Free A Seductive Melody (The Kelly Brothers Book 5) by Crista McHugh Page B

replaced the emptiness he’d harbored inside with a warm glow.
    He wanted her to always look at him that way. He wanted to be a man she could be proud of.
    She took his hand again as though they were on a date rather than a crisis intervention. “So, do you have any plans for the evening?”
    “No, not really.”
    “Want to come over to my place?” The blood rushed to his dick at her invitation, but his desire was quickly tempered when she continued, “My roommate and I are having a Rosh Hashanah party with our friends.”
    As tempting as it sounded, something in him hesitated. She was willing to tear down the shield of anonymity by bringing him into her personal life, and that opened the door to all types of possibilities, both good and bad. “I’m not Jewish.”
    “We’ll let that one slide.”
    “Listen, Bec, I appreciate the invitation, but—”
    She stopped and turned to him. “But what?”
    Indecision paralyzed his tongue. He enjoyed Becca’s company. Probably more than he should, considering relationships were discouraged this early in the recovery process. And the attraction was undeniable. But if he took things too far, presumed too much, he risked losing her support. And he didn’t even want to think about what would happen if one of the guests recognized him.
    He rubbed the back of his head. “I—”
    “It’s just my friends, Ethan. We’re going to dance, play a few games, eat some food, and have a good time. No pressure.” She lowered her voice and added, “And no worries. They respect my privacy, and they’ll respect yours.”
    Suspicion snaked down his spine. It wasn’t the first time she’d hinted that she knew who he was. “So I won’t have to worry about ending up on TMZ?”
    She grinned and shook her head. “Now, of course, what happens when you leave my place is a different story, but my friends are cool.”
    He almost wanted to laugh at how normal it sounded. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d hung out with regular people his own age. “Maybe just for an hour or two.”
    “Brilliant!” She looped her arm through his, pressing up against him. “Did you bring your bike?”
    “Yes.”
    “Any chance you’d let me drive it?”
    He let out an honest, heartfelt laugh. “Nope.”
    “Didn’t think so.” She gave him a dramatic sigh. “I guess I’ll have to ride bitch again.”
    He liked the idea of her riding behind him. Maybe he would even throw in some extra speed around the turns so she’d gasp and hold on even tighter to him. He handed her his spare helmet when they got to his motorcycle. “Where to?”
    “Park and 75th.”
    “Upscale neighborhood.” He donned his gloves and started the engine.
    “Of course. Old money and all that.” She climbed on behind him, her dress rising to expose most of her thighs.
    His pants grew uncomfortably tight. Maybe he wouldn’t go so fast around those turns if he wanted to be able to walk without an obvious hard-on when they got there.
    Just as he was about to strap on his helmet, she tapped his shoulder. “Oh, by the way, we need to stop and pick up some challah.”
    “Yes, ma’am.”
    As they rode through the streets, he reflected on all the new emotions he was experiencing. Trust. Relief. Desire. Hope. So very different than when he’d arrived at the pier an hour before. And he owed it all to Becca.
    But as they got closer to her place, a new goal replaced just staying clean. He was making a fresh start, and if he was lucky, maybe she’d begin to see him as something other than a recovering junkie who needed her help.
    Maybe she’d begin to see him as a man worthy of her attention.

Chapter Six
     
    Becca hopped off Ethan’s bike and shivered. The ride had left her bare legs cold and numb, but the excitement of holding him as he expertly weaved his way through the traffic more than made up for it. “That was awesome!”
    He turned off the engine and removed his helmet. “If you like my Ducati so much, why