by Leslie North
Daveed frowned and stepped closer to her, bending close to her ear to be heard over the crowd. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure I’m ready for this yet.” She still had her pricey purse and shopping bags stuffed with things from her suitcase slung over her arm and they kept getting jostled by patrons squeezing by. He moved her a bit more to the side for privacy before she continued. Her pale brows knit and she stared at the floor, refusing to meet his gaze. “I know you said you had my back and all, but my parents aren’t talking to me, and the last thing my dad said to me was that if I don’t straighten out this mess with Heath then I won’t get a penny more from my trust fund and they’ll cut me out of their will.” Her breath caught and he fisted his hands at his side to keep from pulling her into his arms. “I can’t afford to screw this up too, just like I’ve done everything else.”
For a moment, Daveed just blinked at her, realizing that he needed to say something here—something uplifting and courage-bolstering—but not sure what that would be. In the end, he went with the truth. “Listen, I’ve admitted to being suspicious about you and your motives from the start. I’ve even admitted to believing all that tabloid trash that was printed about you. But I’m telling you now, you can do this. The woman who helped me figure out the code in those notes, the woman who snuck into the building with me today and bullshitted her way through security, that woman is smart and resourceful and worthy of respect.” He couldn’t quite believe he was saying this, but he was. “And if Heath can’t see that, then he doesn’t deserve you and you’re better off without him.”
She stared up at him, wide-eyed, as if what he was saying was in a foreign language. A part of him hated that she’d never been told by anyone that she deserved to be treated well. The other part of him, the part he wasn’t ready to think about too deeply, swore to show her just how much he appreciated her efforts from now on. On his family’s island, women were treated as equals—with the upmost admiration and opportunity. And he might be estranged from his homeland for the time being, but such things were ingrained in his blood, a part of his character.
“Right.” He took a deep breath to calm the rioting adrenaline in his system that seemed to fizz each time he allowed his gaze to drop to her soft pink lips. Kissing her now would be disastrous, with Heath sitting across the room. In truth, kissing her at all should’ve set off warning sirens in his head, but he didn’t have time to think about that now. He squeezed her fingers reassuringly and forced what he hoped was a polite smile. “Now, let’s get over there and make amends with your ex before it’s too late.”
She gave him a wary look but followed behind him this time. As they reached the edge of Heath’s booth, Daveed reluctantly let go of Melody’s hand and greeted his friend. “Hey, buddy. Sorry we’re late.”
“We’re?” Heath scowled then glanced back to where Melody stood just behind Daveed. “Aw, hell no.”
“Wait.” Daveed held up his hands in a placating gesture. He’d never thought his skills as a terrorism negotiator would come in handy in midtown Manhattan, but holiday miracles never ceased, it seemed. “Please. She’s been most helpful to me in deciphering Aileen’s notes and also in my investigation earlier today. Listen to what she has to say before you rush to judgment. That’s all I ask.”
Heath gave him a peeved stare, his gaze flickering from Daveed to the spot where Melody now clutched his arm. Daveed could feel her trembling behind him and wished he could do something to comfort her, but that would only make their tenuous situation worse. He also didn’t miss the flicker of incredulousness in Heath’s eyes when he met Daveed’s gaze again. They’d worked enough missions together across the Middle East to have a visual shorthand. And right now, Heath’s eyes all but screamed so-you’ve-got-the-hots-for-my-ex-girlfriend.
Ignoring his sudden urge to throttle his best friend for automatically thinking the worst of him, Daveed helped Melody into the booth on the opposite side from Heath, then slid in beside her. His thigh brushed hers, but instead of pulling away, he left his leg there, hoping to convey a bit of comfort through the covert touch. He wasn’t sure why that was so important to him, but it was.
“I don’t want her here.” Heath took a long swig off his bottle of ale. “This is a private matter.”
“And as I’ve said, she’s been helping me with Aileen’s notes. She’s already involved.”
Daveed loved Heath like one of his own brothers, but damn. The man could be a stubborn ass when he wanted to be. From his sullen expression and slumped posture, he wasn’t prepared to give an inch. And yeah, Daveed could understand him being pissed about the break-up, not to mention the way it was splashed all over hell and back by the media, but the venom in Heath’s tone seemed a tad too much, especially after Melody had told him that their marriage was little more than one of convenience. Heath couldn’t have loved Melody. Hell, he’d barely even spent any time with her over the last few years. So, it had to have been his pride that was hurt. He decided to appeal to that instead. “Listen, I know you’re upset and you have every right to be. But at least hear her out. She wants to apologize.”
He gave Melody’s leg a slight nudge under the table.
Her pale cheek was barely visible from beneath the wide brim of her scarlet hat, but even that small view allowed him to see the slight gray tinge to her normally creamy complexion. She was terrified. Without thinking, he reached his hand out under the table and took her icy fingers with his, rubbing them with his thumb for encouragement.
Heath raised a brow in her direction. “I’m waiting.”
Melody swallowed hard. “I-I’m sorry.”
“Brilliant. Is that all you have to say?” His sharp tone had Daveed giving his buddy a pointed stare. He knew Heath had a temper, which he kept under tight wraps. But he also knew the man had a sense of honor that usually overrode everything else. The fact that he was being so rude to his ex-fiancée spoke volumes to the level of anger and hurt inside the guy. “What about how you dragged my name through the muck in the tabloids? How about an apology for running off with that crappy actor to some love nest in Tahiti? How long were you fucking him behind my back, huh?”
Melody visibly flinched under the harsh words, and Daveed clasped her hand tighter for support. She squeezed her eyes shut and inhaled sharply. “You’re right. And I deserved that. No words can tell you how sorry I am about what happened that night with Jefferson Hanks. But believe me, nothing happened between us. He’s… he’s gay.”
Heath snorted. “And that’s supposed to make me feel better? Did you call the press before or after you decided to elope?”
“I didn’t call them at all.” She stiffened and met his gaze finally, a hint of pink tinging her pale cheeks, for which Daveed was glad. Maybe some of her fire was returning after all. “I had nothing at all to do with the tabloids acting like a pack of ravenous hyenas.”
Her blue eyes were sparkling with indignation now and Daveed didn’t think he’d ever seen a more glorious sight. Not that he’d tell her that. Or that he should even be thinking that right now. What the hell was wrong with him? Frowning, he stared down at the graffiti-carved tabletop again.
“Right.” Heath shook his head then downed the rest of his bottle of ale before hailing the waitress for another. Daveed took the opportunity to order himself a bottle too. Melody declined a drink. “Sorry, but I’m not an idiot,” Heath went on. “Look, I know our marriage wasn’t a typical love story, but I respected you. We had an agreement and I was ready to honor that. Then you went and screwed it all up without so much as a fuck-you to me. How exactly am I supposed to just get over that and move on, huh?”
She pulled her hand away from Daveed’s her rigid posture all but vibrating with anger now. “Hey, I get that you’re upset about being the brunt of the media’s jokes the past week or so, but why are you so angry at me? From the lack of communication, you couldn’t care less if I lived or died since our engagement. I’d think you’d be relieved the inconvenience
of our marriage was taken off your hands. You never even came to look for me.”
Her raised voice drew the attention of several nearby patrons, but neither Melody nor Heath seemed to care at this point. Daveed thanked the waitress who dropped off his ale and Heath’s refill, feeling as out of place as a fart in church. He took a swig from his bottle, grateful for something to do as his best bud and Melody glared at each other over the table.
“Look for you?” Heath’s words held an edge of steel. “In case you hadn’t noticed I’m kind of busy right now searching for my friend Murphy’s missing sister.”
“Of course you are.” Melody crossed her arms, her expression mulish. “Because it’s always something with you, isn’t it? Always some reason why you can’t see me or spend time with me or even deign to acknowledge that I’m anything more than some stupid cow who’s waiting at home to spend your money and wear your ring. I came here to apologize and make amends for my mistakes, but you make it so difficult.”
“Oh, I make it difficult.” Heath shook his head. “That’s crazy. We both went into our relationship with open eyes. We understood each other, I thought. Then you went and changed the rules on me with no warning. I—”
Whatever he’d been going to say next was interrupted by the sound of camera shutters and bright flashes. Soon, the crowd of patrons around them was infested with paparazzi all vying to get the next great shot of the unhappy couple du jour.
“Again?” Heath growled across the table at Melody. “When the fuck will it be enough for you, huh?”
“I didn’t know they would be here, I swear…” she started, but it was too late. Heath was already on his feet and shoving his way toward the back of the bar and the exit there.
Visibly shaken, Melody cowered into the corner of the booth, doing her best to shield her face with her hat and her hands while Daveed’s protective instincts kicked into overdrive. Not knowing what else to do, he climbed out of the booth and helped Melody, then put his arm around her shoulders to pull her tight into his side. They needed a distraction, something to throw the media off the scent of this story, something to keep them at bay until he could get Melody out of here safely.
“What are we going to do?” she asked, staring up at him with fear in her eyes, and his brain snagged on the one solution that would seem to solve all their problems.
His gaze flickered to her lips a second before he lowered his head. “This.”
The kiss started soft and gentle, a tentative brush of their mouths together. But as soon as he tasted the slight sweetness of her strawberry lip gloss and felt her tremble, then yield beneath him, Daveed was lost. He turned slightly and cupped her cheek, stroking his tongue across her full bottom lip, seeking entry. She gasped and he slipped inside her mouth, discovering the sweetness did not stop with her lips. The room, the cameras, the jostling crowd all disappeared, leaving only him and Melody, a woman whose gentle curves and bright smile seemed to rock his entire universe.
All too soon, however, she pulled away, looking as stunned as he felt.
Forcing himself to regain his equilibrium despite the desire swirling through him, Daveed cleared his throat then looked around at the paparazzi. “Yep, that’s right. She’s my woman now.”
Amidst a flurry of questions from the press and more flashes from the cameras, he and Melody rushed out of the pub, his blood pounding loud in his ears and his heart thudding hard in his chest. He hailed a cab at the curb and helped Melody inside before climbing in behind her, feeling far more shaken by that brief kiss than he cared to admit.
5
“Wait!” Melody said as Daveed started to give the driver directions to the condo. After the stress of what happened with Heath followed by that scorching, toe-curling kiss with Daveed, she wasn’t sure she could handle going back to the condo alone with him just yet. She needed some time and space and fresh air to wrap her head around all the emotions swirling inside her—disappointment, desire, hope, helplessness. “Can you take us to Rockefeller Center instead?”
“Sure, lady,” the driver said before pulling out into traffic.
“Why do you want to go there?” Daveed asked, frowning. “I’d think after the circus that happened inside the pub the last thing you’d want to do is be around more people.”
“I know, but I need to decompress a bit before I go home.” She sighed and looked out the window, anywhere but at him. Because now when she saw Daveed’s face, all she could seem to focus on were his warm mocha brown eyes, his soft full lips, how the slight roughness of the stubble on his jaw felt beneath her fingertips. Oh, Lord. Even sitting a foot apart in the back of a cab, she could still remember the heat of him pressed against her, could still smell his exotic aftershave—jasmine, sandalwood, and citrus. She bit her lip and did her best to refocus on something less sexy and more innocent. “Besides, I’m dying for a hot chocolate and the VIP Igloo by the ice rink serves the best in the city.”
He sighed and shook his head, clearly avoiding her gaze as well. He kept checking his phone, his thumbs typing out a quick text. She tried to peek once, but he hid the screen from her. Most likely, he was texting Heath to apologize for springing her on him like that. Given how crappy the meeting had gone, it was probably good he’d not warned Heath ahead of time. And there was no way the guy would agree to see her again willingly now.
The cab pulled up at the curb on Forty-Ninth Street and Daveed handed the driver money for their fare while Melody climbed out and stood on the sidewalk, staring up at the towering Christmas tree nearby. All around them were families with kids and couples in love, and the unexpected sting of tears burned her eyes before she blinked them away. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t. What happened with Heath was over and done now and there was nothing she could do to change it. And yes, maybe there was a moment at the beginning of that kiss with Daveed where it felt so real, so true, even though she was sure the only reason he’d done it was to throw off the paparazzi. It was fine. It was good. She’d be strong and do this on her own. Besides, all she could do now was make the best of her situation and move forward.
“Right,” Daveed said, as their cab pulled away and he moved in beside her on the crowded sidewalk. “Where’s the magical vendor you told me about?”
“This way.” She took his hand and weaved through the crowds of tourists from all over the world, speaking various languages. “It’s downstairs, near the Prometheus.”
They entered the complex under a lighted entrance proclaiming the Rainbow Room Observation Deck NBC Studios, then took a sharp right before they reached an island labeled Top of the Rock. Melody had been coming here since she was a child with her parents and knew the way by heart, even if Daveed seemed to be digging in his heels a bit.
“Are you sure this is the right way?” he asked, frowning in the dimmer light inside the hallway. “We seem to be going away from the ice rink, not toward it.”
“It’s right. Trust me, I’ve been here more times than I can count.” She pulled him forward down the long marble hallway, past the NBC Experience Store on the right and toward two sets of stairs and an escalator at the end of the corridor. “It’s right down here.”
They descended the stairs and she spotted the glass and steel atrium of the Igloo straight ahead. As they reached the doors, she fumbled inside her bag for her VIP Pass and showed it to the attendant on duty at the door then paid for a second pass for Daveed without batting an eye. She might have limited funds, but this was important. He smiled and nodded as he handed Melody her change then tipped his hat to them as they passed through to the inside. It was a bit less crowded down here, and the smell of freshly baked holiday sugar cookies filled the air. Despite her less-than-stellar time at the pub, Melody couldn’t suppress a smile. “What do you think? Pretty magical, eh?”
Watching Daveed take in the view over the ice rink outside and the twinkling Christmas lights in the gathering twilight was nearly enough to make her hurl herself into his arms and kiss him silly again. The wond
er and delight on his handsome face was the best gift ever. “It’s… Wow!”
“I know, right?” She linked arms with him and pulled him over to a small area in the corner and fixed them each a cup of hot cocoa. “With or without marshmallows?”
“With, of course.”
“My kind of man.” She winked and spooned an extra helping of mini-marshmallows into his mug then picked up her own and did the same. “I’ll make it up to him, I swear.”
“Who?” Daveed frowned, sipping his drink.
“Heath.” She warmed her hands around her steaming cup. “What I did was wrong and I’ll make amends to him, I promise. Right after I prove to my parents that I can stand on my own two feet.”
“Sounds admirable,” Daveed said, leading her over to one of the glass walls overlooking the rink. “How exactly are you planning on accomplishing all this?”
“I’m not sure yet.” She watched the people on the ice, twirling and falling and holding on to each other for support. Melody shrugged and hazarded a glance at Daveed, finding him watching her closely. Fresh sparks of awareness burst like fireworks inside her and her cheeks prickled with heat. “But I’ll figure it out. Just like I did those codes of yours. Seems I’m good for something after all.”
“Hmm.” He gave her a sexy little half smile. “Yes. I’m starting to believe you’re good for a great many things, Mel.”
He’d never called her by her nickname before and the intimacy of it sent a thrill zinging through her blood. She covered her fluster with a quick curtsy and a grin. “Thank you. That means a lot coming from a royal exile.”
“Shush.” He looked around them fast, though his expression was comical. “Don’t want those paparazzi to turn up again and spoil our lovely time.”
She laughed. “It is lovely, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it is.”
They finished their hot chocolate and nibbled on a few cookies before heading back upstairs again. Daveed kept her hand in his as they walked round Rockefeller Center and enjoyed the tree and the other decorations. Between the trumpeting angels and the enchanted gardens set up around them, Melody finally felt some of the melancholy she’d been carrying around since returning from Tahiti lifting.