Hold her and kiss every inch of her adorable, angry face.
“So would you be jealous if I called out his name in my sleep?” she continued with an arched brow. “Is that the kind of person you are?”
“Melody, I—”
“If so, please tell me right now,” she said, unshed tears beginning to shine in her eyes. “Tell me, so we can end this before I scandalize my entire family by announcing that I’m moving in with you, and I don’t care what they think about it, and I don’t care if we’re engaged or not because I am a full-grown woman and I will do what I think is right. And you are the only thing that feels right, except I am so hurt by you right now that I could just spit.” She finished with a soft sob, crossed her arms at her chest, and glared up at him expectantly.
Nick stood watching her for a moment, so overwhelmed and happy and sorry and hopeful that he didn’t know what to say first. He couldn’t believe that she still wanted to be with him, that she was still planning to move in—assuming he could convince her he wasn’t a complete asshole.
“Well?” she asked after a moment of silence. “Should I leave?”
“No, no! Please!” Nick reached for her, cupping her elbows and holding her gently in place. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t jealous of Brian, I was…” He paused, searching for the right words.
“Okay, maybe I was jealous,” he admitted, “But I was hurt, too, and I jumped to the wrong conclusion and I shouldn’t have. And I shouldn’t have left that hospital until you were awake and I heard you tell me to get the hell away from you with your own lips.”
“Which I wouldn’t have said, by the way,” she said, sounding slightly mollified.
“I know that now,” Nick said, forcing his fuzzy thoughts to focus, determined to make this better. “I’m sorry I doubted that. I was so busy hating myself for what I did to you that it was easy to imagine you hating me too.”
Melody’s expression softened. “Why were you hating yourself? That’s crazy.”
“You almost died,” he said, even the words enough to make his throat tight. “I was so scared I was going to lose you, and it would be all my fault.”
“It wasn’t your fault. It was a freak allergy. And you shouldn’t hate yourself. You got punched in the face by a crazy person because of me.” She lifted her fingers, letting them feather gently over the bruised place on his jaw. “I’m the one who should be hating myself.”
“Never,” Nick said, drawing her closer. “I won’t allow it. And I’m glad I got a chance to punch that asshole. If he comes near you again, I’m going to break his nose.”
Her lips curved gently. “So I guess we’ve made up?”
“I hope so. I don’t like fighting with you.” He brushed her hair from her face and cupped her jaw in his hand. “You talk really fast when you’re mad. My dumb brain has a hard time keeping up.”
“You’re not dumb,” she said, leaning into his touch. “Not usually, anyway. Only when you decide to give up on me.”
“I’m sorry,” he said, thumb brushing back and forth across the petal soft skin of her cheek. “I won’t make that mistake again. And I promise from here on out, I’ll do my best to make sure there are no more nasty surprises in our future.”
Melody wrinkled her nose. “We have had a streak of bad luck, haven’t we?”
“Do you think we’re cursed?” he asked.
“No, I think we’re pretty lucky in the grander scheme of things,” she said, leaning into him. “Bad luck can’t last forever, but we can.”
Nick blinked, surprised by the stinging at the edges of his eyes. But then, if anyone was going to make him cry happy tears for the first time, it would be Melody, the first and last woman he would ever love.
“I love you,” he said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. “Thank you for coming to set me straight.”
“You’re welcome,” she said, with a happy sigh, wrapping her arms around him and snuggling into his chest.
“I can’t believe they let you out of the hospital that fast,” Nick said, kissing the top of her head, unable to keep his lips from any available part of her body, so grateful that he’d been wrong and that Melody had been strong enough to come show him the error of his ways.
“They didn’t,” Melody said. “I waited until Mom went home to change clothes and sent Brian to get me a fancy coffee from the hospital cafeteria. Then I put on the clothes Mom brought me and sneaked out. A lady I met in the parking lot gave me a ride here.”
“What?” Nick pulled away, worry eclipsing the happiness of having Melody in his arms. “You broke out of the hospital, and then hopped a ride with a stranger?”
“It’s not that big of a deal. I feel fine,” she said, lifting her chin as she added, “And Mimi isn’t a stranger. She’s a hairdresser who drops her daughter off at the hospital gift shop for work every morning.”
Nick let out a long breath. “We have to take you back,” he said, taking her hand and starting toward the apartment. “I’ll ask John if I can borrow his car. The Midget is still parked in front of the shop. I rode in the ambulance with you last night.”
Melody dug her heels in, stopping him on the sidewalk. “I don’t need to go back. Really, I feel fine, and Mom said Lark filled out all the insurance paperwork last night, so I should be good.”
“You at least have to call and let them know you’re gone,” Nick said, anxiety thrumming inside of him. “And isn’t there paperwork you need to sign?”
“I left a note thanking Brian for the coffee and telling him I felt better and had decided to head home,” she said, with a shrug. “I’m sure he told the nurse that I had left.”
“But you can’t just walk out of the hospital,” Nick said, beginning to understand the exasperated tone his mom had used with him for most of his life.
Melody smiled. “You’re really cute when you get fussy.”
“I’m not fussy,” Nick said, laughing beneath his breath. “I’m just…concerned. You almost died last night. I’m all for impulsive decisions, but I think now is a good time for caution and attention to protocol.”
She sighed and squeezed his hand. “Okay, I’ll let you take me back to the hospital on one condition.”
“What’s that?”
“That you delete all the texts I wrote while I was waiting for you without reading them. I shouldn’t have been texting while I was angry,” she said, following him to the apartment’s back door, and waiting while he fished out his keys. “And that we come back here as soon as I’m officially released so we can start sorting out where I’m going to keep all my stuff. I want to give my landlord notice today, and move in before the first of the month.”
“That’s two conditions,” Nick said, threading his fingers through hers again as they climbed the stairs. “But I like them both. A lot. I also like the thought of taking a nap with you as soon as can possibly be arranged.”
“Just a nap?” she asked, lips curving in a wicked grin as Nick unlocked the second door at the top of the stairs.
“I’ve been up all night, so definitely just a nap to start with,” he said, pulling her through the door and into his arms. “As far as after… I know you said you didn’t care what your family thought about us moving in together before we were engaged, but…”
“But what?”
Nick hesitated, staring down at the beautiful, sexy woman in his arms and wondering why he was even considering saying what he was about to say. But then he relaxed and let the words come out. Melody was embracing her wild side; he was practically obligated to embrace his cautious side to even things out.
“I still want to wait until we’re engaged before we do more than just sleep together,” he said. “Is that okay?”
Melody’s brows drew together and uncertainty crept into her eyes. “Is this because I’m a virgin, or because you’re worried about what my parents will think, or what? Because I’m ready. I’ve never loved someone the way I love you, Nick, and I know I’ll never love anyone else like this
again. I can’t wait to be with you.”
Nick dropped his forehead to hers, too overcome to speak. When he recovered his voice, it was husky with emotion. “No, it’s not because you’re a virgin or anything else. It’s because I love you. So much. I want it to be perfect and special and a night that we’ll both remember. Forever.”
Melody smiled. “That sounds beautiful. Conventional, but beautiful.”
Nick moved his lips to hers, kissing her with his next words. “What can I say, you bring out the conventional in me, baby.”
“And you bring out the wild in me,” she said, before her tongue flicked out, teasing the seam between his lips. “I guess that means we’re perfect for each other.”
“I guess it does,” he said, and then he kissed her, his tongue sweeping into her mouth, his arms tightening around her until every soft inch of her was pressed tight to every aching inch of him and there was nothing in the world but Melody, his Melody, and it was perfectly wild and perfectly right.
They kissed until they were both out of breath and Melody’s fingernails were digging lightly into the skin at the back of his neck before Nick forced himself to pull his lips from hers.
“Come on,” he said. “Let me ask John for his car keys and we’ll get out of here.”
“Are you sure about this waiting thing?” Melody asked, nibbling on her bottom lip in a way that made Nick long to do the same.
“I’m sure,” he said with a grin, squeezing her hips.
“You’ve got a little devil in you, Nick Geary,” Melody said, narrowing her eyes.
“Just one of the many things you love about me, right?”
“Absolutely,” she said, pulling him in for another kiss, a kiss that didn’t end until John cleared his throat from across the room.
“A room, guys. A room. You need to get one,” John said, shuffling into the large kitchen-living room space between the two bedrooms in a yellow t-shirt with a puking clown on the front and a saggy pair of plaid pajama pants. “We’ve had this talk before, kids.”
“Good morning, John,” Melody said, a lilting note in her voice Nick didn’t understand until she added, “How was your date with my best friend last night?”
John frowned. “I don’t want to talk about it.”
“That good, huh?” Nick asked, chuckling as John’s shoulders hunched. “So a girl finally resisted the infamous Johnny O’Grady charm.”
“Yes, she resisted it,” John said, scowling as he collapsed into one of their mismatched kitchen chairs. “She resisted it so successfully that she left the bar last night with someone else.”
“No way,” Melody said. “That doesn’t sound like Kitty.”
“Well, maybe I bring out the heartbreaker in her,” John said with a tragic sigh. “And I really liked her, too. She was so…different.”
Nick exchanged a look with Melody and she nodded as if she’d read his mind.
“I’ll talk to her for you, John,” she said, proving she could already tell what Nick was thinking from a single glance. “See if I can figure out what’s up.”
“Really?” John visibly perked up. “That would be awesome, roomie. You are our new roomie, right? Nick said he was going to ask you and judging from the way you two were making out just now, I’m guessing you said yes.”
“Yes, I did.” Melody smiled at Nick, her expression so utterly happy that it took his breath away.
She was smiling like that because of him, because she was coming to live with him and share her life with him, and someday soon agree to be his wife.
“I think this is the best day ever,” Nick said, euphoric and a little shell-shocked all at the same time.
“Best day so far,” Melody said, coming back into his arms, kissing him with her next words. “I have a feeling they’re going to keep getting better and better.”
“On second thought, don’t talk to Kitty,” John said, scooting his chair back. “I don’t want to end up as love drunk as the pair of you. I’m going back to my room since you people clearly can’t be bothered to confine your smoochings and woochings to a room of your own.”
“John, can we borrow your car?” Nick called out as John headed back into his room. “I need to take Melody back to the hospital to fill out some paperwork.”
“Yeah, no problem. Keys are on the hook by the door,” John said, shutting the door behind him only to open it a second later. “And I was kidding about not talking to Kitty, Melody. You should totally talk to her and convince her that I’m absolutely adorable.”
“Got it,” Melody said, giving John a thumbs-up, though her eyes stayed glued to Nick’s.
“Ready to get out of here?” he asked as John shut the door a second time.
“Ready,” she said, taking his hand. “And if we’re really not going to get naked today, can we get ice cream on the way home? I think ice cream will make me feel better.”
“Absolutely,” Nick said.
“Of course, if I eat ice-cream every time I want to jump your bones,” she said in a put-upon voice, “I’ll probably weigh a million pounds by next week.”
Nick laughed. “That is both sweet and sexy.”
“I try,” she said, smiling as he led her toward the door.
“You succeed,” he replied, already counting the days until his next paycheck.
If someone had told him a month ago that he’d be desperate for the day when he’d have enough money to buy Melody Anne March an engagement ring, he would have called them crazy. But thankfully he had the sense to welcome crazy with open arms, when it came accompanied by a woman who made him feel shot through with sunshine and hope, and certain that only good things were waiting around the corner.
As they made their way out into the early morning sunshine, Nick sent out a silent thank you to the universe for bringing him a love who was wicked and sweet, brave and tender, and as wild for him as he would always be for her.
Did you enjoy Wild for You?
Check out more sexy, contemporary romances by Jessie Evans:
Betting on You (Always a Bridesmaid 1)
Keeping You (Always a Bridesmaid 2)
Catching You (A Summerville Short Story, Always a Bridesmaid 4)
Taking You (A Summerville Novella, Always a Bridesmaid 5)
Auditioning You (Cupid Island Christmas, Book 2)
And coming soon a NEW series from Jessie Evans:
The Fire and Icing Series.
Small town pastry chefs and sexy, Southern firefighters make for a combustible combination...
Melt with You (Fire and Icing 1) December 11th, 2013
Hot for You (Fire and Icing 2) February 5th, 2014
Sweet to You (Fire and Icing 3) April 30th, 2014
Join Jessie’s newsletter to stay up-to-date on new releases and newsletter-only coupons: http://eepurl.com/FbwUb
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…or keep reading to enjoy an excerpt of Catching You, Kitty and John’s story.
About the Author
Jessie Evans gave up a career as an international woman of mystery (and traditionally published author) to write the sexy, contemporary Southern romances she always wanted to read.
She's married to the man of her dreams, and together they're raising a few adorable, mischievous children in a tree house in the boonies. She grew up in rural Arkansas, spending summers running wild, being chewed by chiggers, and now appreciates her home in a chigger-free part of the world even more.
When she's not writing, Jessie enjoys playing her dulcimer (badly), sewing the world’s ugliest quilts to give to her friends, going for bike rides with her house full of boys, and wandering the woods, glass of wine and camera both in hand, on the lookout for Bigfoot.
A southern girl, born and bred, Jessie loves writing Southern romances with just the right amount of sizzle, and hopes you'll enjoy her stories set in the fictional town of Summerville, Georgia. Especially the "Always a Bridesmaid" series!
Enjoy the following excerpt f
rom Catching You, by Jessie Evans
Chapter One
John collapsed into the overstuffed chair in his room with a tortured groan. Outside his bedroom door, his roommate was probably making out with his beautiful new girlfriend. Inside John’s room, there was only pain and woe.
Lots and lots of woe.
His body ached all over, his head felt like it was about to split in two, and his stomach snarled angrily beneath his ribs. He’d skipped his midnight bowl of cereal last night and his tummy wasn’t pleased. But he hadn’t felt like snacking when he got home from the bar. Being abandoned mid-date by the first girl in the past six months to make him break his “no more than two dates” rule had ruined his appetite. He didn’t know if he’d ever hunger for midnight Lucky Charms again.
He felt…diseased.
That was it, Kitty Nance was a disease, and he’d clearly contracted a bad case.
The best thing he could do for himself would be to settle in for a Home Movies cartoon marathon, eat popcorn until his stomach was full of buttery goodness, and let his mind soften until he forgot the infectious girl’s name.
Instead, he picked up his phone and texted Melody, Nick’s new girl and best friend to the traitorous Kitty:
Any word? Have you convinced her that I am awesome and deserve second chance/explanation/apology/reconciliatory stroking of my sweet, curly head?
After only a moment, Melody texted back:
Why are you texting me? Nick and I are in the living room.
John sighed as his thumbs jabbed: Am too overwrought for face-to-face contact. Any chance you and Nick would make me some popcorn and set it by my door?
Melody texted back a smiley face and— No way. You should get dressed and come get it yourself. Nick and I are headed for a walk before we go out to dinner. (Seriously. Get dressed. It’s three o’clock and you don’t want to come out here in your pajamas. You really, really don’t. I promise.)
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