“I’m just a little tired.” Melanie ignored Jake as he walked in behind her. “It’s been a long day, and I think the traveling is catching up to me.”
Evelyn grasped her hand and patted it. “Of course, of course, sweetie. You go on upstairs and lie down for a bit. The party will still be here when you feel up to it.” She nudged Melanie toward the stairs.
Melanie didn’t need much encouragement. Putting the sounds of Evelyn and Jake preparing more refreshments for the guests behind her, she went straight to her old room, which was now a guest room, although the furniture was the same as when she lived there. She removed her dress and draped it over the desk chair, then climbed between the sheets, deeply inhaling the crisp, fresh smell. The familiar feel of her old bed was relaxing, and she closed her eyes.
Jake’s smiling face came to life behind her eyelids. Melanie groaned and rolled over, turning her back to the room’s door, as if that would somehow block out the thoughts of him. Instead, he started laughing at her, like he somehow knew that he was tormenting her in her thoughts. It was a deep chuckle, the kind that Melanie knew made his chest rumble. She remembered how it felt to rest her cheek on his chest, his arms closing around her protectively. She could almost smell the mix of his earthy cologne and light sweat from the afternoon’s humidity. She told herself to stop this line of thinking, that it wouldn’t help her relax. Then again, she’d been trying to block these thoughts all afternoon and it hadn’t done any good. Maybe letting her thoughts run wild would finally get it all out of her system and make it easier to at least be in the same room as Jake.
Jake had shown her that he could arouse her excitement in an instant, but he had also been playful at times. No doubt he would be intense in bed—passionate and skilled, yet his polite charm suggested he would be caring about his partner. If she had let the kiss continue, their tongues probing and twisting and dancing while their hands explored each other’s bodies—his muscular arms and chest, his abdomen tightening reflexively as she swirled her fingers across it in gentle circles, his hands moving down her back, pressing her tighter to him, her breaking their kiss to lean back and expose her neck while she moaned his name....
“Oh, darlin’.”
His voice, deep and husky, penetrated her ecstasy as if from a distance. He dotted her throat with love nibbles, leaving a hot path of arousal until he reached her earlobes.
“Oh, Mel.”
His hot breath in her ear created molten lava deep inside her, and she turned toward him, moaning softly, begging for more, but unable to form the words. Luckily he didn’t need words. His mouth was no longer tender, but voracious as it seared down her neck and across her shoulder.
Melanie frowned. His kisses were no longer passionate sparks aimed at exciting her senses. They felt wet, sloppy even. She tried to clear her thoughts, return them to the moments before, when her skin felt like it would start on fire, but the sticky wetness on her neck wouldn’t go away.
“Oh, Mel.”
Melanie’s eyes flew open. She wasn’t dreaming, there really was someone in the room with her. She jerked away, throwing herself onto the floor on the far side of the bed. How dare he come into her room, uninvited! The nerve of him—did he just think all women would drop their panties for him? “Just what do you think you’re doing?” she shrieked, standing up to face the bed.
“Mel, honey, what’s wrong?”
She blinked several times, trying to adjust to the shadowed room. Had she actually fallen asleep? The darkening windows indicated that the sun was setting outside.
“Sweetie, it’s okay.”
She took a step toward the bed. “Raymond?”
“Of course it’s me.” He laughed. “Come on back to bed.” He patted the bed lightly. He wasn’t wearing a shirt.
Melanie suddenly wanted a scalding hot shower. She hoped he hadn’t removed any other articles of clothing. “What are you doing? You’re married!”
“C’mon, Mel. Don’t worry about that.”
“Worry about it? Worry about it!” She couldn’t stop herself from yelling. All the emotions of the day boiled up inside her, and her frustrations were aimed at the half-naked man lying in her bed. She moved around the bed, snatching up his shirt from the floor and throwing it at him. “Get your sorry ass out of my bed right now, mister—take your clothes and just get out!”
Raymond jumped up and grabbed Melanie in a tight embrace, pinning her arms down by her sides. “Oh, Mel, honey, it’s okay.” He drew out each syllable, creating a sickeningly sweet whine. “Don’t tease me like this. You know it makes me crazy.”
When she struggled against him, he tightened his grip. “Let me go,” she hissed, but he only laughed. Frustrated, she did the only thing she could think of: She bit his shoulder. Hard.
Raymond squealed and jumped back. “Jesus, woman. What are you doing?”
“What I should have done a long time ago.” She smiled in victory as he rubbed at his shoulder, checking for blood.
He grabbed his shirt from where it had fallen on the bed and hastily shrugged into it. “I don’t know who you think you are, Miss Big Shot, but I don’t play that way. I’ve got a wife, remember?” He nodded to Jake, who was standing in the doorway, his hand on the doorknob, his face contorted in black anger. “Be careful with this one.” Raymond pushed by Jake. “She likes it rough.”
Jake stared at Melanie, who felt the victory drain from her body. How much had he heard? Surely he didn’t think that she wanted Raymond in her bed!
“My mother thought you might like to know that some of the guests are starting to leave.” His voice was clipped and icy. He was barely keeping his anger in check. He turned to leave.
“Wait—”
He called back over his shoulder. “And put some damn clothes on!”
Melanie glanced down and realized that she was still in her underwear. She took two steps and slammed the door shut, her cheeks burning a bright red. She was never going to be able to live down this embarrassment.
Chapter Ten
Jake didn’t bother saying goodbye to his mother or Stan. Or anyone else still at the reception, which would likely last well into the night. He wouldn’t risk running into Raymond, knowing he would pummel the man—the snake—with his fists until he was begging for mercy. But if he stayed in the house, he would risk seeing Melanie, and he was even more terrified of what he would do to her. Instead, he stormed out to his truck and tore off down the country roads. He rolled down the windows and cranked up the radio, but nothing could block out the memory of what he’d seen: Melanie, half-naked, her angry eyes sparkling.
Sparkling in anger at Raymond, he reminded himself. A lover’s quarrel.
He turned onto the highway, gagging on the bad taste it left in his mouth. Melanie didn’t seem like the kind of girl to fall for a married man, especially one like Raymond. Jake didn’t understand why any woman would fall for his charms, but they did. He’d seen it with his own eyes. Yes, usually the women were either clearly desperate themselves or feeling charitable for the evening. He couldn’t envision Melanie as either of those.
He could only envision her in that damn lacy bra and panties. The bra and panties she had worn for Raymond.
When he pulled into the parking lot at work, he was practically growling. He went in the back door to avoid seeing anyone, although Saturday nights were usually pretty slow in the hotel’s business offices. He sat at his desk and flipped on the computer, then spent the next half hour staring at the screen, trying to get Melanie out of his thoughts, chastising himself whenever he caught his mind wandering to her raspberry lips or her curves that fit so well into his. But it was when he imagined her eyes looking up into his that he nearly lost control. Reminding himself that she wanted to be looking up at Raymond instead only made him want to break something.
He considered calling Stan. He didn’t think her father would be too happy about the hired help sleeping with his daughter, especially given Raymond’s impending fatherhoo
d. Jake ran his hands through his hair. He couldn’t stand Raymond, but it was clear that Stan thought of him as a son. There was no way Jake was coming between that bond, especially if it meant making Stan choose between Raymond and Melanie. Stan would choose Melanie without a doubt, but Jake knew from his own father’s philandering that once such secrets got out, they had a way of wreaking havoc on the relationships of everyone involved. He wouldn’t do that to his mother and Stan, and he certainly wouldn’t do that to Melanie.
He sat back in his chair, exhaling slowly. Why did he care so much about protecting Melanie? He tried to convince himself that he was concerned about the sanctity of his mother’s new marriage, but he knew he was lying to himself. He glanced at his watch. He’d known Melanie for less than twelve hours, yet every moment without seeing her dragged on as he tortured himself with thoughts of who she was with and what she was doing with him. This was not healthy.
He headed to the front desk, glancing into the restaurant and bar as he passed. He nodded at a few of the regulars, then frowned at one regular in particular.
At the front desk, he signaled for the receptionist. He wanted to talk to her away from prying ears. Not that he expected anyone to be listening, but he insisted on discretion even when they weren’t busy. “Is Trish Cassidy working tonight?”
The overnight receptionist, a college student who used the quiet hours to study for exams, rubbed her eyes. “Trish? No sir, Mr. Monroe. I checked the moment I saw Bruce walk in.”
Jake nodded. He trained his staff to be discreet, but not stupid. Bruce Garrison was overly possessive of his girlfriend, Trish, who waited tables for the hotel. “I’ve got my cell on. If he even sneezes too loud, you call me first. You got it?”
“Yes, sir.”
He turned to head back to his office, shaking his head. Small towns and their drama. He could never escape it, whether from his staff or now his family. On a whim, he stepped back to the front desk. “Has Melanie Olson checked in yet?”
The college student stifled a yawn then blushed. “Sorry, chemistry exam on Monday.” She shrugged. “Did you say Olson?”
“Yeah, would’ve been in the last half hour or so.”
“No one’s checked in since I came on duty about two hours ago.”
“Okay.”
“You want me to let you know when Ms. Olson checks in?”
He shook his head. “No, that’s okay. Actually—” He paused. “Yes, do let me know. And do me a favor. Put her in the king upgrade room.”
“Yes, sir. Anything else?”
He smiled. “Yes. Ace that chem test.”
Jake walked back to the bar and sat down at the end closest to the kitchen door. From here he had an unobstructed view of Bruce Garrison, who was nursing a beer. By the looks of his bloodshot eyes, it wasn’t his first. Jake smiled to himself. It was only a matter of time before Bruce got himself in trouble, and Jake would be here to handle it. If he couldn’t release his frustration with Melanie, he’d just have to release it the old-fashioned way.
Chapter Eleven
Melanie calmed herself down enough to get dressed, but by the time she made it out to the barn, her embarrassment had turned to fury. Jake had no right to be angry at her, to jump to the obvious conclusion that he did. But she was ready to give both him and Raymond a piece of her mind. Only about half of the guests remained in the barn, most of them paired off and dancing to 1960s music piped through a small stereo in the corner. Neither Jake nor Raymond was among those still enjoying the festivities. She found her father and told him she was heading to the hotel for the night.
“You sure, sweetie? There’s plenty of room here, and Evelyn really wants to get to know you better.” The dejection on her father’s face was evident.
Melanie flashed her father a telling smile. “Oh, Daddy, it’s your first night as man and wife. You should have the house to yourself.” She winked at him and tried not to laugh when he blushed. “Besides, I feel a migraine coming on, so it’s probably best that I go crash for a while. How about we all meet up for lunch tomorrow afternoon before I head back. Say around 12:30?”
“Better make it 1:00. The preacher has gotten long-winded in his old age, especially in his Sunday morning sermons.” Her father rolled his eyes playfully. “We’ll meet you at the hotel restaurant.”
Melanie hugged her father quickly before Aunt Rose hauled him back onto the dance floor.
During the drive to town, Melanie tried to take stock of the weekend so far. Absolutely nothing had worked out the way she had planned. Raymond was not only married, but she was finally able to see him for who he really was. What bothered her most was that, deep down, she always knew he was less than ideal. He could be incredibly charming when he wanted something, but he hadn’t wanted to share in her life, hadn’t wanted to celebrate her successes. He hadn’t wanted her.
Not until he thought that Jake wanted her.
Jake was something else she had not counted on. She knew that her father’s new wife had a son, but that was the only information her father had ever shared. Not that Melanie had asked for any. Besides, what did she expect her father to tell her? Be prepared to meet Evelyn’s son, who will make your insides melt and your toes curl when he kisses you? She laughed at the thought as she parked the rental car, then consoled herself that she wouldn’t have to see Jake until maybe Christmas. Hopefully by then his presence wouldn’t have such a strong effect on her. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, she knew it wouldn’t be true, but she was determined to pretend otherwise, at least for the rest of the weekend.
Her room at the hotel was simple, clean, and full of hidden treasures, like the soft, thick towels in the bathroom, the overstuffed chair and ottoman tucked into the corner between the bathroom and the bed, and the basket of goodies left on the small table next to her second-floor balcony. The attached note indicated that the candies, cookies, apples, berries, and cheese were all products made in Nebraska and compliments of the hotel. It also indicated that a bottle of wine from the winery just down the road was included in the mini-fridge. It was all definitely a luxury not commonly offered in small towns. She grabbed an apple and ate it while undressing, realizing she hadn’t eaten anything since the early breakfast before her flight. She glanced at the basket of food just before heading into the bathroom. “You’re all mine when I come out.” She laughed at herself, then jumped in the shower, letting the hot water soothe her muscles.
She managed to avoid thinking about Jake for all of one minute. As soon as he popped into her mind, she distracted herself by reading the labels on the little bottle of shampoo, lathering up her hair and rinsing it (twice!), combing conditioner through every single strand of hair, and then counting to 180 to make sure she left it on long enough, although she did have to start over several times when her brain decided that studying Jake’s perfect smile was more interesting than simply counting. When her thoughts turned to imagining taking a shower with Jake, she turned off the water and briskly dried herself off. “No more of those kinds of thoughts—not now, not ever.” She put on the robe she found hanging on the back of the door and ignored the little voice laughing in her head.
She found a corkscrew on top of the mini-fridge, popped open the wine—a nice Willow Blush that warmed her cheeks—then collapsed in the overstuffed chair, the basket of goodies in one hand and the remote control in the other. She flipped through the channels, looking for an action movie to watch. Nothing with a sappy love story line. Explosions and gunfire were what she needed. Finally settling on a martial arts movie dubbed into English, she poured the last of her wine into her glass just as a knock sounded on the door.
The bedside clock showed just after 11:00. Cinching the robe more tightly about her and wondering if the television was too loud, although she didn’t think so given that she could barely hear it herself, she looked through the peephole and groaned.
“Open up.” Jake spoke quietly, but firmly, staring directly into the peephole from the other side. �
��I’m not leaving ‘til we talk.”
Melanie sighed and opened the door, knowing he very likely would stand out in the hall all night if she made him. “It’s late. Can’t we talk tomorrow?” Jake pressed the door open and walked into the room. Melanie shook her head and closed the door behind him. “Look, I’m really too tired for this.”
“You’re part of our family now. Get better standards.”
Melanie stared at him, her mouth hanging open. Finally, she collected herself enough to respond. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” Jake sneered. “Don’t sleep with the hired help.”
Her hands flew to her hips as she took an angry step forward. “Who I sleep with is none of your damn business!”
“I thought you were different. You seemed to have a brain. Clearly I was wrong.”
“Did you just call me stupid?”
Jake pretended to applaud her. “You were the one hooking up with Raymond at your father’s wedding reception.”
Melanie screamed in frustration, throwing her arms out to emphasize her anger. “We didn’t hook up!”
Jake took two steps toward her until he was standing just inches from her, forcing her to look up at him. “I know what I saw,” he hissed.
“You saw me biting Raymond’s shoulder to get him off me.” She met his cold stare with one of her own, her voice emotionless.
“Wait, what?” He took a step back, his anger replaced first with confusion, then disbelief.
He glanced down at her chest, then back up at her face. This time she saw something else in his eyes: lust.
Melanie glanced down to see that her robe had fallen open, revealing more cleavage than would ever be appropriate. She turned around as she hastily secured the robe once more, although she was really trying to hide her reaction to his obvious desire for her. “You heard me,” she said over her shoulder, willing her heartbeat to slow to normal.
“Did he force himself on you?”
She chewed on her bottom lip until she tasted blood, then chided herself. Why was she so nervous? And why the sudden urge to explain herself to Jake, whom she’d likely see only two or three times a year at best—assuming she came back at all? Surely she could withstand his surly glances at her for those few days. In fact, maybe the timing had been perfect after all. He would think that she still had feelings for Raymond, whom he clearly despised, and would leave her alone. No more unsuspecting kisses or public displays that only served to embarrass her. Melanie told herself this was the best outcome in the long run. So why didn’t she feel happier about it?
Vibrant Heart: Book 1 in the Great Plains Romance Series Page 4