Page 4 of Snowbody

If that was the case, I needed to talk to him and find out what he was willing to do for marketing.

Without Melody.

I knew her. She’d just shoot down everything I suggested. She’d make sure we went with her ideas, even if they weren’t very good.

It was how things always went with her.

I looked back at Jacob, giving him a smile.

He smiled back. “So, Maddy…”

Melody moved between us. “Look, any marketing ideas need to be discussed with me. I’m not taking a risk when the resort’s been doing so well.”

I tensed, then lowered my head.

Same old Melody.

Jacob laughed. “Hang on, Melody, just give her a chance to talk, all right?”

I couldn’t see the look she gave him, but I guessed that it was meant to silence him.

He just looked over her shoulder, though, focused on me. “Maddy. I’d love to hear your ideas. Dinner sometime?”

Melody turned so both of us could see her face. “Fine. If we want to talk about Maddy’s ideas, we’ll do it now. Here, at the restaurant.”

Jacob held up his hand to silence her.

Melody’s jaw dropped.

It was hard not to laugh.

“Melody. Maddy said she wants to talk to me. Maybe you should trust your employees, huh?”

Melody’s face went red. She stared at Jacob for a moment, then looked back at me. “Fine,” she snapped and turned to walk down the hall.

I looked at Jacob once she was gone. My face felt hot. “Thank you.”

He smiled. “You don’t need to thank me. I just stopped taking her crap, you know? We’ll get you there, too.”

And he reached out to put a hand on my shoulder.

I wanted to run.

I wanted to kiss him.

I’d never been so attracted to a man before. He was so tall and had that rugged, bad-boy look that had always made me a little weak. And his eyes were so stunningly blue that they took my breath away.

This was a problem already.

School had always been my first priority. Between that and years of being convinced that I wasn’t as pretty or fun as my sister, I’d stayed quiet. I hadn’t partied much while I was in college.

If Melody ever found out I was still a virgin, I would never hear the end of it.

I jolted out of my thoughts with the realization that Jacob was talking and probably had been for a few minutes. “I’m sorry, what? I spaced out for a second. Tired from travel.”

His hand was still on my shoulder.

It was very distracting.

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