Page 30 of Worth the Ruin
“I have fun,” she snaps, sounding defensive.
I give her a look that clearly says she’s full of shit, but I make my tone light and raise my voice so everyone can hear when I say, “Do you even know how to play?”
I give her a challenging look.Your turn, Melody. Come on. Play the game. Play with me. Let me in, just a little…
“Oooh, come on Mel, you can’t take that!” Landry calls. She holds my gaze and though she fights it, she eventually smirks, letting the wall come down, at least a bit.
“You’ll regret that,” she says quietly and it only makes me grin wider.
“Let’s do this!” Johnson calls as Mel tosses her button-down to the grass, leaving her in a tank top, and jogs over to the group. Everyone whoops and hollers in excitement. I love days like this, when we can all just pretend things are the way they used to be, that everything is fine and there isn’t danger lurking outside the walls. When we can justbe. I let myself shed this persona I’ve had to wear for so damn long and, at least for an afternoon, I’m just a guy named Austin playing a game of touch football with his friends. I can just be me, therealme.
I don’t miss how Melody’s eyes can’t seem to pry themselves away from me during the game. I’m admittedly showing out a little bit, wanting her attention on me.
“Come on, Mel! Get him!” Eckerd yells as I break free from Meadows and Baker. I sprint down the field, ball in hand, and Melody gives chase. I laugh as she closes in, tossing the ball to Ramirez just before she can touch me, spinning away from her outstretched hand. But I slip just as she lunges for me, and we end up going down together in a heap—with her landing fully on top of me.
Jesus.
She braces herself with one hand on the ground beside my head, the other on my chest. Can she feel how hard my heart’s beating? Will she just chock it up to the run down the field? Because that has nothing to fucking do with it. I tell myself not to move a muscle, but that doesn’t work for shit, and a second later my hand flies to her hip. It takes all of my self-control not to reach out and slide my other hand to her nape, to tug her down and press my lips to hers, to use my grip on her hip to pull her body hard against mine, letting her know just how fucking much I want her…
Her eyes are wide, pupils expanding while I watch. She’s breathing hard, but I’m not sure that’s all from the run either.
“Melody,” I rasp, and I don’t know if I’m asking or begging or praying. Our faces are close. Too close. Not close enough. Her gray eyes blaze as they dip to my lips, and she inhales softly. Does she want to kiss me as badly as I want her to? Not fucking possible. I’ve never wanted anything so badly in my life. It’s a terrible idea. It’s a fantastic idea.
And if she doesn’t stop looking at me like that, my self-control is going to disappear completely and I’m going to fuck her right here in the grass in front of half of FOS.
“I…” She licks her lips and my hand flexes on her hip, that small movement of her tongue having a direct line to my cock. Her shirt rides up and my fingers brush her bare skin.Fuck. She gasps quietly and I groan low in my throat.
“It’s touch, Mel! Not tackle!” Landry calls, and she blinks, like she’s suddenly remembering where we are and what we’re supposed to be. Or not be, I guess. Just like that, the spell is broken and she scrambles away, rolling off of me and bounding to her feet. She clears her throat but to my surprise, reaches out to offer me a hand up. I take it and quickly release her grip as soon as I’m upright. Her eyes meet mine and just like that, the fire is back again, whatever had been burning between us before blazing to life again just below the surface. Before either of us can say or do anything else idiotic, Landry bounds up and bumps her shoulder with his.
I force myself to smooth everything away, smiling and acting like nothing had happened at all. Her eyes narrow a fraction and I know she’s noticed the change. Does she believe it?
“Johnson says that’s game for today. A few of the guys are due to start their rotations on patrol soon. And not that anyone is surprised, butmyteam won,” Landry says, cocky and grinning.
“And now you need a shower,” Mel says, shoving him playfully and wrinkling her nose. He hooks his arm around her neck and ruffles her hair in a very playful, big brother kind of way. She laughs loudly, shoving at his stomach, and I blink in surprise. I’m not sure I’ve ever heard her laugh, not really. She straightens when Wynn releases her, and I catch her eye, quirking a brow. She hikes a shoulder but thankfully doesn’t put the wall back up, her easy smile remaining on her face. Fuck it’s a good one. It’s one of those smiles that would have gotten her out of any speeding ticket, no matter how fast she was going.The kind that would have gotten her free drinks at any bar in the world.
One that would bring grown men to their knees.
“Aw, don’t be a sore loser, Mel,” Landry teases her.
“Better luck next time,” I say with a smile, letting the words hang in the air, making it clear that I’m hoping there will be a next time. She eyes me for a long minute but then nods.
“Next time.”
I stareat the door that connects my room to Melody’s. I’ve almost knocked on it at least half a dozen times since I got back from my rounds and showered. I keep talking myself out of it, reminding myself that I’m supposed to let her make the decision, that I’m supposed to wait for her to come to me.
What if she never does? The thought makes me clench my jaw and push myself off of the arm of the couch where I’ve been leaning and take a few determined steps to the door. Again.
“Just fucking do it,” I mutter to myself. I stop in front of the door and raise my hand, but again, I stop myself before I knock. I scowl and pace back across the room. “What the fuck is wrong with me?” I groan quietly, running a hand through my damp hair. A knock at the main door has me whirling, my heart thundering in my chest.Finally.
I cross to the door quickly and throw it open—only to find Destiny on the threshold.
Oh.
Right.
I’d almost forgotten that she was coming by. I don’t really want her here. Don’t get me wrong, I have a good time with all ofthe girls, but now that I’m feeling more and more for Melody, I don’t want anyone else.
“Hey, you,” she says, giving me a sultry smile and leaning forward to run her hands up my chest. “I’ve been thinking about you all day.”
