The Sweet Road Back Read online

  “You’re still staring,” she said.

  “The show keeps getting better and better. I can’t stop watching. I haven’t applied lotion to your back in a long time. Let me.” He opened his hand for the bottle.

  She hesitated for an instant before handing over the pump and turning her back to him. “Why tonight? What made you decide to help me now?”

  “I used to do this all the time.” His big hand on her small back swiped a wide path of moisturizer into her skin. Her flesh was supple. She arched her spine just enough to push her butt closer to him.

  “Yeah, but that was a long time ago.”

  He moved up to her shoulders, applying pressure with his thumbs the way she liked. As much as he wanted to grab her ass, it would have been an instant invitation for him to leave the room. “I figured your back might be dry since I haven’t done this in a while.”

  Her jovial huff was the only encouragement he needed to squirt more lotion into his hands. This time he slathered each side of her waist and brushed her breasts as he completed his tasks. The mellow fragrance pulled him away to the quick honeymoon they’d spent on Lake George before moving west. The long weekend was all laughs, food, and sex. A few years later and a few obstacles later, and now, they were more like strangers than lovers.

  “I guess I owe you a pair of boots, don’t I? We never had our shopping excursion.”

  Her shoulders tensed. “It’s okay. I’ll purchase them myself when I’m ready.”

  The reedy sound of her voice said what her words didn’t. He heard the disappointment she tried to hide. His stomach rolled. He didn’t want to be the cause of her unhappiness. His job was to make her euphoric.

  “I want to buy them for you. I pay my debts.” He tried to lighten the mood. Tonight, he wanted to hold her. Rubbing her back was sending his body crazy messages of pure delight.

  “If we start listing all your debts, we won’t get any sleep tonight.”

  “Then I better get started, don’t ‘cha think?”

  Coming to her room had nothing to do with sex, but now, every cell in his body sang some version of a mating song. Making love to his wife should have been as natural as walking the dog, but his hands trembled as he ran them down her spine.

  He drew closer to the tender curve of her neck, the sweet spot where he could always get her going.

  “Don’t, Darius.” She spun around and clambered off the bed. The dog came to his feet and stretched his hindquarters.

  “What? Don’t do what, kiss my wife?” He stood too.

  “We might be married, but we haven’t lived in marital bliss in months. You do your thing and I’ve been doing mine. Just because you cleaned the kitchen doesn’t change anything.”

  “I think we both had a hand in what’s happening or not happening in our relationship. You used to be my biggest supporter, but I’m not feeling the love anymore.”

  Her shoulders rose and fell as she took a deep breath. “You sound as if I abandoned you. But you deserted me long before I stopped cheering.”

  “I didn’t mean to.”

  “We sleep in separate bedrooms, and a day at the office for you could be a make out session with some groupie.”

  His right eye twitched. “I’ve never made out with another woman and you know it. You’re mad at the world for some reason and you just like to place all the blame on me. I’m not your father and I haven’t cheated on you.”

  “My father has nothing to do with us.”

  The venom in her words should have backed him against the wall but the hurt in her eyes was the only thing he saw. Without hesitating, he opened his arms and pulled her compact body closer. She tried to pull away, wrenching her shoulder against his chest, but instead of releasing her, he tightened his hold.

  “Melissa, I’m not your enemy. You might not like the way I’m going about my career, but don’t question my love for you. I’ve never stepped outside of my marriage and I never will. I’ve always laid everything on the line for you. I just need you to stick with me. Together, we can make this work.” He nuzzled her closer.

  “Darius, I can’t live my life on hold while you’re doing your thing.”

  “It’s what we agreed when we moved here. What’s different now?”

  She twisted away from him, harder this time. “I am.”

  Chapter Six

  Melissa avoided looking at Darius as he stormed out of the bedroom with Turbo at his heels. As he slammed the door, sadness spread through her like a warm summer rain moving across a dry field.

  Melissa climbed into the king-sized bed and pulled the pale pink sheet to her chin. With no energy to fight the inevitable, she allowed the melancholy back into all the familiar places. Their house had turned into her parents’ home. From the outside, everything appeared perfect and happy. But inside, the rage and words they flung at each other could sink a ship.

  Of course, she’d be the one to follow in her mother’s footsteps. Fate was having a really good laugh at her for sticking her nose in the air and admonishing her mother for putting up with their father’s antics. It was so easy to advise her mother to get a divorce and get on with her life. Now, she needed someone to give her the same kick in the ass.

  But love had a firm grip on her heart. Just having Darius touch her was enough to make her acquiesce to whatever he wanted. Which explained why they were living his life and not their life.

  The familiar brush of his slightly rough hand on her back had sent a wake-up message through her body. Her heart pounded in her chest and the tingle between her legs wouldn’t allow sleep to take her. Damn him for making her want what she wouldn’t allow herself to have.

  She slid to the edge of the bed and dialed her sister. Even with the time distance, maybe Dakota would be awake.

  When her sister picked up, Melissa said, “I know it’s late there but I needed to talk to someone.”

  “No, no, it’s fine. Are you okay?” Dakota asked. Her voice was laced with sleep.

  “Did I wake you and Bishop?”

  “Girl, a bomb could go off in the living room and Bishop would sleep through it. But you haven’t answered my question. Asa told me you were seeing a lawyer.”

  “I figured she would. And I did.” Melissa paused. “I’m so torn. I know what I need to do. It’s just so hard to do. I still love him and it hurts so much.”

  “Love isn’t supposed to hurt, honey.” Dakota’s voice softened. “But if you have any uncertainty, then you should wait. Don’t do something you might regret.”

  “Dakota, you know how I am. I can’t sit on my hands and hope things will get better. I’m not like Mom. I won’t accept morsels of attention doled out by

  Darius like precious stones. Maybe accepting infidelity and a child out of wedlock worked for Mom, but not for me.”

  “You don’t know if Mom ever accepted any such thing. No one does. But you can’t live your life based on what you thought Mom did or didn’t do. Has he cheated on you?”

  Melissa fingered the scalloped edge of the sheet and bit back the tears. “I don’t know for sure. But it certainly feels like it.”

  “So, you’ve convicted him without any real evidence?”

  Melissa huffed. “Even if he’s not cheating, he wants me to stay hidden like I’m too ugly to show in public. He’s living this glamorous life and I get to sit home and eat dinner alone.”

  After a long silence, Dakota said, “Asa and I are coming for a visit. She should be able to fly since she’s only a few months pregnant.”

  “No, you guys don’t need to come. I’ll be fine. It’s just he came in the bedroom tonight and it was so normal. It was like old times.”

  “When I come, we’ll do a cleansing. Maybe your house needs a new aura. I found a new, heartier sage.”

  “Oh please, Dakota. I wish it were as simple as a little herb therapy. Go back to sleep. I’ll call in a few days.”

  “We’re coming to see you, Melissa,” Dakota repeated before hanging up the phone.<
br />
  Melissa set the receiver back on the base and snuggled under the covers. God bless Mim and Pepe. One of her grandparents’ lasting legacies, which dwelled deep in the Conroy family, was the love of family. No matter what was going on, her sisters would be there for her.

  Melissa drummed her fingers on the notepad beside the bed. Everything she needed to get done in the next few days was listed. The one thing not on the list was ‘what to do if you’re unhappy’. How could she have forgotten to make a Plan B? She’d fussed at her sisters for dodging responsibility, only to fall into the same chasm herself.

  Tears gathered in her eyes as her throat constricted with pain. Giving up the fight, she allowed reality to wash over her, accepting every bitter morsel. With the sheet over her head, she released the loud sob she’d been trying to suppress for weeks.

  Within minutes Darius was back. “Melissa, are you okay?” Darius asked.

  She caught her breath, freezing the whimper in her chest. How long had he been listening to her cry?

  “I’m fine, Darius. Fine.”

  The mattress sank under his weight as he climbed into bed and gathered her sheet-encased body in his arms. “You’re not fine, you’re crying.”

  “What are you doing, spying on me?”

  “I was taking the dog outside. I heard you.”

  “I’m fine, just leave me alone, please.”

  He tightened his hold and rocked her with a tenderness they hadn’t experienced in over a year. She could exhale and allow him to soothe her, but one night of tenderness wouldn’t wipe away the brokenness.

  She pushed the sheet away from her face but kept her back to him. “I said I’m fine, Darius.” She smelled the cool night air in the fibers of his clothes.

  “You don’t sound fine.” Darius pressed his lips against her neck. His warm breath across her skin beckoned her dormant libido. He ran his hand down her arm and over her hips, caressing her along the way. Just feeling his touch heated every bit of her body, driving away the resistance she used to protect herself.

  With his index finger, Darius turned her head. His kiss was so tender, her body wilted. All the tension, anger, and resentment collecting under her skin like falling leaves against a fence blew away when his tongue seized hers.

  She shifted to face him. His eyes were dark with desire. Darius trailed kisses along her cheek, down her neck, and settled into her collarbone. Each one was hotter than the one before. Melissa pushed the sheet away from her naked body to allow the heat to escape.

  “We haven’t made love in months. Did you know it was that long ago?” His voice was heavy with lust.

  “I know.” Melissa slipped her hand behind his neck to draw him closer.

  “You have got to be the sexiest woman I know.” He cupped her breasts with the palms of his hands, taking turns kissing each nipple. “Do you know how hard it’s been for me to stay away from you?”

  “I’ve never asked you to stay away.” Melissa stopped his hand.

  “You didn’t say the words, but the meaning was there.” He pulled his hand free and rested it on her belly. The sexual energy between them was lightening hot. Ignoring it wasn’t an option. Her body screamed for him.

  “Get undressed, please.” She tugged at the button on his shirt.

  Darius pushed off the bed and lifted his shirt over his head. He twisted the snap on his jeans and pushed them down his legs. The sight of his strong, muscular body was enough to erase the last of her resolve. Whatever they needed to discuss could be handled another time. The only thing making sense now was the fervor taking over her body.

  He crawled back into bed, between her legs, covering her body with his. The familiar scent of his skin and touch was like a welcome home party. It felt good to be back in his arms, even if it was only for a moment. She wrapped her arms around his back and deeply rubbed the surface of each muscle. Each one more familiar than the last.

  His shaft pushed against her thigh with the same urgency that her core shrieked for him. For the rest of her life her body would probably call out for Darius in the wee hours of the morning when the loneliness pressed down on her like a boulder.

  The scruff of his late night stubble tickled her neck, shocking reality back into her head. Guilt invaded her pleasure. Her body stiffened, her senses locked down.

  “What’s wrong?” He pulled back and surveyed her.

  She shook her head and shoved his shoulder away. “I’m not doing this, Darius. I’m not making love to you tonight or any other night. We do this every time, gloss over the elephant in the room, and the only person who gets screwed is me.”

  “What elephant? What are you talking about?” He stuck out his chest in the familiar indignant manner he always adopted when he thought he was being attacked.

  “Aren’t you just horny tonight? And I’m the only available female, so I’ll do.”

  He huffed and moved to the edge of the bed. “Why the hell did you pretend you would?” He snatched his pants and shirt off the floor with a violent jerk and stormed out of the room. Instead of following him, the dog jumped on the foot of the bed and buried his muzzle on his paws.

  “Come on, Turbo, before she turns you against me too,” Darius yelled from the other end of the hall.

  The dog looked back at her before leaping down and trotting out the door.

  ****

  No matter how many ways he dissected the events of last night, he kept coming up blank. Trying to sleep with a dick as hard as a telephone pole was like trying to sleep in the middle of Fisherman’s Wharf on a Saturday afternoon. Darius buried his head in his hand and rubbed his face hard. Their marriage needed work, way more than he’d estimated.

  Rain pelted the kitchen windows. From the stool, he could see clear blue sky off in the distance. It was going to be one of those days that required his patience until the clouds moved off to ruin someone else’s plans.

  He pulled bacon and eggs from the refrigerator along with an energy drink. In a matter of minutes, the smell of cooking bacon filled the house, bringing the dog sniffing into the kitchen. Now, all it had to do was work on Melissa the way it worked on Turbo, and he might pull off his plan.

  Once breakfast was ready, he set the table with the white, ceramic, every day china Melissa loved.

  “Are you coming down for breakfast?” he yelled from the base of the stairs.

  She opened the bedroom door. “You cooked for me?”

  “Of course. It’s ready. Come on down.”

  She placed her hands on her hips. Today, she wore a pair of faded jeans and a chunky sweater. She pursed her lips together and hesitated for a moment before saying, “I’ll be right there.”

  By the time Melissa walked into the kitchen, the rain had stopped and a hint of sunlight peeked through the window. He leaned over the sink to push the window open. The crisp air lifted the curtains.

  “When did you start watching Sunny Kincaid’s morning gossip show?” She pointed to the television pushed into the corner of the counter. The studio audience was clapping and chanting the talk show host’s name.

  “She doesn’t just do gossip. If you want to know what’s going on in the entertainment industry, she’s the one you better tune in. She knows everything.”

  “Doesn’t Dan keep you informed?”

  “Yeah, but he gets his information off the show too. This way I don’t have to listen to his translation.” He paused to observe Melissa. “Why are you looking at me like you’ve never seen me before?”

  “I didn’t know you watched this show. Dakota had it on every morning and I had to listen to her and Asa talk about it for hours. The two of them were going to get tickets for a taping in New York.”

  “I don’t think I’d want to sit in the audience. I just want to know what’s happening in the industry. Now, let’s eat before breakfast gets cold.”

  “I’m surprised you cooked. What’s this all about?” She sat at the table.

  “Let’s just say I couldn’t sleep. I had
a bad case of blue balls, so I decided I might as well make myself useful.”

  She smiled and bit a piece of bacon. “I think we both had the same problem. Welcome to my club.”

  “You could have saved the both of us from a painful night.”

  “Yeah, but then I wouldn’t have gotten breakfast.”

  “What are your plans for today? I’d like to kidnap you.”

  She pushed the food around on her plate while eyeing him. “What have you got in mind?”

  “Just go with it, Melissa. You don’t have to know everything. Trust me.”

  She twisted her mouth into a frown. “I’m not trying to be difficult, but tell me why I should trust my day in your hands. As soon as Dan calls, you’ll drop me like a bad habit and go running.”

  “Are you going to give it a try or not?” He pressed his face close to hers.

  The kitchen clock ticked so loud it drowned out the street noise. Each second tick pushed them further apart. Either she was holding her breath or her breathing was so soft it was soundless. When she didn’t reply, he said, “We’re leaving the house in ten minutes. Be ready.”

  Chapter Seven

  The drive was peaceful. Melissa needed a day without the constant rancor. She tapped her tongue against her inside bottom lip. Granted, she and Darius hadn’t spent any time together in months, but one afternoon of attention wouldn’t save their marriage. The air was leaking out of their relationship, and instead of patching up the holes, they continued to chink at the armor that was supposed to hold them together.

  From the corner of her eye, she observed his dark glasses and the baseball cap pulled down snug on his head. His face was hardly recognizable.

  “Expecting trouble?” she asked.

  He touched the brim of his hat. “No, but I don’t want anyone interrupting our time together. No autographs or demo tapes today.”

  “And what about Dan? Do you think he can manage without you for one full day?”

  He lifted his phone from the breast pocket of his jacket and turned it off. “No Dan today either.”