A Reason to Love (13 page)

He pushed himself up off the step and tugged her up after him. “Come on, Mel. We’d better get you home before we both end up falling asleep out here on the porch. What would the neighbors think?”

She fell into step beside him. “I’m not sure I care.”

Spence put his arm around her shoulders. “That’s the spirit.”

Mooch ranged out ahead of them, scouting for any possible threats from squirrels in the area. Every so often, he’d stop and glance back to see what was taking the two humans so long. Despite knowing it was past time for Melanie to be back home and tucked into bed, Spence wasn’t going to hurry the process along any more than absolutely necessary. They’d both touched on some painful subjects, but talking about them left him feeling better, not worse. He hoped it was the same for her.

All too soon they reached the steps that led up to her back door. Was it too late to take another lap around the yard? Probably.

Melanie took that first step up but then turned around to face him. “I should’ve called before coming over tonight, Spence. I promise not to drop in unexpectedly again.”

“You can drop by anytime, especially if you’re going to stroke my ego by telling me that some of Callie’s friends thought I was hot.”

He tilted his head to one side and stepped right up to the edge of the step, leaving her at his eye level with only a few inches of space between them. “Okay, I promised myself I wasn’t going to put you on the spot, but I’ve just got to know. Were you one of them?”

Although he couldn’t see her face clearly in the darkness, he was willing to bet his last dollar that she was blushing right now. Her reaction answered the question without her saying a word. “Never mind. Forget I asked.”

Her hand fluttered up to rest on his chest. “I can still remember how my heart would race whenever you went roaring by on that big motorcycle. It was as if you were riding on the wind, all wild and free. I was so jealous.”

“You should’ve said something. I would’ve gladly taken you for a ride. I still would.” His voice sounded deep and rough to his own ears, especially because he wasn’t sure if he was just talking about the two of them riding double on the Harley.

Her tongue darted out long enough to lick her lower lip. “I’m not sure I’m brave enough.”

He caught her hand in his and brought it up to press a soft kiss right in the center of her palm. “We’d take it as slow and easy as you want, Mel.”

Her soft moan was almost his undoing. If he didn’t back off right now, he wasn’t going to be able to. Rather than give in to an impulse they might both regret, he ran through the list of reasons they shouldn’t continue to flirt with temptation. She was his employer, not to mention his landlady. She didn’t need any more complications in her life and neither did he.

None of that mattered in the grand scheme of things. The truth was that he wanted her touch, needed it, in fact. He’d give anything to take her to bed and lose himself in the sweet welcome of her arms. It was a craving that had been growing in strength since that very first night. While he was arguing with his conscience, she stood there, staring up at him with those huge eyes.

He couldn’t walk away. Not now. That didn’t mean following her up those steps would be the smart thing to do, especially for her. But maybe there was one thing he could do.

“Wait here for me, Mel.”

She blinked at him, looking confused. “Okay, but where are you going?”

He was already backing away. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”

When she finally nodded, he took off at a run. “Come on, Mooch. You need to come with me.”

The dog hesitated briefly but then broke into a run, keeping pace with Spence. When they reached the cottage, Mooch followed Spence inside.

“Sorry, buddy, but you can’t come with me. Guard the house, and I’ll be back in a little while.”

Spence grabbed his old helmet and the new one he’d bought since he got back. He’d let Melanie wear it and use the old one himself. Back outside, he straddled his Harley and started the engine. Rather than drive around the block to Melanie’s house, he drove across the property to save time, because he wasn’t sure how long she would wait for him.

But as he tore across the yard, there she was, a huge smile slowly spreading across her pretty face. Unable to resist showing off a little, he gunned the engine. The neighbors might not appreciate the racket, but right now he didn’t give a damn. He had a woman to impress, and that was all that mattered. He brought the bike to an abrupt halt just short of the staircase where Melanie was still standing.

He held out the helmet. “Well, Mel, ready to ride the wind?”

I
t was all Melanie could do to nod and reach out to accept the helmet dangling from Spence’s hand. Was she really going to do this? Apparently so, because she was already pulling the helmet on over her hair and fumbling to snap the chin strap. Spence grinned at her and motioned for her to come stand beside him. “Let me fix that for you.”

He made quick work of adjusting the straps to fit her. When he was done, the helmet felt more comfortable, although she suspected she looked ridiculous. He took her right forearm and helped her climb onto the bike behind him. She had to straddle the seat, which left her sitting snuggled up tight against Spence’s hips. Although she was no innocent, there was something a bit shocking and intimate about the position. He reached back to take her hands and wrapped them around his waist, which pulled her flush against his back.

Her mother would disapprove, which only left Melanie even more determined to enjoy the experience.

“Hold on tight.”

Before she could respond, Spence revved the engine and set the bike in motion. She squealed in surprise, but Spence only laughed and kept going. For the first few blocks, he kept up a slow pace, giving her a chance to adjust to the strange sensation of riding behind him on the bike. She closed her eyes and leaned her head against his back, feeling the vibration of the motorcycle’s powerful engine beneath her. The cool night air provided a sharp contrast to the warmth of his body.

She loved it.

At the next stop sign, he turned his head to ask, “Ready to cut loose?”

Swallowing hard, she said, “Yes! Go for it.”

His grin was wicked. “Okay, wild thing, but if it gets to be too much, squeeze my ribs, and I’ll slow down.”

Then they were off and running, tearing down the back roads through the night. She suspected Spence was still holding back, keeping the bike to a more sedate pace than if he’d been alone, but it was plenty fast for her. Still, with her heart pounding in her chest, she held on tight and lost herself in the moment.

They mostly had the road to themselves, which reminded her how late it was. She didn’t care. It might make for a long day tomorrow, but she was sure she wouldn’t regret one moment of this time. It wasn’t often a person got a chance to live out an old fantasy.

After a few miles, she risked loosening her hold on Spence enough to sit up straighter. She smiled up at the clear night sky where the moon was nearly full and painted the world with its silvery glow. For the first time in months, maybe even years, her spirit soared with the stars overhead. It was as if the worries about her responsibilities toward her mother and the company, which were her constant companions, couldn’t keep up with the speeding motorcycle. She didn’t want the ride to end, but she knew that eventually Spence would turn back toward her house and her two-wheeled magical coach would morph back into a pumpkin.

But for the time that it lasted, she savored the sweet taste of joyous freedom, and the moment was magical.

•   •   •

An hour later, Spence brought the bike to a halt about a block from her house. He looked down the street that led to her driveway and then down the cross street that would take him directly back to the cottage. It was as if he couldn’t make up his mind which way to go.

“Spence, is something wrong?”

He shook his head. “No, just thinking.”

Up until they stopped, he’d seemed relaxed and appeared to enjoy the ride as much as she did. But now he felt tense and stiff as they finally turned into her driveway. He drove around to the back steps, maybe intending to cut across the back of the property to the cottage once he dropped her off. Maybe he was worried about how little sleep he was going to get.

When he stopped the bike, she climbed off. Her legs threatened to collapse after the long ride, but she managed to catch herself. While she fumbled with the strap on the helmet, Spence set the kickstand on the bike and joined her standing on the patio. He took her helmet and his and set them both on the bike.

He looked so serious when he asked, “You okay?”

“I’m way better than okay. That was wonderful.”

She gave in to the impulse to hug him. “I should be exhausted, but I feel great. I don’t know what made you decide to take me for a ride, but it was a wonderful idea.”

After staring down at her for the longest time, he finally answered, “I’m glad you enjoyed it.”

That tension she noticed before was running hot again. “Spence? Is something wrong?”

He pulled her closer with one arm. “No, the problem is that something is too right.”

Before she could ask what he meant, he used his free hand to tilt her head back. His mouth came down on hers hard and fast. As he kissed her, he lifted her up and carried her across the patio to press her back against the side of the house, trapping her between the cool feel of the wood and the burning heat of Spence’s body.

She caught his face with both of her hands and broke off the kiss long enough to whisper, “What’s my name?”

He frowned but answered, “Melanie.”

Okay, then. She smiled and kissed him this time, using the tip of her tongue to tease him into deepening the kiss. He groaned and lifted her higher, guiding her legs around his hips, bringing her core directly against his erection. She rocked against him, needing to get closer to him any way she could. As their tongues continued to dance, Melanie tugged his T-shirt up and splayed her hands directly on his back, loving the feel of all that warm skin and flexing muscle.

When his hand slipped between them to cup her breast, she smiled against his mouth as he kneaded and squeezed the soft flesh. As good as it felt, it wasn’t enough. Too many layers of clothing separated them. She wanted to get skin to skin with him, and the sooner, the better. But not out here. The big wall that ran along the side of the property provided a certain degree of privacy, but it wasn’t in her to throw all sense of propriety to the wind.

She reluctantly broke off the kiss again. “Spence, can we take this inside?”

But rather than immediately starting for the staircase, he froze, his eyes wide and wild as he slowly lowered her to the ground. “Shit, I never meant for this to get so out of hand.”

So much for romance and passion. Melanie tugged her blouse back down into place and tried to tame the tangled mess her hair had become. The last bit of joy left over from the motorcycle ride turned into a knot of pain in her stomach. “Sorry, Spence. Forget I said anything. You’d better go. We both have to work tomorrow.”

When she tried to slide past him to make her escape, he caught her arm. “Don’t go, Mel. Not yet. Damn it, I’m making a royal mess of this.”

She blinked back the burning in her eyes. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll just pretend the evening ended when I got off the bike and call it good.”

Although what had come after had actually been the icing on the cake—or at least she’d thought so. Obviously, Spence had a different opinion.

He muttered an obscenity and ran his hands over his close-cut hair in obvious frustration. She tried once again to reach the steps that led up to the back door, but he quickly planted those heavy boots he wore firmly between her and her one means of escape.

“Melanie, let me explain.” He lifted his hand to caress the side of her face. “Please.”

The simple touch threatened to stir the embers of passion back to a full burn. She stepped back to give herself space to breathe. “I’m listening.”

“First off, believe me when I say there’s nothing I’d like more than to take this to its logical conclusion. My whole life went off the rails in Afghanistan, and what came afterward was a hell like I could never have imagined. Until I can put it all behind me, I’ve got no business getting involved, and especially with a woman like you. A lot of the reason I’ve even come this far back toward normal is our friendship. I don’t want to risk messing that up or hurting you.”

She wanted to say that he wouldn’t, but her heart told her that he could, despite his best intentions. It might even be inevitable, considering how attracted she was to him. Why couldn’t he quit being so damn noble and finish what he’d started? But that stubborn streak of honor was at the core of who he was. On the surface, he looked so strong and self-assured, but every instinct she had said that underneath that brave exterior was a man who needed her.

Deciding actions spoke more than words, she closed the small distance between them and slid her arms around his waist. She kept the hug gentle and friendly, careful to keep those embers carefully banked. “You’re a good man, Spencer Lang. Now you’d better head back to the cottage and try to get some sleep. I’ll see you at the factory tomorrow.”

His arms tightened around her, nearly squeezing the breath out of her. “Good night, Mel. I enjoyed . . .” She felt him press a soft kiss to the top of her head. “Everything.”

“So did I.”

He stood watch while she made her way up to the landing by the back door. Before she stepped inside, she had one more thing she wanted to say. “Spence, when you’re ready, I hope we can finish what we started.”

Then without waiting for him to respond, she closed the door and turned the lock. Standing in the dark kitchen, she watched Spence start up the Harley and disappear into the night. After a quick drink of juice, she went up to her room to get ready for bed. She had to be up in less than four hours, but she didn’t care. She’d enjoyed everything, too.

Just as she pulled up the covers, her cell phone buzzed to tell her she had a new message. One glance at the screen had her grinning like a fool. It was from Spence, and all it said was
Me, too
.

She was still smiling when sleep finally claimed her.

•   •   •

Morning came brutally early. The foreman at the millworks had called Spence at six thirty to tell him that he didn’t need to come in until eleven. Something about a rush order that they wouldn’t have ready to go until then. Despite his most determined efforts to relax, he remained awake after letting Mooch out, staring up at the ceiling and thinking about what it would have been like if he and Melanie had finished what they’d started last night. Hell, if his conscience had kept quiet, he could have spent the remaining few hours of the night making love with a beautiful woman. He could just picture Melanie beneath him in the bed, her fair skin flushed with passion. She’d made it clear that she was willing, so the only thing standing in the way was him.

What an idiot!

Except that he wasn’t talking about some random woman. This was Melanie Wolfe, the last heir to the Wolfe family legacy. She deserved better than a broken-down soldier with no idea where he’d come from. He’d been placed in foster care at age two after being abandoned by his mother, and the space for his father’s name on the birth certificate had been left blank. He’d been damn lucky to be adopted at all. It might have hurt when Uncle Vince called him a mongrel, but the man hadn’t been wrong.

Most of the time, none of that bothered him, but right now he could use some deeply set roots, the kind other people took for granted. The war and all that had happened since had left him blowing in the wind. Once he got things settled about the house, he wasn’t even sure he wanted to stick around Snowberry Creek, the only home he’d ever known.

All of this thinking was getting him nowhere. He threw back the covers and rolled out of bed. Maybe a shower would clear his head. In the bathroom, he winced at the sight of the hot pink poodle shower curtain. He really should replace the hideous thing, but that would make it feel as if he was starting to think of the cottage as more than a temporary haven. He’d left all the doilies in place for the same reason.

After stripping off his boxers, he stepped into the stinging spray of the shower. Oh yeah, that felt good. He set the temperature just shy of scalding and let the steaming water work its magic. When the hot water was almost gone, he shut off the shower and toweled off. He had to go into work later, so he shaved and trimmed his buzz cut before pulling on his favorite jeans and a clean shirt.

After heading into the kitchen, he considered his options for breakfast and settled on the last two pieces of a pepperoni pizza with a large glass of iced tea to wash them down. He took it all out onto the front porch to read the paper while Mooch sniffed around the yard, returning occasionally to make a halfhearted effort to see if Spence was willing to share.

“Here, dog.” He tossed the last piece of crust to Mooch and then unfolded the paper. Every time it showed up on his porch, he grimaced and prayed Reilly Molitor hadn’t made good on his threat to write about Spence’s experiences in Afghanistan. He breathed a sigh of relief when his name wasn’t splashed across the front page of the
Clarion
.

His luck might not hold forever, but the longer Reilly held off on running the story, the more emotionally prepared Spence would be to deal with it. At least that’s what he kept telling himself. He was about to start the crossword puzzle when a car slowed to a stop on the street in front of the cottage. At first, he thought he might have conjured Reilly up just by thinking about him.

When he saw who was really climbing out of the car, he almost wished it had been the reporter dropping by for another visit. Callie, Nick, and Leif weren’t the only people Spence had been avoiding. Callie’s parents were also on that list, but his luck had just run out. At least it was only Mrs. Redding. He wasn’t sure he could have faced her husband, too.

He set the paper aside and stood up. Mooch barked and wagged his tail like crazy the minute he spotted the woman crossing the lawn. She stopped to let the dog come to her and held out some kind of treat for him. Spence noticed she was careful to keep the plastic bag in her other hand out of Mooch’s reach. Hey, maybe she’d brought him a batch of his favorite chocolate chip cookies, not that he deserved them.

When she finished petting Mooch, Spence stepped off the porch and right into the comfort of her embrace. It felt like coming home. She held him tight, and he was pretty sure she was crying. Shit, why was nothing ever easy?