Authors: Ava Walsh
Melissa grabbed her jacket from the back of her chair and slung it over her arm. She grabbed her purse and her cell phone and headed off to the meeting.
***
Melissa pulled up to the restaurant and looked at her watch. She was fifteen minutes early.
Might as well go get a table.
She grabbed her things and went inside. The restaurant wasn’t as busy as she thought it was going to be so she picked a table by the window. The view from this side of the restaurant was very beautiful. She was a sucker for beautiful scenery. She was so busy staring out the window that she hadn’t realized that her company had arrived.
“The view is much prettier at sunset.” A man’s voice startled her gaze away from the window. When she looked up her heart came to an abrupt halt. She rose and shook his hand, purely out of professional habit.
“Clayton?” His name caught in her throat.
“What are you doing here?” She managed to get the words out, though her throat felt like it was cutting off her air supply.
“Same thing you are,” he smiled playfully. Melissa’s entire body felt like it was on fire. She knew if she was going to have any chance of successfully meeting with Mrs. Anderson’s nephew, she was going to have to get rid of him.
“Well, I would love to chat some more but I’m actually meeting a client,” she had tried to sound casual but her body was shaking. Even though she felt like hiding under the table just to get away from him, she stood tall, chin up and shoulders back.
“Actually, I am your client.” He moved beside her and pulled out her chair for her to sit. He let out a soft chuckle when he saw the look of surprise on Melissa’s face as she took her seat at the table.
“Bonnie Anderson is your Aunt?” She pulled out the menus from her briefcase and splayed them neatly in front of her on the table.
“I’ve never seen you at any of their events and I plan a majority of them. I even planned their family reunion a few years back. You weren’t there either.” She watched as her inquisition of disbelief erased his roguish smile.
“I just recently reunited with them. It’s a long story and it’s one that I don’t care to share with you.”
Melissa was slightly taken aback by the tone in his voice. His words vibrated with anger but she could see sadness threatening to crack his carefully placed mask. He let out a sharp breath and just like that his composure had returned.
“May I take a look at the menus?”
“Yes, of course.” Melissa gave her head a shake and passed the menus across the table. He quickly scanned over the menus. She watched him as his eyes darted back and forth over the paper. She couldn’t understand how he could just flip his emotions on and off like that.
Typical guy.
“They look perfect. My Aunt will be very happy with this.” He handed the menus back to Melissa. His expression was cold.
“Okay, good then. I’m sure the staff will appreciate that.” Melissa tucked the menus back into her briefcase. She was just about to ask if they should order lunch since they were already there when he rose from his chair and held out his hand.
“Thank you for meeting with me. I have things to do so I’ll be taking off.” Melissa slowly rose from her chair and shook his hand. The heat from his touch pulsated through her entire body. She swallowed nervously and withdrew her hand from his. Without waiting for her to say goodbye, he was gone.
Well. That went well.
Melissa sat down in the chair.
Should make for an interesting date Friday. Hopefully, I won’t run into him tonight. I’ll just have to keep myself busy.
Melissa let out a long sigh and pulled out the dinner menu.
Clayton stood on his Aunt’s veranda, looking out at all the familiar faces at the party. He shouldn’t have reacted that way to Melissa’s question about why she hadn’t seen him around the Anderson family functions before. It just slipped out. Like he had told her, it was a long story. A story that he had never told anyone. No one outside this family knew what had happened that night and he was perfectly content keeping it that way. He couldn’t for the life of him figure out why they had welcomed him back with open arms. After what his father had done.
Clayton shook his head and looked around once more. He couldn’t help but think that Melissa was trying to avoid him. He had been here for nearly two hours and he still hadn’t seen her. It was only after one of his cousins nudged him that he realized the others in the small group were addressing him. He scanned the crowd once more and something caught his eye. It was her. Without answering his cousin’s question, he dismissed himself and started walking in her direction.
He was halfway through the crowd when he stopped.
What could I possibly say to smooth this over? She is probably offended at how I snapped at her.
He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes. He wasn’t really sure why he felt the need to explain himself to her anyway. He never explained himself to anyone. He was more the take it or leave it kind of guy. He very rarely apologized for his actions and, if he did, it was rare that he meant it.
He successfully talked himself out of going to talk to Melissa. Instead, he headed straight for the bar.
“What can I get you?” The woman behind the bar shot him a stiff smile. He remembered her from the other night. She was standing with Melissa.
“You’re Melissa’s friend, right?” He placed a hand on the bar.
“I’ll take a glass of red wine.” He could see by her body language that she was indeed Melissa’s friend and that Melissa had probably told her all about their less than civil encounter earlier that day.
“Why yes, I am. Best friend actually,” her smile was loaded with hatred.
“Here’s your wine, sir.” She handed off the wine glass and turned her back to him. It was very obvious that she wasn’t too fond of his behavior either. He needed to fix this. Otherwise, he wasn’t going to be going on a date with the little Irish beauty. He turned his back to the bar and leaned against it, scanning the crowd once more. She was standing next to his Aunt. He downed his wine to the very last drop and set the empty glass down on the bar before making his way in their direction.
He painted on his most charming smile as he grew closer to Melissa and his Aunt. He could see Melissa’s entire body stiffen as he stood next to her. He looked down at her. She wouldn’t even look at him. His Aunt was busy talking to her husband. Now was his chance.
“Can I talk to you?” He continued to stare at the profile of her face. A small tendril of copper hair swayed in the gentle breeze. He felt his heart kick up a few beats.
“Is that not what you are doing now?” Her voice was cold and hostile, and yet it still made him ache for her in the worst way.
“I need to talk to you in private,” he bent low and whispered in her ear. Usually, that trick makes the women melt like butter but she seemed to be totally immune to his charm. He had never had a woman so unaffected by him. He gently wrapped his arm around her waist and led her toward the house. To his surprise, she followed.
Once they were inside the house, he took her upstairs to the guest bathroom. It wasn’t until he had locked the two of them inside that he had realized his mistake. He turned to talk to her and she was glaring at him. There was a fire in her eyes that made him wilt under her stare. For once in his life, he was nervous around a woman.
What is it about this girl that gets me so wound up?
He straightened his spine and took a few cautious steps toward her. She stood there, like a marble statue.
“I feel like I should apologize for the way I acted at the restaurant today.” He tried his best to hold her gaze, but he found his eyes roaming over her body and finally resting on her soft pink lips. The heat burning deep in his stomach was almost crippling.
“Is that right?” Melissa placed her hands firmly on her hips and stared at him in utter defiance. She stood there in silence, waiting expectantly. “I’m waiting.”
He could detect a hint of an Irish accent in her low growl, making his heart somersault in his chest. His breath caught in his throat when he opened his mouth to speak. He closed his eyes and turned away from her. It was the only way he was going to be able to speak to her. She rendered him speechless just by being in the same room as him.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. It’s just a touchy subject for me. I haven’t told anyone about it. I wasn’t just being an ass.” Once he had the words out, he was able to look at her. She had one eyebrow raised as if she didn’t believe a single word he had said.
“Thank you for apologizing. I just don’t see why you would think I would care.” She crossed her arms over her chest and tilted her head to one side. All he could do was stare. Normally a response like that would have angered him, but hearing it from her somehow made his heart sink.
“Even so, I am sorry.” He gradually closed the gap between them, placing his hand under her chin and lifting her gaze upward. He searched her eyes, looking for any sign that she was hurting too. He found nothing. He gently traced her bottom lip with his thumb, then backed away.
“I’ll see you Friday.” He lowered his lips to hers, but she turned at the last moment so his lips lightly grazed her cheek.
He pulled away from her and her face was hard as a stone. If she felt anything at all for him, she was damn good at hiding it. He briefly wondered if he was wasting his time, but as he walked away, leaving her in the bathroom, he knew that she would be totally worth it.
***
The party had ended a few hours ago and Clayton had finally arrived at his home overlooking the dense forest. He stood on his bedroom balcony, leaning against the rail, taking deep cleansing breaths. He was at a total loss. He wasn’t used to the cyclone of feelings plaguing his mind. Every thought he had since meeting Melissa Cleary had somehow always led back to her. He wasn’t sure if it was merely the hunt that kept him chasing her or if it was something different. Something deeper. He couldn’t remember a single time he had actually planned a date with a woman but, with Melissa, he was actually looking forward to it.
Clayton sprawled out on his bed and turned out his bedside lamp. He closed his eyes and found her face staring back at him. He couldn’t help but wonder if maybe the reason that she wasn’t affected by him was because, around her, he wasn’t his usual commanding self. Every time he was around her his brain would scramble and his resolve would shatter. He had never had that happen to him before, it was very unsettling. Soon his eyes closed and his mind finally let him have some peace.
Melissa stood in the middle of her kitchen and stared anxiously at the clock on the wall above the table. It was twenty to seven, which meant that Clayton had five minutes to pick her up before she took off in her own vehicle and met him at The Golf for their date. A small nagging voice in the back of her mind was telling her that he probably wasn’t even going to show.
“I can’t believe you are still going on this date,” Taesha popped her head around the corner and leaned against the counter beside Melissa.
“After the way he treated you.”
“He apologized,” Melissa said curtly. She was fully aware that she sounded bitchy.
“Do you think I was too cold?” Melissa turned to Taesha with a worried look on her face.
“What do you mean?” Taesha tilted her head to the side. Melissa sighed and looked back up at the clock.
“He just turns my insides into mush whenever I’m around him. So being that I know the effect he has on me, I may have been a little too harsh and overcompensated slightly. Maybe he thinks that I didn’t want to go on this date after all.” She looked down at the floor.
“What do I do if he doesn’t show up? Do I still go to the restaurant?” She started looking through her purse for her keys. He had two minutes.
“I would,” Taesha shrugged and opened the fridge, pulling out a jug of apple juice.
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Mel. I mean,after all, I’m the reason you are even going on this date. You didn’t want to go out with him, so it shouldn’t be much of a loss.”
She knew Taesha was right but she was invested in this date. She had let him get into her head and the worst part was she liked it. There was something about him that made her want to get to know him. She wanted to spend time with him. She looked up at the clock one last time and let out an annoyed sigh as she headed for the door.
“Thanks for helping me get ready, Taesha. I’ll catch you later.” Melissa's stomach felt like it was dragging on the floor. If Taesha hadn’t spent two hours doing her makeup, she probably would have broken into tears. Just as her hand met the doorknob, there was a knock at the door. Melissa’s hand flew to her chest. She cursed under her breath as she yanked open the door.
Melissa’s butterflies were picking her stomach up off the floor. She hated the effect he had on her. She hated it, but she loved it.
“You’re late.” She gave Taesha a wave and walked past him, closing the door behind them.
“I’m surprised you waited.” He placed his hand on the small of her back as they walked toward his car.
“You look gorgeous by the way. I like that color on you. It brings out the green in your eyes.”
“I’m surprised a guy like you paid attention to anything above my chest,” a smile tickled at the corners of her mouth. Clayton let out a soft snicker as he opened the passenger door. Melissa climbed into the car without offering him so much as a glance.
Truth be told, she was worried about the dress. She had ordered it online and wasn’t sure about what size she was going to need, so she ordered a size 16. This was the first time she had tried it on and she was a little uncomfortable with how tight it was. She quickly pulled out her pocket mirror from her purse and checked her makeup. She didn’t bother rushing to put it away when Clayton slid into the car next to her. She was very much aware that he was staring at her as she reapplied her lip gloss. She put her mirror and lip gloss back in her purse. She flicked her hair over her shoulder before clicking on her seatbelt. She felt an overwhelming triumph when she heard his breath hitch.
Clayton let his eyes linger on her a little longer before putting the car into first gear and pulling away from the house. Melissa watched the lights float by as they drove toward the center of the city. The car rode like a dream. It was like floating on a cloud. As she let her mind wander outside the car, she was drawn back in by a familiar song playing over the speakers.
“Is that Metallica?” She jerked her head toward him once she realized what she was listening to. The relaxed smile on his face made her heart melt. He was so handsome it was unfair.
“You a fan?” The smile on his face grew brighter, sending her pulse into overdrive.
“I think that would be putting it mildly. I would sell my soul to the devil for tickets to a Metallica concert.” She couldn’t help but smile as he laughed at her enthusiasm.
“Well, I’ll have to remember that.” He gave her an impish grin as he cranked the volume and they proceeded to have a sing off to EnterSandman. Once the song was over and their laughing fit had turned into an abundance of sighs, Melissa realized that they weren’t heading toward The Golf.
“Where are we going?” To her surprise, she wasn’t panicking. She just found that she was curious.
“It’s a surprise.” His lightheartedness was contagious and she couldn’t help but feel excited for what was to come. She couldn’t help but smile as she looked out the window and watched as the city lights started to fade.
A little while later Clayton pulled the car over to the side of the road and cut the engine. He looked over at Melissa and laughed a hearty laugh at the confusion on her face. He got out of the car and walked over to her side of the vehicle and opened the door, offering her his hand. He helped her out of the car and continued to keep her hand in his as they walked toward the edge of the forest.
“You’re not bringing me out here to murder me are you?” She raised an eyebrow and then focused her attention back on the ground. If she would have known they’d be trekking through the forest she wouldn’t have worn her Prada shoes.
“No, I’m not. Sometimes I just get sick of the city. There is too much going on all the time. I come out here to relax and find my center.” He looked down at her and immediately stopped. He dropped her hand and quickly removed his jacket.
“You’re shivering,” Clayton remarked as she draped the jacket over her shoulders and she threw him her cutest smile.
“Well, I wasn’t expecting to be outside.” She pulled the jacket tightly around herself, taking in the smell. The jacket smelled like the forest but richer, more potent somehow. He slipped his arm around her waist and chuckled apologetically. She could tell he was more at home out here in the woods. He seemed so much more calm and relaxed.
“Okay, we are here.” Melissa took a few steps ahead of him and looked around. He had led them into a large clearing. It was quiet and peaceful. Something she wasn’t used to coming from the city.
“I love coming out here to see the stars. You can’t see them from the city, there are too many lights,” Clayton stared up into the sky. Melissa moved closer to him and stared up into the sky. It really was beautiful.
“This is amazing. I’ve never actually paid any attention to the stars. Then again, like you said, you can’t see them from the city and I’ve never been outside the city.” She could feel Clayton’s eyes burrowing into the side of her face. She looked up at him to discover a sad look in his eyes.
“You’ve never been away from the city?” He almost looked concerned.
“How is that even possible?” He turned his body toward her. She never realized how tall and broad shouldered he was. He really was magnificent. With this realization came the sinking feeling that he couldn’t possibly want her. He had to be after something, there was no way a Greek God like him could possibly fall for her. She lowered her head and closed her eyes. She realized that she was moping and tried to put her mask of confidence back on but it was too late.
“Is something wrong?” Clayton cupped her chin in his large hand and lifted her chin.
“Did I do something?” He stared deep into her eyes like he was searching for the answer.
“No, you didn’t do anything wrong. Everything is perfect. This place is beautiful. I couldn’t have imagined a more perfect date,” she smiled at him and his jaw dropped slightly. He snapped it shut abruptly and before she knew what was happening he closed the gap between them and in a fraction of a second his lips were on hers. He wrapped his arms low around her back, lifting her to him to deepen the kiss.
She could feel something ignite deep in her stomach as his tongue traced her bottom lip, begging to let him in. She parted her lips, meeting his tongue with hers. The moment their tongues touched he let out a low animalistic growl and backed away. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, feeling empty and cold without his arms around her. His eyes were pinched shut as if he was in pain.
“Are you alright?” Melissa took a step toward him but he held out his hand and took a step back.
“I’m fine,” he mumbled and opened his eyes, biting his bottom lip.
“We should get going. It’s starting to get pretty chilly out here.” He took her hand and started leading her back toward the car.
Melissa couldn’t stop staring at him as they walked back through the forest. She wasn’t paying attention to where she was walking because she was busy studying the expression on his face, but after stumbling over a few too many tree roots she gave up. She was pretty sure that no matter how long she examined the side of his face she would never be able to figure out what just happened.
“Are you sure everything is okay?” Melissa kept her eyes on the ground but she could feel his frustration bouncing from his body to hers like an electric current. His hand was radiating so much heat it was causing her hand to sweat.
“I said everything is fine. Just drop it already.” He lengthened his stride and Melissa struggled to keep up and kept tripping over her feet. Finally, she had had enough.
“Okay, I don’t know what the hell happened back there but I think I deserve to be treated a little bit better than this.” She stopped in the middle of the trail and crossed her arms insolently across her chest. Clayton swung around, his eyes now ablaze with anger.
“Either you keep walking or I’m leaving without you and you can find your own way back to town.” He stared at her, his hands clenched tightly at his sides. Melissa stood there in shock, her hands dropping to her sides.
There is no way he would leave me out here in the woods alone.
She decided to call his bluff.
“Well, if you’re so repulsed by me then go ahead. Take off. See if I care.” She pressed her lips together in a thin lined and stared at him, daring him to leave her behind.
“Fine,” Clayton hissed through his clenched jaw and turned to leave. Melissa was convinced that he was still bluffing. That was until she heard the engine of his car fire up and his tires squeal as he raced off on the highway.
Melissa stood there on the trail, still wrapped in his jacket. She looked around her. There was nothing but trees, even all the creatures were silent. She gulped down her fear and reached for her phone, dialing Taesha’s number. As the phone rang she could feel tears prickling the back of her eyes. She had vowed that she would never again cry for a man but this man took the cake. Melissa found herself sobbing before Taesha had even answered her phone. She was alone, in the woods and Clayton was the one that had left her there. She could almost feel her heart tear in two.