Always Means Forever

Bridget watched in awe as Darwin moved effortlessly from one saucepan to another. She closed her eyes and then pinched herself. If this wasn’t real, she needed to wake up before things between her and Darwin went any further.

When Bridget opened her eyes again, Darwin was there, still moving as though he’d always belonged right there in her kitchen and in her life. As he pulled a tablespoon of simmering sauce to his lips, blowing lightly over the hot substance, Bridget closed her eyes for a second time, imagining what it might be like to have those lips blowing warm breath against her skin….

Books by Deborah Fletcher Mello

Kimani Romance

In the Light of Love

Always Means Forever

Kimani Arabesque

Forever and a Day

The Right Side of Love

A Love for All Time

Take Me to Heart

DEBORAH FLETCHER MELLO

is the author of seven romance novels. Her first novel, Take Me to Heart, earned her a 2004 Romance Slam Jam nomination for Best New Author. In 2005 she received Book of the Year and Favorite Heroine nominations for her novel The Right Side of Love.

For Deborah, writing is akin to breathing and she firmly believes that if she could not write she would cease to exist. Weaving a story that leaves her audience feeling full and complete, as if they’ve just enjoyed an incredible meal, is an ultimate thrill for her. Born and raised in Connecticut, she now calls Hillsborough, North Carolina, home, where she resides with her husband and son.

Always Means Forever

Deborah Fletcher Mello

www.millsandboon.co.uk

In memory of my son,

Allan Miquel Mello, Jr.,

Mere words cannot begin to express how much you are missed.

Your spirit continues to move and inspire me,

And you will always be remembered with much love

Dear Reader,

This has been a roller-coaster ride filled with exceptional highs. I can’t begin to tell you how much I love doing what I do. I know that this journey has been an incredible blessing and only possible because of a truly powerful and loving God.

I am extremely grateful to each and every one of you who has supported my writing by buying a book, borrowing a book, or sharing a book. Thank you for the kind words, the heartfelt expressions of love and those accolades for my many characters. As you have cheered each of them on, so have you cheered me on, as well. I can’t begin to tell you how you all have nurtured my spirit.

I’d love to know what you think of Bridget and Darwin’s story, so I hope you’ll send me your comments at www.deborahmello.com or www.deborahmello.blogspot.com. Until the next time, take care and God bless.

With much love,

Deborah Fletcher Mello

Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 1

Bridget Hinton knew she had to be dreaming. Things like this never happened to her in real life, so the moment—and the man who stood above her—had to be a dream. It was such an erotic dream that she hoped she would never wake from it, or at least not until he, whoever he was, was finished doing what he was doing.

And what he was doing was massaging a slow, heated path up and down the length of her body. His long, firm, very experienced fingers were stroking every muscle until she was a weak puddle of female mush. He was triggering a reaction in every part of her to a point of no return. Teasing the curves of her breasts, he gently brushed the back of his hand against the lush tissue and her nipples blossomed full and hard. Her chest began to rise and fall faster than normal as she gasped for air. Bridget felt as if her flesh was straining for release against a satin nightgown that suddenly seemed to melt away from her body at will.

Sunlight shimmered above her, radiating from a clear, bright blue sky. She could hear the ripple of water coming from someplace close, and a warm breeze scented the air with the aroma of honeysuckle and tea roses. She took a deep inhale of fresh air and held her breath. She struggled to focus on the man who had her writhing in ecstasy, wanting to see his face. For a split second, the very handsome man bore a striking resemblance to majestic Laurence Fishburne in the movie Othello. A minute later he looked like a very sexy Djimon Hounsou, then the actor Dennis Haysbert. Bridget could feel herself smiling in her sleep. This was surely too good to be true!

Laurence-Djimon-Dennis was now naked, a solid six-foot-four-inch tower of rippling, Hershey’s dark chocolate-toned muscle. His skin glistened with perspiration, light shimmering over the sinewy fibers. She examined every inch of him, her gaze caressing the broad wealth of his expansive chest, lingering on the firm, well-rounded globes of his behind that overfilled her small palms, and the thick length of male steel swaying blatantly between them.

He was palming both of her breasts beneath slightly rough hands, the contact against her skin moving her to moan. Her mouth parted just slightly as her tongue trailed slowly over the surface of her lips. As her dream lover eased himself above her, she could feel her body falling open, her legs parting eagerly. Her limbs felt light and buoyant, her body possessed as it moved in sync with his. The moment was suddenly electric, energy spinning her beyond her wildest dreams. And just as she could feel herself being consumed by the rise of heat, perspiration dancing against her skin, she woke up.

The clock radio on the nightstand beside her was buzzing harshly and Bridget was startled to find herself awake, and alone. It seemed as if it took forever for her mind to catch up with her body, the memories fading ever so slowly, and then she remembered that she was home, in her own bed, no man remotely close to making love to her.

A creeping dampness in her panties made her close her slim thighs tightly together. The dream had been too real, her body responding with a mind of its own. Turning to see what time it was, Bridget reached for the digital timepiece, depressing the alarm’s off button. She squinted through the darkness at the pale green numbers on the clock. It was still early, not yet two o’clock in the morning. It dawned on her that she had set her alarm incorrectly, not paying attention before she’d turned over and had gone to sleep. She still had at least five hours of rest coming to her, and with any luck she could still take advantage of them.

A full bladder was suddenly calling her name and as she moved to get out of bed, pain bristled down the length of her right leg. Bridget swore, clutching the limb between her palms as she was suddenly reminded that her day had started badly and had only gotten worse with each passing hour, the wealth of it peaking on her return home.

She had literally tripped through the door of her town house, falling face-first across the threshold as the heel of her Ferragamo pump had lost a battle with the new doormat she’d purchased on discount from the Macy’s department store in downtown Seattle. Pain had exploded from the center of her bruised kneecap, triggering a trail of hurt down the length of the limb, up her thigh and into her hip. Profanity had spilled over her lips as she’d cursed loudly, not caring that her next-door neighbor, Mrs. Eloise Gibson, had been watching from her own entranceway.

As she’d lain sprawled facedown against the foyer’s tiled floor, Bridget couldn’t help but think that her falling was an apropos ending for what had been a hellish day. Tears had burned hot against the back of her eyelids as she’d kicked off the overpriced shoes and pulled herself up and onto her feet. The old woman was still staring, her gray head and a wrinkled appendage waving for Bridget’s attention.

“Are you okay, dear?” she’d asked.

Bridget had forced a smile on her face and had nodded her head. “Yes, ma’am. I’m fine, thank you. Just clumsy is all.”

“Are you sure now? I can call somebody if you need me to.”

“That’s not necessary, Mrs. Gibson.”

“Well, if you say so…”

“Thanks for everything, Mrs. Gibson. You have a nice evening,” Bridget chimed as she’d moved too quickly to close her front door. As she’d secured the lock, she’d heaved a deep sigh and had cussed again. Reaching for her purse, she’d picked up the contents that had scattered across the floor and dropped them all onto the wooden bench that decorated the entranceway.

Wanting to cry, she’d let the first wave of hot tears flow over her cheeks, her palm rubbing gingerly against her bruised leg. Before the tears could flood into a full sob the telephone on the end table at her side rang, pulling at her attention.

Bridget had shaken her head as she’d pulled the receiver into her hand, noting the familiar number on the caller ID. “Hello?”

“You have some mail, dear!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Gibson.”

“Just wanted you to know.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

As she hung up the telephone, Bridget heaved another deep sigh. She had grown weary of the old woman’s timely reminders ages ago but had kept her annoyance to herself because Mrs. Gibson was better than any alarm system would ever be. Her watchful eye monitored all the comings and goings that occurred between her door and the entrances of the other occupants who resided in the small complex. And, for the most part, she was actually very sweet when she wanted to be.

Making her way to the rear of her home, Bridget had moved into the kitchen, searching her freezer for an ice pack to hold off the swelling. She had to be in court early the next morning and she didn’t need a bum leg slowing her down. The telephone ringing for a second time served to further distract her.

“Hello?”

“Bridget, turn on your television!” a voice had screamed from the other end.

“What? Jeneva? Is that you?”

“Of course it’s me. Turn on your television. Channel 76. Hurry!”

Bridget had reached for the remote and turned on the small, seven-inch monitor that was positioned beneath her oak cabinets. Her best friend’s excitement filled her ears.

“Isn’t he adorable! Look how cute he is! Hold on. I have to call Roshawn.”

Jeneva’s brother-in-law, Darwin Tolliver, beamed at Bridget from the television screen, the good-looking man promoting his new cooking show on the Homes and Food Network. He had been cute. Too cute, and Bridget had only been reminded that yet another man she’d been interested in hadn’t been interested in her.

Jeneva came back on the line. “Roshawn’s not home. I’ll have to call her later. So, what’s up with you?” she’d asked cheerily.

Bridget took a seat at the kitchen counter. “I lost my job.”

“What?” Jeneva’s voice was brimming with surprise. “What happened?”

“The partners are merging with another firm. It seems the new partners already have one intelligent, skilled, black female attorney on the roster and they don’t feel they have a need for a second.”

“Oh, sweetie! I’m so sorry,” her best friend hummed into the receiver.

Bridget nodded. “They’ll be transitioning our case-loads over and closing the doors in the next two to six weeks. I will actually be closing out my cases in the next few days so there’s really little left for me to do. Then I’ll officially be unemployed.”

“That stinks. So, what do you plan to do?”

“I don’t have a clue.”

The two had talked for another hour and when she’d finally hung up the telephone, Bridget had been sufficiently depressed. As she’d sat there staring blankly at the television set, the station ran the commercial for a second time. When Darwin Tolliver crooned his slogan “Let me show you how it’s done!” a chill had shimmered down her spine, straight into the pit of her stomach. What she wouldn’t give to have Darwin Tolliver show her anything his heart desired, she’d thought, the words floating into the empty room as she spoke them out loud.

That had only been a few hours ago, and if the dream was any sign, she still had the effects of seeing Darwin on her brain. Her bladder was now screaming loudly and Bridget shook the clouds of memory from her head. She eased her body up onto her feet and limped into the bathroom. Just thinking about Darwin Tolliver again had made her stomach flutter. She’d had a crush on the man since forever. The two had met years ago when his twin brother, Mecan, and her friend Jeneva had fallen head over heels in love. Her infatuation for him had even caused a brief rift between her and her other best friend, Roshawn Bradsher, when she’d accused the woman’s playful flirtations with him of being something much more. The two of them had worked through their differences and Bridget had been happy for her girl when Roshawn had gone on to meet and marry the love of her life, famed baseball star Angel Rios. Bridget was now godmother to their two children, three-year-old Dario and infant Belinda.

Between distance, bad timing and other relationships she and Darwin had never managed to hook up, though, and now here she was, still alone, unemployed, dreaming about men who would probably never cross her path. As she slid back beneath the warmth of her covers, Bridget shook her head for the umpteenth time. Things surely didn’t look like they were going to get any better anytime soon, so she hoped her dream lover would still be hard, wanting, and waiting for her when she finally fell back to sleep.

Chapter 2

Darwin Tolliver couldn’t help but think that there was something missing, and maybe whatever was missing was the reason he was so out of sorts. He looked around the enclosed office, observing the contemporary decor the television studio had paid far too much money to have installed. If the truth were to be told, the room really didn’t give him any warm and fuzzy feelings to get excited about.

Everything from the walls to the carpet and half of the furniture was done in a striking shade of ice-blue. The other half of the furniture was either upholstered in black leather or painted in a high-gloss black lacquer. Polished chrome accents completed the sparse ensemble. The room was supposed to be cutting-edge stylish but as Darwin sat in the midst of it, studying every minute detail, he wished he could have told the interior designer they’d hired that it actually felt very cold and impersonal. He sighed, blowing a warm gust of breath past his full lips.

Reaching for the telephone, he dialed quickly then leaned back in the black leather executive’s chair to wait for the line to be answered.

His twin brother’s voice bellowed from the other end. “Hello?”

“Hey, Mecan. It’s me.”

“Yo, Darwin. What’s up? How’s the new gig?” Mecan Tolliver asked.

Darwin shrugged, his broad shoulders reaching up toward his earlobes. “Starting out well. The show premieres next week and the initial reactions to the promos have been great.”

“I saw the commercial for the first time last night. You looked good, boy! You should have heard Jeneva on the phone calling her girls to check out the channel.”

“Your wife is too sweet. Tell her I said hello and kiss my niece for me.”

“Will do. Alexa’s been mimicking you since she saw you on TV. ‘Let me show you how it’s done!’” the man said, imitating his child’s singsong voice. “It’s too cute!” Mecan laughed, the wealth of it brimming over with pride for his five-year-old daughter. “So, for real, how are you doing? You sound a little down.”

There was a brief pause and Darwin sat listening to the television set playing in the background on his brother’s end. They’d been like two peas in a pod since day one. Mecan was the older by only five minutes and he was Darwin’s best friend and closest confidant. Darwin wanted to tell his brother that something was making him feel as blue as the room he sat in, but he hadn’t a clue how to express to his sibling what it was or why. Instead he shook the emotion away and changed the subject.

“Nah. All’s well here. Just felt like checking in with you.”

Mecan Tolliver nodded, his sixth sense kicking in. He shook his head slowly, oblivious to the fact that his brother could not see him through the phone line. “Sounds like there’s more going on than you’re saying. Why don’t we make plans to have lunch tomorrow and you can tell me all about it. We haven’t spent any time together in a good while.”

“That sounds good,” Darwin responded, a hint of gratitude seeping into his tone. “I could use some advice. Why don’t you meet me at the Andaluca Restaurant.”

“Where’s that?”

“In the Mayflower Park Hotel down on Olive Way. A friend of mine is the chef there. I’d like to show him some love.”

Mecan smiled into the receiver. “Why does that sound like you’re checking up on your competition?”

Darwin chuckled. “Hey, my boy Wayne’s one of the best chefs out here. There’s no harm in checking out what he’s up to.”

His brother laughed with him. “If you say so. I’ll see you tomorrow at one o’clock. Love you, bro.”

“Right back at ’cha.”

As the line went dead in his ear, Darwin suddenly felt even more out of sorts than he’d felt before he’d called. After hearing his brother’s voice and his excitement as he talked about his family, Darwin realized he was lonely. Labeling the emotion only served to further frustrate him. Perhaps some female companionship could change his mood, he thought, and hopefully help him move out of this stupor he seemed to have fallen into. Taking a quick glance at his wristwatch, he reached for his BlackBerry off the desktop, sorted through the address index for a telephone number, then pulled the phone receiver back into his hand as he dialed. Three rings later a female’s sultry voice answered the call.

“Hey, beautiful. It’s me. Got any plans for the night?”

There was something romantic about the atmosphere, Darwin mused as he took a seat in one of the gray upholstered booths in the Andaluca Restaurant. The room had an old-world feel to it with its rich fabrics, cherrywood accents and the exquisite contemporary designs that decorated the walls. He’d arrived a few minutes early, nudging his way past the blue-eyed hostess with the porcelain veneer smile to say hello to the chef. His friend had been guiding a staff of twelve almost effortlessly as they prepped for the lunch crowd.

As he waited for his brother to arrive he studied the menu, making mental notes about the food choices. The selections were very European, fairly simplistic, with generous offerings of grains, legumes, fruits, vegetables and an incredible wine list. As Darwin mulled over the selections, it was only his brother’s prompt arrival that kept him from racing back to the kitchen to see if he could be of any service.

The commotion at the door caught his eye, the young woman leading Mecan to the table laughing warmly as the two headed in his direction. Darwin could almost visualize the events that had them chatting so comfortably. The confused expression on her round face, her neck snapping back and forth as she did a double take when Mecan had stepped through the door had probably been quite comical. It was a typical reaction when folks saw one and then the other, before realizing there were actually two of them. The young lady dropped a second menu on the table as she gestured toward the empty seat.

“Wow, talk about identical twins! I can’t believe how much you two look alike,” she exclaimed, her head waving from side to side. “Your brother scared me to death. One minute you were sitting here, then the next minute you were standing by my side. I didn’t know what to think at first.”

Darwin smiled. “Well, now that you see us together, you can see I’m the better-looking brother.” He gave her a quick wink.

Mecan shook his head. “He’s not shy, either.” He extended his hand toward Darwin, who came to his feet to give him a quick greeting. The duo bumped shoulders in a one-armed embrace before dropping down into their respective seats. “So, how’s it going, little brother?” Mecan asked.

Darwin nodded. “Can’t complain, big brother.”

“Your waitress will be right with you,” the blonde said sweetly. “If I can be of any assistance please don’t hesitate to let me know.”

Darwin winked again. “Thank you.”

The two men paused briefly to watch as she sashayed back to the front of the restaurant, both appreciating the overt side-to-side glide of her lean hips. Mecan shook his head as he turned back toward his brother. Making himself comfortable, he clasped his hands together in front of him, eyeing his look-alike curiously. “You don’t look sick.”

The other man chuckled. “What made you think I was sick?”

“There’s something going on with you. I heard it in your voice last night.”

Darwin grunted, a low growl rising from his midsection. Mecan noted his brother’s avoidance, his eyes dancing around the room, hesitant to meet his.

“Yep. Something’s up with you. Spill it.”

Darwin heaved a deep sigh as he finally met Mecan’s gaze. Just as he opened his mouth to speak, an attractive woman with a rich blue-black complexion moved to the table, a pen and pad in her hand. She smiled warmly, a brilliant row of pearl-white teeth greeting them.

“Hello. My name is Mina. I’m going to be your server today. Would you gentlemen like to start your meal with drinks and an appetizer?”

Darwin nodded, almost grateful for the interruption. “I think we’ll start with a charcuterie plate, please.”

“Very good, sir.”

“And, for the entrées, my brother will have the crab tower salad, and I would like to try the North African risotto.”

Mina nodded as she jotted their orders quickly. “Will that be all, sir?”

“No, why don’t you bring us a bottle of that Bootleg Sauvignon Blanc. And, just to get it out of the way, for dessert we’ll try the cheese sampler with the bûche maître seguin, the fiore sardo and the tomino, and two pots du crème.”

“Yes, sir.” Mina smiled sweetly as she gathered their menus, her gaze sweeping from one dark face to the other.

Mecan moved his head from side to side as the woman made her way to the rear of the restaurant and into the kitchen to place their orders. “You kill me! Have we ever gone out to eat together where I got to order my own food?”

Darwin shrugged, the two men laughing warmly together. “Old habits die hard. Just stop me next time.”

“Don’t worry about it. You must have been reading my mind, ’cause I really wanted to try the crab. Now, what the heck is all that other stuff you ordered? The charcuterie and that cheese thing?”

“Their charcuterie is just like an antipasto. It’s a variety of salamis, pickled peppers, olives, and almonds. On the cheese platter, the bûche maître seguin is a goat’s milk cheese served with a black fig jam, the other is sheep’s milk cheese with paprika and almonds, and the tomino is a soft cow’s milk cheese wrapped in Cullatello and served with fresh honey.”

Mecan shook his head. “Do I dare ask what the cream pot is?”

His brother laughed. “Pots du crème! It’s caramel and mocha custards with Valrhona chocolate and cinnamon.”