More Than One Night (19 page)

Daniel's arm slid around her waist as he pulled her close, quelling the rising panic. "As I explained, my fault. In my distress, I left in a hurry. Unfortunately, the note, explaining my absence, fell off the counter, so she didn't see it. Mel was worried for my safety and so upset she lost track of the time trying to reach me. You remember what it's like to be so into another person you forget about everyone and everything else, don't you?" He finished his statement by pulling Melodie closer and kissing her tenderly on the cheek. "From the moment I met your daughter, there's been an undeniable attraction—something special I can't explain. Of course, now that I've met her mother, there's no question where she gets her breathtaking beauty from."

Oh, he was good…very good.

Daniel released Annie's hand long enough to focus his attention solely on Melodie. His fingers caressed her cheek before lifting her chin for a tender kiss—not the one they'd both been wanting since he arrived yesterday, but enough. The undeniable pull of attraction—need—maybe even love—filled her body. Of their own freewill, her hands slid up his chest and around his neck, savoring the moment. Before they could get too swept away in the moment, he broke their connection.

His eyes never left hers. "Surely, Mrs. Alexander, you can understand, and forgive her—forgive us—for missing the party. Melodie's shared with me how successful her big sister is. I'm sure there'll be more occasions to celebrate."

Another knock on the door saved Marie from answering. Her face brightened considerably. "That must be Evelyn and her family."

Daniel didn't miss a beat. "I'm really looking forward to meeting her. I think we may have actually met before."

What the…? After all the conversations they'd had about her sister. Not once did he mention he'd met her. Familiar feelings of jealousy settled like rocks in her stomach. If he even flirted with her sister…She moved aside to allow her mother to pass, not missing the curious look Marie sent Daniel at his statement. Anyone who knew Evelyn was of interest to her. "You never told me you knew Ev?"

"I realized it last night, but as I recall, you had a princess pajama party, and I ended up spending the night on the couch."

She blushed, both embarrassed at the direction of her thoughts and relieved she'd fallen asleep reading to Annie. The woman in her knew she wouldn't have been able to resist Daniel's charms if they'd been alone, and especially not if his tempting body was next to hers in bed. "Are you going to tell me now?"

He kissed her again, pushing curiosity to a dark corner of her mind. If he kept this up, they'd be in major trouble with her mother when she dragged Daniel to her old bedroom and had her way with him.

His whispered breath across her ear turned her knees to jelly. "I'll fill you in later when you're naked and in my arms. Until then, know I intend to slay both dragons in your life tonight with one fell swoop of my sword."

"Eeewww, gross!" Her youngest nephew's protest at the public display of affection prevented her from saying or doing anything more.

She turned from Daniel's embrace and scooped Jason into her arms, tickling as she held him close. "Gross? Gross! I'm sure your mommy and daddy kiss too."

His laughter filled the air as he squealed. "Stop, Auntie Mel. Stop!"

"Jason, not so loud. You know how Gramma Marie doesn't like loud noises." Evelyn's chilly voice robbed the room of warmth.

Melodie rolled her eyes and then winked at Jason before setting him down. "We'll wait until later to get into trouble. It's too early to make both Mom and Gramma mad at us."

He sighed. "Okay, Auntie Mel."

"I brought someone for you to play with tonight though. Would you like to meet her?"

"You brought a girl?" His nose wrinkled.

"I'm a lady, not a girl." The indignant voice of an offended eight year old filled the space around her.

Melodie turned him around. "Jason, meet Annie. Annie, this is Jason. He's seven."

His green eyes gave her the once-over, apparently deciding whether she'd make a worthy playmate. "Do you like to play castles and dragons?"

"Can I be a princess?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "Sure, why not. Mom, can we go play before dinner?"

"Ask properly."

Melodie fought the urge to roll her eyes again. If her nephews turned out not to have anger or mommy issues, it'd be a miracle. Like she had room to talk. She was going to make changes in this part of her life as well…just not tonight.

"May…" he stretched the word out for effect, "we go play before dinner, please?"

She nodded and smiled proudly. "Yes, you may."

Jason took Annie by the hand, and they ran off to play.

"Young love. How sweet," Melodie offered to the now-quiet room of adults. Evelyn's husband and her oldest nephew were absent. "Where's the rest of the family?"

"Swim meet."

Melodie didn't even ask why Evelyn didn't attend. If mother requested her presence, she'd ignore everyone and everything else to accommodate her wishes.

Before she could say or ask anything else, Marie interjected. "Melodie, why don't you help me in the kitchen? You and I have some things to talk about. Evelyn, please entertain her guest. His name is Daniel, and he professes to be 'so into her.' I'm sure you have questions for him."

The sinking feeling in Melodie's heart compared to the
Titanic
and her newfound love story as tragic as the one in the movie. By the time Ev was done grilling him, she'd be lucky if he didn't rescue Annie from the playroom and disappear again before dinner was served. Thanks to her mother, she wouldn't even be here to help him. At least with her big sister being happily married, she hoped she didn't have to worry about Ev trying to steal her man this time.
My man… like the sound of that.

She grabbed his hand and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "Good luck. Never let her see you sweat."

He pulled her closer and kissed the curve of her neck, unearthing another secret—the location of her sweet spot. "I've got this, Mel. One slayed dragon coming up." He winked and pushed her off toward the kitchen and her own personal firing squad.

"Dad, you coming to the kitchen to help?"

He winked and smiled but shook his head. "Nope. I'm going to play with the kids. Safest place in the house right now, I think."

"How did you meet my sister, and what exactly do you want from her?" Evelyn's tone reminded him of being cross-examined by Belle's attorney during their divorce proceedings.

He gestured toward the couch in the formal sitting room just off the foyer. "Would you like to sit down before we begin?"

"I prefer to stand." Evelyn crossed her arms and leveled a glare in his direction. "Now, answer my questions."

If that's how she wanted to play, fine. "I'll answer your questions, and then you answer mine."

Her blue eyes blazed, but she nodded. Melodie hadn't exaggerated the focus of the elder Alexander women. "Mel and I met in Dallas…well, on the plane between Chicago and Dallas." He smiled, remembering their first encounter.

"Melodie hates to fly, and I'm supposed to believe she fell head over heels for you in the two hours or so it takes to get to Dallas?"

If every other man Melodie brought home received this treatment, no wonder she guarded her heart so carefully.
Or maybe she hasn't brought too many other men home.
"You obviously aren't a hopeless romantic like your sister. It was love almost at first sight for me when I met her on the flight. She took a little more convincing."

"You seduced my sister." An accusation rather than a question clearly delivered in her tone.

"Damn straight I did. She's worth the effort, emotion, and energy it takes to get through the walls she's built around her heart, thanks to growing up in your shadow." Face the enemy head-on. No subversion. No strategy. Time to set up the kill.

"My sister's inability to find a man is
my
fault?"

Anger replaced accusation in her tone. Daniel knew his target now rested clearly in his sites, an eminent strike. "Not entirely. Your mother played a pretty significant role, from what I've been able to learn in the time I've known your sister. Marie compares Melodie to you in everything."

Her shoulders straightened. "I may set the bar high, but I'm very successful. Melodie would do well to be like me."

Time for the kill. He stepped closer, meeting her challenge and lowering his voice so no one else could hear. "So she should cheat on her husband when she's in India on business with a soldier who's on leave?"

Evelyn's red cheeks drained of color, and the fury in her eyes morphed from surprise to recognition and, finally, embarrassment. "How could you…? I mean… It was…"

Daniel wished Mel could witness the crack in her sister's façade, but that wasn't part of the plan. Family was important to him, and he wanted to see these fences mended, not torn down completely. "The world is a small place. When I saw a family picture, a candid shot, rather than the head shot from your firm, I remembered seeing you with my buddy when we were on leave. I never forget a face. You didn't even take off your wedding ring. Tsk, tsk. What would your family say? What would Marie say if she knew her perfect daughter happened to be flawed and human like the rest of us?"

"You wouldn't!" Both a question and a demand.

"By the way, you broke my buddy's heart. In case you care. I'm not going to tell Melodie because there's something I want more than airing your dirty little secret."

"I'm listening."

The sword raised, ready to hand off to Evelyn to finish slaying the real dragon, Marie. "Two things. First, stop treating your sister like she's a second-class citizen, and see her for the amazing woman she is, even if that happens to be different from you and your mother. Second, find a way to get your mother to back off as well."

She shook her head. "Number one I can do. Mother has a mind of her own and is very set in her ways."

He shrugged. "Your problem, not mine. You're the brilliant and highly successful attorney. Make it happen, or I'll let Mom in on our little secret, and you can deal with the fallout of your little indiscretion."

Evelyn's eyes cleared, and the thin line of her mouth hardened. The ice in her blue eyes fired in Daniel's direction. "I'm going to find out your secrets and tell Melodie. Everyone has secrets."

Sibling rivalry he could deal with, especially since he had nothing left to hide. "I'm an open and easy-to-read book, so give it your best shot. Besides, I've already confessed all my secrets to your sister. Surprise, surprise, she still wants me in her life, in her bed, and in her heart. Apparently she's more willing to overlook flaws than you and your mother."

"You're a bastard."

Daniel smiled, thinking of all the times Melodie had inferred the very same characterization through things she said or did. She was classier than her sister, though, and had never called him one straight out.
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde are her favorite nicknames for me.
"This is no secret to your sister either. I'm a bastard. You're a bitch. Enough name-calling. We both know who we are. The question is, are we going to partner up to make life easier for your sister, or am I about to make your life more difficult?"

The redness covering her face and her clenched fists might intimidate others, but he stood his ground. He had her right where he wanted her—she'd protect her secret.

She moved into his personal space and extended her hand. "Partners."

Daniel and Evelyn entered the formal dining room. Melodie's mother and father took their places at each end of the table while Evelyn and Jason occupied the side opposite of Melodie and her "family."

"Dinner smells wonderful." Daniel offered, placing a quick kiss on Melodie's cheek before sitting on the end next to her mother.

"Chicken parmesan, one of mother's specialties." Melodie desperately tried to read the look on either Daniel or her sister's faces, but both remained passive and in control as far as she could tell. If her sister had turned Daniel against her…

Marie's voice cut in as she started the plates of food around the table. "You must know by now Melodie's idea of cooking a nice dinner is speed-dialing a restaurant other than the local pizza joint."

And so it starts.
She didn't even have food on her plate, and the picking had started.

Daniel interjected, "Fortunately for us then, I'm not interested in Mel for her cooking ability. I'm no Emeril either, and after the MREs and army cooking for several years, I've learned to be grateful for whatever is placed in front of me." He leaned forward and winked in Melodie's direction. "Besides, I think taking a cooking class together would be fun. What do you think?"

The thought of either Daniel or her taking a cooking class required her to suppress a bubble of laughter, but playing along with his game might be fun. Of course Evelyn would side with Mother, but maybe it was time for a good fight. "I think that's a wonderful idea. I'll do some research and find some classes for us."

Marie rolled her eyes. "There she goes again. If she spent more time actually doing something rather than researching it, she'd be as successful as her sister rather than dallying around putting books away all day."

First my cooking, now my job. She's not wasting any time tonight.

Evelyn chimed in, "Mother, please. Let's enjoy the wonderful meal you've prepared while you tell us about your upcoming trip to China."

Did her big sister just defend her? She couldn't remember the last time Evelyn intervened, especially not in front of guests.

The delay tactic worked, and for the next several minutes, Marie expounded about her latest clients, their importance, and the planned trip to China.

"Mulan is from China," Annie shared once Marie finished.

"Mulan?" The older woman smiled in her direction.

"The hero…" Annie looked to Melodie for confirmation. Receiving a nod, she continued, "The heroine in the story Melodie read me last night."