Then she turned and marched, stiff-shouldered, out of the restaurant leaving Vorn to blink and wipe water out of his face with an inadequate paper napkin as the humans around him stared and whispered about what had just happened.
Sixteen
“My Lady, what’s wrong? You’ve been quiet all day.” Liosh eyed Melinda with some concern. She had seemed so happy and lively at breakfast. Then something had seemed to suddenly change and she’d been quiet and sad the whole rest of their time together.
“Oh, have I? I’m sorry.” She looked up and smiled at him but Liosh could tell what an effort it was for her. It hurt his heart to see her so sad and down and he wanted badly to make her feel better.
“Was it something that happened in one of your classes?” he asked. He’d been with her through all three classes she had scheduled that day and nothing untoward had happened as far as he could see. Well, except for the fact that they had run into Amanda Brannigan again—the same female who had been so nasty to Melinda at the mall.
“Oh hello, Melli-the-belly,” she’d sneered, giving Melinda that same insincere smile she’d used on their previous meeting. “I see you still have your guy with you—what’s the matter, can’t you go anywhere without him?”
“She chooses not to,” Liosh had said, when Melinda seemed reluctant to answer. “We love each other,” he added. “We have a bond—why should we be apart?”
“A bond, huh?” Amanda had put a hand on her non-existent hip.
“One stronger than you could possibly understand,” Liosh told her. He knew he was carrying things a bit far, but he wanted to put Amanda in her place. It was clear that she’d been cruel to Melinda in the past which made him feel angry and protective of the curvy little female at his side.
“Well, I’m sure that’s just wonderful for both of you,” Amanda said nastily. “Let’s just see how long it lasts, right?”
“A bond with the right person lasts a lifetime,” Liosh had told her. “And that is how long I intend to be with Melinda—for the rest of our lives.”
“Well…” Amanda had said, and then, apparently running out of nasty things to say, she simply added, “Whatever,” and flounced away.
After she left, Liosh had looked at Melinda to see how she’d taken the exchange. He was hoping that his declaration—though it was supposedly pretend—might make her feel better. But her cheeks were red and she seemed more miserable than before, if possible.
Her reaction made Liosh worry that he had said too much. He had felt safe saying it though. If Melinda objected, he could always say that he was just pretending to be her significant other and acting the part. Later, when she was ready to return his emotions, he could admit that he had loved her right from the start.
Now, as they sat in her dorm room on the loveseat again, he looked at her in concern.
“Was it our meeting with that Amanda Brannigan that has you so disturbed?” he asked, since she hadn’t answered his previous question.
“Not…exactly.” Melinda shook her head, still looking miserable.
Which wasn’t really a “no.”
“Was it the things I said to her?” Liosh asked. “Did I express my feelings for you too freely? I was just acting the part of your boyfriend, after all,” he added, hoping to defuse the situation.
“I know you were.” Melinda looked up at him with a tremulous smile. “It was nice of you to try and put Amanda in her place.”
“She is what I have heard Lady Kat call, ‘a nasty piece of work,’” Liosh remarked. “Was she very cruel to you when you were in high school together?”
Melinda looked down at her hands.
“You could say that. But she wasn’t the one who really affected me the most. That was…” She trailed off. “Never mind. It’s ancient history.”
“If you want to talk about it, I’m happy to listen,” Liosh told her.
But Melinda shook her head.
“Thanks but I’d rather not dredge all that up. It was hard enough to live through it in the first place.” She sighed. “I think I’d just like to take a bath and go to bed.”
Liosh wished he could offer to help bathe her but now that her cast had fallen off, he really had no excuse to be with her in the fresher. He cast about in his mind, trying to think of anything else that might cheer Melinda up.
“Would you like to practice cuddling again after your bathe?” he asked, hopefully. In truth, he had been wishing he could hold her again all day. The night before when the two of them had been so close and comfortable with each other made him long for more of the same.
But Melinda looked down at her hands and shook her head.
“I don’t think…don’t think that would be a good idea,” she said in a low voice.
Liosh frowned.
“Why? You seemed to enjoy our cuddling the night before.”
“That’s the problem.” She looked up at him. “I did enjoy it. Too much.”
“But…how can you enjoy something too much?” Liosh asked, confused. “I don’t understand.”
“I mean, I enjoyed cuddling with you so much I’m afraid it might…might lead to something more.” Melinda twisted her fingers in her lap. “Do you know what I mean?”
She’s frightened of me, Liosh thought, his heart fisting in his chest. She’s afraid I’ll want more than she’s willing to give.
“Melinda,” he murmured, lifting her chin to look into her eyes. “Have I made you uncomfortable in some way? Have I made you believe that I’ll demand sexual favors you’re unwilling to give? Because I promise, I would never ask you to do something you’re not ready to do.”
“But what if I’m never ready?” she burst out, her big blue eyes filled with pain. “What if it’s not that I’m unwilling, but that I’m unable to give you what you want, Liosh?”
Then she seemed to get hold of herself because she shook her
