Page 86 of His Mansion

Derrick beamed. “Melanie’s moved in. I sacrificed my closet space to her shoe collection.”

Yeah, right.“Damn, I forgot I was supposed to start leaving stockings on the shower rod.”

They exchanged contented smiles before Melanie tore her gaze away and returned to Nathan. “And you? The note said you quitRave.”

He nodded. “There was a little more involved than that, but it’s okay. You don’t have to worry about them including you in the series either—that was part of the deal with me leaving.”

An icy cool wall of relief hit. “You’re serious? How did you pull that off?”

He shrugged nonchalantly. “Part of my negotiations. I can’t talk about the details, but I don’t want you to fuss, okay?”

“Do you miss working forRave?” She didn’t want to have ruined his career.

Nathan snorted. “Not at all. The freelance I’m doing pays just as well, and now that I’ve bought a camper, I’m mobile and can work anywhere. Amazing how being able to travel freely makes it easier to get some assignments.”

“Sounds as if you’re even more footloose and fancy-free than usual,” Derrick teased. “Going to take advantage of better weather in the south and get away from the coming snow?”

Derrick continued to quiz Nathan on his plans, and Melanie simply soaked it in.

With her lover’s arm around her, Melanie was anchored in the warmth of her surroundings. She enjoyed the chatter as Nathan filled in the missing gaps from the past months, and his optimistic hopes for the future. Knowing that Nathan was going to be okay, finding a place in Derrick’s heart—her happiness was almost complete now.

There was only one more thing she wanted to accomplish, and it was time.

Somehow they endedup back at the gym, Chinese takeout boxes scattered again.

“Why do I feel like we’ve entered a time warp?” Derrick stroked her hair as Melanie leaned against his chest. He hoped she wasn’t going to suggest another round of sex in front of Nathan. He wasn’t willing to share her ever again, not even that way.

She giggled. “Sorry, no wild sexcapades this time.”

“Well, damn,” Nathan complained. “I had this new rope trick I wanted to show you.”

She stuck out her tongue and he instantly clicked a picture. “Will you stop that?” she demanded.

“Monkey.”

“Jackass.” Melanie scrambled to her feet. “I want to climb. Derrick, belay me?”

That wasn’t what he expected. “Right now?”

She was already scrambling into her harness. “Now.”

Derrick exchanged a confused shrug with Nathan, but went to grab his belt. Nathan gathered the remains of their dinner and cleared the floor, stepping out of the way to allow Melanie access to the wall.

She grabbed him by the arm on her return journey, hauling him close and hugging him fiercely. Nathan was stiff at first before returning the salute.

They were both grinning like fools when he stepped away.

Derrick was in the middle of checking the straps on her harness when Melanie caught him unaware. The gentle touch of her lips to his cheek was accompanied by her fingers tangling in his hair. She tugged until their lips connected, then continued the light blessing of their mouths together.

It would be easy to do this all night long.

When she pressed her hands to his chest, it was to both push them apart and to keep them together, her fingers clutching the front of his shirt. “I love you.”

A rush of happiness hit like a rockslide, making his knees weak. “I love you too.”

“On belay?”

Oh man.Would he ever get used to her high-energy mood swings? Derrick adjusted the rope, taking up the slack and pulling his head back into the game. “Belay on.”

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