by Sonya Jesus
***
The three of them spend the night in Melonie’s old, queen size bed. They’ve shared her bed countless of times growing up, talking about boys, life, and anything else that came along. Tonight, however, they spent it in silence.
Melonie had spent the previous nights on her father’s bed, crying herself to sleep. Being surrounded by his things was almost like he was there with her. But tonight, she was with Ashley and Jenny. Though she had a few uncles and aunts and a few cousins here and there, Ashley and Jenny were the only family she considered she had left.
There was only one other person she wanted to be there, but she knew that was never happening. He made it clear seven years ago that it was all over. She wondered if anyone bothered to inform him about her father’s death. They were best friends, and Melonie knew she should tell him, but she didn’t know if she could talk to him, at a time like this and after all these years.
Melonie moved on as best as she could from Matt. She felt more for him than she did for the guy she lost her virginity to. She dated other men after Matt, but none of them made her feel like how Matt made her feel. He made her feel secure but at the same time so out of control. It was a high she could never reach with anyone else. He’d touched her in ways she couldn’t explain and had held on to her in ways she couldn’t understand. Even if she had moved on, she knew there will always be something in her heart for Matt. Sometimes, when she was alone, she could almost feel a longing for him. Sometimes she wondered if it would ever go away, and at other times, she never wanted the feeling to go away.
CHAPTER TWO
Present…
Tuesday
Matt Thornton felt like shit. He was guilty as hell. He’d known the moment he saw her that it wouldn’t change. His closest friend was getting ready to be buried, and Matt was at his funeral drooling over his daughter. He was fucked up. He’d been fucked up since what happened seven years ago. He’d lost his mind then. Matt had slept with his friend’s daughter, not just once, but continually fucked her for the two weeks he was supposed to be watching her.
Greg had asked Matt to watch his daughter while he went on a business trip. Matt was due for leave and decided to agree knowing that she was old enough to take care of herself. All he had to do was make sure that she didn’t set the house on fire and what not. Well, he watched her alright. He watched her strip naked, he watched her take his cock in her mouth, and he watched her ride him like a cowgirl on a bucking horse.
He’d known it was wrong but every moment he spent with her felt right. The moment they were apart, he started feeling like shit, but the moment they were together he couldn’t wait to fuck her, couldn’t wait to bury himself so deep in her that she’d never forgotten the feel of him.
Their last night together had been hell. She was half in love with him, and he knew it would never work. If Greg had ever found out, he would have probably killed Matt. And Matt would let him because what he did was beyond being a son of a bitch. He had no excuse for what he did. What made him a bigger son of a bitch was that he wouldn’t change it if he got the chance. He’d do it all over again if he could.
He’d left Melonie alone, crying because he refused to continue what they did, even if she was moving closer, only an hour or so from him. He even refused to visit her because his guilt ate at his gut. He didn’t have the balls to tell Greg, and now he’d never have the chance to confess to him. Greg was an asshole, he was a domineering, control freak, and a jerk to those he deemed below him but he was one of Matt’s oldest friends. Matt escaped his mean father and joined the Marines. The closest friend he had was Greg. He’d been surprised that Greg had kept their friendship going, even after Greg had left the Marines. Though he was older than Matt, they had mutual respect for each other. Greg didn’t make friends easily either.
Matt was surprised that Greg had asked him to be is best man. Greg and his wife had a Vegas wedding when they found out that she was pregnant. But ten years later, Greg decided to have a real wedding. A big and fancy one and had asked Matt to be his best man. Matt had only been twenty-four at the time and Greg was thirty-four. Melonie was eleven at the time, and she was a pretty little kid with long brown hair and a pretty smile. Matt never imagined that that pretty little kid he thought was adorable as hell would turn out to be the sexiest woman he’d ever known.
Melonie was beautiful and had a body that made him hard just thinking about it. He didn’t know what it was about her that drove him wild, but she was in his gut, and she hadn’t left it since the day he realized she wasn’t a child anymore. He fought it. He hadn’t wanted to betray his friend, but she pushed him and kept pushing until he couldn’t help himself anymore. He gave in and tasted the most satisfying thing in his life only for reality to come crashing down on him. When he’d realize that Greg was coming back, he knew that he and Melonie needed to go back to the real world. Their two weeks together was over.
But now he was back.
He’d barely made it, arriving just that morning to join the funeral service at the cemetery to say his final goodbye to Greg. He only had a week off and hadn’t even had a chance to check into a room. He hadn’t known if he would be staying. He didn’t know if he was any help to Melonie or if she even wanted to see him.
He’d seen her right away when he arrived at the cemetery. It was like he was drawn to her. She stood in a simple black dress, her eyes behind dark sunglasses and her brown hair hanging loose. She leaned against her friend, Ashley and he recognized the other woman on the right who was holding her hand as her other friend Jenny. He remembered envying their friendship seven years ago and looking at them now, he still envied them. He wanted to be the one she leaned on; the one who was holding her.
He watched people place flowers on Greg’s casket. There were a lot of people at the cemetery, but he didn’t think they really cared or knew Greg. There were few people who knew Greg and even fewer who really cared about him. One of them broke Matt’s heart, just watching her.
He stood under the tree in his black suit, just watching her. Most people left to head to the banquet he’d seen on the program that was scheduled after the funeral. But Melonie and her two friends stood still. They were the last ones there except for the men who would be burying Greg.
As if she sensed him, she looked up and found his gaze. He didn’t know if she was happy to see him or not, both of their eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses. He made his way towards her after she continued to stare. He placed a hand on Greg’s casket, said a silent goodbye, and then turned to her.
“You came,” she said just above a whisper. Her friends looked at him and her in concern. They knew about him. Jenny frowned at him.
“I just got in this morning,” he answered. He stood in front of her not knowing what to expect. Maybe she’ll slap him for being an ass to her.
“I’ve been waiting-” she didn’t finish her sentence as she suddenly launched herself into his arms. He held her close as she cried against his chest. He forgot about her friends or anything else for that matter. All he cared about at that moment was comforting the best thing that had ever happened to him.
He didn’t know how long they stood there, holding on to each other, but as her tears subsided, he became aware that they were alone. Her friends had stepped away, giving them privacy, and the men that were waiting to bury Greg had also stepped away. He lifted her head away from him. Her sunglasses had been pushed atop her head, letting him stare at the sweetest, honey-colored eyes he’d ever seen. They were swollen from crying, her face devoid of makeup, but she was still as beautiful as he remembered.
“It’s alright, sweetheart,” he comforted and placed a kiss on her forehead.
“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do,” she heartbreakingly whispered.
“We’ll do whatever you want, honey. What do you want to do?” he responded.
“I want to sleep,” she answered after a moment. He looked up at the sound of her friends coming closer. They eyed him fo
r a moment and then looked back at her in his arms. Ashley and Jenny exchange a silent look that looked remarkably like a mental battle, before turning back to him.
“We’ll take care of the banquet. Melonie needs rest. How about you take Melonie to the house to rest?” Ashley suggested.
“I really should be at the ban-”
“No, you should really rest. We’ll take care of the banquet and Matt will take you home so you can rest.” Jenny cut her off. He couldn’t help but notice that the last comment about him was almost thrown as a threat.
“I’ll take you home,” Matt agreed.
“Are you sure?” Melonie asked her friends.
“Yes, we know everyone there. Don’t worry about it. No one expects you to be there. They’ll understand that you need some time alone,” Ashley answered kindly.
The girls quickly hugged and said their goodbyes, all the while her two friends glaring at him. He understood their reservation against him. He’d broken Melonie’s heart before. He hadn’t wanted to, maybe he shouldn’t have ended it and faced Greg like a man, but now he knew that he didn’t want to let her go. One glimpse of her convinced him he was an idiot for letting her go. He’d have to live with the fact that he’d never be able to man up to Greg to tell him what Melonie meant to him then and now.
His car was parked at the end of the street where all the other funeral attendants were parked. He held Melonie’s hand as he led her to his rental while Ashley and Jenny headed for the waiting limo that will take them to the banquette.
He helped Melonie into the rental before closing the door and heading around to the driver’s side. It was warm, but Melonie’s hand had felt cold, and the way she bundled into her jacket told him she was cold. He turned the heater up, uncaring if he felt uncomfortable with the heat. All he cared about right now was Melonie. She surprised him when she took his hand in hers once he’d pulled out of the cemetery. He held her cold hands, hoping to share strength through her grief.
***
Melonie woke as Matt pulled into the driveway of her home She hadn’t even realized it, but it seemed she had fallen asleep the moment Matt had helped her into his car He came around and helped her out when she didn’t make a move to get out of the car. She barely noticed when he took her purse from her to get the keys out. She didn’t know what came over her but seeing him after wishing so much that he was there had broken the dam she’d been trying to hold. She didn’t understand why, but Matt just made her feel better; he made her feel stronger; he made her feel like everything was going to be okay.
She stared up at the house that she’d grown up in. It was just a house, and even though it held memories, she didn’t put much value in it. Everyone who mattered to her from that house was gone. As they passed through the kitchen, she wondered if Matt remembered taking her against it, if he remembered everything they did in this house together or if he even thought about them. It had hurt her when he cut off their fling, but she understood him because, like her father, he had a strong sense of morals. What they’d done together had broken morals he kept, and she knew that it scared him. It took her a while to figure it out, and she longed for him, but she eventually understood and accepted it.
She wondered if he felt anything for her now. Would it be so terrible to think about Matt when she’d just buried her father? She wanted comfort. And as much as she loved Ashley and Jenny, and as much as they’ve taken care of her in the last couple of days and years, she wanted Matt. She didn’t think that he’d be there. But he came, and right now, all she wanted was to be with him.
“Will you hold me?” she asked him at the foot of the stairs. She stared up at his handsome face. He hadn’t shaved, his beard looks to be a couple of days old. He looked older but even more handsome. His blue eyes left her feeling breathless when she stared at them. He stood there, tall, and strong, just watching her, trying to decide if he should.
“For as long as you need me,” he answered. He led her up the stairs and into her old room. She sat on her bed as she watched him take his suit jacket off and roll his sleeves up. He kneeled in front of her and removed her shoes. He helped her remove her sweater and pulled the comforter back. She scooted in and laid there watching him as he tucked her in.
“Please don’t leave me,” she pleaded. He brushed her hair aside and watched her as if trying to decide what to do. He sat on the bed, removed his shoes before lying down next to her. She cuddled closer to him, burying her head in his chest as he wrapped his arms around her. She finally felt warm.
She’d felt cold since she found out her father had died and couldn’t seem to get rid of the cold until now. She burrowed closer; being in his arms brought back memories of their time together. She smiled to herself as she thought about how conniving she’d been at eighteen. She wondered if he thought about those two weeks as often as she did. Being back in his arms, in her room, in her bed, brought back so many memories. All of them consisted of him giving her pleasure. He still smelled the same, all man. His muscles seemed more defined now, or maybe it’s just been so long since she’d been with him.
CHAPTER THREE
Seven years ago…
Melonie had argued until she was blue in the face, but her overbearing father still said “No.” Her dad was going away on a two-week business trip to China. She was eighteen, legally an adult and thought she didn’t need a sitter. Since her mother past away three years ago, her father had hired a sitter to stay with her during his business trip. Her regular sitter was an older lady who was out of town. Melonie hadn’t planned on having a party or anything like that. She was too mature and wasn’t interested in things regular eighteen years old were. She’d grown up too fast when she lost her mother in a car accident. A car accident that happened when her mother decided to escape her controlling father.
Melonie had wanted her father to trust her to live alone while he was gone on his trip. She knew how to take care of herself. She had been arguing with him about it since he found out he was going. They had compromised, somewhat, but it was still to her super-controlling father’s benefit. Instead of a sitter, her dad’s best friend, Matt, would be staying with her. Unlike the sitter, he won’t be cooking and cleaning, that was going to be her job. He was just going to make sure she was safe and didn’t get into too much trouble.
Her father and Matt had met in the Marines. Her dad used the Marines to get an engineering degree, and Matt stayed. According to her father, he was now a Staff Sergeant and was on a two week leave after prolonged deployments. She was never close to Matt, never referred to him as “Uncle” either but he was the best man at her parent’s second wedding. He was a lot younger than her father.
Matt had been away in the military when her mother died, but he came back to spend some time with her father to help him grieve for his wife, and then he headed back to the war. Her father didn’t grieve though. He was more embarrassed than anything. Her mother had decided to run away with the gardener her father had hired. She died in a car accident with her lover, and her father hated his wife for it.
At forty-one her father looked older. Losing a wife and becoming a single parent had taken a toll on him. Matt was ten years younger than her dad which would make him thirty-one now, she guessed. She didn’t remember him well, but she does remember that she had always thought he was good looking for an older guy. She remembers his short, military cut, brown hair, and blue eyes. The last time she had seen him; she had just lost her mother and wasn’t interested in getting to know him. Before that, she hadn’t seen him in four years due to him being in the military. He always sent Christmas and Birthday gifts though. According to her mom, Matt always asked her what to send Melonie. Since her mother had passed, he’d only been sending her gift cards which she really enjoyed. She always sent him a Thank You card and attached a picture of their family. She was sure her parents sent him something. For her eighteenth birthday, he had sent her a two-hundred-dollar Visa gift card. She’d been so excited about it, she begged her dad
to get a hold of him on the phone so that she could thank him.
What she remembers about the short but cheerful conversation was that he had a deep voice. Deep and sexy. And for the first time in her life, Melonie experienced desire like no other. Just listening to him on the phone had her melting in her shoes and soaking her panties. It wasn’t like she was a virgin, she’s had sex with her ex-boyfriend, but she was a little embarrassed about being turned on by Uncle Matt.
“Honey, come on down, we’re here,” Melonie heard her father call. Her father was scheduled to leave tomorrow morning, and the three of them had planned to go out for dinner tonight. Her father had picked up Matt from the airport on his way home from work. Matt had flown in from San Diego. They lived about an hour east of San Francisco, and while the weather was perfect in San Francisco, it was hot where they lived.
It was the summer after her senior year, and it was hot. It was probably one of the hottest summers she’d ever experienced. The California drought had been making each summer even hotter than the last. She decided to wear one of her many sundresses for dinner. She chose one of her favorites. The white strapless sundress with blue and pink flower swirl design, was tight on her upper body, loose on the bottom and went down to a couple of inches above her knees. She had decided to leave her long hair down and wore just enough makeup to emphasize her honey-colored eyes. She slipped her sandals on and hurried down to greet them. She caught her breath at the sight that greeted her. Matt stood in the entrance hall carrying a military bag in dark jeans and a black t-shirt that clung to his body, showing off every muscle he had. He was even more handsome then she remembered.