Page 15 of Meeting Melody
I frown at my bag. “No, it didn’t end on a good note.”
“Really? I think you got the happy ending your night deserved…”
My head flies up, and I stare at him. Is he insinuating—
It’s nothing I didn’t already suspect, but I don’t want to think about it. I’d rather pretend that it never happened. The truth is too uncomfortable.
He’s closer now, within reaching distance. I have to crane my head back a bit farther to actually meet his eyes. He takes my bag from me and swings it over his shoulder. Goosebumps break out down my arms.
“I have an idea,” he says.
“What’s that?”
“You come with me.”
“From the sounds of it, that already happened,” I snap, then cover my mouth.
He smiles.
Smiles. Like a fucking lunatic.
He inches closer still, until his chest is against my arm. “Did you dream about me, Melody? While I fucked you into an orgasm?”
I shudder. “That’s inappropriate.” I push at him, then gesture for my bag. “You—”
“I drugged you.” His eyes gleam. “I drugged you and I ate you out and then I fucked you, and you came around my cock like a sleeping porn star. The only thing missing was your eye contact. Which Iwillhave next time.”
My body goes cold.
“Youdruggedme? No. When would you have had a chance to even do that?” My mind races. I was out with Lucy. I got home. Fell asleep before he broke into my house… I turn away from him and close my eyes.
Just breathe, Mel.
“I can still smell myself on you, Professor. Did you wash me away this morning? When you realized?”
He looms over my shoulder, and I spin back around. I’m notafraidof him. I’ve known fear. This is different. I just can’t do what he wants. And I certainly don’t trust him enough to give him my back for longer than a few seconds.
He drops my bag, the sound a dullthudthat barely registers, and frames me in with his arms on either side of my head.
“Do you want me to apologize?” he whispers. His lips areright there. Inches above mine. His eyes bore into me, seeing way more than I’d ever want him to see. “Because I’m not fucking sorry. But I would prefer you to be awake, so… spend the day with me.”
Butterflies erupt in my chest. It’s sick and twisted that I’m actually… agreeing with what he’s saying. If we have sex, I want to be there to witness it. Of course. But there’s another part of me that is so tempted to refuse him and see what he’ll do.
In the end, I’m too curious about him. “If I do this, then you don’t break into my house again.”
Keep your enemies close or whatever. Right?
He nods. “Deal.”
His hand comes down, hovering in the only space left between us.
My palm slides against his, and we shake on it.
A small price to pay, I think. I don’t know how he got into my house, but I’d bet he didn’t just follow me in. Lucy wouldn’t have let that happen.
Jacob steps back and takes my bag again, all the while… not releasing my hand.
I tug at it, but he tightens his grip. He leads me up the stairs to the door, then out into the hall. I yank at my hand in vain, panic bubbling up through me.
