Page 90 of Remember Me?

“Duke? What about him? Please tell me I’m not the other woman. Am I a homewrecker, Melody? A side piece?” His face shines with amusement. He is not the least bit concerned. In fact, it doesn't even seem like it matters to him whether she was seeing Duke intimately or not. She frowns.

“And what if you are?” She shoots back, not liking his indifference.

“Melody, we both know that you’re mine. If you were with Duke back then, you’re certainly not with him now.” He says darkly. “So tell me, Melody, how will Duke be a problem.”

Melody groans, “Fine! No, you are not the other woman, not in that respect, at least. But Duke was a huge part of my family. He was there for me, for us, when we needed him. The school called him. He just found out that I’m not going back. I fucked up by not telling him sooner. He is flying down. Tonight. He wants to talk.”

Graham takes it all in stride, however by the tension in shoulders, he may be more affected than he was letting on. “So we will talk. Melody. We will talk.” He pulls her in close, kissing the side of her neck and rubbing her back to calm her down.

“Come on. Let’s take these pizzas to Mami's so we can go pick up Ollie. "

Resigned, she looks up at him. "Ok, let's go.'' She hops off the bench and jumps into his truck. They drive in silence while she holds the pizzas on her lap.

After a beat, she breaks the ice. In all the commotion she forgot to tell him her good news.

“So Graham, this guy, you know, can he get my car done before next week? I want to start getting my new classroom ready."

“What!?" He asks, a huge smile overtaking on his face

"Yes, sir, you are looking at the new 9th-grade English Literature teacher at Nashville High." She announces.

"Oh, Melody, that's fucking awesome."

"Now I just need to find an apartment." She laughs at her own predicament. "I may have put the cart before the horse on that one." Her good mood was restored. Things are going pretty well right now. Even with a few snags, she can still let herself be happy for her accomplishments.

"Hey, I wanted to ask you something," Graham interjects her musings.

"Ok, shoot." She says, sneaking a pizza out of the box and holding it up for him to take a bite.

"So.” he starts hesitantly. “I have two spare bedrooms. How about y’all just move in with me?" He asks through a mouthful of pizza.

"Graham, you really don't have to offer us your home, you know that, right? You don't owe us anything. I don't want anything from you. I don't expect anything." He can't possibly think she is just using him for a place to stay or hitting him up for money.

He looks over at her with a genuine smile on his face. "No, Melly, I would really like to spend more time with you and with Ollie." He looks desperate for her to say yes, and he probably does want to spend time with his son. Okay, so now she feels terrible for not telling him about Ollie sooner.

"Well, you really do have a lot of space outside for Ollie to play. And you do have two spare rooms." She says while pretending to look contemplative "And your bathroom is definitely big enough for two." She teases. He grins at her, that sexy grin that makes her head spin.

"So what do you say?"

"Are you sure you want us to, Graham? It's a lot of baggage to have a woman and little boy invading your space. You really won't be able to bring any girls home." She says the last bit spontaneously. She didn't really mean to let her insecurities slip in, but now she has to know where they stand. She doesn't think she could handle him dating around, especially when she has to live with him.

"Well, I don't know how they do it in California. But if we are fucking, I’m not sharing. Your pussy is mine, Melody. Only mine. So no Duke." He grows more serious. “Truthfully, you have been mine since I was ten years old. You were just a little slower to realize it."

She looks away, she is floored by his words of possession, and she is all there for it. He has definitely changed in the years they have been apart.

"Well, that wasn't exactly my question. I need to know where I stand with you. I don't want to be in the way if you need to bring home some female companionship. I have no real claim to you, and I understand that, however, as you so eloquently put it. If we are fucking, I don't share either." She looks up at him, trying to be as serious about the situation as he was.

She fails, her lips quirking up as she takes him in. He looks so upset, appalled that she even asked him that. He pulls her in roughly, and a deep crevice in her stomach clenches in response.

"You're mine. I am yours. We are doing this." He reaches over and kisses her roughly to seal the deal. They pull apart, breathing heavily.

"When do we move in?"

Graham

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It was like music to his ears. He never thought she would agree to them giving it a go. He thought he would go through life forever as her dirty little secret, and although that alone has its appeal. If he couldn't handle it at 20, there was no way, in hell, he would be able to handle it now, as an adult.

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