Melody's Crush

Chapter 14

Cries from the monitor had me jerking straight up. Curls fell every which way blocking my view. Parting the strands in front of my nose, I pulled them back like curtains while spitting out the stragglers that got stuck in my mouth. Standing up, I went to take a step, tripped over a sandal and fell.

Not having the strength to get up, I crawled toward the door like a wounded animal. Finding the knob, I was able to brace myself enough to stand before pouring like putty into the hall. Numbly slogging toward the living room, my shoulders bumped back and forth between the walls as if I were a pinball made of rubber.

Good lord, this was the fifth time since midnight Chloe howled. I was beginning to wonder if there was a full moon out tonight. But that wasn't until next Saturday. Thank gah haw hawd this would all be over by then.

If anyone ever second guessed why practicing safe sex was important, all they needed to do was spend a night with CC.

That's her new nickname. Colicky Chloe.

My bare feet plopped on the tile one after the other as I moved through the kitchen for the umpteenth time, my arms swinging from side to side like an orangutan. Moving into the living room, I noticed a small light coming from one of the side tables.

If Kyle was already awake, then why the heck hadn't Chloe shut... up?

Wailing continued as I moved toward the couch against the far wall. Looking down, I noticed Kyle had his arm over his eyes, unresponsive to Chloe who was lying on his bare chest.

Blinking one very slow blink, the sudden pounding in my ears overwhelmingly drowned out the cries as my eyes took a trip down his torso toward his narrow hips, pausing to stare at every ripple on the way. On the trip back, I noticed how perfect those ripples calmed into a smooth chiseled chest banked by broad shoulders. So broad in fact that he used his other arm to act like a kickstand for his body with his palm pressed against the floor.

How the heck was he able to sleep on the couch with his body hanging off it like that?

As if hearing my thoughts, Kyle started to shift. Hastily, I reached for Chloe, the backs of my fingers grazing across his hard pectorals as I scooped her up.

He continued turning over on his side until he was facing the back of the couch. Ogling at his oblique muscles, I could tell they were that of a well-trained athlete. Shaking my head, I meant to look away but my eyes continued to explore until settling on two divots that crowned just above his hipline on either side of his spine.  

Something in my knees vibrated.

The sudden appearance of his hand moving to scratch his thigh had me jerking my eyes to the edge of his grey sweatpants, which had been pulled down dangerously low over his hips exposing what looked to be a distinct tan line left from the summer sun.

My stomach tightened as if someone had just punched me in the gut. I literally couldn't breathe.

Frozen, I watched helplessly as he turned back over to face me. His chiseled abdominal muscles contracting with every move his body made as he adjusted his position.

Swallowing, it felt like a bag of cotton balls had been jabbed down my throat as I tried to clear it. My wide eyes locked on to his sleepy ones refusing to blink.

"Have you changed her yet?" he asked, his voice gruff with sleep.

Gulp after gulp, I tried desperately to get in a breath that never quite seemed to fill my lungs all the way.

"Melody? What the..."

Kyle jumped up and grabbed my shoulders, guiding me to sit in the warm spot where his body was a second before, the warm musky scent of him bombarding my nostrils. My heart started pounding in my chest and I couldn't hear anything. Feeling like someone was shaking me I looked up into Kyle's eyes that were wide with, what... fear?