Why the fuck would the man who was behind that want me to leave Melody alone, and why had Melody given me a fake name? Or maybe it was this motherfucker using the fake name.
I could look into it myself, scouring the various electronic databases and search for both names to find out which one is real.
But that would mean going behind Melody’s back and I have no desire to do that.
“Are you okay, Mason?” she asks, folding one leg over the other in a way that causes the denim of her jeans to tug toward her crotch, igniting a blaze inside of me that threatens to erupt any moment.
“Yes,” I tell her.
Because it’s the truth.
I am okay.
I know that if Melody has concealed her true name, there’s a reason behind it, even if this puzzle is making me curious. And it is making me curious. But to the point where I want to ruin today by opening a can of putrid worms she clearly doesn’t want opened?
Perhaps it’s selfish of me, but right now I’m more concerned with our day … and our evening.
Melody is mine.
Always fucking mine.
And the rantings of some jackass maniac on a pretentious playing card aren’t going to change that.
“Are you going to tell me where we’re going yet?” she says.
I smirk, leaning forward, any thought of the playing card already drifting to the wayside.
“If you come and sit on my lap, I might think about it,” I laugh.
She grabs her seatbelt, tilting her head at me sassily.
“If you promise you’ll tell me, then we might have a deal.”
My manhood floods instantly like it always does when she gets that sassy, confident look on her face. It comes in rushing moments, as though she has to forget to be nervous to allow her natural self-assuredness to flow through. It’s like the sun behind the clouds, when it emerges, vivacious and so attractive I feel my seed surging through me, hungry to be inside of her.
Where it belongs.
“If you do, I won’t be able to stop myself,” I say.
“Come on.”
She rolls her eyes.
“I’m serious,” I growl. “Why do you think I only gave you a quick kiss on the cheek on the runway, eh? It’s because all I’ve been able to think about is you in that office, Melody, how goddamn beautiful you looked when you creamed for me—Jesus, see? Already I feel like a wild beast about to break out of his cage.”
“God, you’re going to be crazy later aren’t you?” She smiles, but then her smile wavers. “What if I can’t …”
I lean forward, looking into the meaningful depths of her eyes.
“What is it, Melody?” I ask. “You can always talk to me. We can always be honest with each other.”
Except about our real identities, a cruel voice jabs.
She picks at the armrest of the plush black leather seat. The décor in here is sleek, with the wood-paneled walls and the dark-wood-colored surfaces and seats, the carpet plush as it leads to a separate dining area that then leads to the cockpit. We have complete privacy, the only sound the light Jazz playing through the speakers, and Melody’s breathing, her breathing which is getting quicker and more anxious.
“What if I’m not good enough?” she whispers.
“Good enough?” I mutter, confused.
She shoots me a look and then it hits me.
Despite the ravenous need inside of me, I unclip my belt and move over to her, kneeling down and placing my hand on her leg. I force myself to keep it there, near her knee, even though every fiber in my animalistic being is roaring at me to slide it higher and take what’s mine.
“Maybe I should tell you something that’d put you at ease, eh?” I whisper.
“I don’t think there is anything,” she mutters. “I’m going to be fumbling all over the place and you’re—”
“A virgin, too,” I growl.
I feel a weight flowing off of my shoulders.
“That’s the first time I’ve ever admitted that to anybody,” I say in wonder. “Natalie doesn’t even know. She knows I don’t go on dates. I’ve never had the time. No, fuck that. I’ve never had the need, not before you, Melody. But not this. So you see? You don’t have to be nervous. Because we’re in this together.”
“You’re a …”
She narrows her eyes at me and her hand – placed atop mine – tremors.
“Okay, I’m not saying you’d lie about something like that,” she says. “But, God, Mason … you do see how difficult that is for me to believe, right? When we were getting Natalie’s contract at Eternal Bond, I did a bit of research on Spark. You know, just getting some background. And I saw the way the press talk about you. I saw how women faun over you. Do you have any idea how many ‘Sexiest Men Alive’ lists you appear on? If you wanted you could have a line of supermodels ten blocks long waiting for you to do whatever you wanted with them. And you’re saying you waited for me?”
“Yes,” I say with passion, leaning over and bringing my face close to hers, looking right into the soul of my queen. “You’re right. I won’t lie about that. I could’ve had any woman I wanted. But I never wanted them. I never wanted to just rut for the sake of it. I was waiting until I knew, and I fucking knew the second I laid eyes on the curviest, sexiest, shyest, sassiest, most interesting woman alive.”
She bites her lip, tears pricking her eyes.
“You’re not lying?” she whispers.
“Never,” I say firmly. “I’ll never lie to you. You’re my woman now, Melody. We’re going to be together for a damn long time. We’re going to have children together.”
She sucks in a short breath as I lean in for an excited and enticing kiss. I kiss her lips softly at first, and then a beast wakes up inside of me and I lean in harder, sinking close to her, savoring the way her body trembles
