She has a colorful clip holding up the front of her hair, but her curls are a bit unruly and obviously don’t like to do what she tells them to. I love it. I get the feeling that she’s otherwise orderly, and her hair defies her. Though I’m not sure what gives me that idea. I could be dead wrong.
Melody’s cheeks are pink. She might be nervous from this strange encounter, but it’s possible they’re often pink. It’s part of her complexion. She’s wearing subtle makeup, just enough mascara to give some tint to her otherwise blond lashes and some lip gloss on her heart-shaped mouth. I’d give just about anything to find out if it’s flavored.
From my peripheral vision, I take in the rest of her because she’d probably slap me if I stared blatantly at her tits. Thin straps hold the dress up, leaving her shoulders bare. The dress has a full skirt that hits mid-thigh, and she’s wearing colorful braided sandals.
“Uhhh…” Her voice interrupts my musing.
Dallas clears his throat. “I’m going to clean up in here. Yell if you need any help.”
I smile and nod toward the front of the library. “Let’s take a look.”
Melody inhales deeply and slowly blows her breath out as she turns to walk with me. “Fuck,” she mutters.
I chuckle as I glance at her. “Is that aimed at me or the car?”
She shrugs. “Both.”
The late afternoon sun is bright as we step outside, and Melody shields her eyes.
It takes me a few seconds to realize she’s struggling to keep up with me. Her legs are about half the length of mine, so I slow down. “Sorry. I’m not used to tiny people walking alongside me.”
She growls. “I’m not tiny.”
I laugh as we reach her car. “What would you call yourself? Are you even five feet tall? You’re a little pixie. I’m more than a foot taller than you. Do you even weigh a hundred pounds?”
She rolls her eyes. “I’m five feet. And yes, I weigh more than a hundred pounds.”
I hold out my hand, palm up.
She looks at it. “What?”
“Need your keys, baby.”
Her breath hitches as she stares at me yet again. She’s so flustered. I don’t think she likes being flustered. But I sure as fuck like it. My new life goal is to keep Melody Thorne off-kilter as much as possible.
There’s definitely something odd about this town—or at least the Wilde mansion. It casts a spell on its inhabitants. I’ve been here three weeks, and suddenly I’ve fallen. I know it as well as I do any other fact.
Call it Fate or destiny or whatever, but I don’t think it’s a coincidence that Melody’s car won’t start. If ever there was a sign, it was this. The universe just stepped in and slapped me upside the head. This gorgeous little pixie is mine.
Chapter 4
Brody
* * *
I don’t have a clue what it means for the trajectory of my life yet, but I feel like I’ve taken a hit to the solar plexus. It’s hard to keep from stumbling backward and falling on my ass.
Melody’s fingers shake as she digs her keys out of the small purse hanging from her shoulder so she can hand them to me.
I hate that she’s in the sun. She should be in the shade. Always. I know I’m a hypocrite about the effects of the sun’s rays on the skin. I work in construction. I’m tanned and a bit weathered from years of sun damage. There may come a day when I regret the number of times I didn’t bother with sunscreen.
But I won’t have Melody exposing her pale skin to the harmful UV rays. It’s not safe. “You’ve got two choices here, pixie. You can either go back into the library while I try to start your car, or if you have an umbrella, you can stand under it.”
She frowns. “What?”
I stroke her cheek. I swear it’s turning a darker pink by the second. “Your skin, little pixie. It’s too fair to stand out here.”
She rolls her eyes. “We’re not at a fucking ballgame. It’s just for a minute. Either the car starts or it doesn’t. Thirty seconds.”
