Island Love Songs: Seven Nights in Paradise / The Wedding Dance / Orchids and Bliss

Another slow song began, and the guests made their way onto the sand dance floor.

“May I have this dance?”

Melanie turned around to see Edward standing there. All day she had been busy with her duties as maid of honor, and had been able to avoid him for the most part. But now, there was no putting him off.

He was a nice guy. There was no real reason to avoid him. “Sure.”

They danced, and he held her close, and on a night like this, Melanie was all too aware that these were not the arms she wanted to be in.

She wanted to be in Lawrence’s arms.

“Thank you, Edward,” Melanie said after that dance. “Will you excuse me?”

Edward seemed surprised, but he didn’t object. “Sure. I’ll be here.”

Melanie first went to the restroom, where she checked out her reflection and touched up her makeup. Here she was, looking beautiful with her hair and makeup done, and in a dress that flattered her figure. This was the day she wanted Lawrence to see her.

With Lawrence on her mind, she exited the restroom and headed toward the beach away from where the wedding celebration was taking place. She wanted some time alone. She began to walk along the water’s edge, pausing to dig her toes into the sand. Behind her, a lively tune was now playing.

Melanie strolled, holding her dress up so the hem wouldn’t get wet. She was doing what Richelle had done that morning before her wedding. Taking time to simply enjoy the environment around her.

Melanie had only been walking alone for a couple minutes when she heard a male voice call out, “Hey.”

That voice... Her pulse began to race. She turned, her eyes searching the stretch of beach. And in the distance, she saw him.

It was Lawrence.

Her heart began to pitter-patter in her chest as he walked toward her.

She stood rooted to the spot. Waited until he caught up to her. And when he did, she looked at him, felt that familiar jolt of white-hot heat when her eyes could fully take in his face.

How did you let this man go? she couldn’t help asking herself.

“Hey,” he said again when he reached her.

“Lawrence.”

“What are you doing out here by yourself?”

“I went for a walk.” She paused. “What are you doing here?”

“I...” he began, and then paused. “I knew it was the day of the wedding. I came by to see you.”

“Oh.” Melanie was excited, though she tried not to show it.

His eyes swept over her. “You look...you look beautiful.”

“Thank you.” But as nice as it was to hear Lawrence say that, Melanie felt a rush of doubt. “I haven’t seen you for a couple days. I guess you’ve been keeping busy with your new friends....”

“My friends?” Lawrence asked, but a moment later, his eyes registered understanding. “Wow, I came out here to see you, and that’s what you have to say to me?”

“One minute I saw you with them at the beach, the next minute, you’d disappeared.”

“And you think...”

Melanie’s shoulders drooped. This wasn’t what she had planned to talk about the next time she saw him. What was she doing?

“Forget what I just said,” Melanie told him. “Obviously I gave up any rights to you a long time ago.”

Something flashed in his eyes. Hurt? “What you saw was me and Shemar being friendly with two women. No big deal.” He paused. Held her gaze. “The truth is, I wish I could get involved with someone else. Shemar keeps telling me that I need to start dating again. But damn it, all I keep thinking about is you.”

Butterflies began to flutter in Melanie’s stomach, but she said nothing.

“Do you know I came here to try to forget you once and for all?” He laughed without mirth. “Instead, I get here and you’re at this resort. Of all places. Talk about a kink in my plan.”

“If I had known...”

“If you had known, what? You would have avoided coming here? That’s how uneasy you are at the idea of seeing me?”

Melanie said nothing. Because every time she opened her mouth, she was saying the wrong thing.

“I always believed that you loved me, Mel. But I guess I was wrong.”

“Of course I did!” she said immediately.

“Then prove it.”

Melanie looked up at him in confusion. “What?”

In a flash, Lawrence took her by the shoulders and brought his lips down on hers. He kissed her in a heated, almost angry fashion. As his tongue tangled with hers, he slipped his hands around her waist and pulled her close.

She sighed against him. His kiss... It was like coming home. Coming home when there was a celebration going on. Because the sensations she felt were hot and thrilling, like fireworks going off in rapid succession.

Lawrence eased his lips from hers. “God, this is what I wanted to do since the moment I saw you again. It’s what I wanted to do every day for the past nine months.”

A lust-filled sigh escaped Melanie’s lips, and then his mouth was on hers again. Her hands were moving up his back now. She dug her fingers into his shirt, needing to feel more of him. Re-familiarize herself with his magnificent body.

She hadn’t felt this alive in a very long time.

And as his tongue twirled with hers, creating the most delicious sensations, and as her body overheated, she acknowledged that this was the truth. Since the day she had dumped him by not showing up for the wedding, a part of her had been dead.

But that part had just come roaring back to life.

Chapter 8

All too soon, Lawrence broke the kiss and stepped back, leaving Melanie feeling dazed and confused. She stared up at him with narrowed eyes, not understanding why he had stopped just as things had gotten decidedly hot.

“What— Why are you stopping?” Melanie stammered.