Chapter 1
WASHINGTON, D.C. - SIX YEARS EARLIER
The unfamiliar wooden steps creaked as Melissa Vong-Martin padded down them.
She had thrown on one of Micah’s giant tees over her bra and panties so she didn’t give his roommates an eyeful.
The navy blue fabric was emblazoned in bold, boxy letters with “Branagh University”.
Mel had another semester left, but Micah and his roommates— all Air Force officers on sabbatical— had finished their master’s degrees three days before.
Last night, they threw a house party to celebrate their graduation and imminent deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.
The smell of bacon wafted through the air, and Mel’s stomach growled.
She pulled her thick, straight black hair into the neatest bun she could muster without a mirror.
A woman’s voice hummed a pop song off-key, and Mel poked her head into the kitchen to find her friend Andi at the stove.
Hearing Mel’s approaching footsteps, the petite blonde turned around.
Like Mel, her feet were bare and she also wore a shirt that obviously belonged to one of the four residents.
A mischievous smile lit up Andi’s whole face.
“So that was you moaning on the other side of the wall last night,” Andi said, wiggling her shoulders.
Mel’s cheeks burned. How loud was she? It was a pretty mediocre hookup. She had faked an orgasm so Micah would stop trying to unsuccessfully find her g-spot.
“Girl, it was so hot,” Andi added with a chuckle. Mel grinned to hide the relief that her deception was passable. “Bacon and eggs will be a few more minutes, but the coffee is ready.”
“Amanda Jones, you are the best morning after I could have asked for,” Mel said, shuffling towards the coffee pot.
The kitchen didn’t have creamer or sugar of any kind stocked, but after spending four years in the Air Force herself, Mel wasn’t going to be picky.
She leaned against the counter and sipped her mug.
The light dipped as a blond man passed through the doorway.
Shawn. “Damn, that smells good.” He wrapped his arms around Andi’s waist and kissed her shoulder.
Bitter jealousy bloomed in Mel’s stomach.
Early the night before, she had expected to end up in Shawn’s bed, not Micah’s.
He had given off flirty vibes, sneaking little touches and leaning into her.
Around midnight, Shawn went to get another drink and hadn’t returned.
When Mel realized he wouldn’t, she conceded to Micah’s advances.
Micah stumbled into the kitchen, dark brown hair sticking out at odd angles.
He was shirtless, showing off just how much time he spent at the gym.
He crowded her against the counter as he reached past her for a mug, towering over her.
At 5’9”, Mel wasn’t used to feeling diminutive.
In contrast, she could look Shawn and their other two housemates almost straight in the eye.
It was weird to feel physically small and vulnerable. She had to get out of here soon.
Holding his coffee in one hand, Micah cupped her hip and pulled her to him with the other.
He kissed her temple softly. Across the room, Shawn’s eyes flicked to the movement and narrowed.
Mel almost choked on her coffee in irritation.
What was Shawn’s problem? If he was jealous, it was his own damn fault.
He had abandoned her. Besides, he clearly had fun with Andi last night.
Andi thrust breakfast under her nose, oblivious to Mel’s stewing.
Mel took the plate of bacon and eggs and shuffled to the dining area behind Micah, where they were quickly joined by Andi and Shawn.
Mel tried really hard to be grateful for Andi’s cooking and not give into the monster that grew with each bite.
Eating was a reasonable cover for her silence.
By the time they finished eating, the other two roommates emerged and inhaled the rest of the breakfast spread.
“Want a ride to the metro?” Mel asked Andi as they cleared the table.
“Oh my gosh, yes!” Andi jumped. That girl had way too much energy this morning.
“Are you just going to eat and run?” Micah asked. He stared at Mel with big, puppy eyes. The expression did not inspire the sympathy he wanted. Resisting the urge to wince or run, she offered what she hoped was a regretful smile.
“I have so many Sunday chores,” Mel lamented.
Micah sighed and followed her back to his room. His gaze heated when she pulled off his shirt and handed it back to him, but he accepted it without a word and tossed it in a drawer. It took a few minutes to find her cami and low-rise jeans in the chaos that was Micah’s half-packed room.
Mel had never gotten dressed faster. When she returned downstairs, Andi was already waiting, her gold halter top shimmering in the morning light as she bounced on the balls of her feet. If Andi was eager to recount last night, Mel might strangle her.
As they said their goodbyes, Shawn melted into Mel, lingering a little too long, a little too tightly.
She wanted to scream in frustration. He had no right to foist any of his regret on her.
He had his opportunity, and he blew it. Just the same, she felt a spark in her stomach, and she cursed the part of herself that didn’t want to slap him.
Micah pulled Mel into his arms and angled for one last kiss, which she allowed. Why not? She probably wasn’t going to see him again. Besides, she really wanted to stick it to Shawn.
“Memories of last night will get me through my deployment,” he whispered into her hair. It took every fiber of her being not to cringe.
Mel couldn’t get out fast enough. She practically dragged Andi out of the house and down the front steps. “Slow down! My legs are short and these boots are killer,” Andi shouted after Mel while she tried to close the uneven front gate behind her.
“Sorry.” Mel said, slowing her pace for her much shorter friend.
For half a block, the only sound was Andi’s heels on the frozen concrete. Andi broke the silence. “What gives?” Andi asked. “Bats don’t leave Hell this fast.”
“Sorry,” Mel repeated. “I had to get out of there before Micah asked me to wait for or marry him.”
Andi shuddered. “I’m surprised you’re not running even faster!”
As they walked, Andi studied Mel. Andi might be six years younger than Mel, but she was very astute. “I overheard something interesting last night.” Mel screwed up her face, not sure if she wanted to hear it. “It’s not bad,” Andi clarified quickly.
Mel nodded, though her stomach churned. They came to Mel’s car, and she was thrilled for the diversion of unlocking the doors so she didn’t have to meet Andi’s eyes. The two women got in the car, which sputtered from the cold as the engine turned over.
“Micah and Shawn were talking in the kitchen. Micah was railing on Shawn for cock-blocking him. He said Shawn knew he’d been crushing on you for two years.”
That explained the way Shawn was looking at her. And his vanishing act.
“I was a teensy bit jealous hearing them argue over you. Shawn apologized profusely for breaking bro code and promised to back off. Micah took Shawn’s spot on the couch, and you know the rest. Shawn was standing in the kitchen looking so forlorn, so I decided to cheer him up.
” Andi grinned wickedly. “I’m very glad I did.
I’m a little sore this morning— in the very best way. ”
Mel swallowed. Sometimes Mel didn’t know how to respond to Andi’s openness about her sex life. She was relieved that her friend didn’t feel like she was “sloppy seconds,” but the jealousy from earlier began to expand again.
“I heard what sounded like an amazing hookup last night, but you don’t seem thrilled.”
Mel pretended to focus on the potholes in the road.
“Wait! Are you saying what I think you are?” Andi gasped. “Oh my god, Mel! Were you faking? Was all of that an act?”
“Not all of it,” Mel conceded. “But by the end, I was desperate for Micah to just stop trying.”
Andi giggled. “I’ve been there. Sorry. Well, too bad the guys are deploying. You won’t get a do-over with Shawn the Sex God anytime soon.”
Mel suppressed a scoff. Andi might be able to have meaningless one-night stands, but not Mel. Though that was exactly what she had hoped for when she walked into that house last night, Mel generally wanted more than a fleeting physical connection. She sighed. Maybe she’d find that soon.