Melissa scolded her reflection in the mirror.
“Was not! ” The reflection pouted back.
Melissa glared back at her image before turning on the shower.
She stood under the steaming spray of water and tried to figure out what the hell had just happened.
One minute she was sipping tea in her living room and crying over her wedding video. And the next minute she was flirting …oh yeah… that was the right word… flirting with Crow Mathison.
She should never have let him in.
Bad move , she scolded herself again even as she decided to take the extra time and pour on the deep conditioner that would leave her hair shiny and soft.
Each anniversary since Jessie's death Melissa had felt an obligation to play that damn wedding video over and over again. And every year it got harder to look back and see how full of promise and happiness their marriage had seemed destined to be. She got no pleasure from looking at it now. Melissa knew that she watched the video as an act of penance. The knock at the door had sent a sense of relief coursing through her body.
Until she had answered it.
And then there he was again.
Crow Mathison.
The very man who seemed to take perverse pleasure in continually invading her space, messing with her plans and issuing challenge after challenge to her fragile peace of mind. She wasn’t sure why she had finally caved. Maybe it was because Crow never seemed anything but fearless around her. He was the only person she had met since Jesse died who did not dance around her widow status.
Or maybe it wasn’t him at all.
Maybe she was just tired of being sad all the time. That thought brought a measure of comfort and reassurance to her mind.
Just sick of the sadness.
Liar , her traitorous body shouted at her as her nipples hardened under the warm spray of water. Something deep inside of her clenched and moistened at the thought of how Crow had touched her. Her heartbeat pounded and throbbed through her. Just the thought of him downstairs waiting for her made Melissa dizzy with the feeling of being poised on the edge of a cliff with nothing but wind below.
What was she doing?
The urge to turn off the shower and jump under the covers came over Melissa in a strong wave. But she didn't run and hide. Instead, she turned the shower dial away from the gentle stream of perfectly heated warm water to a full winter storm blast to shock some sense into herself. But the freezing water only served to heighten her senses. And her excitement.
Spending time alone with Crow today was a mistake she knew she shouldn't be looking forward to making. But it had been years since she had been on a bike. Jesse had forbidden her to ride with her dad while he was away, saying that it was her responsibility to keep herself safe for Jett's sake. Even then, Melissa had felt a tinge of resentment at his words.
It hadn't seemed fair. Jesse had been out risking life and limb signing up for tour after tour flying the not-so-friendly skies while Melissa could not even accept a Sunday afternoon ride from her dad while her grandpa watched Jett. But she had understood it too. It was painfully clear to her that Jesse could not be away doing what he needed to do and be worried about his family at home.
But still he had forbidden it.
Jesse had used those archaic words. When her father found out that Jesse was issuing decrees against her very freedom (her dad's words not hers,) he had gone ballistic. The memories of how that had added to the already strained marriage tied her stomach in knots. But now wasn’t the time to think about that.
Because she was going shopping.
What the hell could she contribute to a shopping trip for lumber and tools and stuff?
And more importantly, what was she going to wear?
Melissa dried herself off and ran to the window hoping that the sunshine was still holding out.
It was.
She hurried into her bedroom and automatically pulled out the dresser drawer that held her T-shirts. She looked at them, and
“Was not! ” The reflection pouted back.
Melissa glared back at her image before turning on the shower.
She stood under the steaming spray of water and tried to figure out what the hell had just happened.
One minute she was sipping tea in her living room and crying over her wedding video. And the next minute she was flirting …oh yeah… that was the right word… flirting with Crow Mathison.
She should never have let him in.
Bad move , she scolded herself again even as she decided to take the extra time and pour on the deep conditioner that would leave her hair shiny and soft.
Each anniversary since Jessie's death Melissa had felt an obligation to play that damn wedding video over and over again. And every year it got harder to look back and see how full of promise and happiness their marriage had seemed destined to be. She got no pleasure from looking at it now. Melissa knew that she watched the video as an act of penance. The knock at the door had sent a sense of relief coursing through her body.
Until she had answered it.
And then there he was again.
Crow Mathison.
The very man who seemed to take perverse pleasure in continually invading her space, messing with her plans and issuing challenge after challenge to her fragile peace of mind. She wasn’t sure why she had finally caved. Maybe it was because Crow never seemed anything but fearless around her. He was the only person she had met since Jesse died who did not dance around her widow status.
Or maybe it wasn’t him at all.
Maybe she was just tired of being sad all the time. That thought brought a measure of comfort and reassurance to her mind.
Just sick of the sadness.
Liar , her traitorous body shouted at her as her nipples hardened under the warm spray of water. Something deep inside of her clenched and moistened at the thought of how Crow had touched her. Her heartbeat pounded and throbbed through her. Just the thought of him downstairs waiting for her made Melissa dizzy with the feeling of being poised on the edge of a cliff with nothing but wind below.
What was she doing?
The urge to turn off the shower and jump under the covers came over Melissa in a strong wave. But she didn't run and hide. Instead, she turned the shower dial away from the gentle stream of perfectly heated warm water to a full winter storm blast to shock some sense into herself. But the freezing water only served to heighten her senses. And her excitement.
Spending time alone with Crow today was a mistake she knew she shouldn't be looking forward to making. But it had been years since she had been on a bike. Jesse had forbidden her to ride with her dad while he was away, saying that it was her responsibility to keep herself safe for Jett's sake. Even then, Melissa had felt a tinge of resentment at his words.
It hadn't seemed fair. Jesse had been out risking life and limb signing up for tour after tour flying the not-so-friendly skies while Melissa could not even accept a Sunday afternoon ride from her dad while her grandpa watched Jett. But she had understood it too. It was painfully clear to her that Jesse could not be away doing what he needed to do and be worried about his family at home.
But still he had forbidden it.
Jesse had used those archaic words. When her father found out that Jesse was issuing decrees against her very freedom (her dad's words not hers,) he had gone ballistic. The memories of how that had added to the already strained marriage tied her stomach in knots. But now wasn’t the time to think about that.
Because she was going shopping.
What the hell could she contribute to a shopping trip for lumber and tools and stuff?
And more importantly, what was she going to wear?
Melissa dried herself off and ran to the window hoping that the sunshine was still holding out.
It was.
She hurried into her bedroom and automatically pulled out the dresser drawer that held her T-shirts. She looked at them, and
Similar Books
