Page 52 of Ace My Heart

Ben watched me for a moment, all seriousness now, inhaling deeply through flared nostrils. “There could be a future for us,” he offered.

“How?” I asked. “Ben, you live in Dubai, I live in Sydney. And when I’m not there, I’m all over the place. I don’t think you really want to give up your business here to move back to Australia to try something with me.” God, I hoped he didn’t suddenly decide that was exactly what he wanted to do.

He was silent, pondering, and I felt the nerves settle a little as I realised that if he was prepared to give it up, he would have said it by now.

“I appreciate that you’re not the type of girl to lead a man on, Mel. Thank you for your honesty.” His voice was chilly, but his face was calm. He stood up.

“I’ll say goodnight now then.” He leaned in and kissed me on the cheek, before walking stiffly back into the house. I’d upset him, but I’d done the right thing. And I’d done it without having to resort to the‘you were shit in bed’get out of jail card.

I scuttled back to my room, the relief making my knees weak. My hands shook as I reached for the zipper at the back of the dress. I couldn’t get a hold on it.

I left my room and knocked next door. Joel answered in his suit pants and the white singlet he must have been wearing under his shirt. His biceps rippled as he stretched. My mouth went dry.

“So, do I have to start calling you Aunty Stink now?” he asked.

I shuddered. “There’s something else to add to the ever-growing list of‘why bonking Ben was a bad idea’.” I turned around. “Can you please unzip this for me? I can’t get it.”

Joel chuckled, but I felt his fingers on the zipper, and the panels fell away from my back. He stroked down my spine, making me shiver.

“You really do look gorgeous in this dress,” he murmured, his breath hot against my shoulder. I froze. He was so close. I couldn’t turn – his mouth was too near.

“I … this is …” I began, but rational thought fled as his hot lips branded the nape of my neck. A gasp burst from my throat. His mouth was still pressed against my skin, his hands sweeping down my sides, beneath the fabric of the dress, fingertips digging into my hips, pulling me back towards him.

I stiffened, not daring to breathe.

“You’re very tense, Mel. I could give you a back rub.” Joel’s hands swept back up my spine.

I stepped away from him quickly. “Thanks, Joel, but I know how your back rubs finish.” I hated that my voice was husky.

He laughed under his breath. “Not looking for that sort of happy ending tonight, Stink?”

I bit the inside of my cheek until I tasted blood, before turning back to him. “From you? Absolutely not!” My voice trembled with what might have been a lie. I didn’t know anything anymore.

Joel shrugged. “Don’t forget to pack tonight, Stink. Our flight’s an early one tomorrow.”

He closed the door.

As far as I was concerned it couldn’t be early enough.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Broken

Imoved back to my place the day after we got back from Dubai. I just couldn’t spend another night in the same house as Joel. My nerves were frazzled from everything that had happened in Dubai, with Ben … and with Joel. And I still had to see him every day for training.

The nightmares, which had temporarily subsided while overseas, had crashed back into my brain at the worst possible time – midway over the Indian Ocean, on a packed flight.

Blood.

Gaping mouth.

Bulging eyes.

I’d jolted awake, gasping for breath. I’d tried to leap up, to run from the images, but my seat belt held me firmly in place.

“Mel, shh, it’s okay.” Joel’s hand was on my shoulder, pressing me gently back into my seat. He’d handed me some bottled water, taking it back to unscrew the cap when he’d realised my hands were shaking too much to manage.

Except it wasn’t okay. In no world was it okay to keep reliving that morning over and over.

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