Page 69 of Forbidden Secrets
“I’ll talk with Jordy,” Gage said.
Melanie brushed the hair off Addy’s forehead.“Addy, Liam will be getting help so he can learn how to treat people with kindness.Kids aren’t all bad or all good.Liam was behaving badly, but he can learn to be a better person.But no more running away from school, okay?”Melanie leaned down to kiss her girl.
“I guess so.”Addy shifted her gaze to Gage and gave him a sleepy smile.“Will you kiss me good night?”Any thought that Melanie could prevent Addy from falling for Gage was officially quashed.
“Sure thing.”
Gage moved to the bed and bent over to kiss Addy on the forehead.“Sweet dreams, sunshine.”
“Pancake has to say good night too.”
Pancake gamely rolled to her feet and Addy looped an arm around her in a hug.The dog gave her a tongue swipe.
“Sleep now, Addy,” Melanie said quietly.
Addy settled on her pillow and Melanie turned out the lamp on her new desk.She followed Gage and Pancake out of the room, shutting the door softly behind her.
Gage took her hand and when they reached the living room, pulled her to him.Pancake gave a noisy yawn and collapsed on the floor.Melanie tilted her head back to look into dark eyes that held a look that set her nerve ends tingling.
Having the undivided interest of a man like Gage gave her a heady feeling.He bracketed her face with his hands, his long fingers in her hair while his thumbs caressed her cheeks.“What am I to do with you?”
“Kiss me?”
“Yeah, that’s exactly right.”
She thought he’d dive in, but instead he nipped her chin, then pressed his lips to the corner of her mouth.“These dimples drive me crazy, you know that?”
“You’ve got cute dimples of your own.”
He moved back enough to look her sternly in the eye.“Not dimples, creases.Rugged, not cute.”
“No, of course not.They’re exceptionally manly.”
“Damn straight.”
He pressed open-mouth kisses along the line of her jaw and it felt like he was worshipping her with his tongue and mouth.
He nipped at her earlobe then moved to savor the sensitive skin below her ear.Then finally,finally,returned his attention to her mouth.She groaned when he slid his tongue past her lips, and she could taste the hint of chocolate from the ice cream they’d had for dessert.
Her hands clutched his belt, pulling him fully against her, his arousal a hard ridge beneath his jeans.He deepened the kiss, his groan vibrating through her as she gave in to temptation and rubbed against him.He slid his hands under her loose sweater, his fingers stroking up her rib cage to the swell of her breasts.She followed his lead, her own hands equally as busy as she slid them under his thermal to caress the warm skin of his back.
He brought his hands back to her face and, with a final kiss, stepped back.She drew in a deep breath, trying to calm her racing heart.Her arousal was echoed on his face.
“When this is done, when we figure out where the threat to you is coming from and neutralize it, I want more time with you and Addy.Normal time.”
She smiled.“I’d like that.”
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
Addy was in bed, which gave Melanie time to sit at her kitchen table, her laptop open, and the printed spreadsheet next to it.She’d called three people on the list.Two hadn’t answered, but with the third she’d had a nice conversation with a woman who’d graduated from high school the year before her.Sarah Jacoby told her what she remembered of the bootlegger, which wasn’t much.But they’d chatted and Melanie learned Sarah also had a daughter in first grade who attended a different elementary school in Sisters.They made tentative plans for a play date.
The next number was one Delaney had texted her earlier that day.Greg Delano.Memories of Greg were indistinct.Medium height, medium build, sandy hair.He’d been on the football team but hadn’t stood out.Part of the jock crowd, she remembered him as more of a follower who’d remained in Chase Bradford’s shadow.
As with the other men she’d called, there was that moment when she wondered if the person she was calling was the attacker.The man responsible for creating the jagged line dividing her life into before and after.Pushing aside the thoughts, she dialed the number.
Forty minutes later, she disconnected the call, mind spinning.When it rang in her hand she startled, fumbling the phone.
Gage’s name flashed on the caller ID.
