The Weeknd’s “Blinding Lights” pulsed through the hidden wall speakers, greeting Elijah as he stepped inside of the swanky nightclub, which dared patrons to ‘party like the Gods.’ Packed wall-to-wall with impeccably dressed men and stunning, modelesque-type women in revealing outfits, the atmosphere in Ambrosia was lively and infectious but still felt upscale—despite catering to the twenty-one and older crowd. Elijah waved at a couple physicians he’d met at other conferences as he made his way to the square, marble bar trimmed in twenty-four-karat gold located in the center of the club, and sunk onto one of the empty barstools. He signaled for the bartender and ordered a Coke and rum.
Ice blue lights illuminated sweaty bodies grinding on the dance floor. Along with the DJ booth near the back of the club, Ambrosia’s VIP areas, referred to as Mount Olympus, were perched on elevated platforms above the crowds, accessible only by a hidden staircase. Throne-like couches trimmed in gold, marble tables, columns draped with sheer white curtains, and gold velvet ropes decorated the exclusive area. Floor-to-ceiling windows, along the club’s front wall, gave patrons breathtaking views of the Caribbean Sea.
Ambrosia also featured a covered patio, aptly named Flora’s Garden, with various flowers, trees, and plants that canopied the paths leading to a jade-colored natural hot spring nicknamed Hebe’s Fountain. Ambrosia certainly embraced everything Grecian, and if things went according to plan, Elijah hoped he and Young Gabby would get the opportunity to slip away to the quiet oasis to get to know one another a little better.
After accepting the drink from the bartender, Elijah faced the crowd, hoping to spot Young Gabby. Thankfully, he didn’t have to search long, finding her and her friend seated in one of the club’s VIP sections. Their table was ladened with bottles of Ace of Spades on ice and platters of delicious-looking hor d’oeuvres. The royal family stopped at nothing to ensure their guests’ stay at the resort was memorable.
Young Gabby looked like she stepped off the pages of a haute couture magazine, fresh off a runway, or even set of a video shoot of a hip-hop or R&B artist. Hands down, she was the most gorgeous woman in the establishment, effortlessly commanding the attention of everyone, all who seemed enthralled by every provocative sway of her hips in the form-fitting, off-the-shoulder, silver sequin mini-dress that kissed her firm thighs. She was the definition of both sexy and sophisticated.
She tossed her head back in laughter at something her friend whispered, and Elijah squeezed his eyes shut against the images of her laid out on the satin sheets of his bed with her naked body writhing in pure ecstasy as he peppered kisses from the shell of her ear, over the graceful column of her neck and pulse point, down to the valley between her breasts, and lower. Opening his eyes, Elijah took a much-needed sip of his drink to cool his raging body down.
“Dr. Grayson?” A young woman dressed in a white toga and gold body paint stopped in front of him.
“Yes?”
The woman smiled politely. “Sir, there is a personal VIP section awaiting you. Would you like me to escort you there?”
Jorge mentioned the perks of being a Guest of the Crown, including a VIP booth at Ambrosia. To say it would be easy to get used to this fabulous lifestyle of being an associate of royalty was an understatement. He’d first met the royal family when the royal physician, Dr. Masionet, invited Elijah to Chaud to evaluate King Damarae, who secretly suffered from a heart condition. More than once, Elijah contemplated allowing himself the opportunity to overindulge. But tonight, he wouldn’t. Young Gabby had called him an ‘arrogant asshole,’ and standing in VIP, popping bottles, surrounded by scantily clad women who’d undoubtedly flock over to him, would fall right in line with her thoughts.
“No, thanks.” His eyes traveled back to Young Gabby. “I like the view from here, but there’s something you can do for me.” Plucking a napkin from the holder next to his empty glass, Elijah grabbed the pen left behind by one of the other patrons and scribbled “How about that apology, drink, and maybe a dance right now?” He folded it and handed it back to the woman. “Can you deliver this message to the woman in the silver dress in the VIP area?”
Accepting the napkin, the woman nodded and left. Seconds later, she emerged from behind a thick, black curtain near the table Young Gabby and her friend occupied. Elijah briefly closed his eyes to calm his racing heart and slowly blinked them open.
Did I do the right thing? Should I have gone over there myself, or will Young Gabby see the irony in me sending a note just as she’d done earlier in the day? Elijah shook his head, barely recognizing himself or his thoughts. It was unlike him to question himself and his actions concerning women. And he damn sure didn’t pass messages through a third party. It felt like Elijah reverted back to the awkward, scrawny pre-teen he’d been before puberty decided to show up and show the hell out the summer before he entered high school. But she did this to him, and Elijah was more than ready to find out why.
Confusion marred the soft features of Young Gabby’s face as she accepted the note from the waitress, then watched as the woman quickly left the section. Young Gabby unfolded the napkin, playfully dodging her friend, who desperately tried to peek over her shoulder, both laughing at the other’s antics, then sobering as they both read the message. Her head snapped up, barely missing the chin of her friend, her full lips parted on a gasp. She twisted her body, her eyes scanned the crowd, no doubt searching for the sender of the note. Elijah willed himself not to wave his arms to get her attention. He had to remain calm. Besides, Elijah wasn’t one of these thirsty dudes, practically begging the women in the club for a minute of their time. If Young Gabby wanted him, which he suspected she did, she would come to him.
Finally, after what felt more like an eternity but appeared to be less than a minute, their gazes connected and held. Her dark brown eyes crinkled at the edges as she graced him with an adorably shy, yet downright sexy half-smile. Heat speared through him, causing his body temperature—and a particular lower extremity—to rise. Here he was, damn near forty, sitting in a crowded club with a woody like some raging hormonal teenage boy who’d watched porn for the first time. Elijah bit back a curse when the tip of her tongue slid slowly across her bottom lip. Though he suspected the action to be purely innocent, done out of nervousness, she made it look downright seductive. Downing the contents of his glass, Elijah slipped off his barstool, his earlier thoughts of making her come to him forgotten. It’s now or never.
With his eyes trained on Young Gabby, Elijah walked through the throng of people, dodging sweaty bodies and drinks spilling from intoxicated patrons. She was the epitome of beauty. Ringlets of her thick, natural curls were twisted in an intricate up-do, the tresses held in place by sparkling rhinestone hairpins. Briefly, she turned to speak to her friend, finished her champagne, and disappeared behind the black curtain. She reemerged moments later, a vision of loveliness, standing between two marble columns, a cascading waterfall—an illusion of LED lights—flowing over her.
“Damn,” Elijah breathed.
His eyes traveled the entire length of her body, lingering over her kissable lips covered in red lipstick and parted slightly. The dress clung to her body like a second skin, displaying every single mouth-watering curve Elijah hoped to run his fingers, lips, and tongue along soon. Black stiletto heels with diamond embellishments on the straps wrapped around her slender ankles, emphasizing the sexiest pair of toned legs he’d seen in a while. Watching her glide across the dancefloor, Elijah couldn’t help but puff out his chest with pride. Granted, he didn’t know her at all, but she could spend the night with any man she wanted. Hell, Young Gabby was a GOTC, she could’ve been in the company of one of Chaud’s princes, but instead, she told him to meet her at Ambrosia. Her focus had remained on him since she received the note from the waitress. If winning the lottery felt like this, the first thing Elijah would do when he returned home would be to buy a couple tickets himself.
What intrigued Elijah even more about this woman was she seemed so unaware of her sex appeal and the effects her presence had on the men who were vying for her attention. It made him wonder whether she was nervous or if she’d mastered the art of seduction, and pretending she was the girl next door was part of her ruse. Men gently touched her arms or wrists to get her to give them a couple minutes of her time. Though she walked with her head held high, back ramrod straight, and with fluid, unhurried steps, a cloud of uncertainty swam in the depths of her brown eyes. She pressed a calming hand to her stomach and nibbled on the corner of her lip, confirming his earlier assessment of her nervousness. The move, so innocent, pure, and natural almost stopped him dead in his tracks. Almost. Because nothing would prevent Elijah from getting to know Young Gabby. And despite what he’d allowed himself to believe earlier, there was no way he could walk away from this woman with just her name.
“Hi,” Elijah said, stopping in front of her. “I’m Elijah,” he yelled over the pulsating music. The shy smile on her full lips sucker-punched Elijah in the gut. This was the woman he saw in those few seconds yesterday before he opened his big mouth and pissed her off—cute, nervous, and unsure of what to say and do.
She glanced at him through lowered eyelids. “I’m Melissa.”
Despite hearing her loud and clear, Elijah squinted and pointed a finger to his ear. “What?”
Bracing her hands on his shoulders to steady herself, Melissa rose to stand on her tiptoes, her soft-looking lips mere inches from the shell of his ear. However, despite being enveloped in the warmth radiating from her body and having the sweet, succulent aroma of her perfume waft to his nose, for Elijah, she still wasn’t close enough.
He shook his head and shrugged. “What did you say?”
She opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by a gyrating body bumping into her. Elijah quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, to steady her, bringing her soft, pliant body flush against his. She tensed in his arms. Her whiskey-colored eyes flickered to his and widened into saucers.
Elijah heard the hitch in her breathing and could feel the rapid beating of her heart in her chest. The rhythm matched his own. A current of awareness shot up his spine. His stomach muscles clenched at the potency of his arousal for this woman. The tiny warning voice in the back of his head continued to scream at him to let her go, but the longer Elijah held onto her, the more difficult doing so became since she hadn’t pushed away from him like he assumed she would. Instead, Melissa melted into his embrace.
“Melissa,” she said after several seconds passed, her voice husky and breathless. “M-My name is Melissa Gaines.”
“Melissa Gaines,” Elijah repeated, unable to pull himself to look away from the hypnotic allure of her gaze. Fanned by long, curly lashes that kissed the tops of her cheekbones whenever they fluttered closed, her eyes seemed to darken beneath the dancing strobe lights until they appeared as black as night. “Thanks for the tip you left with the waiter. I’d hoped I would get the chance to see you again. Especially after how we met.”
As if his words broke the spell woven around them, Melissa shook her head. Her eyes snapped from his lips to meet his gaze. She pushed gently on his chest, stepping backward. “Yeah, you were rude.”
Reluctantly, Elijah released his hold on Melissa, thankful for the opportunity he’d gotten to hold her, although briefly. His hands skimmed her waist as he dropped them to his side. She shivered under his touch. “I was,” he agreed. “And I apologize, although being rude or upsetting you hadn’t been my intention.”
Melissa quirked a perfectly arched brow. “Really? So what were you aiming to do besides humiliate and belittle me?”
Humiliate and belittle? Damn … Elijah hadn’t meant to do either of those things, and although there was a teasing glint in her voice, knowing he had didn’t sit well with him. He needed to do more than offer her a simple apology. But what?
He leaned in so she could hear him above the music. “Give me five minutes to explain somewhere where we don’t have to keep yelling.”
Folding her arms over her chest, Melissa seemed to mull over his suggestion. Finally, she dropped them to her sides and released a deep breath. “Fine.” She pushed past Elijah and headed for the exit.
A bustling lobby greeted them once the doors of Ambrosia closed, muffling the sound of Kendrick Lamar. He had one shot at fixing this. One opportunity to show Melissa he wasn’t the man she thought him to be. Elijah quietly followed behind her, admiring the seductive sway of her hips to the beat of her heels clicking against the polished marble floors. Seeing her toned legs at the pool earlier and under the strobe lights had been a treat, but up close, they were like priceless works of art. Elijah wanted to touch first with his hands, then feel them wrapped around his waist.
And that ass… Elijah bit his lower lip to keep from groaning. Damn, she had a nice butt. Round enough for Elijah to imagine palming her twin globes like basketballs. Firm but with enough of a jiggle to imply its softness and to send shivers down his spine at the thought of slapping it while stroking her from behind. He needed to get his mind out of the gutter. Get his body under control and the visualizations of a naked Melissa out of his head.
She stopped near an alcove of potted plants and turned to face him, stabbing a hand on her hip. “Four minutes.”
“First, let me apologize again for upsetting, offending, and embarrassing you, Melissa. I will admit many things contributed to my sour mood in addition to being jet-lagged, but my intentions weren’t to take my frustrations out on you. I wanted to lighten the mood after noticing how nervous you were, but apparently, I need to stick to my day job, and put those dreams of being the next Chris Rock or Bernie Mac to rest.”
Melissa’s quiet laugh floated through the air and to his ears. It washed over Elijah like the mist of a waterfall, covering him in a blanket of warmth. Now that he’d experienced her laughter, even one as small as the giggle she’d given him, Elijah longed to hear it again. The thought rocked him to his core. It meant he wanted to see her again, spend more time with her, engage in conversations where he could joke around here and there.
“Maybe you should. I think the world of cardiothoracic surgery would miss you if you left,” Melissa replied. She pressed her lips together, though the corners twitched, probably to keep from laughing at the stunned expression on his face.
“You know who I am?”
“Yep, and before you ask, I’m a cardiac nurse. I knew who you were after I bumped into you.”
“Guess I didn’t make a good first impression, huh?” Elijah asked with an apologetic smile.
Melissa chuckled. “Nope, not at all.”
“So, I take it you’re here for INAPC?”
“I am.” She nodded. She feigned interest in plucking imaginary lint from her dress. “Oh, I accept your apology and want to apologize for how I reacted.” An apologetic expression settled on her face. “I should’ve given you the chance to explain yourself. I didn’t. I was wrong. It’s just your response reminded me of someone I…” She paused, with a faraway look in her eyes, obviously lost in her thoughts.
Though Elijah wanted her to continue with her explanation, the quivering of her bottom lip, as well as the tears now standing in her brown eyes, told of a painful memory he didn’t think Melissa needed to relive. He cupped her chin, bringing her gaze to his. “You don’t have to explain any further. I accept your apology. Now, I was wondering since we’ve gotten the apologizing out of the way if maybe we could get to know one another.”
“And how do you suggest we do that, Dr. Grayson?”
Elijah shrugged, unable to stop himself from smiling. This could be interesting. “How about I ask you a question about yourself, and if you’d like, you can answer it. Then, if you’re feeling really bold, you can ask me a question, and I’ll answer it for you.”
“You don’t know when to quit, do you?” Though Melissa rolled her eyes, her tone appeared light, amused, and playful.
“Quit what?” Elijah asked, feigning innocent.
“Cracking jokes. Need I remind you what happened the last time you tried to be funny?”
“Nope, not at all. I have yet to recover from the last tongue-lashing you gave me. See,” he lifted the hem of his shirt to display a tiny scar on his abdomen, “you cut me so deep, I have the scars to prove it.”
Her eyes widened, and her mouth fell open, causing Elijah to grin. After a couple seconds, Melissa looked away but peeked back at him as she said, “Dr. Grayson! So since your comedy career tanked, you decided to dabble in being a stripper?” She tsked at him. “If you don’t want to be arrested for indecent exposure, I suggest you get it together. Besides, you will not blame me for something you probably did as a child.”
Elijah lowered his shirt. “You’re right. The last thing I need is to be escorted out of the hotel by security.” He leaned closer. “Especially when I want to keep talking to you.”
Melissa ducked her head, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips. “Oh really? Well, you’re in luck because—”
“Melissa!”
Like a child who’d been caught sneaking candy right before dinner, Elijah leapt back away from Melissa, his hands held in front of him in surrender. He turned around in the direction of the woman’s voice and groaned, lowering his arms. Melissa’s friend rushed through the lobby toward them like a madwoman in insanely high heels. A phone was tucked between her shoulder blade and ear. Beneath one arm, she held a small, silver clutch Elijah was sure belonged to Melissa, while a black and gold, chain link purse hung from the other, and in her hands were two bottles of Ace of Spades. Elijah fought back the laughter bubbling in the base of his throat. Hell, he didn’t blame her for snagging a bottle or two of the expensive champagne. He probably would have done the same.
“Girl, we gotta go. Now,” the woman said, as she made it over to where they stood. Melissa opened her mouth to speak, but before she could utter a word, her friend shoved one of the bottles in Melissa’s hand, gripped her wrist, and pulled her away. “Dr. Heart-Stoppa-Panty-Droppa can flirt his way between your legs later. I got us a room upgrade thanks to my expensive boxer brief wearing, soon-to-be island fling, and I’ll be damned if I move your stuff alone.”
“Sorry,” Melissa said over her shoulder with a shrug, stumbling to keep up with her friend. “Hopefully, we’ll see each other again.”
“I’m looking forward to it,” Elijah yelled back, helplessly watching as Melissa’s retreating form disappeared from his view. There was no mistaking the undeniable chemistry sizzling between them. If they hadn’t been interrupted, they could’ve continued exploring the attraction over a drink, a walk on the beach, or even standing right there in an alcove of the lobby. He’d seen the interest in Melissa’s eyes tonight, but something held her back from making her desires known, and for the life of him, Elijah wanted to know exactly what it was.
“Good morning, Ms. Gaines,” a woman wearing a light blue, floral print dress said as she stopped next to Melissa’s table at Soleil the next morning. “My name is Mia, and I’ll be your server.” She removed several carafes of juice, a bottle of champagne on ice, and a basket of pastries from a silver rolling cart and placed them on the table.
Glancing at the woman with confusion knitting her brows together, Melissa asked, “How do you know my name?”
“The entire staff has been made aware of who you and Ms. Daniels are.”
“Right, because we’re GOTC, correct?”
The woman gave Melissa a hesitant look before nodding.
Melissa had no idea what the phrase meant but speculated its usage was reserved for VIP guests. She made a mental note to ask Jayla more about the mysterious Jae. The man had a lot of pull at the resort. First, he’d gotten them a VIP table at Ambrosia, then their Standard Double room was upgraded to the sprawling, six-thousand-plus-square-foot, two-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom Royale Suite. Whatever his ties were to the family who owned the hotel, Melissa was grateful yet wary.
“Do you need any time to peruse the menu?”
“No, I’d like to order the Lobster Eggs Benedict with a croissant instead of the English muffin, and substitute roasted tomatoes for the asparagus tips.”
“Would you like anything else?”
“Not right now. But can I keep this?” Melissa held up the menu.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Once the server disappeared, Melissa allowed her mind to travel back to her encounters with Dr. Elijah Grayson. When she saw him by the pool, Melissa couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. She hadn’t been the only one unable to stop looking at him. Elijah commanded the attention of women everywhere, no matter the setting. If Melissa didn’t accepted Jayla’s ridiculous challenge, she would’ve gone back to her room, pushing all thoughts of speaking to him out of her mind.
But she did accept.
Everything Melissa did, from the note she sent, to instructing the waiter to tell Elijah where to find her, a move Jayla said was the equivalent of screaming her interest in him from the peak of the Matterhorn—the highest mountain range in Chaud—were steps she’d taken to live a little, definite risks since she’d never asked a guy out, especially not a guy of Dr. Elijah Grayson’s caliber.
He had unmatchable swag. The man was a walking, talking, breathing wet dream. Hell, if you looked wet dream up in the dictionary, below the definition—where the examples were located—should be a headshot of him in his white coat, no shirt, and a sexy smirk. He embodied sex appeal, style, and a level of confidence that both rubbed her the wrong and right ways, especially when he mentioned their incident in the lobby.
The reminder doused her overheated body until only an icy chill ran through her veins. The thick flames of humiliation had engulfed her during the brief moment of silence after she asked Elijah if he meant to embarrass her. She overreacted…yet again, almost making a fool of herself. But for reasons unknown to Melissa, she couldn’t form coherent thoughts around Dr. Elijah Grayson. She couldn’t stop her body from flaring to life in his presence or control the insatiable throbbing between her thighs whenever his face—with his gorgeous smile—popped in her head. Sparks of awareness still danced across her skin from the heat radiating from his chiseled frame, although Elijah no longer touched her.
Releasing a low groan, Melissa covered her face with her hands. She’d spent the night tossing and turning before giving up on getting a good night’s sleep, thanks to Dr. Elijah Grayson. Jayla’s suggestion of indulging in an island fling with the sexy surgeon crossed Melissa’s mind more than a few times since they had the conversation. And seeing him at Ambrosia only ramped up the lustful musings to get an up-close and personal, hands-on, intimate tour of his body. She’d gone way too long without sex. Hadn’t even missed the act … until now. Until him. But Melissa knew better than to allow herself to get caught up in a fantasy with Elijah starring as the leading man. This was real life. Not a romance novel.
The smart, sensible thing to do was put the dizzying thoughts surrounding Dr. Elijah Grayson and hooking up with him out of her head. Melissa could still take risks, improve her life, and break out of the box that held her hostage for so long without sleeping with a man who unraveled her sanity with a smile. Doing so would be too much of a risk, one Melissa refused to take.
Today, Melissa planned to explore Chaud alone since Jayla was busy with her new acquaintance. She’d done extensive research and compiled a list of places she wanted to visit. Sitting in her room was not an option. Her mind drifted back to thoughts of Elijah. If she didn’t love her best friend, Melissa would’ve kicked Jayla’s ass on sight after she pulled her away from Elijah. Granted, Jayla’s reason was legit, but Melissa didn’t even get the chance to set plans in stone to see Elijah again. As soon as Jayla got to the suite, she discarded her belongings and left less than five minutes later to meet Jae. Trifling heffa. Melissa shouldn’t have been too upset at her friend though, since she could have very well gone back to Ambrosia to see if Elijah stayed around. But something, namely fear, stopped her.
Inhaling deeply, Melissa filled her lungs with the aroma she’d tried desperately to scrub from her skin. Elijah’s mouthwatering, masculine smell still permeated her nostrils and the air. Were her thoughts so powerful she’d somehow conjured him—or rather his distinctive cologne—up? Melissa shook her head, laughing. “You’re losing it, Melissa.”
“For talking to yourself?” a man asked with an amused tone from above her.
Melissa snapped her head up. A soft gasp tumbled from her lips at the sight before her. Elijah’s eyes were trained on her with laser-focused intensity and crinkled in their corners as his lips stretched into a broad smile, giving his twin dimples the appearance of winking at her. Melissa fought the urge to squirm under his stare. She was confident he could see straight through her, to the depths of her soul, and knew every single thought she’d ever had about him. It made her feel naked. Exposed. Unnerved, yet it excited her. It drew Melissa in like a moth to a flame, a bee to a flower, gentrification to an Urban neighborhood. Today, he’d dressed in a bubblegum pink, V-neck shirt, tan board shorts, and a pair of tan and white boat shoes. Comfortable, stylish, and sexy as sin. It should be illegal in all fifty states to be this fine.
Sliding into the chair across from her without waiting for an invitation, he continued, “I don’t think you are. Truth be told, the best conversation you can ever have is with the most intelligent person in any room. Oftentimes, it’s me. I’m the smartest, most intelligently handsome guy in any given room.”
To keep from laughing, Melissa pressed her lips together and playfully rolled her eyes. She failed miserably as laughter bubbled from her throat. “What happened to giving up your comedic dreams to focus on your career? I thought we established last night it would be for the best.”
“You’re right, we did, along with the unknown dreams I had of being a stripper.” He gave a nonchalant shrug. “But I’ve had a change of heart. I would’ve handed over my microphone if you didn’t laugh at my joke a second ago. Maybe there’s hope for this comedy thing after all.”
“Perhaps. The jury’s still out for deliberation, though.”
They laughed together. Once sobered, Elijah said, “I hope you don’t mind the company. I planned to order and take my food back to my room until I noticed you dining alone. Figured I would join you before one of the other patrons who’ve been staring at you tried.”
Tilting her head to the side, Melissa lifted a brow. “So, you thought I needed saving?”
He flashed her a dimpled smile. “Not at all. Remember, I know firsthand you’re more than capable of handling things yourself. My head is still spinning from the other day.”
“You’re never going to let me live that down, are you?”
“Hmm … maybe, but it depends.”
“On what?”
“On you. Are you going to spend the rest of our time here together reminding me how we agreed I should focus on my career as a surgeon when I crack a joke that doesn’t land?”
Our time? Together? The butterflies she’d tried desperately to keep at bay began dancing in her stomach again. Sure, last night Melissa had hoped she would see Elijah again, she even told him so, but what she hadn’t anticipated was Elijah wanting to spend time with her.
As if he could read her mind, Elijah smiled. “We didn’t get to make plans last night. You ran off like Cinderella at the stroke of midnight. Didn’t have the decency to leave a last name, a shoe, or a room number.”
Melissa chuckled. “Sorry about that.”
Elijah waved a hand. “No worries, I’m glad fate brought us together again.”
Before Melissa could respond, the waitress returned, accompanied by two uniformed men, with a silver rolling cart laden with covered plates. Several dishes were placed in front of them, and with flourish, the tops were taken off. “For you, Ms. Gaines, the Lobster Eggs Benedict, and for you, Dr. Grayson, the Stuffed Brioche French Toast. Enjoy.”
After they blessed their meals, Melissa forked up a piece of lobster and moaned low in her throat. Her eyes fluttered closed as she wiggled happily in her seat, enjoying the explosion of flavors over her taste buds. She opened her eyes and met Elijah’s penetrating stare.
“What?” Melissa diverted her attention back to her plate, tapped her foot beneath the table, and tried not to fidget.
“I’m wondering if it’s too late to change my order. Don’t get me wrong, this French toast is the best I’ve ever had, but your reaction to your food has me a bit jealous.”
“I can’t help it. This lobster is exceptional.” Cutting into her food, she forked up a large piece and offered it to Elijah. “Try some.”
Elijah raised an eyebrow, and an amused grin spread over his handsome face. His gaze lingered on her outstretched hand, then traveled to hers. At that moment, Melissa knew she was in trouble. It was too late to contemplate the ramifications of an act as intimate as feeding Elijah. Even if she hadn’t been rooted in her chair by the intensity in his dark brown eyes, Melissa had already offered him her food. What was supposed to do now? Snatch her fork back? Tell him to use his own utensils? She didn’t want to further embarrass herself in front of this man as she’d done each of the previous times they met. Before she could decide, Elijah took hold of her wrist, his eyes never leaving hers, and brought the fork to his mouth. A low groan slipped from his lips. The sensual sound flowed through her veins like molten lava, burning everything in its path to a crisp. He chewed slowly, drawing Melissa’s attention to his full mouth, and swallowed.
“You’re right. The lobster is fantastic. It’s tender, slightly sweet with the right amount of herbs added, but it didn’t make me dance. However,” Elijah paused, bringing his attention to her slightly parted lips, “I know what can.”
“Wh-What … what do you have a taste for?” Melissa snatched up the menu from the table and flipped it open. The last time she was this nervous about a guy and reduced to stuttering, was back in middle school when she admitted her feelings to her crush, a ninth grader.
“Something undoubtedly sweet, but with a kick to it. Rich. Decadent. Chocolatey. Something that’ll melt in my mouth the moment my tongue touches it.”
Her eyebrows drew together in confusion as she read the menu. “There aren’t any chocolate options for brunch, but lunch is starting soon. I’m sure we can find you something on the dessert menu.” When Elijah didn’t respond right away, Melissa glanced from the menu. “Elijah? Would you like me to call the waitress over?”
“No, because what I want right now can’t be found on any menu.”
“Oh.” She closed the menu, placed it back on the table, and focused her attention on her food, but her mind raced. What did he have a taste for? Her? Was he flirting? Had she imagined the suggestiveness of his words or the way his voice dipped into a husky whisper, an octave lower than his normal range? Melissa couldn’t believe for a second Elijah made a sexual innuendo toward her, especially one so bold. Men and relationships were a foreign subject to her. She could count on one hand the number of guys she’d dated and the sexual partners she’d had in her life. The amount would fail in comparison to the man sitting across from her. The knowledge put Melissa out of the realm of experience and so far out of her comfort zone, they weren’t even on the same island. Being around Elijah, experiencing his closeness, his warmth, and inhaling his enticing scent screwed with her sensibility and short-circuited her brain.
But the pure, unadulterated lust in his eyes spoke volumes. It didn’t lie.
Elijah definitely wasn’t craving food.
His dark, hooded eyes held Melissa’s with such intensity it unnerved her, before his gaze lowered and lingered on her mouth. Elijah drew the tip of his tongue over his bottom lip, and for some reason Melissa couldn’t explain, she mimicked the action, suddenly feeling self-conscious. Mia appeared at the table to check on them and refill their drinks, breaking the sensual spell. She forced her attention back to her food.
“So, Melissa, tell me a little about yourself,” Elijah asked after a few minutes of companionable silence.
Melissa took a sip of her water, debating whether or not to open the bottle of champagne still on ice. If she planned to get through this meal unscathed, adding alcohol to the mixture wouldn’t be a good idea. “What would you like to know? I should probably warn you, I’m not really interesting.”
“I find that hard to believe.”
“And why is that?”
His smile widened. “Because I’ve been unable to stop thinking about you. As a matter of fact, I knew the chances of us seeing one another again were slim to none, but that didn’t stop me from looking for you each time I left my room.”
Melissa glanced away to hide the smile on her lips at Elijah’s bold comment, and to stop herself from admitting she’d searched for him as well.
“When I noticed you by the pool yesterday, I took it as a sign. I started to come over to introduce myself and apologize for the incident in the lobby, but got pulled into a conversation.”
“With the COPAN board?”
Elijah nodded. “While a part of me feels indebted to them for choosing me to speak at this year’s conference, the entire time I thought about excuses I could use to leave them and come over to you.”
“Wow.” She shifted in her seat and folded her hands on the table to keep from fidgeting with the tablecloth. “Do you always say exactly what comes to your mind without regard to how it’ll be received?”
“I try to be as blunt and transparent as possible,” he said around a mouthful of food. “I was raised in a household where my parents encouraged open dialogue, something my mother didn’t have while growing up. I guess it stuck with me. It’s easier to be upfront and honest with someone compared to hiding feelings, which can often lead to things being misconstrued.”
“Yes, it does. I know from experience.” Melissa sighed. In the days following her break-up, Melissa wished her ex had come clean about his feelings, or lack thereof. If she’d known he wasn’t happy, Melissa would’ve gladly left him. Instead, he had an affair with someone Melissa once admired, embarrassed her in front of their colleagues, and disregarded her heart and the time she invested in their relationship, both personal and professional.
“Does it make you nervous when I tell you how I feel?” Elijah asked, breaking through the heavy quiet that descended on the table.
What kind of loaded question is that? Of course, it does, and so do you. However, Melissa knew better than to admit her thoughts to Elijah. So he’d changed her first impression of him. Maybe he wasn’t an arrogant asshole who thought he was God’s gift to women, but make no mistake about it, she still thought he had a big ego, and Melissa didn’t want to inflate it anymore. “Ummn … no. Why?”
“Because,” he said as he pushed his plate aside and leaned forward in his seat, “I don’t want to do or say anything that’ll make you uncomfortable, but the truth is I’m attracted to you, Melissa.”
Her breath hitched in her throat at his admission. You’d think Melissa could handle this level of straightforwardness since her best friend was also a straight shooter, but hearing Elijah admit his attraction to her did all sorts of wanton things to her body. The combination of his words, his velvety-smooth voice lowering to a seductive bass, and the darkening of his eyes threatened to engulf her where she sat. “Wh-Why?”
“Why?” Elijah laughed out loud as if she’d told the funniest joke known to mankind, but sobered at the unamused expression on her face. “Wait, you’re serious?”
Melissa folded her arms over her chest and pursed her lips together, awaiting Elijah’s response.
“I think you’re beautiful, feisty, and a bit of enigma. I’d like to figure out more during the rest of the week.” He dropped his gaze to the top of her breasts visible above the white tank top, then back up to her eyes. Had Melissa not noticed the hunger in his eyes or felt the tightening of her nipples beneath the weight of his stare, she would’ve sworn she imagined it.
“Look,” he scrubbed a hand down his face, “I don’t know what it is about you, but for the past three days and two nights, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you. At first, my main goal was to apologize to you, but once I did, I realized it wouldn’t be enough. I want to learn what makes you tick. Where your accent comes from. How you’re shy one minute, then a Fourth of July fireworks show the next. I know you and your best friend are here for the conference, and I don’t want to interrupt your girls’ trip, but I do want to continue seeing you, Melissa. What do you say?” He stood from his seat and offered her his hand.
On one hand, Melissa didn’t trust herself to spend time with Elijah. He’d already gotten under her skin and made her body tremble with a need that stole her breath. It wouldn’t take much to give in to temptation. The right words, a prolonged gaze, lingering touch, and that sexy smirk Melissa couldn’t resist, and she’d find herself in a compromising position. On the other hand, Melissa couldn’t forget how during the wee hours of the morning, she’d scrutinized past conversations, interactions, and decisions she’d made in her life and was left with a bitter taste from the memories. Years of dodging confrontations, shying away from the spotlight, not wanting to upset the balance of her world, and hiding in the shadows had done nothing but hinder Melissa’s social development, making it hard for her to know how to act and react in certain situations. At the time, she believed she was protecting herself. From what, Melissa had no idea. But now she saw it for what it was; a waste of years she could never get back.
Maybe an abbreviated Freedom Tour was what she needed. Besides, if Melissa had to choose between exploring Chaud alone while Jayla was preoccupied with her island boo or having Elijah as her tour guide, her choice was simple. She’d go with the latter every time. Placing her smaller hand in his, Melissa stood from her chair and smiled. “Okay. Lead the way.”