A Seductive Melody (The Kelly Brothers Book 5)

by Crista McHugh

  She left before dawn to go back to her apartment, and he hadn’t heard from her since then. He hoped that her silence was a good sign.

  He worked out a few more bars of music before his phone rang with her number on the display. “Hey, beautiful, how you doing?”

  “Much better. I turned in a story to Elaine, and I’m looking at flights to the Caribbean. There’s one leaving for Barbados tomorrow morning at six. Want to make a quick little getaway with me?”

  He glanced outside at the snow piling up on his windowsill. “Some sunshine and warm sand sound great to me.”

  “Awesome. Booking the flight right now. It leaves out of JFK, so why don’t we meet at my place before heading over there?”

  “Done.” He ended the call with a bigger grin than before. Becca was back to her usual fearless self, and he couldn’t wait to see what kind of fun they could have in the tropics. It was just the sort of vacation he needed before he put himself back in the public spotlight again.

  And it would provide the perfect opportunity to convince her to come home with him for Christmas.

  ***

  Becca’s knee wouldn’t stop twitching as the plane zoomed down the runway for takeoff. What was I thinking, getting on a plane? I hate flying. But it was a spur of the moment thing. She needed to get away, and Claire had been kind enough to slip her a credit card number for emergencies months ago.

  And turning in a story that would probably cost her the only job she’d ever had counted as an emergency.

  Ethan steadied her by placing his hand on her thigh. “Should I ask the flight attendant for a barf bag?”

  She shook her head. “First time I’ve flown in a while, that’s all.”

  She didn’t have to add it was the first time she’d flown sober. Ethan nodded, the understanding in his gray eyes telling her he understood exactly what she meant. “At least it’s first class.”

  “Yeah, it’s a bit of a splurge.” She looked out the window at the sun rising over the city below. “But I figured it’s now or never.”

  “Why Barbados?”

  “My family has a little beach house there. I haven’t been there in years, but it’s private enough for the two of us.” Complete with an iron fence and an infinity pool with a fabulous view of the water. “Thank you for coming with me.”

  “Of course.” He paused, his head tilted to the side. “So what happened at work? You said you turned in your story, but I know you were having a hard time writing it.”

  The sick feeling in her stomach now had nothing to do with the flight. “I came up with something different. It’s not what she wanted, which means I’ll probably come home to a termination email, but at least my conscience is at ease.”

  “You never told me what she wanted you to write.”

  “It doesn’t matter anymore.” She squeezed his hand and smiled at him. She hadn’t caved to the pressure because he mattered more to her than her job. “I did what I felt was right, and now I’m looking forward to a few days in the sun with you.”

  “Same here.” He settled back in his seat and closed his eyes.

  Becca chewed her bottom lip and checked the time on her phone. Five hours until they landed. Just enough time to turn her stomach into knots.

  Because even though she hadn’t turned in an exposé on Ethan, her story could place her back in the center of controversy once again if it was published.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Ethan dove into the infinity pool and swam the length of it, stopping at the wall that overlooked the Caribbean. The sun was setting over the water like a fiery red ball that blazed bright before surrendering to the night’s long shadows.

  Another perfect day in paradise.

  “How’s the water?” Becca asked behind him.

  “Warm.” He turned around, and his jaw dropped.

  Becca stood by the pool wearing absolutely nothing. She dropped the towel in her hand and descended into the water with a sexy sway in her hips. Her eyes locked with his, seductively intense. By the time she reached him, he was fully hard and aching to be inside her.

  “Are you trying to tell me something?” he asked, his voice raw with want.

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, her body fitting against his like she was specifically made for just him. “It’s nice having a private beach house like this, isn’t it?”

  “Indeed.” He lowered his lips to hers in a kiss that only increased his desire. The weekend had the ideal mix of fun and sex, from the outdoor activities like sailing and snorkeling to the long, languid lovemaking sessions in the bedroom. No TV. No Internet. No interruptions. And based on the way she was responding to his touch, she craved more.

  He turned her around so her back was pressed against the wall of the pool. The sunset ignited the red highlights in her hair to form a glowing crown around her head. The subtle taste of mangos lingered on her lips from earlier. Her wet skin slipped and slid against his, every movement teasing and tempting him. The sweet scent of the tropical flowers filled the air around them, mingling with the coconut shampoo she’d used earlier that day. Everything culminated in the embodiment of something from a fantasy.

  And yet it was all real. This sexy, intelligent, generous woman was in his arms, making him the luckiest son of a bitch in the world.

  His swim trunks started to fall, and he kicked them off. He grabbed her ass, hoisting her out of the water and to the well-cushioned outdoor sofa beside the pool. “Should I go inside and grab a condom?”

  “If you want, but I did remember to take my pill today.”

  He hesitated, the tip of his cock hovering over the opening to her sex. “Are you saying you trust me?”

  She nodded. “Do you trust me?”

  He’d witnessed her take her morning pill like clockwork enough to know she wasn’t trying to trap him with a pregnancy. And even if the pill failed, he wouldn’t mind. He wanted a future with her. One that might even include kids someday.

  But right now, he couldn’t think past how wonderful she felt as he eased into her. The tight, slick heat. The way her inner walls clenched around him. The way her lips parted in a gasp when he first entered and then released a moan as he began to move inside her.

  He took his time, drawing out each exquisite stroke. This may be a one-time deal or it might be the first of many, but he was determined to savor every moment of this experience. Her body rose to meet his like the waves on the shore. He laced his fingers through hers while his mouth devoured hers in one passionate kiss after another. And when he took her over the edge, he held her tightly as he followed.

  When the world came back into focus, night had fallen. Solar lights illuminated the paths through the garden leading back to the house, and the quarter moon overhead provided just enough light for him to see her face. Her beauty nearly took his breath away, but the glow in her eyes made his heart skip a beat.

  She gave him a shy smile as she reached up to stroke his face, trailing her fingers along his jaw. “I love you,” she whispered.

  Time seemed to freeze, but instead of being terrified, he welcomed it. This was a moment he wanted to last forever, to commit to his memory. Once he’d memorized every detail, he brushed a lock of hair back from her forehead and said, “I love you, too, Becca.”

  Her smile widened, and she pulled him down to another kiss.

  And he couldn’t think that his life could be more perfect than right now.

  ***

  Ethan’s phone rang, pulling him from the last blissful remnants of sleep. He saw Adam’s name on the screen and hurried out of the bedroom before the call woke Becca.

  “Hi, Adam,” he answered while throwing on a bathrobe. “How are you this morning?”

  “A little annoyed. Why didn’t you tell me you were dating Becca Shore?”

  It looked like it was shaping up to be another gorgeous day in paradise, but the coldness in Adam’s voice carried over the phone and raised gooseflesh on Ethan’s arms. �
��Because I knew you’d have a shit fit like this.”

  He could hear his older brother seething on the other end as he struggled to get his anger in check. “So you knew she’d be trouble.”

  “Trouble? No way.” He hopped up on the counter and reached for a glass of water. “If anything, she’s been the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

  “Then you haven’t seen the news yet.”

  His mouth went dry. “What are you talking about?”

  “Turn on the TV.”

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because there isn’t one in this house.” His heart started pounding, and his mind leapt in a hundred different directions, none of them good. “Tell me what’s going on, Adam.”

  “She sold you out.”

  The glass started to slip from his hand, and he set it down before he dropped it and the crash woke her up. “What are you talking about?”

  “Just that. Apparently, she sold an exclusive story to some women’s magazine called Moderne about you, and the media’s been buzzing about it. The issue will be out tomorrow, but the editor, Elaine Halpern, leaked some photos of the two of you looking rather cozy together while ice skating.”

  “Fuck!” Ethan jumped off the counter and paced the room, raking his fingers through his hair. “How did she get those?”

  “From your girlfriend, obviously. She probably set you up.”

  “Becca’s not like that.” And yet that little niggle of doubt refused to disappear. Too many things didn’t add up. Her secrecy about the story she had to turn in. The sudden funds to fly them first class to Barbados. The beach house that was completely cut off from all media.

  “Okay, let’s forget her father still probably bears a grudge against us for the Michigan Avenue property—which I should’ve picked up on when you were asking about him. Let’s forget she doesn’t have the most stellar reputation, either, and is probably jumping at the chance to make headlines again. Can you imagine how much she’s getting paid to dish out the dirt on you?”

  “And I’m telling you, Becca’s not like that.”

  “Really? You don’t sound so convinced.” The clicking sounds on a keyboard followed. “It says here that the story will reveal details about your addiction, your recovery, and your upcoming solo project. If she didn’t provide those details, who did?”

  His head swam, and he sank down onto the sofa before his knees refused to hold him up any longer. There was no other explanation. Becca had betrayed him. The fucking bitch had lured him there, told him she loved him, and made him admit he loved her, too, all while trying to keep him from learning the truth.

  “Where are you now?” Adam asked, his voice devoid of the anger from earlier.

  “Barbados.”

  “Want me to book you on the next flight out?”

  His gut recoiled at the pity in his brother’s voice, at the idea of Adam having to bail him out once again, but part of him was glad to have someone looking out for him. “Please.”

  A few more clicks on a keyboard followed. “There’s one leaving in two and a half hours.”

  “I can make it.” He’d take the Jeep they’d rented, even if it meant leaving her stranded. After all, she’d probably made enough money from selling him out to afford a taxi back to the airport.

  “Got you booked.”

  “Thanks, Adam.” He hung up, his hands shaking. For the first time in months, he was more than tempted to shoot up and just forget about the world, but he refused to relapse because of a two-timing woman. He knew he needed to confront her, to tell her it was over, but the center of his chest ached over the prospect of doing it.

  He still loved her.

  Which made her betrayal that much harder to bear.

  But I have to do this.

  He banged the bedroom door open, his hands clenched into determined fists.

  Becca jumped up, her eyes wide with fear. “Ethan, what’s wrong?”

  “I know what you did.” He tried to sound hard and furious, yet the moment his eyes raked down her naked curves, he found his resolve crumbling.

  Damn it, I still want her.

  He grabbed his bag and started stuffing his things into it to keep from touching her and losing all self-control.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Congratulations, Becca. You finally had your big break. Your story about me is all over the news.”

  “What the hell are you talking about?” She gathered the sheet around her and moved toward him, but he snatched his bag out of her way and went into the bathroom to grab the rest of his things.

  “No wonder you were all closed off about that story your editor wanted you to turn in. You were figuring out the best way to betray me.” He came back in and pulled on a pair of jeans. “And I’m sure you probably paid that photographer at Wollman Rink to take photos of us, too, just to seal the deal.”

  “Ethan, no.” Her mouth hung open in disbelief. “I didn’t do any of that.”

  “But you knew, didn’t you? How else did your editor get those photos?”

  She crossed her arms around her stomach and looked as though she was about to puke. A confession of guilt if he’d ever saw one.

  “All this talk about protecting me, about respecting my privacy.” He yanked on a T-shirt and grabbed the keys on the nightstand. “It was all a pack of lies to gain my trust so you could sell me out the moment you had the highest bidder.”

  Tears filled her blue-green eyes, and her chin trembled. “You really think that of me?”

  He paused, and for a split second, he wondered if he’d jumped to the wrong conclusion. “What else am I to think when the magazine you work at is coming out tomorrow with an exclusive story all about me?”

  She squeezed her eyes shut, releasing one lone tear in the process. But she clenched her teeth, and when she opened her eyes again, they were hard and cold. “This whole time, after I’ve gone out of my way to keep your identity a secret, you think I would stage photos and blab all your secrets to Elaine? What happened to you trusting me to do the right thing?”

  “Obviously, I was wrong about you.”

  She shook, but more from rage than sadness this time. Her finger pointed toward the door. “Get out!”

  “Gladly.” He turned around and left before his gut checked him and made him look back. Maybe once he got home, he could sulk over his broken heart and beat himself up for being such an idiot.

  But right now, he had a plane to catch.

  ***

  Becca waited for the rumbling of the Jeep’s engine to fade before she let the sob choking her throat escape. No matter what she did, it was doomed to blow up in her face.

  She’d turned in an article exposing her own story of addiction and recovery, and yet Elaine had chosen to weave her version about Ethan, no doubt fed by info from Daddy and Claire. And what was worse, Ethan had chosen to believe she’d sold him out.

  The sobs intensified, and she buried her face in the pillow to muffle them. When she reached the point where she couldn’t cry any more, she crawled out of bed and into the shower. The hot water washed away the salt of her tears and eased the pain of her breaking heart.

  Her flight didn’t leave until Wednesday morning. That gave her two days to come up with a plan to exact revenge against Elaine and her parents. But there was no hope getting Ethan back. As much as she loved him, he didn’t trust her when it mattered the most. And without trust, they had no future together.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Becca came out of the terminal at JFK with her hat pulled low and her eyes downcast. She’d gotten a glimpse of the cover of the latest issue of Moderne on the airport’s newsstands, and she didn’t want anyone to recognize her as she made her way to baggage claim to grab her suitcase.

  A sharp whistle made her stop short and look up.

  Jacob stood in line with the drivers holding cards with people’s names on them. He wore a silly grin on his face and held his own
sign that said “Big Sis” in bright blue sloppy letters.

  She made her way over to him. “What are you doing here?”

  “What does it look like I’m doing? I’m here to give you a ride home.” He leaned over and whispered, “By the way, if you want to keep your travel plans a secret, don’t use Dad’s credit card. The minute he saw the charge, he knew what flight you’d be on and sent me to fetch you.”

  “So I’m being kidnapped and brought before him to answer for my actions?”

  “Ouch! Lighten up, Becca. It’s the first night of Hanukkah, after all.” He took her carry-on bag and moved them toward baggage claim. “Although I do kind of like the idea of being a bounty hunter.”

  “I have nothing to say to him, you know.”

  “Maybe it will be different this time.” He grabbed her suitcase from the carousel. “By the way, where’s Ethan?”

  “He broke up with me and flew home two days ago. Accused me of blabbing all his secrets to the highest bidder.”

  Jacob winced. “That sucks. I actually liked him.”

  “Me, too. But you know how Daddy can be when he doesn’t get his way.”

  “Are you suggesting he did something to break you two up?” Jacob led her outside to where he’d parked his Mini Cooper.

  “Of course I am. After all, he and Claire were the ones who told Elaine we were dating.” She climbed into the passenger seat and waited while her brother threw her bags into the back.

  Jacob got behind the wheel, but didn’t start the engine right away. “Listen, Becca, I don’t know all the details, but Dad sent me to pick you up because he wanted to talk to you about something, and I think you should at least hear him out before you tell him to fuck off again.”

  “I doubt he has anything to say that will make amends for what he’s done, but whatever.”

  As Jacob drove back into the city, Becca asked how things were going at Yale, how his classes were going, if he was dating anyone. The distraction soothed her sullen mood until they got to her parents’ house. She climbed out the car, dreading every step that brought her closer to confronting her father for the second time in less than a week.