by Susan Stoker
“I take it she’s never done that before?”
“No, never.”
Tex had calmly opened the apartment door and snapped his fingers. Baby immediately stopped howling and sat on the floor by the couch watching Tex with her tail swishing back and forth on the floor.
“All right, Baby, you can come with us this time.”
As if she could understand English, Baby trotted over to the door and waited patiently for Melody to clip on her leash.
They walked out the door again and after Tex re-locked the door headed to Tex’s truck. They’d stopped at the bank where Mel had pulled out some cash. She’d spoken for a while to Diane, the woman she knew from high school, as well as another woman who came into the bank while they were there.
When they’d left, Mel had explained the other woman was Heather Wallace. Melody met her in college and while they weren’t close friends, Heather seemed very happy to have seen her again.
Mel had used Tex’s phone to call Amy and they’d agreed to meet at a fast food restaurant down the street. Now Tex watched as the two best friends were reunited.
“I’m so glad you’re okay! I missed you so much!”
“I know, I missed you too, Ames.”
Amy reared back out of Melody’s arms and smacked her on the arm. “Don’t do that shit again.”
“He said he was going to hurt you. And Becks. And Cindy. And Baby. And my parents. I couldn’t let that happen. I never would’ve forgiven myself if he hurt you.”
“Hashtag best friends.”
“Hashtag separated at birth.”
Tex watched as the women smiled at each other. He couldn’t resist butting in. They were so damn cute together. He’d never thought the things women did with each other as funny before, but now that he’d gotten to know his friends’ women better and watching Mel and Amy together, he found that he liked it. “Hashtag you guys are too cute.”
“No. You don’t get to hashtag,” Amy said immediately and seriously, glaring at Tex, not releasing Melody.
“It’s ours,” Melody tried to explain to Tex gently. “We started it our senior year in high school. It was our ‘thing.’ Twitter had just started and we were using it and saying it before it was even popular and people knew what it meant. It drove other people crazy, but it was just between us. As typical teenagers we drove our teachers and parents nuts with it. I think there were some days we didn’t say anything that didn’t start with ‘hashtag.’ We loved it. Most people hated it.”
Amy and Melody looked at each other and smiled, obviously remembering good times.
“Okay ladies. No more hashtagging from me.” Tex reassured them. “Come on though, let’s get out of the main thoroughfare and you guys can continue your reunion.” He steered them out of the middle of the parking lot and away from the prying eyes of anyone who might be in the restaurant or driving by.
He watched as the women talked about Amy’s kids and how they were doing. Amy caught Melody up with the local gossip. Amy spent some time loving on Baby, who was very happy to see her. Finally, after thirty minutes or so, they’d gotten most of the basic information out of the way.
Amy kept her arm through Melody’s and turned to Tex. “Now what? What can I do to help?”
“No, Amy,” Melody told her seriously. “I don’t want you involved.”
“It’s too late, Mels, I’m already involved. This asshole threatened me and my family. He doesn’t get to do that and get away with it.”
“Amy is right,” Tex broke in. “At the very least, I need to talk to her to get her opinion on who might be doing this. She’ll have a different viewpoint than you and could really help.”
“I’m okay with that, Tex, but I’m not sure about anything else.”
“Mel, I told you before, and I’ll say it again. I wouldn’t do anything that would put you or your friends in jeopardy. I honestly think this has to be someone here in your hometown. Face it, it’s not like you’re a world traveler or anything.”
Amy giggled and tried to stifle it when Melody glared at her.
Melody sighed. “Okay, but . . .”
“No buts.”
“God, you can be annoying,” Melody huffed out.
“Shut it, Mels. He’s not annoying,” Amy told her. “He’s hashtag cute hashtag protective.”
“Hashtag you might be my best friend but I can still kick your butt.”
“Okay ladies,” Tex said laughing, “Amy, we’ll be in touch. I’m thinking we need to show ourselves around town some more, get whomever it is to see us together and hopefully make him emotional enough to make a mistake.”
“Keep her safe.” Amy’s voice was dead serious and aimed at Tex. “I could handle not seeing her for the last few months simply because I knew she was out there somewhere . . . alive. I can’t handle it if she’s dead.”
“She will not get dead.” Tex’s response was just as serious as Amy’s. He endured her intense look and inwardly sighed in relief when she nodded.
Amy turned back to Melody and put her hands on her hips. “Hashtag I think you have a lot to tell me, Mels.”
“I love you, Ames. Watch your back.” Melody hugged her friend.
“Love you back. You too.”
Tex watched as Amy walked over to her car on the other side of the parking lot and got in.
“Come on, Mel, We have a date downtown to go shopping.”
“Shopping?”
“Yup, what better place to be seen then downtown, the hub of the town? Since we have Baby we can’t go to the mall, we’ll do that maybe tomorrow. But for now we’ll see who else you know that we can run into. I want this done.”
“Me too.”
“All right then, let’s go. The sooner we get this over with the sooner we can go back to your place.”
Tex helped Mel into his truck and walked around and got in. They parked downtown and they all got out. Melody held onto Baby’s leash and they wandered around. Tex was amazed at how many people Mel actually knew. It seemed like every time they turned around, someone else was welcoming her home. They’d decided to tell people she had been gone because of work, and since no one really knew much about what a closed caption reporter did, it was easy to be vague in the explanation.
Tex paid close attention to both the people they met and Baby as they walked and talked with people. He tried to catalog people’s responses. They met up with several people who seemed genuinely pleased to see Melody, and others who were pretty fake in their response to her.
Baby only growled once, at Lee Davis. Lee was the last guy Mel had dated before the stalker started leaving her notes and threatening her. Tex remembered Mel had told him he’d been a jerk, but he was now dating the girl who worked at the bank . . . Diane.
Mel hadn’t moved to shake his hand or hug him or anything, but that hadn’t stopped him. He’d gone to embrace Melody, but Baby got between them and growled. Lee had quickly stepped back and ended their conversation not much longer after that.
The other person who Baby and Tex didn’t like was Robert Pletcher. He’d been Mel’s high school boyfriend and Tex hated him on sight. Tex just knew this was the man who’d taken Mel’s virginity. He shouldn’t have cared, it was a long time ago and he had no right to be pissed about it, or jealous, because he didn’t even know Melody back then. But he still felt it. He clenched his teeth when Robert kissed her on the cheek.
Tex couldn’t stop his actions, he stepped up to Mel and put his hand on the small of her back. He leaned down and whispered in her ear, loud enough for Robert to hear him. “Baby and I will be right over there.” Tex pointed at a bench not too far away. “Take your time visiting with your old friend.” Then he put one hand on her cheek and turned her head to face him. He swooped down and kissed her. Not quick, and not softly. Pulling back he brushed his knuckles over her cheek and grabbed Baby’s leash and headed for the bench.
When he got there he sat down, crossed his arms, and watched as Mel spoke with Robert. Bab
y jumped up on the bench next to him and sat as if she was human. Tex put his hand on her back and stroked while they waited for Mel.
Within five minutes she finished her conversation with Robert and walked toward them, smiling. She sat down next to Tex and put her hand on his thigh. She leaned over and patted Baby on the head and sat back.
“You wanna explain that?” Melody asked Tex.
“Do you need me to explain it?”
She smiled. “I don’t think so. Tex, you have nothing to be worried about where Robert’s concerned.”
“It’s not that I’m concerned, Mel. I don’t think you’re suddenly going to dump me and declare your everlasting love for that schmuck. I just don’t like knowing that you and he . . .”
Melody stretched up and kissed Tex quiet. “It was forever ago. And it wasn’t even good.”
“Doesn’t matter. We could be eighty years old and I still wouldn’t like it.”
Melody giggled. “Come on. Can we go home now? I didn’t get to explore earlier.” Just as the words were out of her mouth Tex was up and walking quickly toward his truck, Mel’s hand held tightly in his own.
“We’ll stop and pick up dinner on the way back to your place.” Looking down at Baby as they walked Tex apologized. “Sorry, Baby, you’re going to be on your own again tonight. Gotta spend some quality time with my girl.”
Chapter Twelve
Melody stretched and winced. She was sore in places she’d never been sore before. Well, at least without spending hours in the gym. Tex had been amazing last night. He’d let her play to her heart’s content, then spent just as much time returning the favor.
She turned over only to find an empty bed next to her. The sheets were cold, but Melody could see the imprint of Tex’s head in the pillow next to her. Looking at the clock, Melody saw it was seven in the morning. She was usually up before now, but Tex had tired her out last night. She stumbled into the bathroom, grabbing her T-shirt and boxers off the floor where Tex had thrown them last night.
After her morning routine, she padded out into her living room and stopped dead. Tex was there. He was currently doing pushups and Baby was keeping him company. She was trying to lick his face every time he pushed himself up. Melody had no idea how long Tex had been at it, but since he hadn’t noticed her yet, she leaned against the doorjamb to watch.
Even though Baby looked like she was being annoying, Tex tolerated her interference in his workout regime with extreme patience. It was amazing to see him doing one legged pushups. Oh, he was using his prosthetic to balance himself, but Melody could see that all of his weight was on his good foot.
Tex turned over after a few more pushups and started doing sit-ups. Baby obviously thought this was a fun new game, because she stood over him and tried to climb into his lap every time he laid back on the ground. Finally he gave up and mock growled and grabbed Baby around her body and fell backward with the dog in his arms. Baby wiggled out of his grasp, but came right back at him.
Melody watched as man and dog roughhoused on the floor. Both looked like they were having the time of their lives. Melody realized she hadn’t been this happy in a long time. She’d spent the last six months being scared and worried and she always woke up tense, wondering what the day would bring.
Tex had brought her some peace. She knew she wasn’t out of the woods yet, but whatever happened, Tex would be there to help her figure it out. She didn’t want to think about what would happen if her stalker didn’t make a move. Or once he was hopefully caught. She lived here in Pennsylvania and Tex lived in Virginia. He was staying with her right now, but that wouldn’t be forever.
Melody shook her head, refusing to think about the future. She’d just thought about how happy she was, she didn’t want to ruin it.
Baby must have seen her movement because she struggled out of Tex’s hold and leaped over to Melody.
She laughed, kneeled on the ground and greeted her. Baby really was a good dog. Even though she’d been locked out of the bedroom last night, she didn’t hold any grudges toward her or Tex.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Tex said above her. He’d gotten up and walked over to where she and Baby were.
“Help me up.” Melody held out her hand to Tex. He immediately grabbed it and lifted her off the ground as if she weighed nothing. He didn’t just help her up, but pulled her right into his arms.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he repeated.
“Good morning, Tex.” Melody blushed at the intense look Tex was giving her.
“I have no idea how you can blush after what we did last night, but I love that you do.”
“Did you sleep okay?”
“Mel, I’ve never slept better in my entire life, and certainly not since my surgery. Holding you in my arms, listening to you breathe, knowing you were exhausted from the orgasms I’d given you . . . fucking perfect.” Tex leaned down and kissed Mel long and hard. He pulled back and watched as Mel chewed on the corner of her bottom lip. “What is it? What aren’t you saying? Come on, Mel, don’t hold back.”
“You weren’t there this morning when I got up.”
“You have nothing to worry about, swear to God. Mel, I was a SEAL. I’m used to getting by on a lot less hours sleep than you. I work out every morning. Even though I’m retired, I haven’t broken the habit. As it was, I laid in bed for twenty minutes just listening to you breathe and feeling you against me. I probably would’ve stayed there if I didn’t hear Baby outside the door.”
“It’s just . . .” Mel paused, knowing what she was going to say would sound needy, and not really wanting to seem that way to Tex, especially since they hadn’t been together very long.
“Come here.” Tex took Mel’s hand and led her to the couch. As was his usual, he sat down and pulled her into his lap. “Now, go on, tell me what’s going on in that brain of yours. I know this is new, but you weren’t afraid to tell me what you were thinking when we were talking to each over the computer, don’t be afraid now that we’re face-to-face.”
“Will you wake me up when you leave in the morning?” At the frown on Tex’s face, Melody hurried to complete her thought. “It’s just that . . . I want to start my morning with you. And I can’t do that if you’re not there. Oh, I get that you have things to do, you aren’t tied to my bed, but if I can’t wake up with you, I’d like to know when you get up.” Mel took a deep breath and continued, not looking Tex in the eyes. “It’s happened before. One of the guys I dated in college left in the middle of the night and never came back. I guess he wanted to break up with me and didn’t know how to tell me. I’m a little sensitive about it now.”
“What a fucker. Mel, I’m not going anywhere. You heard me when I said you were mine didn’t you? That if you wanted me, I was yours? I wasn’t kidding. Besides, you need your sleep. I don’t want to wake you up.”
“I’m not talking about you shaking me and making me get up and do twenty pushups before you go and save the world, run a marathon or whatever.” Melody smiled at Tex. “But just kiss me or something. I can sleep anywhere, I won’t have any problem falling back asleep. It’ll make me feel better knowing you haven’t packed up to get out of here and that I could say good morning when you got up.”
“All right,” Tex agreed immediately, understanding her angst about waking up to an empty bed. “But believe me when I say I’m not fucking going anywhere. We need to have a conversation about what comes next, but until things have been resolved here, I’m not sure we’re ready to have it. But rest assured, I’m not going anywhere.”
Melody smiled at Tex. “Okay.”
“Okay. Now, I don’t think I’ve said a proper good morning yet. Kiss me, Mel. Like you mean it.”
“I always mean it,” Melody said the words with a smile as she leaned into Tex. She licked a path up the side of his neck. “Mmmmmm, salty.”
“Mel . . .” Tex warned, feeling himself growing hard under her.
“Can’t help it. You’re just so sexy and masculine,
and you’re here with me. It’s all so unbelievable.”
Tex didn’t answer, just took her head in one of his hands and brought her face to his. He kissed her long and hard. If he had to kiss her to make her believe it, he would . . . gladly.
When Melody came back to herself, she was on her back on the couch with Tex on top of her. One hand was under her shirt at her braless breast, and the other was holding her knee up, so his erection was notched between her legs in just the right spot.
“Good morning, Mel,” Tex whispered huskily, while rubbing the back of her knee with his thumb on his left hand and her nipple with the fingers on his right.
“Did you get your workout done?” Melody asked breathlessly, arching her back slightly, pushing her breast further into his hand.
“No, but I can think of another way to burn some calories.”
Thirty minutes later Melody lay on top of Tex on the couch. Clothes had been thrown every which way and they were both mostly naked. Tex had stripped her of her clothes and had made her do all the work since he claimed he’d already worked out. Melody had never been with a lover who was as vocal as Tex was. He’d complimented her throughout their lovemaking, commenting on her body, the way it moved, the way it felt, the way it made him feel. Nothing seemed to embarrass him or turn him off. At one point, Melody had reached behind her to try to cup Tex’s balls and her fingers had slipped and she’d accidently prodded him in the backside. Instead of tensing up, Tex had moaned and gripped her hips harder and exclaimed, “Oh yeah, Mel, that feels amazing.” Of course she had blushed and immediately moved her fingers to her intended target, but Tex had just smiled under her and winked.
As much as Melody wanted to go back to bed, she knew they had things to do today. Tex had to check his programs and see what information he could glean from them about the men she’d dated in the past and she had a job today. There was an assembly she had to translate for and she had to read the materials the company had sent for her to review beforehand. She’d taken too many days off driving cross-country and needed to get back in the swing of things.