Summer Heat (4 page)

“You don’t know my
mother. She doesn’t take no for an answer. Besides, they’re friendly and
easygoing, so quit worrying.” He slid his hand over hers and gave it a light
squeeze.

Somehow his heated palm
resting on top of her hand was not comforting. It called to mind other things
she’d rather not think about. In short order, her list of acceptable thoughts
was dwindling.

They drove to what must
be an older part of New Orleans and pulled into a driveway that looked like
nothing more than a dirt road leading into the woods. Pine trees nearly hid the
property from view, but then the road expanded and the trees cleared, giving
Melissa a look at the Storm family home.

Lovely and understated,
the charming, two-story ranch all but blazed a welcome sign out front. A full
porch running the width of the house was adorned with hanging plants, their
colorful blooms draped almost to the white wood floor.

Aidan skidded the
Corvette to a stop in front of the house and jumped out, running around to open
her door. She smoothed her dress after she stood and inhaled deeply, nervous
butterflies ramming against the walls of her stomach. Really, this was still a
business dinner, no matter who they were having dinner with. This was simply
southern hospitality and nothing more.

The butterflies
continued to ram, ignoring her attempts at self-calming.

“Come on,” he said,
holding his hand out to her.

Why was she nervous?
She was a marketing executive, for heaven’s sake, and had stepped into the
lions’ den on more than one occasion. If she could handle a boardroom full of
fire breathing CEOs, she could certainly deal with a simple dinner with Aidan’s
family.

Nevertheless, she instinctively
slid her hand in his and allowed him to lead her inside.

The spicy aroma of
Cajun cooking permeated the front room of the house, and as Aidan pulled her
along she heard music and raised voices. Ignoring her pounding heart, she
planted her most professional smile on her face.

“We’re here!” Aidan
yelled in his booming voice, dragging her down the hallway into a huge kitchen
filled with people.

She quickly counted the
people and came up with four, who all stopped and turned to her.

At least they were
smiling. She swallowed.

“So, this is Melissa
Cross.” A petite, dark-haired woman who she assumed was Aidan’s mother wiped
her hands on her apron as she approached. Enveloping her in a warm hug, she
added, “Welcome to our home. I’m Angelina Storm.”

“Thank you,” Melissa
replied, taken aback by the woman’s friendly nature. Maybe she was wrong. This
couldn’t be Aidan’s mother. She hardly looked a day over thirty-five.

“A right pretty little
thing she is, too.” A tall, very burly looking man stepped up and hugged her
quickly. His cheeks were ruddy and his smile genuine.

“Melissa, this is my
father, Galen,” Aidan said, then threw his arms around his father and got a
bear hug of his own.

“You don’t come around
for dinner enough,” his mother said, grabbing Aidan’s chin and planting a kiss
on his cheek.

“Sorry, Mom,” Aidan
replied, snatching a shrimp from a huge plate on the center island in the
kitchen and popping it into his mouth.

“Hi, Melissa!” A sultry
looking woman with long, raven-colored hair embraced her in the same way, then
pulled back and smiled. “I’m Kaitlyn, the 
baby
of the Storm family.”

Kaitlyn certainly
didn’t look like a baby. Full, lush curves identified her as clearly grown.
Melissa estimated Kaitlyn to be around her own age. She had a refreshing warmth
about her that Melissa liked immediately.

Another woman turned
from the stove. This one was much taller than Kaitlyn, her hair more a sable
color. She also wore a more serious expression than her sister, but still she
smiled and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, Melissa. I’m Shannon.”

Grateful to have a
marketing background and used to meeting several people at once, Melissa made
mental notes of who all the Storms were so she wouldn’t confuse names.

“Where’s Logan?” Aidan
asked his mother, pulling his hand quickly away from the shrimp bowl at her
don’t-touch-that glare.

“That’s for dinner. Not
for your snack. And your brother is late. Still working.”

“Old news there,”
Kaitlyn said with a sigh. “He works entirely too many hours. Life is to be
enjoyed, not spent huddled up staring at four walls.”

“Your brother must find
his own destiny, in his own time, 
ma belle fille
,” Angelina said,
patting Kaitlyn on the cheek.

Aidan handed Melissa a
glass of tea and rolled his eyes at her, then whispered in her ear. “Ignore the
destiny talk. It’s my mother’s favorite subject.”

But a chill had passed
through her at Angelina’s statement. Her words, spoken in a voice so melodious
and calm, seemed to hold some sort of magic.

“Can I help with
something?” Melissa asked.

Angelina shook her
head. “Absolutely not. Sit, have a drink and visit with us. There are plenty
here to do the cooking.”

And what cooking it
was. She was forced onto a barstool next to a breakfast bar in the all white
kitchen and watched the Storm women perform magic on the meal.

The smells were
enticing. Spicy aromas of cayenne pepper and sizzling sausage filled the air,
making Melissa’s mouth water.

And the food wasn’t the
only thing making her mouth water.

Aidan stayed close to
her side, laughing and joking with his sisters and parents.

She shouldn’t like his
attention. But she did. Especially when he casually placed a hand on her
shoulder and ran his palm down her back. His touch seared her, hardening her
nipples and making her wet, which embarrassed her since she was sitting in the
same room as his parents and sisters.

And she could have
sworn he chuckled at the exact time her panties dampened. Coincidence,
obviously, but he sure had interesting timing.

“Where are you from,
Melissa?” Kaitlyn asked.

“Boston.”

“Oh, how lovely. I was
there a few years back. Are you a native of Massachusetts?”

“Yes. Grew up there,
went to college there, too.” And she’d probably die there. She thought about
that, wondering why that popped into her head along with a vague sense of
dissatisfaction. The thought of spending her life in Boston had never bothered
her before, so why did she get such a pang of emptiness at the thought of
spending the rest of her life there?

“How do you like living
in Boston?” Angelina asked while stirring a pot of something bubbly.

“It’s nice, I guess.
It’s home.” Well, didn’t that sound boring? That was all she could manage to
come up with about the place she lived? What was wrong with her tonight? It had
to be fatigue.

“Gets cold in the
winter,” Galen said, leaning over his wife’s shoulder to peer in the pot.
Melissa warmed all over when the two of them kissed. Her parents wouldn’t be
caught dead involved in public displays of affection. As far as she could
remember, she’d never even seen her parents kiss in front of her.

How she’d ever been
created was beyond her. She’d never seen any warmth between the two of them.
Then again, her mother was a busy socialite and her father traveled so often he
seemed more a stranger than a parent. Even when he was around he’d never made
time for her.

Nothing like this
family, all gathered together in the kitchen, talking, laughing, even arguing
together.

“Maybe she likes it
cold,” Angelina answered her husband.

“Or maybe she likes it
hot,” Aidan said behind her, once again firing up her blood until heat crept
into her face. His hand on her shoulder burned. How could a man’s touch fire
her up so? It was almost unnatural.

She shifted, hoping
he’d catch the subtle signal to remove his hand.

He didn’t, only
squeezed her shoulder lightly until she turned her face up to his.

Big mistake. If the
fire inside her had flamed to life, his gaze revealed a bonfire inside. The
oddest thing was, she could swear she felt what he felt, a raging inferno of
desire that was quickly reducing her to cinders.

Sudden images of Aidan
naked flashed before her. His body strong, tanned, his chest covered in a
sparse sprinkling of dark, curling hair that glistened like burnished gold. His
eyes blazed like molten amber and his huge cock stood erect between a dark tuft
of hair between his legs.

The vision was so real
it was nearly tangible. She reached for him, wanting to step into his arms and
feel his strength and fire surround her.

Then she heard his
husky voice whispering in her mind. “Now isn’t the time, Lissa. But soon, it
will be.”

Okay, that did not just
happen. And yet, Aidan arched a brow as if he knew she had heard him. Melissa
had to focus all her strength on breaking eye contact. The vision disappeared
and she let out a breath she hadn’t even realized she’d been holding. When she
turned back to his family, they all looked at her as if they knew exactly what
had just happened.

But they couldn’t. They
were probably appalled because she’d been nearly drooling over their son in
front of them.

How could she have
behaved so unprofessionally? This was nothing more than a business dinner with
a colleague. And his family. Okay, so maybe it wasn’t quite a business dinner,
but that was no excuse.

She opened her mouth to
apologize, but before she could speak Angelina looked at Aidan and said, “Your
destiny has revealed itself.”

The heat vanished and a
cold chill crept up her spine. She shivered as if someone had poured ice water
on her. What the hell did that mean? And why did Angelina’s gaze flit to her
when she spoke about destiny?

“Not now, Mom, please,”
Aidan said, his hand slipping away from Melissa, leaving her bone-chilled
despite the heated kitchen.

Angelina offered a
motherly smile. “You can’t escape it, 
mon fils,
 even if you
wanted to. When it’s time, it’s time. When your destiny presents itself, you
must face it.”

Melissa sucked in her
bottom lip and tried to pretend she was invisible. This was all getting way too
deep for her. And her body was still vibrating from that weird vision trance
thing she’d just experienced.

“Hey, everybody!”

She turned at the sound
of a booming voice, grateful for the interruption.

A man even taller and
darker than Aidan filled the doorway, dressed in the same style of casual jeans
and polo shirt. He was the one she’d seen standing next to Aidan in the lobby
of the hotel this morning. His blue eyes focused on her and he offered a polite
smile as he approached.

“Sorry I’m late. Had a
conference call that went on longer than I expected. You must be Melissa Cross.
I’m Logan Storm.”

She shook a hand that
didn’t hold nearly the same warmth as Aidan’s. But, my oh my, was he good
looking. Much better looking up close than even she had thought when she’d
spied him talking with his brother earlier today.

“Hello, Logan. I’m
pleased to be here, and anxious to start work on the project. Aidan invited me
to dinner here tonight.” She cringed inside, mentally berating herself for
apologizing for being in his family’s kitchen. Her professionalism was
crumbling by the minute.

“Great. I’m glad he
dragged you over, although I’ll bet our mother didn’t give him a choice in the
matter. And has my family managed to torture you into revealing every personal
tidbit about your life yet?”

“Logan!” Angelina
warned, wiping her hands on her apron and holding out her arms for a hug.

As Logan stepped into
his mother’s arms, Shannon crooked a wry smile. “Mom’s right,” she said, then
winked at Melissa.” How could you even suggest such a thing? Besides, you know
we save the inquisition and digging into her personal life until after dinner.”

Melissa stifled a
groan. It was going to be a very long night.

Melissa couldn’t
believe the plethora of seafood, rice, beans, and breads spread out on the
expansive dining room table. The place looked ready for a banquet. Did these
people eat this much food every day? Looking at all of them, they must have
holes in their feet because not one carried an extra ounce of fat on them.

They must burn their
calories in exuberant displays of emotion. Aidan’s family was loud, talking
over each other, laughing at one end of the dining table, arguing at the other.

Shannon and Logan were
the arguers. During their discussion Melissa learned that Shannon ran the
Public Relations office at the hotel, and she and Logan were currently
outlining the PR program for the new casino, each with opposing viewpoints.

“Look, you idiot,”
Shannon said, frowning at Logan, “you can’t promote one without the other. It
has to be a dual venture.”

“I don’t see why we
can’t do a PR blitz on the casino first to really generate interest, then tie
it in to the hotel afterwards,” Logan replied between mouthfuls, seemingly not
insulted in the least by his sister’s remark.

Shannon sighed and
rolled her eyes. “This is why I’m PR and you’re the big picture guy. Because
you want The Rising Storm’s name to be what people think of when they think
casino. You have to promote the hell out of the hotel at the same time you do
the casino.”

Melissa watched the
interplay, fascinated at how siblings could run a business together.

“What do you think,
Aidan?” Logan asked, peering down the table toward his brother.

Aidan shrugged. “I can
see both points. You want to generate interest in the casino without cramming
hotel packages down people’s throats, but then again you ought to tie the two
together for name recognition. And, frankly, what we really want is more people
staying at the hotel while they’re gambling at the casino, instead of booking
their rooms somewhere else. But PR? I’m Marketing and we have that angle
covered. Public Relations is Shannon’s job.”

Smart man, Melissa
thought. That’s exactly the diplomatic answer she’d have given.

“You’re no help at
all,” Shannon said. Then her gaze switched to Melissa’s. “How about you,
Melissa? What’s your take on promotion?”

She swallowed the
shrimp caught in her throat. All eyes turned to her. She formed her answer
carefully, considering that every member at the dinner table had a vested
interest in the success of the hotel/casino venture. “Our marketing plan
consists of promotion of the hotel and the casino together. You can start
publicizing the advantages right away, and then offer discount packages to your
high rollers and frequent gamblers.”

No one spoke for a
moment. Melissa realized that in giving her idea, she had taken Shannon’s side
over Logan. Logan nodded. “You’re right, of course.”

Melissa exhaled. “The
casino organization works with a master at public relations. He runs his own
company and has promoted some of the newer casinos in the northeast. If you’d
like, I can make arrangements for him to come down and work with Shannon on a
PR plan.”

“That won’t be
necessary, I can handle PR by myself,” Shannon said, lifting her chin.

Logan countered. “Good
idea. Have him call me so we can discuss his ideas.”

Shannon shot a glare at
him. “I told you I can handle this.”

Logan wasn’t fazed a
bit by his sister’s icy glare, and in fact turned his own frosty gaze back at
her. “I heard you. I disagree. I’ll talk to the PR guy…what’s his name, by the
way?”

“Max Devlin,” Melissa
replied. “I’ll call him tomorrow and have him get in touch with you.”

Melissa took a swallow
of Galen’s homemade wine, fearful that she’d just made an enemy of Shannon
Storm.

“Then I want to be in
on any conversations you have with him. This is my project, and I won’t have
some outsider come in and take over,” Shannon said. At Logan’s nod, she resumed
eating, apparently nonplussed at being outvoted.

“Don’t worry about it,”
Aidan whispered in her ear. “One of us is always disagreeing with the other
about business. No one here holds a grudge or takes it personally.”

To illustrate his
statement, Logan stood and headed toward the kitchen, but paused and laid a
hand on Shannon’s shoulder as he walked by. She looked up, squeezed his hand
and smiled.

“That’s amazing,”
Melissa said to Aidan.

He tilted his head.
“Why? Aren’t all families like that?”

She laughed. “Hardly.
My parents could spend an entire meal not saying one word to each other, or to
me. And, if there was a disagreement, it could sometimes last a week or
longer.”

He reached over and
grazed his knuckles against her cheek. She felt the shock, a tinge of
excitement that warmed her from the inside.

“That’ll never happen
here. You’re already family here, 
cher
.”

Before she knew what
was happening, Aidan leaned over and brushed his lips against hers. Her insides
sizzled at the brief touch of his mouth. She breathed him in, that essence of
male that so mesmerized her. His lips tasted spicy and faintly of wine. She
licked at his lower lip, then tugged it lightly with her teeth, shocked at her
bold behavior.

Their kiss lasted an
eternity as he tasted her, licked her lips, gently probed the recesses of her
more than eager mouth. Then he pulled away and she realized what had seemed
like forever must have lasted only a few seconds. Aidan smiled at her, his eyes
blazing desire. She shuddered and tried to clear her head, then realized where
she was and closed her eyes against the mortification that washed over her.

Once again she’d
shocked herself at her behavior. Here she was at the dinner table with Aidan’s
entire family, and she’d allowed him to kiss her. Kiss her! A business
associate, and nothing more.

Appalled at her
reaction to him, she opened her eyes, intent on apologizing to his family.

She and Aidan were
completely alone in the dining room.

No way had she been so
wrapped up in Aidan’s kisses that she would have missed a mass exodus of
people. And yet the room was empty. The dinner plates had been removed and a
bustle of activity could be heard in the nearby kitchen.

When had everyone left,
and how could she have been so immersed in Aidan that she had tuned them out?

* * * * *

Aidan could have
laughed at the stunned expression on Melissa’s face when she looked around to
find his family had left the room. He made a mental note to thank them later
for instinctively knowing he wanted those few seconds of privacy to touch his
lips against hers.

She’d tasted sweet like
wine, and spicy, too. A promise of heat and an element of raw passion that shot
through him like an electrical current. He’d hardened instantly, realizing how
wild they could be together in bed.

The thought of taking
her right there in the dining room had flashed through his mind, especially
when he’d connected with her and tasted her essence. But he also knew that
fucking Melissa in his family dining room wouldn’t fly, no matter how liberal
his parents were.

But he’d been damn
tempted.

Now, watching her wash
dishes side-by-side with his sisters, stabbed him with a pang of longing he’d
never felt before. He’d never brought a woman home, a fact that wasn’t lost on
him. And even though his mother had insisted he bring her to dinner, even
though she was only a business associate, it didn’t change the fact that he’d
never brought any woman home to meet his family, business or personal.

So why Melissa?

And what was all that
destiny stuff his mother spouted off about him and Melissa? He was well aware
of the family history, knew the magic associated with both his parents,
recognized the powers he possessed. But destiny? Him and Melissa Cross?

Not likely.

Then again, watching as
she laughed with his sisters, she looked like she belonged there. It felt like
she belonged there. With them. With him.

Shit
. He didn’t need this complication. He had a job
to do with Melissa, and that was all they’d be doing. Granted, he’d like to
explore a sexual relationship with her, but that would have to be one with no
ties. If she was agreeable to those terms, great. If not, he’d go without.

Aidan jammed his
fingers through his hair and blew out a frustrated breath.

“Problems?” Logan
whispered behind him.

“I wish you wouldn’t
sneak up on me all the time, “Aidan said, not even turning around to look at
his brother.

“I didn’t sneak. I
practically stomped in the room. You couldn’t hear me because you were focused
on the gorgeous blonde over there.”

“Was not.”

Logan laughed. “You
used to argue the same way when we were kids. As I recall, you always lost.”

Aidan turned and found
Logan smiling smugly at him, his arms crossed. “You’re full of shit and
obviously have a faulty memory. I always won.”

“In your dreams, little
brother.”

Shannon poured wine for
Melissa and Kaitlyn. The three heads, one midnight black, one sable brown and
the other honey blonde, tilted together like some teen-girl conspiracy was at
play. A fit of giggles erupted shortly thereafter, and Melissa cast a glance in
Aidan’s direction, her eyes widening before turning back to his sisters and
shaking her head negatively.

“They’re talking about
you,” Logan said. “Shannon’s probably warning Melissa away from you, and
Kaitlyn’s no doubt trying to plan your wedding.”

Aidan had to laugh at
that one. Kaitlyn’s favorite events to coordinate at The Rising Storm were the
weddings. She’d get a glow about her that would last for the entire planning
period. “You’re probably right.”

“Better run for your
life now, while you still have the chance.”

“Nah, I think I’m
strong enough to resist being dragged down the aisle.”

“It’s not a wedding I’m
worried about. With you it’s the bedding part. Keep in mind that Melissa Cross
is Chesapeake Casinos. Don’t screw up this deal.”

“Don’t know what you’re
talking about. There’s nothing going on between us. She’s an ice queen.
Definitely not my type.”

Logan raised a brow. “I
might be busy, but I’m not blind. There’s something between you two.” When
Aidan started to object, Logan held up his hand and said, “I know, you’re
thinking Mom and her destiny stuff. That’s not what I’m talking about. I don’t
believe in that crap at all and you know it. I’m just saying there’s some
connection between you.”

“Like magic?” Aidan
loved to tease Logan about the family power. Of all the siblings, Logan was the
only one who refused to recognize or use his.

“No, not like magic.
More like sexual chemistry. It damn near hovered visibly in the air between you
two over dinner. No magic in that. Just don’t let it get personal. This deal’s
important to the hotel, Aidan. More important than you getting your rocks off
with Melissa Cross.”

“I’ll try to fight her
off for as long as I can, then.” Aidan winked at Logan who shook his head in
disgust and walked out of the room.

He turned his attention
back to Melissa.

That dress she wore had
nearly reduced him to a puddle of melting testosterone when she’d opened the
door to her suite. A bright green that brought out her emerald eyes, it clung
to her body in all the right places, making him want to slide his hands over
her legs and lift the hem to see what treasures lay underneath.

Damn, his cock was
twitching again. Even taking matters into his own hands hadn’t assuaged the
hunger he felt each time he looked at Melissa.

He wanted her. Purely
and simply wanted her. Wanted to taste every inch of her skin, touch every
secret place on her body, and sink deeply between her legs until his hunger for
her went away.

Adjusting his now tight
jeans, he stood and walked into the estrogen throng.

“You ready?” he asked
Melissa.

She glanced up and
smiled, then nodded. “Yes.”

Funny, he hadn’t
elaborated on what he wanted to know she was ready for. And that thought had
him needing to make a quick exit before he embarrassed himself with a huge
hard-on in front of his sisters.

“I’ll talk to you at
work, tomorrow,” Shannon said. Aidan was shocked at the warm smile Shannon
bestowed on Melissa. Usually she was much more reserved with people she didn’t
know.

Kaitlyn, as was typical
for her, had never met anyone she considered a stranger. She threw her arms
around Melissa and told her to stop by the office and see her tomorrow.

Melissa smiled
genuinely at his sisters, and said goodbye. They found his parents snuggled up
together in front of the television.

“Thank you so much for
having me to dinner,” Melissa said.

They stood and hugged
her. “You’re welcome in our home any time,” his mother said. She kissed Aidan
and told him to behave himself.