forgotten.
Mel hung up, a warm feeling sparkling in the center of her body. Shit. She could not do this again. She would not do this again. Caine Maddox was charming and thoughtful and sexy and... No. She was not going to fall in love with him again. Not going to happen.
Chapter 7
Caine took a long swig of beer. Days like today merited a beer or two for the busy mayor of Unknown. Not only had a water main broken near the elementary school, but the preservation society had gotten it in their heads to hound him about an old building downtown being converted into a town museum. A museum? The town needed a museum about a much as he needed the migraine that had started to pound his brain before he could get the first beer in his system.
Sprawled on his comfortable leather couch, he had all of the lights out and the Rangers game on the plasma TV. He just wanted to wallow here in the comfy hole he’d worn in the middle cushion. At the top of the eighth, he looked at the clock. Jesus, it was already well after eleven. Stupid West Coast games. They always messed with his time perception. Looking at his phone, he saw no missed calls or texts. Hell. He should have heard from Mel by now.
Punching her number on the touch screen, he took another drag on his beer while he waited. After five rings, she picked up. “Yes?”
“Hey you. Get back from your date okay?”
Her voice sounded clipped when she finally responded. “Oh yeah. I just walked in a few minutes ago. It was great. Just super.”
Warning bells started going off in his head. “Is he still there? If I’m interrupting—“
“You’re not interrupting anything. I wouldn’t have picked up otherwise.” The edge in her voice had him getting to his feet.
“Everything okay at the apartment?” He walked to the kitchen, searching for the keys to his truck.
He heard a derisive snort. “God, you’ve turned into a little old woman. I’m fine, Caine. There’s not boogeyman waiting outside or under my bed or in my closet. Good night.”
Driving through the dark, empty streets, Caine made it from his house on the edge of town to Mel’s apartment in seven minutes flat. He pulled in behind her car, relieved that nothing appeared out of the ordinary. The new paint job covered up the damage, but it didn't erase the memory. Spurred by residual anger and fear from his last visit here, he took the steps two at a time.
He barely had time to pound on the door once before Mel pulled it open. She wore floaty pajama shorts and a camisole, her hair still in loose curls from her date. Even in the pale porch light, he saw that her eyes were glassy. She slouched against the door in a pose that sent one silky strap off her shoulder. “What are you doing here?”
“Couldn’t sleep,” he lied. “Just thought I’d see for myself that you were all right.” He pushed his way inside, pulling her with him. Standing on her doorstep spelled nothing but trouble. He knew she’d use it against him if she ended up on Merna’s Matches because of him, linked to him. Gossip about dating in Unknown was bad enough; anything remotely romantic in Caine’s life was more heavily scrutinized than an a-list celebrity’s. All it took was for one busybody to be out late and they’d never hear the end of it. Although being in her apartment might not be much better.
She leaned against the door, one foot braced on it, accentuating the sleek curve of her thigh as her shorts rode up. She let out a resigned sigh, shoulder sagging a little. “I’m fine. Just another night where a guy didn’t live up to my expectations. Except you, of course. You never fail to do exactly what I think you will.”
“You knew I would come over here tonight?” He raised an eyebrow, crossing his arms over his chest. “Okay, you were right. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. I worry about you, Mel. You sounded off on the phone and with everything that’s going on, I needed to see for myself that you’re all right.”
“I’m fine. Really. Just a rough night.” Reaching out, she grabbed his hand to pull him closer.
He moved in, his thigh bracketed by both of hers. This close to her, the faint odor of alcohol was undeniable, mixing in the scent