Protecting Melody (13 page)

Tex looked around Mel’s apartment carefully. It was quiet and dark. It smelled normal, well as normal as a place that had been closed up for several months could be. It was a bit musty and stale. Flipping the light switch next to the front door, Tex tensed as if waiting for someone to pop out of the darkness. All was quiet.
 

The door opened up into a small hallway which led into a living area. There was a dark brown leather sofa sitting in the middle of the room with a brown and black coffee table in front of it. A large flat screen television was mounted on the wall across from the couch. A brown and black bookshelf sat against another wall. It was filled with books and had pictures scattered amongst the shelves. There was a small dining area that had a table that could seat four people and the kitchen was off to the side.
 

Tex took a step inside the room and looked into the kitchen. There was a stainless steel refrigerator and dishwasher and a four burner electric stove. The fridge held a few pictures, he assumed were drawn by Amy’s kids. The cabinets were maple in color and the counters were granite.
 

Tex headed to the hallway opposite the kitchen off of the living area. There were four doors, three of which were standing open. Tex opened the door that was shut and saw that it was a linen closet. He moved down the hall and looked into a guest bedroom that held a double size bed and a dresser. The door across the hall from it was a bathroom.
 

Still vigilant, Tex headed for what had to be Mel’s bedroom. He stopped in the doorway and took in her personal space. The bed was a queen size captain’s bed. There were drawers underneath and two columns of cabinets and drawers lining each side of the bed. There was a television sitting on a stand opposite the bed. Other than that, the room was empty of other furniture. A large rectangle rug was sitting on the area between the bed and the TV. He looked down and smiled for the first time. Baby’s dog bed was sitting next to the bed, just as Melody had claimed.
 

He turned and peeked into the small bathroom off to the side. It was functional and clean. All looked good in her apartment. For the first time, feeling relieved he hadn’t found anything unusual or that would frighten Mel, Tex looked around her room with the eyes of a man, rather than with the eyes of a SEAL.
 

The room was comfortable and womanly. He could imagine Mel sleeping there. Hell he could imagine both of them sleeping . . . and loving there. He felt himself grow hard just imagining it. It was almost ridiculous how easy he was aroused just thinking about Melody. One part of his brain told him it was crazy, that he just met her. But the other part argued that it was right, that they knew each other very well after their long online talks.
 

Before he was injured, Tex was always the one to take the first step in any relationship, whether that relationship was long-term or a one night stand, but with Mel, he didn’t want to mess anything up. He’d lost his confidence after being rejected one too many times by women who didn’t want to get involved with a crippled veteran. Even his status as an ex-SEAL wasn’t enough to entice them.
 

Tex halted his thoughts in their tracks. Melody was sitting unguarded in the parking lot, probably worried about him. He hadn’t lied to her saying he thought she’d be safe while he went inside, but he still needed to stop daydreaming and get her inside where it was safer. He willed his erection to subside as he headed back to the parking lot and the woman who was quickly becoming the most important thing in his life.
 

Melody sat up straighter in her seat as she saw Tex coming toward her. He didn’t look worried, just focused on getting back to her. Baby lifted her head as if she knew Tex was coming, and turned in his direction. Her tail started wagging, but she didn’t climb off of Melody’s lap.
 

Tex came over to the driver’s side of his truck and opened the door after she unlocked it. He didn’t make her wait or ask. “Everything looks fine. Let’s get you guys inside.”
 

Melody nodded and clipped Baby’s leash on before she stepped out of the truck.
 

Tex opened the back door and got out their bags. He reached for Melody’s free hand and was relieved when she grasped it tightly in hers as they walked to her apartment.
 

He pushed open the door when they reached it and Baby bounced in. Melody laughed and pulled her back long enough to unclip her leash.
 

“She’s happy to be home,” Tex commented unnecessarily.
 

“Yeah.” Melody looked around her apartment and sighed. “Me too.”
 

“Come here.” Tex grabbed Melody’s hand and shut the door with his foot. He walked them both over to the couch and he sat down and arranged her on his lap.
 

Melody had tried to be strong, but being back in her apartment, back where she’d been so scared, back where she didn’t think she’d ever live again, she finally broke down. She could feel Tex soothing his hand down her back and over her head. After a few minutes she tried to control herself. She lifted tear stained eyes to Tex. “Jeez, Sorry. I swear I never cry. I’m not normally like this.”
 

“Nothing to be sorry for, Mel. I’m surprised it took this long.”
 

“It’s just that, I was scared to come back here, and now I’m not as freaked since you’re here, but I didn’t think I’ve ever
get
to come back.”
 

“We’ll get your life back.”
 

“I hope so.”
 

“We will.”
 

“Okay, Tex.”
 

“Come on, I’m exhausted. I know you are too. Let’s get some sleep. Things’ll look better in the morning.”
 

Tex held Melody steady as she stood up and he kept a hand on her back as they walked down the hall to her bedroom. Tex steered Mel into the bathroom.
 

“Get ready for bed, I’ll grab our bags and let Baby out one last time.”
 

“But your leg—”
 

Tex put a finger against her lips and cut off her words. “You’ve taken care of me enough, Mel, let me take care of
you
tonight.” When it looked like she was still going to protest he simply said, “Please.”
 

He watched as Mel looked into his eyes for a moment, then gripped his wrist and nodded. She pursed her lips and kissed the finger he had held against her. “Okay, I’ll be here waiting for you.”
 

Tex smiled down at her. She was completely transparent. She didn’t play games with him. She simply told him she wanted him to stay in her bedroom with her. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
 

Melody nodded and turned for the bathroom. Tex looked down at her dog. “Come on, Baby, want to go outside once more before calling it a night?” Baby’s tongue was hanging out of her mouth and it looked she was grinning up at him. He chuckled as he left the room and headed for the front door.
 

When he came back into her bedroom about ten minutes later, he saw that Melody had changed the sheets on the bed, the old ones sitting in a lump in the corner of the room. Mel was sound asleep, curled into a tight ball as if protecting herself. Something shifted inside Tex. He’d do anything to keep this woman safe, but it went beyond that. It wasn’t just that he wanted to keep her safe. He wanted to end everyday by seeing her in their bed. He wanted to wake up next to her, he wanted to listen to her laugh and talk to Baby in the cute sing-song voice she sometimes used.
 

Somehow Tex knew Mel was it for him. When he’d made the decision to track her down and drive cross country to find her and bring her home, he’d known. He could’ve called Wolf and his team to go and get her. He could’ve just shrugged and decided she’d deleted her online account in that chat room because she was blowing him off. But somehow he’d known. She was special.
 

Feeling emotional, Tex turned to the bathroom so he could get ready for bed. He came out minutes later and sat on the side of the bed she’d obviously left for him. Tex looked over at Baby, who was snoring at the end of the mattress. Knowing he should probably make the dog get up and get into her dog bed on the floor, he just smiled, shook his head and turned his attention to his leg. He removed his prosthetic and quickly rubbed some lotion into his stump.
 

He didn’t do as good of a job as he knew Mel would’ve, but suddenly it was vital to him that he hold her in his arms. He propped his prosthetic leg up against the drawers next to the mattress and laid back. He turned to Mel, who was sleeping with her back to him, and he curled into her. He’d never spooned a woman before, but with Mel it felt right. Tex put his right arm around her and snuggled into her.
 

They were both wearing T-shirts and boxers, but Tex could feel Mel’s body heat seep into his body.
 

“Are you all right?” Mel murmured sleepily.
 

“Shhhh, everything’s fine. Go back to sleep.”
 

“Did you rub your leg down?”
 

“Yes, sweetheart. I’m good. Sleep. I’ve got you.” Tex whispered the words into her ear and smiled as he felt her snuggle back against him as if settling in for the long haul.
 

“Mmm-hummm.”
 

Tex smiled and closed his eyes. The trust Mel put in him seemed to magically erase all the doubts he’d had about himself since he’d retired from the Navy. He knew she had no idea what she did for him, but Tex did. Holding her in his arms, knowing even half-asleep she worried about him and cared about him, was a feeling he’d never felt before in his life. He’d do anything to keep her safe. Absolutely anything. Protecting Melody, and Baby, was the only thing he’d be focused on for the foreseeable future.
She
was his future. Tex fell asleep holding Mel in his arms, excited about his future for the first time in a long time.
 

“Yes, it’s really me, Amy.” Melody reassured her friend for what seemed like the hundredth time.
 

“Are you back for good?”
 

“I don’t know. I hope so.” Melody didn’t want to lie to her friend. She knew she wouldn’t have been able to get away with prevaricating if she’d been standing in front of her friend. Amy knew her way too well and could take one look at her and know when she was lying or leaving something out. They’d known each other too long to get away with not being honest with one another.
 

“Are you there alone?”
 

“No, Tex is here with me.”
 

“Tex, huh?”
 

Melody could hear the teasing in Amy’s voice. “Yeah, Tex.” Looking over at Tex, Melody knew their conversation sounded like they were in junior high school, but she could only smile. Tex was sitting on the couch next to her petting Baby while she spoke to Amy. “And he’s sitting right here staring at me wondering what the hell we’re talking about.” She smiled and looked back down at her dog, sleeping so peacefully between them.
 

“I like him, Melody. I mean, I wasn’t sure when he first called me, but he brought you home, I think I might love him.”
 

“Me too.” As soon as the words left her mouth, Melody knew they were true. She looked back up at Tex in a panic, wondering if he’d overheard Amy’s words and understood what she’d said in response.
 

“Everything all right?” Tex whispered the words and leaned toward her, looking concerned.
 

Melody covered the mouthpiece and quickly told Tex, “Yeah, I’m good.”
 

Tex nodded and leaned back into the couch again and continued watching her and petting Baby.
 

“We need to talk, woman,” Amy said sternly.
 

“I know, I can’t wait to see you, Cindy, and Becky.”
 

“They can’t wait to see you either.”
 

“But I don’t want to put them in danger, Ames.”
 

Melody heard her friend sigh. “I know. Me either. Will you call me later so we can set up when we can get together? I really need to see you. I’ve missed you.”
 

“I will. I need to talk to Tex so we can figure out where we’re going from here.”
 

“Okay. I’m glad you’re back. I have a feeling Tex will figure this all out.”
 

“I hope so. Okay, Love you, Amy. I’ll talk to you later.”
 

“Bye.”
 

“Bye.” Melody clicked the phone off and sat back against the couch.
 

“You guys are really close.” Tex’s words were matter of fact.
 

“Yeah. One of the hardest things about leaving was not being able to talk to Amy. Yeah, I missed my parents, but it’s not the same as not being able to talk to my best friend.”
 

“You ready to talk this through so we can see if we can’t figure it out?”
 

“No, but yes.”
 

Tex chuckled and gave Baby one last pat on the head and stood up. He held out his hand to Mel. “Come on. Let’s sit at the table. I need to use my computer to see what I can find and to write everything down.”
 

Melody grasped Tex’s hand and let him lead her to her table. He pulled out the chair at the end of the table and when she was seated, took the chair next to her on the side of the table. He pulled over one of his laptops and fired it up.
 

“How about we start with how you were able to stay away and how you organized it all. Somehow this guy found you while you were in California, and we have to figure out how.”
 

“Wouldn’t it be easier to talk about who I think it might be first?”