I stand to the side of the space, clapping as the last award of the night is given out. My gaze sweeps the room and satisfaction settles inside me at the happy faces and atmosphere of celebration. There’s been a few small dramas that have needed my attention, but that’s par for the course in my job. Now the ceremony is finished, the staff will move the tables to create space for a dance floor in front of the band that will play on the stage. We’re not done yet, but there’s a midnight curfew, so hopefully I’ll be tucked up in my bed in a couple of hours.

  And maybe if I’m lucky, Alex will be there with me.

  I’m draining a tall glass of chilled water at the bar when I hear my name. I turn to find a couple approaching me. Plastering a polite smile on my face, I greet them.

  “Hey, Susie, Mark. How are you both?”

  “I thought I spotted you earlier, Mel. You’re running this event?” Susie asks as she leans in to air-kiss my cheek. Mark raises his brow with a nod in greeting.

  “I am, yes. I hope you’ve had a good night.”

  “It’s been amazing. I was invited through work. They’re trying to do their bit to support the arts. How have you been? I was so sad to hear about John and you getting divorced. I’ve not seen you for ages.”

  “I’m good, thanks.” My polite smile is fully in force as I try to work out how to get away from this conversation with a colleague of John’s and his wife. I get caught making small talk with them for a few minutes while Susie decides to update me on the comings and goings of John’s office.

  “Did you hear about Nancy?” Susie asks as she leans closer, eager to spill the tea.

  “No.”

  “She ran off with a man half her age. The whole office was shocked, wasn’t it, Mark?” Mark nods along with his wife. “I mean, it’s bad enough cheating but to do it with a younger man and then leave her husband. Appalling. And what’s her toyboy going to want with her after this little fling anyway? He’ll soon find someone younger and more suited.”

  Shame courses through me. Is that what people will think if Alex and I go public? What the hell am I playing at? I’m lost for words.

  “Oh,” is all I can muster.

  Susie eases away, disappointment painting her face at my lack of response to her hot bit of gossip. “I’m sure you’ve got lots to do. We won’t hold you up.” She gives me a very fake smile and my eyes widen at the blatant dismissal when they approached me in the first place.

  “I do need to check some details. It was good to see you both.” I keep my smile pinned as I turn away and let out a sigh as I walk away.

  As I step into the foyer, Alex is locking up the pottery studio. I spend a moment trying to decide if I should hide or not. Too late. He turns and his face lights up with a grin when he sees me standing there. He lopes towards me as panic churns my stomach. I glance over my shoulder to check who’s loitering by the door and then hurry to meet Alex further away from the events hall.

  “Hey, what’s the rush? Everything okay?” He cups my elbows, and he’s too close. If someone stepped out now, they’d see us.

  “I’m fine.” I paste on that same polite smile from a moment ago. The one I’ve used all my life to be ‘perfect Mel’, who doesn’t put a foot wrong. Fuck. “On your way out?”

  “Brenda asked me to lock up while she dances the night away in there.” He nods to the hall. “It sounds like it went well. I’m so fucking proud of you.” Warmth enthuses me at his praise, but it’s competing with shame after that run-in with Susie and Mark. The look on his face is so earnest that I step back. He frowns as I move away. “You sure you’re okay? You’re kinda pale.”

  “I just need to sort out some problems. I should go.” I gesture vaguely over my shoulder.

  “Anything I can help with? I’m happy to wait and see you safely home. We can carry on where we left off earlier.”

  Laughter and good cheer spills from the space behind us and my paranoia of being caught increases.

  “No, no, there’s no need. Head home and I’ll catch up with you later.” I keep my tone light and slightly dismissive to get him moving along.

  “If you’re sure?”

  “I really need to go and find my staff. See you later.” I school my features into my most professional look and give him a nod. His brows knit and he hesitates for a moment but doesn’t say anything or step any closer. Thank goodness.

  Pain radiates in my chest as I turn and walk away from him. When I get back to the doorway, I look back and he’s headed out the main door. I hurry inside in case he looks back at me.

  I can’t keep doing this. I need to put a stop to it. But it might be one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, to push him away.

  Chapter twenty-six

  Alex

  Iget home late the next night after a shift at the bar. I’m dead on my feet. As I wheel the bike up the driveway and tuck it behind the tall hedge, I look up to Mel’s room. Despite the late hour, I can see light coming from behind the curtains. I haven’t seen her yet today and I’m tempted to knock, but I feel grubby after a long, busy shift and decide a shower is my top priority. I grab my pack from the bike and trudge over to the garage and up the stairs to my apartment. But when I get inside, I keep thinking about her light being on and I decide to send her a message:

  Me:

  Hey, how are you doing? I saw your light was on.

  It shows as delivered but not read, so I peel off my clothes on the way to the shower, leaving my phone on the bed.

  I’m back out ten minutes later, a towel wrapped around my waist, while rubbing my hair dry with another. I get the shock of my life when I find Mel on the chair by the television, sitting on her hands and biting her lip.

  “Hey, I hope you don’t mind me letting myself in. You didn’t reply, and I need to talk to you.”

  “Yeah, no worries. What’s up?”

  She sighs, her eyes tracking the movement of the droplets of water trickling down my chest. “I came over to say I don’t think we should see each other anymore.”

  “What?” Where is this coming from? I chuck the towel I’d been using to dry my hair on the bed and stand with my hands on my hips, waiting for her to go on.

  “It’s been amazing, but I don’t think it’s really going anywhere, and I don’t want your friendship with Zack to suffer. I think it’s best if we just cool things completely.” She’s gazing up at me with a look of genuine sorrow. I try to remember what Abby and Cassidy were talking about when they accosted me in the cellar and predicted this would happen, but I get caught up in Mel’s expression and the sadness I can see there.

  “Why don’t you think it’s going anywhere?” I ask, frowning.

  “I’m too old for you, Alex. It’s been fun, but I think both of us know this won’t end up being anything serious.”

  “Not if you won’t give it a chance.”

  She scoffs. “You mean to say you’ll be happy as a thirty-five-year-old being with a fifty-year-old? I don’t think so.”

  “I’m happy as a twenty-five-year-old contemplating a relationship with a forty-year-old. I don’t see how that’s any different.” Her eyes well with tears. “Please, Mel, give it a chance. If you’re stopping this now because of me and Zack, he’s not going to forgive me anytime soon. I need to learn to live with that, but I don’t want to live without you as well.”

  “There’s no future for us, Alex. What will people think when they see us together? I don’t even know if you want kids or to get married. I can’t see a way for us to turn this into a proper relationship.”

  “Where’s this all coming from? This sounds like it’s more than what happened when Zack found out. What’s going on?”

  “I bumped into some old friends, no, acquaintances, last night. It made me realise that people are always going to judge us. I don’t think I can handle that. I don’t want to ruffle feathers.”

  “What does it matter what other people think? Why are you letting that trip you up? I’m sure Zack will come around eventually when he realises this thing between us is serious. No-one else matters, Mel. Don’t let judgey people stop you from being happy.”

  Her tears spill over and I can no longer hold myself back, striding over to draw her up from the chair. I bring her into my arms and enjoy the warmth in my chest when she lays her head down on my shoulder.

  Chapter twenty-seven

  Mel

  Alex draws me into his arms and it’s wonderful. I press my head to his shoulder, even though I know I should be pushing him away and leaving before this gets out of hand.

  His bare skin is warm under my face and it’s comforting when his hands come up to wrap around me. And it’s that feeling of him taking such good care of me that brings out the full-blown sobs. My shoulders heave and I struggle to catch a breath as the tears fall down my cheeks. There have been so many tears lately and I’m tired of it.

  “It’s okay, Mel, we’ll figure it out. I promise,” he whispers, while continuing to stroke my back. I must just need the outlet because as fast as the sobs come, they disappear while we hug each other.

  “I’m sorry,” I mumble against his chest.

  “What for?”

  “I shouldn’t even be here. I don’t know why I’m upset. I should get out of your hair. It’s becoming a habit to cry all over you.” I try to pull away, but he firms up his grip, holding me in place.

  “Take as long as you need.”

  But I struggle to stay there, awkward now my crying bout has come to an end.

  “I need to go.” I pull back again and he lets me this time. I look at his naked chest, my gaze falling to his abs and his happy trail leading down under the towel. I know what delights await me under there, and it’s a struggle to maintain my conviction that ending things is the right thing to do.

  His hand strokes my hair back from my face, tucking it behind an ear. “Why don’t you stay for a bit? Let’s enjoy each other one last time.”

  He’s so fucking tempting. I bite down hard on my lip, trying to use the pain to strengthen my resolve, but then he loosens the knot on his towel. My mouth gapes as he lets it fall to the floor. His cock is starting to rise, hardening and lengthening before my very eyes. A pulse beats deep between my thighs as a wave of arousal sweeps over me at the sight of him.

  “What do you say? Let’s take one last hour and get as much enjoyment as we can.” He takes his hardening cock in hand as he says it, and I’m mesmerised as he fists it up and down. “Are we doing this, Mel?”

  I bob my head in a nod. How can I walk away from this? As he says, one last time, to try to get it out of our systems before we part ways.

  “Come and touch me.” He coaxes me over. I step closer, under his spell, and place both hands on his chest, smoothing them over the planes of his muscles. This man is built. His body is a masterpiece. “What do you think about the nude modelling?” he asks as if he can read my thoughts.

  My gaze flies up to his, my eyes widening as I remember the offer Maggie made him and the jealousy from yesterday floods back. “Are you going to do it?”

  “Perhaps. It’s good money, apparently. Do you think I should?”

  “Your body is incredible. It should be turned into art,” I tell him earnestly.

  “It’s a nude sculpting class. Perhaps we could get you a ticket?” He gives me a grin.

  “I thought this was going to be the last time?”

  He looks shocked. “I wasn’t suggesting you fuck me in the middle of an art workshop, Mel. For fuck’s sake.” I can hear the humour in his tone and smile wryly. “Do you really think if you saw me naked you wouldn’t be able to keep your hands off me?” Curiosity sparkles in his eyes.

  “That’s what happened here tonight, is it not?” I counter.

  “So it is. What are you waiting for?” He’s been lazily pumping his cock through this whole conversation and I look down to see it hard, and completely ready for action. My hands are still on his chest and I smooth them up to his shoulders, digging my fingers in and giving him a massage. He groans in appreciation. “Fuck, yeah.”

  “You like that?”

  “I fucking love that. Don’t stop.”

  “Why don’t you lay down and I’ll rub your back?”

  He frowns as if he’s weighing up his options. “Later. I need to be inside you first.” I don’t have the heart to remind him that we don’t have time for later. Whatever he wants, we need to do here, now, tonight.

  His hands come up to my waist and ease under the hoody I threw on when I decided to come over and see him. I’m not wearing anything under it, not even a bra and it’s obvious, from the look on his face, when he realises this. He cups my breasts, squeezing them gently with a gruff groan. His fingers pluck at my already erect nipples and a moan slips past my lips at the sensation.

  “Can I take this off?” he asks, tugging on the hoody. I nod and he swipes it over my head, dropping it to the floor. Next, his hands find the waistband of my comfy joggers, and he raises a brow in question.

  “Yes, please,” I whisper. They are pulled down and I kick them off, so I’m left wearing only my panties.

  Now on his knees, Alex leans forward and presses his face to the thin cotton material, his breath warm through them. He kisses me there before tugging them down my legs.

  Our eyes meet and hold, desire burning there, and I know there’s something similar in my own expression. I’m hot all over despite the cold night outside of this little apartment. I realise that it doesn’t matter how long we spend tonight, I don’t think this fire between us will ever burn out.

  But I have to try to expend this spark between us, have to accept that this is the last time, and give him absolutely everything I can before I walk away.

  His hands stroke my thighs and he wedges a hand between my legs to ease them apart.

  “I wanted to do this yesterday, but there wasn’t enough time.” His thumbs open me up and he leans forward to kiss me right there.

  Something inside me shatters at the care he takes with my body. I have never felt this precious before, but he makes it clear that my pleasure is his priority. He lifts one of my legs and drapes it over his shoulder, opening me up to his gaze. I worry I will lose my balance, but he holds me firmly as he presses his face forward and licks me.

  “That’s so good,” I tell him with a moan.

  The pleasure builds inside me, but I’m not convinced I can get there from this position. I stroke back the hair that’s falling onto his forehead as he groans into my pussy, the vibrations delicious against my core.

  He laps at me over and over again. I throw my head back and stare up at the ceiling while I concentrate on savouring everything about this moment.

  He eases back and looks up at me. “Are you ready for my cock, Mel?”

  “Yes, please…” He lifts my leg off his shoulder and rises to his feet, grabbing my hips and holding me steady when I wobble slightly.

  “Come then.” He steps towards the bed, tugging my hand to pull me along with him. “How do you want it today, baby? Feet crammed up the headboard?” His tone is teasing, but I think he’d give me anything I wanted right now.

  “Sounds good to me.” He pushes me down onto the sofa bed and I shift over so I’m lying in the middle. I watch, wide eyed, as he rips open the packet and rolls the condom on. I draw in a big breath, remembering how good it is to be full of him.

  He positions himself between my thighs. “I want you to wrap your legs around me. Then when you’re ready, I’m going to push your feet up toward your head, okay?”

  I can only nod. There are no words. He grips one of my hips and then there’s the intrusion of the swollen head of his cock at my entrance. He eases inside, and we both groan at the friction.

  “You feel so fucking good.” He stares into my soul as he says it. “Okay?”

  “Yes,” I pant. He thrusts in further and my breath hitches as he bottoms out. He pauses for a second, giving me a chance to get used to him buried inside me. My legs wrap around his hips, holding him close.

  I shut my eyes, trying to memorise every feeling. My eyes prick at the thought that this will be the last time I get to enjoy this, but I refuse to get upset yet again. I open my eyes, wanting to celebrate this moment and wring every possible pleasure from it. “Please, Alex,” I plead, bucking my hips, trying to get him to move. He lays his hand on the pillow beside my head, his other still on my hip. It’s like he’s trying to hypnotise me with his intent stare as he eases out and then pushes back in. It’s painfully slow. I need to be fucked, dammit.

  Thankfully, his pace starts to increase. He groans in my ear and then whispers, “You want me to shift you so your legs are up and your feet are near your head?” I gulp, but give him a nod.

  He eases back and kneels up and my legs fall away from his waist. He grips my thighs, massaging my hamstrings. He eases my legs up and I get on board, pointing my toes up to the ceiling. “Mmmh,” he groans deep as we adjust, and the angle at which his cock is penetrating me shifts. “Take a breath,” he rasps, and I do exactly as I’m told, drawing oxygen into my lungs. I like him being in charge as much as I like being the one issuing the instructions. It’s freeing to give up the control sometimes.

  He pushes my thighs away from him and my feet head back towards the back of the sofa bed. Jeez, that’s a deep stretch. In all the manoeuvring, his cock slips out of me but he thrusts it inside me and there’s an insane stretch as he fucks me from a whole new angle, my body almost folded in half. I cry out, overcome with the intensity of this new position.

  He looks down to where his cock sinks inside of me. With his eyes half-lidded, the man looks like pure sex. “You. Take. It. So. Fucking. Well.” Each word is punctuated by a thrust.

  He braces a hand against the back of the sofa bed, increasing his intensity and pace. I’ve never been fucked this thoroughly before. I don’t want it to end.