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SEVEN
Melanie
I
opened my eyes, still groggy, to see the sun was already up and its rays peeking through the enormous window, brightening up the dark room. I was snuggled into Shane’s broad chest, inhaling his addictive scent. I bit my lower lip and felt my cheeks burning at the flashes from last night. It was wild…and oh so good. I traced the firm lines of Shane’s abs with my fingertips, wondering when I’d had such mind-blowing sex last, realizing that… never. I’d wondered if that was just a dream, and I would wake up from this oblivion any minute now. I wanted to savor this moment while it still lasted. I gently pulled out of his embrace and sat beside him, covering my naked body with the silky duvet, staring at the piece of art he was. He was so devilishly handsome. No doubt he would tempt a saint into sin with no effort. His body was too perfect to be real, yet there he was. I scanned every inch of it carefully, engraving the sight of him deep into my memory. I’d realized he was heavily inked, but a rose underneath the word MERCY tattooed on his hand caught my attention. I peeked over at his right hand to see a whole sentence inked above his knuckles, and I slowly leaned in to read what it said, “Destruction is a form of creation,” with three crossed swords above the phrase. I wondered if his tattoos had any meaning to him.
“Good morning.” His still sleepy, husky voice murmuring in my ear snapped me out of my thoughts. He put his hand at the back of my head, entangling it with my hair, and pleasant shivers swept down my spine. “What are you looking at?”
“Your tattoos,” I admitted, slightly abashed. “Do they have any meaning to you?”
He took a deep breath before pulling up and resting his back on the cushioned headboard. “Most of them, yes.”
“What does the rose one stand for?” I asked, and it seemed like I hit the wrong spot.
He looked away, and his eyes filled with pain.
“I’m sorry.” I quickly picked up on the mood change. The atmosphere suddenly became so heavy and dark. “I shouldn’t have asked.”
“It’s okay, Melanie,” he said softly before gazing at me. “Let’s get us something to eat.”A way to escape the topic.“There’s a nice restaurant nearby that may serve porridge with fruits.”
I was taken aback, he remembered. I thought he was just pretending to listen to my rambling the day before. He cleared his throat, looking around the floor with the pieces of our clothes scattered all over it, and I bet my cheeks flushed the deepest shade of red.
“Shane?” I said timidly, and he turned to face me. “About last night…” I felt the urge to clarify this to him. I wasn’t myself the other night. Not that I regretted what happened, but it was so unlike me. Usually, I would never end up in bed with a man I hardly knew. But with Shane, it was different. It felt like an irresistible attraction between us, pulling us to each other like magnets, pulling me to him in ways I couldn’t grasp. It felt like we had shared a bond, tying us to one another before we even saidhello.Whenever I was close to him, the world around me seemed to fade. Let alone my body’s response to his touch. It was always the same, set on fire, every inch burning in need of him. Whenever he was close to me, it felt like I was losing control over my senses. It felt like he was my drug I failed to resist. Instead, I kept craving more.
“I’m sorry if I overstepped your boundaries,” he cut me off, slightly troubled.
“No,” I protested.It was the best night I’d ever had.“I just want you to know that I’m not a one-night stand kind of a girl. Usually.” My cheeks burned, and I looked down at my ring finger, remembering that if it weren’t for Shane, I’d wear an engagement ring on my hand. An engagement ring from a man who cheated on me and whom I didn’t love, yet I couldn’t help but feel guilty.
Shane reached for my hand and cupped it in his. “Who said it was a one-night stand?”
I looked at him, surprised by his words. “Shane, I have no expectations. You don’t have to—”
He brought his hand to my face, running his thumb over my lips before whispering, “Don’t overthink, Melanie. Let’s just go with the flow. At least, for now.”
I nodded, looking into his eyes that gave me a sense of security before he stole a tender kiss from me. He then got up out of bed, covered his crotch with a pillow, winked at me, and I giggled, watching him with my cheeks flushing as he headed to the bathroom.
I SCOUTED THROUGH SHANE’S FRIDGE, grabbing eggs and bacon. I put them down on the countertop and rooted around multiple shelves before finding a frying pan. I broke the eggs on the pan, sprinkled them with some neatly set herbs standing beside the stove, and added a few slices of bacon. The kitchen was filled with the smell of fried bacon and coffee that I brewed in the meantime in a fancy coffee maker. I took out ground flaxseed I’d noticed while searching for the pan from one of the shelves and smashed a banana, mixed that with vanilla, olive oil, and some water to make vegan pancakes. I might’ve been a fan of vegan food, but I wasn’t planning on changing Shane’s habits, so I’ve decided to prepare a regular dish for him and something vegan for myself.
“Mmm, what is that delicious smell?” Shane entered the kitchen, dressed in a white T-shirt revealing his tattoos and black pants. He grinned widely, revealing his perfect, white teeth while running his fingers through his wet hair, making my knees turn to jelly.
“I’m making us breakfast.” I smirked, turning over the bacon.
“I thought I was taking you out.” He leaned against the countertop opposite me, his eyes set on mine.
“And how do you think I was supposed to go? Wearing this?” I teased, indicating the oversized white shirt I was wearing.
“I have already handled that issue.” He gave me a provocative wink.
“What do you mean?” I was puzzled.
He walked around the kitchen island and embraced me from behind, taking the spatula out of my hand. His intoxicating scent and warm touch, combined with cold water droplets dripping from his hair, raised goose bumps on my skin. “See for yourself,” he whispered in my ear. “Go upstairs. Some bags are waiting for you in my closet. You know where to find it, right?”
Startled, I turned back to face him. “Have you been to the mall? When?”
“I haven’t.” He laughed. “I had Mrs. Dorothy, my housekeeper shop for me this morning. She dropped off the bags here while we were still sleeping.”
“Wow.” That was all that my stunned self managed to say. That was how Shane Vergoossen was. Before I even thought of something, he had already dealt with that. He was always a step ahead. “When did you contact her?”
