Marrying Cade(25)

Melo's hand reached for Cade's, holding on with a death grip. "Rosa, tell me what happened."

Even under stress, Melo managed to hold it together, and Cade's admiration for her grew.

"Rosa. Is it Dad?" she asked sharply at her sister's incoherent  ramblings. At Rosa's response, Melo shook her head at Cade. "You've  what?" She struggled to understand Rosa. "You've had a fight with Adam?"                       
       
           



       

She glanced at Cade, a look of total despair on her face. "No, of course  your marriage isn't over. Calm down and tell me what happened."

She put her hand over the receiver and mouthed "sorry" as her shoulders rose in apology.

"It's not your problem," Cade whispered. "Tell her to handle it herself."

Melo shook her head.

"Calm down, Rosa," she said into the receiver.

Anger swept through Cade in a heated wave. Ever since he'd known Melo  she'd put her spoiled, demanding sister first. She'd been the same as a  teenager, always bowing to what was expected, no-demanded of her. And  now, once again, her family was calling the shots, and she was falling  into line, as usual. The fact she was so willing to put herself second  burned. How could he have a relationship with a woman who cared so  little for herself?

Maybe he should just stride out of there and get a drink. One look at her face, and another idea took form.

Melo's eyes were closed. A frown creased between her eyebrows, and she rubbed her forehead wearily.

Cade brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingers. Her eyes flew  open. Good, he had her attention at last. He turned her hand over and  pressed his lips to her palm.

Her body shivered, but she didn't pull away.

A flush of satisfaction swept through him as his lips trailed up the  inner curve of her wrist toward the inner crease of her elbow.

Rosa's call could wait.





Chapter Twelve



Heat spread up Melo's arm as Cade's lips moved over the sensitive skin  of her lower arm. She looked down at his dark head and shivered.

"Hang up," he mouthed.

"I can't," she mouthed back.

Rosa was talking.

"He told me I was selfish," Rosa complained. "That I need to grow up. We  were talking about the business, and he … " Her voice trailed off, then  there was a sob, a sniff, and she continued. "He said he was going to  demand to see all the financial reports when we came back from our  honeymoon. He doesn't trust Dad, Melo. I can't believe he would think  Dad would hide something from us."

Cade stood up. He took off his jacket and threw it on the chair. Then he  slowly undid his shirt buttons, his gaze never leaving hers. As each  button revealed more of his gorgeous chest Melo's heart beat faster. She  struggled to concentrate.

"He's right, Rosa."

There was silence on the other end of the phone. Melo pulled in a deep  breath, and gave her the second barrel. "Dad has lied. At least by  omission. He gambled with the company's money, not his own. He could be  facing an embezzlement suit."

Melo barely registered her sister's shocked gasp. She had to continue,  had to make sure her sister understood that she wasn't going to side  with her on this one.

Cade undid his cuff buttons and slipped off his shirt.

Melo closed her eyes. Maybe if she wasn't watching him she could focus on talking to Rosa, making her see …

"Adam is a partner in the business now, and he's completely right in  feeling angry about the way Dad has conducted his affairs. He's  completely within his rights to take Dad to court," Melo said.

"But Dad knew he could pay it back …  The beach-"

"The beach is my inheritance. You know that," Melo interjected firmly.  "Dad has made a play for it, and his bid may very well prove to be  successful, but there's no difference to him claiming the money Nonna  left you as his own. Or her jewelry."

"But you're going to sell the beach to Cade, aren't you?" Rosa's voice  was high and needy. "Because if you don't the company will be ruined."

Warm fingers dusted over her shoulders like butterfly wings. She  breathed in Cade's scent, and wished her sister would evaporate. She  clenched her hands into fists to resist the urge to reach out and smooth  them over his firm stomach.

"That's a decision I'll make when I find out about the validity of his  claim," Melo said. "Not before. And don't be under any illusions, Rosa.  I'll fight Dad for it. Every step of the way."

For too long the family presumed she'd always put their welfare first.  Abandoning the claim left to her on her grandmother's deathbed meant her  family once again would see her as a walkover, and even though  realistically she couldn't build a house on Paradise Beach while the  winery faltered and failed due to lack of resources-the fact Rosa  presumed she would, burned.

"Adam is an intelligent man. With a legitimate gripe. You need to grow  up, Rosa," Melo finished wearily. "You force me into the role of older  sister, even though we were born mere minutes apart. I'm not prepared to  wipe up your tears any more. Not when you should be supporting your  husband instead of fighting with him."                       
       
           



       

Melo heard Cade step away. She opened her eyes, wanting him desperately  to come back. But still Rosa's voice sounded insistently in her ear.

"I don't believe what you're saying. What does Cade think? He didn't tell you of his intention to buy the beach, did he?"

He'd moved behind her. The bed depressed with the weight of a heavier  body, and then she felt the heat of his chest against her naked back.  His legs surrounded hers, the fabric of his pants against her outer  thighs.

Melo breathed out a ragged breath. Talking to her sister was torture when all she wanted to do was turn in his arms and …

Cade pushed her hair aside, and kissed her neck.

Melo struggled to speak. "I'm not discussing Cade," Melo whispered.

"Cade is dangerous. You can't see him for what he is," Rosa muttered. "Your feelings for him have destroyed your objectivity."

"My relationship with Cade is private."

Cade's hands smoothed over her ribs. Her heart thumped hard in her  chest. Damn Rosa. She wasn't putting her own desires on the back boiler  any longer.

"I have to go. I'll call you when I'm back on the island." Melo's hand shook as she hung up.

"That's better," Cade murmured into her ear. His arms slid around her waist, pulling her back against his chest.

Irritation at Rosa melted away. Melo couldn't hold back a smile.

"You're very determined," she whispered.

"I know what I want." Cade kissed her neck. "And what I don't. And I don't want you worrying about your bloody sister."

She didn't want to worry about her sister either. Or her demanding  family. They were adults, just as she was, they could take care of  themselves.

"That feels good," she murmured, leaning back against him. Her head  rested against his shoulder, her neck angled to allow his warm mouth  better access.

She breathed in the scent of sandalwood and man. Turned in his arms. And stared into his emerald eyes.

He stroked a hand over her hair, then feathered his long fingers along  her jaw line. "Melo," he murmured low and deep, angling his head to  press his warm lips over hers.

He'd kissed her before, but this slow, sexy exploration of her mouth  twisted her insides and sent a flood of arousal through every molecule  of her being. With a sigh, she opened her mouth to let his tongue tangle  with hers. There was no way she could resist this. The memory of her  conversation with Rosa evaporated, like an inch of water in a saucepan  on a gas ring set to high. Bubbling, boiling, then rising to the ceiling  as steam.

Melo's hands slid into Cade's long hair, loving the feel of him under  her fingertips. He undid her bra, slipped it off, and pulled her closer.  When they'd made love before, it had been in a heated rush, without  time to think of the consequences. This time was different. It was as if  a silken cord tied them together as they shifted to lie on the bed.  Cade had slipped off his shoes and socks before lying down next to her,  and her foot skimmed over his as their bodies lay chest to chest on top  of the smooth coverlet.

His hand caressed her head, cupped her nape.

And Melo's heart melted. She felt safe in his arms, complete. As if  being in his arms was where she should always be. Her mind tried to  protest, to stop her from tumbling back into the heady delight of loving  him.

Melo smoothed her hands over his chest, over his heart. Feeling it pound  steadily beneath her palm. And ignored the voice of reason clamoring in  her head to be heard.

He kissed the corner of her mouth. Then his mouth trailed over her jaw  line, and down her neck, setting off a wave of tingles in its wake. One  hand cupped her breast, and Melo breathed in sharply. He glanced up.