Melody looked down at the stairs, trying to control her emotions and her thoughts. Finally, she raised her head to look into his eyes, eyes that had the ability to make her forget all rational thought. ‘Look, all I was saying is that you’re a very handsome man and I’m sure you’ve met plenty of women during the VOS who would have been more than willing to indulge in a brief affair while you were in town.’
‘And what if there were?’
Melody’s eyes widened in surprise. Was he admitting to it? Was he a womaniser? ‘Were there?’ she asked quietly, trying hard to control her disappointment.
‘Yes.’
She felt as though he’d hit her. Her mouth opened in disbelief. She’d been hoping against hope that he wasn’t that way and now he was admitting as much. Turning, she started walking down the stairs again, thankful she was almost at the lobby. George, however, was clearly fed up with everything and took the stairs two at a time, passing her and barring her way just before she reached the door that led to the lobby.
‘Yes, there have been women who’ve made passes at me during the VOS, but I didn’t take any of them up on their offers. Melody, I’ve been working through a lot of emotions during this tour and the last thing I needed was…entanglements.’ He held out his hand to her. ‘Until you.’ His tone was soft and endearing, urging her to trust him.
She looked at his hand but didn’t take it. He dropped it back to his side and nodded. ‘You’re the first woman I’ve wanted to kiss since Veronique. Is it so wrong that I’d follow through on that instinct?’
‘Perhaps not, but it was what you did afterwards.’
‘What? Protecting you against gossip? Trying not to let Andy see that he’d almost caught us together?’ His words were earnest. ‘I don’t want to leave you with more to deal with after I leave.’
Melody closed her eyes. He’d been trying to protect her? Was that just a line? An excuse for his behaviour? She’d heard so many excuses from Ian and Emir in the past that it was difficult to know whether George was speaking the truth. Opening her eyes, she sidestepped him and stalked through the door into the lobby.
‘And as far as the almost-kiss goes,’ he continued as he went after her, ‘you were quite willing for it to happen, too.’
Melody stopped and turned to face him, glad that, except for the bare minimum of staff, the lobby was deserted. ‘I am not having this discussion with you here.’
‘Then come back up to my room and we’ll discuss it there.’
‘Ha. Come back to your room? That should be the last thing I do.’
‘Why?’
Melody opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t. She wanted to tell him that if she went up to his room, there was no way she’d be able to resist him. He would kiss her and she would willingly let him. She knew it was because she wanted it, more than she wanted anything else right now, but she’d also given in to her wants before and it had ended in heartbreak.
‘I’ll tell you why,’ he continued. ‘You don’t want to come back to my room because you can’t trust yourself.’ He lowered his voice and took a step closer. As he did so, he stubbed his toe on a nearby table and grunted in pain.
Melody reached out and steadied the vase of flowers on the table before glancing down at his foot. He’d flexed his ankle to hold the toes upwards and was hobbling towards a chair. She looked into his eyes and saw the pain there.
‘Let me look at it,’ she said, and reached for his foot.
‘No. It’s fine. I can take care of it.’
‘Stop being such a martyr and let me look at it.’ Melody grabbed his heel and lifted it up.
‘Is everything all right?’ one of the staff asked.
‘It’s fine.’ George glared at Melody as she tweaked his sore toe.
‘Sorry.’ She continued checking the range of motion. ‘Not broken,’ she announced, and turned to face the staff member. ‘He’ll be fine,’ she said. ‘My prescription is two paracetamol and bed rest. Perhaps you might help Professor Wilmont to the lift so he can get back up to his room?’ Melody smiled sweetly, enjoying George’s disadvantage.
‘I’m fine,’ he repeated, and stood to prove it.
‘Well, if that’s all, I’ll be on my way.’ Melody handed the staff member her valet ticket and after a brief nod he left them alone again. ‘No charge for the examination,’ she told George.
‘How generous of you.’ He frowned and she realised that she’d better not try to push him any further as his mood had changed drastically. Previously, he’d been willing to reason, to discuss things calmly. Now he wasn’t in such a good mood and she didn’t blame him—stubbed toes were painful.