| |
––––––––
Melissa took a sip of her margarita, glancing around the table at her best friends. Music played over the speakers at the Mexican restaurant, bottles clinked behind the bar as drinks were prepared, and conversations carried on around them.
A waitress rushed by with a tray of steaming hot food, and her mouth began to water. How long had it been since she’d eaten? She’d gone out to the lake with Tyler and then been so worked up, she flushed and confused about everything, she’d skipped over a late lunch.
But now?
Surrounded by her best friends with a drink in her hand, she finally had her appetite back.
Beth dunked a chip in the salsa, popping it in her mouth. “All right, so what’s the emergency? Did you run into Michael again or something?”
Melissa wrinkled her nose, frowning. “Thank God, no. And if I did, you’d probably be bailing me out of jail or something, not meeting me for Mexican.”
“Wait, you ran into Michael? When?” Amy asked, her brown ponytail swinging back and forth as she glanced over at Melissa.
Melissa sighed. Her friends were focusing on the completely wrong thing. Not surprising, actually, since she’d gone on and on about breaking up with Michael forever. But now she had a new problem to worry about. A bigger concern than her ex.
And wasn’t that a shock to her system.
“I saw him Saturday night after we met for drinks,” she explained. “Tyler was walking me out to my car and there he was.”
“Wait, who’s Tyler?” Kara asked, glancing down distractedly at her phone. “Ugh, sorry. One of the twins is fussy. I might have to go call my husband.”
Amy shot her a sympathetic look.
“Tyler is friends with Jason,” Melissa said. “I was supposed to be meeting them for a drink, but then he decided to grace us with his presence.”
“Another Marine?” Beth interrupted. “Did I know that detail?”
Melissa blew out an exasperated sigh, taking another sip of her margarita. “How should I know? I can barely keep track of my own life, let alone yours.”
Beth laughed, taking a sip of her beer.
“All right ladies,” their waitress said, setting the steaming hot tray of food down. “Here’s your order. Sorry it’s been so crazy tonight. Just one of those days.” She served the women their entrees and then rushed off with the empty tray.
Melissa watched the steam rise from her cheese burrito, glancing back up at her friends. “Tyler is my newest client. Yes, he’s friends with Jason. Yes, he’s a Marine. Yes, he helped me scare off Michael. But the actual point of tonight is that I went to the lake with him this afternoon.”
“Wait, what?” Amy asked, pausing mid-bite of her taco to look over at her. “What lake? When?”
“Tyler came by my office to sign some paperwork. He talked me into going to this lake with him—it’s kind of a long story. But, one thing led to another and—”
“You slept with him?” Beth asked, grinning. “I knew it.”
“No! Not exactly. I mean, no, we didn’t have sex. But we did fool around a little bit, and I just—it’s crazy, right? I just called off my wedding! Well, I didn’t, Michael did. Obviously. But this is just like a rebound thing, right? I mean I can’t have feelings for a guy I just met.”
“You think you have feelings for him?” Amy asked. “You two did seem pretty cozy the other night....”
“I don’t know. Maybe.” Melissa shrugged, brushing her hair back behind her shoulder. She adjusted her sweater, her mind flashing back to Tyler’s lips on her bare skin. To his muscular arms wrapped around her. “I can’t though, right? I mean I barely got over Michael. And Tyler and I do have this crazy chemistry between us—that’s been evident since the first moment we met. But that’s just lust, right?”
“Probably,” Beth said. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that.”
Amy shushed her, glancing over at Melissa. “I knew with Jason right away that something was different about him. But I was in the same boat—too focused on my ex to give him a chance. I wasn’t interested in dating at all.”
“Well there’s no way in hell that Michael and I would ever get back together. And after the way he treated me? I want absolutely zero to do with him. Ever.”
“I don’t blame you,” Kara said, tucking her phone back into her purse. “The way he handled things was awful. It is a little ironic that you’d end up with another Marine though.”
“I just—I feel like he gets me, which is weird. I barely know the guy, and we just click in a way that you don’t always when you meet someone. I mean, shoot, some people I’ve known for years don’t seem to understand me the way he already does. Which is insane!”
Amy’s phone buzzed with a text, and glanced down at it and laughed. “Apparently Jason joined Tyler and some of the guys for a drink. It seems like you’re on his mind, too.”
“Yeah, I’m sure Tyler’s the type to have a heart-to-heart with his closest Marine buddies,” Melissa said sarcastically.
“Tyler was asking him about you.”
Melissa felt heat surge through her. “I was feeling a little emotional at the lake and told him we had to leave. He didn’t want to take me back to the office, though. I actually did have work to do. And I just can’t even think straight sometimes when he’s near.”
“Did you hear about that realtor in the neighboring county?” Amy asked, suddenly looking concerned.
“Yeah, of course. She was nearly abducted. A friend of mine said she’s in the hospital—that’s why police haven’t released a sketch of the suspect yet. I think they still need to interview her.”
“How awful!” Amy gasped.
“It’s horrible,” Melissa agreed. “That’s always a danger though when you’re a woman, right? Everything could be a risk. I’m not going to live my life being afraid. I mean, what are the chances I’m next? Or that any of us are? It’s a big world.”
“I’d be careful,” Beth advised. “I mean, I’m sure you already are, but until the guy is caught?”
Melissa shrugged. “There’s not much that I can do. If I don’t work, I won’t earn commissions on sales. I’ve got to pay my mortgage and bills somehow.”
“Hey,” Beth said, looking thoughtful. “Did you ever find out more about your sister’s fiancé?”
“Nope. He’s still missing. I hate that she has to worry about it. It sounds like they sent in a team to look for them. It’s possible they could be injured or captured. It’s been a few days though. If they were taken hostage, I think they’d be telling the whole world.”
“Agreed,” Amy said. “That’s exactly what Jason said.”
“Part of me feels like I should fly out there and wait with her. But for how long, you know? We don’t know anything, really. So if they find out something, then I’ll go see her. She’s going to class and trying to act like everything’s normal. I’d just be sitting around her apartment if I went now.”
“That’s awful for her,” Amy said. “And she’s just finishing school, right?”
Melissa nodded, taking a bite of her cheese burrito. “I mean, maybe school is a good distraction. Hopefully.”
“So how’s everything with Jason?” Beth asked, looking at Amy. “You seem pretty happy whenever you’re together.”
Amy flushed, a smile spreading across her face. “Good. Great, actually. We’re still taking it slow. I mean, I think he’d love to move in together, but I’m not quite ready. He’s over at my place all the time though.”
“It works out well that you’re right across the street from each other,” Melissa said. “I mean that’s almost like living together, except you can go back to your own place anytime you want.”
“Well Tyler’s looking to buy that big house, right?” Amy asked. “That’s a surprise. I guess he’s not staying in the Marines?”
“No, he wants to get out when this tour of duty is over. I think he plans to work at the Pentagon or something like that.”
“How convenient,” Beth joked, waggling her eyebrows. “You have the hots for a guy who’s planning to stick around? Who’s buying a home?”
“It’s an investment,” Melissa said, frowning.
“Uh-huh. Which is why every man stationed at Quantico is showing up at your office.”
She rolled her eyes. “He’s tired of moving around. I own a home, and I’m not looking to run off with the next man I meet.”
“But you were engaged,” Beth said. “I mean, I don’t want to bring up bad memories, but I’m just saying—people who are more ready to settle down own houses.”
Melissa’s phone buzzed with a text, and she glanced down at it, her mouth dropping open in surprise when she saw Tyler’s name flash across the screen.
I’m having drinks with my buddies, but all I can think about is you coming earlier.
Crying out my name.
You’re fucking gorgeous, Melissa.
She flushed, feeling heat rise within her.
“Whoa,” Beth said with a laugh. “Is that from Tyler or something? Because I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush before.”
“God, he’s incorrigible,” she muttered, thumbing a response.
Don’t start sending me dick pics or something.
Her phone buzzed with his reply.
Wouldn’t dream of it.
But if you want to send me naked pics, I wouldn’t be opposed.
For my eyes only.
She rolled her eyes. Yeah right.
Don’t count on it.
Tyler responded immediately.
Don’t worry. Every time I close my eyes, I can see those gorgeous breasts of yours.
Taste them.
She flushed again, remembering his mouth on her nipples. His tongue flickering against the taut buds. Holy hell. The man hadn’t even fully undressed her, and she’d gone up in flames. She’d been achy and needy all afternoon, despite him making her come.
And there was no way she was admitting that to him.
She took a sip of her margarita, trying to clear her head.
Her phone buzzed once again.
Let me know when I can see you again.
That was just the crux of it, wasn’t it? She wasn’t sure if she should see him again. Not in anything other than a professional sense, at least. She didn’t trust herself when they were together. Didn’t trust that she wouldn’t do something she’d regret in the morning.
Didn’t trust that she wouldn’t fall hard.
She looked back up at her friends, already engaged in another conversation. In a way, Michael had ruined that for her. Her chance of happiness. Her ability to trust that a man wouldn’t hurt her again.
A fling with Tyler wouldn’t lead her anywhere she wanted—no matter how attracted to him she was.
Going down that road would lead to nothing but heartache once more.
