“Stop squealing woman, you’ll wake the whole house. God, I’m freezing,” he wraps his arms around her and pulls her against his body. It’s been so long since she was held like this and he feels so good.
“You feel like heaven, Delta. I want more than anything to touch you, taste you and make you mine in every way possible,” his deep voice rumbles through her body and chills erupt. She grinds against him, making him groan, “But I want to make sure you are ready for it. I don't do short term flings.”
Delta’s heart sighs. “Okay, until then I will behave, mostly.” Delta sighs, “Isn’t it odd, Daniel, how natural it feels to be in your bed and in your arms.” It’s going to break her heart to leave him, she thinks.
“It should be odd, but it isn't. Go to sleep, Beautiful.” Soon her even breathing tells him she's sound asleep. Daniel grins, feeling like he just won the lottery and closes his eyes to sleep.
Chapter 9
Melody knows the Silver Creek Ranch better than most of the employees. Chase hired her when she was just sixteen years old to work in the restaurant as a hostess. Once she finished high school, she worked part-time and went to a local community college for hotel management, with one goal in mind. To work near Daniel.
Most men his age would have jumped at the chance to get in her bed, but Daniel was special. Melody understood. He was ignoring her to show his respect for her. Daniel made it a policy to never date anyone at the Ranch, which kept things simple, until her. “Delta,” she hisses.
The blade of the razor slices into the top of her thigh, and she hisses as the burns. Over and over again, she cuts, it is the only way to control the rage. Zach beats on the bathroom door and shouts at her. He's angry again, but she ignores him and sinks into the tub of hot water.
“You said they wouldn’t know, Mel! Now I lost my job,” he pounds on the door once more. “We need to talk, Mel.” When she doesn’t respond, he yells, “I’m done with this!” Soon she hears the slam of the motel door and the squeal of his tires as he leaves.
Melody sighs and glances at her leg. She didn’t cut deep enough to slice a vein, only the skin. Sometimes when she was younger, she would get carried away, but she knows better now. The burning helps, it gives her something to focus on besides the two of them together. Jumping up from the tub, she climbs out and lets the blood-tinged water rain off her body.
Without a confession or evidence, the police could not hold them. Melody’s state-appointed lawyer had her out quickly. After all, Zach was the one who drove her up the mountain, and it was his word against hers. Afraid they were being watched, they went home long enough to pack a few bags and drove around until they were sure no one was following them.
Melody grabs a box off the sink and holds it to her chest and mumbles. To the average person, the plastic container she's cradling looks like a shoe box, but it's special. “Our memory box,” she whispers letting the tears fall.
‘Box of lies,’ the voice whispers to her. Her brown eyes grow big as she swipes at her face.
“No, Daniel doesn't lie.” She pops the plastic lid off and digs through the box. One baggy holds a bit of hair from his last haircut. Movie ticket stubs, “From our first movie together.”
‘He didn't even know you were there,' the voice reminds her. Melody balls up a fist and yells.
“Shut up, he loves me!” Fisted in her hand is a pair of his socks from the house. She took it from his laundry when his daughter was out of town. It was a magical weekend. Pressing the socks to her cheeks she whispers, “We slept in his bed, he loaned me some of his clothes, and I even used his toothbrush. It was amazing,” she remembers the feel of his arms around her as they made love in the massive king size bed…
‘In your dreams, remember, Melody, he was out of town for work. You slept alone in his bed. The same bed, she’s sleeping in right now?' The voice taunts. Melody shakes her head and throws the box across the small hotel bathroom.
“Daniel loves me,” she whispers and covers her ears to block out the sound of the voice.
‘Right now, he is loving Delta, giving her a bath in that big two-person tub, washing her, rubbing his perfect hands over her body and she is moaning …' Melody spins and screams at the image in the mirror.
“It’s not his fault, she tricked him!” She drops to the cold tile floor and shoves the trinkets back into the box and pushes the lid on tight. She pulls on the sweatshirt she stole from his house and rocks on the floor. “Delta needs to pay!”
‘Yes! Make her bleed and show him what a weak, nobody she is. Then he will see you as you are.' Wiping her red hair from her wild eyes, she whispers, “Yes, make her bleed.”
Chapter 10
Daniel wakes to a slobbery wet kiss and not the kind he was hoping for. “Dog breath is way worse than morning breath,” he mumbles and Delta giggles when Sasha rewards him with another kiss.
“You’ll hurt her feelings,” Delta laughs. Her shoulder is feeling better, and this time, she has no problem pushing up, only tight muscles and soreness. The leg, however, is a different story. “I should take her out,” Delta sighs.
Daniel rubs Sasha, before rolling over and tugging Delta
