by Vivian Arend
But one thing was never going back to the way it had been before. Derrick wondered if the fact he’d fallen in love would be written on his every move from this moment forward.
Chapter Nine
Choss: Rotten rock—looks solid and safe, but is actually brittle and dangerous.
Melanie pulled up to the front of her rental, confused by the sight of her big brother Kane’s truck parked outside.
“Do you want us to wait here?” Derrick asked.
“No, you may as well help me carry my gear inside before we nab some supper. There’s no way I’m cooking, and I don’t think there’s much in the fridge anyway.”
Nathan grabbed her duffle bag off the backseat and winked at her. “Dinner’s on me.”
She returned his smile easily. There was nothing awkward between them, and she was so thankful. Even Saturday night, after she and Derrick had basically stripped and gone for it in front of the man, she’d experienced no discomfort. Sharing the tent with the three of them, breakfast and the hike out—all of it companionable and relaxed, and it was due to Nathan’s easygoing attitude. She knew it, Derrick knew it. Nathan was there, a part of their time, but not a challenge to their relationship, and grateful seemed an understatement for what Melanie felt.
It wasn’t just the ease between the three of them that made her giddy. They’d stopped to fill her car, and she’d suddenly become aware she was chatting to Derrick out the window as he pumped gas, her bare arm resting in plain sight on the open window ledge.
Someone had wandered past en route to paying at the kiosk, glanced at her and continued without another look.
There were no words to describe what a rush that was—to not have panic hit. To not want to hide.
She was still grinning from ear to ear when she opened her front door and ushered the guys into her small rental house. Kane rose from her couch, his face a storm ready to happen.
“Hey you, what you doing?” Melanie dropped her climbing bag on the countertop and headed to give him a hug.
“Waiting. I didn’t think you were going to be this late.” He nodded curtly at Derrick, eyed Nathan with suspicion. “You guys have good climbing conditions?”
“It was great. We got the pictures we needed for the article as well.” And she had slept fantastic after all the attention, sexual and otherwise, but she wasn’t about to tell her brother that part.
Kane glared at Nathan but spoke to her. “Did you sign anything? Do you have to let him keep the pictures?”
A small bubble of her happiness burst. His unexpected and harsh tone confused her. “Why are you asking that? What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong is that Mr. Big Shot Photographer over there has been feeding you a line, and I’m worried.”
“Nathan? He’s working for Rave—”
“Right. A ‘where are they now’ update to show how far people have come since their tragedies. Well, the first story in the series was in this weekend’s magazine and it’s nowhere near the inspirational thing you told me Nathan was looking for.”
Nathan stepped forward. “What are you accusing me of?”
“I don’t know, maybe setting my sister up?” Kane snapped. “The article was supposed to be something Melanie could be proud to be involved with. If this is your idea of good publicity, then you’re going to be in a great deal of pain when I’m done with you.”
Holy shit. Melanie stepped between her brother and Nathan. “Kane, stop. What are you talking about?”
He slapped a magazine into her hand. It was folded open to a page with bold pictures. The photos were gorgeous, a celebration of light and shadow. She recognized Nathan’s work from the test shots he’d done for her.
Nathan moved to her side. “What’s wrong? My photos are good.”
“The pictures are great, the story is crap,” Kane growled. “It’s dark and bitter, and more like a National Enquirer or a scandal sheet than anything else. The man was supposed to be making a comeback from a drunk-driving accident—turns out he’s the one who was drunk, and the article shows he’s even more of a loser than before the incident.”
“Oh, come on, so just because someone else in the series hasn’t done as well as Melanie, that’s my fault? My byline is on the photos, not the story.”
“Yeah, but it seems that you’d be in on the whole series concept. What do they intend to write about Mel?”
Nathan shook his head. “What I shared was what I was told—it’s all supposed to be positive stuff. I had no information about the guy in this article other than clicking the shots, so don’t make me out to be some kind of evil villain.”
Melanie had had enough. She swung to Nathan’s defense. “Kane, stop it. Stop it right now. I trust Nathan. We not only go way back, but we’ve talked a ton over the past couple days, and I know he’d never do anything to hurt me.”
Kane glared at Nathan for another moment before turning on Derrick. “And you—I thought you were my friend until I had an eye-opening conversation with Jack. How the hell could you think taking another guy into her bed would be a good thing for Melanie? What kind of asshole are you?”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She held out a hand to stop Derrick from answering. “Oh my God, Kane, you did not just say that. How dare you stick your nose into my personal life?”
“It’s true though, isn’t it? You fooled around with them both this weekend.”
The fact she hadn’t actually slept with Nathan was none of Kane’s business. “Derrick’s number-one focus has always been what’s best for me.”
“Letting another guy into your relationship? That’s not how a man who cares about you acts, Mel.”
The implied insult that she wasn’t capable of making her own decisions was more than enough to ignite Melanie’s temper. “Oh, like you’re the one to give me shit. You’re sleeping with Dara, and so is Jack. How it that any better? In fact, if anything it’s even weirder because you and Jack are like best friends. Don’t be a bloody hypocrite.”
“We both had a long-term relationship with Dara before we stepped into anything physical. You’ve only been with Derrick for a couple months, and he’s already inviting another guy into the action? When you don’t know how long the dude will stick around or what his real motivations are? It’s not the same.”
“Butt the hell out, big brother.”
“I am your big brother. I care about you and I don’t want to see you hurt.”
“This isn’t about you. Holy crap, you have no idea, do you?” Melanie shook her hands in his face before stepping back. Nathan had retreated slightly, standing uneasily by the edge of the living room. Derrick waited at her side, a dark tower of barely contained simmering rage. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at her brother. An emotional explosion trembled on the horizon. She lowered her volume to emphasize her words. “You have no idea how much pain I’ve been in over the past couple years. Not physical, but mental. How I could barely make it out of bed some mornings because I was sure someone would find a way to remind me I wasn’t what I used to be. That I was lacking.”
Kane’s face had gone pale under his summer tan. “I didn’t know it had been so bad.”
She hadn’t finished. Slowly over the past week all her burdens had come unraveled, been lifted from her, and being able to vocalize what a relief she experienced made her voice tremble. Melanie lifted her chin defiantly, directing a fierce look in his direction. “Well, after this weekend I know I’m not less of a woman than I was before the accident. I had two gorgeous guys lavish attention on me, and it felt damn good. They gave me physical proof that not only was I strong and brave, and all those things, I was desired. Lusted after, even, and by God, it was amazing.”
All Kane’s bluster disappeared, and he seemed to struggle to get the words out. “I…I don’t know what to say.”
Guilt radiated from him, but that wasn’t enough to wipe away his interference or the other hurt his words had caused. She turned her back on him
for a moment to lay a calming hand on Derrick’s arm and speak quietly. “Thank you for letting me deal with this.”
Derrick nodded, the tension in his body relaxing a notch. “Your battle, but let me know when you need backup. By the way…” He leaned in closer. “You’re spectacular when you’re pissed.”
Oh God. The flash of amusement his words caused smothered a huge section of anger still burning inside her. Impulsively, she wrapped her arms around his broad chest to hug him tight. How did he do that? Offer exactly what she needed to hear? “You are so perfect.”
He rested his chin on the top of her head for a moment as he squeezed. Derrick was a rock, her rock. Solid, and completely there for her. Not to take over her life, but to provide a firm place to stand while she took back control.
She was falling in love harder by the minute.
Melanie turned to face her brother. He’d meant well—she needed to remember that—but it was well-meaning friends and family who had caused a lot of her pain. “There’s nothing else to say, Kane. There was nothing you could do to fix it, so I kept it to myself.”
Kane looked wearily around the room as he dragged a hand through his hair. He took in Nathan, standing alone to the side. His gaze lingered on Derrick and the way he held her close. “Okay. You’re right. You’re right, and I need to butt out. But Mel…if you do need me in the future, tell me. Please.”
She sniffed, her throat tight with emotion. “I will.”
He glanced again at Nathan. “Anything, including shit like breaking knees. I know how to make someone disappear so they’ll never find the body.”
Yup, that sounded like her family. She forced out a laugh. “Have shovel, will use it? Kane. It’s going to be okay. I really do trust Nathan.”
“I’m looking out for her too. Stop being an ass toward both your sister and me. Damn idiot.” Derrick’s deep rumble made Melanie hide a smile.
“Yeah, well, I’m still not sure I approve of you dating her, so don’t push it, spider-boy.” Kane hesitated then held out his arms. Melanie slipped from Derrick’s embrace to give her brother a quick hug.
Kane took his leave with only a few more suspicious glances directed Nathan’s way.
And then, they were alone.
Melanie made herself busy, unpacking and tucking her camping gear into the storage chest in the corner. Some of her bright happiness had disappeared, clouded by Kane’s accusations, but she figured it would pass. She just needed a few minutes to get her brain back on target and remember the past thirty-six hours.
An incredible thirty-six hours. It seemed too short a time for the changes she felt inside to have occurred.
“I swear, Mel, I knew nothing about this.” Nathan had the article in hand and a huge frown marring his face.
Shit. She hurried to his side and tugged the magazine from his fingers, tossing it to the couch. “I said I believed you. Nate—you’ve never been the kind of guy to go around hurting others. I don’t think you’re going to start with me.”
“But what if—”
“What if what? What could they print that could possibly hurt me anymore?” A huge sweep of emotions rushed her again. Incredible gratitude was the most prevalent, and that’s what made the words easy to say. “‘On the outside, Melanie Dixon appears to have healed, but in reality, she’s still a mess of scars.’ Nathan, if they had done this article even a few months ago that would have been true.”
“Oh, Mel.”
The late-afternoon sun shone in the windows, lighting the tiny living room. Derrick sat on her well-worn couch, his dark eyes watching her intently, his body poised and alert. As if ready to leap to her side on a moment’s notice, to either guard and protect, or to care for her more intimately. Nathan’s eyes revealed his deep desire to provide her the assurances he thought she still needed.
What she needed now was not what she’d required a day ago. Healing had arrived and it felt incredible.
“But, guys, it’s not a few months ago. It’s not even yesterday. It’s today, and right here and right now, I’m not the same woman. Because of both of you.”
She’d been turned inside out over the past two days. Stripped bare, in more than one way. Discovering she’d fallen in love with Derrick had filled her heart to the top with hope and happiness. Yet somehow, Nathan had done the impossible. He’d made the scars fade more than she ever thought possible.
The two of them had done it—Derrick by being willing to ask, Nathan by giving unselfishly. She couldn’t let things end this way. She wanted to give back to them both, the two men she’d come to care for so deeply.
Empty Chinese food containers littered the floor around them. Contentment and warmth filled him as Derrick watched Melanie pull another laugh from Nathan.
When she’d made them grab takeout instead of eating at the restaurant, he’d wondered what was going on. Then she’d sweet-talked him into opening the gym so they could haul out mats and set up their own private smorgasbord, and it had made even less sense.
Until she’d started provoking Nathan. There was no way the man could continue to be gloomy over Kane’s accusations, not with Melanie applying her full power to teasing him.
She was a live wire—sheer vitality radiated from her every move. Not sexual in nature, but simple all-out energy.
He was going to explode with happiness. Seeing the woman he’d always knew she was emerge—it was a miracle, and he’d gotten to watch it occur. The barriers and walls were gone, her liveliness turned way up past high.
Melanie Dixon was a power to be reckoned with, and he was madly in love with every enthusiastic inch.
Derrick leaned on an elbow and enjoyed the interplay snapping between the other two.
“Like that’s a threat, monkey girl.”
“Oh yeah? You’re a good one to talk. Couldn’t even finish a basic 5.5 route.”
Nathan sniffed. “I’m an artiste, not a jock.”
Melanie tackled him back to the mat and tickled him.
“Stop it, not on a full stomach. I call deliberate cruelty. Derrick, make your woman stop picking on me.”
Derrick wasn’t getting in the middle of this fight. “Hey, if she’s happy, who am I to hold her back?”
Melanie nodded curtly, a smug expression on her face as she straddled Nathan’s chest. “See? If I’m happy, then all is good with the world.”
She swung off Nathan and plopped to her butt next to him on the mat before turning to face Derrick and winking.
His face ached from smiling so much. “Okay, sweetheart. What do you have next on the agenda? I can’t believe you wanted to eat here for the incredible ambiance.”
“Hey, I like ropes.”
Derrick managed to not choke on his own spit. Oh, the images in his brain.
She knelt, the tip of her pink tongue poking out to wet her lips for an instant as she glanced between them. “I meant it, guys. What I told Kane. You’ve made a huge difference in my life.”
It wasn’t what she said, but how she said it that made Derrick’s pulse pick up. The light-hearted teasing was gone, replaced by a thoughtful, contemplative tone.
“We care about you.” This wasn’t the time for confessions of love.
Melanie twisted to press both hands to his knee. “I care about you as well.”
The short silence that followed felt relaxed. Comfortable.
Until she turned to face Nathan. “And you—I still can’t believe you. You’re like a saint to put up with all the teasing I did this weekend.”
“Saint Nathan.” He seemed to consider it seriously for a moment before reaching to tweak her nose. “Don’t think it fits. It’s okay, monkey, I survived.”
Her expression was unreadable. “Surviving isn’t always enough, Nate. I’ve learned that the hard way.”
Derrick stroked a hand down her arm. There were no words.
She turned to face him, whispering for his ears alone. “I want to prove to Nathan that I trust him. I want to thank him for b
eing there.”
Derrick didn’t think she was talking about a store-bought gift. “He doesn’t need anything. Caring for you doesn’t require payment.”
She straightened, anger flashing. “Caring for me also shouldn’t require him to put up with being insulted.”
Ahhh. “Kane thought he was looking out for you.”
“Unintentional pain still hurts like hell, Derrick.”
They stared into each other’s eyes. She gripped his forearms tightly, clinging to him. There was something in her face that made him pause. Longing was there, but also an incredible strength.
It took all his strength to ask the question. “What do you want?”
“To finish what you offered me in the mountains. What I was barely able to accept, but the acceptance changed my life. To be with two men I trust explicitly.”
His blood pressure shot skyward, pulse pounding. Without intending to, his volume rose as well. “Be with us how? Sex?”
“Melanie, what the hell are you talking about?” Nathan roared. Derrick snapped his head up, ready to protect her. Guard her if necessary. But the other man was shaking his head, hands raised in protest as he rolled to his knees. “Damn it, this isn’t something to joke about. Don’t go screwing things up with Derrick. Not for some kind of cheap thrill.”
Melanie scrambled upright, her petite body seeming to tower over them as he and Nathan remained sprawled on the safety mats. “I’ll have you know I don’t consider anything about you cheap.”
“Mel—”
“I trust you.” Melanie touched Nathan’s cheek. “You and Derrick. Completely.”
Derrick’s confusion and momentary sense of betrayal morphed into understanding. She wasn’t asking on a whim, or out of a misplaced sense of obligation.
If her self-esteem had been tied up in the aftermath of her fall, Nathan’s was connected with his photography. Kane’s accusations could have hit hard. She had assumed Nate needed her as much as she’d turned out to need him. Wanted to wash away a little of the hurt Nathan had experienced in exchange for the gift he’d given her.
