A Hero to Rescue Me (Hero's Crossing) (6 page)

Had anything ever tasted so good? Felt so right? Chase clutched Melanie to him like his only lifeline in a storm. He knew on some level he couldn’t take this encounter any farther than a few furtive kisses and touches, but the reasons why seemed hazy now. The softness of her body, the sweet way she clung to him only made him want her more. In that moment he made a vow to himself. Someway, somehow, this woman would be his. He might not be able to claim her right here, but he would claim her. Thoroughly. Repeatedly.

The sound of her soft whimpers drove him mad, encouraged him to continue kissing her over and over, shaping her succulent curves with his hands. When he lifted her onto the counter, her nightgown rode up her thighs revealing taught, milk-chocolate-colored thighs to his gaze. The sight almost brought him to his knees.

“Spread those lovely legs, Melanie,” he whispered on a husky breath. “Let me press myself between them.”

On a whimper, she did, pulling him to her, clutching his sides until her nails dug into his skin. Chase reveled in the slight pain, at the thought that she’d mark him when they made love.

“Oh, God,” she breathed. “I can’t believe this is happening.” Her breathy moan made his cock throb with maddening intensity, needing to be inside her, needing to give her as much pleasure as he needed to take for himself. Had any woman before her ever felt so damned good? He didn’t know. Couldn’t remember any woman before her. There was only Melanie.

With an impatient movement, he tugged one strap of her gown over her shoulder, shoving the material down to bare one dark breast. The ripe nipple that greeted him proved too much a temptation to resist and Chase dipped his head, closing his lips around the tight peak. Melanie’s head fell back, a strangled moan escaping before she could clamp her mouth shut, her hands fisting in his hair, holding him to her chest.

No, he decided. Never before had anything tasted so sweet. It was as if any sexual experience he’d had in the past was cleansed from his mind because this woman was the only woman he’d ever have again. The only woman for him.

Melanie lost herself in the pleasure she found in this man’s arms. Chase seemed to know every hot spot on her body. His hands found every secret hollow and curve, shaping her, figuring out what turned her on. Using every ounce of knowledge to claim her utterly. She knew he wanted her, felt the impossibly hard–and large–ridge of his cock pressing against her center, not seeking entrance, but rubbing helplessly through his thin pants and her panties. Had they been naked, he’d be moistening his shaft with her wet heat, readying himself to plunge inside her.

Yeah, she really shouldn’t have thought of that. There was no way she was going to have their first time be in his parents’ house. That was just disrespectful. But, dammit, she wanted this!

“God, Melanie,” he bit out. “Want you so damned much…” He seemed to pull back from her, as if the same thought of not being able to finish what they’d started had occurred to him as well. “Want you so much I can almost feel it.”

“I want you too, Chase. God knows I do.”

He cupped her face, looking into her eyes with such intensity, she felt her heart pounding even harder. “We will finish this, Melanie. Not tonight, but I will make love to you until neither of us can walk straight.”

She closed her eyes, resting her forehead against his. Breathing deeply, she struggled to get herself under control, to remind herself of her unease before.
Think of Abigail,
she thought to herself.

“Maybe we need to just slow down for a bit, Chase,” she finally got out, never moving away from him, loath to be parted even a few inches from his soothing warmth.

There were a few moments of silence before he questioned her. “Why would you think that? My mind is made up. If you’d do it, I’d marry you tomorrow.”

She did pull back then. “How can you say that? You’ve known me for all of one week. I have a daughter who’s not mine, an ex-boyfriend making my life a chaotic mess, and I’m a different race from you. How can you possibly say something like that and mean it with all your heart?”

His eyes narrowed with an intensity similar to that she’d seen in his eyes when he’d confronted Dan in the restaurant. Only fiercer. “Whether it’s tomorrow or two years from now, Melanie, I
will
marry you. If it makes you feel better to wait, to feel secure about my feelings for you, then I’ll do whatever it takes, but I’m in this for the long haul.” He gripped the nape of her neck, making sure she was looking directly into his eyes when he said, “
You saved me
, Melanie. You and Abigail. I love her as much as I love you. No amount of time will change that.”

She thought about her next words, wanted to phrase them carefully. “In my heart, I believe you. And if it were just me, I’d plunge headlong into this. But it’s
not
just me. Abigail has lost both her parents in her short life. I’d say she lost Dan too, since we dated for nearly three years, but he never even tried to get along with her. As a result, I’m afraid I may have inadvertently put her in a situation where she felt unwanted, not liked. I was selfish before. I can’t be again. If you change your mind, if you leave us, what do you think that would do to Abigail?”

The smile he gave her was tender, loving even. With that one look, she
could
believe he loved her,
would
always be with her. “Then I guess I’m just going to have to prove to you it’s not even possible for me to leave either of you. I lost my heart even before I met the two of you. This weekend has only allowed you to sink your claws deeper into me. And I’ve never been happier in my entire life.”

Lord help her, she believed him. It might be crazy, she might be deluding herself, but she knew in her heart Chase wasn’t the type of man to say something like that unless he meant it. He wouldn’t lie to her in order to get her to sleep with him. Even now, after she knew she wore her feelings on her sleeve, that he knew she’d bought everything he was telling her, he didn’t press to continue their frenzied sensual play. Instead, he helped her down from the counter, straightening her nightgown before retrieving her hot chocolate from the microwave.

With a grin, he handed the cup to her, blowing on it gently as her hand closed around it. Somehow, the gesture seemed just as intimate as the kisses he’d shared with her earlier. Any hope Melanie had of holding herself away from Chase until a reasonable amount of time had passed went out the window.

She was already in love with him.

“This place is freaking
huge
!” Melanie’s jaw dropped when she toured the apartment Vivian intended for her to rent. Three bedrooms, two full baths, and the biggest kitchen she’d ever seen, and all Melanie wanted to do was sink onto a couch and just stare around in awe. “There is no way I can afford this. Not in the city. I probably couldn’t afford it back home, and prices are considerably lower there.”

“Nonsense,” Vivian waved away her protest. “You’ll get the family rate and no down payment. I’ll send the boys with you to help you pack when you’re ready. I’ll be happy to help you get Abigail set up in a new school. My boys went to Beaumont and loved it, but we can arrange for you to meet with guidance counselors of the ones closest to us if you like.”

“There’s just so much to do. I’ve never made this big of a move before.” Truth was, she was completely overwhelmed. “Vivian”—she turned to the older woman—“I can’t afford this apartment.”

“If you say that one more time, Melanie Wade...” The look Vivian gave Melanie didn’t need the follow up to the “if/then” clause. That was the look of a mother about to lay into her child for misbehavior.

“Better just let it be, Melanie,” Mike said with a chuckle. “Mom always gets her way. Just take the apartment and say ‘thank you, Mama.’ We’ll all be better off.”

With that, the corners of Vivian’s mouth twitched as she fought a grin. “Just you keep out of this, Mike. This is between us girls.”

Melanie knew she was defeated. These people were going to see she had everything she needed whether she wanted it or not. She needed the job Vivian offered, and therefore needed the apartment. “How much of a family discount are we talking here?”

“You’ll pay twenty-five percent of what we normally charge for this unit,” Vivian said. “In return, you will basically double as landlord. If anything needs repairs, if people come to you with problems, you will bring it to Mike’s attention.”

Mike snorted. “Yeah. And don’t be surprised if you get an unexpected summer vacation bonus. Count it, and it will likely be the exact amount you paid in rent for the year.”

Vivian lashed out with her handbag, rapping Mike’s hand. The big man winced and shook his hand as if she’d been a Nun with a ruler. Which made Melanie giggle before she could stop herself.

“Good, then!” Vivian jumped on Melanie’s obvious good humor, taking it as a sign of her agreement. “Mike will set up moving arrangements. Do you want to do about midweek? That will give you time to get Abigail enrolled in school.”

“I guess. There’s really no fighting with you people, is there.”

Vivian patted the side of her face gently, smiling so kindly at her it made Melanie’s heart ache. “Not in something as important as your future.”

Melanie glanced at Mike, who took the hint and left. “Mrs. Carver–”

“Oh, no you don’t!” Vivian looked fierce, eyes flashing as she grasped Melanie’s hand in her own delicate ones. “Don’t start calling me ‘Mrs.’ anything. It’s Vivian until you get used to thinking of me as ‘Mama.’ Do you understand me, young lady?”

Tears threatened, but Melanie blinked them back. This was way too much too soon. “Vivian,” she started again, clearing her throat. “What if Chase and I aren’t right for each other? I mean, I really like him–might even love him–but we’ve actually known each other less than a week. We might find we’re totally incompatible.”

“In that case, you let me know and I’ll straighten him out. You’re the one for Chase. Anyone with eyes can see that. And you and Abigail need him as much as he needs you. You’re good for each other.”

“You seem so certain. How can you be when I’m not?”

“You’re not certain, not because you’re not comfortable with him, but because you’re not comfortable with how fast it’s moving between the three of you. And yes, I’m including Abigail in this. That child is as much a part of your relationship with Chase as anything else. Nothing I, or anyone else, can say will make you comfortable with the speed at which this thing is moving. All I can do is try to help you relax into it. Which I’m doing to the best of my ability.”

“I’m
so
in over my head.” Melanie sniffed, doing her best to keep the tears at bay. “Thank you for everything you’ve done. I’ve never been treated so well by anyone since my sister died.”

Mike cleared his throat as he entered the apartment again. “Ride’s here, Melanie. Dad did what he could with the money you’ll be getting from the insurance company. It’s not fancy, but he got a great deal.”

“I still don’t understand how he did that so fast. And on a weekend, at that.”

He grinned. “Our family is nothing if not connected.”

When she stepped outside and saw the blue Fusion, she took a step back, looking up suspiciously at Mike. “There is no way you’re going to convince me the insurance money from my car bought that.” She made her voice stern. “I can’t accept this.”

Just then, Leland joined the three of them where he’d been waiting on a bench in front of the building. “You can and you will, young lady. Not only do I insist, I demand it.” His expression was just as stubborn as she knew hers was. “Once you’ve been in this family a while, you’ll realize I demand very few things. When I do, no one goes against me.”

“Please don’t think I don’t appreciate all this, but I’m not a charity case.”

“No, you’re not,” Leland said, crossing his arms over a chest that looked as fit as that of a man half his age. “You’re the woman our son wants to marry. That itself makes you family. Throw in the gratitude Vivian, myself, and his brothers have toward you and Abigail for saving his life, and you deserve much more than we could ever give you.”

Melanie could only gape at him. Which was how Chase and Abigail found her when they pulled into the parking lot.

***

The look on Melanie’s face was a combination of shock and bemusement. Chase thought there was a very good possibility she was near tears. Possibly because of the car or the apartment or both, but he wasn’t taking any chances.

“Mike, if you’ve said or done something to upset Melanie, I will kick your ass so fast it will make your head swim.”

Abigail clapped her hands over her ears dramatically. “That’s a mean word!”

“Chase Carver!” Vivian hurried to Abigail, lifting the child into her arms. “Come, Princess Abigail,” she said in a haughty voice. “The men in our family aren’t fit for company. Let’s you and me go pick out which room is yours in the new apartment.”

“Sorry,” Chase said lamely.

“You will be.” Vivian gave him a withering look, to which Chase lowered his head, looking like a sulking child who’d just gotten in trouble.

“It wasn’t me, bro.” Mike raised his hands defensively. “Honest. It was Dad.” Mike happily pointed to their father.

“Yeah,” his father said, raising an eyebrow. “You going to kick
my
ass?”

Chase gaped. “Dad! What’d you do to her?” Immediately, Chase crossed to Melanie and wrapped a protective arm around her, pulling her snugly against his side. God, it felt good to have her that close.

“Chase, just stop it. You know your father would never do anything mean.” Melanie ducked her head against his chest and he thought he heard her sniffle. “Your family is just being way too nice.” She looked up at him beseechingly. “I can’t accept all this. The apartment. The car. Make them stop!”

The laugh bubbled up out of nowhere. Gifts. She was crying over gifts. “Look, honey. Mom and Dad have made some very good investments along the way. Not to mention the apartments. They’ve had no one to spoil because they don’t believe in spoiling us boys. We’re supposed to learn how to make our own living so we can spoil our wives and children.” He tucked a curl behind her ear tenderly. “Now that you and Abigail are around, expect to take this from every member of my family. Besides, the apartment is a necessity if you’re working with us, and the car just replaced the one you had. You couldn’t go without one and, being the weekend, we figured we’d take what we could get as quickly as we could get it.”

Leland grinned, tossing the keys to Chase. He caught Melanie’s hand and placed the keys in her palm, folding her fingers around them. “Let us do this for you. Please.”

After what seemed like an eternity, Melanie finally gave him a shy smile and nodded. When he wrapped both his arms around her, she let her hands slip up his shoulders to wrap around his neck, pressing herself against him, embracing him tightly.

For Chase, it was as if the world dropped away, leaving only the two of them. He was lost for her. Nothing else mattered but having her and Abigail with him. He wanted the ready-made family, craved it.

Not only that, either. He wanted Melanie. Wanted her in his life. And his bed. His family knew it. Accepted it readily, eagerly. Probably more easily than either he or Melanie did. No wonder Melanie was spooked. Hell, he was too. But one thing being pararescue had taught him was that life was too short to question such good fortune. He’d been given a loving woman and daughter of his own. There was no way he wasn’t seizing the opportunity with both hands.