Page 52 of Melody

“See what I mean?”

That stupid clerk. I told him to engraveWith lots of love. NotWith lots of love, Brianna.

Damn it all to hell! I knew I should have unwrapped it and looked at it before I put it under the Pikes’ Christmas tree.

What was I thinking?

“That right there is why I think it’s from you,” he says.

Embarrassment wells through me. My cheeks are burning. “It was meant to be anonymous.”

He frowns. “Why?”

“I don’t know.” I drop my gaze to the floor and then wander around the living room aimlessly. “I saw it and I thought of you. Every time I see you, you seem to have a different belt buckle on. This one was beautiful.”

He closes the distance between us and takes the buckle from me, the warmth of his hand making my stallion heartbeat turn to wild antelope. “If it was supposed to be anonymous, why is your name on it?”

I sigh. “Tell me and we’ll both know. The clerk fucked up.”

His gaze softens then, and his dark eyes burn into me. “Brianna, I’m not looking for—”

I hold up a hand to stop him. “That’s not what this is about, Jesse. I just wanted you to have it.”

He places his hand on my shoulder—my bare shoulder—making my flesh burn. “Good. Then we have an understanding?”

“Of course. I mean, it was only one—”

He touches his fingers to my lips. “That never happened.”

My heart cracks a little then. He truly isn’t interested. Perhaps he’s attracted to me—I mean, you can’t kiss a person like that if you’re not—but he’s not interested in me inthatway.

Maybe I shouldn’t go on this tour after all.

“Well, thank you for the gift.”

“You’re welcome. I guess I’ll see you at the airport.”

“Yeah. See you then.” He turns, walks out the door.

Damn that clerk. I’m going to have him fired. First thing tomorrow I’m going back to that mall and—

A tear wells in my eye.

No, I’m not going to have him fired. He’s a clerk at a small shop. He probably needs that job. Maybe he’s the owner of the shop, in which case I can’t have him fired anyway.

He screwed up.

Who the hell hasn’t screwed up in life?

I sure did. I should’ve opened the package and made sure the engraving was right.

This is no one’s fault but my own.

And now?

I no longer want to go on the tour.

But I already talked Maddie into going, and I can’t disappoint her. Not after she’s already been disappointed by my cousins and me on so many occasions.

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