it was just a job. She had enough experience under her belt at this point that she didn’t need to worry about not getting an offer somewhere else. She had nothing to prove any more. She didn’t have to be the perfect worker to prove Mrs. Potts’ trust in her for recommending Melda to Mr. Hines was validated. Thinking back on the only mother figure she’d ever known, she admitted Mrs. Potts would have never allowed Melda to stay if she knew about Mr. Hines’ wandering hands.
“I’ve warned you for the last time,” Melda said, surprising herself with the bottled emotions suddenly spilling from her. “I quit.”
She stood up, refusing to acknowledge the blinking light of the answering machine. She expected to be choked by the need to hold on to the familiar, but she wasn’t. She honestly felt free in a way she hadn’t for a very long time.
“Now, Melda, I know you don’t mean that.”
Any other time she would have agreed with him, but not today, not right now. She laughed and only stopped when she realized both Houston and Mr. Hines were looking intently at her.
“I mean it,” she vowed with a nod.
“You can’t just walk away from these buildings.”
“They’re just buildings,” she said, repeating the words her sisters had been saying for years. She’d always argued, but today she understood. She loved the work, but she could do the same thing somewhere else, somewhere she’d be appreciated. It wasn’t as if she’d never had other offers. It was time to take them more seriously.
“You don’t mean that.”
She almost gave another laugh at the look of panic on Mr. Hines face. “Good luck,” she said instead.
“Ready?” she asked Houston.
“Whenever you are.” His gaze reflected concern for her, but he didn’t voice it out loud.
“Melda.” Mr. Hines said her name quietly as she took Houston’s hand and tugged him toward the door. She did laugh when he sent a dark look toward her boss when Mr. Hines called her name again.
“You okay?” Houston asked as the stepped outside, the panicked yelling of her name following them on the air.
“I am,” she said. “I really am.”
“So, it looks like you have the next few days completely free.”
She laughed as she nodded. Who knew how long she had free before she found another job? “Looks like it.”
“You’re not worried, are you?”
“No, I have enough in savings to see me through for a bit. Besides, I’ve had plenty of job offers over the years. I’ll just let it be known I’ve finally quit.”
“Melda, he’s never done anything else has he?”
She shook her head. “No. He’s always brushed against me, patted my butt for a job well done, but he’s never forced himself on me.”
Houston looked pissed. “How long have you worked here?”