Chapter Fourteen
With less than ten minutes before Pesh was set to arrive for their date, Megan found herself a neurotic mess still holed in the bathroom. She’d changed outfits at least three times before deciding on a black and white lace dress that came just to her knees. It had actually come out of the back of her closet—one of the tamer remnants of her wilder days. Pesh had told her to wear something dressy, and it did fall into the dressy category, although it was probably a little sexier than she would have liked.
While she’d pulled her long hair back into a loose knot at the back of her neck, she was now rethinking her strategy. If she’d left her hair down, it would cover more of the exposed skin that the spaghetti straps and neck of the dress showed. Glancing at her phone one more time, she cringed. “F*ck it,” she muttered, before spritzing on some perfume. After the fragrant cloud faded, she headed out of the bathroom. She grabbed her purse and headed upstairs.
When she came into the kitchen, a loud, cat-calling whistle pierced her ear. She scowled at Sean. “Seriously?”
He shrugged. “You look hot, sis.”
Gavin, who stood beside Sean at the counter, nodded. “We never see you in anything but scrubs.”
Megan couldn’t help smiling at her brothers. “Thank you.”
Wagging his brows, Gavin asked, “Got a hot date, huh?”
“Not exactly,” she replied, as she went to grab her purse.
“Yeah right,” he mumbled under his breath.
After slinging her purse on her shoulder, she whirled around to pin him with her stare. “And what’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means that chicks don’t get dressed up like that for nothing. You obviously want to impress this guy. So, it’s obviously a hot date.”
“Since when did you become the love guru?” she questioned.
Sean grinned as he elbowed Gavin. “She’s getting riled, man. Being irrational about little things usually means love.”
Megan opened her mouth to lay into her brothers, but then found herself speechless, so she closed it back up. Without another word to her brothers, she went into the living room. She found her dad lounging in his chair with Mason snuggled to his side. When her dad looked up, he did a double take. “Don’t you look beautiful, sweetheart,” he said.
She bent down and kissed his cheek. “Thanks, Daddy.”
Mason tore his gaze away from the television to look at her. “Mommy, bye-bye?”
This was one question she hadn’t anticipated explaining. “Yes, Mommy is going to go see a friend today, and you’re going to stay here with Grammy and Granddad.”
His tiny brows furrowed. “Mace no go?”
Guilt rocketed through her. How could she spend one of her few off days away from her son? The doorbell rang, and she was forced out of her self-loathing to answer the door. Taking a deep breath, she opened it. Her heart did a funny little flip-flop at the sight of Pesh on the porch. It wasn’t just how handsome he looked in his khaki pants, red button-down Polo shirt, and black blazer. It was also the fact he held a dozen red roses in his hand. “Hi,” she said shyly, after they had stared at each other for a few seconds.
He smiled. “Hello.”
“Would you like to come in?”
As he nodded, she stepped aside to give him room to come in the door. He turned back to her and held out the roses. “These are for you.” After the words left his lips, he grimaced, as if what he had said offended him.
“They’re beautiful. Thank you.”
“Bye-bye kiss, Mommy!” Mason called from the living room.
She smiled apologetically at Pesh. “I’m sorry. I’ll just be one minute.”
“Take your time.”
She hurried across the foyer and into the living room. She deposited the roses onto one of the tables. “I’ll be back tonight. You be a good boy, okay?” she said, when she got to her father’s chair. She leaned over and kissed both of Mason’s cheeks. “Give Mommy a kiss.”
He gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. “Bye, my love,” Megan said, before turning and heading out of the room. She’d just reached Pesh’s side when he glanced past her. “What?” she asked.
“I think we have a potential stowaway,” he replied, with a smile.
She whirled around to see Mason standing in the foyer. “What’s wrong, baby?”
“No go,” he whimpered.
She glanced up at Pesh. “I’m sorry. He usually is fine about me leaving him.” She knelt down beside Mason. “I won’t be gone long, and you’ll have much more fun here with Grammy and Granddad. Pesh and I are doing boring, big people stuff.”
“No go!” he cried, as big tears pooled in his eyes.
Pesh knelt down beside her. “Hey buddy, don’t cry. I’m not going to take your mommy away from you.”
“Mace go?” he asked hopefully.
Megan shook her head. “No, sweetheart, I told you that we were going to do big people things today.”
“That’s true,” Pesh said. Then he smiled at Mason. “But that doesn’t mean we can’t take a little detour first.”
Megan’s widened her eyes in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“Why don’t we take Mason to lunch at his favorite place?”
“You don’t mean that,” Megan argued.
Pesh cut his gaze over to her. “Sure, I do. I can adjust our reservations.”
She couldn’t help staring at him in shock. How was it possible he was so willing to change his plans simply because Mason didn’t want her to leave? She fought the urge to reach out and touch his shoulder to make sure he was real—he was far too good to be true at times.
“Is that okay with you?” Pesh asked her.
“Of course it’s all right with me. I was worried about it not being okay with you.”
“I wouldn’t have suggested it if I didn’t mean it.” He reached out and ruffled Mason’s hair. “All right, buddy, where do you want to go for lunch?”
“Cheese! Cheese!” he cried, as he bobbed up and down.
Megan groaned as Pesh’s expression grew confused. “He wants to eat cheese?” he asked.
“No, he wants to go to Chuck E. Cheese—every parent’s worst nightmare.”
Pesh chuckled as he rose up from the floor. “All right then. Chuck E. Cheese it is.”
“Go get your shoes,” Megan instructed.
As Mason raced back into the living room, Megan stood up. “You really don’t have to do this.”
“Honestly, I don’t mind. We can go have lunch with Mason, and then we can start our date. I’m sure he’ll be worn out and ready for a nap when we get back, right?”
“Yes, he will.”
“Good. Then he won’t have any reason to miss you if he’s asleep.”
She smiled at his thoughtfulness. “Thank you. I really mean that.”
“You’re welcome.” He reached out and brushed her cheek. When he started to lean in to kiss her, Mason ran back into the foyer with his shoes. Pesh quickly jerked back.
To combat the awkwardness, Megan busied herself with getting Mason’s shoes on. When she finished, Mason bounded over to Pesh and grabbed his hand. “Go! Go!”
Pesh laughed at Mason’s enthusiasm. He held his other hand out for Megan. She slid her hand into his and then they started to the car.
As Megan walked through the doors of their local Chuck E. Cheese, she recoiled slightly at both the ear- splintering noise and the stomach-turning smells. She also fought her embarrassment at the looks she and Pesh were getting for their more formal outfits. “I think we’re a little overdressed,” she said.
He held up his index finger and thumb before pinching them close together. “Just a little bit.”
Tugging on Pesh’s hand, Mason dragged him over to the toddler area of games. Megan quickly dug in her purse for some money for tickets. After she bought them, she went over to Pesh. “I’ll go grab us some pizza.” She waved the tickets at him. “Once these are gone, he’s done.”
“I don’t mind getting him more.”
She shook her head. “Trust me. He’s done.”
“Okay then,” he replied good-naturedly.
Megan felt completely at ease leaving Pesh to watch Mason. She got them a couple of slices of Mason’s favorite, pepperoni, along with some drinks and then made her way over to a table close to the toddler area. When she caught Pesh’s eye, she waved them over. After several tense moments, he was finally able to convince Mason to leave the play area to come and eat.
As Mason bounced around in his seat, Megan knew she would be doing good to get four bites of pizza down him before he was raring to go play again. She also had a fear that she, Pesh, or the both of them were going to be wearing tomato sauce before it was all said and done.
“This place is very interesting,” Pesh remarked, as he gazed around.
Megan laughed. “Have you never had the pleasure?”
“Sadly no. My brother, Arjan’s, and his children live in Florida, so I’ve really never had a reason to come.”
“You’ve dodged a bullet there. That’s for sure.”
He smiled before taking a bite of his pizza. His expression turned so sour that Megan couldn’t help giggling. “This is terrible,” he muttered.
“I should have warned you not to bother eating. It only seems appetizing to small children who are hyped up on adrenaline.”
He took a long swig from his Coke and swished the liquid around like he was trying to rid himself of the taste. When he caught Mason looking at him, he put on a fake smile. “Mmm, that’s good pizza. You better eat yours before I do.”
“Nice save,” she murmured.
He winked at her as he threw his napkin on his plate. She couldn’t believe when her heart fluttered at his gesture. It was almost impossible to believe that she could be getting feelings for him in the middle of Chuck E. Cheese.
“Done. Go play,” Mason announced, bringing her out of her thoughts.
She shook her head. “I don’t think so. You need to eat more.”
Mason scowled at her before grabbing another bite and shoveling it into his mouth. He managed to clean his plate with a little coaxing from Pesh. Then the two of them went back over to the play area. As Megan watched them, the small ache in her chest began to grow. Pesh was completely hands on, hoisting Mason up where he could reach things and then catching him when he came off the slide. He seemed to genuinely enjoy spending time with Mason. Some guys would have played with Mason only to get on her good side. But Pesh didn’t have an agenda when it came to her, unless it was to have her embrace the idea of a relationship with him.
When the last ticket was spent, she rose off her chair. “Okay, time to go.”
Mason’s face scrunched up, and he looked like at any minute he might throw a tantrum to stay. But Pesh took his hand. “We’ll come back another time.”
His reply seemed to pacify Mason, and he happily slung his and Pesh’s arm back and forth as they walked to the car. When they got buckled up, Megan turned back to Mason. “What do you say to Pesh for bringing you?”
“Tank you, Esh,” Mason said.
His words sent a broad grin stretching across Pesh’s face. “You’re welcome, buddy. I had a good time.”
When he glanced over at Megan, she gave him a genuine smile. “I had a good time, too.”
Taking one of his hands off the steering wheel, he reached over to take her hand in his. While the gesture was a little too lovey-dovey for her liking, she didn’t argue with him. Instead, she just enjoyed his touch.
Once they had deposited a sleepy Mason back home at Megan’s, they abandoned her SUV and gotten into Pesh’s Jaguar. “So where exactly are we going?” Megan asked, as she buckled her seat belt.
“It’s a surprise.”
“Seriously? You’re still playing coy about it?”
“For just a little while longer.”
She shifted in her seat where she could look at him better. “Can I try to guess?”
“I suppose. I’m not sure I’d tell you even if you guess,” he teased.
“Are we going to Atlanta?”
He cut his gaze from the road over to her. “Have patience.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she huffed, “I don’t have patience for games.”
“Okay, I’ll give you a little hint. Actually, it’s more of a question than it is a hint.”
“Yeah?”
“Do you have a fear of heights?”
She snorted. “No, I don’t. Why?”
He gave her a sly grin. “I told you. It’s a hint.”
“I went skydiving when I turned twenty-one, so I’m totally fine with heights. Of course, I seriously doubt we’re going sky diving in these clothes.”
“No, we’re not.”
She wrinkled her nose. “Please tell me it’s not box seats at the opera or something like that.”
His face fell. “You don’t like the opera?”
“Never been and never want to.”
Pesh appeared almost personally insulted. “I’m going to have to change your mind on that one.”
“Why am I not surprised you like opera?”
“Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it.”
“A bunch of screeching men and women singing in a language I don’t understand? Not my idea of a good time.”
“But there is such love and passion in their delivery,” he argued.
“Um, I’m just going to have to agree to disagree with you.”
“For now at least,” he said, with a wink.
When the car started slowing down, Megan peered out the windshield before turning to Pesh. “We’re at McCollum?”
“Yes.”
“You’re taking me flying?”
He smiled. “Yes, I am.”
Even though she had known he had a plane from how he’d helped get Aidan to Noah’s delivery, she couldn’t believe their date included something as unique as flying.
“So let me get this straight. I’m dressed like this,” she did a little hand motion over her dress, “to go flying?”
An amused look twinkled in his dark eyes. “You have absolutely no patience, do you?”
“No, I don’t.”
As he put the car in park outside the hanger, he turned to her. “By your lack of being able to withhold gratification, I’m assuming you’ve never partaken in any Tantric sex?”
She couldn’t stop her mouth from dropping to her chest. “W-What?” she stammered.
Turning in his seat, he pinned her with a hard stare. “Have I managed to shock you again?”
Unable to speak, she merely bobbed her head. Pesh only chuckled at her response. “Come on. Let’s get going.”
Still in shock, she remained rooted to her seat. When he came around to open her door, she peered up at him. “Tantric sex? Like Sting, Trudie Styler, and Tantric sex?”
“Yes, I suppose so,” he replied, as he offered her his hand. Ordinarily, she wouldn’t have taken it, but at the declaration that Pesh was actually into something outside the sexual norms, she was too floored to argue with him. “I didn’t think you’d like anything…kinky.”
Pesh’s dark eyes widened. “Tantric isn’t kinky. It’s about connecting with your lover on a more intimate level. It’s about breathing them in and truly being one.”
“So it’s not about marathon sex that lasts for days?”
He chuckled. “You’ve gotten the more salacious side confused with what it actually is.”
Megan pursed her lips at him as her mind whirled with the possibilities. After all, if Tantric sex with Pesh was anywhere as good as his efforts in going down on her, she was one very lucky lady. “I guess you’ll just have to educate me.”
They were interrupted by an air traffic controller with a headset. “Hey, Dr. Nadeen, how goes it?”
“Good. Thank you. Everything ready to go, Lewis?” Pesh asked, as he pumped the man’s hand.
“Gassed up and checked out. We just need your flight plan.”
Pesh’s gaze went to Megan before he said, “We’ll be flying into Savannah/Hilton Head airport.”
“Great. Thanks,” Lewis replied, before he started back inside the hanger.
“You’re taking me to Savannah?” she asked.
“For dinner and dancing. I had originally intended on more, but we got a later start.”
“This is crazy. You’re crazy.”
He gave her a puzzled look. “You don’t like Savannah?”
“No, I love it. I just meant taking me four hours away for dinner.”
“It’s not that long by plane.”
Crossing her arms over her chest, she tilted her head at him. “You couldn’t just take me somewhere fancy in Atlanta? You have to fly me in your private plane to another city?”
He shrugged. “Why not?”
Although it was probably unattractive, she couldn’t help snorting with contempt. “I’m probably going to sound a little like the line from Pretty Woman when she says she appreciates the seduction scene, but she’s a sure thing.” She patted her chest. “I am a sure thing. You don’t have to go to all this trouble.”
His dark eyes narrowed. “Your way of thinking is precisely why I’m doing what I am.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’ve only been with men who wanted a sure thing—men who didn’t even bother trying to imagine a future with you past when they came at the end of the night.” She sucked in a breath at his words. With his expression softening, he closed the gap between them. “While you may only want sex from me, I want far more from you. I want your time, but I also want you to understand that you’re worthy of something special. And if it takes planes and fancy meals to prove it to you, then I’m going to do it.”
After his argument, Megan sat frozen in dumbfounded silence. How was it possible that he knew so much about her? He was right in the fact that she settled for being the ‘sure thing’ for the guys she dated in the past. She knew she didn’t want to make those mistakes again, so why shouldn’t she let him try to wine and dine her? “Fine. Take me to Savannah.”
He opened the passenger side door. “Here you go. Make sure you buckle your seat belt.”
She nodded before she dipped inside the plane. Pesh waited for her to adjust her dress before he closed the door. As he walked around the front of the plane, she got busy finding the seat belt and buckling up. Once he climbed inside, he handed her a headset. “This will help with the cabin noise.”
“It’s going to mess my hair up,” she complained.
He laughed. “I never took you as the type of woman who worried about her hair.”
She grinned as she eased the headset on. “Now you know. I worry about my hair, and you get your freak on in the bedroom.”
He rolled his eyes at her and turned in his seat. After placing his headset on, he started flipping switches and turning knobs. The propeller on the front of the plane started whirling.
“So what kind of plane is this?” she asked over the noise.
Holding up a finger, he spoke into the mic on the headset. “Ground to Tower, this is Cessna 172 requesting to taxi for takeoff.”
Suddenly the sound of the tower came over her headset. “Clearance for taxi and takeoff, Cessna 172.”
“Roger that,” Pesh replied. The plane lurched forward and then started taxing down the runaway.
“Hmm, I’m guessing a Cessna 172?”
Pesh smiled. “Yes, it is.”
“It’s nice. I like it.”
“I hope you’ll be saying that again in a minute.”
Megan knew what he meant when the plane started gaining speed down the runaway. Just like when she was on a commercial flight, it was on the ground one minute, and then in the air the next. They soared into the blue sky while zipping through white, fluffy clouds. Once they had gained enough altitude, Pesh eased off on the rudder and glanced over at her. “You okay over there?”
She grinned. “Are you kidding me? This is amazing.”
“I’m glad to hear you like it. I didn’t know if you were going to take after your Uncle Aidan.”
“I hear you gave him drugs to make it.”
Pesh laughed. “Yeah, I did. He slept most of the way there.”
“Total wuss,” she remarked with a smile.
After adjusting one of the controls, Pesh said, “Well, I have to admit that my late wife wasn’t a fan, either. She tolerated flying with me because she knew how much I loved it, but most of the time, she’d take a pill to relax.”
“So she didn’t share your passion?”
“No, she didn’t. She always encouraged me to do what I loved. She never was one to make me choose between her or something else. She was that sacrificing.”
“That was really amazing of her to be that giving.”
When Pesh remained silent, Megan knew it was time for a conversation change. “Now that I know we’re going to Savannah, are you going to tell me where we’re going for dinner?”
He smiled. “It’ll probably be a late lunch when we get there.”
“So, where will our late lunch be?”
“Do you like the Historic District?”
“I love it.”
“Good. I’ve picked a restaurant there for us.”
“Do you come to Savannah often?”
“A couple of times a year, mainly for medical conferences on the Coast.”
“And you always fly?”
“I do,” he replied, with a smile.
The flight took less time than she thought, and with clear weather, it was totally smooth. As they started making their descent, Pesh glanced over at her. “Are you ready for the landing?”
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“It can be a little intense for some people. You see a lot more of the ground rushing at you than when you’re in a 747.”
She cocked her head at him. “I went skydiving, remember?”
“Ah, that’s right.” With a wink, he added, “You’re my little adrenaline junkie.”
Megan laughed. “I was. Not anymore.”
“What changed all that?”
“Mason. When you’re responsible for the health, safety, and happiness of someone else, your entire perspective changes.”
“He’s a true gift.”
She jerked her gaze to him. “Yes, he is.”
Pesh gave her a small smile before radioing the tower. Once he had clearance to land, they started rapidly losing altitude. The runway got closer and closer until the plane jolted forward and then began skidding along the pavement. When it finally came to a shuddering stop, Megan exhaled the breath she’d been holding. “Still okay?” Pesh asked.
She grinned. “Never better.”
The sound of the tower came in her headset as Pesh listened to the instructions. The plane started rolling toward one of the hangers. Once he had parked and powered down the plane, he got out to help her. After a quick talk with a member of the grounds crew, Pesh took her hand and led her out of the hanger. A cab waited to take them into the city.
She laughed as she slid across the seat. “What?” Pesh asked.
“I’m surprised by the cab. I thought you might really go upscale by having a limo or chauffeur-driven car pick us up.”
“I like to stay humble,” he replied with a wink.
She shook her head at him before turning to gaze out the window at the scenery. When they began winding through the antebellum homes of the Historic District, Megan felt her stomach growl. She’d been too nervous to eat breakfast, and then she hadn’t dared eat at Chuck E. Cheese’s.
The cab stopped outside a chic looking restaurant. As Pesh paid the driver, Megan hopped out and took in the sights around her. She loved the old world feel of the city with all its history and charm. Pesh offered her his arm, and then they walked inside. The restaurant’s popularity was evident in how crowded it was even at four in the afternoon. They were ushered to a quiet, candlelit table.
“Wine?” Pesh asked.
“Yes please.”
“White okay?”
“Sure.”
After the waiter left with their drink order, Megan surveyed the menu and sighed. “Everything looks so good.”
Glancing over his menu at her, Pesh said, “With the cuisine being Southern, I imagined you would like it.”
“I love all types of food. Trust me, as hungry as I am now, I would have eaten anywhere.”
The waiter returned with their wine, and Megan knew she needed to make a decision. “I’ll have the shrimp and grits, please.”
“Very good, ma’am,” the waiter replied.
“I’ll have the same,” Pesh said, handing the waiter his menu. When Megan grinned at him, his brows rose. “What?”
“I’m just surprised to hear you eating something so Southern as shrimp and grits.”
He tsked at her. “When will you learn that you can never pigeonhole me as one thing or the other?”
She laughed. “Actually, I like that you’re proving me wrong and being unexpected.”
“Really?”
She nodded. “Sometimes I feel like people try to do the same thing to me. People have their own assumptions about girls or women who get knocked up. I hope I constantly prove them wrong.”
“I’m sure you do.” After taking a sip of his wine, he cocked his head at her. “Prove me wrong on this one. Does a Southern girl like you eat Indian food?”
“Oh yes, I love it.”
His dark eyes lit up. “What’s your favorite dish?”
“Hmm, I love Butter Chicken, but I’m also a fan of Pav Bahaji.”
“I’m impressed. Emma had never eaten any Indian food, and I don’t think I made a good impression on her.” Pesh’s chuckle died out, and he immediately grimaced at the mention of Emma’s name.
Knowing that they were dancing around the white elephant in the room, Megan reached across the table and patted his hand. “It’s okay that you’re talking about Emma.”
“Speaking of old girlfriends or women you’ve dated while you’re with another woman is never a good idea.”
“This is different. Emma is my family.” She swirled the wine around in her glass. “I’ve heard her side of the story, but I don’t think I’ve heard yours.”
“You heard a little when you were inebriated the night of Noah’s baptism.”
Now it was Megan’s turn to grimace. “I still would like to know.”
Pesh drew in a ragged breath. When the waiter appeared with their salads, it appeared that he might dodge the question entirely. But once they were alone together, he smiled. “Emma came along at a time when I was facing extreme pressure from family and friends to move on from my grief and date again. There was no escape to it—I faced it at the hospital, as well as when I was at home. People seemed to think that once a year went by on the calendar that meant I was through with my mourning. Then one day, there she was in the ER. She was scared out of her mind about your grandfather. Somehow I just connected with her through her grief and pain.” He dabbed his mouth with his napkin. “She reminded me so much of Jade that it was easy to try to imagine that what I was feeling for her was romantic. I hadn’t been out in so long that I wanted to woo her, just like I wanted to you.”
“And Aidan came between you?”
“In a way, both he and Jade did.”
“What do you mean?”
Pesh laughed. “Let’s just say, during a very heated moment together, she was with Aidan, and I was with Jade.”
Megan was surprised by his candor. “I see.” There was one item in the Pesh and Emma equation she had always wondered about. “You didn’t mind that she was pregnant?”
Shaking his head, Pesh replied, “It just made her even more beautiful to me. I’d been through so much death that I guess I was drawn to her because she had life growing within her.”
“That’s really beautiful,” Megan murmured.
He gave her a mirthless laugh. “One of my worst character faults is having a hero complex. I guess it’s one of the reasons I became a doctor. I saw Emma, and I wanted to save her. When she had to go on bed rest, I wanted to be her knight in shining armor.”
“Being a hero is not exactly a bad character trait.”
“It is when you can’t save someone, and you have to constantly live with the guilt.”
Megan’s heart ached at the pain on his face. Sensing she needed to lighten the mood, she teased, “I’m glad to hear you actually have a bad character trait. I mean, you seemed a little too perfect to me.”
A shadow of a smile played on his lips. “Did I mention I’m a terrible slob?”
“You? Never,” she replied.
“Oh yes. If I didn’t have a housekeeper, I’m pretty sure I might end up on World’s Nastiest Houses.”
Megan laughed. “I find that hard to believe.”
“It’s the truth. I also have no athletic ability whatsoever.”
After chewing thoughtfully on her bite of salad, Megan said, “But you’re built like a football player.”
“I’m built because I go to the gym to work off stress. But if you put me on the field, I’d be a serious disappointment.”
She shook her head. “That doesn’t turn me off at all. I’ve had my fill of jocks.”
“Oh?” he questioned. Although he was trying to be nonchalant about it, she knew he wanted to hear the full story.
“Dating jocks for me is poison, and when I did date one, I made sure to date the ones at the top of their game. My first athlete’s influence caused me to ruin my chances at medical school.”
“That’s horrible.”
“Yes, it is. But what’s worse is I didn’t learn anything from my mistakes because I fell for another one.” With a rueful smile, she added, “At least I got Mason out of that one.”
Pesh laced his fingers together. “Mason’s father is a professional athlete?”
“Yes, he plays football for the Falcons.”
“You know I’m friends with the team’s sports medicine doctor. I could probably arrange something for him. Maybe a little Icy Hot in his cup?”
At the mischievous twinkle in Pesh’s eyes, Megan burst out laughing. “I cannot believe, you of all people, suggested such a thing.”
With a shrug, Pesh replied, “It’s a harmless prank.”
“I realize that. It’s just I can’t imagine someone like you would even think of doing something like that.” When he started to open his mouth to argue, she held up her hand. “I know, I know. Don’t pigeon hole you.”
“Exactly.”
Their main course arrived, and Megan couldn’t help digging into the wonderful aromatic food. As they ate, the conversation came easily. That was one of the things she liked most about Pesh—he was so easy to talk to. Because he was older, refined, and a doctor, she could have felt intimidated by him. But he never made her feel that way. He always seemed fascinated by every single thing she had to say, which was quite a change from most of the guys she dated. They were usually half listening to her while glancing over her shoulder at the TV to get the latest score.
After they finished, the waiter took their plates. “Dessert?” Megan asked, as she downed the last of her wine.
Pesh nodded his head toward the small dance floor. “How about a dance instead?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I’m really not much of a dancer.” He arched his brows at her as if he knew she was lying. “Okay, fine, I used to dance all the time back in high school and college.”
“Then dance with me.”
“I’m not good at slow dancing. You’ll probably regret asking me the moment we get out there.”
Pesh stuffed a wad of bills into the bill envelope. “As Shakespeare would say, the lady do protesth too much. And I think I know the reason.”
“Oh, you do?”
He nodded. “Slow dancing is intimate, and you don’t want to want to let yourself be intimate with me.”
“You went down on me in a supply closet. I think that’s pretty intimate,” she challenged.
“That was not intimacy. Sexual acts are of the mind where our pleasure center is. Intimacy is of the heart.” He held her gaze. “We both know you’ll let me into your body but not your heart.”
Knowing he was right, she crossed her arms over her chest and scowled at him. She didn’t know why she just couldn’t get up and go dance like he had asked. She’d slow danced a thousand times at parties. What was the difference here? Somewhere deep down, she knew the answer to that question.
“If you don’t want to dance, then let’s go and see the city.”
Not wanting to let him get the best of her, she rose out of her chair. “Fine. I’ll dance with you.”
He chuckled. “Don’t sound so thrilled.”
After he stood up, he took her hand and led her over to the dance floor. She started to wrap her arms around his neck like she was accustomed to, but he put one of her hands on his shoulder and then he took the other hand in his. His other hand slid around to rest at her lower back.
The band finished the jazzier beats of a song and then switched over to another. A lone piano pounded out the opening chords. The lead singer’s sultry voice filled the air, “Like a flower waiting to bloom.” Megan immediately recognized the song as Norah Jones’ Turn Me On. The electricity between them shifted, and as Megan stared up into Pesh’s eyes, she saw desire and lust flaring in them.
Her gaze dropped down to his full lips, and she couldn’t help wanting him to kiss her. As if he read her mind, Pesh’s mouth closed over hers. Darting her tongue out, she sought to find his warmth. When she did, he tasted like a mixture of the wine and spices they’d eaten. His tongue pulled back to trace her lips as his hips jerked, pushing him against her. She followed his lead by pressing herself flush against him to where her breasts were rubbing against his chest. She shivered when he groaned into her mouth.
His thumb slid back and forth between her shoulder blades, and she couldn’t help arching into his touch. As he pulled away from their kiss, he kept his eyes locked on hers. She’d never had a man stare at her so much. It was like he was trying to see through her to her very soul. It both overwhelmed and inflamed her at the same time. It was all part of his slow seduction plan, and it was working.
“Please take me somewhere—somewhere we can be alone.”
His expression became pained. “Megan—”
She brought her hand from his shoulder to cover his lips. “Don’t make me beg to be with you anymore.”
Shaking his head, he replied, “I can’t deny you anymore, not after having a taste of you.”
Megan shuddered at the intensity of both his words and the way he delivered them. Taking her by the hand, he led her off the dance floor. They snaked around the tables in the dining area until they reached the exit. Weaving through the people, they went into the hotel that adjoined the restaurant. It was actually more of a historic bed and breakfast than a hotel. As they neared the reception area, Pesh dropped her hand to reach into his coat pocket. Once he retrieved his wallet, he stepped up to the desk. “I need a room please.”
“Credit card and identification please,” the inn keeper droned. As she sized him up, Megan couldn’t help thinking he looked rather pompous—the usual type of person who worked in a high-end place. “Would you prefer queen or—”
“A king please,” Pesh requested through clenched teeth.
“Do you need help with your luggage?”
“No, we don’t have any.”
The man typed something into the computer. “And how long will you be staying with us?”
“As long as we need,” Pesh replied, drumming his fingers on the marble counter.
Megan watched as the man’s eyes widened and a flush entered his face. He quickly finished the reservation and handed Pesh a key card. “We have you in one of our balcony king suites.”
“Thank you.” Taking her by the hand, Pesh led her over to the elevators. When Megan dared to glance over her shoulder, she saw the man peering curiously at them. As they stepped onto the car, Megan couldn’t help the nervous giggle that escaped her lips. When Pesh looked at her in surprise, she laughed even harder. “What is it?”
“By the way that conversation went down, he probably thinks I’m a prostitute.”
Pesh’s eyes widened. “You don’t seriously think that?”
“Okay, maybe a high-end escort?”
A growl came from low in his throat. “Do not demean yourself like that.”
“I’m not demeaning myself. Think about it. We come in during the middle of the day with no luggage, and we want a hotel room with a king sized bed.” She tapped her chin with her finger. “Hmm, what could we possibly be doing?”
The corners of his lips turned up in a smile. “I probably should care what the man thinks, but right now, I frankly don’t give a shit.”
She laughed. “Me either.”
The elevator dinged, signaling they had reached their floor. They stepped out and read the signs to find their room. Once Pesh opened the door, Megan walked inside. She took in the cozy décor of the room with its brick fireplace, antiques, and four-poster bed. Going to a hotel could have been sleazy, but this room had such a romantic feel to it.
When he came up behind her and slid his arms around her waist, she couldn’t help suddenly feeling shy. “Are you all right?” he asked.
“I’m fine.”
His breath warmed against her ear. “You tensed when I touched you.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. I guess I’m just nervous.”
Pesh turned her around to face him. “You don’t have anything to feel nervous about. If you don’t want to do this anymore, we don’t have to.”
“No, I want to do it,” she assured him.
Without another word, his fingers went to her hair. After he undid the clasp, her hair tumbled down over her shoulders. An appreciative shudder rippled through her when he nuzzled his face into the strands at her neck. From there he sought out the zipper at the middle of her back. Slowly, he slid it down. When the back of the dress gaped open, he took the spaghetti straps and eased them over her shoulders and down her arms. Megan felt his breath warming her back as the dress pooled onto the floor. She stepped out of it, and then turned to face him.
The heat of his gaze stoked the fire burning deep inside her. His expression was fierce as he drank in her strapless black bra and panties, along with her heels. “You are so beautiful.”
For some reason, she felt the urge to blush at his words. Guys had told her she was beautiful before, but it didn’t feel the same or sound the same coming from them as it did Pesh. The way he said she was beautiful, coupled with the way he looked at her, made her tingle in all the right places.
Her hands came to his tie. After she loosened it, she ripped it off him and slung it to the floor. Deftly, her fingers worked the buttons on his shirt. When she opened it, she sucked in a breath at the sight of the dusting of dark hair covering his chest. It trailed down over his washboard abs and down into his pants. “You’re pretty beautiful yourself,” she said with a smile.
As he shrugged off his shirt, her fingers went to his belt. The entire time she unbuttoned and unzipped him, his burning gaze took in everything she did. “Why do you keep staring at me?” she questioned quietly.
“I’m afraid if I look away, you won’t be real.” His hand cupped her cheek. “I’ve wanted this for so long—I’ve wanted you for so long. It’s hard to believe that you’re really here.”
“Touch me,” she urged. She took his other hand and brought it to her breast. “Touch me and feel how real I am.”
Lowering his head, his mouth hovered over hers. “Breathe me in,” he instructed, as he kneaded her breast over her bra.
At the feel of his breath against her lips, she inhaled while his heated gaze almost singed her cheeks. Even if she had wanted to, she couldn’t bring herself to look away from his eyes. When she exhaled, he inhaled, and it was like they were doing a dance. It was both relaxing and somewhat erotic. She’d never spent time just breathing and gazing into someone’s eyes. “Now you’ve had your first lesson in Tantra,” he murmured against her lips.
She jerked her head back to stare at him in surprise. “Are you going to do more?”
“Maybe.” He reached around to undo her bra. “Do you want me to?”
“I think so.”
“Then I will. I want to do whatever is pleasing for you.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. He eased her over to the four-poster bed. After removing his pants and boxers, he slid her panties down her legs. As Megan sat on the edge of the massive king sized bed, she widened her legs to allow him to step between them. When he brought his hand to stroke between her thighs, she moaned and let her head fall back. Two fingers entered her and began a slow, teasing assault. She began to rock her hips against his hand, adding the friction she desired. When she felt his erection rubbing against her leg, she reached between them to take him in her hand.
Her eyelids fluttered open, and she stared into his face as they worked each other into a sweaty, panting frenzy. When Pesh curled his fingers inside her, she bit down on her lip to keep from screaming out in pleasure. Her orgasm rocketed through her lower half, causing her head to fall forward onto his chest.
When she came back to herself, Pesh was sliding her body up the mattress. Then he was hovering over her, kissing her breasts and licking her nipples into hardened peaks. “Now, Pesh,” she urged. “I want you deep inside of me.”
Just as his head nudged against her opening, he stopped. “Oh no,” he murmured before rocking back to sit on his knees.
Megan propped herself up on her elbows and gazed up at him. “What’s wrong?” She hoped that after giving in, he hadn’t decided to back out at the last minute.
He rubbed the stubble on his cheeks. “I, uh…we can’t do this without a condom, and I don’t have one with me.”
“Oh,” she murmured. In the heat of the moment, she had totally forgotten about that.
“You don’t happen to have one?” he asked hopefully.
She shook her head. “Sorry.”
“It’s me who ought to be sorry for putting you in a position like this without protection.” When he started to pull away, she sat up to grab his shoulders, urging him to stop.
“We can still do this. Neither one of us has been with anybody in at least two years—we’ve had tests for the hospital.”
“That’s all well and good but what about pregnancy? Are you on the pill?”
“No.” She chewed on her bottom lip momentarily. “Wait a minute,” she murmured. In her mind, she began counting down the days since her last period. “Twenty.”
“Twenty what?”
“I’m on day twenty, so we should be safe.”
“I’ll still pull out.”
“If you say so,” she replied. Gripping his biceps, she urged him to cover her again with his body. She loved the feel of his chest hairs rubbing against her nipples. Pesh widened her legs, and then he eased inside her, filling and stretching her walls. It had been so long that she couldn’t help feeling a bit of a sting.
“Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.”
He withdrew and flexed his hips, thrusting back inside her. This time they both moaned. Setting up a rhythm, he began rocking in and out of her. The pace was slow and sensual, and while he was hitting all the right spots, she wanted more. The entire time he moved in and out of her, he kept his eyes locked firmly on hers. His gaze was so dark with desire that she didn’t dare look away. The longer she stared into his eyes, the more connected with him she felt. The old saying was that the eyes were windows to the soul, and she was getting a pretty good glimpse into his. And that scared the hell out of her.
Wanting to make things less sensual, she gripped his biceps. “Harder,” she panted.
Rising on his knees, he slid his forearms under the backs of her knees. This enabled him to pull her back against his pounding thrusts. While their connection at first had been so intimate, this was more about lust and desire. She reached up and clasped his face in her hands, bringing his head down to hers. Their mouths and tongues met in frenzied kisses.
When he pulled out of her, Megan whimpered at the loss of feeling. He quickly flipped her over onto her stomach. Pulling on her hips, he raised her up onto her knees. When he reentered her, Megan moaned. With each thrust, he went deeper and deeper. Her fingers fisted the sheets as he leaned over her back, kissing a trail down her spine. She didn’t know how he was able to be so many places at once. While his mouth licked her back and teasingly left love bites, his hands were rubbing her thighs and then sliding under her to squeeze her breasts or tease her *. He was giving her so much that she couldn’t stay silent. She moaned, chanted his name, and cried out as the sounds of their wet skin slapped together.
Finally, she couldn’t take it anymore. Dropping her head, she screamed into the mattress as she found her release. Once her walls finished clenching, she felt Pesh withdraw from her. As he groaned, Megan felt warmth spurt onto her back and buttocks. After seeing him come before, she hated she couldn’t see his face. He was so beautiful when he was finding release.
Once he finished, she eased down onto her stomach and curled a pillow under her head. After a few seconds, Pesh lay down beside her. She turned her head and met his gaze. Exhausted and completely sexually satisfied for the first time in her life, all she could muster to say was, “Wow.”
A slow grin spread across his cheeks. “You seem to say that a lot around me after orgasms.”
She laughed. “It’s because you render me absolutely speechless with your talents.”
“Thank you. I could say the same about you.” His gaze left her face and trailed down her naked back. “We need to get you cleaned up.”
Rolling her shoulder blades, she said, “I kinda like it. Makes me feel marked or something.”
He smiled shyly at her. “I like the idea of marking you—making you mine.”
He wanted her to be his. She didn’t know quite what to think about that statement. Did she want to be his? She certainly couldn’t imagine belonging to anyone else. Besides the amazing physical chemistry they shared, she was starting to feel such a deep connection to him.
Staring over at him, she couldn’t help wondering what was going on in his mind. “We’ve really done it now, haven’t we?”
“Yes, I do believe that was the universal “it” that we just did,” he teased.
She smacked his arm playfully. “That’s not what I meant.”
“I know,” he murmured.
“No matter what, this changes everything.”
“For the better, I hope.”
“I suppose.” The truth was she’d never really had casual sex before. There was one time her freshman year that she hooked up with a guy at work. It was the first and only time she’d ever done anything so crazy. In that instance, the sex had been over before she’d known it and without her coming even once. After that fiasco, she had never wanted a repeat performance with him or any other random guy, until she’d found herself in a sex slump after Mason’s birth. But with Pesh, the sex had been…she shivered as the remaining echoes washed over her. Before sleeping with Pesh, she could count the number of past sexual partners on one hand, as well as the times she had had even remotely good sex. For Megan, her experience with Pesh was seriously earth shattering and life altering. She couldn’t imagine just walking away now.
Pesh sat up and edged to the side of the bed. He held out his hand to her. “Come on. Let’s shower.”
“If you insist.”
She slid over to him before throwing a leg over the side of the mattress. Although she should have felt a little bashful being naked in front of him, she felt surprisingly comfortable.
When she got into the bathroom, she raised her brows in surprise. “A clawfoot tub?” she questioned.
Pesh laughed. “All the old charm but modern conveniences.” He pointed to the detachable shower head.
“Nice.”
He turned on the water and waited for it to heat up. Once he decided it was warm enough, he took her by the hand and helped her inside. She turned her back to the spray, letting the water clean her up. Pesh didn’t seem to think that was enough because after he soaped up his hands, he began to wash off her back and ass. As his magic hands massaged in slow strokes, she couldn’t resist asking the question that was plaguing her. “Did I feel different?”
His hands stilled on her lower back. “What do you mean?”
Glancing at him over her shoulder, she replied, “That was the first time I’ve had sex since I gave birth to Mason. I just wondered if I felt different. You know, inside.”
His face came to nuzzle her neck. “You felt amazing.”
“Not any different?”
“Did you hear me complaining?”
“No, but I just worried.”
“You have nothing to worry about, my love.” His hand skimmed over her ribcage to cup her breast. As her nipple hardened beneath his fingers, she sucked in a pleased breath. “I want nothing more than to be back inside you as soon as I can.”
“Then why don’t you?” she challenged.
“Fine then. Put your hands on the tile,” he ordered.
“Yes, sir,” she teased before placing her palms on the cool, wet tile.
Pesh slid the gleaming silver shower head between her legs, causing her to gasp at the contact. Then he flicked his wrist to the side, sending the jets of water pounding into her *. She moaned and threw her head back against his drenched chest. Slowly he started moving the shower head to where it would rub against her. Each time she moved back, the water hit her in just the right spot. She arched her hips as the pressure began to build. Pesh slid his free hand up over her ribcage to cup her breast. He kneaded the flesh, pinching the nipples that were already hardened. She pinched her eyes shut from the sensory overload. Just as she would feel herself about to come, he would shift his wrist so the vibrations hit her in another area, building her again.
“Please, Pesh,” she moaned.
“What, baby?”
“Please make me come.”
“Have you had enough pleasure yet, or should we continue on?” he asked, moving the shower head away from her.
She groaned at the loss. Rubbing her ass against his hardened erection, she begged, “You let me come, and then I’ll make sure you do as well.”
With his knee, he nudged her legs even further apart. When he once again brought the shower head between her legs, it reached even more sensitive areas. It took only a few seconds of the water coupled with his rubbing and her grinding to cause her to scream with the pulsing convulsions. She smacked her hands against the walls as wave after wave pulsed through her. When she finally stopped shuddering, she slowly slid around to smile up at Pesh. “Wow?” he said, with a smile.
She teasingly pinched his arm. “I was going to say exquisitely amazing.”
“I’m sure you were.”
Reaching between them, she took his erection in her hands. “Good thing I’m about to get on my knees because I don’t think I could stand after all that,” she said, with a teasing wink. Bending her head, she began trailing kisses down his wet chest. As she stroked him, she took time to kiss and then suck on his nipples. His groan told her she was finding some of his most sensitive places. After teasing his nipples to erect points, she continued on down his delicious washboard abs and through the dark hair that crowned his erection.
Sinking down onto the floor of the tub, she stroked him hard from base to tip. When his chest began to heave, she leaned over to slide him into her mouth. “Megan,” he groaned, his fingers coming to tangle in the wet strands of her hair. She took him as far back as she could before sliding him out. Her tongue flicked over the sensitive head before she suctioned it. When she released him again, she began long licks up his length. Then she once again slid him in her mouth and began bobbing her head up and down his length. His groans began to echo throughout the bathroom.
“Oh, Megan,” Pesh murmured. His grip on her hair tightened as he flexed his hips to go even deeper into her mouth. When he started tightening up, he tried to pull away, but she gripped his thighs and held him in place. He cried out and then came in a rush into her mouth. She swallowed all of him before she glanced up to see him staring down at her with such adoration in his face.
“Thank you.”
As he fell free from her mouth, she smiled. “You’re welcome.”
He helped her up off the tub floor. “We better hurry up before we use all the hot water in these old pipes.”
“I think you would probably do a good job keeping me warm.”
He smiled. “I feel the same way about you.”
Although they were tempted for another round, Megan knew Pesh didn’t want to chance it without any condoms. Instead, she tore herself away from him when they finished their shower. She blew her hair dry while he got dressed. Once she finished, he helped her slide back into her dress. Then they left their suite without even turning down the bed.
When they got downstairs, Megan inwardly groaned that the same man was at the reception desk. She knew from his expression that he recognized them as well. As Pesh handed him the key card, Megan decided to make the most of the situation.
She rubbed Pesh’s arm. “Thanks again, Mr. Nadeen. Make sure to call me again next time you’re in Savannah. I love big spenders like you,” she purred.
While the man’s eyes bulged, Pesh stared at Megan like she had grown another head. His mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, but no words of admonishment came out. When he finally, recovered, he tersely replied, “I’ll try to remember that, Miss McKenzie.”
Truly playing her part, Megan turned on her heels and started walking across the lobby. She didn’t get far before Pesh was at her side. After shoving the hotel bill into his suit pocket, he slid his arm around her waist, drawing her close against him. “You are in so much trouble,” he growled into her ear.
She giggled as they walked out of the hotel. “Mmm, are you going to punish me by taking me over your knee and spanking me?”
“I just might,” he replied.
Tilting her head, she eyed him in the street lights. “You can’t seriously expect me to believe that you of all people are into BDSM?”
“No, I’m not.”
She snorted. “Once again, that doesn’t surprise me.”
When he stopped walking right in the middle of the crowded street, she stared up at him in surprise. “A good spanking, some handcuffs, and a blindfold all have possibilities. As far as all that other stuff?” His thumb came up to trail slowly across her bottom lip. “If one truly knows how to f*ck, you don’t need any accessories and embellishments.”
She licked her lips as a little shiver went down her spine. “And you certainly know what you’re doing. You just got me wet right here in the middle of the street.”
His jaw clenched as he took her by the arm. “Don’t say anything else like that. I need to get you home.”
“To your bed?” she asked.
“I wish. But you need to go home to your family.”
Megan didn’t argue with him because she knew he was right. She had a son to think about. Regardless of how tempting it was, she just couldn’t go on some pleasure binge when she was a mother. But there was a part of Megan that didn’t want the bubble to burst by leaving Pesh and going home to her regular life. She wanted nothing more than go back to his place. Sex with Pesh had been phenomenal. And despite being a little sore from underuse, she certainly felt ready for more. Sex, that was.
Pesh grabbed them a taxi, and they made the drive back to the airport. Even though they didn’t speak, Megan didn’t feel awkward around him after what they had done. He sat as close to her as he could with her hand clasped in his.
Once they got back to the plane, she felt exhaustion begin to set in. Leaning back against the headrest, she closed her eyes as Pesh went about getting them ready to take off. She only opened her eyes again when she felt them start racing down the runway. When they got into the air, she couldn’t help sitting on the edge of her seat and peering out the windows at the city lights. “It’s so beautiful in the dark.”
“Sometimes I think I favor flying at night.”
“You do?”
He nodded. “For some reason, it seems much more tranquil. There’s a vulnerability to it as well. In the day, everything is within your sight distance. But in the dark, you have to rely on your instruments and instincts.”
“I’d love to learn how to fly.”
“You would?”
She nodded. “I’ve always thought it would be something amazing to learn.”
“Then I’ll teach you.”
She turned to him in surprise. “Really?”
“Sure. Why not?”
With a shrug, she replied, “You’re a busy man, and I don’t know how fast a learner I would be.”
He smiled. “For you I would make time.”
As she stared at him across the small interior of the plane, she knew she was ready to make more time for him as well. Where it would lead them, she couldn’t wait to see.