Underworld Lover (A Guardian Angel Romance #2) (12 page)

Joshua stepped back. “I’m sorry. Should not have done that.”

Before Melanie could answer, a young teenage boy with a mop of blond disheveled hair entered the doorway.

“Mel, sorry I’m late.” He examined Josh like the man was a potted plant that had tipped over.

“It’s okay. I found another helper.” She smiled up at Josh.

“Joshua Brandon, nice to meet you.” Josh stuck out his hand to the young student.

“Travis Morley. I’m the grunt around here.”

Melanie could smell the marijuana on Travis’s clothes and wondered if Josh could as well. She was glad he wouldn’t have to be climbing up and down ladders much today.

“Travis, I think you can finish with the garnishes. I have silver bows and wedding bells on the desk. Unpack them and let’s set them in the wicker bins, sorted by size, okay?”

“Sure thing.” Travis was already behind the counter.

“Might I offer you lunch? Or could I come back and buy you an early supper?” Josh’s words wore well on her ears. Like she needed them.

Melanie looked at Travis, then back at Joshua. “I’ve got a bit more to do here and should stay until it’s done. But I close at six and could meet you somewhere.” Her heart was thumping in her chest, as if she’d stepped through a doorway she didn’t expect.

The awkward silence between them was broken by the shuffle of the small step he made toward her. The button flap of his coat touched her sweater where her nipples were pointed and waiting. It sent a thrill down her spine. “What do you like to eat?” he asked, his voice husky.

“There’s…” She had to stop to catch her breath. “There’s a little Italian place near where I live, over on Montgomery Drive. Casa Bella, I think it’s called.”

“Meet you there at seven?” he asked.

She nodded, unable to stop the grin from crossing her face. He tilted his head and gave her a little smile, then turned. In an instant, he was out the door, without looking back. She couldn’t take her eyes off the sight of him leaving her domain.

It was going to be a long five hours until evening. She knew her life was about to change forever.

Chapter 16

Melanie chastised herself for being late all the way over to Casa Bella. She’d had no way to reach Josh when a couple walked through the door only fifteen minutes before closing, wanting to discuss their wedding flowers. Now she was going to be a good forty-five minutes late. She hoped Josh would still be there when she arrived.

The place was packed, forcing her to park a few blocks away. She ran a few steps and then realized she hadn’t locked the car, so went back to do so. By the time she got to the front door of the restaurant, she was panting, breath constricted in her lungs. Beads of sweat had formed on her forehead and upper lip.

It did bring out the flush of her perfume, she thought wickedly. Her heart was thumping wildly with expectation.

Melanie scanned the waiting area and saw no sign of Josh. She stepped into the dining room proper and saw movement across the room, in front of a wall fireplace—the best table in the house. Joshua Brandon stood there, smiling. He’d seen her arrive. Her skin prickled in anticipation of his closeness as he made his way through the clutch of tables in a casual, meandering gait. The man was so comfortable. So wickedly delicious.

“I am happy you came,” he said without the slightest bit of reproach. Gracious to the core, she thought. He motioned toward the corner. “I kept negotiating until I got upgraded. The staff already thinks I am a royal pain…” He leaned close to her ear as his hand touched the small of her back, pushing her slightly towards him so that they barely touched. “So order something really expensive,” he whispered.

Melanie wasn’t very hungry all of a sudden. She was happy just standing there, feeling the warmth of his body against hers. She didn’t want food to alter the blissful state she was in.

As if he’d done it for years, his hand came up to her neck and he brushed away her hair. His fingers graced down her spine, around to her hip, to find her hand waiting. He laced her fingers through his.

“Come this way, love.”

They slipped past diners crouched over small tables lighted with alabaster candle votives. The light from the fireplace poured over his face as he pulled out the chair for her and took up position across the table, leaning in on his elbows.

The curly dark hair he had tried to constrain with a leather tie framed his handsome face. She saw the fire dance in his dark eyes. He looked positively ancient with experience and almost non-human. It wasn’t scary though, as she imagined what those hands and lips could do to her body. Erotic dreams floated by.

She placed her palm over his hand that rested on the tablecloth. He turned his over so their palms could mate. It was such a simple gesture that she was stunned. He licked his lips and watched her as she searched his face, down his neck to the top of the shirt that was unbuttoned just once. She liked him in the light blue that was the color of the little paper birds perched in her shop.

“A penny for your thoughts, although I gather they are worth much more.” He gave her a smile that warmed her toes.

“I’m just thinking how nice you look in blue.”

Josh looked down at his chest and chuckled. “I have some friends that would perhaps find that comment funny.”

“Funny? How so?”

“That I look
nice
.”

Melanie noticed that twinkle in his eyes again that didn’t come from the fireplace. “Aren’t you
nice
?” she asked.

Josh squeezed her hand and leaned in close to her across the table, humor written across his face. “I’m not generally thought of as
nice
.”

“Okay, I get it. You’re masterful, awesome. Your conquests feel claimed, right?” Her making fun of him was entertaining, but had a ring of truth to it. She felt like playing along with his joke.

Joshua got serious. “I must have a spy among my friends, who has poisoned you against me.” He picked up her hand and gave her fingers a soft kiss, lingering a little longer than was safe.

Melanie was thrilled. “I have a confession for you.” She leaned in and whispered, “I never really liked
nice
.”

 The waiter arrived, and as Melanie tried to withdraw her hand from Josh’s, he didn’t let go right away. She had to yank her hand free. She flashed him a mock glare.

“I’m trying not to be
nice
,” he said as he examined the menu.

“How accommodating.” Melanie smiled.

“It’s my nature,” he said, eyes still averted.

They ordered lobster, the most expensive thing on the menu. Josh made animated games with the big claws. By the end of the meal, they were both covered in butter. Josh made sure the red wine was plentiful. They shared an apricot torte for dessert; her favorite fruit, she told him. He ordered an apricot liqueur that finished smoothing down all her rough edges. Sated, Melanie sat back and sighed.

“Was that expensive enough?”

“I think they’ll like the tip I’ll give them.”

He ordered two cappuccinos without asking her. He watched everything she did, the way she wiped her mouth, the way she picked up her water glass and took a sip. Melanie didn’t think he missed a single detail. She felt for the first time like an object of desire, and didn’t mind it. In fact, she felt erotically attached to him unlike any other man she had known.

Chemistry. We have great chemistry.

Her cappuccino was placed before her. She toasted him on her way to raising the cup to her mouth, then sipped, leaving a line of white milky foam on her upper lip she wiped clean with her tongue. She was further warmed by Josh’s smile. The attraction
was
there. What he said next would be important.

Josh crossed his long legs and sat back with one arm over the back of the chair. He brought the cappuccino up to his lips, not taking his eyes off her as he did. She saw he was thinking about something.

He’s trying to decide something.

Melanie’s emotional temperature was near boiling, yet Josh sat still, watching everything she did. It was nice that he wasn’t in a hurry. She laughed at her use of the word “nice” again. But it was—it was nice. It was comfortable, like they fit well together. Two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. He was the blue piece and she was the pink, or perhaps the red.

“I’m not sure I can afford your thoughts,” she said.

“Oh yes, the price is high. But I’m worth it.”

Melanie didn’t have a doubt in her mind this was a completely true statement.

“Ask me,” he said.

She saw a need there in his eyes. “Ask you what?”

“Whatever you want to know. That question you’re thinking you can’t ask.”

“I get the impression that when people—women mostly—get too close to you, they can never get away again.” She watched him regain his composure. “Are you dangerous?”

“I only play with the consenting. Only those who want to be captured. I don’t stalk.”

“No. That wouldn’t be…
nice
.”

“No it wouldn’t. So much more fun to play with the willing.”

She noticed his breathing was deep, as if on high alert. “Should I be afraid?”

Josh broke eye contact to look at his shoe, which bobbed slowly. He uncrossed his legs and leaned across the table as he set down his coffee. He held out his palm. Melanie looked at it, and then looked to his face. There was something dark and sinister there, but she was not afraid. She could not believe he would harm her in any way. She hesitantly put her hand in his as he turned it, massaged it with his thumb, warming it by the light of the glowing candle.

“I would never, ever hurt you,” he said. For a second, she saw something vacant in his eyes, as if he’d just said something he’d never said before.

It filled her with unspeakable pleasure.

Chapter 17

Outside the restaurant, they meandered casually to Melanie’s car. Crickets chirped nearby, in time with the whoosh of occasional traffic. The street was dotted with people getting into or out of their vehicles in the chilly night air. The two of them took to the sidewalk and stopped just in front of her car.

This is the part where it gets awkward.

She wanted him to kiss her as she looked up into the face of a man who was both a stranger and a familiar friend at the same time. But lately she’d felt her radar had been bent, so wondered if this was just chemistry. She wasn’t knocking it, but knew it sprang from not enough social life or her desire to be close to someone in the wake of Felix’s death.

She wondered what it would feel like to give him her virginity, and decided she wanted to.

It would be nice to fall in love, too. Can I trust myself?

She wondered why he watched her, not making a move. His eyes delicately examined all of her face, every feature, as he had done in the restaurant. He held his breath too.

Why doesn’t he do something?

All of those thoughts went away as he stepped to press himself against her. She sucked in a breath as he lifted her chin with his long fingers. He held her gaze, then kissed her mouth, opening her lips, opening her soul to him. She felt she was revealing her insides to someone who would be hard to get rid of, someone who would command and own every cell of her body. Her cautionary thoughts were put on mute. The only thing she noticed was the quickening of her pulse and the way her heartbeat slammed against her insides. One of his arms slid without effort around her waist while his other hand braced the back of her head and pressed it to him.

The long kiss made her dizzy, the parting almost painful. She wanted more. Her palms pressed against his shirt, then slid up to his neck to cherish the sides of his face. Her fingers encased in the delicious long black hair that came loose as she explored it. He kissed her wrist, the undersides exposed to his lips, and down her forearm, almost to her elbow. The look of need in his eyes almost broke her heart. The thought occurred to her that perhaps this very experienced man had not a lot of experience with love.

“Your thoughts?” he whispered to her lips.

“Are you asking permission?” she asked.

He smiled, nodding his head. “Perhaps I am after all.” It seemed to please him.

“How could anyone deny you?”

He pulled away just a few inches and looked down. She ached that the cold space between them would be quickly eliminated. “Did I say something wrong?” she asked.

“I am so used to—” he stopped, as if unable to continue.

She could see emotion brimming in his eyes, coming from the fires of his soul. She watched his struggle, the way he rolled his shoulders, then closed his eyes and inhaled her. He opened them as he softly exhaled, his breath coming over her like mist at the ocean, filling her head with erotic fantasy. She saw them together naked, on a bed, by candlelight.
Did he deliver that vision to me?

“Tell me.” She could not read the watery look his eyes gave her. She continued, saying, “Tell me, has someone hurt you?”

Again, the smile curled up the corners of his lips. She touched them with her fingertips, hungry for them again. She stepped up on tiptoes, leaning her sex into his groin. He claimed her mouth deeply, tongue penetrating her depths, hands exploring her back and the cheeks of her bottom through her coat.

He withdrew his lips and squeezed her body, placed his head next to hers and whispered into her ear, “Melanie, Melanie. I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Then don’t. Give me what I desire.”

“You don’t know what you’re asking,” he said.

“You don’t trust that I can make an informed decision? You think that little of me?”

“I think that I could hurt you. I don’t want to hurt you,” he said as he grazed her lips with his. “But I’m finding I can’t help myself.”

“Do I have a say in the matter?” she asked.

“That’s the point.”

“Do I have to beg you to be my first time?”

He paused first, then drew her to him again and pulled tight. His hands were careful and did not wander. “Melanie, I am lost. Truly lost.”