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CHAPTER FOUR
Melody
Seeing Ash without a shirt and wearing only his boxers did bizarre, quirky things to my insides. I’d needed to focus on what was happening outside the window, which wasn’t much, so I didn’t stare any longer than I already had. My cheeks burned at the sight of him in all that…tight, muscley skin. I had no idea guys could change that much in just two years. I’d noticed his arms, of course, but I’d never imagined his chest could be so magnificent, and his thighs, oh my goodness…so lean, yet so taut and firm. I would have loved to run my fingertips up the light dusting of golden brown hairs covering them, just to see if they were as soft as they looked.
Thank God my brother had called and yanked me out of that stupid daydream. Crushing on Ash? He was off limits. Had alwaysbeenoff limits. When we were younger, we’d made some silly pact to marry each other when we grew up. Even at eleven years old, I’d had such a ridiculously strong crush on him that the next day I could barely even talk to him. When he never brought it up again, well, that was enough of a hint for me not to go anywhere near that notion. When we got older, I was too chicken to bring it up again for fear he’d laugh. He’d probably forgotten all about it anyway, and never once had he given me any indication that he liked me that way. A silly, childish crush. That’s all it was.
Looking at him now, though, I had some of those old, tingling feelings in my stomach popping back up again.
“Come on.” Ash tugged me out of his apartment and down the stairs. His voice was coated with total and complete elation at the prospect of hanging with Ted tonight. I was feeling the same way. My two best friends together again.
The wind howled, and I wished I’d insisted that we stop at my apartment so I could grab a heavier jacket before we headed out. All I had on was a zip-up hooded sweatshirt and my favorite blue and white scarf. Ash had given it to me two years ago for Christmas, and I wore it practically all the time as soon as the weather started to cool down. It was made of something called viscose rayon and polyester. It was lightweight, more for fashion, not enough to keep me warm on a chilly night like tonight. We walked quickly, and I had my arms wrapped around my chest to help ward off the breeze coming from the sea.
Ash turned to me halfway down the hill. “You’re cold.”
I nodded but kept walking.
“Your nose is red,” he chuckled. “Come here.” He put his arm around me like it was no big deal, and honestly? It wasn’t. It wasn’t the first time he’d tried to keep me warm. But lately, being so close to him only made me more aware of how much I was attracted to him.
We ran and skipped down the hill towards the bar, which was no small feat with Asher’s arm around me. We laughed hysterically as I lost my balance and almost did a face-plant in the gutter. But the support of Ash’s strong arm held me up.
Ash held the huge door open as I slipped in under his arm and headed for the lounge area. Passing the warm fire they had blazing in the fireplace, I stopped for a moment to bask in its warmth and rub my hands together in front of it. Another pair of strong arms swooped me off my feet from behind then placed me back down. I turned to see my brother’s infectious grin.
“What took you guys so long?” he asked.
“Teddy!”
He took me back into his arms and hugged me tightly to him. I was in heaven.
“God, I’ve missed you,” he breathed into my hair and squeezed again. I felt his chin lift and he let me go. Only to embrace Ash the same way he had me. It was like I had two brothers. Except I’d never really thought of Ash as a brother. Never. I’d envisioned him as my knight in shinning armor more times than I could count, but never as my brother.
“It’s great to see you, Ted. How long will you be in the city? And where are you staying? You know you could always stay with me,” Asher said with hopeful eyes.
“Thanks, but I have a room at the Fairmont.”
“Whoa? That’s crazy!” I said. “That job must be paying you beaucoup bucks.”
“That, and they’re flippin’ the bill, too.” He laughed. “I’m here on business. We’re here to analyze one of the new properties that Trentco recently purchased, but I couldn’t visit the city without seeing you guys.”
“You better not. Ever!” I said.
“That’s some business trip for them to be putting you up at the Fairmont,” Ash said.
“It is. I got a promotion yesterday. This is my first day in my new position as Financial Department Head, and they sent me on a last minute trip. I’m now one step away from VP,” Ted said with an air of confidence. I couldn’t blame him. He’d worked hard to get where he was.
“I’m proud of you, big bro.” I gave him another squeeze around the middle.
“Yeah, congratulations!” Ash said.
“Let’s celebrate! Shots? What are you drinking?” I asked Ted.
“One of those pale ales they’re promoting. I can’t stay out too late. I have an early meeting. Then I head back to Phoenix immediately after that.”
“Aw, that’s not fair,” I pouted.
“Sorry, Mel. This is the best I can do for a visit right now. I’ll be home for Thanksgiving and then again at Christmas. The entire company shuts down for two weeks between December 21st and January 4th. I’ll have two weeks to hang with you two clowns. Listen, Ash, I’m sorry about your mom. I’ll miss her. She was always like a second mother to Mel and me. I peeked in at the memorial this morning, but I couldn’t stay long so I snuck out. I’m sorry. I knew if you’d seen me, you would have tried to talk me into staying and it was a meeting I couldn’t miss.”
“I would have understood, but thanks. She loved you, too,” Ash said then turned toward the bar and ordered two drafts for us.
