Melody (THE LOGAN FAMILY) (5 page)

Melody laughed. “What should I think? Your clothes are tight. You’re eating even more than usual. You’re complaining about weight gain. Maybe you should take a test to be…”

“I’m not pregnant!” Sarah guffawed from the kitchen. “Besides, this night was about you and Lucas. Don’t try to change the subject.”

“Oh Sarah, it was amazing. He kissed me. And it was like a kiss, a kiss you couldn’t even invent. I swear my hair almost melted!” Melody fiddled with her hair.

“And he’s so gorgeous. He looks even better than he did in school.” She kicked her feet playfully. “And another thing that makes him really great!”

“What?” Sarah walked in with an overlapping mug of vanilla ice cream. Root beer slithered from the sides of the glass.

“He thinks I’m prettier than you.” Melody laughed. “Na, na, na, na, na!”

“Like I give two shits what Lucas Lawson thinks.” Sarah chuckled. “So, is he a good kisser?”

Melody sighed. “I can’t even describe what it did to me. And you know I needed something, seeing how I haven’t had sex in what…Shit, I can’t even remember.”

Sarah laughed. “I don’t know how you do it, girl. I go three days without sex and I’m practically climbing the walls.” She slurped some of the float. “I mean, getting dick on a regular basis keeps you grounded. You should try it, Mel.”

Melody threw a pillow from the couch. “Fuck you.” They laughed. “But I tell you, when Lucas kissed me, I felt like getting on my knees right then and there. That’s how horny he made me.”

Sarah laughed. “I bet that would have been a sight. You going down on Lucas on the dance floor.” She squinted. “
Would
you go down on him?”

“Sarah, such personal questions.” Melody pretended to be offended. She laughed. “Maybe.” She slipped off her stockings. “Would you go down on Keith?”

Sarah contemplated the question. “Well, you gotta understand how Keith works. With him, it’s not like sex is anything ordinary, you know?” She sat on the edge of the sofa.

“What do you mean?”

“Keith is into a lot of things, sexually. I mean, he’s a freak, to say the least.”

“Well, you always loved the freaky white boys.”

Sarah grinned. “You say that like it’s a bad thing. Seriously, Keith brings out something in me I didn’t know I had. The sex is incredible, and the things he can do with that tongue…”

“Sarah, please.” Melody held her stomach. “That’s a little too much information, okay? I just wanted an answer, not a visual.”

“I’m sorry if talking about that rapist ruined dinner for you, Mel. You’re worried about Aileen, right? I’m sure she’ll be okay.”

“How can we be so sure, Sarah? I mean, she fits what he looks for and the police haven’t come up with squat. I wonder if they’re even trying.”

“Well, the mayor did put the city on curfew a few weeks ago hoping that helps. Hey, I feel sorry for the women who are raped out of bad luck, but I can’t feel sorry for the ones who aren’t being careful.”

Melody scoffed. “You mean by going off at night or going off to work alone?” Sarah shrugged. “Sarah, a woman has the right to do what she wants. No creep has the right to take that away. Is a woman supposed to stop living her life because this man is terrorizing people?”

“Yes, if they don’t want to end up on the evening news as one of his victims. I know you don’t agree with this curfew, but it’s a guaranteed way to keep women safe.”

“No, it’s not. Sarah, a lot of the victims were raped at home. How the hell is a curfew going to help them? It’s not like the man is just picking women out on the street! I mean, you think it’s fair that the mayor set rules for the women like it’s their fault that this man is raping people? Come on, Sarah.”

“Look, it may not be the best solution, but it will keep at least a fraction of women safe. That’s better than nothing, Mel.” Sarah finished her float. “If a woman expects to stay safe, sometimes she has to play by someone else’s rules.” She left the room.

Melody sighed. “Spoken like someone who’s never been a victim.”

M
elody awoke to Sarah scrounging in her bedroom during the night. Seconds later the hall light popped on. Melody peeked from her room. She straightened the long T-shirt she wore as a gown. “Sarah, are you okay?”

“Ah shit!” Sarah yelled down the hall. Melody rushed toward her.

“Sarah, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I just stubbed my toe!” She shoved the chair out the way. “How many times I gotta tell you not to leave chairs in the hallway? It’s too damn narrow as it is.”

“I had to change the hall light. It’s your damn fault since it was your turn to change it, anyway. Why are you up?”

“I heard something downstairs. I thought it was you.” Sarah edged to the stairs. They heard a thunderous bump against the front door. “Shit, what was that?”

“I don’t know.” Melody shook. “Sounds like someone’s trying to break in or something.” Sarah ran downstairs. Melody tipped into the dark living room behind her.

Sarah listened at the door. They heard the sound again. She turned the doorknob.

“Sarah, what in the hell are you doing?” Melody grabbed a book. “Don’t open that door! You, idiot we could both end up on the news tomorrow! It could be that rapist.”

The doorbell rang.

Sarah glared at her sister. “A rapist who rings the doorbell, Mel?” Melody lowered the book. She still wasn’t convinced, and she didn’t care how stupid she seemed. They weren’t accustomed to late-night visits. These days a woman couldn’t be too careful whether she fit a rapist’s victim profile or not.

“Sarah, don’t open it!”

She laughed. “Just keep the book high and hit him when I let him in.”

“You think it’s funny, but I’m practically pissing here.” Sarah opened the door.

Keith waved, drawing attention to his elaborate Cartier watch. Melody would have
rather
it been the rapist. “Fuck,” she whispered. She still wanted to hit him.

“Hey, babe.” He stared at Sarah’s flimsy nightgown.

“Keith.” She brushed her hair down. “What’s going on?”

“I’m sorry.” He looked at Melody. “I must have scared the shit out of you both, huh? Well, you won’t believe the luck I’m having tonight. I had this killer migraine so I went to the corner store. Well, when I got home, I couldn’t find my house key anywhere.”

“Oh no,” Sarah sighed.

“Yeah, so I am locked out of my house, and I still got this headache.” He rubbed his forehead. “There was no way I was calling a locksmith or something at this hour so…” He looked at Melody. “What’s with the book, Mel?” He grinned.

“Melody, put it down.” Sarah walled her eyes.

“Maybe I don’t want to.”

“So your brother wasn’t home either, Keith?” Sarah rubbed Keith’s forehead.

“You have a brother?” Melody grimaced. She wondered if
he
liked to spy on naked women too.

“No, he had plans. I tried to call him but my damn cell phone isn’t working.”

Melody crossed her arms. “How convenient.” Sarah glared at her. “I recall your phone working this evening at the restaurant.”

“Well, it’s not working now.” Keith smirked. He took Sarah’s hand. “Baby, I didn’t mean to wake you but I had no choice but to come here.”

“Well, it’s late. Why don’t you stay?” Sarah smiled.

“Uh, Sarah, are you on crack or just crazy?” Melody walked toward them.

“He’s staying, Mel.” Sarah gritted her teeth. “This is my house, remember?”

“It’s my home, too, since I live here! You can’t just invite people to stay here, Sarah! Especially a strange guy.”

“He’s my boyfriend, Melody!” Melody shook her head in disapproval. “Why don’t you just grow up, huh?”

“Why don’t you get a fuckin’ clue, Sarah? Can’t you see he’s lying?”

“Shut up! You have no right to say that about Keith! He’s having a bad time. Can’t you understand that? We have to help him!”

“I don’t have to do shit when it comes to this…this…”

“Watch your mouth, Melody.” Sarah made a fist.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa!” Keith waved his hands. “Ladies, please! Now I didn’t mean to cause any problems.”

“Ha! The moment you’ve been involved there have been nothing but problems, Keith.”

“You have some sort of score to settle with me, Melody?” He put his hands in his pockets. “I don’t see what the hell your problem is.”

She looked at Sarah. “I don’t think you want me to mention it in front of Sarah now do you?”

He walked toward her. “I wouldn’t have asked if I didn’t want to know.”

“Go on, Melody.” Sarah smirked. “You got a problem with Keith, then tell him.” Melody turned away. “Keith, you can stay here. It’s not a problem, believe me.”

“I don’t want to make Melody uncomfortable.”

“Oh bullshit! Your
existence
makes me uncomfortable, Keith!”

“Melody, stop it!” Sarah shoved her. “He is staying tonight and that’s the end of it! I’ll go get some blankets, Keith. You can sleep on the couch.” She left the room.

“Who do you think you are, Keith? Sarah may be blinded by your fancy suits, good looks and Cartier watches, but I’m not.”

“Oh really?” He smirked. “Maybe I should have worn my Omega then.”

“And you’re not at all funny.” She shuffled toward the couch.

“Look, we all seem stressed out tonight. Maybe it’s a full moon or something I don’t know. I’m sorry if you have a problem with me, Melody.”

She raised her hands. “How come everything you say seems…I don’t know, rehearsed?”

He shrugged. “I guess that’s how you’re seeing me. I realize you need time to get to know me. It’ll take time.”

“I don’t want to get to know you, Keith.”

He shrugged. “Well, I want to get to know anyone who is important to Sarah. I really care about her.” Melody walled her eyes. “Did you have a nice time tonight? I hope you did.”

“Do you?” She shook her head.

“Sure. Didn’t Sarah look beautiful?”

“Sarah always looks beautiful.”

“You did, too, Melody. I get the feeling you always compare yourself to her. You shouldn’t.”

“I don’t need to be analyzed by someone I just met, Keith.”

He grinned. “Lucas was right. You’re something else.”

“So you’ve been discussing me with Lucas, is that it? What did he say?”

“Nothing I didn’t already know. He thinks you’re fantastic. Melody, I’m taking the chance to know you more. Could you be fair and do the same with me?”

“What kind of game are you playing, Keith?”

He smirked. “Let’s just be honest, shall we? I figure you got a big problem with me. What is it?”

“My problem is that little stunt you pulled this evening, Keith.”

“What stunt?” He licked his lips. Melody swore he was checking her out yet couldn’t be sure.

She held the end of her T-shirt. “You know exactly what I’m talking about, Keith. When you came into my bedroom this evening and didn’t leave.”

“Oh, that?” He grinned. “Mel, it was just a misunderstanding. You didn’t tell your sister, did you?”

“No.”

“And you don’t need to. It was nothing. I just got lost.”

“
Lost
? Keith, is ‘stupid’ plastered on my forehead?”

He glared at her creamy thighs. She held her T-shirt tighter against them. “We all get lost sometimes, don’t we, Mel?”

She backed away. “Okay, forget that. What about when we all went out tonight? Why were you constantly staring at me?”

He glanced around the den. “I wasn’t staring at you.”

“Keith!” She laughed. “I can’t believe you’re standing here lying. Every time I noticed you looking at me, you’d wink or smirk. Am I supposed to believe that’s just a coincidence? You can lie your way out of what happened in my room, but you can’t deny that you were staring at me all night.”

“Nice T-shirt.” He groaned. “You have such a beautiful body, Mel. I can’t see why you continue to cover it up the way you do.”

She exhaled. “Keith, what in the hell are you up to?”

“Games, Mel. Don’t you like to play games?”

“No.” Her voice shook.

“Something tells me you do.” He moved his mouth to hers. She jumped back.

Sarah walked in with Melody’s old pillow and some blankets.

“Sorry it took so long. The things tumbled out of the linen closet.” She passed Keith the items.

“I appreciate this, babe.” He kissed her. Keith made up the couch.

“Come on, let’s go to bed, Mel.” Sarah took her hand.

“And I’ll make sure to lock my door.” She looked at Keith.

Melody awoke to the sounds of lovemaking coming from Sarah’s room the next morning. She wasn’t surprised. She knew Keith would finagle his way into Sarah’s bed. She screeched like a cat in heat. Keith delivered a couple of “bear” grunts of his own. He
must
have been something in bed. The sounds were so exhausting Melody lit a cigarette to take her mind off of what she
wasn’t
getting.

Of course, Melody should have been used to her sister sexing men early in the morning. But none of those guys had been Keith Taylor. Melody vowed to learn his angle by the end of breakfast. She got a headache whenever she thought of Keith. She wished she could just take the day in bed. She figured Sarah and Keith hoped the same thing by the sounds coming from that room.

Melody yawned in her huge bedroom mirror before she began to brush her teeth. She decided she’d shower some time later. She wasted no time lighting another cigarette when she finished. Sarah and Keith were still going strong. Melody took a long puff from the little white rod. She couldn’t help thinking of Lucas during moments like these. Her stomach tingled. And oh yes, she knew why.

She wanted Lucas already. So why had she put the brakes on? Why couldn’t she be more like Sarah? Why did she have to take things so slow? Could she be in love with Lucas? Maybe she had been since they were teenagers. She hadn’t met anyone who made her feel like this. She thought of her last lover, Enrique. Hands down, he’d been the best lover. They’d met at a coffee shop close to Sarah’s job.

From the moment Melody and Enrique locked eyes, they’d felt the heat. That quickly fizzled. Enrique had been great to fuck and go to lunch with, yet love never entered the picture for Melody. Sarah always said she couldn’t understand why Melody didn’t allow herself to be happy. Melody tiptoed downstairs, and wondered the same thing.

Enrique didn’t stir half the emotions in Melody that Lucas did. She’d definitely go after that job now. She already knew Lucas well. Now she craved to know him
more
.

She dug around the kitchen for something quick to fix. They were out of pancake mix. She wasn’t about to struggle through a scratch recipe. That wasn’t Melody’s style. She liked things quick and fast. She heard Sarah moaning upstairs. Well, there were
some
things Melody liked to take her time with. She remembered the instant waffles in the freezer. Laziness discouraged her from fixing the waffles.

She opted for chocolate chip ice cream instead. People wondered how Melody kept her trim figure. A regular meal to her consisted of a Big Mac with extra cheese. She slid on the tall countertop. She inched her spoon into the cool treat. It reminded her of the days when she didn’t think of growing up. She’d been amazed at how things had changed.

Keith walked in wearing silk boxers. He ran his hand down his muscular chest. He flashed that smirk that she’d already begun to hate.

“Morning, Melody.” He looked at her thighs. She crossed her legs at the ankles.

“Good morning,” she mumbled.

He leaned his arm against the wall. “Well, did you sleep well?”

She licked the spoon. “Not as good as you did, apparently.”

“Oh yeah.” He rubbed his hair. She figured he’d pretend to be shy for her benefit, but he didn’t. She’d heard every disgusting grunt. “Well, I’m sorry if we woke you.”

He stared at her. “Ice cream for breakfast? That’s not very healthy.”

She walled her eyes. “Yeah, well it’s all I felt like dealing with.”

“Mind if I grab a spoon and join in?”

She glared at him. “Thought you just said this was unhealthy.”

“It is, but I love chocolate chip ice cream like the next guy.” He grabbed a spoon from the drawer, and slid on the countertop next to her. She scooted beside the refrigerator. He swallowed a runny chunk of ice cream. She passed him the carton.

“Uh, you sure?”

“Go on and take it.” She crossed her arms. Keith took the treat. She didn’t know how long she could stand being alone with him. She decided to do some digging to pass the time. “So you gonna call your brother?”

“Uh…” He nodded. His hesitation had been a big hint. Melody watched enough police shows to know how easily you could throw a suspect off base when they lied. Keith glanced around the kitchen.

“Your brother, Keith? You know, you said you needed to call him to get into your house.”