“We can talk out here, if it’s all the same,” he said from the bottom of her stoop, while she stood on the porch. He felt grungy and out of place with his oil-stained jeans and ripped black T-shirt. “I don’t want to get your place dirty.”
“Oh.” She hesitated, her hand on the screen door.
Adam frowned. Was she trembling? Why was she trembling?
Beneath the recessed overhead lighting, her silky brown hair shimmered down her back, and an odd ripple of protectiveness surged through him. He’d promised to look after James’s family until he returned from his last stint overseas next month. Maybe that was the cause of the extra burst of testosterone rushing inside him, the nearly primal urge to stay close to Mel. That’s the excuse Adam was going with anyway. “Is everything all right?”
When she didn’t answer, his concern grew.
“If it’s about the Camry, don’t worry.” He stepped up onto the bottom stair. “I’ll tell the guys to work you into the schedule. I know you missed your appointment, so—”
“It’s not about my car.” Mel cut him off, her eyes shut and her lips compressed to a thin white line. “It’s about…”
Growing up the hard way had taught Adam some valuable lessons. Mainly, if you had something difficult to do—like stealing from the local grocery store so your family wouldn’t starve or chasing off the rich kids who were terrorizing your family’s dog—then it was best to do it quick. He raked a hand through his windblown hair and hung his glasses from the crew neck collar of his T-shirt. “Spit it out, Mel. I don’t have all night.”
She opened her eyes, pinning him to the spot with the same tenacious expression he’d seen on the face of many a solider in combat. Shoulders squared, she placed her hands on her hips and said the very last thing Adam ever expected to hear again.
“I need you to ruin my reputation.”
Chapter Two
Given the flummoxed expression on Adam’s face, he was as taken aback as Mel felt. Still, she couldn’t regret what she’d said, though she probably should pull back a tad so she didn’t scare him off before she’d even started. She gave a self-effacing chuckle, hoping to put him at ease. “Relax. It’s not like I’m asking you to do the ruining yourself.”
Liar.
Heat rose in her cheeks as she waited for him to say something, anything. This was not going the way she’d envisioned it in her mind. She’d pictured him being surprised, sure, but then he’d warm to the idea and agree, sweeping her into his arms and carrying her off to his rakish bedchamber to claim her body and soul and…
Ugh. She’d obviously been reading too many historical romances again.
Okay. Fine. Given the way his tanned face had blanched, she really shouldn’t have blurted things out the way she had, but whenever Adam was around, her poised, precise persona seemed to go right out the window. One look from him and she was back to being the insecure, geeky kid who’d followed him around like an annoying shadow. Always there, always silent. Well, she was an adult now, and she refused to be silent anymore. Despite his shock, she hoped the awkwardness between them would take care of itself eventually. Along with other things.
If he agreed to help.
“Just so I’m clear, what exactly is it you’re asking me to do here, Mel?” Adam’s dark brows were raised, his expression speculative. He cleared his throat and smoothed his hands down the front of his jeans, his distress endearing. It wasn’t often she got to see the cool bad boy of Point Beacon out of his depth.
Taking a deep breath to calm her racing thoughts, Mel invited him into her kitchen for a drink. “I’ve got water or iced tea. There might be some soda in the garage. I can check. Oh, and there’s half a bottle of merlot left from when Lilly came over the other night.”
When he didn’t respond, she turned back around to face him. And man, oh man, did he ever look breathtaking, slouched in the doorway, one broad shoulder leaning against the frame, his long legs crossed at the ankles. And Lord have mercy, those eyes of his—blue as midnight and twice as wicked.
Said eyes were currently narrowed on her, watching closely.
Summoning her last ounce of bravery, Mel continued. “I realize this probably comes as a strange request, considering I don’t ask you for help often—”
“This is the first time we’ve spoken since I came home.”
True. He had her there, but it wasn’t for lack of trying on her part.
She continued on. “I need a makeover. Everything from clothes to hair to makeup, but most especially, I need help with the social aspect. A coach who’s in the dating trenches and knows their way around to show me what I’m doing wrong and teach me how to do things right. I need someone I can trust, someone who’ll take this seriously and won’t joke about it to other people behind my back. Someone who can keep a secret.”
Oh, that had sounded good. She almost had herself convinced.
“A makeover?” Adam snorted and pushed away from the doorframe, stepping farther into the kitchen. The large room suddenly seemed smaller with his presence. “I don’t know anything about all that makeover stuff, and I’m pretty sure my player reputation precedes me as far as dating is concerned. What about James?”
“What about him?” Mel squeaked as the corner of the counter poked her in the butt. She’d backed up without even realizing it. Adam gave her a look, and Mel felt a zing of awareness shoot straight through her. The man could do more with one arched brow than most guys could do with a whole repertoire of foreplay techniques. Mel steeled herself against his seductive assault on her senses. She was in this to win this, darn it. She tamped down the persistent sizzle in her nervous system, lifting her chin. “He’s still deployed for another month. He never has to know about this.”
Adam stared at her for another long moment before looking away, shaking his head. A rueful smile curved his firm lips as he rocked back on the heels of his black motorcycle boots. “You do know how hard it is to keep a secret in this town, right?”
“Yes.” The word came out more as a breathy sigh. When had it gotten so hot in here? Her chest squeezed and her pulse raced, and for a crazy second she wondered if she was going to pass out. And wouldn’t that be just perfect. Adam Foster, the man of her dreams, was finally in her kitchen, and instead of luring him to her bed, Mel face-planted on the hardwood. Not cool. Not cool at all. In fact, the image of utter humiliation was enough to squelch her ardor for the time being, thank goodness.
“What about that friend of yours? What was her name? Lori? Lisa?”
“Lilly.” Mel knew darned well Adam remembered her best friend. Lilly had constantly hung out at their house when they’d been in high school, and she’d had as big a crush on James as Mel had on Adam, though Lilly had always denied it.
He was just being deliberately obtuse.
“Why don’t you ask her to help you? You said she was here the other night. You guys were always cooking up schemes together.”
“Because I need a guy’s perspective.” Mel frowned down at her toes. Because it has to be you. It’s always been you. “I thought we were friends, too, Adam.”
“We were, but this isn’t a good idea.” His expression softened, and her knees tingled. “I’m James’s best friend. You’re his kid sister.”
“Exactly,” she implored, sensing her chance slipping away. “C’mon. We grew up together. You taught me how to play poker. We all used to hang out in my parents’ basement. You know me better than anyone.” She shrugged to dispel the tension creeping up her spine. “Please?”
Tears stung the backs of her eyes, and Mel cursed inwardly. She would not cry. She wouldn’t. To distract herself, she toyed with the tiny pearl buttons on the front of her cardigan. “I understand our past interactions consisted of mostly ‘are you using that game console’ or ‘pass me the rolls’ at Sunday dinner. And I know my teenage crush on you makes things harder. I’ve never been popular at all, but that’s precisely why I need your help.”
“Right.” Adam st
ill didn’t look convinced. “This is a hell of a way to say howdy after all this time. Instead of—oh, I don’t know—easing into some conversation, asking how I’ve been doing in the years since you’ve seen me, you jump in headfirst with a makeover?”
Was that a hint of humor she detected in his voice?
Her heart imploded. Oh God. He was making fun of her. She’d thought of all the men in the world, Adam was different. Then again, she’d had him on that high pedestal of hers for so long, he was bound to fall off at some point. Indignant anger and hurt stiffened her resolve, and she met his gaze direct. “This isn’t a joke, Adam. I am not a joke. Considering how you chased away all those bullies for making fun of me as a kid, I’d think you’d be honored I trust you enough to ask for your assistance with my problem.”
“Honored?” He turned away, mumbling what sounded like a curse under his breath. “Look, Mel. You’ve always had some cockeyed vision of me as your knight in shining armor, but I’m not that guy. I never have been. I doubt I ever could be. The last time you asked me about…this”—he waved his hand in her direction without looking at her—“I said no. I never expected you to come at me with this again.” He ran a hand through his dark hair, mussing it even more. Mel bit her lip. He still looked gorgeous, even as he stalked to the far side of the room, his movements lithe and graceful and those faded, stained jeans perfectly cupping his tight butt. Not that Mel noticed. Nope.
Finally, Adam stopped and sighed, glancing back at her over his shoulder. “Why, Mel?”
Guilt squeezed her chest, but she couldn’t back down now. She’d come too far. “I know this puts you in a difficult position, but you were always the coolest guy in town. The rebel. You still are, even after eight years. If anyone can change my reputation, it’s you, Adam.”
“I don’t know.” He walked back to stand in front of her, his gaze traveling slowly over her from head to toe. Mel felt that look like a physical caress. “Why do you need a makeover? You look fine to me.”
“Fine?” She gave a mirthless laugh and shook her head. “Fine has gotten me exactly nowhere. The guys around here don’t want to date fine. And they certainly don’t want to take fine to bed. I’m going to be twenty-five next month, and I’m still a virgin. How fine is that?”
He blinked at her, and she slapped her hand over her mouth, eyes wide.
Yeah, she hadn’t meant to say that much.
Adam towered over her, an inscrutable glint in his deep blue eyes. She’d always thought they were his best feature, which was saying something, given his perfect body, perfect face, perfect hair, and perfect bad-boy attitude. She was five four, but he stood a good foot taller.
She had to tilt her head back to meet his gaze.
His expression looked more curious now than interested.
Great. She’d blurted out her truth and gotten nothing in return. Mel crossed her arms. “You’re not looking at me like I’m a woman.”
Adam scrunched his nose. “I’ve known you since we were kids, Mel. Pretty sure I got the memo you’re female.”
“That’s not what I meant.” She gave a disgusted sigh. “No wonder you and James are best friends.”
“Hey, James is a great guy.”
“Yeah, he’s marvelous.” Mel turned away. Sure, James was nice enough, as siblings went, but he also tended to be nosy and overbearing in that big-brother sort of way. Besides, she’d thought Adam had evolved past the clueless stage every other guy in Point Beacon seemed stuck in, but apparently he was mouth-breathing along with the rest of them.
“You need to stop looking at me as your best friend’s little sister. I’m more than the sweet librarian who takes in stray cats and teaches kids to read on the weekends.” Waldo meowed loudly and twined his way around her ankles. She closed her eyes. Okay, maybe she did do all those things, but she was also so much more. “That’s how everyone in this town sees me, if they notice me at all. I’m tired of being invisible. For once, I want a man to sit up and take notice. I want Point Beacon to see me for who I really am, for who I want to be.”
Mel swallowed hard against a sudden lump of sadness in her throat. She’d thought she was ready for this conversation with Adam, but obviously she wasn’t. She’d vowed not to get emotional, because the last thing she wanted was his pity. All she needed was his help.
After a few agonizing seconds, she hazarded a peek at him.
He was staring down the hallway opposite them, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. His deep, resigned tone resonated inside the kitchen. “I’m sorry, Mel. I am. But I’m not the right man for this job. You don’t need my help or anyone else’s. You’re an accomplished woman. You’ve got a college degree. You run that library like a well-oiled machine from what people tell me.” He glanced back at her. “You’ve got your own style, but you’re selling yourself short.”
She shifted her weight. Part of her wanted to scream she was the biggest undatable loser in the tristate area. Why couldn’t he see that? The other part of her, though, yearned to make him understand. She was determined to lose her virginity in the next four weeks or die trying. With or without Adam’s help.
But man, oh man, did she want his help.
“Do me a favor. Take a step back,” she said. Adam gave her a wary look but did so. “Good. Now I want you to try to look at me through the eyes of a stranger.” She smoothed a hand down her twinset and skirt and did her best not to fidget. “Tell me what you see.”
Blood pounded loudly in her ears and drowned out the heavy silence. She waited for him to speak. At the same time, she dreaded what he would say.
Lord, what if he calls me fine again? Or worse, boring?
“What I see is Melody Bryant. James’s little sister. A brilliant woman who gets things done. A hard worker. Dedicated. Loyal. Smart. Caring. Quirky but confident.” He leaned his hip against the counter, as if waiting for her to argue.
She took him up on that challenge. “That’s very nice, but you’re blind. I might be confident at my job, but when it comes to socializing and dating, I’m lost. I refuse to enter the next year of my life alone and desperate.”
Adam grinned then, his teeth white and even against his tanned skin. “I’m sure the right guy will come along soon. Give it time.”
“I’ve wasted enough time.” She persisted. “Would you notice me in a crowd? It wouldn’t be the first time you were over at my parents’ house and forgot I was even in the room.”
“One time that happened, Mel, and you know I was concentrating on not flunking out of senior finals. Jeez. If you were older, I’d think you were going through a midlife crisis.”
“Is that supposed to be funny? ’Cause it’s not.”
They stared at each other until the tension in the room faded and they both cracked up.
“Okay.” Mel snort-laughed. “Maybe it was a little funny. I guess I’m having my crisis early.” Mel shrugged one shoulder. “Lilly thinks I look like June Cleaver. All the men I’ve dated around here can’t seem to get away from me soon enough. There’s only one factor present in all these equations. Me. I’m not cool. But you are. You can teach me. You can help me.”
“Bull.” He scoffed and rubbed his chin. “I appreciate what you’re going through, Mel, but I just don’t think—”
“Please?” She wasn’t above begging, feeling more desperate by the second as her chance with him slipped away. “I need to make changes. Lilly can help me with some parts, but I need a guy’s perspective for the dating part, to point me in the right direction, to show me what I need to do, how I need to be.” She was laying it on pretty thick, but if it bagged her quarry, she’d roll with it. “Please. You can’t know what it’s like, how lonely it is without any prospects for the future. I’m a mess.”
His dark blue eyes flared, and he took her arm as she passed. “You’re not a mess.”
“Then you’re either blind or a liar, Adam Foster.” She pulled free, her skin tingling from his touch. “Lilly’s right. I am June Cleav
er. Or worse. I’m Marian the Librarian on steroids.”
Adam frowned. “C’mon, Mel.”
“No. I want more. More than being the predictable, boring, forgettable woman everyone in this town sets their clocks by. I need to feel more confident socially, even if that means faking it ’til I make it. I want a makeover. Head to toe. Inside and out.” She wasn’t letting him get away this time. “All I want is your opinion. You know what you like, right? You’ve dated more women than I can count. When you walk into a room, you command attention. When I meet a new man, his eyes usually glaze over in minutes. I need you to teach me how to sparkle.”
“Mel,” he said, his tone imploring. “You sparkle just fine on your own.”
“There’s that word again.” She tapped her toes against the hardwood floor. “I swear if I hear one more ‘fine’ I’m going to—”
“Maybe you’re picking the wrong guys,” he said, holding up his hands. “Like I said, give it time. Nothing happens overnight.”
The sympathy in his voice only set her off more. “Overnight? I’m going to be twenty-five, Adam. Don’t you think if the popularity fairy was going to throw magic pixie dust my way, she would’ve done it by now?”
“Hey, you asked me what I saw, so I told you.” He straightened. “Besides, with the way you’re laying into me right now, I don’t think confidence is your problem at all.”
“I’m confident with you—you’re practically family. Plus, we’re alone. But take me out to dinner or a movie. Or better yet, take me to one of the clubs you and James frequented in Indy, and I turn into a fact-spouting, babbling idiot.” She added in something she hadn’t shared with anyone else yet, but she wanted to keep the momentum going. “There’s a regional position opening up through the main library branch in Indy next month. It would be a huge promotion from what I’m doing now, and the pay is higher. I’d be in charge of the Point Beacon library, plus several others in the area. But I’ve got no shot if I can’t schmooze.”
How to Seduce a Bad Boy Page 2
