Melanie. I still ’ave to finish cooking.”
Even as Melanie smiled, she felt some of the warmth, which had infused her body since she’d woken up next to Cameron, leave. She thought of Lauren, and then of Janie. The little girl’s present had arrived almost a week ago. She always sent it early. Still, she hadn’t seen her for years now.
“What are you thinking of, sweetheart?”
Melanie blinked and looked around. Cameron’s family had all filed out and he was standing before her, a curious expression on his face.
“Were you going to go to Brooklyn today?” she asked softly.
His brows lifted and he replied, “If you want to go to Brooklyn, I can take you there.” She nodded, but didn’t say anything. “Do you want me to take you to Brooklyn, lass?”
Her eyes lifted to his, and he read her uncertainty. In spite of that, she nodded. “Yes...please.”
Chapter Nine
Melanie stared long and hard at the red brick, semi-detached house on East 42 nd Street in Brooklyn. Lauren was right. It seemed like a nice neighborhood. Quiet and clean. Christmas lights danced in almost every window.
Reopening her BlackBerry, she checked the address once more, and then looked to the number on the door. They matched. Pushing the phone back into her jacket pocket, she straightened the burgundy scarf around her neck, redid a few of the jacket buttons, and placed her hand on the car door latch.
“Do you want me to come with you?” He’d turned off the car and had been staring at her for some minutes now.
“No. No, it’s okay.” She turned to look at him and offered him a quick smile. “I shouldn’t be more than fifteen minutes—”
“Send me a text when you’re ready to leave.”
A brow lifted and she asked curiously, “Where are you going?”
Cameron grinned. “Nearest gas station.”
Melanie looked to the tank monitor. Although the Maserati was built for speed and it burned fuel like water, the trip from Long Island to Brooklyn hadn’t put much of dent in his fuel tank.
“I need supplies.”
Deciding that she was almost nagging with the number of questions, she pinched her lips together and nodded.
His hand caught hers, and he pulled her back to him. Before she could think about it, he brushed his lips over hers, lightly tracing her lips with his tongue before pulling away.
“We ran out last night.”
Out of what? When he lifted a brow and his eyes lowered to her lips, she understood.
“Oh.” Melanie’s eyes widened as she thought of that. They hadn’t been particularly firm with the use of protection, which wasn’t like her. She’d probably need to make a stop to the pharmacy as well.
With that in mind, she stepped from the warm car and into the frigid air. Moving up the steps, she stopped before the door. Pressing the bell for the first floor, she took a step back and waited.
***
She was beginning to doubt herself when seconds later there was still no movement in the house. Lights appeared to be on, but that didn’t mean anything. Maybe Lauren had taken Janie somewhere. She probably should have called before deciding to come down here.
The door swung inward, and Melanie blinked as she stared directly into a peach and cream living room, complete with a glass table on which peach-colored roses sat.
“Who are you?”
She looked down in search of the soft voice. A pretty little girl wearing a red and black dress and soft little black shoes stared up at her. Janie. Her hair was brushed up, and two white ribbons, a bit lopsided, were perched against her bun.
Melanie stooped low and stared at her. Janie had grown much bigger since the last time she’d seen her. She still favored her father in looks, but she had her mother’s light brown eyes and full lips.
“Hi there, Janie,” Melanie began with a smile.
Janie remained where she was, her little eyebrows lifting at her name as her eyes narrowed.
“Where’s your mommy?”
At that moment, Lauren stepped into the living room, saw that
Even as Melanie smiled, she felt some of the warmth, which had infused her body since she’d woken up next to Cameron, leave. She thought of Lauren, and then of Janie. The little girl’s present had arrived almost a week ago. She always sent it early. Still, she hadn’t seen her for years now.
“What are you thinking of, sweetheart?”
Melanie blinked and looked around. Cameron’s family had all filed out and he was standing before her, a curious expression on his face.
“Were you going to go to Brooklyn today?” she asked softly.
His brows lifted and he replied, “If you want to go to Brooklyn, I can take you there.” She nodded, but didn’t say anything. “Do you want me to take you to Brooklyn, lass?”
Her eyes lifted to his, and he read her uncertainty. In spite of that, she nodded. “Yes...please.”
Chapter Nine
Melanie stared long and hard at the red brick, semi-detached house on East 42 nd Street in Brooklyn. Lauren was right. It seemed like a nice neighborhood. Quiet and clean. Christmas lights danced in almost every window.
Reopening her BlackBerry, she checked the address once more, and then looked to the number on the door. They matched. Pushing the phone back into her jacket pocket, she straightened the burgundy scarf around her neck, redid a few of the jacket buttons, and placed her hand on the car door latch.
“Do you want me to come with you?” He’d turned off the car and had been staring at her for some minutes now.
“No. No, it’s okay.” She turned to look at him and offered him a quick smile. “I shouldn’t be more than fifteen minutes—”
“Send me a text when you’re ready to leave.”
A brow lifted and she asked curiously, “Where are you going?”
Cameron grinned. “Nearest gas station.”
Melanie looked to the tank monitor. Although the Maserati was built for speed and it burned fuel like water, the trip from Long Island to Brooklyn hadn’t put much of dent in his fuel tank.
“I need supplies.”
Deciding that she was almost nagging with the number of questions, she pinched her lips together and nodded.
His hand caught hers, and he pulled her back to him. Before she could think about it, he brushed his lips over hers, lightly tracing her lips with his tongue before pulling away.
“We ran out last night.”
Out of what? When he lifted a brow and his eyes lowered to her lips, she understood.
“Oh.” Melanie’s eyes widened as she thought of that. They hadn’t been particularly firm with the use of protection, which wasn’t like her. She’d probably need to make a stop to the pharmacy as well.
With that in mind, she stepped from the warm car and into the frigid air. Moving up the steps, she stopped before the door. Pressing the bell for the first floor, she took a step back and waited.
***
She was beginning to doubt herself when seconds later there was still no movement in the house. Lights appeared to be on, but that didn’t mean anything. Maybe Lauren had taken Janie somewhere. She probably should have called before deciding to come down here.
The door swung inward, and Melanie blinked as she stared directly into a peach and cream living room, complete with a glass table on which peach-colored roses sat.
“Who are you?”
She looked down in search of the soft voice. A pretty little girl wearing a red and black dress and soft little black shoes stared up at her. Janie. Her hair was brushed up, and two white ribbons, a bit lopsided, were perched against her bun.
Melanie stooped low and stared at her. Janie had grown much bigger since the last time she’d seen her. She still favored her father in looks, but she had her mother’s light brown eyes and full lips.
“Hi there, Janie,” Melanie began with a smile.
Janie remained where she was, her little eyebrows lifting at her name as her eyes narrowed.
“Where’s your mommy?”
At that moment, Lauren stepped into the living room, saw that
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