I ordered a couple croissant sandwiches which she gave me two for one since it was getting late and she wanted to get rid of the last of her baked goods, or so she claimed. I sat in a furry pink chair near the picture window, behind a potted palm that almost reached the ceiling. Paige seemed to have a thing for large plants. Ame stared up at the fronds, fascinated. She reached for one, her chubby little baby fingers opening and closing as she nibbled the knuckles of her other hand and slobbered drool down her chin.
I held her close and blew out a rough sigh of frustration. I hated that I had to just sit back and watch my sister go through such a tough time, and that there was nothing I could do.
I would give everything I owned if it would take away the pain and suffering her and Warren were going through. They were both good people and deserved better. For me, the worst part was being powerless, feeling helpless against the fucking human diseases.
Ame yanked me out of my thoughts and into the present moment by grabbing my face and attempting to shove her slobbery, drool-coated fingers into my mouth. When I snapped my jaw together, pretending to bite them, she giggled and squealed before slapping the shit out of my cheek, leaving wet streaks of baby saliva. I barked a laugh and leaned far enough away that she couldn’t do it again, but she pouted so I moved back. Another rough slap and I growled firmly but gently to get her to soften her blows. Her little shifter strength was intense.
When I heard the bell over the door chime and a second later, smelled a fragrance that teased a groan from my lips, I knew before I brushed the palm leaf aside, who had entered. Mel. And she looked as good as she smelled. She’d changed out of the formal dress and into a pair of leggings, an oversized T-shirt, and those combat boots. She somehow looked just as elegant and just as jaw droppingly beautiful as she had when she was dressed to the nines.
She must have sensed me staring at her. She turned, her eyes met mine, and I watched a pink blush bloom over her cheeks. She gave a little wave and turned back and forth a few times, as though debating whether she should come over to me.
I told myself to drop the leaf back into place, not to give off mixed signals, or encourage any interaction. Myself didn’t listen. I smiled and nodded to her. “Hi there. Didn’t expect to see you here.”
She bit her lip and held up her finger to me. At the counter, she ordered a sandwich from Paige and then turned and looked as though she was at war with herself. That changed the second she spotted Ame. Her eyes brightened and she inhaled sharply. “Oh!”
Ame smacked me once more for good measure and then reached out for Mel at the same time Mel crossed the room wearing a big smile, her eyes riveted on Ame.
Mel stopped in front of us, giggling. “Can I hold her? I love babies.”
If I had any sense of self-preservation, I would’ve said no. I would have said no, gotten up and run out of there as fast as my feet could take me. I didn’t.
But it wasn’t entirely my fault, either.
Ame and Mel made that that impossible. The look in Mel’s eyes was one of intense longing, and Ame…both Ame’s arms were extended as she thrust them toward Mel, her little face straining as she fought to get away from me and closer to Mel.
What the hell?
I handed Ame over and watched my little drool-dlebug wrap her chubby arms around Mel’s neck. She immediately opened her mouth and covered Mel’s face in drool kiss.
I laughed, the sound pained as I watched them. “Sorry about her drool.”
Despite her huge smile, I was surprised to see tears gather in Mel’s eyes. She blinked them away and eased herself into the seat across from me. “Don’t be sorry. I love it. She can drool all she wants. She’s beautiful.”
Watching the two of them, I felt an overwhelming sense of warmth. It felt too natural and she looked too good holding Ame.
“Is she…yours?” Her tone was oddly tight as she asked.
“Yes. I mean, no. Er…kind of.”
Mel stared quietly with a brow raised slightly.
I snorted. “She’s my niece. Grand-niece, technically. My sister’s daughter’s baby. Her name is Ame—Amethyst.”
Mel’s shoulders relaxed and released a wistful sigh. “That is a beautiful name. For a beautiful little girl. And fitting. Do you know the story in Greek mythology?”
“No. I didn’t know there was a story.”
“Amethyst was a mortal on her way to pay tribute to the Goddess Diana when she got caught in an argument between the gods and found herself face to face with tigers sent by Dionysus, the god of wine. To save her, Diana turned Amethyst into a statue of pure crystal that was so beautiful that when Dionysus saw it, he was overcome with sorrow and remorse and cried tears of wine. His tears fell over the statue staining it and making it even more lovely.”
Ame managed to hook two of her fingers into Mel’s earring and was pulling at it. I leaned over and slid my hand around the back of Mel’s neck to hold her steady as I unwrapped Ame’s fingers. “She’s beautiful, but she’s handsy.”
Mel’s pupils dilated and the smallest breathy sigh escaped her parted lips as she looked up at me. I realized how close I was to her, how private our little corner was, and tightened my fingers on her neck searching her face, desperate for a sign warning me to back away.
Mel, tell me I’m invading your space, tell me I’m pushing you too far. Just tell me to leave you alone.
Instead, her lids fluttered and closed, her chin tipped up just the slightest bit. That was an invitation. An opening for me to kiss her, but if that happened, there would be no going back for either of us. Even Ame had gone silent in the face of our tension. The entire café seemed to disappear.
“Mel…” Her name was a moan on my lips as I drew closer.
“Three sandwiches, all ready! I threw in some cookies that we had left over, too.” As Paige pulled back the palm fronds, I sunk back into my chair, a guilty expression on my face.
Mel cleared her throat and smiled at Paige, color creeping up her cheeks. “Thank you. For the cookies. I’ve got to get going.”
I watched as she stood up, and with a flustered expression, took the bag from Paige, and stepped briskly toward the door. “Mel?”
She looked back at me and bit her lip. “Y-yes?”
Despite being horrified at my lack of self-control, I couldn’t fight a grin. “Can I have my niece back?”
“Oh, my god!” She rushed back towards me and shoved Ame at me. “I am so sorry.”
Ame instantly burst into tears.
Paige stood back, giggling. “An almost kidnapping. That’s a first for my shop.”
But Paige’s voice could barely be heard over Ame’s howls. Mel groaned and hurried away. With one glance over her shoulder at me, and a sympathetic and longing look at Ame, she fled the shop.
Ame instantly squealed and her little hand flew out and slapped me.
“I know, I did screw that up, didn’t I?”
14
Mel
I’m a skanky hoe. I am.
I almost kissed a man who wasn’t my boyfriend.
Well, technically, he almost kissed me. But I would have kissed him back! And I’d wanted him to kiss me. I’d wanted him to touch me and kiss me and cart me off to some romantic, secluded spot and make love to me under the stars.