by Dez Burke
Her feisty younger sister, who was an accomplished painter and sculptor with a thriving art studio below her loft apartment, made a funny face. “Uh…yeah? You slept with a guy you’ve known all of twenty four hours. A little fast on the draw, don’t you think?” was her comical reply. She regarded her elder sister with a look of sympathy if not a bit of reproach.
“You were always the sensible one. This Blade fellow must be really something to have you acting so out of character. Even though it was probably mostly just physical attraction and nothing more, I can see you’re shaken up.”
“Do you think that’s all it was? Physical?” Makayla asked as she worriedly chewed on her lip.
“Of course I do. The two of you jump into bed within twenty-four hours of meeting each other. If that doesn’t spell plain old horny then I don’t know what does.”
Makayla had to admit that Evelyn was probably right. If Makayla hadn’t been thinking with her blasted hormones, she’d have been more careful before jumping into bed with a man she barely knew.
Sure, he was Gina’s stepbrother but what did Gina even really know about him? They’d become a family when Gina was fifteen and Blade was nineteen. From what Gina had told Makayla, that same year Blade went on to sign up for the armed forces.
In less than a year after, his team was deployed to Afghanistan where he spent several months at a time, coming home only briefly on leave and then he was off again, sometimes to places he couldn’t even tell his family about.
Was it possible that Blade had a son or had even been married without his step-sister knowing? Makayla felt sure Gina would have told her if she’d known about ‘Jamie’. And the woman claiming to be Jamie’s mother – who was she to Blade? Were they still together, or…
Finally, Makayla told herself firmly to knock it off. She had to stop her head from going round in circles over Blade. She was certain he’d have a good explanation for everything and would gladly answer any questions she might have.
So why wasn’t she back at home? Why did she run off the moment his back was turned?
Maybe she was a coward. She really didn’t want to find out that maybe she’d been all wrong about him – that her irresistible hunk was no dream guy. She must have been crazy to have fallen all over him the way she had.
She let out a long sigh, partially in regret. Well, she wasn’t going to be making that mistake again.
For the first time, she’d let down her guard and went for what she’d wanted. She’d always been the one to have to fend off over-enthusiastic admirers. To think how she’d practically flung herself at Blade filled her with utter shame.
Which meant, of course, that she had only herself to blame if Blade turned out to be a married scumbag. Or at least, a guy with something to hide.
She dreaded the thought of seeing him again, but she couldn’t stay away from her place forever. If she handled everything with maturity and calm, Makayla felt sure she could get Blade out of her system and brush off the experience with her pride intact.
Half of her was hoping he’d be gone when she got back. The other half felt weakened by the wish to see him again. To give him a chance to set things straight.
Not that she was even sure why it meant anything. After all, Evelyn was right; it had been only about the sex.
When her phone rang later, an hour to closing at work, she picked it up mechanically, not at all expecting the familiar, stomach-melting voice that came on.
“Makayla. It’s Blade.”
Everything in her brain shut down. She snatched in a breath and wondered why her chest felt too tight, like her suit was several sizes too small. He said her name and she was thrown back in time to just three days ago, being half-crushed beneath him as he’d ground his powerful hips against her, drilling her to orgasm after orgasm with his masterful cock.
“How did you get my…why are you calling me at work, Blade?” she asked, trying to instill authority into her voice so he just might not suspect she was quaking like a leaf inside. How one sentence from him could reduce her to a shivering mess was hard to fathom.
“Because I’m worried about you. You left this note on the fridge saying you’re gone and will be back. Well, it’s been three days, Makayla. You’re obviously back at work and staying somewhere else to avoid me.”
Makayla’s eyes were closed. The surroundings faded away. She was no longer seated at her smooth edged desk in her well-appointed office. All the facts and figures of business which she’d been trying to strategize over since she arrived at work that morning disintegrated to ash.
His voice.
It melted right through her folds and turned everything inside to something juicy and soft. How did he do that? How could one man have such power over her sensuality? There was something so commanding and thrilling about him that pulled her and scared her at the same time. Makayla didn’t want to feel like this. Not for a man she’d just met – and it didn’t matter that he was Gina’s stepbrother or that he was an ex-army hero. It all came down to the fact that she barely knew him and already he had too much control over her deepest urges.
“I don’t know why you should worry about me,” Makayla said at last, smothering a sigh and trying not to clutch too hard on her phone. “I’m not your problem, Blade. Something tells me you have enough problems of your own to handle.”
She heard him pause. And then he said calmly, “I know where you work, Makayla. I can be there in fifteen minutes. I’m not going to let you avoid me. I’ve waited long enough for you to calm down or whatever it is you needed to do. But now we have to get some things straightened out – which I would like to do face to face. Not over the phone.”
Oh, damn! She was torn between consternation and excitement at the prospect of Blade storming into her office demanding to see her. Being such an alpha male, she had no doubt he'd already tracked down her office address. For all she knew he could be on the other side of the door, about to appear in all his righteous anger at her childish antics.
"Look, Blade; I don't want you to go thinking you owe me any explanation. After all we only just met. I don't have any right to know every single detail about you. It’s your personal life and that has nothing to do with me. I mean, I’ve got a private life too. For all you know, I could be a part-time stripper. I also probably have a husband and triplets living in Madagascar.”
“Well, do you?”
Makayla scowled. “That’s not the point. I’m just saying, you don’t owe me anything. What happened between us was what we both wanted. And we’re adults, right? So you see, you don't have to know everything about me. And I don’t have to know everything about you."
"But I want you to know so many things about me," Blade said plainly, surprising her into silence. "I want to tell you about Jamie. And about other stuff. We didn't get the chance to talk as much as I'd have wished before taking things as far as we did. But I don't regret anything, Makayla."
"Me either," she let out on a shuddery sigh and then wanted to kick herself for sounding so dreamy. "So...you don’t have a wife?"
"Not married, never have been," he said firmly. "But if you want to hear about Jamie and so much more, then I'll tell you all you need to know."
For a moment, he sounded vulnerable. Makayla’s heart tripped at the thought that Blade felt ready to open up to her in this way.
"Okay," she let out on a whoosh. "I agree that we need to meet. Maybe a bar somewhere for drinks? But I can’t...I’m not coming back to the house. Not yet. It’s just not a healthy situation for me. I mean, with you there.”
“Then I’ll leave,” he said promptly. “I can’t be the one keeping you out of your own house. How would Gina feel about that? No, Makayla. I’ll move out. I have a couple of friends in town who were on my team. We were thinking of starting a business together. And I’m about to close an agreement with a real estate agent over a piece of property I’ve found. So I’m days away from getting my own place. Come back to your home, Makayla. Please.”
“I’ll think about it,” Makayla said heavily. “Right now I really have to get back to work. I’ll call you when I’m done and tell you were we can meet for drinks. And then we’ll talk.”
Makayla hung up quickly before he could say more. Her mind was so confused right then. Why was she prolonging this? Why didn’t she just tell him to forget it? They’d had one night; they were done. She didn’t want to get involved in his business. Gina would be back from her vacation soon and Blade would be in his new place in a few days. Makayla had already made one wrong move by sleeping with him. Although she’d meant it when she told him she didn’t regret that night, she certainly regretted taking things too far too fast. If she had any sense, she’d stay away from Blade Weber and hopefully he’d disappear from her life as quickly as he’d appeared.
Chapter Eleven
Makayla was waiting at a booth in the elegant cocktail bar when Blade arrived.
He easily towered over every other guy in the room. And he certainly stood out with the way he walked and carried himself. Dressed smart-casual in a pair of slacks and an open-necked shirt, even his refined attire did nothing to diminish the almost jungle-cat quality about him. Guys basically just moved out of his way and girls…well, they followed his movements with puppy eyes and Makayla had to grit her teeth. He spotted her quickly and suddenly his handsome face broke in a smile.
Makayla knew she was in trouble. She shouldn’t be here. She’d told herself she’d call and cancel. Instead, she’d given him the directions and time they could meet and talk.
Right on schedule, he slipped into the seat opposite, stealing her breath away from being even more devastatingly gorgeous up close.
Makayla had never, ever given much importance to outward appearances. She wasn’t the type to fall for the ‘Prince Charming’ types, or guys who looked like they could be making money just with their looks. Now Blade had it all in terms of being hot and sexy but it was beyond his looks to his personality and that unique aura of his that was such a catalyst for her own attraction to him.
She told herself that she’d give a listening ear to what he had to say but that didn’t mean she was getting her hopes up. Whatever came of the conversation, Makayla promised that she’d keep a level head and make the right decision – and keep it final no matter what.
Chapter Twelve
Blade couldn’t believe how good it felt to see Makayla again.
And yet he sensed her reserve and he understood it. Returning to the apartment from the hospital and finding Makayla gone had made him want to crash a fist through the wall.
He didn’t blame her if she felt betrayed. He could only imagine what it would have seemed like when Jessica called and dropped that cryptic statement.
But he was ready to put things straight with Makayla even if it meant opening up to another person the way he hadn’t in a long time.
They ordered drinks and it was all he could do to focus on what he had to say. It was three days and all he really wanted to do was kiss her, snatch her into his arms and feel the escape that only her sweetness and softness had been able to give him.
Blade had never been known for his cautiousness in relationships. Reckless with his heart, he knew he’d made one too many mistakes and now he was still having to pay for them. It could be said he wasn’t entirely to blame but the fact was that when it came to women, he wasn’t always the best judge.
But he sensed that he had nothing to worry about when it came to Makayla.
For some reason, he trusted her. And it didn’t seem fair to compare, but he knew she was nothing like Jessica. And that was a good thing.
“Before we say any more, I’d like to know, how is he? I mean Jamie?” Makayla asked quietly.
Blade exhaled a shallow breath. “He’s great. Thanks for asking. He was born with a rare condition that had him displaying symptoms of very low insulin levels at an early age. Luckily, his mother has a great backup support at the hospital. And then of course, now that I’m here in town, I’ve made it clear that I’m ready to be there when I’m needed. That’s actually one of the main reasons I moved down here.”
Makayla’s face was such a palette of confusion that Blade realized he wasn’t telling this right. He had to start at the beginning. Even though it made him feel uncomfortable talking about that one time in his life when he’d been so naïve and trusting.
“Jamie’s mother and I used to date,” he began. “It was before Jamie was born four years ago. I was immersed in my life in the army and when Jessica and I got together, I let her know right up front that I wasn’t in for anything long-term. We dated for a few months and then I had to leave again on my next deployment. For almost a year I was gone and then I received a letter from Jessica saying she had a baby and it’s mine.”
Blade shoved his fingers back into his hair, looking away for a second as he relived that moment when he found out he might be a father.
“I wasn’t able to leave base until three months later, and then I was on the first plane out.”
He grew quiet, remembering the first moment he’d laid eyes on Jamie. For all his talk about not wanting commitment or getting tied down, he’d taken one look at Jamie and his heart had melted. They had the same dark blonde hair, and the little boy, barely six months old, had captured a part in Blade he’d never known existed. Then and there, he knew he’d do anything to keep Jamie safe, to give his son a home. Even if it meant being with Jessica though he knew they weren’t in love – or at least, he wasn’t. But whatever sacrifices it took to give Jamie a good home, then he’d do it.
“Three months after I returned home Jamie fell seriously ill. The doctors couldn’t understand it at first and ran multitudes of tests. Soon they were able to pinpoint his rare condition and told us he needed a partial organ transplant from a living related donor. Of course I immediately offered since I was willing to do anything necessary to make sure that Jamie would be okay. But the transplant couldn’t happen for one simple fact: we didn’t share the same blood type. We weren’t even biologically matched. Bottom line, I wasn’t his father.”
Blade took a long sip of his beer and let out a long sigh. Finding out Jamie wasn’t his had been devastating. Even now, years later, it hurt to talk about it.
Makayla reached over and squeezed his hand across the table. “So what did Jessica say when you confronted her?”
“I don’t think she was ever planning on telling me the truth but since Jamie’s life was at stake she had to come clean. She said she’d acted on the rebound when I broke up with her and left on my next tour. She’d picked up the first guy who showed an interest in her welfare, someone coincidentally who was also close to me. In fact, we were actually on the same team. The father was Thomas, my best friend and fellow soldier.”
Blade leaned his head back against the booth and closed his eyes. Talking about Thomas brought all the raw bad memories back to the surface.
“So where’s Thomas now?” Makayla asked. “Does he know he’s Jamie’s Dad?”
Blade shook his head. “No, he’s dead.”
Makayla gasped, slowly realizing where this was heading.
“He went down in a helicopter crash in Afghanistan. No one survived. He never even knew he had a son. Since I was his best friend, I was the one to go through his things. He left me a letter saying that he had always considered me to be like his own brother and hoped I wouldn’t hold his mistakes against him. At the time, I didn’t know what he meant. I was touched but also confused by the letter. When I found out later that he’d had a one night stand with Jessica right after we broke up it all made sense.”
“What about Jamie?” Makayla asked. Were you able to find a match for his transplant?”
“Ye
s, thank God. Since the transplant required only a partial donation, we were able to use one of Jessica’s sisters instead. Since then, Jamie has been in and out of hospital several times but as long as he’s monitored carefully, he’ll hopefully never be in critical condition again,” Blade told Makayla quietly. “With Thomas gone and considering Jamie never had a father, I never really stopped thinking of Jamie as my own son. And then of course, Thomas and I were as close as brothers. I could never turn my back on Thomas’s flesh and blood or anyone connected to him. He’d have done the same for me.”
A long, ragged sigh escaped Blade before he added, “I let Jessica know I’d always be there if she needed me and as soon as I got out of the army, I moved out here so that I’d be closer to them. Once I wrap up the deal with the real estate agent, I can move on to figuring out what I want to do in terms of work. I have to help look out for Jamie because apart from his mother, I’m really all the family the kid’s got left. Soon after the transplant, Jessica had a falling out with her sister and is now estranged from the rest of her family.”
Once he was done talking, he sat back, suddenly tired. Explaining everything had taken a lot of strength out of him. He felt bared, like he had a gaping wound.
Makayla squeezed his hand again and smiled. The gesture of support had him whipping his head back and looking at her. Not finding pity, distaste or scorn on her face made him suddenly glad that he’d opened up to her.
“I just didn’t want you to think I was some kind of…cad,” he murmured, linking his fingers within hers in response. “And I know my life looks messed up right now, but I’m getting it together. I’m considering the possibility of starting up a security business with a couple of friends. I’ll soon have a place of my own. I think I’m ready to give this thing we have a chance. Maybe it’s too soon – or maybe you really don’t want anything more to do with me. But I’d like to think we shared more than just chemistry that one night. And yet if you say no right now, I’ll respect that.”