When Sparks Fly

"Yeah, she was going to head to New York, and I was going to California – the only thing is, she met Trent on the plane ride out, and I stopped in Nashville and kept myself there."

"Well, she's certainly happy where she is, but what about you?" Robert asked.

Melissa's dropped her head back, and shook it, while looking up at the sky. "Why the fuck is everyone so worried about my god-damn happiness?"

Robert lifted his hands in defense. "Hey, I was just asking. I don't know if you're happy or not."

"Well, I am!" Melissa hissed, before rising from the table. "Thanks for the beers, but I'm heading back to Sally's. It's been a real treat."

"You sure about that ass burr?" Robert called out as she walked away. His laughter registered in her ears after she lifted her fist and one of it's fingers.

~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

Sunday morning arrived and Melissa found herself both eager and sorry to leave her friend's home. She had had a roller coaster of emotions, from embracing her friend and her happiness, to wanting nothing more than to tear the eyes out of a handsome man who just wouldn't leave her alone. As she packed her new clothes and accessories into a bag, she told herself that Robert was in the past, and when she came down to visit Sally again, she would do so with a paid escort, anyone would do, as long as she had a man with her so she didn't look single and desperate.

"I really am glad you came," Sally told her as she loaded her belongings into the trunk of her car.

"Me too," Melissa told her. They hugged tight, and Melissa promised she'd be back again before the baby was born, and of course several times afterward. "I really needed this; I didn't realize how much I missed having a girlfriend to confide in."

"I'm glad and I am sorry about Robert."

Melissa waved off the apology. "It's no big deal. He's just not my cup of tea. Though, if you ever tell him I thought for a moment we could have a quickie behind the bandstand, I'll deny it."

"Yeah, that caught me off guard!"

"It's your fault. If you and Trent hadn't kept refilling my glass with vodka last night while I cried my heart out about my pitiful life, you never would have known."

Sally laughed. "I still can't believe you don't have a hangover."

"It's my mother's cure – four ibuprofen before bed, and four more when you wake up."

Melissa pulled out of the drive, waved one last time to her friend, and headed back to her apartment, and the routine she'd left behind.

~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

"Miss Blackburn?"

Katherine's high-pitched voice broke into Melissa's concentration. "Yes," she asked, rubbing her temples, and grinding her teeth.

"Your ten-thirty is here," the receptionist said, "a Missus Weldon."

Melissa racked her brain, then smiled. "Send her in."

The old woman came from old money, and had recently discovered her nephew had embezzled thousands of dollars. Missus Weldon had left a message on her phone Sunday morning, while she'd been telling Sally goodbye. When she had gotten the call, she'd called the woman back, and made the last minute appointment, pushing back the one that had previously scheduled at that time to noon. She even told Katherine that when she made the call to offer a free lunch at Eddie Merlot's to make up for the inconvenience.

"Missus Weldon!" Melissa rose from her desk and smiled brightly. With her hand extended, she took the one offered by the potential client. She squeezed firmly, and led her over to a chair that sat opposite her desk. "I am honored to have gotten your call, and I apologize that it had to go to voice mail."

"Oh dear, it's quite alright. You're young and I'm sure you had more important things to do than to wait on calls from old ladies."

Melissa laughed softly. "I understand, from your message, that you're looking for someone else to handle your accounts. You don't trust the firm your nephew was using – correct?"

"Yes, he hired them and I fired them – him too, but he's still family, so I'll not be pressing charges."

"That's entirely up to you, right now, let's just discuss where you are now and where you want to be in the future." Melissa soon found herself listening to the wealthy woman and plotting a course of action to make up for the lost funds her nephew had stolen. "With the right team, Missus Weldon, I really think we'll get you squared away and back on track."

The old woman rose, gifted Melissa with a surprise embrace, and then departed, promising to bring her cookies the next time they met. She laughed softly, then looked at the time. Her noon appointment would be arriving soon, so she only had a small handful of minutes to grab a bite before meeting with what she hoped would be another successful addition to her growing firm. Mel grabbed some change from her purse and headed toward her office door. She passed Katherine's desk, glancing briefly at the back of a tall man that was admiring one of the lobby's paintings.

"Kat, I'm going to grab a bite from the vending machine, if I'm not back when the noon appointment arrives, just show them in and I'll...what?" she said when Katherine stared back at her.

"Remember when you asked me to move that noon appointment back and to offer them free lunch if they'd comply."

"Yes," Melissa answered, and watched as Katherine pointed behind her and mouthed "that's him".

Melissa turned around and smiled warmly. Her lips faltered as her lids lowered, her gaze shot daggers at the dark orbs of Robert Hayes. "You're my noon appointment?"

"Why am I not surprised, you're the woman that had to reschedule...why so you could bag that rich white bitch that just left your office."

Katherine and Melissa both gasped. "I don't think we're what you're looking for Mister Hayes, sorry for your trouble, the dinner is still on us, so please enjoy it – try not to choke." Melissa spun around and headed back to her office.

"Hold Missus Blackburn's calls," Robert demanded as he closed the distance between Melissa and her office. He pushed his way inside as she tried to close him out.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" she shouted.

"Do you want me to call security?" Katherine asked.

Robert stared down at her, his hand pressed firmly on the door. Melissa sighed. "No, Mister Hayes and I are fine, just a misunderstanding. Please come in," she said, her tone bitter and laced with venom. She stepped back and waited till Robert was inside the office before slamming the door closed behind him. "What the fuck do you want? It's obvious we are sonot going to work together and why the hell did you agree to this appointment when you knew it was me?"

"I didn't know your last name was Blackburn. You never gave me your last name, neither did Trent or Sally."

"Well, you never asked, did you?" she hissed back.

"And you never asked if I had an appointment with a upcoming accounting firm in Nashville either, did you?"

"What's that got to do with anything?" Melissa asked, rolling her eyes and taking a seat at her desk. "Look, just go, the dinner is on us, and you can indulge any time you want, with anyone you want."

"When I agreed to the appointment time being changed it was with the understanding from your receptionist that we could discuss it while we ate lunch, not dinner. I didn't know you would be the one sitting across the table from me, but I don't have time to eat lunch and discuss business, that is why I had the morning appointment that you were so eager to blow off for a finer, whiter catch."

"Oh my god, what is it with you. You're tossing the race card out there again!"

"And all weekend you weren't? Are you telling me every time you looked at me you weren't looking down your nose and thinking I was some burger flippin', grease monkey who was trying to draw stick houses for a few dollars?"

Their voices had risen to a level that brought a sharp knock on the door. "What?" Melissa shouted.

"You sure you don't want me to ..."

"No!" both occupants of the office shouted back to the receptionist.

Melissa sighed, and lowered her voice. "Robert, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel like I was judging you by the color of your skin. I wasn't. You're quite handsome and believe me race was not a factor in the way I treated you. I'm just..." she sighed again, "I'm just sorry."

She stared down at her hands, and tried to calm the pulse that raced beneath her chest. "I'll be happy to give you some new leads on firms in the area, someone that is more in tune with what you're looking for."

When he took a seat in the chair Missus Weldon had occupied earlier, she looked up and studied him. "Who knows you're not what I'm looking for. You're passionate, smart, and if you landed the Weldon lady's trust, then you'll land mine."

"You know her?"

Robert smirked. "I designed her lake cottage, two years ago. She's the one that recommended you when I called her last week to see how she was doing after hearing about what her nephew had done. I really didn't know you were the same Melissa she spoke of."

"It's a common name," Melissa answered.

"Perhaps, but you're not a common woman."

Melissa blushed. "Do we dare try to start over?" she asked, rubbing her temples and sighing as she tried to erase the words they'd shouted to each other.

"Another headache?"

"Mm hm," she whispered, closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. She didn't realize he was behind her, until she felt his hands on her shoulders. Her lids flew open, and she started to speak.

"Shh, we're starting over remember."

A soft sigh of pleasure escaped her lips, as the pads of his fingers worked at the tension in her neck and shoulders. She rested her arms on her chair and relaxed further into his touch. Robert moved his hands up the center of her neck, into her scalp and back again. He tugged gently on her tangled curls, apologizing when he knew he had caused her discomfort. When he began to tease her temples with soothing caresses, Melissa almost felt her head loll forward. "Oh, god, you better stop," she moaned.

"Is it helping?" he asked.

"Mm hm."

"Good," he whispered, against her ear. Soon she was breathing in his scent, a mixture of male and musk. She found herself wondering what cologne he used, or what shaving cream, shampoo, and soap. What did his body look like under the diner clothes, the casual wear, the business suit. There were so many layers to Robert Hayes that she had dismissed. "I think we need to go," he told her.

She heard his voice from a far off distance. "Go?"

He pulled his hands away and she sighed in protest. "Lunch, remember, I'm the client," Robert reminded her.

Melissa laughed. "Oh, yeah." She pushed her chair back, just as Robert moved away from her. "Eddie Merlot's okay with you?"

"Perfect," he answered, and followed close behind her. He pressed his palm to the small of her back, and opened her office door. Katherine looked at him with suspicion in her eyes. "I'm just taking her to lunch."

Melissa laughed again. "It's fine. We met over the weekend, and well – let's just say we had a few things to get off our chests."

"Then you're okay?" Katherine asked, again shifting a suspicious look to Robert.

"I'm fine. Clear my two o'clock and..."

Robert interrupted, "Just clear out the rest of the day. I've a large portfolio that she's going to have to take a look at, so I doubt she'll be back in time to lock up, so do that for her too."

"I really don't think..." Melissa again was interrupted.

"I know – I'm beginning to see that," Robert said, then rolled his eyes, as he ushered her toward the exit of the small complex that housed her firm.

Katherine watched with a bemused expression, while Robert closed the door and led her boss down the sidewalk, and into a waiting taxi. She opened her boss's appointment book and began to make apologies for the unexpected emergency and by the end of the day, she would overbook Melissa and give herself an hour off, closing shop early.

~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

Robert looked over the numbers, and the quickly jotted down proposal that Melissa had presented to him, once she was able to convince him to discuss business and not ask her questions about her personal life. She watched his face, trying to gauge his reaction. The cab ride over had been pleasant, surprising them both, and they had shared apologies repeatedly when each one recalled their behavior days earlier. When they reached the restaurant, Robert handed the attendant some cash, and moved them from the center of the room, to a more secluded location. "I have one question," Robert asked, tapping the papers to his lips.

Melissa found herself staring at his mouth, imagining what they felt like and as she watched him speak, she could almost feel his tongue upon her skin.

"And that's when I gave birth to triplets."

Her brow furrowed in confusion. "What?" she asked.

Robert laughed. "I was asking you a question, and you just spaced out on me."

"Oh," she blushed, "I was distracted."

"With what?" he asked, looking around to see who or what was behind him.

She grinned and answered, "Nothing, don't worry about it. What was the question?"

"If I come on board and hand you my finances, does it mean I can't ask you out to dinner?"

Her lids fluttered closed; she concentrated on her napkin, and her fingers. "Robert, I – I don't think that's a good idea."

"Than," he pushed the paper back toward her, "I'll take those names you were going to give me."

"What? You're dumping me because I want go out with you?" Her temper flared; she pushed her chair back, only to be stalled when he reached across the table and grabbed her hand.

"Mel, sit down. I want to come on board, but I would rather date you and since you won't date clients, then I won't come on board." His voice was soft, his touch firm.

Melissa sat down and licked her lips, then sipped at her wine. "So, if I date you, you won't be my client. If I take you as a client, I can't date you. If we date and it fails, then I've lost a client and a new friend. What are you getting out of all this?"

"You," Robert told her, before topping off her wine glass. "You're thinking way too hard. Do you want to have dinner with me, tonight? Yes or no?"

Melissa chewed on her lower lip, while looking down on the proposal. She could get other clients. Her business didn't depend on Robert Hayes, after all she did just land the Weldon account. She tucked several strands of red curls behind her ear, took the papers, and tore them in half. Robert grinned, and she blushed a deeper crimson. "Where do you live, and I'll pick up up at five?"

She wrote her address and personal phone number down, and handed it to him. Their fingers touched briefly and Melissa glanced up to see his expression. His dark eyes seemed to gaze back at her, searing her insides until she felt he was reading every inch of her soul. She pulled away, stared at her fingers, then placed them in her lap. They finished their lunch in relative silence, each one locked in their own thoughts on how the night would progress.

After convincing Robert that she was indeed going to bill her firm for the lunch they left the restaurant. Once outside he raised his fingers to his lips and whistled for a cab. "Impressive," she said, adding a wink.

"All us country boys can do it."

She slapped him playfully on his shoulder. "I really am sorry about all that."

"I know. I was just teasing." He pulled her to him, and kissed her lips. The brief touch sent shock waves through her body. She felt the heat of his touch clear down to her toys. "I think I'll do that whenever you start to argue with me," he told her.

"Oh?" She touched her lips. "Why's that?"

"Because it shuts you up."

She stuck out her tongue, just as the cab pulled up. Robert laughed, opened the door and waited until she was inside before telling the cabbie where she was going. He handed him several bills, kissed Melissa before she could finish protesting, then laughed when she softly cursed him. "You're fun," he told her before shutting the door and walking away.

Melissa turned in her seat and watched his tall, hardened body stroll casually along the sidewalk where he waved down a cab for himself. She twisted back to face the front of the car, and lounged against the door. Her warm cheeks sought the comfort of the cool window. "He's a fine one."

She looked at the cab driver. A woman, maybe in her mid-forties glanced back at her through the mirror. "He is, isn't he," she agreed and closed her eyes, not wanting to have any further interruptions when it came to her daydreams.

~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~

Robert opted to stay in the city, renting a car, for not only his date with Melissa, but also for scouting out potential clients. When the time was right he headed to her complex. He stared at the apartment that Melissa lived in. "No wonder she's so miserable." He studied its architecture. The building had been built for convenience, not beauty. He knew just by looking at it, that Melissa's apartment would be cramped, and her neighbors most likely so close she could hear them breathe. It was only knowing that she was about to buy a home that made him feel a little less sorry for her. Sally and Trent had mentioned it to him, when she had gone on her walk around the campground.

Robert rubbed his face, and found his skin smooth and subtle. He imagined the smoothness of his chin caressing the warmth of her sex. His cock tightened in response. Robert muttered a low curse, chastising himself for his erotic thoughts. They had gone from bitter enemies to friends, and now lovers. Granted he hadn't told her they were going to be lovers, because she would most likely argue with him, then again, if she argued he'd have yet another reason to kiss her.

Security was lacking, he noted as he took the elevator with no one bothering to question his being there. "God, I need to get her into that house and fast." Once on her floor, he made his way to her apartment and knocked.

"It's open!"

"You're kidding me," he muttered, turned the knob and opened her door. "Jesus Christ," he cursed, shut the door and locked it behind him. He said nothing, instead looked around and saw that wherever she was it was not in the living room.

"I'm back here," she called from down the hall.

Robert moved quietly, glancing through her house, taking note of her belongings, as well as several partially packed boxes. Her kitchen was clean, with the exception of the evidence that suggested she was moving. He was very glad to see that. "Robert, is that you?"

"Finally," he whispered, noting the concern in her voice. Still he refused to answer her, instead he walked toward her voice.

The tension in the air seemed to thicken when her voice croaked out "Robert?"

He knew where she was now; her shadow danced across the floor of her bedroom. The door was partially open, and he saw a dresser and the edge of the bed. He pushed the door open further, and caught the wrist that gripped a hot curling iron. "You fuckin' scared me!" she screamed, as she tried to pull her arm away.

"Scared you? Good God Melissa, you scared me. Do you realize I could have been anybody and you left your door unlocked!" He glanced at her shoes, and stockings, as well as the thick plush robe she wore.

"I only left it unlocked, because I knew you were coming over," she said in her defense. "Normally it is locked."

"That's comforting," he muttered, released her arm and stepped into her room. "Keep it locked all the time," he demanded.

Melissa opened her mouth to argue; Robert lifted his brows. She blushed, turned back and headed toward the bathroom. "I'm almost done, just got to put my contacts in and toss on a dress."

"I didn't know you wore contacts."