Wasted Summer

by Cathryn Fox

  “What’s up?” he asked, bending to drop a soft kiss onto her mouth.

  She grabbed his hand. “Come on. I want to show you something.”

  He grinned. “Oh yeah, there’s something I—”

  “Ryeland,” she warned, whacking him. When she saw her teacher, Marcus, walking from the classroom, she dropped Ryeland’s hand and straightened. She didn’t miss the wounded look on Ryeland’s face as she put a small measure of distance between them.

  When Marcus left through the front doors, Ryeland pulled her to him. “What was that all about?”

  She gave an easy shrug. “Nothing.”

  He frowned. “Are you embarrassed to be seen with me?”

  “No,” she said. “It’s not that.”

  “Then what is it? It better not be because you like him.”

  “No, of course not.” She crinkled her nose and grabbed his hand. “He’s my teacher. I don’t want him to know anything about my personal life, and well, people talk.”

  “I don’t care, Melody.” He fisted his hair, a distressed look on his face. “I don’t care who knows how I feel about you, or what they say.”

  She looked at his chest. “I don’t want any more rumors.”

  Ryeland cupped her chin and lifted her face until they were eye to eye. “You let me deal with that, okay?”

  Not wanting to think about that anymore, she said, “Come with me.” She led him through the busy hall, students passing them by as they exited their classrooms, and guided him to the library.

  She took him to the reference section and pulled out an MCAT book. “Now,” she began, “we can study together.”

  He took the book from her, and his face fell as he looked at the cover.

  Unease moved through her. “What? I’m sorry. I thought—”

  “Melody,” he said cutting her off. “You did this? You looked for this book for me?”

  “Yeah.” She pulled her phone from her back pocket and pulled up a website. “I also looked into the dates for taking the test. If you register now, you can take it at the end of the summer. They have a testing site in Jasper, driving distance from here. I could go with you, if you want.”

  “I just…I…” he said, and dropped the book on the shelf behind her. He scrubbed his palm over his chin and a look she couldn’t quiet identify moved over his face. His nostrils flared and his silver eyes went to hers.

  She swallowed, wondering what was going on with him. “Don’t you want to—”

  Before she could finish, he put his hand around her head and drew her mouth to his. “Yeah, I want to,” he whispered into her mouth. “But first I want to kiss you.”

  His mouth found hers and he slipped his tongue inside. He kissed her softly at first, then backed her up against the shelving unit and deepened it. He pushed against her, and she could feel his arousal.

  She kissed him back, sliding her arms around his waist, loving the way his body shook beneath her touch.

  Someone cleared their throat and Ryeland jerked away. They both turned to see the elderly librarian glaring at them over the rim of her glasses.

  “Sorry,” Mel said quickly, grabbing the book from behind her and trying not to sound as breathless as she felt. “We were about to check this out.”

  “That’s not what it looked like to me,” she said.

  “It’s the MCATs,” Ryeland explained, trying to keep the grin from his face. “What you saw here was just us doing a little hands-on research. They encourage that in chapter five right, Melody?”

  “Yeah, chapter five,” she agreed, pinching herself to stop from laughing.

  The librarian jerked her thumb toward the door. “Take it somewhere else,” she said, and while she kept her face stern, Mel was sure she caught a hint of a smile pulling at her.

  Ryeland grabbed her hand and tugged, and as she caught his grin, her insides turned over. Honest to God, the boy was trouble with a capital T.

  Chapter Twelve

  Ryeland turned the page of his book and stole another peek at Melody as she punched away on her laptop. Here it was Friday night, and they were once again working together at Edible’s café in Copperville, like they had every other night for the past week. It was a quiet place to work—and because he wanted to be alone with her—here in Deerfield’s neighboring town, they were less likely to run into people who knew them, people who would bother them.

  “Are you ever going to let me read it?” he asked, eyeing her over his book.

  She looked up at him. “No.”

  “Come on.” He dropped his book onto the table. “You let Marcus read it.”

  “He’s my teacher.”

  “I’m your boyfriend.” A strange look came over her face. “What?” he asked.

  “I just…I guess I never…”

  “Thought of me as your boyfriend?” She opened her mouth to say something, then shut it again. He reached out to touch her hand and slid his thumb over her wrist. He lowered his voice and asked, “Are you ever going to open up to me, Melody?”

  “It’s a romance novel,” she said. “You don’t read romance.”

  He pointed to his medical book. “Well, I’m reading a lot of things I never thought I’d be reading.”

  She pursed her lips. “You won’t laugh?”

  “No.”

  She went quiet for a moment, like she was having second thoughts, then said, “Maybe another time.”

  “I’m going to hold you to that.” She returned to her work and he listened to her click away. Curious, he asked, “How many books have you written anyway?”

  “Four,” she said.

  “Have you ever submitted any?”

  “No.”

  “Why?”

  She gave him a look that showed her annoyance with him, but then said, “If you must know, I’ve never really finished any.”

  “How come?”

  “I don’t know.” She curled a strand of hair around her finger and shrugged. “I guess I just don’t know how to end them. I mean, I’ve read a lot of books, and books on the craft. I’ve studied how it’s done, but when it comes to mine, I can’t seem to nail the happily-ever-after.”

  “Maybe it’s because you haven’t experienced it yet.” He winked.

  “That’s kind of deep for a Friday night, Ryeland,” she said, a teasing look on her face. She pointed to his book, clearly wanting to drop the subject. “We still have another hour, so get to work.”

  He gave her his best mischievous grin, finding it hard to concentrate when all he wanted to do was kiss her again. “And if I don’t? Will you get out the whip?” He pretended to look over the top of her laptop. “Didn’t I see you writing about that?”

  “I don’t write those kind of stories,” she said, then under her breath she added, “I only read them.”

  They both laughed and that’s when the door opened and in sauntered Justin and Nikko. Before Ryeland could close his book and put it away, Justin came bounding over. One look at his eyes told Ryeland he was high.

  “What the fuck?” Justin said his gaze bobbing back and forth between the two of them. “So this is where you two have been hiding.” He put his hand on Ryeland’s shoulder and sank into the chair next to him. “You’re missed at the Cave, pal. Everyone thinks you’re hiding from Trevor.”

  “I’m not,” he said coolly.

  He watched the way Melody stiffened, and beneath the table he pressed his knees to hers. Her gaze darted to his and he hated the worry he spotted there. He reached under the table and gave her leg a comforting squeeze.

  He turned to Justin, “What are you two doing here, anyway?”

  “Justin’s got the munchies,” Nikko said as he settled in the seat next to Melody, sitting entirely too close. Possession raged inside Ryeland as he glared at Nikko. Ignoring him, Nikko pointed to the pastry shelf. “We’re here to get a dozen.” Nikko turned the question back on them as Melody closed her laptop and placed it over his MCAT book. “What are you two doing here?”r />
  “Better yet…” Justin gawked at Melody and jerked his thumb toward Ryeland. “What are you doing here with this douche when I’m available and he’s not?”

  Ryeland stiffened. “Back off, Justin.”

  “Hey, I’m only kidding.” He gave Ryeland a playful punch. “Sort of.”

  “What do you mean?” Melody asked, her voice low, her eyes cautious as they zeroed in on Justin.

  “He doesn’t mean anything,” Ryeland said, gripping her knee. “Melody, look at me.” She turned wary eyes his way and he said, “He doesn’t mean anything.”

  “So she doesn’t know, then,” Justin said, so freaking high on weed he probably didn’t even know the trouble he was stirring up. Then again, maybe he did, and maybe before the night was over he’d end up with Ryeland’s fist in his face.

  Melody’s face paled, and it reminded him that she’d been hurt before and didn’t trust easily. “What don’t I know?”

  “Our boy here is practically married. His old man has a pretty little thing all lined up for him. The right girl for Daddy’s little protégé.” He winked. “And you can bet your ass what his daddy wants his daddy gets.”

  “You’re high, Justin, and have no idea what you’re talking about, so fuck off and get out of here.”

  Justin laughed and stood up. “Yeah, maybe you’re right. Let’s go,” he said to Nikko. “But Suzette’s been looking for you. If we run into her again should we tell her you’re here?”

  Without taking his eyes off Melody, he said. “I don’t care what you tell her.”

  “I guess you can tell her yourself where you’ve been, since you’ll be seeing her on the court tomorrow,” Justin said, and Ryeland shot him a quick glance, catching the wry smirk on his face.

  “Oh yeah,” Nikko added. “You two are playing doubles this year, right?”

  “Only because my father arranged for us to be in the end of the summer tournament together,” Ryeland explained through gritted teeth.

  Justin bumped fists with Nikko. “Like I said, what Daddy wants Daddy gets.”

  “I only agreed because it was for charity.” He looked at Melody, desperate to explain. “And to get him off my back for a bit.”

  Justin backed up. “Hey, whatever, pal. Not my business.”

  When the two walked away, Ryeland fisted his hands under the table and resisted the urge to go punch his former friend in the throat.

  “Ryeland,” Melody said, stuffing her laptop into her bag, the tension in her shoulders like a hard slap to the face. “We should go.”

  “Melody,” he began, grabbing her hand to stop her. “I’m with you. Only you. You have to believe that. Justin is an asshole and a troublemaker. You of all people know that.”

  She went quiet for a moment, then nodded. “I know he is, but…” She exhaled slowly, sounding unconvinced about everything else. “Maybe we shouldn’t be doing this, Ryeland.” She waved her hand back and forth between them. “Maybe this is all…wrong.”

  Ryeland stood and pulled her up. Her body crashed against his and he dropped his mouth to hers. Despite the audience, and lacking any sort of discretion, he kissed her long, hard, and deep, holding her so tightly, so fiercely, there was no way she could even think he cared about anyone else.

  When he finally pulled back, he said, “Did that feel wrong?”

  She sucked in a breath. “No,” she whispered.

  “Because it’s not,” he said, and caught the smirk Justin aimed his way before he exited the café. “Let’s forget about what Justin said, and if you want me to quit the tournament, I will.”

  “No,” she said quickly. “It’s a great charity.”

  “I would have told you about it, but I just didn’t want to talk about Suzette when I was with you.” Those expressive eyes blinked up at him. “You’re the one I want, Melody,” he said, kicking himself for not mentioning it. Hearing it from Justin wasn’t going to help him prove he was trustworthy. “The only one.”

  Melody looked around, and shrugged into herself when she noticed all eyes on them. “Let’s get out of here,” she said.

  He grabbed her backpack and tossed it over his shoulder, and during the drive back to her place she remained relatively quiet. Music and laugher spilled onto the road as they passed the Cave and when he finally pulled into a parking space outside her lodge, she turned to him, a frown on her forehead.

  “Ryeland,” she began, and everything inside him tightened.

  “Yeah?”

  She looked at her hands folded in her lap, then her lashes fluttered as she glanced back at him. “Want to come in for a minute?”

  Worried about what it was she had on her mind, and hoping like hell what Justin had said wasn’t getting to her and giving her second thoughts about the two of them, he followed her inside. She remained quiet as she opened the door to her room. As he stepped in behind her, she turned back to him and the worry in her eyes had him wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her to him. Christ, her body felt so good next to his, so right, all he wanted to do was kiss away her reserve and put an end to her fears. He was not going to hurt her. He’d never hurt her.

  “What’s up?” he asked.

  “I want to show you something.”

  Relief moved through him. He exhaled slowly and wanting to lighten the mood he said, “Oh yeah, well I want to—”

  She broke from the circle of his arms, and his words died an abrupt death as she inched away. She held her hand out and he gave her a confused look.

  “My backpack,” she said.

  He slipped it off his shoulder and handed it to her. She reached inside, grabbed her laptop, and powered it up. A second later she put it on her desk and gestured toward her chair. He sat, and when he realized what she was doing, his heart squeezed.

  She sat on the bed behind him, her glance flickering to the screen. “I think the opening is good,” she said. “If you want to read it, you can.”

  “Are you serious?” he asked, so goddamn ecstatic that she was trusting him enough to give him a glimpse into her private life. It meant so much to him, especially after the stunt Justin had pulled tonight. That asshole could have ruined everything.

  “Yeah,” she answered quietly as he sat here a moment longer, marveling at the curious shift in her.

  He turned to the computer and started reading, all the while listening to her clothes rustle as she fidgeted restlessly on the mattress behind him. He scrolled through the manuscript and couldn’t help but smile. Melody’s quick humor was all over the page. She stepped up to him, and her hand went to his shoulder.

  “I’m surprised you didn’t try to skip to the good parts.” Her warm breath fell over his neck, and when she leaned over him and the sweet smell of her hair reached his nostrils, desire slammed into his gut, carrying the impact of a sucker punch.

  “Good parts?” he asked, his heart racing, his body urging him to turn and take her right there. Jesus, he wanted to touch her, taste her, to show her how good they could be together.

  She whacked his arm playfully. “You know what I mean.”

  He looked over his shoulder and when he saw a pink flush on her cheek he realized what she was talking about. “I do now.” He hit page down about five times looking for the sex scenes before Melody stopped him.

  “Don’t,” she said, laughing. “That will embarrass me.”

  He spun his chair around and put one arm around her waist, resting his hand on the small of her back. “You don’t ever have to be embarrassed with me.” He sucked in a breath when her eyes dropped to his mouth. Her sweet pink tongue darted out to swipe her bottom lip and he rubbed his temples with his thumb and forefinger, fighting for a measure of control.

  “Do you have any idea what you’re doing to me?” he bit out, his voice rougher than it was only seconds ago.

  “I think so,” she said, her tone so soft, so seductive, he considered the possibility that the glimpse into her life just might be her invitation for more.


  Excitement surged through him. “I want you, Melody.”

  She lowered her lashes and when she opened them again he saw the raw hunger. “I want you too,” she whispered.

  He pushed to his feet and grabbed her, moving her back until her legs hit the bed. “I don’t want to go too fast, but Christ I need to taste you. It’s all I can think about.” When she didn’t answer, he tugged on his hair, his heart hammering. “I promise to go slow and will stop anytime you tell me to.”

  She eased away and that’s when he thought he had his answer. He rolled his tongue around a suddenly dry mouth and was just about to kick his own ass for pushing too soon, but then she dropped onto her mattress, pulling him with her. He growled and followed her down, bracing his hands on either side of her head.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes,” she whispered, but barely managed to get that one word out before his mouth crashed down on hers.

  He kissed her hard, deep, and she shuddered beneath him as he sank into her warm, wet heat. She kissed him back, her tongue tangling, stroking, driving him wild with need. He slipped an arm under her and then shifted her to the middle of the mattress. Once he had her where he wanted her, he crawled over her body. His mouth found hers again and she immediately opened for him, welcoming him back. He settled on top of her and pushed one knee between her legs to widen them. His blood pulsed hot as she writhed beneath him, her hands racing over his back and tugging at his shirt.

  His cock thickened and pressed against her leg as he slid down her body, his lips trailing over her neck and lower, until his mouth hovered over her breasts. “You smell so good,” he murmured, brushing his lips over her nipples as they poked against her cotton shirt.

  “Rye,” she murmured, her voice reverberating through his blood as his cock ached to be inside her.

  Desperate to touch her, kiss every inch of her, he slipped a hand under her shirt and met her glance as he slid it upward, trailing his fingers over her warm stomach as he sought her breasts.