by Cathryn Fox
“I need to stop this, Jaelyn,” she said, her voice bordering on hysteria as she searched for her shoes to tug them back on.
Her stomach turned inside out as she listened to the chorus of violent sounds as fists hit and bones crunched. Jaelyn pulled her closer and jerked her head forward. “Don’t worry. I think your lover boy can hold his own.”
“He’s not my…” She let her words fall off. Now was not the time to be getting into a debate on who Ryeland was or wasn’t.
The sound of sirens reached them from the distance and relief washed through her.
“Thank God.” Mel hugged Jaelyn tighter. At least someone had kept a level head and alerted the police.
“Shit. Cops!” some guy yelled, and the crowd took off, leaving Ryeland, Trevor, and their friends to fend for themselves.
Mel stood and brushed the sand from her knees. She looked up to see Sattler coming their way. His gaze combed the beach before bobbing back and forth between Trevor and Ryeland.
It settled on Trevor. “What’s going on here?” he asked, in a hard voice that Mel had only heard him use once before, right before he took her father away in handcuffs after the incident at the hotel.
“Nothing,” Trevor said, spitting out a mouthful of blood. “Just cutting loose after a hard year in school, Uncle Ronnie.” He smirked at Ryeland—a look that said he planned to finish what he started. “Isn’t that right, buddy?” Trevor put his arm on Ryeland’s shoulder and grinned.
“Yeah, that’s right.” Ryeland nodded in agreement. “We were blowing off steam.”
Sattler turned toward Mel and frowned. She shrunk into herself, the way she always did when she wanted to disappear. “I’m surprised to find you here.”
“I was here to see…” She stopped and looked at Jaelyn, who was smoothing her hair back and looking at Sattler like she wanted to eat him alive. “Actually, I was just leaving.”
Sattler hooked his thumbs into his belt loop and looked over his shoulder. “I’m headed to the resort. You want me to give you a lift?”
“I’ve got her,” Ryeland said, shaking Trevor off and moving in beside her. He put his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to lay claim. Mel didn’t miss the way Trevor’s nostrils flared in response. What the hell? Did he think she would ever have anything to do with him after the things he’d done and said?
“Mel?” Sattler asked, glaring at Ryeland with suspicious eyes.
“It’s okay.” Mel tried not to flinch as Ryeland held her. She really was going to have to teach him a thing or two about personal space. When Sattler gave her a dubious look, she rushed out with, “I’m okay.”
He watched her carefully and she tried not to fidget under that all-knowing gaze, then he finally conceded. “All right.” He turned his glare to his nephew. “Trevor, come with me.”
Like a petulant child, Trevor curled his shoulders forward and walked away with his uncle, his friends following.
“Yeah that’s right, you better get the fuck out of here,” Nikko said, slamming his right fist into his open palm.
Cameron wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and stepped up to Ryeland. “Well that was fun.”
Justin came up from behind and put his hand on Ryeland’s shoulder. “Christ, Ryeland, did you have to pick on the biggest bastard here?”
Ryeland shook his head. “Justin, this is Mel. Mel, this is the asshole that splashed you today. I think he has something to say.”
“Yeah, sorry about that.” Justin took a step closer to her. “Was just trying to avoid a squirrel. It won’t happen again.”
“It better not.” Ryeland pulled her in tighter, his warmth curling around her like a wool blanket and pushing back the cold.
“You okay?” Jaelyn asked as the two boys she was playing with earlier came up to her, clearly wanting to pick up where they left off.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she said, even though she couldn’t seem to stop shivering.
“If you’re not, I can—”
“I am. Now go. I’m going to head back and get some sleep.” She looked at the boys waiting for Jaelyn and recognized them as vacationers who came here every summer. Mel might not live the same lifestyle as her friend, but who was she to judge. She leaned in and whispered, “Have fun, but be careful, okay?”
Jaelyn hesitated for a moment. She looked at Ryeland, then back at Mel. “You sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. Now go.”
“Okay.” She gave Mel a hug and disappeared down the beach with her two boy toys. Now that Sattler was gone, people were emerging from the shadows and filling the beach once again.
Ryeland jutted his chin toward his friends. “I’ll catch up with you guys later. I’m going to make sure Mel gets home safely.” He scrubbed his hand over his jaw and said, “And, thanks for jumping in to help.”
“You know we’ve got your back,” Cameron said before he drove his hands into his pockets and sauntered off with Justin and Nikko.
When his friends left, Ryeland turned her toward the road and started walking, his arm still around her. Mel caught sight of his Jeep, then shot a sidelong glance his way. She took in his handsome profile and the dark contemplative look on his face.
As if feeling her eyes on him, he angled his head. “Who was that guy anyway?”
“Just someone I once knew, or at least thought I knew.”
His features softened when his gaze zeroed in on her, and the strength of the impact hit like a physical blow. O-kay…
“What did he want?”
Trying not to think about the way he affected her, she blurted out, “What every guy wants.”
Ryeland dragged her in closer, the heat of his body wrapping around her and making her feel a little bit woozy. As her body turned mutinous, taking too much pleasure in his warmth, she stepped away in an attempt to get her control back. “Just so you know, I can fight my own battles, Ryeland. You don’t need to keep coming to my rescue.”
“I know you can. But I was itching for a fight anyway.”
“Why…?” Her words fell off and she winced as her eyes narrowed in on his forehead.
“What?” he said.
She went up on her tiptoes and pushed his hair off his face. “You’re bleeding.”
He wiped his hand over his forehead and winced.
She whacked his hand away. “Don’t touch it.”
“Why?”
“You’ll get it all infected.”
His face softened again, and his voice was low when he said, “There you go worrying about me again.”
“I just didn’t want you to bleed all over my shirt.” She continued to walk, trying to shake off the strange way he made her feel. “You’d better get home and get that cleaned up.” When she realized he’d stopped walking, she turned back. “What?”
He frowned, and the muscles in his jaw flexed as he fisted his hair. “I can’t go home. I got in a huge fight with my parents and I’m not ready to go back yet. I think we all need some time to cool down.”
“Is that why you were itching for a fight?”
“Maybe.”
Mel’s thoughts raced back to the dining room incident and her throat tightened. “Please tell me this fight had nothing to do with me.”
He gave a quick shake of his head and his hair fell forward, making him look incredibly sexy. “It didn’t.”
Her fingers itched and she linked them together to stop herself from pushing his hair back again. “Good. I don’t want you fighting about me. I’m not worth it.”
He took two measured steps, until their bodies were touching once again. “What if I think you are?”
“Then I’d ask how hard Trevor really hit you.”
He looked at her for a moment then burst out laughing. A deep belly laugh so loud and contagious she couldn’t help but laugh along with him.
When he stopped he ran his thumb along her cheek. “You’ve got a wicked sense of humor, Melody.”
“It’s Mel.” Needing to break
this hold he had over her she said, “Come on.” She grabbed him by the shirt to drag him to his vehicle.
He followed along. “Where are we going?”
“I’m going to let you drive me home, and then I’m going to bandage you.”
His teeth flashed in a triumphant smile. “You are? Why?”
“Because I feel responsible for all this and I also get the sense that you’re not going to let up until I finally give in and let you give me a lift.”
“You’re right.”
“Then will you leave me alone?”
He threw his arms up in the air, his lips quirking. “I just got my ass kicked for you, and I probably have a concussion. I wouldn’t be surprised if I wandered into oncoming traffic and got run over and this…this is how you treat me?”
“Are you always this dramatic? Maybe you should take a Midol.”
“A Midol? I let Trevor use my face as a punching bag and all you’re offering me is a Midol. That hardly seems fair.”
Her stomach fluttered like crazy as he stood there, his expression filled with mock exasperation. “Okay, what would be fair?” she asked.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe a little TLC.”
When she caught his half-cocked grin, she rolled her eyes. “I never asked you to get your ass kicked.” Although she had to admit, he was a lot tougher than she’d first thought. In fact, while he might be a nice guy, he was kind of a bad ass too, and it secretly thrilled her that he got a few hard hits in of his own. She hated violence, but Trevor had it coming.
“I know,” he said, his hand brushing against her as his expression changed, became serious. “But I’d get my ass kicked a thousand times a day if it meant seeing you smile like that.”
A shiver tingled all the way to her toes and her knees weakened as the rough pads of his fingers caressed her palms. There wasn’t a damn thing she could do to harden herself against his charm. The guy was irresistible and if she knew what was good for her, she’d hightail it the other way and never look back.
Walk away, Mel. Just walk away.
“Come on,” she said.
Dammit.
Ryeland Montgomery was starting to mess with her head.
Chapter Six
Feeling fiercely protective after their run-in with Trevor, Ryeland kept close to Mel as they walked toward the road, and it took everything he had inside him not to grab her and pull her in tighter, to tell her everything would be okay. She was still shaking, and he could tell by her eyes that the whole situation with her ex had hurt more than she let on. He had no idea what went on between the two in the past, and it really wasn’t his business, but no way in hell was he about to stand there and let that bastard talk to her like that.
“Are you okay to drive?” she asked when they reached his Jeep.
He held the keys out to her. “Can you drive a stick?”
“Actually no. I don’t have my license.”
“Well shit.” He pulled the keys back and twirled the ring around his finger. “We’ll have to do something about that.”
“I’ve never needed it,” she went on to explain. “Everything is within walking distance and there’s always the shuttle.”
Ryeland hit the unlock button and circled the front. He slid in beside her. “It’s not hard. I’ll teach you.”
She crinkled that cute little nose of hers. “I’d probably ruin your transmission.”
“Such little faith in your teacher, young grasshopper.”
Ryeland pulled onto the road as Mel buckled herself in. He could feel her eyes on him as he negotiated his Jeep along the windy road.
“I take it you really like Karate Kid,” she said.
Wanting to keep things light and put her at ease he said, “Don’t you?”
She rested her head against the seat and stifled a yawn. “Not really.”
“So what do you like?”
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Anything Nicholas Sparks I guess.”
“Ah, a believer in true love.”
She sat up straighter and looked at him, surprise in her eyes. “So you’ve seen his movies?”
“Nope.”
“You’re lying.” She laughed as she hit him in the arm. “You have. Admit it.”
He rubbed his arm and feigned hurt. “Nope. Didn’t see any of his movies. And that’s quite a punch you got there.”
She settled back against the seat and crossed her arms. “You’re not a very good liar.”
“Hmm, and here I thought I was.”
Ryeland took the corner and headed to Wolf Creek Lodge. A few minutes later he pulled into guest parking and killed the ignition.
Her head jerked his way. “Wait how do you know which building I live in?”
“You’re kind of legendary around here too.”
She frowned, and went eerily still. “Right.”
“Was it something I said?” Ryeland asked as he turned to her. Unable to help himself he reached out and curled a long strand of her hair around his finger.
“No.” She pulled away from him and reached for the door handle. “Let’s get you cleaned up so you can go home and work things out with your folks.”
This time he frowned and went still.
She turned back to him. “Was it something I said?”
“Yeah.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Nah, it’s fine.” Now that he was with Mel, the last thing he wanted to think about was how judgmental his parents were, or how he spent a lifetime being pushed in one direction when he wanted to go in another.
He jumped from his seat and walked around to her side. A couple of girls came from the lodge as they approached the side door. One was eating French fries from a cardboard container.
“Mel,” she said, dipping the fry into ketchup and licking it before tossing it into her mouth. She looked at Ryeland and for a minute he feared she was going to dump that ketchup over him then lick him clean. Jesus…
“Jess,” Mel returned. Mel pushed past her and grabbed the door before it closed.
“You partying at the Cave tonight?” Jess asked her, her eyes never leaving Ryeland.
“No, just returning.”
“And I can see you brought your own party with you.” Jess grabbed another fry, put it between her lips and slowly pushed in. “Damn, girl, I wish I’d gotten there first.” She cast her glance downward to take in his body and pouted her painted lips in a way the probably got her everything she’d ever wanted. “You wouldn’t happen to have a brother, would you?”
He leaned forward. “Yeah, but he’s far too young to be corrupted by you.”
Jess laughed and, continuing to mimic a blowjob, eased another fry into her mouth. “I’ll see you later.”
When she left, he turned to find Mel staring at him, her mouth open.
“What?”
Her glance moved over his face and she shook her head. “You have no idea, do you?”
“Afraid you lost me.”
“Never mind.”
He laughed. “Come on. You can’t say something like that and leave me hanging.”
“Fine. You’re like nectar to a honeybee, Ryeland.” He followed close behind as she took the stairs two at a time, stopping on the fourth floor. “Wherever you go girls seem to fall all over you.”
He reached past her and pulled the door open. “Not all girls.”
She rolled her eyes and ignored him. “This way.” She stepped into the hall and turned left. Once the reached her room, she fished her key from her pocket and let him into her dorm-style bedroom.
“Nice,” he said, giving it a quick scan.
She looked a bit uncomfortable as he followed her inside. “It’s temporary.”
“Oh yeah?” He was about to ask more when she cut him off.
“Yeah, now sit.” She gestured toward the chair in front of a small desk and he fell into it, stretching his legs in front of him. “I’ll be right back.”
She dropped her phone onto the desk and
disappeared into her small bathroom. He listened to her turn the water on and grabbed her phone, punching in his number and taking note of hers. Carefully putting it exactly where she’d left it, he looked at her unmade bed and the yellow flower print on her sheets. He grinned. Here he’d taken her more for a Powerpuff kind of girl, or ninjas. At least she didn’t have three thousand stuffed animals lining the head of her bed. Other than a picture of her and her friend on her nightstand, her walls and dresser were bare of anything personal. In his Montreal apartment he at least had a picture of his family. After a quick scan of the small space, he looked at the laptop on her desk, a stack of papers beside it. He leaned forward, wanting to get a peek. He read the first few lines on the top sheet of paper, but sat back in his chair when the water turned off.
Mel came from the bathroom and her nervous glance left his face. She darted a fast look at the papers he’d been looking at. She came closer, set a tube of ointment and a box of bandages on her desk, and in one easy movement slipped a blank sheet of paper over the pile. Clearly she wasn’t quite ready to give him a peek into her personal life.
Her glance moved over his forehead and she frowned. “Does it hurt?”
He rubbed his jaw. “Like a son of a bitch.” He crooked his finger, urging her closer. “I’m ready for that TLC.”
She leaned over him to examine his wound and he widened his legs to give her better access. She came closer and her sweet scent washed over him. Her body aligned perfectly with his, and there wasn’t a damn thing he could to do keep his cock from hardening. Shit. He shifted to hide his erection, knowing she’d throw his sorry ass out the window if she knew he was having a party in his pants.
“This might sting.” She poured peroxide onto a cotton ball, but Ryeland didn’t have the heart to tell her peroxide should never be used on an open cut. She pressed it to his forehead and he winced.
“Shit.”
“Sorry.” She looked like she was trying not to laugh as she swiped it across his wound.
“What kind of TLC is that?” She moved a little closer, standing between his legs, and he squeezed the arm of the chair to stop himself from pulling her into his lap. “I think you’re being rough on purpose.”
She wiped again and held the cotton out for him to examine. “It’s the only way to get the sand out.”
