Unexpected Admirer (17 page)

“Is that what you want from me? You want me to take
you
away from all this?” She waved her hands in the air to encompass their surroundings. “Are you using me?”

His eyes shot open wide. “No!” He moved to her in a quick, fluid motion. “I love you. Do you think I just throw that around? I would be honored to be your husband. I love your son. I would do anything to have him as mine. I wasn’t kidding back there when I said marry me.”

“Jesse, this is all crazy.”

“I know.” He cupped her face in his hands. “That’s what makes it perfect.”

He lowered his lips to hers and kissed her until she melted against him.

“Marry me,” he whispered against her cheek.

“No.” The word was mumbled against his mouth as he kissed her again.

Without pulling away, he deepened the kiss.

“Think about it.”

She rested her head against his chest and sucked in a breath of courage. “I’ll think about it.”

Courtside at the Lakers game was exactly as Melissa had thought it would be. Just beyond them there were actors, politicians, singers, and a slew of other famous people vying for their spot with the publicity seeking public.

Jesse kept her close, his fingers intertwined with hers the entire time. When he could feel her tense, he’d whisper in her ear. He pointed out his guard, so she knew where her safe exit was, and he promised her it would be a night to remember.

Toward the end of the second quarter, Jesse’s phone rang, and a bright, wide smile surfaced on his lips when he answered it.

“You can see us?” he asked. “She does look nice, doesn’t she?” He listened to the voice on the other end and nodded his head. “Thanks for sharing her. I’m having a wonderful time. I’ll see you soon, too. Here’s your mom.”

Jesse handed her the phone.

“Jonah?”

“Yeah, he saw us at the game.”

Melissa put the phone to her ear and covered her other with her hand to block out the noise. “Jonah, why are you calling Jesse?”

“He gave me his number. And I saw you. You look nice.”

Now she was smiling. “Thank you. Are you being good for Grandma?”

“Yeah. Hey, did you get me anything? Did you see the Hollywood sign? Did you go to the ocean?”

Melissa laughed. “I’ll tell you all about it when I get home on Sunday. I love you.”

“I love you, too. Tell Jesse I love him, too,” Jonah said and the phone connection ended.

Melissa sat and stared at the phone.

“Is everything okay?”

She looked up at him. There were tears fighting to surface. “He says he loves you.”

She handed him back his phone, and he tucked it into his pocket. “Great kid.”

“Yeah.” Melissa bit down on her lip.  The sentiment had stirred her up, and her emotions were fighting for position.

Jesse took her hand again, and his thumb brushed against her skin as his attention diverted back to the game. Melissa’s attention, however, was on her son’s last words. She didn’t throw those words around, and he certainly didn’t either. Jesse meant something to Jonah. He meant something to her.

She’d be foolish to let a man—who, albeit, came from an entirely different world—walk out of her life when all he wanted was to love her and her son. And he’d been very sure of himself when he’d said he wanted to have a baby with her.

Why would he risk his entire career on her if he didn’t really love her?

Why should she risk never loving again just because he was big city and she was small town? Didn’t he say he’d give it all up for her?

She’d never expect him to, but…

At that moment, the crowd was on their feet. There was a foul on the court. Melissa’s mind was spinning, and Jesse’s hand gripped hers.

She looked up to see he had gotten to his feet. She still sat there, but she knew what she wanted.

When he sat back down, she leaned in close.

“I’ll marry you,” she whispered in his ear.

He turned. Those hypnotic gray eyes were wide, and a smile formed on his lips.

“Really?”

“Yes.”

He gave her hand another squeeze. “Only because I want to tell Jonah first, I’m not going to gather you in my arms and make a scene. But know on the inside, I’m about to burst.”

She smiled. His eyes told her that.

But he did lean in and gently press a kiss to her lips.

“You’ve made me very happy.”

“I promise to always make you happy,” she said as his arm came around her shoulders, and he pulled her in closer to him.

The sun was bright when Melissa finally pried open her eyes. It had been nearly three in the morning before she and Jesse had settled down to actually sleep in the bed they’d made love in for hours.

She rolled to gather him in her arms, only to find he was gone and a single rose was left in his place.

A smile formed on her lips as she picked up the rose and put it to her nose.

Melissa climbed out of the bed and found he’d left her with a robe and an enormous pair of slippers. She chuckled to herself as she slid them on and then went to the bathroom to tie up her hair.

She could smell food cooking from the kitchen, and she hurried down the steps to find Bryce donning an apron and stirring eggs.

He never turned around, but he’d noticed her. “Good morning, beautiful.”

“Good morning.”

“How’d ya sleep? Did you sleep?” He chuckled as he poured the eggs from the pan onto the plate.

“Yes, we finally slept.”

Bryce carried the plates to the counter where Melissa took a seat.

“He’s with his trainer.”

She nodded. He could read her, too.

“So do you live here, too?” she finally asked as she took a fork full of eggs to her mouth. “Oh, this is good.”

“I’m a wiz in the kitchen.” He took his own bite. “I live in the guest house. My nephew is very good to me.”

Melissa covered her mouth, but she couldn’t wait to speak. “Nephew?”

“Yup. Mr. Sexy Pants is three years my senior and my nephew.”

That explained the uncanny similarities. She narrowed her brows, and he grinned.

“You wanna know how that works, don’t you?”

She only nodded.

“His mama’s daddy and my daddy are the same guy. I never met him and she says he was an S.O.B., but that’s that. He knocked up my mama and voila! Here I am.”

Melissa absorbed the news he was giving her. She had never met a family of such dynamics before.

Bryce reached toward his leather book and pulled out a newspaper. He set it in front of her. “Looks like you made your first big splash, too.”

Melissa picked up the paper and saw a picture of them kissing at the Lakers game. Oh, William was going to have a coronary over this one.

She read about the mystery woman Jesse was seen with, though it wasn’t much of a mystery. The article stated that she was the very woman he’d pulled on stage in Grand Junction.

She wondered how long the photographer had been watching them. The story even talked about them sharing a phone call. Dear Lord, what if someone had heard their conversation?

There was no mention of that.

“Is this how his life goes? Every morning waking to see what someone wrote about him?”

Bryce nodded. “That’s how it goes around here.”

“How does he deal with this?”

“He hates it.” He leaned in closer to her. “Wait till they hear about your wedding plans.”

She dropped her fork. “He told you?”

Bryce just smiled and sat back in his chair. “No. I just figured. I can read you both like a book.”

“You can’t say anything.”

“Honey, I’m not out to hurt him. I wouldn’t do that.”

“Do what?” Jesse asked as he walked through the door in a tank top and shorts and dripping in sweat.

He walked to Melissa and gently placed a kiss on her lips.

“You look beautiful this morning, my dear.”

“Thank you.”

He took her fork and a hefty bite of her eggs. “Why don’t you cook this for me? That’s good.”

“She’s prettier,” Bryce retorted. “Besides, you’re on concert day diet. Nothing good for you to eat.”

Jesse laughed as he pulled open the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle of water. He held it to his forehead.

He nodded to the paper. “I see he’s shown you the paper.”

“I’m sorry if I caused you any embarrassment.”

Jesse shook his head. “What would make you say that? I’m not embarrassed by you.”

“This line
the very plain and aged woman to Jesse Charles’s side.
That doesn’t bother you?”

“Only because they think you’re plain and aged. To me, you’re absolutely perfect.”

Bryce leaned in to her. “Damn, he is in love with you.”

Jesse walked to her. “You can’t read this crap. That’s all it is—crap.”

“This is what the world thinks of me.”

“That’s what one, small-minded person thought. I’m not going to lie. Three weeks ago the world thought I was marrying some model I don’t know. I think now that they see the woman I am going to marry, things will be different. But they’re going to throw it around first.”

Melissa shoved the paper away. “I don’t know what to do with it, in my heart.”

“Nothing. You let it go.” Jesse kissed her forehead. “I’m going to grab a shower. It’s sunny. You should sit poolside and relax.”

He ran off up the stairs, and Bryce covered Melissa’s hand with his.

“Don’t let this get to you. He’s learned to let it slide, and if you’re going to be his wife, you have to let it slide, too.”

“I’m not built for this.”

Bryce gave her hand a squeeze. “Oh, but I think you are.” He stood and gathered their plates and dumped them into the sink. Then he took his leather book and held it to his chest. “I’ll be back for you in two hours, and we have a shopping date. They thought you were a plain-Jane? Not after they see you tonight.” He gave her a wink and left through the back door.

Melissa sat there a moment longer. She contemplated going upstairs and joining Jesse in the shower, but he seemed to have concert day rituals so she didn’t want to bother him. Instead, she walked outside to the back patio and sat in a lounge chair by the pool.

She kicked her feet up and rested her head back, letting her skin soak up the sun. Okay, maybe the wife of a rich pop star wouldn’t be too bad. She could certainly get used to swimming pools and sunshine in December.

The sun suddenly disappeared, and when Melissa opened her eyes, there was a man standing over her looking down at her in expensive sunglasses and an enormous Rolex on his arm.

“So you’re her, huh?” The man sat down in the adjacent lounge seat and rested his arms on his knees as he looked her over. “He’s really out to fuck this all up, isn’t he?”

“I beg your pardon. And who are you?”

“I’m the one who is here to tell you to take a hike.”

Melissa felt the heat rise in her cheeks, and she knew it wasn’t the heat of the sun. She sat up and faced him.

“That didn’t really answer my question.”

“Tyson Brooks. Jesse’s manager.”

Melissa nodded as the man looked at his watch and then scanned a look over her. She realized this was the wrong time to have made an impression on him. Her hair was mussed from hours of sex and then sleeping in his client’s arms. Her makeup was only remnants from the night before, and she was naked under Jesse’s robe.

Tyson leaned in closer. “Do you think you’re the only woman I’ve found lounging out here in the state?” He motioned to her robe. “Honey, you’re a drop in the bucket.”

Melissa swallowed hard. There were tears threatening to fall, but she refused.

“Go home. Be a hero in your Podunk town, but leave him alone.”

This was a time to be the woman she was trained to be—a woman who defended her man.

“If Jesse asks me to leave, then I’ll leave. But he’s not going to ask me to do that. We have plans, and you’re not going to stop them.”

Tyson crossed his arms over his chest, and the sun reflected off the watch that had earlier caught her eye.

“What? He said he loves you? Wants to marry you?” He leaned back in. “Sweetheart, you’re reeled in hook—line—sinker.”

Her lips trembled, and the tears were almost surely going to fall now.

Tyson stood and looked down at her. “I meant it. Back your crap and go. He and Noelle are getting married. You’re just a little bump in the road to bring in the publicity. Honey, you’re nothing. Go home.”

He started to the back door when it opened, and Jesse walked through.

“Tyson, what are you doing here?”

“Just having a word with your lady friend.”

Melissa stood, but she couldn’t look Jesse in the eyes. He reached for her and pulled her to him.

“She’s not my lady friend. Melissa is my fiancée.”

Tyson ran his tongue over his teeth and nodded. “Is that so? Well, congratulations then.”

But there was something underlying in the conversation. Their eyes were intense on each other, and Melissa wondered how much of what Tyson had said was true.

Jesse looked down at her. “Sweetheart, why don’t you go get ready for your shopping trip with Bryce. I need to have a few words with Tyson.”

Melissa nodded and headed into the house. She didn’t look back. She couldn’t hear their words. But one thing was clear. Get ready, get packed, and get the hell out of L.A..

Chapter Fifteen

Melissa showered as quickly as she could. She’d surely miss having heated jets from every direction, but that’s what vacation was all about, right? Just the amenities—and the broken hearts.

The tears were in full swing now. She ripped a comb through her hair, and her underlying curls sprung up. Who cared. No one in the man’s life wanted her there—maybe even he didn’t want her there.

She quickly pulled out a pair of pants and threw on a shirt. Then she went to packing as quickly as she could.

The door opened behind her, and Jesse walked through and slammed it.

He didn’t say anything, but he paced. With his fingers, he combed through his hair and then he rubbed his palms together. This was fury building in a man she didn’t know very well. Dear God, what was she doing here?