Page 45 of Forbidden Secrets
Gage tried to keep the skepticism out of his voice.“Good luck with that.”
“Mine was a pirate ship,nota fairy boat.I’m making another one.”Jordy had a row of sticks about the same length and a long piece of twine he was using to lash them together.Expression serious, he said, “Girls are crazy about fairies.I don’t get it.”
“Well,you’recrazy about pirates,” Addy retorted.
“She got you there, pal.”Gage left the kids and climbed the embankment.He crossed to Melanie’s driveway and followed it to the front of her house.
Screwdriver in hand, Melanie stood near the top of the ancient ladder, leaning over way too far to do whatever she was doing to a sunshade attached to the facia board.She would likely have been fine if the ladder had been made in the current century.The high eaves made it even more of a stretch to reach the sunshade.
“What the hell are you doing?”
He realized his mistake instantly.She jerked in surprise and the rickety ladder wobbled, giving a loud creak.The screwdriver clattered to the ground and Melanie grabbed for the roof edge.The rung she was standing on gave way with a splintering of wood, and Melanie let out a shriek as the ladder toppled over, leaving her hanging.
He leapt over the ladder to wrap his arms around her legs from the front.She’d caught herself with one hand on the roof edge and the other entwined with the shade that looked brittle from sun exposure.“I got you.”
“I’m gonna fall.I’m gonna fall.Oh damn, I don’t want to break a leg.”
“You won’t fall.I got you.Let go, Melanie.”
She didn’t let go.“Dammit, Gage.Why’d you scare me like that?I’ll break a leg.”Her voice sounded strained.“Mom will have to move in to take care of me and that’ll only prove I made a mistake buying this house.”
“Jesus Christ, woman.We can talk it to death when you’re safe on the ground.”He angled his head back.Both her hands now gripped the edge of the roof.“I got you.Let go.”
“I’m heavy.You’ll drop me.”
“I won’t drop you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.Let go, sweetheart.”
He could feel her take a deep breath, then release her hold.He took her weight and eased her down.His hands on her ass and her breasts in his face would have made his day in any other circumstance, but he was too relieved and too pissed to enjoy the moment.
Her arms circled his shoulders in a death grip.“Holy crap.Thank you, Gage.I didn’t want to die.”
He lowered her until her feet touched the ground.
“What were you doing up there?”he growled.“If you hadn’t climbed up there on a shit ladder, you wouldn’t have been in danger of breaking your leg.”
Her arms remained clamped around his shoulders.Her chest rose and fell as she gave a shuddering breath he felt against his skin as she’d burrowed her face into his neck.
“You can yell at me later, but give me a minute, will you?”Her words sounded muffled.God, she felt good.And safe.She couldn’t get hurt if she was in his arms.
That one snuck right under what was left of the shields guarding his heart.The anger drained away and he held her tighter, lowering his head next to hers and breathing her in.“I didn’t mean to startle you.I’m sorry,” he murmured.“You scared the shit out of me.”
“I scared the shit out of me too.”She gave a shuddering breath.“I’m okay now.”
“Yeah, you are.”
She tipped her head back and their gazes locked, her close call heavy between them.Something shifted and with it came a feeling like he was staring at his destiny.
Sanity seemed to have escaped him because he made no effort to stop himself from dipping his head and taking her mouth.Her lips parted, his tongue sought hers, and the kiss skipped slow and casual and rocketed straight into intense and hot.
Her taste, dark and seductive, contrasted with her scent, which reminded him of the freshness of first rain.Add in the feel of her body clamped against his, and the parts of him that had been closed down for too long roared to life.
The kiss felt inevitable and the assault on his senses made him ravenous for more.Her mouth moved with his like she was savoring the kiss as much as he was.A hard frozen knot deep inside his chest felt like it was warming for the first time in more years than he could count.
The thought flashed that he was well and truly fucked, and there was no going back.She went still and her breath hitched.He had ahell nomoment because he didn’t want it to end, but then her tongue slid over his and she let out a purring groan that had his blood draining straight south.
