So why had she stopped him?
Fear.
She hated that about herself. The last time she was in River Bend fear wasn’t part of her vocabulary. Then life’s punches reminded her how much it hurt to get hit.
Her best friends didn’t seem to suffer from the same paralyzing thoughts. Granted, neither Jo nor Zoe were involved with anyone, but it wasn’t fear keeping them from it.
Jo was cursed with being the town cop. It was kinda hard to have a fling or an anything when she overpowered the single men in town.
And Zoe . . . the image of Luke staring Zoe’s way most of the night before kept coming to the surface. He wasn’t over her. While Zoe said she had moved on . . . Melanie wasn’t so sure.
So far no one in her close circle of friends was winning in the romance category. Not even Miss Gina had found herself a lover. At least not that Mel had caught on to, in any event.
She shouldn’t be thinking about Miss Gina’s sex life while fishing out a towel that had been tossed under one of the guest room’s beds.
“There you are.”
The sound of Wyatt’s voice had Mel tossing her head up too fast. The back of it caught the edge of the bed.
“Ouch!” She wasn’t sure what was more unflattering . . . her ass sticking in the air as she retrieved someone else’s castoffs or her clumsy move that made a few stars sparkle in her head.
With a quick twist, she plopped on the floor, her ass no longer flying, and grasped her head. “That hurt.” And it did. Right down to her toes.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to—”
When she opened her eyes, Wyatt was kneeling, his hand over hers holding the back of her skull.
“Are you okay?”
Melanie grumbled and rolled her eyes. “A little warning next time, Mr. Ripper.”
Wyatt smiled at her dig and sighed.
She couldn’t stop the smile any more than she could ignore the man who stood close.
“You’re beautiful.”
Melanie didn’t do speechless often, but the compliment was so unexpected she didn’t know how to respond.
Wyatt removed his hand from hers and slowly pushed a lock of hair from her eyes.
Her gaze moved from his eyes to his lips and he drew in a sharp breath.
Without warning, without an open invitation . . . he was there.
His lips were soft, warm, and electric. Everything inside her tensed, and those butterflies that appeared with the thought of his kiss turned into majestic birds in full flight.
She moaned. The sound surprised her nearly as much as his kiss. Her breath caught and her eyes closed. And for the first time in forever . . . Melanie just felt.
Wyatt’s lips, his tongue seeking acceptance . . . his hand as it rested on the side of her face, tilting it up to reach his . . . it was wonderful. Knock her out of her panties wonderful.
For a brief moment, she felt Wyatt move away.
She dug her fingers into his shoulder and didn’t let him move. He may have started the kiss, but she’d be damned if he ended it. A woman had to hold some power, after all.
The slight laugh under his kiss prompted her hand down his chest.
His laughter ended and she wasn’t the only one moaning.
“Melanie!”
Her name, like nails on a chalkboard, irrevocably pulled her from the single best moment in her life.
The kiss ended as abruptly as it began, but Melanie didn’t let go.
Instead, she held tight as if Wyatt was a shield against the dark magic of a known enemy.
Her eyes shot open and landed on the one person she never wanted to see ever again in her life.
“Nathan.”
CHAPTER NINE
The dark suit hanging off Nathan’s shoulders was as out of place as the man himself.
Melanie scrambled to her feet, her hand grasping ahold of Wyatt’s. “What are you doing here?”
A practiced smile lifted the corner of Nathan’s lips. “It’s good to see you, too, precious.”
The pet name he’d used for her back when made her cringe now. “Don’t . . . just don’t.”
“Who is this guy?” Wyatt took the space in front of her, keeping Nathan at a distance. This close, he threatened the very air in the room.
Nathan stared Wyatt down. “I’m Hope’s father.”
She wanted to deny him the title, but couldn’t.
“And Melanie’s husband.”
“No! You’re not. I am not . . .” She dug her fingernails into Wyatt’s arm tighter. “We didn’t.” Good God, why was she babbling? “What are you doing here, Nathan?”
“I’m here to see—”
“Mommy?”
Oh, God, Hope.
There were times when she and Nathan had been together when he’d turn his head in just the right way, grin ever so much, and she knew trouble sat behind his eyes.
Melanie heard Hope’s feet running up the stairs and she pushed past both the men in the room. She lifted a hand in the air.
“Don’t you even think about it, Nathan. She doesn’t know you.”
“She’s mine, too.”
Every muscle in her tensed and heat rose in her head. “I don’t know why you’re here, but you aren’t going to mess up my daughter with whatever game you’re playing.”
“Mommy?” Hope was just a few feet away.
“Don’t follow me, Nathan.” She wasn’t sure he’d follow her command, but she turned her back on him and headed Hope off before she could reach the men.
“There’s a car in the driveway,” Hope said as she reached the top step.
Melanie glanced behind her and grasped Hope’s arm. “Really? Let’s go find the driver.”