Page 24 of Wilde Abandon
“I couldn’t tell.”
“What?”she asked, not understanding his meaning.
“Whether she’s still the same or different.I’m bigger now.She can’t push me around.And she needs my help.So is she careful about what she says and does around me now?She doesn’t want to talk about the past.She says it’s done.”
“Maybe for her.Not for you, because you still have questions.”
“I’m probably better off not knowing the truth.”
“That’s up to you.But I get that turning your back on her, the way she did to you, just isn’t who you are.So let’s go visit dear ol’ Tanya.”
He frowned.“You really don’t like her.”
She didn’t hide it.“She hurt you.I will never forgive her for that.”
Fox kissed her softly, then touched his forehead to hers.“So fierce.”
“Always.Especially when it comes to you.”
“How did I fucking get so lucky?”He hugged her close and so hard it almost hurt, but then he rubbed his big hand over her back and eased up.“Sorry.I still can’t quite believe this is real.You’re here.With me.After all this time.Finally.”
She smiled up at him.“It’s real.And just the beginning.Right?”
“Absolutely.Do you want to have dinner with me?”
She laughed under her breath at his earnest request.“I’m working tonight.Another time.”
He slid out of the booth and held his hand out to her.She slipped across the seat and took it.His fingers locked with hers.Perfect.Strong.Warm.A little rough.That crackling charge that always happened when they touched shot up her arm.
He looked down at her, need in his eyes.
“I feel it, too,” she answered his unspoken question.
“When are we going to do something about it?”
The guy who thought he wasn’t good at talking to people could sure say what he wanted to her.
“When the time is right.”Because right now wasn’t it.They were just getting to know each other again.
She didn’t want to go too fast and mess things up.This was too important.Hewas too important to her.
Now, if they could just get through this visit with Tanyar without Melody going ballistic on the abusive bitch.
Chapter seven
Foxstaredupatthe old house and felt the same rush of anxiety he always felt when he came back here.Memories flooded his mind, along with the dread, fear, and desperation he’d always felt when he was trapped in this house.
Melody put her hand over his on the steering wheel.“You’re safe.I won’t let anything happen to you.”
He turned and stared at her, knowing she meant those words.Because she had saved him from this place.From the torment.
She would never hurt him.
So why am I keeping a secret from her?
Because he didn’t want her to turn out to be like so many others who’d changed when they found out.
He wanted Melody to always be the girl he remembered, the woman she was right now in this car.The one who only cared about him.