Grant could still recall the moment he’d first seen her in Zain’s office. She’d been standing at the rain splattered window looking out on Seattle. Her gray suit had almost matched the color of the clouds. Melody was a beautiful woman, no doubt. But it wasn’t just physical. At that moment he hadn’t known about her quiet confidence, the spine of steel, how she didn’t back down or let anyone intimidate her. All he’d known was that his dick was hard and he didn’t like it. If he were honest with himself, part of the reason he’d been determined to not like her then was because of that first gut-punch reaction he’d had to her.
She still did it to him, and he liked it.
Grant’s job was saving people. He didn’t want a woman he had to keep saving, too. Melody wasn’t that girl. She’d damn well save herself, and on the rare occasion she couldn’t—which he did not like to think about—he would be there for her. Because she was his girl. His Button.
Melody frowned at him. “Stop that.”
His body had gone warm, his groin tight. Yeah, he knew what she meant, but he wasn’t above playing dumb.
“What?” he asked.
Her frown turned into a glare. “You know what I mean.”
Melody didn’t give him a chance to answer. She pushed to her feet and retreated from him through the French doors out onto the patio.
Grant frowned at her backside. She didn’t run from anything, especially not him. She’d worn him down with all her standing her ground. This wasn’t like her. He wasn’t going to let that change now. They could fix this, them, whatever the problem was.
7.
Thursday. Luxe Ibiza Hostel, Ibiza.
Grant waited another three seconds, just long enough for Melody to take a deep breath and clear her mind before following her out onto the patio.
The sun had fully set. The party was a constant backdrop, but thanks to the creative landscaping they couldn’t see the pool and people in the pool couldn’t see them. No, if it weren’t for the noise it would just be them, this bit of earth and that spectacular view of the ocean.
Melody sat on a sectional sofa in the corner. Probably because she’d been blocked from view by him inside the bungalow.
This chasm that had opened between them couldn’t remain.
He wouldn’t let it.
They had to figure out a way through this.
“It’s not like you to walk away from me,” Grant said.
“Maybe I’ve learned my lesson?” She kept staring out at the ocean glittering under the moonlight.
He stepped into her line of sight, forcing her to look at him. Her gaze flicked to his face and he took the full brunt of her glare. “What’s your problem, Mel?”
“My problem?” One delicate brow arched. “You’re the one having a semantics argument with or host. Our very gracious host that did not have to stick his neck out for us.”
“He wants to take credit for things he isn’t doing.” And Grant hadn’t liked Orion touching Melody.
“He was being nice. He babysits rich kids. He’s probably used to coddling people.”
Grant’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t need coddling. You don’t like coddling.”
“Don’t I?” Now both brows were arched.
“No.”
“And how do you know that?”
“I’ve been around you.”
“Have you ever asked me?”
“I didn’t have to. I tried it, and you nearly snapped my head off. What’s this really about?” Grant dared sit on the sectional and twisted to face her.
Her glare burned him. She wasn’t hiding her wrath now. No, she was pissed.
Well, so was he. So she’d just have to deal with it.
“You. You’re the problem, Grant.” She lifted her hands to her hair, scraping the loosely held locks up into a tighter up do, winding the long tail into a more securely held style. “This idiotic male posturing has to stop. I broke up with you. I can speak with another man if I want.”
“I don’t accept that you really want to break up.”
“Do you hear yourself?” Her gaze narrowed. “You won’t let me break up with you? What kind of asinine, manipulative bullshit is that? Let’s get one thing straight here, if I am done with you that’s my call to make.”
“If.” Hello, hope. He eased back onto the cushions and stretched his arm out toward her.
She frowned at him. “What?”
“You said if you’re done with me. Which means you aren’t. Not really.”
She drew herself up a bit more. “I am.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ve never truly seen me as your equal. You’re always the one who has to be right. It must be your way or no way. You undermine me. When you do things like tonight, when you try to see a way to make sure I stay behind even though I am the best person to have your back tomorrow, that hurts my position on this team. Sleeping with you was the biggest mistake of my career. Letting this go on was the second. You just can’t turn this off. You can’t.”
Grant fisted his hand on the cushion to keep from reaching for her. Was that really what she saw? What she understood of him? What the hell?
“Are you finished?” he asked.
“Maybe?”
He jerked his head in a nod. “First, you are my equal.”
She rolled her eyes.
He reached for her with his left hand, gripping her knee. “No, listen. There is no other woman who could keep it together like you do under pressure. And then there’s how you manage me. You’re more than my equal.”
“Yeah right,” she huffed.
“I’m serious.”
“Okay.” She crossed her arms over her chest.
He had to be right. That’s what she’d accused him of.
Attacking her points would only prove them. He had to come at this another way.
“Mel? I never meant to make you feel this way. No, I didn’t want a partner in the beginning, but now that I have you? I can’t see this working any other way. Professionally speaking? You were the best thing that happened to this team. Personally? You’re the best thing that’s happened to me.”
“Oh, is that it?” She was unmoved.
Grant blinked at her a few times. “What do you want me to say?”
“That you can let this go.”
“I can’t.” He edged a little closer and leaned toward her. “Do you care about me? Do you have feelings for me? Anything?”
Her arms were wrapped tight around her middle now. “This doesn’t have to be an emotional decision.”
“Mel, Button, what I’m trying to tell you is that this isn’t casual for me. This isn’t convenient. I care about you.” He loved her. “I want you in my life. You make me fucking crazy sometimes, but you always have a reason. There isn’t anyone I trust to be reasonable and rational more than you. I know that when you say something you’ve thought it through from every direction. You aren’t just my work partner, you’re my partner. I don’t have to second guess you. I can trust you. You want to know why I can’t accept this is over? Do you?”
Her wide eyes were locked on him.
“Because I care about you. Because I want this, us, to work out. I’ll admit we didn’t have the best beginning, but that’s changed. The idea of losing you scares me shitless. I like spending time with you. I want to do more of it, but I know you need your space. You need your time. If you want me to back off, tell me. Don’t shut me out. Don’t end this. We can fix it. Figure out a way to do it better. I’ll be more patient. I’ll do whatever you need me to do.” Just don’t break up with me.
Yeah, he was pathetic, but when it came to her, he wasn’t above begging. And if that meant they proceeded at a glacial pace, so be it.
MELODY STARED AT GRANT. She’d never seen him so alive, so full of feeling. It was strange, almost like she’d been dropped in another dimension. One where Grant had emotions and shared them.
In all the time they’d been together he hadn’t told her half tha
t stuff. Normally it seemed like he could take or leave her. The idea that under that stoic exterior he had this kind of passion simmering for her was a surprise. It also turned her on. Then again, a lot about Grant did that.
“Say something, damn it,” he muttered.
“I’m taking it all in.” One thing just didn’t fit. “What do you mean, my space, my time?”
“Just, how you are, you know? You don’t always like me in your space and how you like to take things slow. There’s nothing wrong with that. That’s what I’m trying to say.”
Her world shifted dangerously.
That wasn’t her at all. It wasn’t what she wanted.
“Grant, I hate that we only do us things maybe once between jobs.” She wanted a better word for hate, but right now that was all she had.
His frown deepened. “You—what?”
“You’re always doing things with the guys. I’m supposed to like that?”
“But, you said you liked your peace and quiet...”
“When did I say that?”
“That one time in the kitchen...”
She blinked at him as his voice trailed off.
Melody tilted her head. “And because I said that once about a situation I don’t even remembered you translated that to mean I like to be left alone?”
He stared at her, mouth slightly open in an uncharacteristic, befuddled expression.
She didn’t want space. Not from him. No, she wanted him to be around, to hang out doing nothing or everything. As it stood, most of the time she was starved for him, only getting the scraps he could offer her when no one else was looking.
And he was telling her this was how they were because he thought it was what she wanted?
Her head hurt.
If they weren’t at such a tense point, she might even have a drink.
“Grant, part of the reason I broke up with you is because we don’t do anything together. A relationship can’t just be sex. I need more. I want more from you.” Hope blossomed in her chest. She knew she shouldn’t feed it. Spending more time together wouldn’t cure all their problems, it wouldn’t make him open up to her or be interested in her.
“Fucking hell.” He groaned. “I thought that’s what you wanted.”
“I hate it.” She hunched her shoulders.
They didn’t have a thing. Most couples after a year should have things that were uniquely them. Songs. Hobbies. Something. Not her and Grant. Okay, they had one show, but she secretly hated it and only looked forward to it because it meant Grant was going to be around.
“Oh, Button.” He reached for her then, holding her face in both of those big hands of his.
Her insides melted at the pet name.
Okay, so they had that one thing that was them. It was a word, a silly name, and yet when he said it her whole body reacted.
She was in love with this man. Before now she hadn’t realized he’d cared about her this much. She’d been convinced he barely listened to her. Really, she’d thought this whole chest banging reaction to the break-up was because it wasn’t his idea. Now, she knew it wasn’t. She didn’t know if he was the kind of still-waters-run-deep man who just didn’t show his emotions, but she had a taste of them now. Grant was her favorite flavor. And he had sort of said in a roundabout way that he was crazy about her.
He leaned in, pressing his forehead to hers. His thumbs massaged her temples then tight muscles at her jaw. It was a tender touch, and it undid her.
Before this moment, this conversation, she’d been resolved to end this. They were still strangers. But he wanted to spend more time with her. Was it too much to hope that he’d finally show some interest in who she was beyond the scope of her job and sexual preferences?
In her dream world, this was the moment where it all worked out. Where the switch was flipped and Grant became her Prince Charming in combat boots.
Was it silly to think this conversation would change everything?
Yes. She knew it was. But hope demanded that she try again, because she was in love with him. Even if it didn’t work out, even if in a month she left him again, she wanted to know what it might be like to have his focus. To be greedy with his time.
Grant pressed his lips to hers in a quick, chaste kiss.
“You really want this to work out?” she asked, her voice barely a whisper now.
“I do.” He bumped her nose with his. “I’m crazy about you.”
Wow.
She liked hearing that.
It wasn’t, I’m madly in love with you, but she’d take it.
“I had no idea.” Her voice broke, the words barely coming out.
“Oh, Button. I’m an idiot.”
“You kind of are.”
“Come here.”
Grant leaned forward, slid his arm under her knees and dragged her onto his lap.
She reveled in his strength, that this man actually felt something for her.
Melody cupped the back of his head and pulled him toward her. His mouth crashed against hers in an impassioned kiss. Maybe it was a mistake to kiss him. They never lacked for chemistry or heat in the bedroom. But right now she wanted to feel those words. He needed to show her.
Grant’s hands slid over her body. One hand coasted up her bare legs to the hem of her shorts. The other slipped under the hem of her T-shirt to stroke her back. He touched not only her body, but her heart. Did he have any idea how wrapped up in him she was? How much she wanted this simple admission to mean so much more?
She gripped his shoulders and shifted until she straddled his thighs. Grant hummed his approval, gripped her hips and pulled her toward him, right over his erection.
Melody dug her hand into his hair, forcing him to look at her.
“Do you mean it?” she asked.
“What?”
“That you want to spend more time together?”
“I told you.” He sat up straighter until her breasts brushed his chest. “I’m crazy about you.”
She was silly for taking his words honestly. Right now she was susceptible to him. He could feed her any line of bull he wanted and she’d take it. Because she was greedy for more of him, for all the crumbs and bits he’d give her. The promise of more, of having that ideal relationship was too much of a temptation for her to pass up.
Melody kissed him and gave herself over to the fantasy. Everyone deserved a second chance. If Grant didn’t make the most of it, at least she’d explored their options. At least she’d tried.
His hands slid up the back of her thighs and under her shorts and underwear to cup her ass. She shifted over him, grinding their sexes together.
This was a touch more crazy than usual.
Okay, a lot more crazy.
Normally they had a door, some privacy, the assurance that their secret was safe. Right now, she didn’t care. Their job was always dangerous, but this was different. They were the targets. People had been shooting at Grant. They’d hunted him.
If Grant had hesitated, if she hadn’t gotten the car, if a hundred things hadn’t gone as they had—it could be Grant who was slowly dying or captured. She wanted to hold on to the moment they had, love it, experience it. Because tomorrow might be a different story.
Melody had spent the last year wanting him to feel for her, and now she knew he did.
She broke the kiss just enough to say, “Make love to me. Now.”
The rational thing would be to rush to a bedroom or take this somewhere else. But she didn’t want to wait a moment longer.
Her normally restrained man answered her request with a kiss. His hands kneaded her ass, moving her over him. She groaned against his mouth. Her breasts ached, her body hummed with arousal and need made her desperate.
Melody managed to get a hand between them and hooked her thumb in the waistband of the ridiculous swim trunks he was wearing. The one nice thing was that they made accessing easy. She was able to get her hand inside his clothes and fist his cock with no belts, buttons or zippers. Maybe
the trunks weren’t such a bad idea.
It was Grant’s turn to groan.
She loved that sound. It was honest, full of want and when she heard it she knew he was going to pounce.
Sure enough, Melody’s back hit the cushions a moment later. Grant pinned her to the sofa with his hips, his cock still in her hand.
“Slight problem with this plan.” He lowered until his nose bumped hers. “No more condoms.”
Her head buzzed.
Okay, that wasn’t a deal breaker. She had an IUD. They’d only been with each other.
“You didn’t mind last time we skipped the condom.” She stroked his cock and decided she didn’t want anything between them. It seemed appropriate.
His gaze dipped to her mouth. “I didn’t want to assume, seeing as that’s how I screwed myself over. You mean to tell me I could have been waking up next to you a lot more?”
“Yes,” she said on a sigh.
“God, Button. Things are going to be different. I promise.”
Her insides were goo. Mush. Insubstantial and prone to believing whatever he said. Her rational brain would chew her out later, but for now she wanted the fantasy.
Grant braced himself on one hand then reached down and pulled both her panties and shorts aside.
His dark gaze was molten hot. “Put me in you. Go on, just like this.”
Fully dressed?
Within ear shot of a pool of people?
And their team inside?
It went against all the privacy they’d striven for, but maybe that needed to change, too. They needed to change. And it began right now.
Melody guided his cock, all while watching his face. His cheeks sunk in and he got that predatory focused look in his eye. The blunt head of his erection slid between her folds until he was right—there.
Grant thrust. She sucked in air as he surged into her. It didn’t matter that they’d done this a dozen times, they all felt good. She gripped his biceps and let her eyes close, surrendering to the way he made her feel.
It was different without the condom. Not much, and maybe it was silly, but she felt closer to him. As if that bit of latex really mattered in the grand scheme of things.
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