A Creed in Stone Creek - Linda Lael Miller [73]
“Have you ever been in love?”
Steven chuckled. “Yeah,” he said. “At least, I thought so at the time.”
“But you were mistaken?”
“I guess you could say that.”
“What was she like?”
“Beautiful. Smart. Tough as nails.”
They were quiet for a few moments, while Melissa mulled over what he’d said. For his part, Steven was content just to look at her, though he wouldn’t have said no to more sex.
“How about you?” he asked, in good time. “Have you ever been in love?”
As soon as he’d asked that question, he regretted it, because the atmosphere changed. He saw Melissa draw further into herself; her smile wobbled and the happy light in her eyes dimmed a little.
“I guess it’s only fair, your asking me that,” she said. “Since I asked you the same thing about two minutes ago.”
His heart went out to her, and he wasn’t sure it was going to find its way back where it belonged anytime soon.
He reached across the narrow table, took her hand, gave her fingers a light squeeze. “Another time,” he said, watching her. Thinking he might just fall right into the blue of her eyes, tumbling head over heels forever, never hitting bottom.
“No,” she said, shaking her head. “Fair is fair.”
“If you don’t feel like talking, Melissa, that’s all right.”
Melissa looked straight into his eyes, didn’t move to pull her hand from his grasp, but it was a long time before she spoke. “His name was—is—Dan Guthrie. He wanted to get married, and he had these two great kids. I said yes. But every time we tried to go through with the plan and actually throw a wedding, I’d back off. Eventually, Dan got tired of that, and he—well—he’s married to someone else now. They’re going to have a baby.”
Steven wanted to ask if she still loved this Guthrie yahoo, but he figured there had been enough soul-baring for one night.
Besides that, he wasn’t sure he could stand hearing the answer.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
PINK AND GOLD CRACKS split the dawn sky as Melissa rose from Steven Creed’s bed, being careful not to wake him, crept into the bathroom for a hasty shower and slipped back into the sundress she’d worn the night before.
Common sense said to get out while the getting was good—she definitely didn’t want Brad or Meg to find her there at that hour, if they had to bring Matt home early for some reason, for instance—but she couldn’t resist leaning down to plant a whisper-light kiss on Steven’s forehead before leaving. And when she did, he took her by the shoulders and eased her down beside him.
Startled, she gave a little shriek as she landed. Then she laughed and scrambled right back up again, careful to stay out of his reach this time.
Steven yawned luxuriously and cupped his hands behind his head, watching her with a glint of mischief in his eyes and a grin resting on his mouth. “Leaving so soon?” he asked, in a teasing tone.
“‘Soon’?” Melissa echoed, pretending indignation. “I got here at six o’clock last night, and now the sun is about to come up. I should have left hours ago.”
“I’m glad you didn’t.”
She couldn’t help smiling; she felt so good. “I’m glad, too,” she admitted. “But I’ve got to go. All the neighbors will probably see me pulling in at first light as it is, and I’m due at the office in a couple of hours.”
“Right,” Steven said, sounding resigned. Outside in the narrow hallway, Zeke gave an anxious little whimper. “Dog needs to go outside,” he added, sitting up and starting to throw back the comforter.
Knowing only too well what was under that comforter, Melissa turned on her heel and rushed out. “Come on, boy,” she told the waiting canine. “I’ll let you out.”
As she retreated, Zeke hurrying along behind her, she heard Steven chuckle.
Moments later, he appeared in the doorway of the bus, barefoot and shirtless, with his jeans misbuttoned. Melissa had been waiting for Zeke to relieve himself so she could let him back into the bus before starting for town. Seeing Steven shook her resolve a little, though.
Did he have to look so damn good, even five minutes after he got out of bed? He hadn’t shaved or showered or even combed his hair, and he still