He passed the front door and entered a roomhe assumed was supposed to be the dining room. However, therewasn’t any furniture in the room that had become a dance space. Hestopped when he spotted the pretty brunette who’d invited him heredancing with some of her friends.
She was so engrossed with her friends shedidn’t notice him, and for that, he was glad. He hadn’t been withanother woman since encountering Melanie, and he was feeling thestrain of his newfound celibacy.
It had been years since he’d gone a couple ofdays without a woman, never mind a couple of weeks, but the idea oftouching someone else made his dick crawl up inside him. Hecouldn’t bring himself to be with another when Melanie was on hismind.
The demon part of him was not happy with thisnew arrangement as it craved Melanie. If this continued, he couldbecome a threat to others, but he was keeping it together for now.Thoughts of Melanie helped.
However, he didn’t know how long that wouldlast. Some days, he felt more like a monster than a man. He worriedhe would one day cross the line into Savagery and not be able toreturn.
He was about to leave the room when the scentof spring hit him. The aroma was a mixture of fresh air, newleaves, and blooming flowers. It was the aroma of newpossibilities, of dawning life, and Melanie.
That scent had engrained itself into himduring their encounter, and as he watched, she stepped into thedoorway across the room. He forgot about the dancers and hisuncertainty around her as the others faded away until it was onlythe two of them in this place.
He stopped breathing when her tawny-coloredeyes met his. Those eyes widened slightly, and her full mouthparted. Then, a tiny smile tugged at her lips. That smile vanishedalmost as soon as it emerged, but it gave him a fresh resurgence ofhope.
Melanie froze when her gaze clashed with themidnight blue eyes of the man standing across from her. Shecouldn’t breathe as she drank in the magnificent sight of him. Hewas as handsome as she recalled and just as gorgeous as he was inthe dreams he’d haunted since she first saw him.
She had no idea why he’d had such a profoundeffect over her—other than he was hotter than Hell—but she’dthought of him often since he first introduced himself to her. Andthough she had no intention of getting involved with anyone, shefound herself searching for him on campus and being disappointedwhen he wasn’t around, as well as disgusted with herself forit.
His short, wheat-blond hair was brushed backfrom the handsome planes of his face. And oh, what a handsome faceit was. Darker blond stubble shadowed his jawline, making his facemore narrow and all the more alluring. His black button-down shirtemphasized his lean build; formfitting jeans hugged his ass andthighs in all the right places.
Like the first time she met him, a smallflutter came to life in her belly as she forgot everyone andeverything around her. She knew there were other people stillpresent, but she couldn’t see them as her attention remainedriveted onhim.
She tried to look away to search for anescape route, but she didn’t move. As much as she wanted to flee,she’d also like to get closer.
He was a temptation the likes of which she’dnever encountered before, and as those penetrating blue eyes ranover her, she felt ensnared in a trap that wouldn’t let go. Shewasn’t in a rush to be free either.
Then, she recalled why she should stay awayfrom relationships and everything she was fleeing. Her recollectionshattered the moment, and once more, the pulse of music vibratedher ears, the temperature of the room became suffocating, and thecrowd returned.
A relationship was not part of her plan. Butthen, her plan mostly consisted of fleeing her past and building abetter future. It was a good goal to have, but there were manytimes when she was certain she would never achieve it.
There were times when she woke in the middleof the night, gasping and covered in sweat as a crushing weightbore down on her. She’d made it this far, but she couldn’t shakethe certainty that her past would never release her.
And as graduation loomed closer, so did hercertainty she would be dragged back into the horrors she fled.
CHAPTER 2
“Here you go, Mel,”Lucy said and shoved a plastic cup full of beer into Melanie'shand.
When liquid splashed onto her hand, Melaniefinally tore her gaze away from the man standing across the way.Her attention shifted to her friend as Lucy’s brown eyes surveyedthe crowd.
Lucy’s short, spiky black hair stood on endaround her pretty, angular face. She’d replaced the studs in hernose and lip with gold hoops, one of which had a yellow stone init. Her white tank top with a vintage Pearl Jam logo showed off thetattoos covering her arms.
With Lucy’s I-don’t-give-a-shit attitude, shewas the kind of woman who commanded attention despite herfive-foot-two stature and barely one-hundred-pound build. Melaniewas two inches taller than Lucy and fifteen pounds heavier, butLucy was far more noticeable than her.
“It’s slim pickings in here tonight,” Lucysaid as she surveyed the crowd.
Melanie knew the second Lucy’s gaze landed onthe man across the way. Her friend let out a low whistle.
“I take that back,” Lucy murmured.
Melanie buried her jealousy as her beautifulfriend sipped her beer and studied the guy. Lucy never let anythingstand in the way of someone who interested her, whether they weremale or female.
Melanie couldn’t bring herself to look at himagain, so she turned to stare into the kitchen. The crowdedcounters overflowed with plastic cups, cheap liquor, and bags ofchips.
“Have you seen tall, blond, and handsome overthere?” Lucy asked.
“I have, and I’m not impressed.”
