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  BE WITH ME

  “Why are you looking at me like that?”

  “Like what?” he asked.

  She blinked. “Like you want to kiss me.”

  “I’ve wanted to kiss you since you left my house that night. I can respect you enough to control myself, though.”

  Melanie’s brows drew in. She closed her eyes and shook her head before focusing back on him. “I don’t understand you.”

  “I’m a pretty simple guy.” With a past he wasn’t ready to share and a job he couldn’t. “You know I’m attracted to you. But for now, we’re going to get to know each other.”

  “I’m not doing a relationship.”

  Tanner lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “I’m not, either. At least not today.”

  Melanie tipped her head and narrowed her eyes. “Tanner, I can’t. This baby has to be our focus. Not the attraction.”

  Unable to help himself, Tanner closed the distance between them and nipped at her lips. “The attraction is only going to get stronger, so fighting it is a waste of energy.”

  Silence enveloped them and Tanner wanted to know what she was thinking. That she hadn’t eased back or pulled her hand from his was a good sign. He wasn’t quite sure himself what he wanted with her, but he needed to start somewhere. Chemistry was a hell of a place . . .

  Books by Jules Bennett

  WRAPPED IN YOU

  CAUGHT UP IN YOU

  LOST IN YOU

  STAY WITH ME

  BE WITH ME

  Published by Kensington Publishing Corporation

  be with Me

  JULES BENNETT

  ZEBRA BOOKS

  KENSINGTON PUBLISHING CORP.

  http://www.kensingtonbooks.com

  All copyrighted material within is Attributor Protected.

  Table of Contents

  BE WITH ME

  Also by

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Chapter Seventeen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Chapter Twenty

  ZEBRA BOOKS are published by

  Kensington Publishing Corp.

  119 West 40th Street

  New York, NY 10018

  Copyright © 2018 by Jules Bennett

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Publisher, excepting brief quotes used in reviews.

  To the extent that the image or images on the cover of this book depict a person or persons, such person or persons are merely models, and are not intended to portray any character or characters featured in the book.

  If you purchased this book without a cover you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the Publisher and neither the Author nor the Publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

  Zebra and the Z logo Reg. U.S. Pat. & TM Off.

  ISBN: 978-1-4201-4498-7

  eISBN-13: 978-1-4201-4499-4

  eISBN-10: 1-4201-4499-5

  Chapter One

  You’re allowed to scream, you’re allowed to cry,

  but you’re never allowed to give up.

  —Mel’s Motivational Blog

  If there was ever a time for cocktails, it was now. On the flip side of that, Melanie Ramsey couldn’t drink. Her drinking days were over . . . at least for the next seven months and two weeks, because this morning she’d had two thin blue lines staring her in the face.

  Still, she found herself in the wine aisle of Quicky Mart choosing a bottle for her best friends because they were certainly going to need it when she broke the news to them.

  What paired well with dropping a bomb like an unplanned pregnancy? Blush? Red?

  Considering she’d had white the night of the greatest sexual experience of her life, which had landed her here, she chose the only white that was available from this dismal selection.

  “Mel.”

  Her fingers curled tighter around the neck of the bottle. She knew that voice. She’d replayed over and over how he’d whispered it in her ear as he’d had her pressed against the door in the foyer of his house. For the past six weeks she’d done a remarkable job of dodging him after their one-night stand. What had she been thinking? She wasn’t a one-night stand type of girl . . . then again, if they all were with men like Officer Tanner Roark, she might have to reconsider. Holy smokes that man knew how to pleasure a woman.

  But playtime was over . . . and now they both would have to face the consequences.

  However, now was not the time to tell Tanner that he was going to be a daddy. She was still grasping the life-changing fact herself.

  After their night together she hadn’t known how to handle a situation so foreign to her. Unfortunately, avoiding him had become her go-to method until she thought of something better.

  Dodging Tanner had been quite a feat considering her best friend was marrying his cousin, but Melanie had been busy and apparently so had Tanner, because he’d done little more than text. Maybe he’d only wanted one night, too. She’d heard of his widespread reputation as Haven’s most sought-after bachelor.

  Melanie had thought for certain they’d been on the same page. She’d only wanted a safe man, someone she could have fun with, and prove to herself that she was in charge of her life and if she wanted to have a fling, then she sure as hell would.

  Tanner was a ladies’ man. Oh, he might not exploit his bedroom talents, but Melanie had been in town long enough to see how women looked at him, what they whispered through hushed gossip at the Curl Up and Dye salon.

  She’d been so certain she was ready to take full control of her life, including taking a lover of her choice, and afterwards she would go on her way.

  The irony of running into Tanner only hours after her world had tilted on its axis wasn’t lost on her. She firmly believed in fate and signs.

  Melanie pulled in a breath and pasted a convincing smile on her face—at least she hoped it was convincing. For the first time in two years, her nerve and courage faltered. She’d been shaken from the solid foundation she’d recently rebuilt for herself.

  But she wasn’t going to fall. Never again. This moment might shake her stability, but that was life, and she’d discovered long ago as a child growing up in poverty that the more obstacles life threw in your path, the stronger you were from dodging them.

  She’d developed a strength she’d never thought possible.

  Clutching her cheap wine, Melanie spun around. “Hey, Tanner.”

  Try as she might for a casual greeting, her heart sped up and her mouth nearly watered at the sight of him in uniform. She took in his navy uniform, how well his broad frame filled out every piece of that material, and the aviators he had tucked into the top V just above a glossy black button.

  The knots in her stomach tightened. He was just as sexy and intriguing as she’d remembered . . . damn it. She’d been hoping her imagination had just conjured up how amazing they’d been together. But one look at him now only had each and every touch rushing back in glorious detail. The tingling she’d felt from his simple touches, the tickling from his warm breath along her bare skin, the passionate way he commanded her.

  “What are you doing here
?”

  Dark eyes raked over her, giving her chills and even more flashes of their night. He had dark and sultry down without even trying.

  After her less than storybook marriage ended, it had taken her a hell of a long time to get up the courage to approach another man. For reasons she couldn’t comprehend, Tanner had been the only man in the past couple years to interest her in any way. And by interest, she meant he drove her absolutely crazy with a want she barely recognized.

  “I just stopped in to grab a sandwich,” he explained. “I didn’t see your car out front.”

  Yeah, her silver Beemer had stood out in this tiny town of minivans and pickup trucks. Haven was a far cry from Atlanta.

  Melanie swallowed. She’d sold her car recently to help her best friend, Olivia Daniels, with her goal of renovating the small-town airport. Besides, ridding herself of the last shred of material things from her ex and assisting such a good cause all in the same whack had been so rewarding, so freeing.

  If Neville Prescott knew where his precious BMW SUV had gone, he’d somehow spin things to the media that he was helping those less fortunate. Egotistical jerk of a politician.

  Not that she’d ever wanted anything he’d given her, but when Melanie had left, she’d taken the only car she had. She’d been owed that much, to say the least.

  Since selling her car she’d used the little in her savings and bought a gently used two-door sporty model. By gently used, she meant the seat didn’t move and she had to shove a pillow behind her back to reach the pedals, but it ran and got her from point A to point B. Oh, the horn might sound like a cat whose tail got run over, but other than that the car was in tip-top shape. Plus, she’d purchased a nice bike for exercise and roaming around the quaint town, so it was still a win.

  Considering her childhood and teen years, having a less-than-impressive vehicle actually felt right at home. But her marriage and her childhood were not areas she wanted to explore now—or ever, really.

  “Oh, I’m driving something else now.”

  That’s right. The black heap in the lot, with a rusty bumper and a shorted out horn, was all hers.

  Tanner propped his hands on his hips and scanned both directions of the aisle before zeroing back in on her. “You’ve dodged me for weeks.”

  She’d rather talk about the sad excuse for a car than get into why she’d avoided him. In her defense, he’d not been around much, either. “I’ve been busy.”

  Not a total lie. She’d been working on all of the permits and discussing renovations for the airport Olivia was revamping with the help of her fiancé, Jax Morgan. Her law degree was coming in handy in ways she never would’ve guessed a few years ago.

  To turn a small-town airport into a grand, high-concept business that would draw high-dollar clients took time and patience and a hell of a lot of paperwork and funds.

  Celebrities were rolling through like clockwork to film in and around Haven, Georgia. Savannah, only a short twenty-minute ride away, had definitely become a hot spot for filmmakers. Melanie planned on making sure her friends were legally covered and protected in their endeavor. She wanted this next chapter in Olivia’s life to be successful and a tribute to her late father and former owner of the airport.

  “Too busy to talk to me after you slept with me and left the second your clothes were straightened out?”

  That would be because their clothes never fully came off. They’d been too hot, too hurried to worry about getting completely naked.

  Heat flooded her, as well as a nice dose of guilt. “Keep your voice down,” she whispered through gritted teeth. The last thing she needed was people in the Quicky Mart to hear the fairly new girl in town was getting it on with the hottest bachelor officer. Well, she had gotten it on, they weren’t doing anything now.

  Except the memories that kept replaying in her mind like a silent movie.

  Tanner took a half step forward and tipped his head down as he lowered his voice. “I know we didn’t agree on anything beyond that night. Hell, we didn’t even talk much. But, considering our circle of friends, I didn’t take you for the type that would brush me aside.”

  She hadn’t, not exactly. She’d been completely out of her element when they’d torn each other’s clothes off in a frenzy. Melanie had gotten swept up in the moment, in the man. She’d gone into the one-night stand with her eyes wide open, teetering on the edge of fear and exhilaration all rolled into one giant ball of emotion.

  Then afterward, she’d had no words. How could she know what to say or do when she’d experienced something she’d never done before? The instant retreat had been the coward’s way out, and she’d prided herself on becoming stronger than the woman she used to be. But she just couldn’t face him. Not until she knew where her head was where he was concerned, because Tanner Roark made her feel things she shouldn’t, things she’d never felt before.

  After her failed marriage . . .

  No. Just no. She didn’t trust her judgment—especially now. Besides, the one-night stand and the changed dynamics of their friendship weren’t of the utmost importance at this point.

  “I’ve just been busy,” she repeated. “Livie is planning a cookout and bonfire soon, though. Friday, I believe. I’ll see you there?”

  Tanner’s brows drew in. “Is everything okay, Mel? You seem, I don’t know, jittery.”

  Jittery? More like scared out of her mind and no clue what to do next. Her life was one giant roller coaster, and she’d really like to slow down and hop off the emotional ride.

  “I’m fine,” she lied with a smile.

  He eyed her once again. Tanner wasn’t stupid and he wasn’t buying her quick brush-off. Today of all days was not the time to get into this discussion. Delivering baby-daddy news in the middle of a gas station/convenience store was teetering too close to the lifestyle she’d tried to escape when she’d married Neville. She’d thought he was the way out of her impoverished life. She’d thought he would take her down the path to make something of herself and maybe make her parents proud.

  She’d wanted their approval; she’d wanted to be proud of herself, too. None of that happened. Hindsight only proved she would’ve been better off in that trailer park working her ass off, with her scholarships to get through school, and then moving on to a law firm like she’d first planned. Thankfully, she’d been smart in school, had graduated early, had pushed through college before marrying. After that, though, her life had fallen apart.

  Melanie had quickly discovered she was going to have to be her own ticket out of hell.

  Too many emotions threatened to overtake her. She just wanted to get the wine and get out. There was no way she could go empty-handed to Livie and Jade and tell her two best friends about this pregnancy. Melanie needed a buffer, and wine, no matter how cheap, was always the answer . . . unless you were pregnant.

  “Mel.”

  She jerked from her thoughts. Neville hated when anyone called her Mel—which was precisely why she’d named her successful blog Mel’s Motivations.

  Her ex had claimed that he’d taken her from the slums and she needed to remember that. Her name was Melanie, she was his wife, and his appearances mattered, so by default hers did, too. Considering she was a branch of him, she needed to always have those pretenses in place. Perfect clothes, perfect hair, always smiling with just the right responses when she was allowed to speak.

  She’d failed in so many areas. Smiling in public had been so difficult when behind closed doors she’d been living a nightmare. Some wouldn’t understand because she’d had money, cars, a big house. But none of that had ever mattered to her. Not once did she ever care about material things. She just wanted to be with a man who loved her.

  Neville had been the complete opposite. He’d hated quite a bit about her, looking back. She’d mistook his attention when they first met for affection. She’d thought the grass was greener on the other side when her parents urged her to jump at the possibility of a life with such a powerful, charming man
. Little did they all know . . .

  Unfortunately, Melanie couldn’t change the past, and her future required all of her attention at the moment.

  “I’m running late.” She gripped the bottle with both hands as if drawing strength from the inanimate object. “We’ll talk at the cookout.”

  Again, probably not the best place to inform him he was going to be a dad. She’d have to tell him soon. Before Friday, because she wasn’t going to be able to keep the secret from her friends. She needed them now more than ever, and it wasn’t fair to let them in on the secret when Tanner was so unaware.

  Melanie despised secrets and lies and swore never to be that person. Right now, though, she needed to gather her thoughts, her fears, her nerves, and figure out the best time and way to tell him.

  Tanner propped his hands on his hips as he took a half step closer. Her body instantly tingled. Despite everything she’d been through, even what she dealt with now, Tanner Roark was one impressive man and demanded attention. Oh, he didn’t do so with words or fists.

  Tanner’s strength and power had her captivated, though she’d fought it for months until six weeks ago, when she’d given in. She’d gone to Taps for a girls’ night out with Livie and Jade. A little flirty banter led to a little more, then to a harmless dance . . . well, she’d thought it had been harmless.

  Being torso to torso with Tanner hadn’t been harmless in any way whatsoever. That moment had awakened something inside her, something she hadn’t even known she possessed. She would’ve been a fool to ignore the burst of emotions that had spiraled through her.

  They’d gone from dancing to long glances to featherlight touches. Then she’d been in his house, plastered against his front door as he’d held her wrists above her head and given her a night that would fuel her fantasies for the rest of her life.