by Eden Summers
“I’m late for a date.” The car filled with silence. Melody wasn’t sure if she had a cell problem or her sister’s shock stopped the conversation. “Blair?” She maximized the phone volume and checked her screen. Nope, the call wasn’t disconnected.
“Yeah, I’m here. Just surprised, that’s all.”
It was Melody’s turn to stumble for the right words to fill the void. Her accident hadn’t only affected her career and personality. It affected her family, too. She’d shunned them for a long time, deliberately keeping her distance because whenever she spoke to them, they pried. Her mother cried a lot, unable to understand why Melody couldn’t talk about quitting dancing professionally. And Blair… Well, Melody assume her sister felt rejected. At one time, they shared everything. Now they rarely spoke.
“So, who’s the lucky guy?”
“Really, it’s nothing. I shouldn’t have called it a date. It’s just dinner at his house with one of his friends.”
“Come on, Mel, this is the first time you’ve sounded happy in a long time. At least tell me who’s responsible.”
The reminder was a stab through her chest. “His name’s Sean. I’m choreographing a project for his band, that’s all. I got a little carried away.”
“No, you didn’t. Don’t sound so defeated. I hate that you do that now. You never used to be anything less than one hundred percent confident.”
Melody turned into Sean’s street and let her insecurities disappear at the sight of his building. “Sorry. I can’t help it.” She leaned over the steering wheel and focused on the top of his apartment building, to the windows of the penthouse. She couldn’t see through the reflective glass, but the thought of him up there, maybe watching her, sent a skitter of anticipation down her spine.
“Tell me about him?”
“I can’t. Not right now, anyway.” Melody pulled into the parking lot and drove her car into the closest available space to the front doors. “I’m already here. I’ve really gotta go.”
“Then call me after.” Her sister’s voice raised in panic, or excitement, Melody wasn’t sure. “I want to hear all about it.”
“I’ll see how I go. I don’t know when I’ll get home.”
“Please,” Blair pleaded. “I don’t care how late it is. I miss you. I just want to hear your voice.”
Emotion clogged Melody’s throat as she slid from the car. “OK. I’ll call you later. Or I’ll send you a message if it’s too late.”
“It won’t be too late. Just call me.”
“All right.” Her heart fluttered with the long-forgotten sensation of happiness. She was finding herself again, with the help of Sean. Having her sister call and smooth the path of reconnection with her family seemed like perfect timing. A sign maybe. “Bye, Blair.”
“Have fun.”
Melody disconnected the call and shoved her cell into her handbag. The lobby was deserted, and the glass doors locked. With a huff of over-excited frustration, she shot her gaze over the intercom buttons and found Sean’s Penthouse label right at the top. As she was about to press it, the front doors released a loud click. He had been watching her. Either that, or another resident had perfect timing.
Move. Move. Move.
She shoved past the doors, and hustled through the empty lobby. A nervous sixty second elevator ride later, then she strode into the hall of Sean’s apartment building and stopped dead in her tracks.
Sean was at the entry to his apartment, holding the door open for Mason and Sidney. He hadn’t even noticed her as he leaned forward and engulfed his friend’s fiancée in an affectionate hug. There was a kiss, a brief brush of his lips against Sidney’s cheek, which may have been innocent—his closed eyes spoke otherwise. The connection was filled with potent familiarity and enough emotion to have Melody slinking back as heat entered her cheeks. She wasn’t sure what to do with herself. Look away? Continue forward? Act as though she wasn’t the slightest bit jealous of his mouth on another woman?
She watched in silence as they pulled apart, exchanging whispered words she couldn’t hear before the couple entered the apartment. That’s when her gaze met Sean’s and the sapphire eyes she’d dreamed of stared back at her, traveling from her plain black leather sandals all the way to the see-through material of her top.
“Dayum, Red. You really know how to impress a guy.”
Walk, woman. One foot in front of the other. She smiled, pushing her insecurities behind the brick wall she’d built and ate up the distance between them. There was no room to hesitate tonight. She came here on a mission, determined to show him a piece of the woman she used to be.
“Nice to see you too, Sean.”
She kept her pace steady, planning on walking straight past him, keeping it cool, showing her vagina who was boss. Every nerve was on high alert with her approach, the richly intoxicating scent of his aftershave dried her mouth to the point of pain. As she reached him, she patted his chest playfully in greeting and continued forward.
Regret swamped her. She should’ve welcomed him with a kiss, something hot and heavy to wipe away the scent of the other woman. Instead, she continued walking, head held high until his grip enveloped her arm, and he forcefully yanked her into his body.
She had a second to gasp as his hands cupped her face, his fierce eyes ensnaring her, hiding a severity she hadn’t seen before. Then the desire to breathe was lost when his mouth slammed against hers. She slumped into him, at his mercy, becoming lost in the harsh stroke of his tongue and the rough way his hands held her captive.
He kissed her until she couldn’t think. He lavished her with affection until she lost sense of time. There was only Sean. His mouth. His hands. The stiffness of his erection nudging against her abdomen.
“He must be hungry,” a male voice vibrated off the walls. “He’s eating her face off.”
Melody pushed against Sean’s chest, breaking the connection. For a second, she forgot they had company. She also forgot she was dressed like a cheap hooker in her see-through lace top.
“Leave them alone,” Sidney hissed.
Melody froze and waited for the shadows marring her periphery to move out of view. “Why didn’t you tell me they were coming?” She kept her tone light.
“While I was in New York, Ryan opened his mouth about you coming over.” Sean released a heavy sigh and slumped against the wall, taking her with him. “So they decided to crash.”
“Right.” She nodded, breaking eye contact. “That information would’ve been handy while I was choosing my outfit. As you can see, I dressed from the slutty wardrobe meant only for your eyes, not the one where I thought I’d be mingling with the masses.”
“Yeah, every inch of me noticed what you’re wearing, Red.” His voice was smooth as silk, yet his gaze lingered on her left thigh, making her nervous, as if he could see right through her clothes to the devastation beneath. “I did tell you Ryan was going to be here, though. You remembered that, right?”
“Yes,” she murmured. “You also told me he spent most of his time alone in his room. Screw me if I’m wrong, but I expected we’d be alone most of tonight.”
“Unfortunately, you are wrong,” he growled. “Because I’d screw you in a heartbeat if given the opportunity. But we can leave. Let’s go to your place and get nekkid. I’ll strap you to the bed and do all the things I’ve been dreaming about since Tuesday night.”
Her skin prickled with anticipation, from her nipples to the tips of her toes. “Can we?” Ditching his guests would be rude, and her libido didn’t care one little bit.
“I was joking.” Sean chuckled, the playfulness not quite reaching his blue irises as he placed a chaste kiss against her lips. “Maybe later, after they leave.”
“Sean.” She nibbled her bottom lip and pleaded with her eyes. “I’m wearing a see-through top.”
“Yep.” He scowled. “And imagine how fucking hard it’s going to be to have two of my best friends drooling over you.”
“Don’t forget Maso
n’s wife.”
“Fiancée.” His change in tone made her straighten. “Don’t worry about Sidney, she’s not going to judge.”
Melody wasn’t convinced. Men had no clue how women ticked. They smiled with brilliance and hid their scorn for later, waiting for the perfect moment to inflict their jealousy-fueled blows. She knew because she’d been on the receiving end of envy for the majority of her life.
“You must know her well.”
“Well enough.” He diverted his gaze toward the people chatting out of view at the end of the hall. “Come on. Let’s get this over and done with.”
Melody groaned. What the hell had she been thinking? That was probably the problem—she hadn’t been thinking. Not with anything above her waist anyway. Her needy lady bits were entirely responsible for her slide back into the confident past. Now, here she was, in the darker shade of the present, where she’d prefer to be dressed in a muumuu if it meant gaining less attention from strangers.
“You’ll be fine.” Sean grabbed her hand and entwined their fingers in a familiar gesture that lessened her nerves. He led her forward, from the sanctuary of the hall, into the open area of his living room.
Her skin prickled, anticipating their stares, which never eventuated. Ryan lazed on the sofa, entranced in the music channel, with Sidney and Mason in the kitchen, making themselves at home.
“Don’t be nervous,” Sean murmured close to her ear. “You look gorgeous.”
She smiled and leaned into his warmth. “Thank you.”
“Nice rack.” Mason’s voice made her wince as she turned to face him.
“Mason!” Sidney back handed his chest. “You’re such an ass sometimes.”
“Sometimes?” Ryan pivoted on the sofa, leaning over the backrest to face them. “Nice to see you again…?”
Melody stepped forward, outstretched her hand and prepared to give her name. “Mel—”
“I’m sure the big guy can do the re-introductions.” Ryan focused over her shoulder toward Sean. “Can’t you, buddy?” His face contorted in a vicious smile.
Sean cleared his throat and placed a hand at the small of her back. “You should all remember Red from the engagement party.”
“Red?” Ryan hid a smirk under an unconvincing frown he aimed her way. “That’s not your given name, is it?”
“Stop being a jerk, Ry.”
Melody lowered her outstretched arm, unsure what the underlying conversation was about and not liking it in the least.
Ryan chuckled. “Sorry, Melody.” His smile was genuine this time, as if he’d blinked away the asshole persona. “Don’t worry, I remembered your name. I’m polite like that.”
“Fuck off, Ryan.” Sean’s tone was lethal, and entirely too defensive.
She turned to him, ignoring the attention from Mason and Sidney. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.” He thrust a hand toward the kitchen. “You remember Mason and Sidney?”
She stood motionless, trying to read the stubborn set of Sean’s jaw. Could she have this all wrong? She’d been thinking all his nicknames were sweet endearments, when the reality could be the exact opposite.
“I remember.” The honeyed feminine voice drew closer. “I also remember you spilling your drink all over her.”
Sean cringed, still not meeting her gaze. He didn’t meet Sidney’s either. Awkward. Apart from the engagement party, this was the first time she’d been with Sean around his friends. He could be one of those guys. The Danny Zukos of the world, who treated women like gems when they were one on one, and pushed them to the curb when under the scrutiny of friends.
“Well, as much as I’m enjoying whatever horrific crash and burn you’re sailing into—” Mason muttered, “—I’m gonna go put the meat on the grill.”
“I’ll join you.” Ryan jumped the back of the sofa and followed after Mason.
“Hold up,” Sean grated. “I’ll help you light it.”
Melody watched in shock and disappointment as Sean strode away from her, following his friends and Sidney toward the balcony door.
“Are you coming, Red?”
He didn’t even glance over his shoulder to address her. Something wasn’t right. He’d been distant in the hall, yet she’d still felt the invigorating heat of his attention. In this room, the emotional space between them was greater. Their connection had shifted in the last few minutes, or maybe it had happened in their days apart. He was agitated, distracted, and entirely different from the man she spent dance rehearsals with. The only problem was, she wasn’t sure if she was overreacting because of her lack of confidence, or if the discomfort in her gut was intuition pushing her to leave.
“No.” She shook her head. “I actually think I should go.”
Chapter Eighteen
Sean closed the balcony door, enclosing himself into the heavy silence with Red. “I’m sorry.” He turned to face her. “This isn’t going as planned.”
She lowered her gaze to the floor and gave a heavy swallow as guilt rose further up his throat. He was nervous about seeing her again. Anxious about the image of her scar in his mind. Annoyed as fuck that Mason and Sidney had crashed his casual date. And worst of all, he’d been blindsided by Ryan trying to stir trouble about his previous inability to remember Red’s name.
“Are you sorry about the unexpected guests,” her voice was pained, “or sorry Ryan pointed out you don’t even know my name?” She raised her focus to his and punched him in the sternum with her somber brown eyes.
He prowled forward, trudging out his annoyance at Ryan, Mason, and Sidney with every step. He’d anticipated tonight for days, hoping he could quickly get the anxiety about her scars out of his system and focus on the fantasies that were now back within reach. Instead, they were falling to shit at his feet. Red crossed her arms as he approached, not in defense, but what looked like comfort. It didn’t stop his advance. He continued until they were toe to toe, his thighs almost brushing hers. He took his time, gazing into her eyes, trying to determine if she was angry or hurt.
Hurt. Definitely hurt.
“You want the truth?” he murmured, itching to kiss the saddened curve from her mouth.
She raised a brow in answer and began gnawing on her bottom lip.
“The first night we were together, I couldn’t remember your name. Ryan gave me shit about it.”
Her features relaxed. “The first night at the engagement party?”
Fuck. He winced. “No. The first night we slept together.”
“Right.” She stepped away with a scoff. “I can’t believe I was so far off my game that I didn’t realize I was being played.” Her fingers raked through her gorgeous strawberry-blonde locks and she laughed bitterly. “Boy, I’ve really lost my touch.”
“I’ve never played you. I drove to your studio that day because I couldn’t get you out of my head.” He bridged the foot of distance between them. “It wasn’t about sex, even though it turned out that way. I wanted to spend time with you. And that’s all I’ve wanted ever since.”
He grabbed her hand, holding tight when she tried to tug away. “The sex is sensational, but it wasn’t my intent.” Fucking hell. “OK, that’s kind of a lie.” He entwined their fingers and brought her knuckles to his lips. “I wanted in your pants the moment I laid eyes on you.”
“And you didn’t spare the decency of learning my name before you reached your goal.”
He kissed her knuckles harder. “I remembered when I went in search of your studio. I just forgot afterward. Come on, Red. Cut me a break. It was a simple mistake.”
“You’ve forgotten my name again?”
“I haven’t forgotten your fucking name,” he growled, cupping a fierce hand to the back of her head. “Melody.” The word was a whispered breath between them before he brushed his lips briefly over hers. “It wasn’t a satisfying feeling to realize I couldn’t remember your name after you left that night, if that’s what you think.”
“I don’t know what to thi
nk.” Her fingers finally gripped his, squeezing the heat back into his chest. “I don’t like being this person. I don’t like acting this way.”
“What way?” He could feel the insecurity settling between them. His confident, see-through-top wearing woman had disappeared again. “You’re upset because I forgot your name. It’s understandable. In fact, I’m sure half the female population wouldn’t disagree if you tried to neuter me.”
She released a breath of a chuckle. “A year ago, I wouldn’t have cared.” This time her laugh was mocking. “You wouldn’t have stood a chance against who I used to be. You would’ve known my name and what I stood for. And I’m sure you never would’ve forgotten.”
He’d lost her. The fire-breathing pixie he knew had vanished under the weight of his asshole behavior. He didn’t like being the cause of her doubt. Their time together always started with self-assurance and passion, then he’d say or do something to fuck it up. To fuck her over and do whatever it was that sent her spiraling into uncertainty.
“I know who you are and what you stand for, Melody.” He said her name for reassurance and because he actually liked the sound of it on his lips.
“I’m not sure how you can, when I don’t know myself.”
What could he say to that? She was on the brink of leaving, and he wouldn’t risk opening his mouth to blurt out dumb shit he hadn’t thought through. He wasn’t smooth like Mitch or Blake. Well, Mitch wasn’t entirely smooth, more adorably idiotic, but he still got his point across.
“Do you think I should leave and save myself the embarrassment of facing your friends again?”
“Hell, no.” He ran his hand through her hair, enjoying a little too much how the smoothness of the strands flowed effortlessly through his fingers. “What I want is Ryan, Mason, and Sidney to fuck off so I can spend time alone with you. But until that happens, please stay.”
She remained silent. Thunderous heartbeats echoed in his ears as he waited for her reply, brushing his lips over hers once, twice, hoping to entice her into hanging around.