His Temporary Wife (The Brides of Sunflower Falls #2)

Chapter 15

fifteen

Tony dodged a punch from Zach. But not the swipe of Zach’s leg. He hit the mat with his back, and his head bounced a bit. Zach stood over him, hands on his hips and sweat dripping down from his face. “We definitely need to be working out more.”

Out of breath, all Tony could do was nod. He didn’t want to admit the reason he’d gotten his ass handed to him by Zach, even worse than usual, was because he wasn’t paying attention. All he’d been able to think about for the last couple days was Melody.

She’d sent him an email with the images from the ultrasound, and then went radio silent. He figured something had come up with a project the first day. But they hadn’t gone more than twenty-four hours without communicating since he’d left Sunflower Falls.

When he hadn’t heard from her by this morning, he’d texted Eric who’d said that Melody was fine and she’d contact him when she was ready.

If he could have jumped through time and space, he would have so he could yell at Eric for that non-response. Then Eric had followed up that he was in New York with Libby because of some interview with federal agencies about her father and hadn’t seen Melody the last couple days either. Tony had still wanted to yell at Eric, but all he’d done was wish Libby luck.

Ana wouldn’t answer his texts either, so he tagged Zach to see what he could find out. Which was nothing. Tony had been ready to prison break out of his own house at that point and head to LAX so he could fly back to Sunflower Falls. Zach had finally talked him down and into a sparring session. Where he had proceeded to kick Tony’s ass and then some.

Tony held up a hand, and Zach pulled him up. Working to catch his breath, he met Zach’s gaze. “I need to call Damien. I need to find out what’s going on.”

“With the case?”

“No. With Melody. I need to get back there.”

“And I told you, your ass is staying here. Ana would have told me if anything was wrong. When Melody’s ready to contact you, she will.”

His doorbell rang at that moment, and Zach began walking out of the room. “Probably the food delivery.”

Tony frowned because he didn’t remember Zach ordering any food. He had a private chef service for when he was in Los Angeles. The service ordered all the food.

Zach waved over his shoulder. “Come on. I’m going to need your help.”

Grabbing his water bottle from the stand near the door to the indoor gym, Tony followed. “What did you do? Order a pallet of protein powder or something?”

Zach didn’t bother replying as he walked through the hall to the front door. After checking something on his phone, he opened it and stepped aside .

Expecting to see a delivery person at the door with some massive food order of some kind, Tony’s mind went blank when he saw Melody standing there.

She gave him a small wave. “Uh, hi?”

He ran over and pulled her into a hug. She was okay. She was fine. She was here. In Los Angeles. He breathed in the scent of her shampoo. She was really here.

“Surprise!” He looked over Melody’s shoulder to see Aspen doing jazz hands with the kids on either side of her grinning at him.

“We kept the secret good this time, right, Mommy?” Kieran grinned up at her.

Aspen laughed. “We sure did, honey.”

Tony rocked with Melody in his arms. He didn’t want to ever let her go.

Zach coughed behind him. “I suggest you all come inside. I heard from your one neighbor’s security detail that the paparazzi’s started hanging around because your neighbor’s breaking up with her flavor of the week.”

Aspen nodded. “We saw them. Poor woman. She really needs to stop picking influence chasers for lovers.”

Tony finally loosened his grip on Melody and pulled her into the house. “You can go advise her on your way back home.”

Aspen pushed the kids ahead of her. “Like I’d leave you two alone right now after we’ve been in a plane for over five hours.”

“I can call Damien.”

“He’s meeting us here later. He went into the office today since we weren’t home yet. I also have food on the way.”

Tony looked down at Melody. He’d refused to fully let her go, so he tucked her under his arm as Aspen and the kids trooped into the house. “Are you hungry? I can put something together. I think. I don’t remember what’s in the fridge.”

“I could use some food. Maybe some ginger tea first?”

“Ginger? Are you okay? Did you get airsick?” Grabbing her hand, he started pulling her to the kitchen. He didn’t know if he had tea of any kind at all, but he’d order a rush delivery of it if necessary.

She squeezed his hand and pulled back a bit. He finally slowed down.

“Just a little queasy. I’m fine. Aspen gave me some dry snack crackers on the plane, and that helped. Since traffic wasn’t too bad, we came here straight from the airport, and she had Hannah submit an order with some delivery service.”

Aspen passed by them. “It should be here in about thirty minutes. Okay if the kids hit the pool? I want them wiped out for bedtime.”

Tony drew in a deep breath. “Sure.” He pulled Melody back into a hug and rested his cheek against the top of her head. “You’re here. You’re really here.”

She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed hard. “I’m here. Can we go somewhere else for a moment?”

“Yeah.” Tony looked over at Zach. “Can you keep Aspen occupied?”

“As long as you promise you’re not going for a quickie or anything.”

Melody snorted. “Believe me, I’m not in the mood at the moment.”

Concerned she wasn’t feeling well, Tony pressed a kiss into her hair. “Promise. But we need some privacy.”

Zach waved and then headed to the kitchen where Aspen was already going through his cabinets .

Tony led Melody to the small room off the entryway that he used as a study. One wall was lined with books and framed photos. The seating was limited, but there was a long couch for when he wanted to sack out for a quick nap. After closing the door, he led her over to the couch, sat down, and gathered her into his arms.

“This was a surprise.”

“A good one?”

The doubt he heard in her voice cut at him. He’d thought they’d been progressing, even with him being in Los Angeles and her in Sunflower Falls. Would she always doubt him when they were separated? He kissed her head. “Very good. I was telling Zach that I needed to get back to Sunflower Falls since I hadn’t heard from you.” He swallowed, understanding that she needed the reassurance. “Ask him. He’ll probably tack on that I’m a whiny bastard when I don’t get my way.”

Melody laughed, and then let out a long breath. Her body relaxed even more against him, and he was thankful for the small indicator.

“Why did you come out? Is everything okay? Do you need to go to the doctor?”

She tilted her head back, and he did the same so he could meet her gaze. He really didn’t want to let go of her now that she was here. “Are you going to be this hovery?”

“Is that a word?”

“Stop trying to deflect.”

He pulled the raised eyebrow. “Excuse me? Kettle meet pot.”

She scrunched her nose at him and lightly elbowed his stomach. “Still deflecting.”

“Takes one to know one.”

“Just answer the question.”

“Am I going to be hovery? In what sense?”

“Over me? During the pregnancy?”

He bent his head and kissed her. The feel of her body in his arms and her lips on his was something he’d gone to bed every night craving. “If me wanting you near me every second of the day possible and making sure you’re as comfortable and taken care of as possible is considered hovery, then, yes. I’m going to be hovery. But not just during the pregnancy. This is forever.”

“What if I need space?”

He shifted so he was sitting up straight and maneuvered her until she straddled his lap.

It was her turn to give him the raised brow. “You know this isn’t going to be possible when my belly gets huge with the baby.”

He placed a hand over where the baby was growing inside her. “I don’t care how big your belly gets. Baby or no baby, I will always want you straddling my lap.” He waggled his brows at her. “We’ll be in our 90s in one of those assisted care places and I’ll be begging for lap dances from you.”

Melody rolled her eyes and laughed. He watched as even more tension drained from her shoulders. She wrapped her arms around his head and bent down to kiss him. Soon, the fire that never really went out when they were in each other’s orbit flared high, and he was twisting their bodies to lie down on the couch.

A knock on the door had them breaking apart.

Hannah’s muffled voice came through. “Uncle Anthony, Zach says Melody needs to come have a smoothie he made.”

Melody snorted. “He’s going to think I’m a liar.”

He gave her another brief kiss. “No. He just knows me too well.” He got up off her and held out his hands to her. She took them, and he pulled her up.

She was looking over his shoulder and froze. “Tony?”

Frowning, he glanced over her shoulder to see what she was looking at, but all he saw were the family photos. Looking back at her, he lifted a hand to her cheek. “What? Are you okay?”

She moved around him and reached up to touch the latest addition to the collection. He hadn’t even thought about it. “I had them rush the frame job.”

She turned back to him, tears in her eyes. “You really want the baby.” She ran back to him and hugged him hard.

“The baby. You. Forever. Look at the photos next to it.”

She did, and he watched a couple tears well over. The first one was a photo that Ana had sent to Zach who’d forwarded it to him. They’d been in public, so hadn’t been doing anything as obvious as touching. But they’d been looking at each other, daring each other. The other was from their wedding day. One of their witnesses had snapped it with his phone. The expression on Melody’s face was bemusement mixed with heat. He was looking down at her as if she’d hung all the stars in his heavens.

There was another knock. “Uncle Anthony…”

Wrapping his arm around her, he led her back to the door. He opened the door to see Hannah standing there, her hand raised, and Kieran next to her sucking on one of the rocket ice pops he kept in the freezer year round for him. Both of them were in their swimsuits. Kieran grinned at him, red residue lining his lips.

“We’re coming.”

Both kids cheered and ran back to the kitchen.

He steered Melody down the hall, but before they’d gotten far, the entryway door behind them opened .

In a split second, he had Melody behind his back. A moment later, he was wrapped in a hug and cloud of his mother’s favorite Baccarat perfume.

“Mom?” He looked over to the door, where his father stood, arms loaded down with bags. “Dad?”

“My baby. We came the moment we heard. You’re locked up here all alone.”

His father rolled his eyes as he set each bag down in the hall and closed the door behind him. “Vicky. He’s perfectly fine. Let him go and let’s get some food. I’m hungry.”

His mother whirled around, hands on hips and chest out. “It’s always with your stomach, Leo. I need to care for my baby who’s being horribly abused by our legal system.”

Even that had him rolling his own eyes as his dad met his gaze, brows raised. “You see what I have to put up with. I swear she slept on the flight over.” His dad came over and kissed his mom. “As you can see, our baby is perfectly fine. Like he has been for the last thirty-six years. He may not like being cooped up at home, but the legal system is not abusing him.”

Tony frowned. “Wait a minute. How did you find out?” He stared at his dad. “Did you cut filming short? I thought you had another week?”

“We do have another week. I’m flying back in two because our lead went and got drunk the other night and got in a bar fight because he was told he wasn’t as pretty as he looked on screen.”

A snort came from behind him, and his parents froze. His mother scooted around him. She clapped as soon as she saw Melody. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

Tony looked down at Melody who appeared as shocked as he was. “Um, hi?”

Moving his gaze between his mother and Melody, he voiced the suspicion forming in his mind. “Do you two know each other?”

Aspen chose that moment for her entrance. “My darling Vittoria!”

“Beautiful Lily!”

The two golden statue winners did the air kiss thing they always did even if they’d seen each other only the day before.

There was a tug on the shirt he wore. He looked down at Melody. She pushed up on her toes and whispered. “I don’t know your parents. I swear.”

She wasn’t as quiet as she thought. Plus, his father had excellent hearing. “But we are looking forward to getting to know you better. Aspen’s reports have been highly entertaining.”

Melody swallowed and held out her hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

“Leo, please.”

“Melody.”

Tony’s mom came back over and wrapped her arms around Melody. “And call me Vicky. Everyone who matters does.”

Pushing down his panic at what Aspen might have reported to his parents, Tony hugged his dad. “Welcome home.” He looked over his dad’s shoulder at Aspen. “I’m very interested to hear what Aspen reported to you.”

His mother released Melody to reach up and pinch his cheek. “Only that you started dating someone. And that her husband had been unable to argue his way out of having you under house arrest.”

“Mom. Damien’s an excellent attorney. It’s not his fault.”

She humphed, but grabbed both his hand and Melody’s and pulled them to the kitchen. “I need to know everything. Tell me how you met. Was it love at first sight?”

Tony gently, but firmly, stopped his mother. “Mom. I love you dearly, but Melody just arrived with Aspen and the kids. I was training with Zach right before they arrived. We both need showers. How about you and Dad figure out where you want to order from for dinner, my treat, and we’ll put in an order as soon as we come back down?”

“Come on, Vicky. Let’s leave them alone. I could use a nap myself after that flight.”

With the distraction of his dad wanting to go to bed early after what had to have been an ass-long flight since his parents flew nonstop whenever possible, he and Melody escaped. He grabbed the bag Melody had left in the entryway, and directed her up the stairs.

“Turn left and head all the way down the hall.”

Following her, watching her body move, he wondered if he could talk her into a joint shower. He definitely needed one, but she might want to just refresh herself or whatever. “I know I told my mom you needed a shower, but do you?”

“Probably. If it’s cold enough, it’ll wake me up, which should help with the jetlag.”

Cold enough for that would be too cold for sexy fun times. “You take my shower, and I’ll use the one in the guest room.”

Melody glanced over her shoulder. “Isn’t Zach using your guest room?”

His step stuttered, and realized that while he’d given her a video tour of the more public parts of his house, he hadn’t shown her the upstairs. “I actually have four guest rooms. Plus my suite.”

It was Melody’s turn to stop mid-step. “Suite? Your bedroom’s big enough to be called a suite? ”

He placed his arm around her shoulders and led her around the corner and through the door to said suite. Expansive windows on the left had a clear view onto the Pacific Ocean.

Grinning down at Melody, he watched as her mouth dropped. “No fucking way. And you’re building a house in Sunflower Falls? Why?”

“I enjoy investing. It’s a pretty property. And we’ll need some place to live when we’re there.”

She blinked. “When we’re there?”

“Yes. We’re going to need a house when we visit.”

She blinked again. Stepped back. Fuck.

“Melody?”

“I think we need to talk. I am going to take a shower. In one of the guest rooms. And stay there. We’ll use my time here, when I’m not in meetings, to discuss this further. But not right now.”

Realizing that saying anything more would only shove his feet farther down his esophagus, he nodded. “Sure.”

He turned and led the way back out of his room. Zach’s room was next to his for security reasons, but if he could kick Zach out, he would. He showed Melody the room next to Zach’s. It overlooked the pool in the backyard. It wasn’t exactly pool weather, but both Hannah and Kieran were doing cannonballs into it with his mom and Aspen looking on.

When he’d bought the house, one of the draws had been that every guest room had an en suite bathroom. This one only had a shower, but he’d had it renovated last year to bring it up to date. He opened the door and let out a relieved breath that it didn’t need any cleaning. “It’s got a rainfall shower head, but all you have to do is… ”

Melody placed her hand on his arm. “I know how to work a bathroom. Of all designs.”

“Oh, yeah. Right. Sorry.”

She had a little smile on her face, so hopefully she wasn’t completely shutting him out. “You go get your shower, I’ll get mine, and we’ll meet back downstairs.”

“Sure. Fine.”

He left the room, and she closed the door on him. He tried hard not to feel like she was pulling back again, but with her wanting to “talk”, it felt like he was again at the bottom of an uphill climb.

Taking one of the fastest showers possible, he got dressed in jeans and one of his favorite concert t-shirts. Shoving his feet into a pair of comfortable sandals, he went back downstairs.

“Anthony.”

He froze. It felt like he was a teenager, sneaking back into the house after curfew. Again.

“Yeah, Dad?”

“Come here.”

He realized his dad was in the study. Shit.

When he walked to the study, he found his dad staring at the framed photos. “Yes?”

His dad took one from the shelf, turned, and held it up. “Do you have some news to share?”

His mother’s perfume reached him before she did. “Leo, Anthony, we’re ready to place the order…” She came into the room behind him, and froze next to him. Her gaze locked on the image from the ultrasound. “What’s this? Leo?”

“That’s just what I asked our son. It was on his family photos shelf. It looks like a recent addition.”

His mom looked up at him, tears in her eyes. “Anthony?”