by Stacy-Deanne
Keith waved, drawing attention to his elaborate Cartier watch. Melody would have rather it been the rapist. “Fuck,” she whispered. She still wanted to hit him.
“Hey, babe.” He stared at Sarah’s flimsy nightgown.
“Keith.” She brushed her hair down. “What’s going on?”
“I’m sorry.” He looked at Melody. “I must have scared the shit out of you both, huh? Well, you won’t believe the luck I’m having tonight. I had this killer migraine so I went to the corner store. Well, when I got home, I couldn’t find my house key anywhere.”
“Oh no,” Sarah sighed.
“Yeah, so I am locked out of my house, and I still got this headache.” He rubbed his forehead. “There was no way I was calling a locksmith or something at this hour so…” He looked at Melody. “What’s with the book, Mel?” He grinned.
“Melody, put it down.” Sarah walled her eyes.
“Maybe I don’t want to.”
“So your brother wasn’t home either, Keith?” Sarah rubbed Keith’s forehead.
“You have a brother?” Melody grimaced. She wondered if he liked to spy on naked women too.
“No, he had plans. I tried to call him but my damn cell phone isn’t working.”
Melody crossed her arms. “How convenient.” Sarah glared at her. “I recall your phone working this evening at the restaurant.”
“Well, it’s not working now.” Keith smirked. He took Sarah’s hand. “Baby, I didn’t mean to wake you but I had no choice but to come here.”
“Well, it’s late. Why don’t you stay?” Sarah smiled.
“Uh, Sarah, are you on crack or just crazy?” Melody walked toward them.
“He’s staying, Mel.” Sarah gritted her teeth. “This is my house, remember?”
“It’s my home, too, since I live here! You can’t just invite people to stay here, Sarah! Especially a strange guy.”
“He’s my boyfriend, Melody!” Melody shook her head in disapproval. “Why don’t you just grow up, huh?”
“Why don’t you get a fuckin’ clue, Sarah? Can’t you see he’s lying?”
“Shut up! You have no right to say that about Keith! He’s having a bad time. Can’t you understand that? We have to help him!”
“I don’t have to do shit when it comes to this…this…”
“Watch your mouth, Melody.” Sarah made a fist.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Keith waved his hands. “Ladies, please! Now I didn’t mean to cause any problems.”
“Ha! The moment you’ve been involved there have been nothing but problems, Keith.”
“You have some sort of score to settle with me, Melody?” He put his hands in his pockets. “I don’t see what the hell your problem is.”
She looked at Sarah. “I don’t think you want me to mention it in front of Sarah now do you?”
He walked toward her. “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know.”
“Go on, Melody.” Sarah smirked. “You got a problem with Keith, then tell him.” Melody turned away. “Keith, you can stay here. It’s not a problem, believe me.”
“I don’t want to make Melody uncomfortable.”
“Oh bullshit! Your existence makes me uncomfortable, Keith!”
“Melody, stop it!” Sarah shoved her. “He is staying tonight and that’s the end of it! I’ll go get some blankets, Keith. You can sleep on the couch.” She left the room.
“Who do you think you are, Keith? Sarah may be blinded by your fancy suits, good looks and Cartier watches, but I’m not.”
“Oh really?” He smirked. “Maybe I should have worn my Omega then.”
“And you’re not at all funny.” She shuffled toward the couch.
“Look, we all seem stressed out tonight. Maybe it’s a full moon or something I don’t know. I’m sorry if you have a problem with me, Melody.”
She raised her hands. “How come everything you say seems…I don’t know, rehearsed?”
He shrugged. “I guess that’s how you’re seeing me. I realize you need time to get to know me. It’ll take time.”
“I don’t want to get to know you, Keith.”
He shrugged. “Well, I want to get to know anyone who is important to Sarah. I really care about her.” Melody walled her eyes. “Did you have a nice time tonight? I hope you did.”
“Do you?” She shook her head.
“Sure. Didn’t Sarah look beautiful?”
“Sarah always looks beautiful.”
“You did, too, Melody. I get the feeling you always compare yourself to her. You shouldn’t.”
“I don’t need to be analyzed by someone I just met, Keith.”
He grinned. “Lucas was right. You’re something else.”
“So you’ve been discussing me with Lucas, is that it? What did he say?”
“Nothing I didn’t already know. He thinks you’re fantastic. Melody, I’m taking the chance to know you more. Could you be fair and do the same with me?”
“What kind of game are you playing, Keith?”
He smirked. “Let’s just be honest, shall we? I figure you got a big problem with me. What is it?”
“My problem is that little stunt you pulled this evening, Keith.”
“What stunt?” He licked his lips. Melody swore he was checking her out yet couldn’t be sure.
She held the end of her T-shirt. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, Keith. When you came into my bedroom this evening and didn’t leave.”
“Oh, that?” He grinned. “Mel, it was just a misunderstanding. You didn’t tell your sister, did you?”
“No.”
“And you don’t need to. It was nothing. I just got lost.”
“Lost? Keith, is ‘stupid’ plastered on my forehead?”
He glared at her creamy thighs. She held her T-shirt tighter against them. “We all get lost sometimes, don’t we, Mel?”
She backed away. “Okay, forget that. What about when we all went out tonight? Why were you constantly staring at me?”
He glanced around the den. “I wasn’t staring at you.”
“Keith!” She laughed. “I can’t believe you’re standing here lying. Every time I noticed you looking at me, you’d wink or smirk. Am I supposed to believe that’s just a coincidence? You can lie your way out of what happened in my room, but you can’t deny that you were staring at me all night.”
“Nice T-shirt.” He groaned. “You have such a beautiful body, Mel. I can’t see why you continue to cover it up the way you do.”
She exhaled. “Keith, what in the hell are you up to?”
“Games, Mel. Don’t you like to play games?”
“No.” Her voice shook.
“Something tells me you do.” He moved his mouth to hers. She jumped back.
Sarah walked in with Melody’s old pillow and some blankets.
“Sorry it took so long. The things tumbled out of the linen closet.” She passed Keith the items.
“I appreciate this, babe.” He kissed her. Keith made up the couch.
“Come on, let’s go to bed, Mel.” Sarah took her hand.
“And I’ll make sure to lock my door.” She looked at Keith.
Melody awoke to the sounds of lovemaking coming from Sarah’s room the next morning. She wasn’t surprised. She knew Keith would finagle his way into Sarah’s bed. She screeched like a cat in heat. Keith delivered a couple of “bear” grunts of his own. He must have been something in bed. The sounds were so exhausting Melody lit a cigarette to take her mind off of what she wasn’t getting.
Of course, Melody should have been used to her sister sexing men early in the morning. But none of those guys had been Keith Taylor. Melody vowed to learn his angle by the end of breakfast. She got a headache whenever she thought of Keith. She wished she could just take the day in bed. She figured Sarah and Keith hoped the same thing by the sounds coming from that room.
Melody yawned in her huge bedroom mirror before she began to brush her teeth. She decided she�
��d shower some time later. She wasted no time lighting another cigarette when she finished. Sarah and Keith were still going strong. Melody took a long puff from the little white rod. She couldn’t help thinking of Lucas during moments like these. Her stomach tingled. And oh yes, she knew why.
She wanted Lucas already. So why had she put the brakes on? Why couldn’t she be more like Sarah? Why did she have to take things so slow? Could she be in love with Lucas? Maybe she had been since they were teenagers. She hadn’t met anyone who made her feel like this. She thought of her last lover, Enrique. Hands down, he’d been the best lover. They’d met at a coffee shop close to Sarah’s job.
From the moment Melody and Enrique locked eyes, they’d felt the heat. That quickly fizzled. Enrique had been great to fuck and go to lunch with, yet love never entered the picture for Melody. Sarah always said she couldn’t understand why Melody didn’t allow herself to be happy. Melody tiptoed downstairs, and wondered the same thing.
Enrique didn’t stir half the emotions in Melody that Lucas did. She’d definitely go after that job now. She already knew Lucas well. Now she craved to know him more.
She dug around the kitchen for something quick to fix. They were out of pancake mix. She wasn’t about to struggle through a scratch recipe. That wasn’t Melody’s style. She liked things quick and fast. She heard Sarah moaning upstairs. Well, there were some things Melody liked to take her time with. She remembered the instant waffles in the freezer. Laziness discouraged her from fixing the waffles.
She opted for chocolate chip ice cream instead. People wondered how Melody kept her trim figure. A regular meal to her consisted of a Big Mac with extra cheese. She slid on the tall countertop. She inched her spoon into the cool treat. It reminded her of the days when she didn’t think of growing up. She’d been amazed at how things had changed.
Keith walked in wearing silk boxers. He ran his hand down his muscular chest. He flashed that smirk that she’d already begun to hate.
“Morning, Melody.” He looked at her thighs. She crossed her legs at the ankles.
“Good morning,” she mumbled.
He leaned his arm against the wall. “Well, did you sleep well?”
She licked the spoon. “Not as good as you did, apparently.”
“Oh yeah.” He rubbed his hair. She figured he’d pretend to be shy for her benefit, but he didn’t. She’d heard every disgusting grunt. “Well, I’m sorry if we woke you.”
He stared at her. “Ice cream for breakfast? That’s not very healthy.”
She walled her eyes. “Yeah, well it’s all I felt like dealing with.”
“Mind if I grab a spoon and join in?”
She glared at him. “Thought you just said this was unhealthy.”
“It is, but I love chocolate chip ice cream like the next guy.” He grabbed a spoon from the drawer, and slid on the countertop next to her. She scooted beside the refrigerator. He swallowed a runny chunk of ice cream. She passed him the carton.
“Uh, you sure?”
“Go on and take it.” She crossed her arms. Keith took the treat. She didn’t know how long she could stand being alone with him. She decided to do some digging to pass the time. “So you gonna call your brother?”
“Uh…” He nodded. His hesitation had been a big hint. Melody watched enough police shows to know how easily you could throw a suspect off base when they lied. Keith glanced around the kitchen.
“Your brother, Keith? You know, you said you needed to call him to get into your house.”
He smirked. “Well, I can see nothing gets past you, Mel.” He slurped the ice cream. “I haven’t had a chance to call him yet.” He scraped his spoon against the carton. Melody hated that.
“Why do you speak as if you’ve known me for years, Keith?”
“Feel like I do. Sarah and I talk about you all the time. I know about how you grew up apart. I know how different you are from each other.” He looked at her thighs again. “I know how you’re both the same.”
She moved from the countertop. “Why do you keep staring at me?” she whispered.
He licked the end of the spoon. “I bet you wish I was Lucas, huh?”
“Excuse me?” She frowned.
“I said you probably wish I was Lucas, right?”
“No, I wasn’t thinking about him.” She glanced out the window behind his head.
“Bull, Melody. I can see it in your eyes. I know enough about you already to know when you’re lying.”
“Really?” She smirked. “So you must have known I couldn’t stand you from the moment we met.”
He shrugged. “I kind of picked up on that. But there’s nothing I enjoy more than changing a beautiful woman’s mind.” He set the ice cream beside him. “You think that this with Sarah is just a fling, don’t you?”
“Maybe.” She waved her hands. “I have no cause to think otherwise.”
He stood. “Are you always like this, Melody? Do you always think that your word is law? That what you think is the only thing that matters?”
“I don’t have to listen to this garbage.” She turned to leave. He blocked her. Funny, she expected him to. “Move, Keith.”
He smirked. “I want us to clear the air, once and for all.”
“Where’s Sarah?” she exhaled.
“Why do I get the feeling that you’re um…” He stared at her neck. “Are you trying to change the subject right now?”
“There is no subject where we’re concerned, Keith.”
“You can’t see how much Sarah and I care for each other? I’m not going away, Melody.” He rubbed her hair. She shoved his hands away. “So you can get that thought out of your head. Try any little tricks to…”
She grinned. “Believe me, I won’t have to. If you’re anything like the other men she’s been with, you’ll be gone by the end of the month.”
“But I’m not like anyone she’s been with, Melody.”
“Oh believe me, you don’t have to tell me twice!” She tried to leave again. He pulled her back. He wrapped his hands around her waist. “Let go of me, Keith!”
“This is a different feeling for you isn’t it, Mel?” She struggled in his arms. He forced her back inside the kitchen. “We both know how much you like to be in control.”
“Let me go, you bastard!” She struggled, and he smiled.
“You see…I’m the same way.” He held her tighter. “We both want control, Mel. We want to keep control, don’t we?” He pressed her against the refrigerator.
“If you don’t let me go right now, I’ll…”
“What, huh?” He grinned. “What will you do, Mel? You can’t stop me from being with Sarah. I think I need to make that clear.” She whimpered. “I think this could be a great experience for all three of us.”
She broke free. “Fuck you all right! Who do you think you are coming in my home and manhandling me?”
“I just wanted to get things out in the open, Melody. I really meant no harm.” He laid the ice cream in the sink. “Did I scare you?”
“Don’t you ever touch me again, Keith.” She slapped her hair from her eyes. “Ever!” She stomped out of the kitchen. He followed.
“Melody?” She stopped by the stairs. “For what it’s worth…I did come to your room on purpose yesterday.” She shook. “And I can do it again, any time I want.” He stood directly behind her. “You want to play the game with me, then we ’ll play it.” She gaped. “And baby, I play it like no other.” He went upstairs.
Sarah came downstairs fully dressed. Melody struggled to gather her senses. She knew the feat would be useless. Sarah wore a dark pants suit that put most supermodels to shame. Melody rarely complimented her these days. Why remind the angel that she had wings?
“Morning, sis.” Sarah kissed her cheek. Melody held her trembling hands behind her back. “Listen, I want to apologize, all right?” Sarah slipped her purse on her arm. “We just have to meet some common ground about Keith, Mel. I really don’t want this to get out of
hand.”
“Keith?” Melody shook. Just thinking of his name petrified her. He wanted something. She assumed that had been Sarah. She remembered how he just held her in the kitchen. Now, Melody wasn’t so sure. A man had never been so forceful with her before.
“Mel!” Sarah shook her. “Jesus Christ, this daydreaming you do, sis.” Sarah sighed. “Are you sure you’re okay? You look flushed.”
“I’m fine, Sarah.”
“And you’re shaking. How come you’re still in your pajamas?”
“Sarah, something uh…in the kitchen…Keith…”
Sarah hugged her. “I love you, and I hate it when we fight.” She kissed Melody’s lips. “Can you forgive me?”
“There is uh, nothing to forgive.” Melody wobbled.
“Melody, are you sure you’re okay?”
“Fine, Sarah.” She glanced upstairs. “I don’t know why I’m so on edge these days. Maybe it’s getting close to my period.”
Sarah walled her eyes. “Tell me about it. Thank goodness, I’m done for the month. I don’t envy you, sis.” Sarah chuckled. “I know the kitchen’s kind of bare so why don’t we go out to breakfast? Let me make it up to you about the fight last night.”
Melody noticed Keith’s shadow in the upstairs hallway. She made sure not to speak until he walked on. “I’d love to Sarah but I got other plans.” She heard Keith brushing his teeth in the bathroom. “I planned to go talk to Aileen today. I’ve missed her lately, and I’ve been kind of worried. With that rapist around, I get scared when I haven’t heard from her in a few days, you know?”
Sarah tilted her head to the side. She glared at Melody. “Are you sure that you’re okay?”
“Of course.” She chuckled. “Why wouldn’t I be okay? Oh good news, sis. Uh, I’m going to go after the job at Caper, after all.”
“Oh Mel, that’s great! I know things’ll fall into place for you now. It’s not healthy the way you hang around the house letting life pass you by. At least with a job you’ll feel like you got a purpose.” Sarah checked her watch. “Well, I’d better get out of here. I’m just waiting for Keith to finish up. Can you believe it? I’m only twenty-six and already looking forward to retirement? Hey, I got a great idea.”
“What?” Melody smiled.
