Melt (Steel Brothers Saga #4)(5)

“The color would be great on you,” Blondie said.

I turned toward her. “I never wear purple. It doesn’t look right on me.”

“Are you kidding? With your skin tone and blond hair, you’d rock purple.” She eyed me up and down. “And you sure do have the body for it.”

Now I was really uncomfortable. She was looking me over as if I were her dessert.

Why had I come in here again? “If you’ll excuse me, I really must be going.”

Blondie was not so easily swayed. “If you open a line of credit today, I can get you twenty percent off. Honestly, this line is perfect for you. The man in your life would adore you in it.”

She had said exactly the wrong thing. I looked at her squarely. “I have no man in my life.”

I walked swiftly out of the store.

What had I been thinking going in there? I walked along, gazing in some store windows. My reflection stared back at me. My hair was a mess. A couple strands were falling out of the updo I’d worn.

My body was…okay. Perfect for a purple lace lingerie line? Not even. Blondie was a good salesperson. A lot of women probably fell for her line.

But not me. Nope, nothing special about me or my body. Nothing special about me, period.

I sighed. Why had I been looking forward to shopping? Why not just go home and take the extra time to relax? I walked back to my office, took the elevator to the parking garage, and left.



Talon Steel sat in my office, his hands on the arms of the leather recliner where he always sat.

“It’s been a couple weeks,” I said.

“Yeah, I’m sorry I haven’t been in. Harvest time at the orchard is finally dying down, and I’ll have more availability. I know it’s important to continue my sessions. I know I’m not fully healed yet.”

Did anyone ever fully heal? I wasn’t so sure. “How is everything going?” I asked.

“Pretty well. I still have a dream about once a week, but they don’t matter so much anymore. Jade moved back in, and she shares my bedroom.”

I smiled. “And you no longer fear sleeping with her.”

He maintained eye contact, something he’d had a hard time with at first. “No. I look back now and wonder why I ever did. I know I would never hurt her.”

I nodded. “I know.”

“How did things go with Joe the other day?”

I bit my lip. “I’m not at liberty to say. Although you gave me permission to share your sessions with him, he didn’t give me that same permission.”

“Sorry. I didn’t think about that.”

“There’s no reason why you should have. You’re just concerned about your brother.”

“I am. It’s not like my brother to get the crap kicked out of him. He’s a big, strong man. He should be fine on his own.”

I agreed. What could I say? “He has things to work through, Talon, just like you do.”

“I just never understood why both my brothers were so affected by what happened to me. They both seem to carry a lot of baggage from it.”

“What they’re going through isn’t uncommon. But you can’t take on their healing as well. They have to take that initiative.”

“I guess you’re right, but it’s hard, Doc, watching them struggle.”

“I’m sure it is. I’m sure it was just as hard, maybe harder, for them to watch you struggle all those years.”

Talon nodded. “I always forget that. I always forget that what happened to me also happened to them, but in a different way.”

“You’re absolutely right. But as I said, you can’t do their healing for them.”

“I know. I wish I could help.”

“You can. You can take care of yourself.”

He pressed his lips into a slight frown. “Doc?”

“Yes?”

“How do you think I’m doing? I mean, really.”

“I’ve told you before, Talon. Your progress is amazing. You’re doing great.”

“Do you think I’m ready for…”

“What?”

He fidgeted, steepling his fingers. “I’d like to ask Jade to be my wife.”

I couldn’t help a broad smile. “I think that’s wonderful.”

“Do you think I’m ready? To make that kind of commitment?”

“Only you can answer that question. Just that you’re asking, though, is huge. Remember, when you first came in here, you weren’t sure you could even have a relationship with Jade.”

He nodded. “True.”

“If you’re considering marriage now—I mean, if you are letting yourself consider it—then yes, I think you’re ready.”

He sighed. “I really want to put a ring on her finger. I want the world to know she’s mine. And I do want to get married. I want her to be the mother of my children.” He shook his head. “Children. Man, I never thought I wanted to bring children into this world. But now, with Jade, I do, Doc. I want children.”

“That’s wonderful. I think you’ll be a great father.”

A wide smile spread across his handsome face. “I don’t know. But with Jade by my side, I feel like I can accomplish anything.”