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My eyes lingered on hers for too long before drifting down to her long neck. I knew what it was like to kiss the softness of her lips, but inside I was dying to know the same about trailing kisses from her ear down to her collarbone.
I stiffened up and cleared my throat again, trying to get a grip. She stole a furtive glance then went back to eating with a subtle smirk curled on the corners of her mouth.
“So, did you live in New York your whole life before coming here?” I asked, desperate to change the subject and buy a little more time.
She told me about the different cities they moved around to when growing up, and was very curious to know more about me and what it was like to grow up in the same small town my whole life. The conversation flowed as effortlessly as the smooth wine that kept pouring into our glasses. It felt good, more than I had felt in a long time and more than I wanted to admit to. I couldn’t remember the last time I had gone out and just enjoyed myself with adult conversation, especially someone as pretty as Melody.
She wasn’t just pretty to look at. She was smart and funny. I caught myself laughing out loud more than once, and her laughter was good to hear too. It was so unbridled and intoxicating, with her big, beautiful lips and teeth and bright, sparkling eyes.
The longer we talked, the familiar pang of guilt started creeping in. What was I doing flirting and laughing with a beautiful woman over dinner? Part of me still felt like a married man, and I had a kid at home waiting for me. But maybe everyone was right. I was too young to just be alone for the rest of my life.
I shook it off and tried to remind myself none of that mattered because this wasn’t a date.Dinner companionship, as Melody had called it. But when the waiters started closing up for the night and we realized hours had gone by, well past when we finished the tiramisu, Melody insisted we order.
“I guess that’s our cue to leave,” I chuckled as they started putting chairs on top of the tables around us.
“Oops,” she snickered. “I guess we overstayed our welcome. Let me just use the ladies' room real quick, and then we can go.” She grabbed her purse and started to stand but stopped for a moment to grab my hand from across the table. “Derek?”
My body went stiff from her touch. My breath caught in my throat from the electric spark drifting from her eyes. “Yeah?” I croaked, clearing my throat and swallowing hard.
“I had a really great time with you tonight,” she said sweetly before darting off to the bathroom.
My gaze was transfixed to her as she walked away and disappeared down the back hallway leading to the bathrooms. I barely caught the waitress in time as she passed by.
“Ma’am? Here. Can you take this to settle the bill, please?” I slipped her my card to pay the check.
I was standing with Melody’s coat in my hands, ready to slide it over her shoulders when she came back.
“Thank you,” she offered as she glided her arms into each sleeve. “But I still need to pay.”
“It’s already been taken care of,” I mumbled, rushing her to the door.
“Derek!” she scolded, smacking my arm as we stepped out into the chilly night air. “I told you it was my treat! We had an agreement!”
I couldn’t help but laugh at how riled up she was. I turned to study her wide eyes and open mouth, with the wild curls of her hair framing her face.God, she looked beautiful. I wanted to kiss her, and it took everything in me not to lunge forward and do just that. At the very least, I wasn’t ready for the night to end yet.
I was saved by the sound of music wafting through the air. “Hear that?” I stared off into the distance. “There’s an end of summer concert down the road at the big barn on the Bailey’s property. Want to go?”
She raised a brow with an intrigued grin. “A concert in a barn? I can’t say no to that.”
“There won’t be any fine wine,” I warned her as we started walking down the road. “You’re stuck with beer.”
“I have nothing against beer,” she defended. “But why order lasagna and beer in a nice place like that when you could have wine and fish?”
“They’re one and the same to me,” I shrugged.
“You’re a simple man.” Her eyes were glued to me as we stepped side by side, slowly making our way to the barn. But we weren’t in any hurry. “I don’t mean it in a bad way, of course. You’re just…you’re kind of like this town. You take it slow and easy. You don’t need much. I like it. It’s…different... from what I’m used to.”
“Believe me. You’re different from what I’m used to as well.” I had never said anything so true, just as Silver Point had never seen the likes of her before.
Finally, we reached the big open doors of the barn, where booming music from the band echoed out into the surrounding dark fields. But inside, it was full of warm glowing bulbs and string lights hanging from the ceiling everywhere you looked. I grabbed Melody’s hand and led her over to the table lined with silver buckets full of ice and beer. We each sipped on one while we took it all in and listened to the music. Melody cupped the bottle close to her chest, and I tried not to notice the icy drops that slid down her arm and plopped down between her breasts.
“Wanna dance?” I asked after a while. I couldn’t help myself, but also, it was a faster-paced song, so it felt safe.
She laughed as I twirled her around, the crowd parting and clapping around us. I got lost in the sight of her again, just as the song ended. It went straight into the next one, which was slow and sweet. Our eyes stayed glued to one another as I pulled her against my chest and began swaying softly to the melody with my hand on the small of her back.
Her eyes smoldered with intensity as she looked up at me, angling her body towards mine as we moved across the dance floor. I was entranced by her. I couldn’t look away, and I couldn’t stop myself from drifting in closer to kiss her lips.
18
