It had been tough, since they’d both been part of the wedding party and had been paired together. Whenever she smiled at him, flashing those knock-out, sexy-as-hell dimples, Dak had felt things he’d never felt before. His attraction to Amelia had been immediate, arresting and totally unorthodox.
Stonewall’s description of his sister hadn’t done Amelia justice—she was strikingly beautiful. Everything about her was damn near perfect. Gorgeous body, ideal height, classic features, stunning smile, and on top of that, she was a great conversationalist. And just to test his libido, her bridesmaid’s dress appeared as if it had been tailored to her body. The way the material had molded to her curves should have been outlawed, and those strappy high heels she wore revealed a great pair of legs. No doubt about it, Amelia was every man’s fantasy girl. In less than five minutes, she had become his.
But it was when they’d danced together that he knew he’d gone too far. The feel of her in his arms, holding her close, had made him feel things he’d never experienced before. His desire for her, his need to sweep her into his arms and carry her away somewhere private, was almost overwhelming. He’d been so unsettled after that dance that he’d fled the wedding reception the moment Stonewall and Joy had left for their honeymoon. He just hadn’t been able to take any more temptation without acting on it.
That had been two years ago. And he hadn’t seen or talked to Amelia since. He hadn’t even asked Stonewall about her. Yet, Amelia Courson had occupied a large part of his mind from that day on. Sometimes, just out of the blue, he would remember their dance, holding her in his arms, inhaling her scent, focusing on how well their bodies had connected…and he’d get worked up all over again. And that wasn’t like him.
He’d gone to bed almost every night with the image of her wearing that bridesmaid’s dress in his head. Of course, in his dreams, she wasn’t wearing it long. Not surprisingly, he would wake up aroused. He had tried dating other women to put her out of his mind, but that had turned out to be a total waste of time. None of them could keep his interest…which meant that it had been a long time since he’d gotten laid. If he was ever going to be able to move forward, he had to find out if his intense desire for her was real, or just some sort of fluke. After all, it had been two years. He had to get on with his life, one way or another.
Standing, he inhaled deeply, loving the scent of the ocean that flowed through his nostrils. Just the thought of seeing Amelia Courson again had other body parts coming to life as well. He had a feeling when he went to bed again, those memories of a night he nearly lost his life would be long gone, pushed away by thoughts of the beautiful face he couldn’t wait to see again.
• • •
When Amelia Courson walked into her grandmother’s home, she found her brother and sister-in-law already in the kitchen helping Granny Kay. Mellie loved it whenever her grandmother invited everyone over for breakfast or dinner. It was an opportunity for them all to slow down and enjoy each other’s company, for a change. All of them had demanding jobs, so low-key time together was at a premium. Mellie was a doctor at the hospital, Joy, a lieutenant with the Charlottesville Police Department, and Stonewall, a bodyguard with Summers Security Firm. And tomorrow, they would all be flying out to attend the wedding of Andrew Logan and Antonia Oliver in Miami. Since Stonewall and Joy were in the wedding party, they’d head out first thing in the morning, while Mellie and Granny Kay would follow them later that afternoon.
Mellie loved her brother and adored her sister-in-law. And the two had announced last month that they were expecting their first child in January. It was wonderful for Mellie to see her brother so happy. That’s the way she wanted things for herself one day and wouldn’t settle for anything less. But she had plenty of time to get serious about someone. She was only thirty-three, after all. Hopefully she would come across her Mr. Right in the next couple of years.
“What’s this I hear about you taking an entire month off from the hospital,” Stonewall asked, once all the platters of food had been placed on the table, everyone seated, and grace had been said.
Mellie glanced over at her brother. “You heard right. I’m long overdue for a break. I’ve spent so much time at the hospital lately, I’m burned out. It’s time I had some time for myself, instead of always taking care of everyone else.”
“That’s a good idea,” Granny Kay said. “I was beginning to worry about you, Mellie. These days employers want their employees to keep doing more and more, while offering less.”
Mellie smiled over at her grandmother. “Management didn’t like it. In fact, I think they were going to refuse me the time off. But they finally saw I meant business when I submitted a transfer to another hospital.”
Joy chuckled. “I bet that lit a fire under their feet.”
Mellie chuckled as well. “Sure did. They immediately hired two additional doctors, and I withdrew the transfer. But because we now have enough staff, they couldn’t argue when I insisted on taking time off. Still, I plan to leave town for most of those days. That way, there’s no way they can call me to come in.”
“Where are you headed?” Stonewall asked as he poured syrup onto his pancakes.
“No place in particular. After the wedding, I might hang around Miami Beach for a few days before returning back here to repack and take off elsewhere. I was thinking of visiting Whitney in California.” Whitney was her best friend from college, who now worked as an attorney on the west coast. “I’m even thinking about taking one of those cruises out of Baltimore.”
Granny Kay lifted a brow. “You can do that at the spur of the moment? Without a reservation?”
Mellie nodded. “Yes. Do you want to come with me, Granny Kay?” Mellie asked her grandmother, while looking through the platter for the crispiest pieces of bacon that she could find.
“Heavens no. I’m flying back on Sunday morning. Carlton said he would pick me up from the airport. He wants me to attend his family reunion with him.”
Mellie couldn’t help but smile. Some people found it hard to believe that her seventy-five-year-old grandmother still dated on a regular basis. Katherine Courson looked good for her age, and lately, Granny Kay had even more dates than Mellie. Of course, she blamed it on her job at the hospital. She hadn’t gone out in months. And whenever she did go out, it was usually with Craig. He was a fellow doctor at the hospital who wasn’t ready to let others know he was gay. That was his right, and she didn’t mind hanging out with him, or accompanying him to various hospital functions.
In a way, it was a good thing her grandmother wouldn’t be joining her if she decided to take a cruise. Who knew? Maybe she’d meet someone. And if she did, she intended to walk on the wild side for a change. She’d been so busy with work, she hadn’t had the chance to let loose in years. Heck, she couldn’t even recall the last time she’d slept with a man, or even been attracted enough to one to consider it.
Suddenly, her thoughts shifted to a certain handsome man, whose gorgeous body and sexy smile made her think of him often…too often. She hadn’t seen him in two years, since Stonewall and Joy’s wedding. But he’d been on her mind constantly ever since. He’d also taken up a lot of room in her dreams.