“Wait!” Melody said as Daveed started to give the driver directions to the condo. After the stress of what happened with Heath followed by that scorching, toe-curling kiss with Daveed, she wasn’t sure she could handle going back to the condo alone with him just yet. She needed some time and space and fresh air to wrap her head around all the emotions swirling inside her—disappointment, desire, hope, helplessness. “Can you take us to Rockefeller Center instead?”

“Sure, lady,” the driver said before pulling out into traffic.

“Why do you want to go there?” Daveed asked, frowning. “I’d think after the circus that happened inside the pub the last thing you’d want to do is be around more people.”

“I know, but I need to decompress a bit before I go home.” She sighed and looked out the window, anywhere but at him. Because now when she saw Daveed’s face, all she could seem to focus on were his warm mocha brown eyes, his soft full lips, how the slight roughness of the stubble on his jaw felt beneath her fingertips. Oh, Lord. Even sitting a foot apart in the back of a cab, she could still remember the heat of him pressed against her, could still smell his exotic aftershave—jasmine, sandalwood, and citrus. She bit her lip and did her best to refocus on something less sexy and more innocent. “Besides, I’m dying for a hot chocolate and the VIP Igloo by the ice rink serves the best in the city.”

He sighed and shook his head, clearly avoiding her gaze as well. He kept checking his phone, his thumbs typing out a quick text. She tried to peek once, but he hid the screen from her. Most likely, he was texting Heath to apologize for springing her on him like that. Given how crappy the meeting had gone, it was probably good he’d not warned Heath ahead of time. And there was no way the guy would agree to see her again willingly now.

The cab pulled up at the curb on Forty-Ninth Street and Daveed handed the driver money for their fare while Melody climbed out and stood on the sidewalk, staring up at the towering Christmas tree nearby. All around them were families with kids and couples in love, and the unexpected sting of tears burned her eyes before she blinked them away. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t. What happened with Heath was over and done now and there was nothing she could do to change it. And yes, maybe there was a moment at the beginning of that kiss with Daveed where it felt so real, so true, even though she was sure the only reason he’d done it was to throw off the paparazzi. It was fine. It was good. She’d be strong and do this on her own. Besides, all she could do now was make the best of her situation and move forward.

“Right,” Daveed said, as their cab pulled away and he moved in beside her on the crowded sidewalk. “Where’s the magical vendor you told me about?”

“This way.” She took his hand and weaved through the crowds of tourists from all over the world, speaking various languages. “It’s downstairs, near the Prometheus.”

They entered the complex under a lighted entrance proclaiming the Rainbow Room Observation Deck NBC Studios, then took a sharp right before they reached an island labeled Top of the Rock. Melody had been coming here since she was a child with her parents and knew the way by heart, even if Daveed seemed to be digging in his heels a bit.

“Are you sure this is the right way?” he asked, frowning in the dimmer light inside the hallway. “We seem to be going away from the ice rink, not toward it.”

“It’s right. Trust me, I’ve been here more times than I can count.” She pulled him forward down the long marble hallway, past the NBC Experience Store on the right and toward two sets of stairs and an escalator at the end of the corridor. “It’s right down here.”

They descended the stairs and she spotted the glass and steel atrium of the Igloo straight ahead. As they reached the doors, she fumbled inside her bag for her VIP Pass and showed it to the attendant on duty at the door then paid for a second pass for Daveed without batting an eye. She might have limited funds, but this was important. He smiled and nodded as he handed Melody her change then tipped his hat to them as they passed through to the inside. It was a bit less crowded down here, and the smell of freshly baked holiday sugar cookies filled the air. Despite her less-than-stellar time at the pub, Melody couldn’t suppress a smile. “What do you think? Pretty magical, eh?”

Watching Daveed take in the view over the ice rink outside and the twinkling Christmas lights in the gathering twilight was nearly enough to make her hurl herself into his arms and kiss him silly again. The wonder and delight on his handsome face was the best gift ever. “It’s… Wow!”

“I know, right?” She linked arms with him and pulled him over to a small area in the corner and fixed them each a cup of hot cocoa. “With or without marshmallows?”

“With, of course.”

“My kind of man.” She winked and spooned an extra helping of mini-marshmallows into his mug then picked up her own and did the same. “I’ll make it up to him, I swear.”

“Who?” Daveed frowned, sipping his drink.

“Heath.” She warmed her hands around her steaming cup. “What I did was wrong and I’ll make amends to him, I promise. Right after I prove to my parents that I can stand on my own two feet.”

“Sounds admirable,” Daveed said, leading her over to one of the glass walls overlooking the rink. “How exactly are you planning on accomplishing all this?”

“I’m not sure yet.” She watched the people on the ice, twirling and falling and holding on to each other for support. Melody shrugged and hazarded a glance at Daveed, finding him watching her closely. Fresh sparks of awareness burst like fireworks inside her and her cheeks prickled with heat. “But I’ll figure it out. Just like I did those codes of yours. Seems I’m good for something after all.”

“Hmm.” He gave her a sexy little half smile. “Yes. I’m starting to believe you’re good for a great many things, Mel.”

He’d never called her by her nickname before and the intimacy of it sent a thrill zinging through her blood. She covered her fluster with a quick curtsy and a grin. “Thank you. That means a lot coming from a royal exile.”

“Shush.” He looked around them fast, though his expression was comical. “Don’t want those paparazzi to turn up again and spoil our lovely time.”

She laughed. “It is lovely, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.”

They finished their hot chocolate and nibbled on a few cookies before heading back upstairs again. Daveed kept her hand in his as they walked round Rockefeller Center and enjoyed the tree and the other decorations. Between the trumpeting angels and the enchanted gardens set up around them, Melody finally felt some of the melancholy she’d been carrying around since returning from Tahiti lifting.

Her spirits remained buoyant all the way back to the condo and even after. In fact, she laid awake in bed until well after midnight, reliving the wonderful kiss she and Daveed had shared earlier. And yes, maybe it had happened as a ruse to fool the press. It had still felt real and exciting and she couldn’t wait to try it again with him, if he was open to it. Memories of the first night she’d spent at the condo returned as well. They’d sat up half the night just talking and laughing and getting to know each other a bit better. Restless, she tossed aside her covers and sat up. If she was having trouble sleeping again, then maybe so was Daveed.

Anticipation bubbling inside her, she got up and tiptoed over to the door, pressing her ear against it to listen for any sounds of someone else being up, but heard nothing. Undeterred, she silently opened her door and snuck out into the hall. Pitch blackness greeted her. Tiptoeing down to the living room she peeked around the corner, but spotted only empty furniture and lightly falling snow outside the windows. So much for another romantic interlude with Daveed.

As she crept back to her room, Melody couldn’t help stopping outside his closed door and pressing her hand against the wood. He was in there, sleeping most likely, and she was an idiot to think a guy as great as him would want anything to do with a loser like her. She had no job, no money, no prospects for the future. But maybe, just maybe, she could change all that.

And starting tomorrow, she would.

* * *

Daveed laid wide awake that night until the moon sank below the horizon in the pre-dawn gloom, despite feeling exhausted. Truth was, battling his growing attraction to Melody was getting to be much harder than he’d anticipated. He’d sworn not to let her in, not to fall for the impulsive, warm-hearted, disorganized woman Heath had warned him about, but then he’d kissed her.

Cursing under his breath, he rolled over, punching his pillow harder than necessary before flopping down atop it again. He’d only done it to help her avoid another tabloid storm like the one she’d experienced after her break-up with Heath. At least that’s what he kept telling himself. He sighed and closed his eyes, hoping for sleep, but no such luck. With nothing but blackness surrounding him, all he could picture was her wide-eyed look of surprise in the pub when he’d pulled her close and captured her lips with his. The way those pretty blue eyes of hers had slid closed as her body relaxed into his. The sweet, spicy taste of her that he could still catch a trace of in his mouth. Damn. He groaned and covered his face with his arm. What the hell had he been thinking?

He hadn’t been. That was the problem.

Frustrated and restless, he finally gave up any hope of slumber and headed to the bathroom for a shower. It was way early still. Only four-thirty, per the digital clock by his bedside, but he needed to burn off his excess energy or else he’d end up charging across the hall and picking up with Melody right where they’d left off at the pub.

As he soaped up and rinsed, memories of their time after the pub at the ice rink resurfaced. Of course, it didn’t help that she’d opened up more to him, showing him one of the places she’d loved as a child. Sharing such experiences with her only made him yearn to know more about her, which was ridiculous. He jammed off the shower, wrapped a towel around his hips, then shaved and brushed his teeth. The last thing he should be thinking about right now was getting involved with Heath’s ex. Not when Murph’s sister was still missing.

Finding Aileen should be his top priority. End of story.

After pulling on clean clothes and running a comb through his damp hair, he headed out early to start his work for the day, lingering only long enough to fix himself a travel mug of coffee to drink on his way to see the guys. Melody was still asleep, thankfully, and he was careful to leave quietly so as not to disturb her.

Two blocks and one subway ride later, he was standing outside the Brooklyn brownstone Murphy rented. Despite the early hour, lights blazed brightly from the front windows. None of the guys slept late these days. Too much time in the military and too little incentive to stay in bed had them rising early and ready to work. His traitorous mind briefly reminded him that he could have a reason to sleep in back at Heath’s condo, if he’d just knocked on Melody’s door, but Daveed pushed those thoughts away. He’d made his decision. He’d stay away from her.

He charged up the front stoop of the red brick brownstone and knocked on the door. Murph answered and let him inside, grinning. “You dog.”

“What?” Daveed frowned.

Heath was sitting at the dining room table with a newspaper in one hand and a coffee mug in the other. “Dumbass. I warned you and here you go and kiss her anyway.”

His heart dropped to his toes as he moved in beside Heath at the table. Those bastard paparazzi didn’t waste any time splashing those photos all over the front pages, did they? He gave Heath a side glance then raked a hand through his still damp hair. “I was trying to get her out of a sticky situation.”

“Yeah?” Heath raised a blond brow at him. “Is that what they’re calling it these days?”

“Shit.” Daveed took his now-empty travel mug over to the kitchen counter and refilled it from the fresh pot of coffee Murphy had made. “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t mean for it to happen. It’s just all those cameramen were swarming around and you’d bailed and so I acted on impulse. I seriously don’t know how you deal with that crap every day.”

“Now you know why I keep a low profile and stay busy.” He scratched his beard. “Changing my looks doesn’t hurt either.”

Murphy snorted. “And here I thought you just liked the Grizzly Adams persona.”

“Actually, it’s starting to itch and I’d love nothing more than to shave the damned thing off, but not until after we find Aileen.”

At the mention of his sister, good-natured Murph’s smile fell. “Man, I’m really starting to get worried about her. It’s not like her to disappear with no trace. I wish we could find some concrete evidence of what was going on with her before all this happened.”

Daveed set his mug down on the table and took a seat across from Heath. “I might be able to help there.”

“Yeah?” Heath set his paper aside. “What’ve you got?”

“I think we deciphered some clues from those garbled notes Aileen left behind.”

“We?” Murph asked, his expression coy.

“Melody helped. She’s actually quite good at puzzles and figuring out things like this. If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t have found these words on my own.” He took his time bringing up the photos on his phone, more to avoid Heath’s narrowed stare than anything. “Have a look at these.”

Heath took the phone and scowled down at the screen. “Corruption? Illegal? Fraud? Software?”

“Yep.” Daveed sat back and sipped his coffee. “I circled them in red so they’d be easier to spot. Melody also deciphered an address on one of the other notes you sent over. 124 West 52^nd Street. She and I went over there yesterday, before we met you at the pub. Didn’t find anything though. Just another high-rise filled with offices—an eco-energy company and some financial firm. Both multi-national. No sign of Aileen ever being there at all.”

“Well, fuck,” Murphy said, his broad shoulders slumping.

“Exactly.” Daveed agreed, before shifting his attention back to Heath. “So, what’s the plan for today?”