Melora stood before the closed door to her apartment, hand hovering above the knob. Chance was on his way up. Invariably looking too dangerously good for her peace of mind. He always looked good. And she’d generally been able to handle it. Right up until the night a week ago when she’d gotten her hair stuck in his shirt.
Ever since she’d been fighting a losing battle against temptation. It was unsettling. And what made matters worse, Chance had stopped berating talking about marriage. She knew something wasn’t right… This was the relentless, ruthless, single-minded in his unwavering determination to make the world bend to his will, Chance Benson.
Now that she’d been on the receiving end of all that intensive focus, Melora didn’t believe for one minute he’d actually given up the fight. Which meant he’d be
He was losing her. He’d been so close. She’d been there, he could feel it. He’d seen her weaken, starting to melt. Felt the hot lick of her eyes over his skin, the current charging the air between them. And then, just that quickly, everything changed. The temperature dropped. The static grounded. And a swarm of angry bees manifested beneath his skin, buzzing in his head, making him itch and sting and want to roar in painful frustration. Why wouldn’t she damned well give in? Fighting the vise around his chest, Chance surged to his feet. Wasn’t surprised when Melora rose with him. She leaned into his space, looking up at him with eyes that were flat and bleak, lacking emotion, and speared through his soul like a blade.“You know what? You’re right… I don
Chance sat at the edge of the bed, feet on the floor, forearms propped over his knees, jaw painfully set. This wasn’t going to work. He looked over his shoulder at Melora’s sleeping form, quietly curled into herself, a tiny furrow pulled between her delicate eyebrows. She didn’t want what he was offering… not really. They’d been in the same book, but on different pages from the start. He’d tried not to hurt her, but he’d been an idiot, and in the end that was all he’d managed to do. Even today, when suddenly all the pieces of his life seemed to be falling into place, one jagged edge didn’t fit and he’d felt it cut through Melora’s vulnerable heart. ‘Just let me love you.’ He shouldn’t have said the words like that.
Paparazzi everywhere exploded. Shutters snapped like automatic fire around him as all those vultures from tabloids of all caliber called for his attention, each voice clamoring to rise above the rest. Being here, participating at this wedding, was the ultimate sacrifice one could’ve asked of him, but Chance knew he had to do it. This was the only way since she was going to be present for sure and he needed her help. “Mr. Benson! One more over here!” Beneath the awning of the ‘King of Prussia’, one of the most exclusive hotels in New York, Chance Benson offered up a stock smile, responded to a few light questions with a handful of ambiguous words, and waited for the question he knew would come. It didn’t take long.“Mr. Benson! Care to e
‘He’d do it, too, the bastard. I know he would,’ she thought, giving in to the inexplicable smile that seemed to rise from the ashes of every memory she had of the man that went away with her heart forever. Nearly every memory anyway. Chance knew no limits when it came to getting what he wanted. And now, after a decade with little more than the most limited greetings passing between them, and only when absolutely necessary, he wanted to get into her hideout.“Now, Melora! You need to say something right this instant, otherwise... 3… 2… 1…” With a reluctant sigh, and then a second, louder, more pointed version of the first, Melora gave up her holding on the door and scooted into a seated position against the wall where she’d arranged a pile of linens
“I want you to pretend we’re together in a relationship. That we’ve been involved for the last month, actually.” Chance watched as Melora’s face turned in a second from white to red before she finally nailed that single-word demand for clarification.“What?”“To pretend that we’re involved in a love story.”“Oh, so I did hear right… You, Mr. Benson, must be out of your damn mind! You’re delusional if you think that I’ll accept.” Well, Chance hadn’t expected her to simply agree and climb into his lap. And, man, as much as he liked the hot flush across her skin, he definitely didn’t need to think of Melora’s lush curves and petite frame curling into the seat of his thighs. Not a good idea at all. Never had been.“Just take
Her mouth opened, to gasp or deny, only nothing came of it but a slow leaking breath that might have been regret. Once upon a time she had been so in love with him. She would have given Chance anything. Done anything he asked. She was only sixteen, but Melora had always been an old soul in a young body. And loving Chance has been the most profound feeling she had ever experienced. If he’d decided to use her as a means of payback or revenge or whatever motivated him back then, Chance would have found no resistance. Only the eager willingness of a girl desperate for him to see her as a woman. And the consequences…“Brando would have gone out of his mind.” After hearing her words, Chance let out a bark of laughter.“Yeah... Well, rest assured it wasn’t t
The kiss was shameless and intense, an impressive display of passion that bowed her in a delicate arch, caged by the unyielding iron and steel of Chance’s powerful frame. Firm, smooth lips moved over hers in a back and forth rub so skillfully seductive Melora could only sigh under their assault. Give into the idea that, if she wasn’t going to escape the spotlight as she’d planned, there were plenty worse things than being exposed while discovering what it was to be really kissed by Chance Benson. It was all-consuming. There was something undeniable in his touch, something chemical, instinctual, and absolutely unexpected. She didn’t understand it, couldn’t defend against it as, locked in his hold, her body and mind pushed into overdrive. Eyes closed, fingers flared at his should
Her words felt like an electric current straight to his groin. Chance was a man accustomed to taking what he wanted, how he wanted it. Because of who Melora was, he’d been willing to exercise more restraint than he ever did. But with that soft-spoken challenge thrown, there was no going back. Melora wanted him and he won’t say no to her proposal.“If this is what you really want… Then we need to get out of this hall. Now.” Her eyes lit, the seductive curve of her lips stretching as she reached for his jacket’s lapel, urging him back toward her storage closet. No one is going to find them there.“We should go back to the utility room.” He let out a bark of disbelieving laughter and stopped her with a firm hold at her wrist. Spun her back with a t