A Window to Love (Windows) (Volume 1) (15 page)

“Melissa. Bébé, I love you so much.”

“If you ever leave me Evan, I will never set foot in this
apartment again. This apartment is us. I love everything. I love you, Evan.”

“After our first night together, I knew I had to make things
right for you. I set the apartment renovation in motion the next morning.”

“Is that why you were always on the phone in the morning?
Leaving me in bed to wake up alone.”

“That is why, bébé. I didn't like getting up early and
leaving your warm body. Change that. Your hot body. But, I'm glad it's
complete, and now I plan to spend a lot of time make those mornings up to you.”

“I will hold you to that. Does that mean you plan to be
staying here every night to be able to wake up with me?” After Melissa ended
that question, I could tell she wished she could take it back. I could see it
in her face.

“Yes, Melissa,” I said turning her face straight toward
mine. “I would like to wake up with you every morning.”

She lowered her eyes. “Then you should move in here. You
don’t have much at your parent’s place, and I think you have made this
apartment into a place you would want to live in, too. I see you in every room.
You incorporated your masculinity. I like it... I love it!” She wouldn't lift her
head when I tried to tilt it toward me. I was sure she’s afraid of my response.

I moved so I could look straight into her beautiful eyes. “I
like that idea. I did have Isabelle design things the way I would like them if
I lived here. I wanted a little of you and a little of me merged together. I
love to merge with you as I think you know.” I gave her the raised eyebrow, and
heard her giggle. I hugged Melissa tight and gave her a kiss. “Let’s get some
sleep, bébé. Tomorrow we will make plans. I love you.”

Melissa placed her hand tenderly on my cheek and kissed me.
“I love you too.” Then she rolled over, pressing her back to my heart and I
wrapped around her. Every night like this would be parfait!

IT WAS A wonderful morning. I woke
beside a lovely man who greeted me with a smile and a hard body. Yummy! After
an earthshaking roll between the sheets, I made breakfast in my new kitchen
while Evan was reading on his tablet. He was sitting on the new settee, wearing
a pair of heather-grey, low-slung, drawstring workout pants, and a tight white
t-shirt which showed off his muscular arms. Being wrapped in those arms was
divine. Oh, and he was barefoot. There was something seriously sexy about a
clothed man with bare feet. I wasn't sure why that was, but seeing him like
this made my pussy wet. He looked so beautiful.  So handsome. So mesmerizing
with the sun hitting him. Hmmm… he had a pair of glasses on, hiding those
radiant blue eyes of his.

“Evan, you wear glasses?” I tilted my head at an angle and
looked at him, taking in this different look.

He looked up at me and gave me a funny look. “Yes.”

“I’ve never seen you wear them since we've been together,” I
said tapping my index finger on my upper lip, thinking.

He shook his head and laughed. “You’ve seen them on me.”

Tilting my head at him again, taking in his studious look, I
added, “I guess I have, but I thought they were an accessory.”

He laughed even harder. “No. They’re real.”

“Well, you look very sexy; ultra smart in glasses and not
just another pretty face.” I smiled at him.

He winked back at me. I swooned a little inside. He made me
feel like a teenage girl getting attention from a hot crush. “You look very
sexy yourself. Come here and let me hold you.” I giggled, then walked over and
launched myself into Evan’s lap. “That’s better. You smell good enough to eat.”

I nibbled his neck. “So do you.” He growled and captured my
bottom lip between his teeth before he slipped his tongue into my mouth,
caressing my tongue, igniting a passionate kiss. I could kiss him all day long.

Breaking our locked lips, he asks, “Hey bébé, I was
wondering if you want to go away for the weekend. My parents are having a
holiday cocktail party.” Seeing the panicked look in my eyes, he quickly added,
“We'll be staying at a bed and breakfast. Pop over to my parents for a couple
of drinks and then spend the rest of the weekend in bed.”

“Mmmm. I like the last part.” Running my fingers through his
thick hair, nuzzling up close to his face, softly grazing his cheek with my
lips, I sniffed him. He smelt so good; clean, musky and citrusy.

“You are a naughty girl, bébé!” He was tracing my body with
his long fingers, sending chills up and down my spine.

“It's all your fault. You've made me a sex addict.” He
laughed.

Giving him a kiss, I climbed off of his lap and just as I
start to walk away, Evan's full attention was drawn to his tablet, and he
grabbed my arm. “Melissa, you’ve been uncovered. Maybe you want to tell me more
about you and your family instead of me reading this article.” He turned the
tablet screen toward me, and I instantly read the large headline on the tabloid
page he was perusing. “EVAN DUKE CAPTURES THE HEART OF A BILLION-HEIRESS”

“Oh merde!” Evan dropped my arm. I walked away to get the
breakfast plates and French press along with cups and cream. I returned with
everything to the table, and I sat down next to him. I was grasping for the
words.

“So when Lily said you didn’t need to work and called you an
‘heiress’ she actually meant it?”

“Yes. I work, so I have something to do. When my parents
died, I was in the first year of my masters program. I poured my heart into
that, trying to forget. When I graduated, Sam McDimel offered me a job. He’s a
friend of Lily’s dad who also owns an ad agency. I thought it would give me
something to do until I decided what part I wanted to take in my father’s
dealings. I had majored in art and had no desire to do anything with my
father’s business dealings. McDimel-Sanders was a big company, and I thought it
would be an easy place for me to assimilate. So I took the job, and I stayed
there. It was comfortable. Secure. I could hide away from the world in the art
department.”

I stopped to take a couple sips of coffee, staring at my
hands for awhile. Evan covered my hand and squeezed it. He knew it was hard for
me to talk about my family, especially this time of year, but he needed to know
everything if he’s going to be part of my, now exposed, life.

“So, do you want to know how wealthy I am?”

“I don’t care how much money you have. I want to know about
you. Why have you been hiding?”

“Hiding? I guess I’ve been hiding from life. I could be
traveling, living the jet setting heiress lifestyle, but I wasn’t raised that
way. Yes, we did things, but we lead a normal life. It’s safer that way. People
don’t bother you for things they can get from you. People don’t try to kidnap
you. I never wanted security surrounding me, so I’ve kept a low profile. Until
you. I wasn’t thinking about being exposed. I didn’t think things would last
between us.”

A few tears dropped down my face. I was still not certain
about him. Why? What was wrong with me? He told me he loved me. He wanted to
live with me. If he knew how wealthy I was, would that be weird for him? Would
he feel inferior? Would it make him feel that I didn’t need him? Funny thing
was, I truly needed his love! That’s all I wanted. I wanted someone to love me.
I wanted a family.

“Melissa, I don’t mean to upset you, bébé. I just would
rather you tell me about yourself than read it, or have someone else tell me.”

I took a deep breath and wiped the tears from my face. “My
father invented a small networking component that every computer device needs
to operate, including smart phones, your tablet, etc. He patented the
component. He was to receive royalties for life, and now I receive them. I have
a whole team that handles all my father’s monies. Unless computers become
obsolete, I will receive royalties forever. My heirs, if I have any, will
inherit them. That’s it.”

“Wow.” I could see he was trying to soak in the reality of
my wealth. It was pretty shocking.

“Sooo, you ready to run?” I asked him, hoping he wouldn't.

“Why would I run from you?” He answered with a puzzled
expression on his brow.

“It’s a lot to take, even for me. I’m probably going to need
some security since my photo is out in the press.”

“’Probably?’ Definitely! I’m not letting you go anywhere
without some protection. I will talk to Charles today, and we will find someone
to accompany you when you're not with me. You need to quit your job. I wanted
you to quit before I knew any of this. I want you to travel with me. I don’t
want us to be apart and now I’m really going to worry if you don’t go with me.”

“Quit my job…” my voice trailed off as I wondered: Do I want
to quit my job? What will I do without it? What will I do if he leaves me? Will
I be able to get my position back? I know don’t need it, but it has been my
security blanket for… My thoughts are interrupted by Evan’s voice.

“Bébé, call the office today. Leave a message. You're not
going back to work. Pack a bag. I’m going to do a couple of errands, head over
to my apartment to gather a few things for the weekend then go to the car park
and pick up my car. We’ll leave early enough to drive up today, have dinner and
then play time at the inn.” He gave me a sexy grin, but I could see the wheels
turning in his head. Was he really okay with this? Only time would tell.

I found myself closed off and quiet while we finished
breakfast. So many things were going through my head, and I was wondering what
he was thinking. Removing our empty dishes, I cleaned up the kitchen quickly
while he finished doing whatever it was he was doing on his tablet. I wanted
things to go back to how they were this morning. I tried to see if I could
still spark his interest while he was deep in thought. “I’m going to go take a
shower. You want to wash my back?”

He looked up with that grin I adored. “I’d rather wash your
front.” With that, he was up off the sofa, and I was being stripped of my
clothing. He placed me on the kitchen island. “Time to fulfill my fantasy.”
Pushing me back, his head went between my legs. Looking into those blue eyes
smirking at me, I wondered ‘whose fantasy is this?’

“Let’s get you nice and dirty before we get a shower, bébé.”
He growled.

“Oh mon dieu. You can get me as dirty as you want. And, by
the way, I love this butcher block counter.” I hissed out between moans.

ONCE EVAN LEFT to run errands and
grab a bag for the weekend, I wandered around the apartment. I took special
notice of all he achieved in such a short time. There were so many details I
didn't notice. Little touches that personalized the apartment. It felt like a
home, but it would feel like hell if Evan decided to leave. If that was to
happen, I knew that I would vacate the apartment forever. That loss would be
too much to bear. Yes. If it ended. I was thinking it was going to end, but I
knew I needed to move past these thoughts. He wanted to live with me. He wanted
to go to bed with me every night and wake with me every morning. He never gave me
any reason to believe that he was going to leave. I just started thinking and
ruminating and, most of the time, misinterpreted his actions.

I guess I didn't quite feel his equal. He was a public
figure. I was just a girl trying to live a normal, quiet life. Of course, what
attracted me first to Evan were his good looks. But he was so much more. The
looks were just a bonus. He was so giving, generous, charming, witty, loving,
and a true gentleman. He did amazing work with charity projects; making life better
for others. His inner-being was what made him the most attractive. I knew he
was attracted to me, too. I needed to be more confident in our relationship,
and so today, I, Melissa Camille Bennette, would start with a new attitude!
This was what I told myself, but would I follow through? Would I succeed?

IN THE LATE afternoon, Evan arrived
at the apartment and had the front desk call for me to hurry down. Phillip
helped me with my bags. When I walked out of the building wearing jeans, a
black turtle-neck sweater, a leopard scarf, and flat black boots, I saw him
standing next to a classic Mercedes 300SL roadster. Very nice. My sexy man was
dressed in a pair of jeans, midnight blue sweater with a button-down white
shirt beneath, a tweed chapeau and dark brown, narrow, pointed toed boots. I
wanted to jump on him right there on the sidewalk. I settled for a nice amorous
kiss from him before slipping into the car. We drove upstate listening to jazzy
music. The music matched the car.

“I’m seeing a trend here. You have a thing for vintage
sports cars, monsieur?” My question received a big smile. Swoon!

“I have a thing for cars, bébé. Especially vintage. My dad
bought a vintage sports car when they moved upstate. A white 1957 MGA Roadster
with red seats. He and my mom used to participate in car rallies. When I
started rebelling because I was less than thrilled to be taken away from the
city, my dad got me involved in his car club. I was hooked as soon as I went to
my first rally and saw a bevy of vintage cars.”