Page 99 of The Wrong Heart

“In a sketch-ass alley to get yourself kidnapped?” My pace quickens until I catch up, moving in front of her to hinder her escape. “ThatMatchmakerkiller was nabbing people not far from here.”

She sighs weakly. “I’ll be fine.”

“Where are you even going?”

Trying to wind around me, she lets out another defeated sigh when I block her. “I’m going to my car. I had to park on the street. Can I please leave?”

“That dickwad didn’t even pick you up? Jesus… I’ve never even been in a relationship, and I have enough sense to know that much.”

“You…” Melody pauses, confusion settling into her features. “You’ve never been in a relationship? Ever?”

“No. I told you, I—”

“Don’t like women,” she finishes, glancing away. “That’s kind of a huge red flag, Parker.”

I take in the way a light blush shades her cheeks, and I wonder if I put it there. My feet move in closer. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me… a lot you don’t want to know.”

She nibbles her lip, raising her eyes to me. “You can tell me.”

Goddammit.

She’s looking for a way in. She’s throwing me all these chances, all these bones, all these golden fucking opportunities to spill my guts to her, so she canunderstand.

But I’ve never let anyone in before.

And she’ll never understand.

So, my response is pulled from the only shred of certainty I have:I want her.

I fucking want her just as much as I wanted her that night in the rain. Savage, raw, and unrestrained. My gaze dips to her cleavage, recalling the taste. Salty skin and earthy raindrops. Her dress is red, seductive and curve-clinging, and I recognize it from the night she invited me out with her friends while I was remodeling her bathroom. I glance back up. “You’re wearing the “fuck me” dress,” I state, my voice hoarse, giving away my growing arousal. Melody’s irises flash, dancing with green and gold flecks. Tiny embers. Inching closer, I lower my chin until my lips are a hair’s breadth from her ear. “Did you wear it for him? Or did you namedrop the bar earlier in hopes I’d show up and tear this dress off of you?”

Melody’s breath hitches as she raises her chin, our eyes meeting, faces only centimeters apart. She swallows, her gaze drinking me in while she considers her response. “Him,” she finally whispers.

My whole body stiffens, my brows furrowing into a scowl.

“I wore it for him because I didn’t expect you to show up tonight. I’ve learned to expect nothing from you—it only leads to disappointment.”

She holds my stare for another moment before stepping away, then moving around me and heading back towards the bar, purse swinging beside her as her hips sashay with conviction.

Fucking hell.

“Where are you going now?” I call to her.

“Back to my date.” Melody pauses her trek to add, “I want to see if Shane likes my dress.”

I’m not sure why I submit to her goading, why I let the jealousy flow through my veins again like a toxic drug, or why I allow this uncharacteristic surge of possessiveness to provoke my feet into chasing after her.

But I do.

And then I’m in front of her, bending down and scooping her off her feet until she’s draped over my shoulder, squeaking in surprise.

“Parker! What the hell?” Melody protests, squirming in my grip. “Put me down!”

Marching through the alley to the front parking lot, I veer towards my truck, my one arm holding her tight just underneath her backside. She hardly weighs anything at all.

“I swear to God—”

“You’re not very threatening when you’re upside down.”

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