Melody (THE LOGAN FAMILY) (12 page)

She shook from her daydream. “What do you know about Keith Taylor?”

He sighed. “Besides the fact that he’s fine as hell?” She grinned. “Well, he’s probably the only one here I don’t know much about.” He opened the box of folders. “I don’t think the CIA could get into his business. He’s very private. He doesn’t give people the opportunity to know what he doesn’t want them to.”

“What do you mean?” Melody nibbled her lip.

“Well, with other people you can just read them, you know? You can listen to their conversations. You can see how they react, and you can watch them and find things out. Not Keith. It’s like he’s always…always guarded somehow. Like he goes out of his way to make sure he doesn’t lend extra information. It’s not normal, if you ask me.”

She leaned up. “What do you mean?”

“Well, I hate to say things about people, but I never really liked Keith Taylor. He just doesn’t come off as being on the up and up.” Melody raised an eyebrow. “It’s like he always has some kind of angle, and I can’t figure it out for the life of me.”

“Angle with this job, or in general?”

Mario wiped sweat from his forehead. “He always manages to make things work out in his best interest, you know? I mean, he gets perks around here that people who have been working here for years don’t even get. It’s like everyone is snowed. The employees flock to his every move. The women around here, oh, they can’t get enough of him. And Mr. Lawson acts like he’s Jesus.” He shook his head. “I’m probably the only one around here who doesn’t think twice about him.”

Melody stood. “Until now.” Mario looked at her. “I think you’re on the right track, Mario. I don’t like Keith Taylor, and I’d die before believing a word that came out of his mouth. I think he’s a manipulative liar.” She looked into the hallway. “He scares the hell out of me, and for that, I want to make sure he stays away from my sister.”

Mario sighed. “I think you should definitely stay away from him, too, Melody.”

“If only I could get Sarah to see a reason, but he has her snowed like everyone else.”

“Hi.” Keith leaned at the door with his arms crossed. His fancy white shirt, blue tie and black slacks were straightened to perfection. Melody wondered if he’d heard. Somehow she felt it hadn’t made a difference either way. She wanted him to know how she felt. Maybe then he’d leave Sarah the hell alone.

“Uh, hello, Keith.” Mario waved nervously. “I was helping Melody get settled in. How are you this morning?”

Keith squinted as he glanced at Melody. “I’m fine, Mario. Just heading to my office. Please don’t stop talking about me on my account.” He smiled at Melody.

“Melody, I’ll be right back. I need to get you the manual so you can read up on your duties.” Mario slid past Keith.

“Oh, boy.” Keith chuckled. He scooted on top of the desk. “Nothing more flattering than a woman checking up on me.”

“Believe me, I wasn’t doing it for the reasons you think, Keith.” She glared at him. His eyes skimmed her large breasts through her suit jacket.

“Any reason you’d take time to know more about me is music to my ears, Melody.” He smirked.

“I have to go to the bathroom and…” He blocked the door.

“You’re not going anywhere!” He shoved her in the chair.

“Get out of my way, Keith!”

“Shut up!” He opened her suit jacket. He tore open her blouse.

She screamed. “Oh! What are you doing? My blouse!” She tried to shield herself with her arms.

Keith held her to the chair. “Yeah, I did it,” he whispered.

“Get away from me!” she begged.

“I said, shut up.” He glanced at her plump breasts encased in the lacey white bra. Melody could barely breathe. She sure as heck couldn’t confront him. Her heart pounded. She started to see double and became woozy.

“Oh, what’s the matter…huh?” Keith panted. “What, having a panic attack, Mel? Sarah’s told me all about those.” He struggled from staring at her breasts.

“Keith…I…I can’t breathe.”

“What, huh?” He got on his knees in front of her. He continued to hold her arms to the chair. “Besides being gorgeous with great legs, you’ve also got a very bad habit. You’re nosey as hell. At first, I assumed that was part of your charm. So I tolerated it. But I won’t tolerate it much longer.” He stood erect. His eyes narrowed until she saw no evidence of the green pupils.

“Are…you…threatening me?” She gazed at him between pants.

“At first, I found it cute how you’ve been acting, but I quickly grew tired of it. You don’t have to like me, Melody. But you are gonna stay out of my business. You stay the fuck out of my business. Do you understand me?”

“Oh…I…Keith…I can’t breathe.” She bent over.

“I don’t want you asking questions about me. I don’t want you snooping in my things. I don’t want you bugging Sarah about me…nothing.”

“Keith!” she panted. “I can’t breathe!”

“It’s hard, isn’t it, Melody?” He stood. “It’s hard when you’re cornered, isn’t it? When you realize you aren’t in control of what’s around you. I hate that feeling myself. So I make sure I’m always in control.” He leaned over her.

“Keith…” The panting slowed. Her heart settled. She focused on the gray carpet. She exhaled. Finally her body naturally relaxed. She forced her hands from Keith’s. She immediately closed her blouse. She held her suit jacket closed over it.

“I must admit, this is kind of fun.” He touched her hair and she jerked away. “I’m incredibly attracted to you. Do you know that?”

She shoved him away. “If you come near me again, I’ll call the police. I’ll tell Mr. Lawson and you’ll be fired, Keith. You’ll have nothing!” Her arms shook over her breasts.

“If you stay out of my business, and be a good girl, Melody, then things will be fine.” He slumped to the door. She held her mouth. She fought the urge to vomit right then and there. Keith turned from the door. “I love that perfume, by the way. The more you wear it, the more I look forward to it.” She shut her eyes. “Sorry if I scared you, Melody.” He left.

“Oh…oh…” She leaned back in the chair. She didn’t know what in the hell to do. She just knew she had to do
something
.

“Melody?” Lucas stood at the door. She hurried to make herself presentable. He rushed inside after noticing her strange behavior. “Jesus, why is your blouse open?” He turned away.

“Uh…” She could have easily settled things by being honest. For some reason she didn’t see it the time or the place. Besides, she wanted to keep her problems with Keith away from Lucas. She’d waited a long time to meet someone special. She had no idea that she’d known him all the while Sarah had been right. Maybe Lucas had been the man of Melody’s dreams.

She wouldn’t let her feelings about Keith fuck that up. She deserved happiness like everyone else. She just needed time to think about what to do. Somehow, she could make Sarah see reason about her new “perfect” boyfriend.

“Melody!” He snapped his fingers. She looked at him. “I asked you why your blouse is opened. What in the hell is going on in here? You look a mess.” He touched her hair. “Still a beautiful mess.”

“Uh…” She knew damn well she couldn’t think of a convincing lie. She’d do her best to try. “I was, uh, in here with Mario, unpacking things. Uh…” She grinned. “And I opened my jacket because it was kind of warm. I bent over to pick something up and my blouse snagged on the desk. It just popped open. I’m so embarrassed.” She chuckled. “And thanks for saying I look a mess.”

“Well, I came to welcome you on board. I couldn’t wait until you got here.” He looked around. “I picked out this office for you. I hope you don’t mind.” She shook her head. “I hope you enjoy your time here, Melody.” He gestured to the door. “I saw Keith leaving a few seconds ago. Was your blouse open then?”

She scoffed. “Uh, are you getting at something?”

He shrugged. “Am I?”

“Lucas, what are you saying?”

“It just looks suspicious, that’s all. Keith was in here and I come in here and your blouse is open. You give me some flimsy excuse and…”

“It’s not an excuse.” She straightened her jacket. “God, I had an accident, Lucas. It’s nothing to even mention. Am I being accused of something?”

“It’s just that you’re so tense around Keith. When we were at Jayson’s, I got the feeling something was going on between you two. Like, I don’t know, some kind of secret. Am I right?”

“No.” She crossed her arms. “Not in the way you mean. I’m not attracted to Keith, if that’s what you mean, Lucas.”

“Is he attracted to
you
?”

She scoffed. “He’s with Sarah.”

“I didn’t ask you who he was with. I asked you if Keith was attracted to you.”

“He’s my sister’s boyfriend. Do you really think I’d go there, Lucas?” He sighed. “Damn, I thought you of all people knew me better than that. I already told you I don’t like Keith. There definitely isn’t anything romantic between us. I could never do that to Sarah. What kind of person do you think I am?”

“I didn’t mean to offend you. I was curious, that’s all. Mel, you gotta admit that this looks pretty strange, don’t you think?”

“Maybe it does, but it’s not like I have to explain myself to you. You’re not my boyfriend or anything, Lucas. Look, I like you, okay? But I don’t need yet another person second-guessing me or treating me like a child. Now, I said nothing is going on between me and Keith. At least not in the way you may think. I don’t like him. I can’t
stand
him. Are you happy now?”

“I just had to check.”

“Why?” She glared at him. “What difference would it make to you?”

“It makes a big difference because I think I’m falling in love with you.” He kissed her. She moved away. The kiss produced the same fire as the one at Jayson’s. He rubbed the back of her smooth neck. Melody leaned against him, praying that he’d get the hint to take her mouth again.

“Lucas, this feels so strange. Everything feels so strange these days. It’s like things are moving so fast and I can’t keep up.”

“I said, we can take it slow, and I meant it, Melody. But I want to explore this.”

“There’s only one way we can.”

“How?”

He wrapped his arms tighter around her thin waist. “For starters, let’s go out on a
real
date, just the two of us.” He nibbled her neck. She moaned at the action.

“Lucas, I gotta ask you something.” She moved away. His lips dangled in mid-air. “Did you want me to take this job just to get close to me?”

He rubbed his nose against hers. “Would you be offended if I said I did?”

She smiled.

Melody enjoyed the dinner at the fancy restaurant that night. Lucas claimed it would be nothing compared to his next surprise. She couldn’t get over how gorgeous he’d become over the years. While so many things changed, they still stayed the same. No one made her laugh like Lucas. No one made her comfortable like Lucas. No one made her feel beautiful like he did.

Melody always felt that she wasn’t worthy of being in the company of some people. She didn’t feel like that with Lucas. He acted as though
she
had been the prize. He clung to her every word. He asked her about her every thought. Some women bitched about men paying them too much attention. Melody felt nothing could sour such treatment. Lucas could ask her anything if he held her how he did tonight.

She loved the blue silk shirt and black slacks he’d worn. She wore her white skirt and jacket set. Sarah begged her to wear it. She thought nothing suited Melody like the color white. Melody found that bullshit, but since Sarah had the fashion sense in the family she didn’t question the opinion. She touched the sides of her head. She pinned her hair up in a sophisticated ball.

Melody couldn’t wait to see the surprise. Lucas walked alongside of her with his hand over her eyes, and the other held her waist. He ordered her to keep her eyes shut until they reached the destination. Melody took such light steps that she felt like she was walking on air. She couldn’t tell where they were. They were somewhere very quiet. She could hear every breath Lucas took.

She became flattered at his anxiety. If he was nervous due to the surprise, that meant he truly cared what she thought. It obviously meant as much to him as it did to her.

Lucas picked up the pace. She struggled to keep up while stumbling on the pavement. She realized they were on some kind of sidewalk. She grinned. At least they were still close to civilization. She heard laughter far off. She imagined a crowd of people standing around, gawking at the strange-looking couple. They made it to a crooked walkway that felt like gravel.

“Lucas!” She laughed. He held her waist to keep her from stumbling. “I’m sick of this! Show me what in the hell you want to show me already.”

He laughed. “We’re almost there, Melody. Believe me, it’s worth the wait.”

She struggled to keep her eyes closed. The suspense had long been killing her. Melody thought she recognized the place, but couldn’t be sure. The crooked gravel path suddenly converted into a smoother walkway. Lucas whispered for her to watch her step.

“Whoa.” Melody stumbled. She felt him lifting her into his arms. He steadied his feet and carried her on. “
Now
, Lucas!” She laughed. “If you don’t show me what this is, I swear I am never going out with you again.” He stopped. “Can I open my eyes now?”