Stone Lover (34 page)

    After God knows how long, a warm weight was in her arms and she found herself holding Ferris, the little girl’s arms wrapping around her neck. Little fingers moved over Melanie’s face much as Vaughn had done earlier, bringing her back to the present. “Are you all right, Aunt Mellie?”

    “Of course,” Melanie assured her, returning the sweet hug as she put aside all thoughts of removing the necklace. She looked once more but the imps had disappeared; she didn’t want to know what they would do if she wasn’t wearing the pendant. “Of course I’m all right, sweetie; I’m sorry if I scared you.”

    “Fucking imps,” Rhys snarled, glaring past the crowd that was scattering.

    “Language,” Jenna scolded, making him blush as he stammered his apologies. “And what do imps have to do with any of this? A man, drunk off his gourd, crashed into the ice sculpture and then into my sister.”

    Ferris opened her mouth and Melanie had the dreadful feeling that the little girl was going to say something about the little green creatures and that would have been disastrous; there was no point in letting the imps know they had another source to feed their addiction. Hugging the little girl closer, Melanie grinned broadly, “He doesn’t mean anything by it, Jenna.”

    “Of course I didn’t,” Rhys stammered, his face flushing further, making the auburn color of his hair even redder. “It was simply an… insult; you know, fucking imps?”

 
   “Language, idiot,” Vaughn chided, punching his brother affectionately on the shoulder. As Rhys rubbed the tender spot, Vaughn’s laugh was a little strained as he tightened his hold on Melanie, as Jenna took her daughter back and set her down so that she could walk herself.  Turning his head, he lowered his voice, “Are you okay?”

    She nodded, grateful that he was there. Offering a shaky smile, she kissed him lightly on the cheek, “I am but I think Ferris wants to talk about the imps and….”

    :No problem.” Raising his voice to capture Rhys’s and Jenna’s attention, she called out, “Come, let’s go see the ice castle.”

    That was effective in distracting Ferris from whatever it was she was about to say but Melanie’s thoughts were still racing a million miles an hour. She didn’t much care for the idea of imps liking her, not if they went about showing their affections by trying to kill her; quite frankly, she was surprised her hair wasn’t white from the number of “close calls.” Ever since meeting Vaughn, her life had become an adventure, and while she adored Vaughn, she could have done without the imps. Was her life with him always going to be plagued by the vile, little creatures?

    God, she hoped they would grow bored with her and find a new hobby instead of plaguing her to get high. Maybe if she acted like she didn’t see them they would get the hint and go away. Unfortunately, it was nearly impossible to pretend to not see something that shouldn’t be there in the first place.

    “It will be okay,” Vaughn’s soothing voice interrupted her thoughts and she turned to him with a startled smile. His expression was grim as he gazed at her with absolute love and devotion. Strong emotions played out over his features as he stared at her, as if memorizing her face. It was almost as if he was afraid of losing her, which was ridiculous since she wasn’t planning on going anywhere. Touching her cheek with the tips of his fingers, he whispered, “It will be okay.”

    “I know,” she assured him, leaning into his caress until he cupped her cheek in the palm of his hand. She knew that as long as he was by her side, everything was going to be all right, even if the imps refused to leave her alone. Holding his gaze, she brushed her lips against his skin. “I know.”

    His golden eyes darkened and he inhaled sharply, “Minx.”

    Rhys came up from behind and threw and arm around each of their shoulders, “Get a room.”

    “We weren’t doing anything,” Melanie protested, putting her arm around Rhys’s waist and giving him a sideways hug. She really liked Rhys; he was such a great guy, a great brother.

    “Yet,” Rhys teased, bussing her on the cheek before bounding ahead to join Jenna and Ferris. With an engaging laugh, he scooped the little girl up in his strong arms, propping her up on his broad shoulder, his long, auburn hair cascading down his back. Jenna looked up at him like she wasn’t quite sure what to make of his exuberance and beauty, but she liked what she saw and was open to the possibility of getting to know him better.

    “They’re perfect together,” Melanie sighed dreamily, watching as Rhys bent his head down to hear what Jenna was saying. He was so attentive to Jenna and it was apparent that Ferris adored him just as he adored her; and he was clearly enchanted by Jenna. If all went according to plan….

    They could have a double wedding this summer.

    “There’s so much that Jenna doesn’t know about him,” Vaughn murmured, crashing her back to earth. “About us. I don’t know if she would be as… accepting as you have been.”

    “Why not?” Melanie asked, faintly bothered by the truth of his words. Jenna could use some magic in her life and Rhys….

    He smiled ruefully, “Because she has been slapped by reality far too many times to be so… willing to take that leap of faith.”

    “It was hardly a leap,” Melanie snorted, rolling her eyes as she laughed. “I knew you were special before I ever even talked to you; hell, I was half in love with you when you were a gargoyle.”

    “You’re proving my point,” he smiled amusingly.

    “Jenna would be open-minded about this,” Melanie argued futilely. Pushing her lower lip out in a feigned pout, she batted her eyelashes and smiled up at him, “I still think it’s a good idea.”

    “Perhaps,” he conceded half-heartedly. Looking out over the crowd, not really seeing anything, he repeated, “Perhaps.”

    Maybe he knew that Rhys would never give up his nights for anyone and he just wished to spare Jenna any heart ache by discouraging the romance before it could even begin. She could understand that; there was no way she would want her sister to suffer any more heartbreak. But what if they were missing out on the grand love of a lifetime if they didn’t at least try?

    “I can see the wheels spinning, Melanie,” Vaughn teased. “Let it go; there’s nothing you can do until the time comes.”

    “But….”

    He laughed, hugging her closer to his side, “If it’s meant to be, it will be. Let it go.”

    Grumbling good-naturedly, she snuggled deeper into his embrace, letting the smile curve her lips when he was no longer watching. Perhaps she was being selfish; after all, if Rhys gave up his nights as well, what would happen to Armand? He’d be the only gargoyle sitting on the roof, all alone. He was already such a solitary creature that Melanie feared what would happen to him if he no longer had his brothers.

    A shudder whipped through her body at the depressing thought. No, if there was any chance for Jenna and Rhys to be together, she was just going have to find someone for Armand. Only, she couldn’t think of anyone who would be able to stand up to the difficult man, to be able to penetrate that hard, exterior shell to get to the squishy center. None of her friends would stand a chance of getting beyond his armor plating and Jenna just wasn’t an option. 

    “Melanie….” Vaughn warned.

    “I swear I am not plotting to get Jenna and Rhys together,” she vowed, looking up at him with a guileless expression. When he continued to stare down at her with skepticism, she cracked, “I was trying to figure out who I could get for Armand.”

    Vaughn threw his head back and laughed, hugging her closer and kissing the top of her head. “I love the way your mind works, Melanie; it’s terrifying and selfless and wonderful.”

    “I worry about him,” she murmured, putting her hand over Vaughn’s heart, feeling the steady rhythm against her palm in spite of the layers of clothing. Knowing he was near, knowing that he was hers, steadied her, calmed her. “If Jenna and Rhys do get together then he will be alone.”

    “He’ll never be alone, Melanie,” Vaughn vowed with absolute conviction, his jaw set in an taut line and a muscle ticked in his cheek.

    “But you gave up your nights,” she breathed, looking at him curiously. “If Rhys….”

    He shook his head, “It’s not going to happen.”

    Watching his expressions move swiftly across his face: love, despair, resolution. Her voice was hushed as she demanded, “Tell me what you mean.”

    “Tomorrow,” he told her with finality.

    “But….”

  
He kissed her swiftly on the lips and as lips lingered, he whispered, “Tomorrow; tonight we explore the ice palace and enjoy each other’s company.”

    Suddenly, she didn’t want tomorrow to come. Pressing her hand against her belly, she tried to ignore the butterflies that had suddenly taken flight; had she been in such a cloud of euphoria that she had missed something that had been staring at her right in the face? Pasting a smile on her face, she tried to enjoy the rest of the festival, but there was a shadow that loomed over everything.

     The brilliant blue sky over head made the freshly fallen snow on the frozen world around her even more dazzling. It was bitterly cold and yet Melanie was outside in a summer dress and not freezing to death. She was living a fairy tale about a curious girl who finds an enchanted castle that had been hidden in plain sight, guarded by a trio of powerful gargoyles. If she is patient enough, all of its secrets will slowly be revealed to her,

    With her hair tumbling down her back in loose waves and a lightweight, pale ivory sundress flowing around her, she felt like she was a princess in that fairy world. And her prince loved her. Hugging her knees to her chest, she gazed at Vaughn and smiled serenely; she had never expected to find contentment in the silence but with Vaughn she was happy just being with him doing nothing. As much fun as it was going to carnivals and malls, it was so much more peaceful in Vaughn’s sphere.

    He was laying on his back with his hands behind his head his biceps bulging, his eyes closed in blissful rapture, as he soaked up the warmth of the sun. His shirt was unbuttoned, showcasing his ripped abdomen and golden flesh, and he wore low slung khakis, the top button undone. He was a feast for the senses and Melanie was happily drinking him in, enjoying the peaceful quiet.

    With a grin, she lightly ran her index finger over Vaughn’s sensuously carved lips, enjoying the feel of the warm, firm flesh. “It’s time to wake up, Sleeping Beauty.”

    Vaughn ‘s lips curved into a half-smile but kept his eyes closed, his body relaxed.  Feeling reckless and daring, she lightly kissed his lips, his jaw; trailing a line of kisses over her chest and down his ridged stomach, loving the taste of his satiny skin, the smell. He stomach tightened when she swirled her tongue around his navel but he still didn’t open his eyes.

    Slowly, she unzipped his pants and slid her hand inside, finding the warm weight of his penis. As she stroked, it swelled in size, warming her with its heat. His spicy musk filled her senses and she closed her eyes for a moment to breathe him in before she ran her tongue along his thick length. His breath hitched in his throat but he kept his eyes closed as he groaned, “You don’t play fair, my temptress.”

    “I want to make love to you,” she whispered, pressing soft kisses against his shaft as she looked up at him with her wide, blue eyes.

    “Come here, you,” he rumbled, grabbing her beneath the armpits and dragging her up his body and then claiming her lips in a passionate kiss. 

    Reaching between their bodies, the two of them managed to tug his pants down enough to free his erection, never letting their lips part. Straddling his hips, Melanie moved the folds of her dress out of the way as she positioned her body, sliding onto the length of his cock and sighing in blissful relief. His hands came down on her hips and he looked at her and swallowed convulsively, “You’ve been out here without any underwear on? This whole time?.”

    “Mmm,” she murmured, rolling her hips and basking in the sensations of having sex with Vaughn beneath the winter sun. Sitting up, she gazed down at him, smoothing her hands over the hard muscles of his chest. With a sleepy, sultry smile, she let the straps of her dress fall, exposing her full breasts to his avaricious stare. His eyes darkened to burnished gold; he was so beautiful it hurt to look at him for too long. But the pain was worth it because she couldn’t not look; she didn’t think she’d ever grow tired of looking at him, of being with him.