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She bit her lip. “It’s okay.”
“And I’m sorry if…”
“What?”
“If I was a little…forceful.”
She shook her head. “You asked me before you did anything. I said I wanted it.”
What if she had said no? I had been so filled with wanting. What if I hadn’t been able to stop?
Thank God she hadn’t wanted me to.
“I don’t think I’ve ever wanted a woman as much as I want you. Seeing that scumbag kissing you…”
“Oliver.”
“Yes, I know it has a name.”
She sighed. “He’s not an ‘it.’ He’s a friend of mine from medical school. We were just going to have dinner.”
“It didn’t look like dinner.”
She moved away from her desk and sat down on the couch. “I don’t need to explain Oliver or anything else to you. But I would like to know why you showed up here tonight.”
I’d nearly forgotten. I did need to talk to her. “I had a talk with Tom Simpson today.”
“The mayor, right? Your friend’s father?”
“Yeah.”
She fidgeted, pulled her hands together, clasping and then unclasping them. Something was clearly bothering her, and I began to feel like an asshole. I hoped it didn’t have anything to do with Oliver Twist or whatever the hell his name was.
“Melanie? Are you okay?”
She closed her eyes and sighed. When she opened them, they were glazed over with unshed tears.
I reached toward her and cupped her cheek. “What’s going on?”
She shook her head. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s not nothing. Give me a break. Is it…that other guy? Is he someone you wanted to
be with? Is he…” I couldn’t bring myself to finish that sentence. Melanie Carmichael with another man wasn’t a thought I could form in my head.
“I’m fine. It’s not anything I can talk about.”
“You can tell me. My word is as good as gold.” I drew in a breath and let it out slowly. “Do you want to be with him?” It shouldn’t matter to me, but it did. I had gone batshit crazy when I saw them together.
“No, believe me. It’s not Oliver. I was telling the truth when I told you he was just a friend.”
“Why the kiss, then?” I felt like shit as soon as I’d said it. “Never mind. You don’t have to answer that. If that’s not the problem, what’s bothering you? Let me help.”
I truly did want to help. The thought of Melanie being in any kind of pain or distress bothered me. Disturbed me. Made me want to crush whoever was making her feel this way.
“I know that. But I really can’t talk about it.”
“At least tell me how I can help you.”
