PASSIONATE ENCOUNTERS (15 page)

His eyes doubled back to his daughter when her statement
finally sank in, his expression growing serious. Suddenly the subject matter
far outweighed the fact that Lola Parks had been sexy, if not a little bit
clumsy and comical. A fact Mike figured was more Emma than the way the script
had been written.

Melissa laughed on noticing his frown. “Relax, Dad, I’m not
a child anymore. A group of us worked on it together and we researched the
material at the town library. It was fun.”

Not a child?
In his mind Melissa would always be a
child, his child. He crossed his arms, giving her a long, hard look that didn’t
so much a cause a glimmer of alarm on her young face. With a giggle that
brought back images of when she’d been an energetic five-year-old hell-bent on
escaping after getting caught stealing a cookie, she whipped around to walk
down the aisle without a care in the world.

After a slight hesitation, Mike reluctantly followed,
realizing there was nothing he could do. It was done now. However, he intended
on paying closer attention to what she was doing in the drama club from then
on. A bright flash pulled his attention back to the commotion onstage as the
photographer snapped a few pictures. Once he was done, he quickly gathered up
his gear and proceeded to get out of the way of excited patrons intent on
congratulating the actors on their success.

His gaze went back to Emma in time to see Elliot grab her
for an overzealous hug, which caused his temper to rise almost instantly. He
fought the feeling down as well as the thoughts of jumping over the row of
seats in his way and knocking his teeth down his throat. When the other man
finally noticed Mike watching them, he practically threw Emma out of his arms
and disappeared into the crowd. Her eyes followed him for a second, a curious
look on her expression, before she turned back to Mike.

His unreasonable anger dissolved the moment they made eye
contact. A slow smile spread across her face and she gave him an impish wink
with those ridiculous fake eyelashes. Pleasant warmth flowed through Mike, and his
heart jumped like a schoolboy experiencing his first taste of love. He knew
then and there that no matter how hard he fought against it, she was rapidly
becoming very important to him.

Before he knew it Melissa had fought her way to the front
and jumped up onstage, calling out Lola’s name. At first Emma didn’t respond,
until Melissa purposely stepped in front of her.

“Hi, my name’s Melissa. I thought you were terrific as
Lola.”

Reluctantly pulling her gaze away from Mike, Emma glanced at
the teenager before her, noticing they were almost eye level. The second thing
she noticed was that Melissa had Mike’s eyes. She was a pretty girl in a
woman’s body, her budding curves very evident in the sweater she was wearing.
Emma had blossomed early too, much to her parents’ dismay. She could just
imagine what was in store for Mike once the boys began to notice her.

She held out her hand, and smiled. “Thank you, I think. I certainly
added a bit of flare to the part trying to balance in those ridiculous heels.
I’m Emma Stuart.”

Melissa’s eyes widened as she shook Emma’s hand. “You’re
Amanda’s mom?” she gasped in awe. “You don’t look that old.” Her face turned
scarlet immediately after realizing her blunder. “What I mean is, ah, you don’t
look old enough to, ah…”

Emma couldn’t control her burst of laughter, meeting Mike’s
eyes over his daughter’s head. “Well, at least you didn’t call me chunky mama.
Actually, Amanda and I are sisters. She calls me mom because I raised her.”

“Please excuse my daughter while she takes her foot out of
her mouth,” Mike joked, joining in. He placed his hands on Melissa’s shoulders
and gave them a light squeeze. “She’s excited about meeting the actress who
played a character she helped create.”

“Really?” Emma met Melissa’s embarrassed eyes, her ready
smile putting the thirteen-year-old at ease. “That’s a pretty sophisticated
part. I’m impressed. I’m only sorry I didn’t do it justice. I was slated for filling
in for the abused housewife.”

“Oh, I thought you were terrific!” Melissa piped up with
excitement twinkling in her eyes. “We hadn’t intended it to be a funny part but
you made Lola seem real, like, even though she was a prostitute she had faults
and feelings too.”

A musical laugh escaped Emma. “Well, she certainly had
plenty of faults,” she agreed. Her gaze shifted to Mike again, who appeared to
be using his daughter as a shield. “What did you think of the play, Mike?”

Melissa, being a bright teenager, immediately picked up on
the fact that she hadn’t introduced her father to Emma. She stepped slightly
away from her dad, her eyes moving back and forth between them with growing
speculation. “You two have already met?” Her question was directed at Mike.

“We’ve run into each other on occasion,” he admitted,
drinking Emma up with his eyes. “With a little help from fate.”

“And Cupid’s Arrow.”

“If you believe in that sort of thing.”

An awkward silence followed his statement. For a moment Emma
forgot all about Melissa, drowning in the sensual pools of Mike’s dark eyes. As
their gazes clung, she grew warm, remembering their heated lovemaking the night
of the party, the kiss at the gym and the taste of his passion tempered by
sweetness. A fluttering sensation filled her belly as she lowered her gaze
before giving herself away. It wouldn’t do to let Melissa see her ogling her
father with something other than friendship in her eyes.

“Oh yeah…the dog.” For a moment Melissa’s voice faded into
hushed stillness.

Emma had the feeling she was the only one who caught on to
the significance of her comment.

“I didn’t know you were friends. But that’s great! Maybe
Emma can go fishing with us this weekend.”

She turned toward her dad with a look on her face that said
she thought it was the best idea she’d ever had. “It’s okay if Emma joins us,
isn’t it, Dad?” Suddenly her mouth dropped open, almost as large as her eyes
were round. “We could even pack a picnic lunch and go to the park afterwards!”

The color creeping up Mike’s neck was obvious to Emma and
she looked away with growing amusement. She didn’t know what he was thinking
but if it was anything like her, spending a day together in the close confines
of his small boat wasn’t very appealing. Especially when they were attracted to
each other. But then, Melissa would be there.

Her gaze returned to him, as she wondered what he would say.
It would definitely be a lot safer having Melissa around for a chaperone. That
would be one way of keeping their emotions in check. “I could pack a picnic
lunch,” she offered, giving Melissa a congenial wink.

She waited for Mike’s response, sensing he was warring with
his own pros and cons. Melissa peered at him patiently, yet there was eagerness
in her young eyes that she couldn’t disguise, giving Emma cause for speculation
and mild concern. Melissa wasn’t as good at hiding her intentions as well as
Amanda.

She was too young and inexperienced. In spite of their age
differences the girls obviously knew each other, probably because Troy and Mike
worked together. Were they in cahoots? She wouldn’t put it past Amanda to
enlist the aid of an innocent child. Emma glanced at Mike, who apparently
didn’t have a clue.

“Well, Dad?” she asked anxiously, all but holding her
breath.

Mike finally took a breath as though resigned to the fact he
was going to lose no matter what he said. “Sure, I guess that would be okay.”

If he was going to say more it was cut off by Melissa’s
happy exclamation.

“Great!” She grabbed his arm and squeezed. “Thank you, Dad.
I can’t wait; it’ll be lots of fun.” Her eyes shot past him as something caught
her attention. “Oh, I see some friends; it was nice meeting you, Emma. See you
on Saturday.” She rushed off before anyone could say anything.

“Lots of fun,” Emma echoed, grinning at the less-than-enthusiastic
expression on Mike’s serious face. She met his eyes, her smile slowly fading.
Now wasn’t the time or place but it didn’t seem to matter. In spite of his jaw
tightening there was no denying the desire simmering in his eyes, just beneath
the surface. Emma knew it was a reflection of what he saw in hers. The noise
around her began to fade in and out, as she became intensely aware of him and
her growing feelings for him.

It was crazy but she wanted him to kiss her again.

She wanted his hands on her…now. At that very moment. She
wanted all of him.

As she remembered what that was like, she grew incredibly
warm, her lips parting as she drew in a shaky breath. A tingling in her breasts
was a warning her nipples were hardening. She thought she was doing a good job of
hiding her desire from him but the smoldering look in his eyes revealed she was
only fooling herself.

He surprised her by moving, closing the distance between
them. Grasping her hand, he wordlessly pulled her with him off the stage as
though he knew exactly where he was going, past several self-absorbed actors
and down the dimly lit deserted hallway.

Where he was taking her didn’t matter. He opened the first
door he came to, which turned out to be one of the dressing rooms, and paused
long enough to take a quick peek inside to make sure it was empty. When he was
satisfied it was, he pulled her inside and closed the door.

Releasing an impatient sound that resembled a wounded
animal, he pushed her against the door, and followed her there with his body.
They came together like a raging storm. Elements battled for control as mouths
clashed, tongues meshed, bodies melded in a firestorm of instant,
uncontrollable passion. Mike’s hands were finally where Emma wanted them,
starting with her throat and trailing a leisurely path of fire over her
shoulders and down her arms, before falling to her hips and gliding back up her
sides.

There was no hesitation in his sensuous touch when he
continued the erotic journey to her breasts, which had swelled and were aching
with need. Begging to be caressed. Her nipples peaked into hard little points,
stabbing his palms as they smoothed over her breasts before cupping their full
weight. She cried out beneath his demanding mouth, arching her body against him
as overwhelming need coursed through her, matching his stormy ardor. When his
thumbs grazed her sensitive nipples, liquid heat rushed through her body in
hot, dizzying waves.

She tore her mouth away to catch her breath, moaning with
pleasure when Mike ran his open mouth along the side of her neck to her exposed
collarbone, and lower still to the deep part of her blouse. She was certain she
was going to go up in flames when his tongue dipped inside her cleavage,
teasing and licking her ultra sensitive flesh until she was a mindless,
quivering mass. Her knees buckled.

Oh my god!

“Mike.” She gasped for air, unsure of the wisdom of what
they were doing.

“Don’t say anything,” he rasped, gently pulling her blouse
down until her shoulders were revealed. “Just feel.” He planted fiery kisses
along the smooth flesh he slowly exposed.

She was feeling! Way too much, too fast. She’d been dreaming
of this moment, yearning for it. Her clit was actually throbbing between her
thighs, and moist heat dampened her panties. Her limbs were trembling wildly
and she clutched Mike’s shoulders to remain on her feet.

Suddenly his hands were moving beneath her blouse and before
she could murmur a protest, they were gliding slowly upward, bringing the
material with them. Emma felt a cool draft against her midriff and then against
her breasts. Their eyes clashed, and then Mike lowered his gaze to take in the
bounty he’d just bared.

His low groan echoed through the small room as he bent his
head, putting his open mouth on Emma. He took her naked breast in his mouth in
an exquisite kiss that finished with a slow glide to the tip of her nipple.
Once there, his tongue lazily circled the nub, lapping at it as if it was a
tasty treat.

Emma shivered deliciously, burying her hands in his hair and
holding him to her. As his tongue stabbed her flesh, she was painfully aware of
his fully aroused cock where it pushed against her. The strength and fullness
of him made her hungry, and bold.

Uncontrollable desire forced her hand down his powerful
torso until she reached the top of his slacks. She hesitated only briefly,
until passion overruled common sense. With a muffled cry of surrender she let
her hand continue down the front of Mike’s zipper. She teasingly trailed her
fingertips over his impressive hard-on until her actions drove him wild.

In a movement that bordered on savagery, he grabbed her
probing hand and held it tightly against him, controlling the pressure while
moving her palm up and down his rock-hard shaft. An unbearable ache filled
Emma. A need so intense it frightened her. She wanted Mike’s cock inside her.

A gush of silken heat exploded through her body, soaking her
panties. “Oh god! Her soft cry seemed overloud in the quiet of the room.

He shuddered in a moment of weakness. The metallic taste of
blood filled Emma’s mouth as she bit down hard on her bottom lip. Her eyes
misted over with deep emotion.
Please don’t stop!

“Please don’t stop.”

Mike’s head jerked back so he could meet her eyes, and then
he was cursing sharply beneath his breath. His mouth returned to hers. And when
his hands went back to her breasts Emma’s made quick work of unbuckling and
unzipping his slacks. She reached inside, pulled his cock out and moved her
hand up and down.

“Sweet Jesus!” Mike shuddered beneath her administrations.
His breathing turned ragged and his hands slapped the door on either side of
Emma as if he needed the support to remain on his feet.

Emma used his moment of weakness to drop to her knees. Without
hesitation she took his cock inside her mouth and began to suck and lick it
like it was candy. Her tongue explored every ripple from the base to the smooth
head, dipping inside the slit to taste the pre-cum gathered there.